Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 September 2015
215. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of additional new or second-hand housing units acquired by the local authorities following the various housing initiatives which he has introduced; the extent to which such acquisitions correspond to the relative local authority housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32681/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraInformation in relation to all social housing units acquired or developed by all local authorities is published on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15291,en.xls
under the heading “LA hsg output commenced (1994+)”. The data currently available is to the end of the first quarter of 2015; data in respect of the second quarter will be published shortly. Under the Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020, substantial funding is being made available to support the delivery of new social housing units. This includes funding provided to housing authorities for the construction and acquisition of houses and apartments to assist in meeting the needs of those on the social housing waiting lists.
On 1 April 2015, I announced provisional funding allocations totalling €1.5 billion for all local authorities, to meet an ambitious delivery target of circa 22,900 social housing units out to 2017. Details of the individual targets set for local authorities can be found on my Department’s website at:
www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
To date in 2015, some €493 million has been allocated to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies for the construction and acquisition of over 2,900 social housing units, full details of which can be found on my Department’s website at the following links:
www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm
and
www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,42225,en.htm.
In addition, over €91 million worth of housing investment was announced in May 2015 across a range of housing schemes, including bringing vacant social housing units back into productive use. The latter is an important component of the focus on reducing the numbers on the social housing waiting lists. Full details of the allocations made to local authorities in this respect are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.environ.ie/en/GeneralNews/MainBody,41581,en.htm.
