Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2016
773. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding he will provide to Cavan County Council in respect of its housing programme for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6067/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra774. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding he will provide to Monaghan County Council in respect of its housing programme for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6068/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 773 and 774 together.
The Social Housing Strategy 2020 targets the provision of over 110,000 new social housing units out to 2020, with 35,000 new units to be delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies, and 75,000 households to be supported mainly through the Housing Assistance Payment.
In April 2015, individual targets for the delivery of new social housing units out to 2017 under the Social Housing Strategy were set out for all local authorities in respect of the main building, buying and leasing schemes for social housing; further information is available at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/minsters-kelly-coffey-announce-%E2%82%AC15-billion-social-housing-targets-local.
The targets issued included those for Monaghan County Council, with funding of €11.5 million available, and for Cavan County Council with funding of €12.5 million. To support these targets I have also announced substantial new social housing projects, details of which are available at the following links and include Counties Monaghan and Cavan: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,42225,en.htm
http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/ministers-kelly-coffey-announce-further-1000-social-housing-units.
Given the targets that have issued out to 2017 and the new social housing projects I have sanctioned, the funding to be provided to both authorities in 2016 will be determined by the scale of advancement they make in respect of their projects.
My Department also supports local authorities under a range of specific exchequer-funded programmes to improve the quality and availability of social housing stock. These programmes include the return of vacant properties to productive use, improving the energy efficiency of social housing stock and providing funding towards the cost of adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. Allocations for 2016 in respect of these programmes will be formally notified to local authorities shortly and in the meantime, local authorities are progressing the implementation of these services.
My Department also provides funding for the adaptation of privately owned homes under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. These grants have the objective of facilitating the continued independent occupancy of their own homes by older people and people with a disability by supporting necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works to make accommodation more suitable to the needs of such persons. In February of this year, I announced details of the 2016 capital allocations for these grants, details of which are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/housing/grantsfinancial-assistance/ministers-kelly-coffey-announce-eu5625-million-improve-homes.
