Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 July 2016
362. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide details of the 520 voluntary housing bodies here; the number of persons employed by these organisations; the number of housing units provided and managed by these organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22499/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 6(6) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 makes provision to grant approved housing body (AHB) status to housing associations. AHBs consist mainly of voluntary or co-operative housing organisations limited by guarantee and registered under the Companies Acts; societies registered under the Industrial & Provident Societies Acts; and/or Trusts incorporated under the Charities Acts. To date, there are 542 bodies with approved status. The register of AHBs can be found on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/voluntary-and-cooperative-housing/register-housing-bodies-approved-status.
In July 2015, the Regulation Office (which was set up by my Department to oversee implementation of the Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies) published its first annual report, One Year On - The Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland. This report provides a sectoral analysis of AHBs including the number of persons employed and the number of housing units provided and managed by these organisations. This report, together with details of the 225 AHBs that have signed up to the Voluntary Regulation Code, is available at http://www.housing.ie/Regulation.aspx.
