Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 September 2016
138. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to set out the number of social and affordable housing units which will be delivered in the Fingal local authority area under the social housing strategy; the progress of the delivery of these units in Fingal in comparison with the target number agreed with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27858/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraOver the period of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness Plan, 47,000 homes will be delivered under the various social housing programmes, together with an expansion of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme nationwide. This delivery will be achieved through collaboration between local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the National Treasury Management Agency and the private sector.
Prior to the publication of the new Action Plan, social housing targets and funding allocations had issued under the Social Housing Strategy to all local authorities in April 2015. Over €1.5 billion in funding allocations was announced to support all local authorities to deliver social housing via a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes out to 2017. Those allocations and associated targets for each local authority, including Fingal, are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/minsters-kelly-coffey-announce-eu15-billion-social-housing-targets-local.
Following this notification of targets, announcements in respect of a substantial new set of social housing projects were made in May 2015, July 2015 and January 2016. Between these three announcements, almost €680 million has been allocated for over 3,900 social housing new builds, turnkey developments and acquisitions. Details of these project approvals, including those for Fingal, are available on my Department’s website at the following links:
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.
I am keen that local authorities advance these projects as soon as possible and have assured them that funding is available to fully support their efforts in this regard. As per the project approvals set out at the links above, I anticipate a notable ramping up in terms of both construction spend and delivery over the next year and the measures set out in Rebuilding Ireland, An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness will have a direct benefit in that regard.
While social housing construction projects are being advanced, acquisitions of new and second-hand houses and apartments remains an effective means of meeting immediate social housing need. In 2015, Fingal County Council secured the purchase of 115 new social housing units. Some of these acquisitions, as well as some of the approved construction projects, were funded under the Capital Assistance Scheme whereby Approved Housing Bodies deliver social housing for those with specific needs such as elderly people, persons with intellectual or physical disability and homeless persons. Additionally, Fingal County Council, along with all other local authorities, have received substantial support from my Department to remediate vacant social homes and make them available to those on the waiting list.
Arrangements to complete the Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2016 are well advanced which will provide updated figures of national housing need, and it is expected that this will be completed by year end. Targets for social housing delivery to end 2017 have already been issued and details of these are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/minsters-kelly-coffey-announce-eu15-billion-social-housing-targets-local.
It should be noted that the allocation, by local authority area, of increased targets under the Action Plan will be linked to the Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2016. This link will mean that the Action Plan targets will be aligned to the up-to-date, priority housing needs locally.
