I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 382 together.
My Department receives detailed monthly data from the ESB on the number of connections to the electricity grid; these data have for many years been used as a proxy for house completions as units are normally connected at the point at which the unit is ready for occupation. My Department maintains regular contact with the ESB to ensure that this data set remains relevant and consistent over time. The ESB recently confirmed to the Department that the connections figure includes a small, but not easily quantified, number of re-connections to the grid where the unit was disconnected, and therefore vacant, for at least two years. Furthermore, they also confirmed that service alterations are not included in the connections figures.
The Census of Population and Housing published by the Central Statistics Office provides the most detailed breakdown of the housing stock and further details on the position as at end April 2016 will be published by April 20th 2017. Between Census waves my Department also produces annual estimates of the net change to the housing stock using available data including but not limited to the completions data. These estimates can be found on the Department’s website at:http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/private-housing-market-statistics
My Department also provides quarterly and annual breakdowns of completions figures into private, voluntary and social housing. These figures can be found on the Department’s website under the heading of completions by sector at:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/construction-activity-completions
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I recently published a first Monthly Housing Indicators Report which showed that there are now clear positive signs of increased housing activity across all available indicators. This report can be found on the Rebuilding Ireland website at:
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/january-housing-activity-report/
My Department collaborates on an ongoing basis with the CSO and ESB to identify ways of enhancing and improving the data available on changes to the housing stock to ensure that the best possible information is available to inform policy development and implementation.