Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 May 2017
503. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the housing data analytics group was established; the names of the persons that sit on the group; the number of meetings it has had; and if he will make public the minutes and reports from this group. [20647/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe newly established Housing Data Analytics Group will monitor and review the various sources of housing data collected nationally to provide a comprehensive and coherent suite of statistics relating to housing matters.
In collaboration with data owners and stakeholders, the Group will work to refine and improve existing data sources, and identify potential data gaps and new data sources, with a view to ensuring that public policy is informed by the best possible housing data. The Group will work to support work across all five pillars of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan. The first meeting of the Housing Analytics Group is scheduled to take place this week.
The Housing Data Analytics Group includes representation from a wide range of areas. The members of the Group are as follows: George Hussey, Niall Cussen, Barry Quinlan, Eoin Corrigan, and John Wickham (Department of Housing, Planning Community and Local Government); Diarmuid Reidy (Department of Education and Skills); Cillian Doyle (Department of the Taoiseach); Deirdre Cullen, Tara Davis and Kieran Culhane (Central Statistics Office); Gerard Kennedy (Central Bank); Keith Walsh (Revenue); John McGrath and Caroline Shally (Solas); David Silke and Daragh McCarthy (Housing Agency); Rosalind Carroll (Residential Tenancies Board), Larry O'Connell (National Economic and Social Council); Edgar Morgenroth (Economic and Social Research Institute); Daithí Downey (Dublin City Council); Jason Frehill (South Dublin County Council) and Mairéad Phelan (Local Government Management Agency). In line with standard operating arrangements and in keeping with Freedom of Information and Data Protection requirements, my Department will be happy to share the learning and insights garnered from the Group's work.
In addition, the Central Statistics Office, which is the State’s authoritative voice in relation to the provision of high quality and independent statistical information supporting evidence-based decision-making, established an independent group in January 2017, chaired by an Assistant Director General, to examine housing statistics and my Department is a member of that group. This group is considering the best analytical approaches to reconciling and combining datasets in this area and will have oversight of, and a direct involvement in, the examination of any output arising from the variety of analyses currently underway.
