Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2017
282. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if an audit has been carried out of approved housing bodies; the areas of assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52486/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOversight of Approved Housing Bodies is currently conducted through a Voluntary Regulation Code (VRC), titled Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland, which was published by my Department in July 2013. The following year, the Department established an Interim Regulation Committee (IRC) to oversee the implementation of the voluntary code for the sector, supported by a Regulation Office, based in the Housing Agency. This arrangement is a prelude to the establishment of a statutory regulator to oversee the effective governance, financial management and performance of the sector. My Department is currently drafting the legislation to set up this new statutory regime.
To date, 249 AHBs have signed up to the code, which represents 95% of the estimated 30,000 housing units in the sector. The code sets out key governance, financial and performance management principles, with which all of AHBs that have signed up are required to comply.
The IRC and Regulation Office assesses AHBs in line with their size, scope of activity and risk profile, and conducts a regulatory assessment of each of the AHBs, based on the completed Annual Regulatory Return, Financial Statements and other information provided by the AHB. The Office issues Regulatory Assessment Reports to each of the AHBs, where appropriate. Notwithstanding the provisions of the voluntary code, the administration and financial management of AHBs is still a matter for their individual Boards and it is their responsibility to ensure that they meet their existing statutory obligations in regard to financial reporting matters.
