Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 May 2018
47. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of applications for social housing projects which have been submitted by Westmeath County Council and Longford County Council; and the stage they are at. [19853/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes information on social housing construction projects via quarterly Construction Status Reports. The most recently available report, which sets out the position at end 2017 and is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-construction-status-report-q4-2017/, provides project and stage details for all local authority areas, including Westmeath and Longford. It also includes new social housing construction projects being delivered by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in partnership with the local authorities.
Since the period covered by the last published Construction Status Report, further construction projects have been approved and existing projects have advanced across many local authority areas, including Westmeath and Longford. This includes new local authority projects to construct 31 new social homes at Lanesborough, via a turnkey arrangement, and a 32 home project at Ennel Court, Mullingar which has been approved to have full design finalised for tendering. Projects are also being advanced on behalf of Westmeath and Longford County Councils by AHBs.
Both the local authorities and AHBs are also continuing to acquire new social homes, including vacant properties, both through permanent purchase and through long-term leasing. My Department is working closely to support both the local authorities and the AHBs with the funding of these schemes.
I recently wrote to all local authorities, including Westmeath and Longford, setting out their individual social housing targets across build, acquisition and leasing for 2018 and also for 2018-2021. Details of these targets are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-delivery-targets-for-local-authorities-2018-2021/.
