Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2020
396. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current available supply of social and affordable housing; the number available in each category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26959/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not hold information on the availability of social housing on a local authority by local authority basis. However, in terms of the delivery of additional social housing my Department publishes comprehensive statistics on a quarterly basis on all additional social housing delivery activity under programmes supported by Exchequer Funding. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision
This data provides a breakdown of social housing delivery across a range of mechanisms.
More information on total social housing stock levels is available in the Annual Performance Reports published by NOAC, the National Oversight and Audit Committee.
Regarding affordable housing, €310 million has already been allocated under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) to fund infrastructure to support the delivery of more affordable homes on local authority lands. With a maximum of €50,000 funding available per home, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated. To date, Serviced Sites Funding of €127 million has been approved in principle in support of 35 projects in 14 local authority areas, which will assist in the delivery of almost 3,200 affordable homes.
Details of all SSF projects that have received approval in principle to date can be found at the following links:
https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-gives-the-go-ahead-for-ten-local-authority-sites-for-affordable-housing-under-the-serviced-sites-fund/, and
https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-approves-funding-of-e84m-to-support-delivery-of-1770-affordable-homes-under-the-ssf/.
It is anticipated that a further SSF call to local authorities will be made later this year.
With regard to the future, this Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society, and this is reflected in the Programme for Government "Our Shared Future". The Programme commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system through the progression of State-backed affordable housing.
I will outline further plans in terms of affordable housing later in the Autumn, taking account of the progress made under the SSF, as well as the development of the Affordable Purchase scheme and Cost Rental scheme.
