Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 163: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, further to Parliamentary Question No. 549 of 11 January 2012, if he will provide a breakdown of the 2,000 housing units by number of bedrooms; if the units involved have been inspected by the relevant local authority or any departmental staff to determine if they are suitable for use as social housing; if not, when such inspections will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2804/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The information requested in the question is not currently available in my Department. In general, the suitability or otherwise of the units involved for social housing has not yet been determined. Inspections will be carried out for properties that are to become the subject of lease or purchase arrangements prior to the signing of the legal agreements.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 164: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a list of the total number of social housing tenancies provided under the social housing leasing initiative per year in 2009-11, inclusive; the average cost of these units by unit size in each year; the average length of the leases in each year; the local authority area in which these tenancies were created; and a breakdown of whether the tenancies were managed by the local authority or a voluntary housing association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2805/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

By the end of December, 2011 2,496 housing units were provided under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative as follows:

The current average annual cost of all units is €6,327. The average cost for units leased from the private or voluntary sector is €7,406. The cost of unsold affordable units is based in the interest paid by local authorities rather than the market rent and averages €5,725 per unit.

The cost per unit by unit size and year is set out in the following table.

The current average length of the agreements, excluding unsold affordable units, is just under 11 years. All units in 2009 were unsold affordable units; in 2010 the average length of the agreements for all units except unsold affordables is just over 10 years, and in 2011 it is just over 11 years.

The breakdown by authority of the operational units is set out in the following table.

The management of all 1,546 unsold affordable units is by voluntary bodies as are the 197 voluntary operational units. 421 units are managed by the local authority and the remainder are managed by the property owner on behalf of the local authority.