Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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113. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 53 of 29 January 2015, in view of the 1,200 residential properties reserved for social housing, when these were acquired by the National Asset Management Agency; when local authorities confirmed demand; the anticipated month and year of delivery to the local authorities; and if he will provide a breakdown of their location by local authority. [5229/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Under an initiative agreed with the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in 2012, NAMA has to date identified 5,753 houses and apartments held by its debtors and receivers as being available and potentially suitable for social housing.The 5,753 properties have been identified on an ongoing basis, as they have become available, since 2012.

Once NAMA identifies a property as being available, the onus for determining its suitability for social housing rests with local authorities, which, in conjunction with the Housing Agency, assess the demand for the identified houses and apartments based on criteria such as their location and on wider planning and housing policy considerations.  NAMA has no role in this process.Once local authorities have confirmed demand for units, the Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are, through the Housing Agency, asked to confirm and progress their interest in leasing or purchasing the units.  Local authorities also have the option of directly acquiring the properties.

I am advised that local authorities commenced assessment through the auspices of the Housing Agency of the properties made available by NAMA in 2012 and had clarified their position in respect of the vast majority of the properties by the end of 2013.However, in some instances this process is ongoing as local authorities consider the suitability of specific properties in the wider context of evolving demand, community need and sustainability. 

Of the 5,753 properties made available by NAMA, local authorities have confirmed demand for 2,214, of which 1,068 have already been delivered by NAMA across 65 individual transactions. NAMA expects that the other units for which demand has been confirmed will be delivered in 2015 on the basis that local authorities and approved housing bodies contract to purchase or lease the properties.

Once demand has been confirmed for units and contracts signed there is no impediment to the early delivery of properties by NAMA's debtors and receivers or directly through NAMA's social housing SPV, NARPS.In the case of NARPS, once demand has been confirmed by local authorities NAMA acquires the related properties from its debtors and receivers for onward leasing under long-term leasing arrangements to AHBs.The establishment of NARPS is one example of the initiatives that NAMA has taken, in conjunction with the other key stakeholders in this process, to streamline the delivery of properties for social housing.  NAMA has also introduced standardised leasing terms. 

The Deputy will note that, in the vast majority of cases, the properties for which demand has been confirmed require substantial completion or remediation work and the resolution of compliance issues in relation to planning conditions, and regulatory standards, title issues and Multi-Unit Development Act compliance including transfer of common areas and insolvent management companies.  It is NAMA's policy and practice that all properties are completed to a high standard, in compliance with all relevant planning and building regulations.In this context, NAMA has to date provided over €20m for completion works to facilitate the delivery of properties for social housing. All properties contractually accepted by the AHBs and Local Authorities by end 2014 should be occupied by mid-2015 following the completion of remaining work.

Further detail on this initiative can be found at

The table below provides a detailed breakdown by local authority functional area of the properties identified by NAMA and the take up by local authorities.

Table 1: Social Housing Delivery by Local Authority