Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Approximately 7,900 homes were programmed in to increase the stock of social housing for 2018. As we get to this point in the year, we are trying to ensure we continue to drive delivery as per the targets given for local authorities for 2018. The construction status report provided to the committee this evening will speak more to that and will show that more needs to be done in the final quarter. That is exactly what the housing unit is working on at the moment to ensure we get delivery in line with the targets for each local authority. Regarding other areas, where leasing has not hit what we wanted it to hit, we have made more acquisitions and that speaks to why we have looked for additional funding.

At a minimum, I expect us to hit that 7,900 target for the increase in our stock of social housing. I will be able to tell the committee exactly what was achieved in first month of 2019. This is a priority and that is why an extra €60 million is going to increase the social housing stock from available resources. When we look at other money programmed across to social housing this year, it is a higher percentage than what was envisaged at the beginning of the year. That is because it is a priority of the Government and the Oireachtas. I expect us, therefore, to at least hit our targets for the increase in social housing stock for this year.