Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government
Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
11:30 am
Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to ask about pillar 3, building more homes. A sum of €200 million was allocated to what used to be called a serviced land initiative, an infrastructure fund for the provision of opening sites and so forth. How much has been drawn down to date? What percentage has been used?
My second question concerns the publication of the sites in the ownership of public authorities and others and the seeking of expressions of interest. What processes have been put in place for us to analyse what progress has been made on this? What onus and responsibility is on the Department and on the local authorities for movement here? How much inactivity on these sites would be required for the State to move on them for the provision of units?
With regard to the rental sector and the HAP scheme, how many people have been moved from HAP schemes into social houses in recent years? We were very nervous during the passing of the HAP legislation last year of the fact that it was unlikely to prove the short-term solution it was presented to be. Due to the unavailability of units we felt that people would be on this scheme for much longer, despite the commitment to the contrary by the then Government. The same Government remains in place so I would like to know what progress, if any, is being made on this issue.