Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

The output arising from Part V is growing and, with the level of housing produced and 2,200 houses under construction, the dividend from Part V will be significant. If construction commences on a new estate there may be no provision under Part V as planning permission was granted before the law took effect. The dividend from Part V is slow. I reported on housing needs assessment in the last question and the outcome will be announced next month.

The dividend from Part V can be provided on-site or off-site. It can be provided in the form of land, sites, partially built houses or cash. All these methods are subject to agreement between the developer and the local authority. The Deputy may be referring to one case in his county. The preference is for social and affordable housing to be built on site but there may be cases where that is not possible. The local authority may come to an agreement with the developer but alternative sites must be in the functional area of the local authority. One could not allow the construction of social and affordable housing 30 miles away from the development in the city.

Any offer from a developer must be approved by a local authority. Some developers have made cash payments, totalling approximately €17 million. This sum is ring-fenced and is used in the provision of social and affordable housing.

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