Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Government seeks to ensure that young people have a good future living in homes in a sustainable environment. It will ensure that strong demand for housing, which is due to demographic factors and economic success, continues and will concentrate for the foreseeable future on implementing policies which will meet this demand.

The most recent housing report published by the Economic and Social Research Council endorsed the Government's general approach to housing policy, while highlighting important policy challenges ahead, including the need for high quality, sustainable development in urban and rural areas which the report stated would assist the market in maintaining supply. It also noted the need to provide the necessary supports to those who fall below the affordability threshold.

In this era of unprecedented housing output we must also ensure we do not neglect the quality of housing. We face challenges in terms of incorporating innovative approaches, particularly in design and the use of materials in ways which reflect the long-term life of housing. Sustainable Energy Ireland recently published a draft action plan for the implementation of the energy performance of buildings directive. One of the main features of the plan is that buildings, including dwellings, will require energy rating in future. This will provide an incentive to incorporate in new buildings progressive energy features, including solar panels, condensing boilers and renewable technologies.

Experience to date suggests that the timber frame is significant in the house building industry. Timber is one of the most traditional construction materials and modern timber frame construction, as developed in recent decades, is a highly engineered product. Widespread use of this form of construction for housing is relatively new here. Nevertheless, its use has increased significantly in recent years, during which time timber frame has secured an increased share of an expanding housing market.

To examine ways of supplementing traditional methods of housing provision with a view to achieving the level of output envisaged in the national development plan, the Department commissioned an independent study on the use of timber frame housing in Irish conditions. The consultants have completed their report and a period of consultation with the construction industry has concluded. The Department is considering the submissions received. The construction of dwellings such as timber frame housing will contribute significantly to the range of information to be considered.

Sustainable Energy Ireland, through its House of Tomorrow programme, aims to accelerate improvements in the quality and energy features in housing. It will do this by funding projects and researching, developing and demonstrating more sustainable energy practices. Its focus is to stimulate the widespread uptake of superior sustainable energy planning, design, specification and construction practices in the new home building and home improvement markets.

Housing activity in Cork city and county, from where I come, has reached record levels in recent years. Approximately 8,000 housing units were completed in the area last year, almost double the level of activity in 1997 and 44% above output levels achieved in 2000. The market alone cannot address all housing needs, so we are making record levels of funding available for social housing programmes to meet the needs of those households unable to provide for themselves. This year, some €105 million in capital funding, an unparalleled level of provision representing a record increase of 3.5% on 2004, was allocated to the local authority housing programme in Cork city and county. Those funds will cover expenditure on the 760 housing units under construction at more than 25 different locations throughout the region as well as the 600 units expected to be completed this year under the local authority programme.

Between 1997 and 2004, we made in excess of €410 million available to housing authorities in the Cork area for construction programmes. Those funds resulted in almost 4,000 housing starts in the period. More than 3,600 units of accommodation were completed in the same period. Our activity is not confined to the provision of new units. We continue to invest significant funds in renewing and regenerating existing estates. Work is now complete on phase 1 of the Glen regeneration project in Cork city at a cost of €18 million. It involved the construction of 47 dwellings and an old folk's centre and the refurbishment of 66 existing dwellings. Cork City Council is now planning for phase 2 of the project. The cost of the entire Glen regeneration scheme is estimated at €50 million.

There are also proposals for regeneration in Knocknaheeny in Cork city. It is proposed that 513 housing units be refurbished, 88 demolished and an additional 337 new units provided on local authority land. The plan also provides for health, education, community and social facilities, and work commenced on block D in Knocknaheeny this year. Some 32 affordable housing units were delivered under the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative in April 2005 at Buckley's Field in Blackrock. Those units have all now been occupied. Further units are under construction in several other sites in Cork, including Blackpool and Castletreasure.

In 2004, the Department repaid €45.7 million to local authorities for accommodation and related services for homeless persons, compared with only €12.5 million in 1999. This year, the Department is providing €51 million for that purpose, bringing to €236.3 million the amount spent on such services since 2000. That will allow continued consolidation and progress to be made in tackling the issue via implementation of the homeless strategies. A review of the operation of the homeless integrated and preventative strategies has been carried out by Fitzpatrick Associates and we will be able to publish its outcome in the next few weeks. Services funded by my Department for the homeless in Cork are provided through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Simon Community, the Good Shepherd and the Sisters of Charity.

Action is being taken by the Government across a wide range of housing needs. We are meeting demand, and the level that exists is unbelievable. However, the Government is working well in tandem with people's needs and we are successful in what we are trying to achieve.

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