Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

This year alone, we are to spend €1.5 billion to provide social housing. We expect approximately 6,600 local authority starts and up to 2,000 starts in the voluntary sector. Resources have increased in each of the last few years and by 9% this year. The undertaking in Towards 2016 is that over the next three years, 27,000 new social housing units will be started. A great deal of work is being done. Even if it is of a temporary nature while they wait for full-time provision, many of the people in question are housed in very fine accommodation.

Not everyone will be able to get a local authority house. The Deputy will know about the rental accommodation scheme under which, according to the contract negotiated, people will be provided with houses for five-year or ten-year periods rather than for eternity. One does not necessarily have to own a house or be provided with a local authority house to have one's needs adequately met.

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