Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I am happy to reply on behalf of my colleague, Minister of State, Deputy Michael Finneran.

The Deputy will be well aware that policy issues in relation to the provision of social and affordable housing are decided at national level but the detailed implementation of those policies and the delivery of projects is a matter for the individual local authorities. In particular, it is the responsibility of local authorities to assess the need for housing in particular locations and to respond accordingly.

The Government is committed to expanding social and affordable housing programmes over the coming years. Our housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 reflect the strong commitment to expand social and affordable housing provision contained in the social partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

The national development plan provides the resources — some €18 billion in total — which will support increased output from social and affordable housing measures and result in the needs of some 140,000 new households being met in this period.

Within this, provision is made for a significant programme of activity to assist house purchase. In particular, over the period of the national development plan, some 40,000 households will benefit from affordable housing. While the supply of affordable housing has increased consistently over recent years and further expansion is envisaged, my Department continues to work closely with local authorities and the affordable homes partnership to achieve the significant increase in delivery required to meet these ambitious targets.

In addition, the national development plan resources will be used to meet the needs of some 100,000 households through a range of social housing measures. Some 63,000 new social homes will be commenced or acquired in the period 2007-13.

The impact of the record levels of investment the Government is committing to these housing programmes is now being seen. Last year, we saw delivery of 13,000 social and affordable housing units, a record level of output. We are increasing funding allocations to these programmes once again in 2008 with over €2.5 billion being made available to local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative sector. This funding will allow for the commencement of a significant number of new social housing units, further progress under regeneration programmes and the completion of a large number of units under both the local authority and voluntary housing programmes.

To ensure that these programmes are delivered in a coherent and co-ordinated manner, city and county councils have put in place multi-annual housing action plans which encompass delivery of social and affordable housing in their areas. Taking Dublin City Council and Fingal together, some 1,100 social housing units were started or acquired in 2007. Recently, we announced record social housing investment programme allocations for 2008. Fingal and Dublin City Councils saw their combined year on year allocations increase by some €35 million from €142 million to €177 million. This will provide the platform necessary for continued increased social housing activity in their areas and will be added to by other provisions for major regeneration works.

Furthermore, Dublin City and Fingal continue to benefit from the establishment of the affordable homes partnership which is specifically tasked with bringing greater impetus to delivery of affordable housing in and around the capital. In so far as affordable housing in Dublin City is concerned, almost 3,200 affordable units have been delivered over the past five years.

The Government has demonstrated its commitment to the needs of those on social and affordable housing waiting lists — we have put in place the policy framework and are making available the necessary resources. Local authorities have responded. Not only are they producing levels of output not seen in a generation, but they are doing so in a manner which seeks to build sustainable communities — the sort of places where people want to live and work, now and in the future.

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