John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The reply to Question No. 313 of 4 February 2010 provided numbers of unsold affordable homes by local authority area at the beginning of February this year. The total figure of 1,158 reported at that time by the authorities excludes those homes which have been approved by the Department for deployment under the social leasing and rental accommodation schemes.

The situation changes frequently as unsold affordable homes are deployed for other purposes, including temporary use under the social leasing or RAS schemes, as homes are sold and as new units come into the possession of local authorities. Revised figures, which will take account of recent decisions by some local authorities to offer unsold affordable homes on the open market, will be published when available.

In April 2009 comprehensive guidance issued to local authorities outlining a range of measures that could be considered in dealing with the build up of unsold affordable homes. In addition to sale to eligible affordable purchasers at appropriate prices, these measures included the options of the temporary transfer of affordable homes for use under the rental accommodation scheme or under the new social leasing arrangements, or in certain limited cases, for transfer to the permanent social housing stock. Local authorities may also sell homes on the open market, at open market prices, where appropriate. Recently, a pilot "rent to buy" scheme has been approved in principle for a small number of homes in the Dublin City Council area, and this will be reviewed before making a decision on whether this may be an appropriate option in other urban areas.

The Department will continue to monitor and support local authorities' work to bring unsold affordable homes into use, and will adapt and develop the approaches involved, as necessary, in the evolving housing market and economic climate.

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