Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

Two of the key challenges for the housing sector at present are the oversupply of housing in certain areas, including in respect of unfinished estates, and the need sustainably to meet the increasing demand for social housing in the context of a severely restricted resource environment.

In terms of unfinished housing estates, my Department established a high-level expert group in October 2010, following the publication of the National Housing Development Survey database. This group, which included representation from the National Asset Management Agency, has outlined a range of actions on unfinished housing estates, including requiring a collaborative approach from all stakeholders to resolve unfinished developments, a focus on public safety, a structured and prioritised approach from local authorities, the use of site resolution plans, and national co-ordination and monitoring of regional and local efforts to tackle the problems. This group has now presented me with a final report which I will consider before bringing proposed actions and recommendations to Government for approval.

There are clear linkages between the roles of my Department and the National Asset Management Agency in addressing the challenges involved and there is significant potential to align the objectives of the two organisations.

My Department has engaged extensively with representatives of NAMA and I have also met with the chairman and CEO of NAMA to discuss means of securing a social dividend through the acquisition of suitable residential units for social housing purposes, while providing a return in line with NAMA's mandate. I hope that this engagement will see the delivery of increased social housing provision in the short term.

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