Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Abridged Estimate for my Department, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in the expenditure report for 2014, provides €525.8 million in respect of the housing programme. These resources have been supplemented by a further €50 million announced in the budget to fund infrastructural investment, primarily in the housing area. When taken in conjunction, funding for housing is, in effect, maintained at 2013 levels.

Meeting social housing need within the available resources will necessitate smarter and more innovative approaches to maximise output. In 2014, I will continue to focus the available resources towards the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors of the community. Approved housing bodies will play a key role in 2014 in the delivery of social housing, in particular in their capacity to attract external financial investment.

More than 4,100 units will be provided for social housing in 2014, through leasing and existing capital programmes. This includes the continued transfer of NAMA units, completion of existing building and acquisition programmes, transfers under the rental accommodation scheme and completion of mortgage-to-rent arrangements.

Furthermore, an additional €30 million being invested in local authority housing will facilitate the construction of new infill developments in areas with the highest demand for social housing, it will bring long-term vacant units back into social use and will result in producing up to 500 new homes for families. A further €10 million will transform the most difficult unfinished housing estates and result in enhanced quality of life for families. Housing adaptation grants will also benefit by €10 million and this will assist older people and people with disabilities to remain at home for longer. In order to ensure continued progress towards the achievement of the 2016 target of ending long-term homelessness, the homeless budget is being maintained at €45 million. A new social impact investment initiative will also see more than 130 homeless families move out of private emergency accommodation and into sustainable long-term tenancies.

These housing schemes operated by my Department are demand led and a detailed county breakdown will only be available at year end. In respect of the new and refined schemes, I intend to announce fuller details of these in the coming months, taking into consideration the needs and demands of housing authorities.

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