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

In February 2014, Laois County Council was allocated €242,186 to complete works on several projects under the social housing construction-acquisition programme. In March, I approved funding of €750,000 in respect of the delivery of six housing units in Laois under the 2014-2015 local authority housing construction programme. In May, I approved funding of €397,620 for Laois in respect of the delivery of four units of accommodation for persons with intellectual and physical disabilities under the 2014-2015 capital assistance scheme, CAS, for the construction and acquisition of housing for people with specific categories of housing need.

Earlier this year, I also announced details of a measure with funding of €15 million to bring 952 vacant and boarded-up local authority houses, known as voids, back into productive use. Laois was allocated funding of €73,900 in respect of 13 voids. My Department has, to date, issued approval for 199 units in Laois to be brought into social housing use under the social housing leasing initiative.

The rental accommodation scheme, RAS, was established with the dual purpose of eliminating long-term dependence on the supplementary welfare allowance rent supplementation scheme and enhancing the capacity of local authorities to respond to long-term housing need. As of the end of March 2014, Laois has transferred 554 households from rent supplement, 356 being housed directly under RAS and 198 accommodated mainly in standard social housing.

Laois has also been allocated €367,259 under the special resolution fund for unfinished housing developments for 2014 in respect of five developments. The completion of these works will help to bring 25 units onstream, some of which will be for social housing use.

Future social housing delivery will be guided by a new social housing strategy, preparation of which has commenced and which will be finalised at the end of the third quarter of 2014.

See this speech in context