Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Costello for raising this important matter. Both myself and the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, share his concerns that this modern purpose-built facility has not yet been tenanted and I understand that officials from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government are working closely with Dublin City Council to resolve the matter urgently.

As Deputy Costello will be aware, this facility was funded under the Department's capital assistance scheme, which provides essential funding to approved housing bodies to give an opportunity to get a decent home to those in categories he outlined, especially those with disabilities, the homeless, emigrants returning from England and elsewhere, and victims of domestic violence. The Catholic Housing Aid Society is the approved housing body involved with the Fr. Scully project. The Deputy is correct that €17 million has been spent by the Department on this project. Officials in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government have been working closely with Dublin City Council during the construction and completion of this building, which, the Deputy will agree, is a fine facility on Gardiner Street.

In February last, in excess of €26 million was allocated to local authorities nationally by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of commitments on projects under way under that Department's capital assistance scheme. A further capital investment of more than €46 million to approved housing bodies for the construction of accommodation was announced in May last to provide a total of 416 units of accommodation for those with special housing needs, including the elderly, persons with an intellectual or physical disability and homeless persons. Dublin City Council received an allocation of more than €13 million under this programme.

However, the City Council advised the Department during the summer of difficulties in its negotiations with Catholic Housing Aid Society in agreeing the rent on these units. Deputy is absolutely correct that this is unseemly. There are tenants who need to move into that accommodation urgently. The Department and the Dublin City Council chief executive met on this issue as recently as Monday last. I understand that the rent levels proposed by Catholic Housing Aid Society in respect of these units exceed the general rents for units funded under the capital assistance scheme and are more in line with market rents, despite €17 million coming from the State. It is proposed that the rent structure should more reflect the rental accommodation scheme payment or differential rent.

With the urgent need for housing, this is an intolerable position. We, as a Government, need to move urgently on it. As Deputy Costello stated, there are 99 units. There is a meeting scheduled for Friday next and both the Department and the city council will bring maximum pressure to bear to resolve the issue. As the Deputy stated, this has a domino effect. If we can get those units filled, it will create other vacancies. It involves more than these 99 units. Dublin City Council has nomination rights over 75% of those 99 units which is part of the conditions of receipt of the €17 million.

I fully support the Deputy's proposal. The Minister, Deputy Kelly, is proactive in this regard. Certainly, we will update the Deputy and the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, of the outcome of Friday's meeting.

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