Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue because it allows us to outline exactly what this Government is doing in its social housing strategy. A total of €64 million has been allocated in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency for the housing strategy. In all my years of living in Carlow-Kilkenny I have not heard of such an allocation being made by previous Administrations.

On 1 April last, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, announced provisional funding allocations totalling €1.5 billion for all local authorities to meet the delivery targets set out in the social housing strategy for the years until 2017. This funding will be invested in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes by local authorities and will result in a 25% reduction nationally on housing waiting lists.

The targets are ambitious and must be backed up with resources - hence the importance of the provisional funding allocations that were also announced. The allocation of €1.5 billion is a significant commitment by the Government to support delivery of social housing by local authorities and others. The Government followed up the setting of three-year targets by approving, on 5 May last, the largest social housing construction endeavour for many years. This €312 million investment covers all 31 local authorities and will result in 1,700 housing units being built across approximately 100 separate projects. The announcement, the first of its kind under the social housing strategy, will be followed by further announcements.

Headline allocations have been made in respect of social housing targets for all local authorities until 2017. In addition, allocations to local authorities in respect of a number of specific areas of housing activity have been made or are being finalised. The Minister has made an additional €10.5 million available nationally for homeless accommodation and related services in 2015. This increase in funding of more than 20% brings the Exchequer contribution this year to €55.5 million. The 2015 regional allocations are being finalised and will be confirmed shortly.

The Department has secured increases in funding in important areas such as disability grants and supports for older people. These apply both to local authority tenants and the support local authorities provide to private home owners to make adaptations which enable older people or persons with a disability to remain in their homes. Further allocations in respect of energy efficiency upgrades for local authority housing will be made shortly, bringing benefits to householders through reduced fuel bills.

On the issue of tackling vacant social housing units, I want local authorities to continue to effectively address this challenge. The Department continues to provide Exchequer support for this work and will soon announce a new round of targets and funding. The social housing strategy makes clear, however, that this funding will be linked to local authorities having in place ongoing maintenance programmes to address the issue of vacant properties. Local authorities need to make social houses available to new tenants as quickly as possible. Given the rental income available to them, they should be able to quickly find new tenants for the majority of units that become vacant.

I am confident that all these measures, for which the Government is providing increased resources, are tackling social housing with an increased focus and vigour.

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