Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can give a quick and straight answer on voids.

10 o’clock

More than 2,000 voids were turned around by local authorities last year and more than 1,000 will be turned around this year. At a meeting, the County and City Management Association, CCMA, which represents the heads of local authorities, assured the Minister and me that there would be few or no voids in their areas by the middle of next year. They are being provided with funding and we expect them to have those houses turned around efficiently. We have set them a target. They need to deliver.

The Government has been accused of using a flawed methodology in the housing need assessment. The Housing Agency, an independent body, was engaged to conduct a deep, research-based analysis in which direct contact was made with every applicant on the housing list. People's circumstances were assessed and reported accordingly. What the Fianna Fáil Opposition is proposing is a snapshot of housing lists around the country but that is flawed because some people have duplicate applications on different lists and others' circumstances are changing.

Deputy Troy asked a couple of questions. We expect to deliver approximately 7,500 social housing units this year. We have allocated more than €800 million this year across various housing programmes, for example, local authorities, approved housing bodies and public-private partnerships.

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