Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. I reiterate that the Government has firmly put local authorities back at the heart of social housing provision, something that some would argue was abdicated to some degree over recent years. The Social Housing Strategy 2020, which is very ambitious, has targeted the provision of 35,000 new units and these will be delivered by local authorities either directly or through working with approved housing bodies.

The strategy has been supported by two successive budgets with €1.7 billion allocated to social housing. Overall, almost €3 billion in capital funding will be provided in support of the social housing strategy through the Government's capital plan, Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021. This commitment of ongoing financial support has allowed the Minister and I to allocate €500 million to local authorities and approved housing bodies for 2,900 social housing new builds and acquisitions to be delivered between now and 2017.

Since the publication of the social housing strategy, my Department has intensified its engagement with local authorities, ensuring their capacity and preparedness for delivery of the ambitious targets to 2020. Around 400 new local authority housing posts have been approved by my Department to support the housing programme. I have also ensured there is a practical and fair cost recoupment arrangement in place in order that local authorities can fund the additional posts.

The Minister and I have met the CEOs and directors of housing of all local authorities to ensure they have the support they need to deliver on the strategy. As a result of these engagements, the capital project approval process has been jointly reviewed by local authorities and my Department to ensure it is as efficient and streamlined as possible commensurate with the requirements of the public spending code.

Of course, the capacity of local authorities to deliver social housing is not limited to its executive. We are dependent on local authority elected members who must support social housing provision on the ground, especially through the various Part VIII projects that are coming through the planning process. As I said to Deputy Boyd Barrett, I urge all Deputies in this House to be aware of the approvals that have been made for local authorities for social housing programmes in their local areas and to ensure they are supported not just financially but politically because I agree we need to deliver these as soon as possible.

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