Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The development of new social housing in Galway city is, in the first instance, a matter for the local authority. However, it is something the Department is taking very seriously, and the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has visited Galway three or four times in the past couple of months. The idea behind Rebuilding Ireland is to work with local authorities to drive change in this area.

Since 2011, 84 social housing units have been acquired by Galway City Council or approved housing bodies in its area. This includes two in 2011, 22 in 2012, 56 in 2015 and four up to the end of June 2016, with additional units expected by the end of 2016. In that period, 15 new social housing units were completed in an unfinished development at Cúirt Róisín and were taken over by Clúid earlier this year. Galway City Council has also secured 261 units through long-term leasing arrangements, including 50 new units under Tuath at Ballyburke through the NAMA special purpose vehicle, the National Asset Residential Property Services, NARPS.

A target of 518 social housing units over the period 2015 to 2017, supported by a funding allocation of €28.3 million, was notified by the Department to Galway City Council in April 2015 to be invested in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes. Following this, the construction of a total of 69 new social houses at Ballymoneen Road was approved, and I am advised that the first phase of 14 units is expected go on site next month for completion in 2017. I am also advised that phase 2 of this project, which will deliver 55 units, will start on site in 2017. A further 19 new units are also due on site in 2017 across three approved housing body projects, while in July last, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, announced the delivery of 73 new units at Ballyburke as part of the second bundle of the social housing public private partnership programme.

Funding has also been approved by my Department under the capital advance leasing facility for the acquisition by three approved housing bodies of 69 units in Galway city. Delivery is contingent on approved housing bodies securing the balance of funding required, but if successful, 39 units are expected to be delivered by the end of 2016, a further 27 in 2017 and three in early 2018.

In the context of the increased targets in Rebuilding Ireland, the Deputy can be assured that the Department will continue to work with Galway City Council to increase and accelerate social housing delivery in Galway city.

See this speech in context