Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. My Department published a comprehensive list of all social housing construction schemes that were advancing nationwide at end of the fourth quarter of 2016. Over 500 approved schemes were listed that, when completed, will deliver about 8,500 new social homes. The schemes listed include those that are being designed, those currently on site and those completed in 2016. It showed that just over 650 new social houses were built in 2016 and a further 90 schemes, delivering over 1,800 newly built social houses, went on site last year. I am keen that those schemes, which are already approved by my Department, are advanced as soon as possible by the local authorities and approved housing bodies. I have assured them that funding is in place to support this delivery. I have also continued to approve further schemes which are adding to the already strong pipeline.

Local authorities are taking other actions to respond to housing need and meet the needs of homeless people within their areas. These include targeted acquisitions, the new repair and leasing initiative, and rapid-delivery housing. On the latter, my Department is working closely with local authorities and, as well as the 350 rapid-build homes at various stages of progress at end of last year, a further 650 will be advanced in 2017, followed by 500 additional units in 2018.

It should be noted that official homelessness data reports are produced using the pathway accommodation and support system, PASS, the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. These data reports are published and made available on my Department's website each month.

As late as last week, as the Deputy knows, we announced a significant funding package for parts of County Kildare to cover infrastructure that is needed to open up housing sites in the right locations. That will certainly help to accelerate some of the projects the Deputy has been advocating.

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