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

My Department does not record monthly statistics on the number of households qualified for social housing support. Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each housing authority area are provided in the statutory summary of social housing assessments, which are now being carried out an annual basis and we have last year's figures.

The most recently published statutory summary of social housing assessments relates to the assessment carried out in 2016. This records the number of households on all local authority waiting lists, as at 21 September 2016.  The results of the 2016 summary show that there were 91,600 households deemed qualified for, and in need of, social housing support. Full details in relation to the 2016 assessment are available on my Department's website.

I expect the results of the 2017 assessment, carried out in September, to be published shortly. We expect the figures to be slightly down but we do not have them yet and there is no point giving the Deputy figures that are not fully assessed. When we have them we will make them available. If we need to correct the record we will do so, but we work off the net need at the moment.

See this speech in context