Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Approved housing bodies are a key delivery partner for the provision of social and affordable housing.  My Department does not administer funds directly to AHBs, rather, it is primarily provided to local authorities which, in turn, advance the funding to AHBs.  Social housing provision through AHBs can only be provided with the approval and oversight of the local authority. Specifically in respect of the cost rental equity loan, my Department provides the funding directly to the Housing Agency, which administers the scheme, and the agency then advances the funds to the AHBs as projects are progressed.

As with all funding provided by my Department, funding for the local authorities that support AHBs is fully compliant with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform requirements relating to the management of and accountability for grants from Exchequer funds.  Furthermore, detailed grant approval, payment and performance monitoring arrangements are operated by my Department on funding approvals involving AHBs, consistent with the public spending code and the capital works management framework. My own Department’s arrangements in this regard are subject to the oversight of the Comptroller and Auditor General while, additionally, the activities of our local authorities involving AHBs are subject to audit by the Local Government Audit Service as part of its annual financial audit of local authority financial statements. 

A new strengthened regulatory regime for AHBs has also been put in place. The Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority, AHBRA, was formally established on 1 February 2021. A key role of the authority is to encourage and facilitate better governance, administration and management, including corporate governance and financial management, of the AHB sector.

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