Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I have raised the issues relating to approved housing bodies on the floor of this House a number of times. I have engaged with the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority in the past few weeks on its efforts to monitor compliance with approved standards. I acknowledge the very constructive and open response I received from the communications lead within the authority. I was particularly glad to see that, with respect to monitoring compliance with approved standards, the authority has taken significant steps to ensure approved housing bodies comply with the standards approved in February 2022 and this includes an annual monitoring programme.

I understand there are currently 441 approved housing bodies registered in this State. This returns me to a point I have been raising consistently with respect to the sheer volume of approved housing bodies and the staggering costs allocated to them. A reply from the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to a parliamentary question of mine revealed that in 2020 and 2021, his Department provided €514 million and €624 million, respectively, to local authorities in respect of a range of approved housing bodies funded schemes.

We know some of the housing bodies are carrying massive levels of debt. For example, Dr. Matt Treacy has pointed out that Clúid's 2022 financial statements show that it has €1.9 billion in assets, €1.7 billion in liabilities and only €38 million in cash and bank. He asks whether approved housing bodies can sustain these levels of debt. I want to repeat that question today. It is critical we know the answer.

I say this particularly in the context of my constituency of Laois-Offaly, where so many approved housing bodies are playing a role. This is important because the recent analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office on the number of households eligible for, but not yet in receipt of, social housing has estimated the combined cost of unmet housing needs in Offaly and Laois is €742.5 million. The cost for the Offaly County Council lists overall was put at €338 million, while for Laois County Council the cost is €404 million. It is critical that we have an approved housing body sector that is financially viable, fit for purpose, completely transparent and, most importantly, one that delivers for people, and not just for the organisations receiving vast sums of taxpayers' money.

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