Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

92. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if provision will be made to augment the direct local authority house building programme proposed in the recent budget, with particular reference to the urgent need to tackle the housing shortage in County Kildare and adjoining counties; if arrangements will be made for senior officials in his Department to engage with officials of the respective local authorities with a view to taking immediate steps to address what is now a serious housing crisis; if urgent provision will be made to put in place a major house building programme to yield sufficient housing units to meet the requirements of those families who are now on the local authority waiting lists, some for up to ten years; if such provision will address the problem that has arisen due to a lack of adequate provision in this regard since 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4927/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My question pertains to the serious housing crisis in north Kildare and the need for senior officials in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to liaise with the relevant officials in Kildare County Council with a view to identifying how best to proceed. There are currently 8,500 families on the local authority's waiting list and the figure is growing on a daily basis.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This is an issue we have discussed already in the context of an earlier question.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On a point of order, who grouped the questions?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I also want to hear the answer to that question.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I understand the Department groups the questions.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It will be another six weeks before the Ministers opposite are before us again for Question Time, and the last time they were here was six weeks ago. In the space of 12 weeks, we cannot get answers to the questions we table in the House. They tell us we have openness and transparency but the only change has been for the worse.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We cannot even get answers to questions we have tabled.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This is Deputy Durkan's question. Questions are answered by lottery and we must operate the system we have agreed.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As outlined in the Government’s housing policy statement of 2011, the main focus in terms of housing supports provided by Government will be on meeting acute needs, with increased reliance on more flexible, revenue-based approaches based around the rental accommodation scheme, the leasing of properties and the use of private finance by approved housing bodies for the construction and purchase of properties. The constraints on the State’s finances and the necessity to reduce public expenditure to sustainable levels rule out a return to large-scale local authority housing construction programmes. That said, I recently signalled a return to modest levels of new social housing construction, with 1,000 new starts expected over the period 2014-15. Four hundred of these will be delivered under the local authority housing programme, 250 will be delivered by approved housing bodies and 350 new homes will be provided under regeneration. I will be making more detailed announcements with regard to each of these measures shortly, including in relation to projects in Kildare. In addition, my Department and the Housing Agency continue to engage with NAMA to ensure continued delivery of housing units for social use.

This year, in addition to the funding levels set out in the abridged Estimates for 2014 in respect of my Department’s social housing investment programme, a further €30 million has been approved for the delivery of social housing. Some €15 million of this will go towards the local authority construction programme, with €15 million being invested in bringing boarded-up houses back into productive use. As a result, I expect that some 450 vacant houses will be made available to persons on housing waiting lists this year.

In terms of the consultation process, my Department’s housing division maintains regular and effective communication with housing authorities on key housing priorities. This is greatly facilitated through the City and County Managers' Association, which has a dedicated housing sub-committee comprising a representative group of managers and directors of housing. Meetings between this group and my Department take place at regular intervals, including twice-yearly plenary sessions with all directors of housing in attendance. My Department will also be meeting with directors of housing from all local authorities shortly as part of our annual housing action plan process. These routine meetings at housing practitioner level provide a forum for effective oversight of capital budgets and housing programme management.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive reply. Even since I first stood up to introduce this question, however, I have received a text message regarding a family who will be homeless tonight. This is happening on an hourly basis. Will the Minister of State instruct senior officials in her Department to make contact with the relevant officials in Kildare County Council with a view to taking emergency steps to address the emerging crisis?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As I noted previously, we have resumed construction of local authority housing. That is an important development in terms of the Government's intentions and we intend to continue investment in this area. Officials in my Department meet regularly with directors of housing and county and city managers, but if it is necessary to hold a meeting specifically with officials from Kildare County Council, I am sure my officials would be happy to do so at the earliest opportunity.