John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

The year 2003 saw the highest level of housing provision under the full range of social and affordable housing measures for over 15 years. The needs of more than 13,600 households were met, compared with almost 8,500 in 1998. The Government is putting in place five year action plans to address housing needs and priorities through new multi-annual programmes, with €1.8 billion being available in 2004. In addition to the shared ownership scheme, the 1999 local authority affordable housing programme and Part V affordable housing schemes, a new affordable housing initiative was introduced under Sustaining Progress last year to further increase the supply of affordable housing. Together with affordable housing coming through Part V arrangements, the sites so far identified have the potential to deliver 6,100 housing units. This answers the interruptions from Senator Burke.