Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom a rá ar dtús báire go raibh an tAire Stáit le freagracht as an nGaeltacht agus acmhainní nádúrtha, an Teachta Joe McHugh in ainm a bheith anseo chun an díospóireacht seo a thógáil ach gheall sé le Conradh na Gaeilge go raibh sé chun an lá ar fad a chaitheamh ag labhairt as Gaeilge toisc gurb é seo lá na Gaeilge agus mar gheall ar sin táimse anseo ina áit. Ba mhaith liom leanacht ar aghaidh ach ba mhaith liom a rá go mb'fhéidir go mba cheart dúinn comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Aire Stáit faoin dúshlán sin a thógáil chomh dáiríre sin nach raibh sé sásta an óráid seo a léamh amach, fiú, i mBéarla sa Seanad.

The Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, had intended to come to the House to speak on this matter but declined to do so because he had made a firm commitment not to speak English today as part of the Gaeilge 24 challenge. I am speaking on his behalf and that of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly.

The social housing strategy which is being finalised is being developed by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, with input from key personnel in the Housing Agency and National Economic and Social Council, NESC. The strategy will provide the basis for an enhanced approach to social housing provision and contain clear actions to be taken to increase supply and, most importantly, reduce the numbers on waiting lists. The measures in the strategy will complement budget 2015 which provided for a multi-annual approach to the provision of social housing, with a considerable increase in Exchequer investment and proposals for innovative funding approaches to increase supply. The strategy will be submitted to the Government for approval in the coming weeks and published thereafter.

As Senators will be aware, the specific provisions to be made in 2015 in respect of the various funding schemes and programmes, including the breakdown of the social housing investment programme, will be published in December in the 2015 Revised Estimates Volume. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will then work with all local authorities to agree individual allocations across all social housing activities, especially in new building projects. This planning will be based, first and foremost, on social housing need in each area, taking account of projects local authorities have already commenced. Thanks to funding announced by the then Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, in March this year, a local authority housing construction programme, with an associated cost of €68 million, has been initiated. The programme will deliver 449 new units of accommodation for people on housing waiting lists by 2016. A simultaneous announcement of a further €46 million in capital investment for approved housing bodies will provide for a total of 416 units of accommodation for people with special housing needs, including the elderly, persons with an intellectual or a physical disability and homeless persons. These investments marked the return to new mainstream social housing construction after a number of years in abeyance. Senator Katherine Zappone has shown a particular interest in South Dublin County Council where funding of more than €5.3 million has been allocated under these programmes and is expected to deliver 32 units of accommodation.

Social housing is a priority issue for the Government, as demonstrated in the investment in new housing infrastructure announced in budget 2015. The combined capital and current housing allocation for 2015 will result in an investment of almost €800 million and provide more than 7,500 new homes across a range of housing programmes. The net effect of new building activity under way and the further allocations to local authorities that will follow the publication of the social housing strategy and Revised Estimates Volume will be to produce a pipeline of new social housing which will stretch out on a multi-annual basis.