Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he intends to take to substantially improve local authority and voluntary sector housing output to meet NDP targets. [3711/05]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he intends to take to substantially improve local authority and voluntary sector housing output to meet NDP targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4022/05]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to further improve housing construction by local authorities and voluntary housing agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4020/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 142 and 164 together.

In including housing as a major area of activity under the national development plan, the Government demonstrated its commitment to increasing support for social and affordable housing programmes. Since the plan's inception in 2000 the needs of almost 60,000 households have been met under the range of social and affordable housing programmes. Between 2000 and the end of 2004 provisional outturn figures show investment under the housing aspect of the NDP is some 10% ahead of forecast.

While output levels for social housing by the local authority and voluntary sector have been less than anticipated in the NDP targets, record levels of completions have been achieved over the period of the plan. The shortfall in achieving output targets can for the main part be attributed to higher than anticipated construction costs.

The Government's decision to introduce multi-annual capital investment programmes provides an important opportunity to ensure a structured basis for the planning and delivery of all social and affordable housing programmes. Through five year action plans for social and affordable housing developed by local authorities, resources will be used to best effect. The plans will be used to maximise output and value for money and ensure that priority is given to those most in need. Overall, the priority is to ensure that housing is delivered in a manner which breaks cycles of dependency and disadvantage.

It is planned to build up a programme of about 5,500 starts under the main local authority housing measure each year over the period of the plans and substantial investment will continue to be made in regeneration projects such as the Ballymun programme. The voluntary and co-operative sectors will continue to be supported as they increase and consolidate their contribution to the delivery of social rented accommodation. It is estimated that the needs of over 13,000 households will again be met under various social and affordable housing measures over the course of this year. In addition to this, the long-term housing needs of about 5,000 current recipients of rent supplement will be addressed through the new rental accommodation initiative.