Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 363: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of houses constructed or started by Laois County Council on a year by year basis for the years 2000 to 2004; the projected number of housing starts in 2005; the way in which this compares with the allocations of approvals granted by his Department to the council for each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5605/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Information on the number of houses completed and started by Laois County Council for each of the years 2000 to 2004 under the local authority housing construction-acquisition programme is set out in the following table.

Completions-acquisitions figures for the full year 2004 are being finalised and will be published in due course in the annual housing statistics bulletin. The delivery of housing by local authorities in the next few years is being developed in the context of new five year action plans for social and affordable housing to ensure a systematic and integrated approach to the effective use of resources. I consider that given the nature of continuous housing need, the preparation of these action plans is beneficial to local authorities in identifying priority needs over the coming years and providing a coherent and co-ordinated response across all housing services, including delivery of housing by the voluntary and co-operative housing sector. The majority of these plans, including Laois County Council's action plan, have already been approved by my Department and the remainder are likely to be approved within a matter of weeks. Laois Country Council's nominated housing programme for 2005 has recently been received and is under examination in my Department.