Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 506 and 507 together.

The first multi-annual housing programme for the period 2000-03 provided for the commencement or acquisition of 25,000 units during the period. Detailed information on the number of local authority house starts and completions and output by the voluntary and co-operative housing sector by local authority for the years 2000 to 2003 is available in the annual housing statistics bulletins published by my Department. Copies of the bulletins are available in the Oireachtas Library. The 2004 figures are available on the Department's website at www.environ.ie.

New multi-annual action plans have been prepared by local authorities for the provision of social and affordable housing over the period 2004-08. These have been approved by my Department and are designed to assist local authorities to identify priority needs over the coming years and provide a coherent and co-ordinated response across all housing services including the delivery of housing by the voluntary and co-operative housing sector. Financial envelopes have been secured for the next five years to underpin the multi-annual approach in the action plans.

It is anticipated that total social housing provision, including new local authority housing, vacancies arising in existing houses and output under other social housing measures, will meet the needs of in excess of 13,000 households in 2005. This compares with almost 8,500 households in 1998. In addition, it is anticipated that a number of households currently in private rented accommodation will transfer to the new rental accommodation scheme which is currently being introduced. These households will continue to be accommodated in the main within the private rented sector.