Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 658: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his views, in keeping with the National Anti-Poverty Strategy, coincide with those of local authorities with regard to the setting of targets for the maximum time that households can expect to spend on the waiting lists for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30586/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is anticipated that the results of the most recent assessment of need for social housing which was carried out in March 2005 will be published shortly. In the light of the results of the assessment my Department will be examining the extent and nature of need and how the needs of households can best be met from the range of targeted social and affordable housing measures that are available.

In consultation with my Department, local authorities have developed five-year action plans for their social and affordable housing programmes covering the period to 2008. The preparation of these plans has improved the identification of priority needs and will help to ensure a more coherent and co-ordinated response across all housing services. They have also provided an overview of delivery by a range of providers local authorities, voluntary and co-operative housing bodies and the private sector, through Part V and public private partnership arrangements. Some €2 billion is being made available for housing programmes in 2005 to further increase the output of social and affordable housing.

Overall, in 2005, 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.