Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 667: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when the social housing investment targets set out in the national development plan will be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30595/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Investment on housing under the national development plan in the period 2000 to 2004, at €6.86 billion, was almost 8% ahead of NDP estimates. While output levels for social housing by the local authority and voluntary sector have been less than anticipated, record levels of completions have been achieved and the needs of 60,000 households have been met under a range of social and affordable housing measures. The shortfall in achieving output targets can be attributed to higher than anticipated unit costs.

The introduction of multi-annual capital investment programmes and the adoption of five-year action plans for social and affordable housing by local authorities provide a structured basis for the planning and delivery of all social and affordable housing programmes. 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 local authority plans and substantial investment will continue to be made in regeneration projects. In addition, the voluntary and co-operative sector will continue to be supported as it increases and consolidates its contribution to the delivery of social rented accommodation.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 668: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to improve the quality and timeliness of his Department's information on the extent and nature of housing need, including homelessness, for example, by tracking flows of persons in and out of homelessness and by reporting age, family status and other characteristics of persons who are homeless, to be a priority for his Department. [30596/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The most recent assessment of need for local authority housing took place at end March 2005. My Department is finalising the analysis of returns furnished by local authorities. I anticipate publishing the results shortly.

The 2005 assessment of need is more detailed than previously and requires local authorities to submit data in electronic format to the Local Government Computer Services Board, LGCSB, for input into a data warehouse. This will enable my Department to improve its analysis of aggregate data in respect of all households, including homeless households. It is also envisaged that a new IT system being developed for housing authorities will provide the Department with information on housing needs on a more regular and up to date basis in the future.

It is recognised that a comprehensive data system is essential to monitor progress in addressing homelessness. In response to this the Homeless Agency, in conjunction with homeless service providers in Dublin, developed the LINK system, with funding provided by my Department. The purpose of the system is to improve and develop services and service delivery to homeless persons to ensure they receive a continuum of care based on an accurate and up to date assessment of their needs.

The LINK system is intended to help the local authorities to formulate appropriate responses to the accommodation needs of homeless households and individuals. It also facilitates the identification of their non-accommodation requirements and provides a basis for the formulation of responses to their case and support needs by the statutory and voluntary agencies involved.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 669: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress of the integrated information technology package for local authority housing departments being developed by the computer services board. [30597/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Following initial work on business process mapping and standard coding methods, a two-phase approach has been adopted for the integrated housing project. Consequently, an interim package to meet some of the housing needs of local authorities is being rolled out to all authorities, with the exception of Dublin City Council, which owing to the scale of its operations, has appointed a company to implement a system to meet its needs. A tender for a system to meet the complete housing needs of all other local authorities was issued earlier this year and is being evaluated. Following the evaluation of this tender, my Department will be consulting with the Department of Finance and decisions will then be taken on progressing the project.