Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 64: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that the Government effort to date in relation to the provision of affordable, social and voluntary housing is acceptable; the steps he is taking to increase the output of housing in all these sectors, particularly in the case of affordable housing which has seen particularly slow progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16454/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The impact of this Government's commitment to strong social and affordable housing programmes can be seen in the results of the 2005 Housing Needs Assessment which showed a decrease of almost 10% when compared to the 2002 results. Indeed the strength of existing programmes can be gauged from the fact that work was in progress on over 10,000 social housing units at the end of last year. Since 1997, we have—

∙invested €6.5 billion of Exchequer capital resources in social and affordable housing schemes, supported by five-year action plans at local authority level to deliver these programmes;

∙provided for the housing needs of almost 100,000 households through various programmes, including through new affordable housing measures;

∙established the Affordable Homes Partnership (under the chairmanship of Mr. Des Geraghty) to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing in the Greater Dublin area, where the problems are most acute;

∙delivered significant increases in funding levels for the voluntary and co-operative housing programme and initiated institutional and organisational changes to facilitate the development of the sector.

The new Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities launched by the Government last December outline further increases in the programme of investment in social and affordable housing measures for the period 2006-2008.

Exchequer capital resources provided to my Department for these measures for this period stand at almost €4 billion, over 20% higher than the past three years, and this sum rises to over €6.5 billion when non-voted and current spending provisions are included. This money will be invested in response to identified need, with in the region of 23,000 new units of social housing to be commenced and 15,000 units of affordable housing to be delivered over the same period. In addition, further households will be assisted through the new Rental Accommodation Scheme. In total, we expect some 50,000 households to benefit from various social and affordable housing measures over the coming three years.

The local authority housing programme is part of the wider social and affordable housing programmes for which the main strategy for delivery is the local authority 5-year Action Plans for social and affordable housing. The Action Plans, now at their midway stage are currently being reviewed. The outcome of the reviews will ensure that local authorities continue to have a framework for the integrated and cohesive planning and delivery over the coming years of specific social and affordable housing measures based on their relevant housing strategy.