Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the targets set for social and affordable housing provision in the 2004 NESC Report Housing in Ireland, Performance and Policy, the targets set for the provision of local authority housing and voluntary housing in the National Development Plan, and the target for the provision of social and affordable units under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 must be met if Ireland is to make acceptable progress in housing persons on housing lists throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16453/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government have put in place a number of new arrangements to facilitate the delivery of strong programmes of social and affordable housing. A total of €6.5 billion has been invested in housing capital programmes from Exchequer resources since 1997. Under the current National Development Plan, spending at end 2005 was 3% ahead of forecast. Largely due to construction inflation, the output is in some respects behind NDP forecasts, but we have put in place measures to ensure that the additional resources now available for housing achieve best value for money, optimum output and deliver programmes in a way that build sustainable communities.

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. These incorporate the relevant targets for units delivered through Part V arrangements. 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.

A mid term review of plans, which will allow for adjustments to be made in light of actual performance is under way at present.

During 2005, the Government brought forward new initiatives to specifically address issues raised in the NESC report. In June, we launched the Affordable Homes Partnership to co-ordinate and accelerate the delivery of affordable housing in the Greater Dublin Area. In December 2005, the Government launched a new Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities which outlines key principles underpinning housing policy and investment over coming years.

The framework sets out an important programme of investment and reform to address the key policy challenges highlighted by the NESC report on housing, and takes account of the results of the 2005 Housing Needs Assessment and the work of the Housing Forum in relation to the effectiveness of social and affordable housing provision.

As a result of extra capital provision in Budget 2006, substantial increased investment in social and affordable housing is outlined in the framework. This will allow for some 23,000 new social homes to be commenced between 2006 and 2008; and some 15,000 affordable homes to be delivered. In total, some 50,000 households will benefit over the coming three years from an Exchequer capital investment package of close to €4 billion. Implementation of these expected targets will represent a significant response to the recommendations of the NESC Housing Report.