Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the factors that determine the type of housing units that are acquired by local authorities under Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000; if there is a requirement that local authorities acquire a variety of housing types and sizes; the level of discretion that is allowed to local authorities in the types of properties they can acquire under Part V; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7388/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Earlier this month, I published a new housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, the central objective of which is the creation of sustainable communities — places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. A key element of the sustainable communities agenda is the achievement of a better housing mix, particularly in terms of the mix of different types of homes to meet a broad range of housing requirements.

At local level, each local authority, through its Housing Action Plan, sets out its broad approach to addressing the range of social and affordable housing needs in its area. In that context, local authorities employ a range of instruments, of which the mechanism under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 is just one.

In implementing Part V, each planning authority is required to prepare a housing strategy to ensure that the authority's Development Plan, into which the strategy is incorporated, provides for the housing requirements of the existing and future population of the area. Among the factors which planning authorities are statutorily obliged to take into account when preparing housing strategies is the need to ensure that a mixture of house types and sizes is developed to reasonably match the requirements of different categories of households.

The finalisation of individual agreements with developers under Part V is a matter for each individual planning authority, subject to considering a range of factors specified in the relevant legislation. In particular, if a planning authority proposes to make an agreement which would result in the delivery of completed homes, the factors which it would have to consider include whether the agreement would contribute effectively and efficiently to the achievement of the objectives of its housing strategy, including the provisions in relation to the mix of house types and sizes.