Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 681: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number with regard to the operation of the Affordable Housing Partnership in 2007, of affordable housing units provided by the agency; the number occupied and the net cost thereof; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3243/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 682: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number with regard to the operation of the Affordable Housing Partnership in 2006, of affordable housing units provided to date by the agency; the number occupied and the net cost thereof; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3244/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 681 and 682 together.

Since its establishment in 2005, the Affordable Homes Partnership has played a key role in progressing a range of affordable housing issues, particularly in the Greater Dublin Area. Its areas of activity have included measures to promote common approaches to the implementation of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 – 2006, secure improved affordable housing information, source additional land for affordable housing and advance a number of direct procurement projects.

In terms of the direct delivery of additional affordable homes, the Partnership's activities have included the exchange of a number of State properties for affordable housing and a programme of purchases in the housing market. The three land exchanges undertaken to date (the first of which was commenced by Dublin City Council prior to the Partnership's establishment) have yielded 497 affordable homes – the total cost, in terms of the value of the land exchanged in return for discounts on affordable houses, was some €56.5m. The sales of 408 of these were completed by end 2006, with 28 further sales completed in 2007. The sales of the remaining 61 homes are expected to be completed by end February 2008.

The Partnership also contracted to purchase 502 homes in the open market in the Greater Dublin Area in a process undertaken in late 2006/early 2007. At the end of 2007, the sales of 186 of these homes had been completed and the sale of the remaining 316 homes continues to be progressed with a view to completion as early as possible this year. The net cost to the Exchequer of the discounts for the 502 homes was just under €50 million.