Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to meet the housing requirements of persons currently on local authority housing lists throughout the country; the number of people housed off such lists in each of the past five years directly by the local authorities or by voluntary housing agencies; when, at this rate of progress, the needs of those coming on to the housing lists are expected to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14428/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Record levels of funding for social and affordable housing are being provided in 2008 with over €2.5 billion available for housing programmes generally. The total Exchequer provision for social housing in 2008 is some €1.57 billion — an increase of approximately 13% on the 2007 outturn. This funding will allow for the commencement of a significant number of new social housing units, further progress under regeneration programmes, and the completion of a large number of units under both the local authority and voluntary housing programmes. Good progress is being made on the delivery of social housing programmes with some 9,000 new social housing starts achieved in 2007. This is in line with the commitment in Towards 2016 to achieve 27,000 starts in the period 2007 to 2009. The resources being made available for social housing under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 will allow for the needs of some 60,000 households to be met over the full period of the Plan.

Information on the number of first time lettings by local authorities is published in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins. Details of accommodation provided under my Department's Capital Funding Schemes by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies for the years 2000 to 2006 and for the first 9 months of 2007, are also published in my Department's Annual and Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins. All of these publications are available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie, and in the Oireachtas Library. Information is also available on the website on the number of houses provided by local authorities, the voluntary and co-operative sector, and through the Rental Accommodation Scheme. In the 2003-2007 period (figures for 2007 are provisional), some 35,114 households were assisted through these social housing measures. Local authorities are currently carrying out the 2008 statutory housing needs assessment the results of which will be published in due course.