Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reforms he plans to introduce to adequately fund construction of social and affordable housing to meet the targets as set out in the programme for Government and the Towards 2016 social partnership document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20877/08]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of houses developed under the social housing scheme and the number of houses developed under the affordable housing scheme since the introduction of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000; the number of applicants on the waiting list for social housing and the number on the waiting list for affordable housing in the same period. [20784/08]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 103 together.

The Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP) reflect the strong commitment to expand social and affordable housing provision contained in the social partnership agreement Towards 2016. The NDP provides the resources — some €18 billion in total — which will support increased output from social and affordable housing measures and result in the needs of some 140,000 new households being met in this period.

Within this, a significant programme of activity to assist house purchase is provided for. In particular, over the period of the NDP, some 40,000 households will benefit from affordable housing. In addition, the needs of some 100,000 households are to be met through a range of social housing measures, including through the commencement and acquisition of 63,000 new social homes in the period 2007-2013. Over the period 2007 to 2009, sufficient resources will be made available to commence or acquire some 27,000 of these.

The impact of the record levels of investment this Government is committing to these housing programmes is already evident. Last year, over 13,000 social and affordable housing units were delivered and, overall, the needs of almost 18,300 households were met through the broad range of social and affordable housing programmes, 24% up on 2006.

The funding provided for housing programmes has been increased again in 2008, with some €2.5 billion available to local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative sectors for their activities. This 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. Preparations for the introduction of a new Incremental Purchase Scheme are also underway and a study on affordable housing delivery mechanisms is currently the subject of a public consultation process, with a view to submitting proposals to Government in due course.

I am satisfied that Part V of the Planning and Development Acts is operating effectively, evidenced by its significantly increased delivery of both social and affordable housing. From a position where just 46 homes were delivered under Part V in 2002, delivery has increased significantly since then, with over 3,240 social and affordable homes coming on stream under this mechanism in 2007. In total, up to the end of 2007, over 7,600 social and affordable houses had been acquired and in excess of 5,000 units were in progress at that stage on foot of Part V agreements with developers.

Local authorities are currently carrying out the 2008 statutory housing needs assessment, the results of which will be published in due course. While comprehensive information on the numbers applying for affordable housing is not collected by my Department, the indications are that demand for affordable housing remains strong in certain areas, particularly in the Greater Dublin Area and near other major urban centres.