Written answers

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Local Authority Housing

9:00 pm

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when finance will be transmitted from his Department to Limerick County Council in respect of a voluntary housing scheme (details supplied) in County Limerick. [23836/08]

Photo of Michael FinneranMichael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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A grant of €2,248,446 was approved for this project in 2003, some €2,136,064 of which has been drawn down so far by Limerick County Council. The balance of funding due will be determined as soon as outstanding information, requested from the Council in April 2008, is received in my Department.

Photo of Ciarán LynchCiarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount of funding provided by his Department for sheltered housing units in each local authority area; the number of units that are council run; the number run by voluntary agencies financed by the local authority; the number of units vacant in each area; the assessment or admission criteria that apply; if people are excluded if they fail to meet the criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23837/08]

Photo of Michael FinneranMichael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme for voluntary and co-operative housing, funding of up to 100% of the approved cost is available for the provision of permanent accommodation for low-income families and persons with special housing needs, including the elderly, the homeless and persons with a disability. It is a condition of the scheme that all proposed tenants have been assessed by the housing authority as being in need of social housing.

Approved housing bodies may retain nominating rights for up to 25% of tenancies; in such cases, the terms of the Capital Assistance Scheme provide that funding is subject to a limit of 95% of the approved cost.

This year my Department is providing a record €130 million for the provision of special needs housing by approved housing bodies.

The administration of the Capital Assistance Scheme, including the nomination of tenants from the local authority's housing list, is the responsibility of the relevant housing authority. Given that the special needs accommodation provided by voluntary bodies may be multi-purpose or may not be categorised specifically as sheltered housing, it is not possible to provide details of the number of units provided by approved housing bodies. Sheltered housing needs can also be met from within the main local authority housing programmes. The detailed information sought on the numbers of units, the number operated and managed by voluntary bodies and the number of vacant units is not available in my Department.

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