Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will respond to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42537/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The objective of achieving sustainable communities as set out in the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, is a key priority for my Department.

The current market conditions relating to house purchase generally have inevitably impacted on the sale of affordable housing, leaving unsold affordable accommodation vacant. My Department has taken a number of steps to address this issue and to promote the sale of these units, including increasing the limit for local authority loans. However, in the current market conditions sale is not always possible; accordingly, in order to avoid leaving properties vacant for lengthy periods, my Department has provided a number of alternative options for authorities to consider in ensuring that the units involved are deployed for other housing purposes, including the temporary transfer of units for use under the social housing leasing initiative.

It should be noted, however, that it is not intended that such transfers will result in the units concerned being added automatically to the permanent social housing stock. All units transferred will retain their affordable housing status and, accordingly, authorities have been advised that the option for sale of properties, either as affordable housing or under the incremental purchase scheme, is to be retained in all units approved for transfer to social leasing, and that such units should be allocated where possible to households who have indicated that they have the means and aspiration to purchase these units in the future.

The issue of compliance with planning permission is a matter for the relevant local authority.