Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the fact that there are in excess of 100,000 people on local authority waiting lists, he will use funds available under the European Regional Development Fund legislation, when it is amended, to purchase vacant properties in order to make them available as social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9523/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The most recent statutory assessment of housing need, which is carried out every three years by all housing authorities in accordance with the terms of the Housing Act 1988, showed that at end March 2008 56,249 households were in need of social housing support. Meeting social housing need is a high priority for the Government. While ensuring that we can deliver across the full range of needs, the scale and composition of the public housing programme in the years ahead will be dependent on a number of factors, including the level of available funding and the evolution of the housing market generally.

In that context, I obviously welcome recent proposals by the European Parliament to broaden the scope of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to include expenditure on the renovation and replacement of existing housing. However, there is no indication of any additional funding being made available for social housing provision from the Fund, and it remains to be seen whether the Parliament's proposed changes will receive the support of the European Council under the codecision procedure.

With or without ERDF funding, I am determined to ensure that the housing programme is framed in a manner which continues to optimise the delivery of social housing from current resources. To achieve this, it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing market conditions, and explore alternative solutions to address housing needs, having full regard to the sustainable communities philosophy outlined in the Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities.

To this end, the range of delivery mechanisms continues to be adapted and expanded. For example, last year I announced the introduction of a new social housing leasing initiative, through which it is expected that a substantial number of dwellings will be provided in the years ahead to meet housing needs. This, together with the rental accommodation scheme, complements the traditional capital funded programmes operated through local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative housing sector.

I will be keeping the leasing initiative and all the other housing programmes under ongoing review to ensure that they are appropriately geared towards meeting the maximum level of housing need.