Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of persons who were approved by local authorities for the rental assistance scheme, who are under 20 years on a county basis for each year since the scheme was established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13320/10]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of social housing units provided to housing applicants who were under 20 years on a county basis for each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13321/10]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will provide information in respect of each voluntary housing agency that allocated housing units to applicants who are under 20 years on a county basis for each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13322/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 187, inclusive, together.

My Department does not collate age specific information on housing allocations to specific household categories. However, more general information in relation to activity under the range of housing programmes is set out in my Department's annual and quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library and on www.environ.ie

While the allocation of dwellings to individual households is a matter for the authority concerned there is scope for authorities, within their Scheme of Letting Priorities, to set aside a proportion of dwellings to meet the housing needs of particular groups, including the needs of younger people or single adult households. In addition, my Department continues to advise local authorities of the need to provide a reasonable mix of accommodation solutions for the different kinds of households already on waiting lists and to plan their future programmes, including the Rental Accommodation Scheme and long term leasing, taking account of the estimated size and type of households likely to be seeking housing in the future in their functional area.