James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to alleviate the problem of the 1,970 housing applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19572/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Meeting social housing need remains 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.

I am determined to ensure that the programme is framed in a manner which continues to optimise the delivery of social housing. 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, in 2009 I announced the introduction of a new Social Housing Leasing Initiative, through which it is expected that a substantial number of dwellings can be provided to meet housing needs, estimated at just over 56,000 households in the 2008 Housing Needs Assessment. 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.