Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the procedures in place to ensure that local authority service indicators on housing are valid due to the wide range of results and performance of local authorities in areas such as vacancies that have been compiled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42241/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The annual Service Indicators in Local Authorities reports are compiled by the Local Government Management Agency (formerly the Local Government Management Services Board), from returns made by local authorities.

Implementation teams in local authorities collect, process and forward the annual service indicator data to the Local Government Management Agency, which collates the data for publication. An Independent Assessment Panel quality assures the data submitted by the local authorities and their reports are contained in the annual service indicators reports. Specifically, pages 22 to 24 of the Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2008 Report set out some of the factors which affect the average time taken to re-let available dwellings, together with actions taken by local authorities on the issues surrounding performance. The Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group contains a number of recommendations in relation to the wider use of the service indicators and reducing the time to let and re-let social housing properties. The Report's recommendations in this regard will be considered by me with a view to improving performance generally.

I propose to establish an implementation group, with an independent chairperson, to oversee implementation of relevant recommendations.