Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a cost benefit analysis has been carried out by him vis-a-vis the following methods of providing social housing, local authority tenancy provision, rental accommodation scheme, rent supplement; the result of that analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16169/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I am determined to ensure that the social housing programme is framed in a manner which optimises the delivery of social housing and the return for the resources invested. To achieve this it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing conditions and explore the full range of solutions to address housing needs. The social housing capital budget has been reduced by some 78% since 2008, down from €1.535 billion to just over €333.7m this year, and the financial parameters within which we will be operating for the coming years rule out a return to large capital funded construction programmes. The results from a number of comparative value for money studies also support the wider use of RAS/leasing options. A further such study in regard to RAS is now nearing completion.

The conclusions of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the leasing initiative in 2010 were also positive regarding the relative cost-effectiveness of leasing and RAS over traditional local authority construction or acquisition, while in addition pointing to the need to have a range of housing options to ensure a supply of accommodation to meet different types of housing need. This approach is clearly reflected in the housing policy statement issued in June 2011.