Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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30. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of houses provided under the capital allowance schemes and handed over to various voluntary housing bodies throughout the country since the inception of the scheme on a county basis; the full extent of the total cost of all such schemes to the Exchequer; the extent to which all such bodies continue to comply with regulations governing their operation; if the State investment is guaranteed and returnable to the State directly or via the local authorities in the event of non-compliance with regulations, articles of association or company law; the extent to which any breaches of the relevant regulations have been discovered and addressed by location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20417/13]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of voluntary housing organisations, the companies for which were in abeyance or struck off in the past ten years, the capital for which was provided for in its entirety through the capital allowance scheme; if in such cases the housing stock concerned reverted to the local authority as provided for under the scheme; if any specific action under the provisions of company law followed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20930/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 156 together.

At the end of 2012 a total of 25,371 units of accommodation had been provided by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies under my Department’s capital funding schemes since the inception of the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) in 1984 and the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) in 1992. Exchequer funding of €1.3 billion was provided under the CAS for the provision of some 15,262 units of accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need such as older people, the homeless and persons with a physical, intellectual or mental health disability.

Under the CLSS, mortgage finance was provided to approved housing bodies by way of loans from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) to meet the cost of providing social rented accommodation for low-income families. At end 2012, approved housing bodies had provided some 10,109 units of accommodation and loans to the value of around €1.4 billion had been drawn down from the HFA. The CLSS was terminated in 2009 and expenditure in respect of projects over the period 2010 to end 2012 relates to projects at construction or approved to commence construction prior to the decision to terminate the scheme.

A breakdown of expenditure and the number of house completions on a county basis is not readily available for the period 1984 to 1992. Information in respect of individual CAS projects completed over that period is held on file in hard copy format only and disaggregated on the basis of the relevant approved housing body. Compilation on a county basis would involve an inordinate amount of time and resources.

Details of overall expenditure and numbers of units provided across all local authorities under the CAS scheme from its inception in 1984 to 1992, together with details of the funding and numbers of units provided under the CAS and CLSS on a county basis from 1993 to end 2012, are set out in the table below.

My Department’s role in relation to the voluntary housing capital funding schemes relates primarily to the provision of funds to support the annual construction and housing acquisitions programmes by the sector. It is a matter for the relevant housing authority to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the schemes and to have appropriate oversight and liaison arrangements in place for the effective administration of the schemes and for ensuring that the investment in voluntary housing is safeguarded.

Funding for both schemes was provided by the relevant housing authority to the Approved Housing Body (AHB) in the form of a 30 year annuity mortgage loan. The terms of the scheme provide that repayments of principal and interest charges due from the AHB may be fully waived, provided the AHB continues to comply with the terms and conditions of the schemes. Should the AHB fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the schemes at any time during the term of the mortgage, the AHB will be liable for the principal and interest charges and which will be recoverable by the housing authority.

704 housing associations were approved by my Department under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992 for the provision and management of housing. In 2012 my Department identified 86 Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) that neither produced housing stock nor applied for any funding from my Department. These companies were no longer registered with the Companies Registration Office and their approved status with my Department was rescinded.

My Department is now proceeding to examine the status of more than 100 additional bodies that also appear to be inactive, and I expect to de-list further bodies in 2013 in order to present a more accurate picture of the size of the sector operating in Ireland.

My Department is developing an enabling regulatory framework for the voluntary housing sector that will provide support and assurance both to the sector itself and to its external partners. The development of this framework will take some time to complete. In the meantime, my Department has been engaging with the sector on the development of a voluntary code of good governance. The code will outline minimum regulatory standards that will apply to all approved housing bodies with additional standards and requirements applying to larger bodies. It is intended formally to launch the code in the coming weeks once all the issues raised during the consultation period have been considered.

My Department has not been notified of any case where an approved housing body was required to repay the mortgage loan to the housing authority. Any actions in relation to company law would be a matter for the Companies Registration Office.