Written answers

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Housing Issues

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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152. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he has quantified the local authority housing requirements in each local authority area by reference to the number of the housing applicants recorded by each authority; if he intends to take any specific steps to address this issue in the short and medium term thereby alleviating some of the cost of rent support currently incurred annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28378/13]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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In accordance with Section 21 of the Housing (scellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, I directed all housing authorities to prepare a summary of social housing assessments carried out in their areas on 7 May 2013. A report on the results will be published in the autumn and this will provide an important insight into the level and type of need for social housing support across the country. The results of the assessment carried out in 2011 are available on my Department's website and the Housing Agency's website . In terms of addressing that need, the Government is committed to responding more quickly and on a larger scale to social housing support requirements through a variety of mechanisms, including through increased provision of social housing. In July 2012, I announced details of a three-year funding programme of €100 million to deliver some 800 new units of voluntary and local authority owned social housing. I am monitoring expenditure under my Department's housing programme for 2013, together with the level of contractual commitments extending into 2014, with a view to a decision later this year on approving some limited new construction and house purchases over the period to end 2014. Delivery of social housing will be significantly facilitated through more flexible funding models such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme and leasing but the Government is also committed to developing other funding mechanisms that will increase the supply of permanent new social housing. Such mechanisms will include options to purchase, build to lease and the sourcing of loan finance by approved housing bodies for construction and acquisition. There is also obvious potential, across a range of housing programmes, for the Government's objective of sourcing and providing suitable residential units for use as social housing to be aligned with the commercial objectives of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA). My Department and the Housing Agency are engaged with NAMA to ensure the identification of suitable housing units for social purposes and this process is on-going.

In spite of the challenging circumstances within which local authorities must operate the final outcome for 2012 is expected to be in the region of 5,000 housing units. Given the current volatility of the market and different challenges to the channels of supply it is difficult to estimate the likely output of new units for social housing this year. However, it is provisionally estimated that in the region of 5,000 units will be provided for social housing in 2013. The payment of rent supplement is a matter for my colleague the nister for Social Protection.

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