Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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28. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government where funding for the proposed €30 million social housing boost in the recent budget will be sourced from; how it will be allocated; and if there are any short, medium and longer-term deadlines for implementation of this scheme. [44834/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I expect the recently announced €30 million additional Exchequer investment in social housing to deliver up to 500 local authority homes for families on the housing waiting list. Approximately half of this investment will facilitate the construction of new infill housing developments in areas with a high demand for social housing. It is intended that €15 million will be invested in bringing vacant and boarded-up local authority houses back into productive use.

The detailed arrangements for the implementation of the two measures are being developed by my Department at present. I intend to announce these arrangements as soon as possible with a view to having the investment programme up and running as early as possible in 2014. My Department will be requesting local authorities to submit proposals for inclusion under both measures in due course.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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30. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which an assessment has been done of the local authority housing need in the greater Dublin area with a view to urgent utilisation of the recently announced budgetary provisions in this regard, with particular reference to the need to ensure the immediate provision of directly built local authority houses is facilitated throughout County Kildare - and north Kildare specifically, where the housing crisis is worsening; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44786/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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In accordance with Section 21 of the Housing (Miscellaneous 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. The data submitted by housing authorities are currently being analysed and, once verified, a report on the findings will be published by the Housing Agency. The report findings will detail the number of households on waiting lists in each local authority, broken down by basis of need, employment status, age of applicant, length of time on waiting list and other categories. This information will provide an important insight into the level and type of need for social housing support across the country.

I expect the recently announced €30 million additional investment in social housing to deliver up to 500 local authority homes for families on the housing waiting list. Approximately half of this investment will facilitate the construction of new infill housing developments in areas with a high demand for social housing. It is intended that €15 million will be invested in bringing vacant and boarded-up local authority houses back into productive use.

The detailed arrangements for the implementation of the measure s are being developed by my Department at present. I intend to announce these arrangements as soon as possible with a view to having the investment programme up and running as early as possible in 2014.