Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

428. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the number of outstanding applications for social housing on a county basis; if he will provide details on the specific steps being taken by his Department to reduce the waiting times for applications for social housing on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48916/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department does not hold information on the number of outstanding applications for social housing support received by housing authorities. The assessment of such applications is a matter solely for the housing authority concerned in accordance with the Social Housing Assessment Regulations, 2011. 

Regulation 12 of the 2011 Regulations prescribes the timescales for the processing of applications by housing authorities. In general, a housing authority should not take more than 12 weeks from the time of a valid application to complete its assessment of same. However, different timescales may apply where the housing authority requires additional information from the applicant within the relevant period, as defined in the Regulations, thus leading to possible extensions to the 12 week deadline in terms of completing the application process.