Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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429. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the steps being taken to reduce the six-year waiting list for local authority housing in the south Meath area; if he appreciates the undue hardship that such lengthy waiting lists place on families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48917/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Government's housing policy statement confirms that the priority for Government is to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support. To achieve this objective we need to ensure that the social housing programme optimises the delivery of social housing and the return for the resources invested. It is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing conditions and explore the full range of solutions holistically to address housing needs.

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. In 2014, almost 70% of the budget for my Department will go directly to support housing. The 2014 estimate for housing programme expenditure is €575.8 million which includes €302.7 million for current, and €273 million for capital, expenditure. These resources for 2014 include €50 million to fund infrastructural investment in the housing area, which includes €30 million to recommence a State house building programme; €10 million for an unfinished housing estate resolution pilot project; and €10 million for housing adaptation grants.

Delivery of social housing continues to 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 include options to purchase, build to lease and the sourcing of loan finance by approved housing bodies for construction and acquisition. In addition, my Department and the Housing Agency are engaged with NAMA to ensure continued delivery of housing units for social purposes. Approved Housing Bodies will also play a key role in the delivery of social housing and in particular in its capacity to attract external financial investment.

In spite of the financial constraints within which we are required to operate, I expect the final output across all social housing programmes for 2013 to be in the region of 5,000 new housing units, and it is provisionally estimated that in the region of 5,000 units will be provided for social housing in 2014.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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430. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form, for each local authority, the number of social housing units commenced and the number of units constructed in each area during 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48940/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department's website Data on the number of social housing units constructed are included in this range and are broken down by local authority area. While my Department funds the provision of social housing units, specific data on commencement notices in respect of these units are not collated by my Department.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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431. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the capital allocation he is making available for social housing in 2014; the number of housing units that will commence construction in 2014 in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48941/13]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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464. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government how the lottery funding for social housing will be distributed around the country; the specific factors that will be taken into consideration in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49300/13]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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465. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the planned projects that will now not go ahead considering that capital funding for social housing has been reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49301/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 431, 464 and 465 together.

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. In addition, Budget 2014 provides for the allocation of a further €50 million from the sale of State assets to fund infrastructural investment primarily in the housing area, including €30 million to recommence a State house building and refurbishment programme; €10 million for an unfinished housing estate resolution project; and €10 million for housing adaptation grants.  When this is taken into account, funding for housing for next year is effectively maintained at 2013 levels.

It is provisionally estimated that some 5,0 00 units will be provided for social housing in 2014 through leasing and existing capital programmes. This includes some 175 new units for people with special housing needs, which will be funded under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). It is expected that 200 new units will be delivered under the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP). Furthermore, 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 housing construction and refurbishment measures are being developed by my Department at present and I intend to announce these 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.