Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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445. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the current housing shortage, if he has definite proposals for the Wicklow/ East Carlow region to carry out an assessment of the land available to them which could be utilised for social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17925/14]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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446. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the urgent lack of suitable housing accommodation in the Wicklow-east Carlow catchment area, if his Department will consider lifting the embargo and allow the relevant local authority to commence building again in order to alleviate the current housing crisis affecting the eastern region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17926/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos.445 and 446 together.

The Housing Land Availability Survey (HLAS) is an annual survey undertaken by my Department seeking information from local authorities to inform the publication of the amount of zoned residential land in their areas that is currently serviced. In 2013, my Department reviewed the HLAS approach taking account of the advent of and the need to reduce and rationalise the data gathering requirements placed on local authorities. A new Internet based approach called the Residential Land Availability Survey (RLAS) is currently being finalised in conjunction with local authorities to produce robust datasets mapped to individual land parcels across all local authorities. I expect that the final RLAS will be available in Quarter 2, 2014 and the RLAS survey will be undertaken annually thereafter.

Assessment of the need for social and affordable housing and associated lands required for their provision is primarily a matter for each local authority as part of the preparation of their Housing Strategy under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Local authorities are responsible for the implementation of their housing strategies working within their capital allocations for the housing sector provided by my Department.

The Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement clearly outlines that the priority for Government will be to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support. The Statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2013. Details regarding the review are available on my Department’s website. .

I am determined to ensure that the social housing programme optimises the delivery of social housing and the return for the resources invested. To achieve this, it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing conditions and explore the full range of solutions to address housing needs. The financial parameters within which we continue to operate will not facilitate a return to large capital funded construction programmes. The Government is committed to responding more quickly and on a larger scale to social housing support needs through a variety of mechanisms, including through increased provision of social housing.

To maximise the social housing gain from constrained resources, the social housing leasing initiative and the Rental Accommodation Scheme each play their part and I am fully committed to capturing social housing gain from private developments. Alongside expanding the role of the Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), in terms of acquisitions and construction, other mechanisms will include options to purchase within the leasing model and build to lease.

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, funding for housing, at over €587m, is effectively maintained at 2013 levels. This includes a €50 million capital stimulus to support construction and related programmes, primarily in the housing area, including €30 million to recommence a State house building programme; €10 million for an unfinished housing estate resolution project; and €10 million for housing adaptation grants. I expect the final output across all social housing programmes for 2014 to be in the region of 5,000 new housing units. With the benefit of the additional capital for new housing construction, I expect the new social housing construction programme for 2014 - 2015 to deliver close to 700 new social and voluntary homes. A special investment of €15 million for the retrofitting of boarded-up local authority houses is intended to bring 400 homes back into productive use.

In addition, my Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA continue to work together with housing authorities and approved housing bodies towards bringing suitable NAMA units into social use and to ensure continued delivery of housing units for social purposes. By the end of Quarter 1 2014, some 1,951 units have been confirmed by local authorities as being suitable for social housing with the overall total delivery of social housing from NAMA sourced units now standing at 684 (completed or contracted) since the process began. Further information in relation to the delivery of NAMA sourced units, including a full breakdown by county of units delivered by quarter, is available at the Housing Agency’s website: . I remain committed to continuing to develop innovative and sustainable approaches to the provision of social housing.