Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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283. To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 35 of 18 Spetember 2014 of the failure of Kildare County Council to assist in addressing the accommodation needs of former Defence Forces personnel and their families currently residing in the Curragh Camp, if he will meet the families in order to explore a solution. [43094/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the Department primarily responsible for the formulation and implementation of policy in relation to social housing. The vast majority of housing services for which it is responsible are delivered through the local authorities. Kildare County Council is the agency responsible for the provi sion of housing assistance for c ivilians in the Curragh area. In this regard, the Council has a budget and applies the criteria for social housing allocation within its area of responsibility.

Officials of the Department of Defence initiated discussions with Kildare County Council to determine whether there was a possibility of a joint initiative to provide solutions to the overholding issues in the Curragh. The Council indicated that, due to budgetary constraints their policy is to lease suitable properties in order to provide accommodation for those who meet the criteria for social housing assistance.

As stated previously, the Department of Defence has no mandate or budget to address the housing needs of members of the public and in light of the above it would be inappropriate for the Department to intervene where such members are being assessed as to their qualification for housing assistance.

In implementing the policy of withdrawing from the provision of Married Quarters for serving members of the Defence Forces, the Department has had discussions with a number of overholders with a view to assisting in whatever way it can in finding a solution in individual cases. In this regard, the Department advised overholders where appropriate to apply for social housing and have supplied supporting documentation for the Council when requested. The Department plans to continue engaging with individual overholders with a view to resolving the overholding issue.