Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

105. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which the precise and immediate housing requirement in each local authority has been determined; the number currently deemed to be effectively homeless; the number of homeless persons coming on to the register on a daily and weekly basis; the local authority areas including County Kildare deemed to be most seriously affected by the housing crisis; if specific proposals have been submitted to his Department to address the issue in the short term; the exact number of extra housing units currently available or likely to become available through direct acquisition in the next six months; his proposals to meet the requirements as identified by the respective local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40942/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The most recent statutory Assessment of Housing Need was undertaken in May 2013. It identified 89,872 households which qualified for social housing support. Of the 89,872 households recorded as in need of housing as at 7 May, 2013, there were 2,808 households recorded having a housing need due to living in an institution, emergency accommodation or hostel.  Full details of the 2013 Housing Need Assessment - including information on County Kildare - are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

The 2013 figures are the most up-to-date figures available on waiting list numbers, which are subject to on-going fluctuation due to households being allocated housing and new households applying for housing support.  However, the 2013 results cannot be directly compared to previous results given that this latest summary employed different methodologies and was the first to be carried out under the 2011 Social Housing Assessment Regulations.

Data on homeless households in emergency accommodation is provided through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS).  Quarterly reports from lead housing authorities are being published on my Department's website as soon as these are available.  In addition, lead housing authorities provide monthly reports on homelessness which identify the number of people utilising State-funded emergency accommodation on a regional and county basis.  These monthly reports are also available on my Department’s website at the following link:

The Social Housing Strategy 2020: Support Supply and Reform, approved by Government and published last week, builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measureable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform the approach to delivery, and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list. The strategy provides a clear governance structure, which as Minister I will personally oversee, to ensure delivery of all actions. Action 1 of the Strategy requires the agreement of national targets for delivery of social housing next year and in subsequent years. These specific targets will be agreed through the governance structure, in collaboration with Local Authorities and with input from the Approved Housing body sector. For 2015, I expect that some 7,400 new social housing units will be provided under the range of existing initiatives. 

The funding provided to local authorities under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme supports the development of new social housing units and the acquisition of units for social housing purposes. It is a matter for each local authority to identify their own priorities in this regard.

Through funding provided under the Local Authority Housing Programme, Local Authorities are currently undertaking a targeted acquisitions programme and have identified in the region of 240 units of accommodation which they intend to acquire in the coming months to accommodate people on the social housing waiting list, with particular emphasis on providing accommodation for homeless persons, people with special needs and other priority cases as identified by them.

In addition to these acquisitions, the approved housing bodies, with funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme , are acquiring in the region of 200 units of accommodation for people with special housing needs, including the elderly, persons with an intellectual or physical disability, and homeless persons. Part of this is a Special Initiative for Homeless in Dublin City which is expected to deliver approximately 60 units of accommodation.My Department will continue to work closely with all local authorities to advance these initiatives and also with regard to their targets for 2015 and beyond, within the context of the available funding nationally.