Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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937. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to increase local authority staffing levels in order to facilitate the delivery of the Government's housing plans announced in 2014; if requests have been received for additional staff from local authorities in 2014 and to date in 2015; if so, the number of same and from what local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1806/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Social Housing Strategy 2020, which I published in November 2014, sets out clear, measureable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list. The Strategy provides for a total targeted provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and aims to meet the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, consequently addressing the needs of the 90,000 households currently on the housing waiting list in full, with flexibility to meet potential future demand.  Implementing the Strategy will require a considerable and co-ordinated effort from key stakeholders including the Local Authorities. A governance structure has been established including a Local Authority work stream to ensure the actions in the Strategy are overseen and delivered. In order to ensure delivery, I am chairing the Oversight Group which will meet later this month.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for Chief Executives, in the first instance, to ensure that the appropriate service levels are maintained. Local Authorities are currently in the process of assessing their technical and administrative resource requirements to deliver both the Housing Capital Programmes and also the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme.

As announced in the recent Budget, it is proposed that with effect from 2015, the moratorium and the Employment Control Framework for the Public Service will be lifted but recruitment / promotion will be subject to adherence to binding 3 year pay ceilings. Staffing resources must be managed within these overall ceilings. Detailed arrangements in terms of the local authority sector will be worked out between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

My Department examines all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence. My Department has recently met with some of the largest urban local authorities to agree resource requirements, and has received a number of staffing requests to facilitate the delivery of the Government's housing plans. Details in relation to requests are being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.