Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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851. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views that the construction of a large number of bedsits, as part of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, would be a feasible policy objective towards relieving the current crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11087/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Social Housing Strategy 2020builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing.

The total targeted provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, will address the needs of the 90,000 households on the housing waiting list in full, with flexibility to meet potential future demand.

The strategy is concerned not with the detail of types of accommodation but rather with providing good quality units of accommodation, appropriate to housing need. Units constructed as part of the strategy must comply with the building regulations and associated technical guidance documents covering such matters as hygiene, materials and workmanship, ventilation and fire safety. Similarly, in so far as rented accommodation is concerned, units must comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations which specify requirements in relation to sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, fire safety and other matters.