Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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186. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the list of the proposed social housing building programmed, submitted by Wicklow County Council; if these were in any order of priority, the way Dunlavin and Rathdrum in County Wicklow were selected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18716/15]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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189. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason sanction for only a proportion of the allocated funding for housing construction and acquisition was granted to Wicklow County Council; when the remainder of the €33 million will be released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18757/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 189 together.

I announced a major social housing construction programme on 5 May 2015, with €312 million to be invested nationally, covering all 31 local authorities and with over 1,700 social housing units to be built across more than 100 separate projects. That announcement included projects for Co. Wicklow covering the construction of 50 units at an estimated cost of €8.2 million. Details of that announcement are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

The announcement followed the submission by all local authorities of proposals for their planned delivery of new social housing out to 2017. Local authorities had been requested to focus on projects that would -

-be suitable for early commencement and completion;

- meet social housing need in the area; and

- represent good value for money.

The projects announced on 5 May are those assessed at this stage as being suitable to proceed. However, the assessment of project proposals is continuing and proposals which were not among those announced including those submitted by Wicklow County Council, details of which are included in the table below, are still under active consideration in my Department. In line with the targets in the Social Housing Strategy, I will be making further announcements in due course of project approvals and funding allocations as the assessment process continues. In addition, local authorities may submit further proposals over the course of the Social Housing Strategy as they identify and prioritise the delivery of social housing units to meet the need in their areas.

The social housing targets out to 2017 that I announced on 1 April last provide for a target of 438 units in respect of Wicklow. I also announced a provisional funding allocation of €31 million which provides for units to be delivered by Wicklow County Council through a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes. Further funding will be allocated to specific projects as these are assessed and approved.

The proposed social housing projects submitted by Wicklow County Council are as follows: