Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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48. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of ghost or vacant housing estates that have been acquired by his Department and-or by local authorities and voluntary housing associations in conjunction with his Department; the locations of these estates; the stage of development of each of the estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28712/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The provision of social housing services is a matter for each local authority as the housing authority for its area. Each authority has responsibility for identifying their area's social housing need and responding as required. Targets and provisional funding allocations out to 2017 have been set to support the delivery of social housing by each local authority, by whatever combination of approaches are identified by the authorities concerned, including the development of new build proposals, turn-key proposals and the purchase of units that may be privately owned. A similar approach applies to funding sanctioned by local authorities to approved housing bodies, which can be for either new build or the acquisition of existing housing units.

Earlier this year, local authorities submitted proposals for the delivery of social housing and, subsequently, I announced the first major construction projects under the Social Housing Strategy with 1,700 new units to be delivered in 100 projects, encompassing all local authorities. I stated at the time that further assessments of local authority proposals are being undertaken and further project approvals will be announced shortly.

In presenting proposals, local authorities and approved housing bodies can consider opportunities that may arise in the context of unfinished housing estates. There needs to be careful consideration in such cases that these proposals will meet housing need, as there is a risk that in some cases, unfinished estates may be in locations where there is not a notable level of housing need. Some proposals involving unfinished estates have been made by local authorities and they are being assessed, alongside other proposals made by local authorities and approved housing bodies, in terms of value for money, suitability, the extent to which they meet housing need and conformity with my Department's guidelines on social housing developments, Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities.