Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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22. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details on the level of progress being made on social housing provision targets for 2015; the number of social housing units that have been constructed to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28994/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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As part of the targets of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, I expect that some 7,400 new social housing units will be provided in 2015, as follows: 1,400 units built or acquired by local authorities and approved housing bodies (AHBs); 3,000 units under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP); 1,000 vacant local authority units to be returned to use; and 2,000 new Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) units.

In addition, I expect a further 8,400 households to be assisted through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

Information on built or acquired units is available up to quarter 1 of 2015 and shows 216 delivered at that point. While information is not currently available re vacant units returned to use, I am confident this target will be met in full.

To the end of June 2015, 557 units have been delivered through SHCEP, with a further 947 approved for funding. These are a combination of units leased by local authorities and AHBs, including units leased from NAMA's Special Purpose Vehicle, and purchased or built by AHBs under this programme.

There have been 539 new transfers to the R AS to 30 April 2015, which is 27% of the 2015 target, while more than 2,600 households are now supported by HAP throughout the pilot areas.

Given the annual cycle of allocations, the bulk of delivery in any given year is heavily weighted towards the second half of the year. I am confident that the overall target of 7,400 units set for 2015 will be delivered.