Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

46. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of new social housing units that have been made available in each local authority area in 2015 to date and that will be made available before the end of 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38220/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Social Housing Strategy 2020provides a comprehensive response to the need for social housing and targets the provision of over 110,000 social housing units to 2020, 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.

In line with the Strategy, 7,400 new social housing units have been targeted for provision in 2015 through the following means:

- 3,000 units under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative - leases, rental agreements and agreements with Approved Housing Bodies to facilitate leasing, build and acquisition;

- 2,000 Rental Accommodation Scheme; and,

- 2,400 units that will be built and acquired by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies and vacant properties that will be returned to productive use.

In addition, a further 8,400 households will be assisted through the Housing Assistance Payment.

Provisional outturn figures to end Q3 indicate that over 7,6 00 units have been delivered and I expect to see increased activity in delivery and drawdowns by local authorities in the next two months. Information on social housing units constructed and acquired in respect of all local authorities is published on my Department’s website at the following link: .

Delivery by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies is being closely monitored by my Department. Minister of State Coffey and I met with all local authority Chief Executives and Directors of Housing recently to review progress in this regard.