Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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534. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funds drawn down, by county, for housing construction since 1 January 2015; and if he will provide a similar breakdown for the allocation for rent or lease in the same timeframe. [39280/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My Department provides capital funding to local authorities to increase their supply of social housing stock through the construction and acquisition of houses and apartments. This is one of the methods for the delivery of social housing by both local authorities and by approved housing bodies. The Exchequer funding drawn down by local authorities in the delivery of new social housing units through construction for the period January 2015 to 6 November 2015 is outlined in the following table; this does not include Exchequer funding drawn down for other capital purposes, such as acquisitions and the refurbishment of void units, nor does it include self-funding for housing purposes provided by certain local authorities from Local Property Tax proceeds.

Under the Social Housing Strategy, I have made announcements in relation to projects to deliver new social housing to the value of almost a half a billion euro, with the result that social housing construction has been reactivated to a level that has not been seen for many years. Obviously there is a time-lag between approval and delivery for construction projects and in that context, the acquisition by local authorities of properties through turn-key developments and other purchases, and the remediation of vacant units, are very important actions which are delivering social housing this year for those on the housing waiting list.

In addition, it is a common feature of housing programmes over the years to be back-loaded towards the final quarter of the year, given the very nature of such expenditure. It is important from a value for money perspective that work is evaluated and certified adequately before public funds are spent and further expenditure will happen by year end on social housing programmes areas.

My Department is working with local authorities to support them in advancing the social housing construction projects that have been sanctioned and I have assured the authorities that funding resources to deliver these new units is not an obstacle.

Under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) units can be delivered in a variety of ways and local authorities are encouraged to explore and use all of these mechanisms. These mechanisms include units purchased, leased or constructed by approved housing bodies and both multi-unit developments and individual units leased or acquired through rental arrangements directly by local authorities. Units leased by local authorities or approved housing bodies can be for periods up to 20 years. The accommodation provided is made available to persons on local authority waiting lists, persons with long term housing needs in receipt of rent supplement (i.e. households eligible under the Rental Accommodation Scheme) or persons who are homeless. My Department recoups moneys to local authorities and approved housing bodies in respect of these units in order to facilitate their use for social housing purposes. A breakdown of the current expenditure drawn down this year to 6 November, by local authority, is also in the following table.