Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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561. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the initiatives and funding available to Westmeath County Council and to Longford County Council to develop social housing; the provision in terms of financial allocation that is available to each local authority to assist them in delivering their own social housing stock in their own right; if plans are brought forward by each local authority to construct and-or acquire additional housing; if additional funding will be made available to each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40234/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Under the Social Housing Strategy, there are substantial targets and funding resources for the delivery by local authorities of social housing, including for both Longford and Westmeath authorities. In April last, I issued social housing targets and provisional funding allocations to all local authorities, to be invested in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes designed to accommodate 25% of those currently on the housing waiting lists. The following are the targets in respect of Longford andWestmeath local authorities , which are supported by funding allocations of €7.6m and €30.7m respectively:

As the housing authorities for their areas, local authorities are responsible for the detailed planning of social housing provision based on the local need . This includes working with approved housing bodies to assist in meeting the needs of those on the social housing waiting list in their administrative areas.However, I also stated when I allocated the targets and funding that all local authorities will be expected to kick-start a building programme.

In that regard, I have announced new social housing construction and acquisition projects to the value of approximately half a billion euros so far this year, including 16 new units for Longford County Council at a cost estimate of € 2.5 m and 43 new units for Westmeath County Council at a cost estimate of almost € 7 m. Details are available on my Department’s website at the following links:

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Given the time-lag between approval and delivery in terms of construction projects, a successful programme to remediate vacant units, as well as the acquisition by local authorities of properties through turn-key developments and other purchases, are important parts of social housing delivery this year. Both authorities inform me they aim to deliver a combined 30 new acquisitions this year, while I am providing funding support to them to return 85 vacant social housing units to productive use.

The projects and programmes to deliver new social housing are being advanced strongly by local authorities. I am confident that by utilising all delivery mechanisms under these programmes, local authorities will continue to deliver on their social housing targets in line with the Social Housing Strategy.