Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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534. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that when planning permission was granted for the Johnston Court development in Sligo it was a condition, under Part V of the Planning Act, that six of the 30 apartments in the development would be made available for social housing; that when the apartments were completed in May 2008 Sligo County Council drew down €1,232,000, 90% of the cost from his Department to pay for them; that despite this 90% funding being provided seven years ago, and despite the fact that in excess of 1,000 households are on the housing waiting list in County Sligo, the purchase of the apartments has not yet been completed and they remain vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41332/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The arrangements for the acquisition of social housing units at the Johnston Court development in Sligo is a matter for the County Council. I understand that the Council has been working to complete this deal, alongside the approved housing body that will manage the units, and their legal representatives are in contact with those of the developer with a view to resolution of outstanding issues as soon as possible.

In parallel with pursuing the resolution of this issue, the Council has been working on delivery of new social housing units in line with the ambitious targets set under the Social Housing Strategy. In the case of Sligo County Council, I set a target of 301 units out to 2017 to be delivered through build, buying and leasing programmes, supported by funding provision of €20.2 million. Since then funding has been sanctioned to support the Council in relation to new build projects at Carrowbunaun, Strandhill and Culleens, with further approvals to be made in the near future, alongside housing acquisitions and funding from my Department to support the return to use of 39 vacant units this year. Sligo County Council has also delivered 37 Rental Accommodation Scheme transfers up to end-September 2015.