Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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562. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government why local authorities have turned down the offer of 4,000 houses offered by the National Asset Management Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43719/15]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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596. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify the position regarding local authorities turning down 4,000 houses offered by the National Asset Management Agency for social housing, the reason for this and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44217/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 596 together.

Since December 2011, my Department and the Housing Agency have been engaged with the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) identifying properties that might potentially be suitable for social housing purposes. Of the total 6,574 units identified nationally, 4,048 are no longer available for social housing purposes for a variety of reasons. 2,469 of these properties were considered by local authorities to be unsuitable for social housing because of sustainable planning and housing policy issues associated with the units, or the units were located in areas with no social housing demand. A further 1,579 units originally identified as available for social housing were subsequently discovered by NAMA to be unavailable.

Since the process began, up to end of September 2015, a total of 1,600 NAMA residential properties have been delivered for social housing use, comprising of 1,241 completed properties, with a further 359 that have been contracted and where completion work is on-going. A further 486 properties are considered as being active transactions whereby terms are agreed or active negotiation is on-going by all parties concerned or where a detailed appraisal is being carried out. An additional 440 properties are to be further appraised.

The process of reviewing units previously deemed unsuitable by local authorities is on-going. Local Authorities, particularly those in high demand areas, are continually reviewing the list of available NAMA properties to see if they are suitable to be brought into use as social housing.

Overall, I expect that in excess of 2,000 units for social housing purposes will be secured from the engagement with NAMA. Full details of units offered and delivered under this process including a breakdown by Local Authority is available on the website of the Housing Agency at /NAMA.