Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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36. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the plan for the provision of social housing is the most effective option available in tackling the worsening housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44126/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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A shortage of supply is at the heart of the current challenges in the housing sector and the Government is addressing this on a number of fronts. The Government’s Construction 2020 Strategy, published last year, is aimed at addressing issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any bottlenecks that might impede the sector in meeting residential and non-residential demand are addressed. A number of important measures have been taken already aimed at improving housing viability and increasing supply. The measures include the introduction of a vacant site levy, reductions in development contributions, revised Part V provisions and initiatives to improve financing.

Given that these measures will take time to fully impact on supply, some shorter term measures have recently been agreed by Government, including:

- a targeted development contribution rebate scheme in Dublin and Cork, focussed on large scale developments at affordable prices;

- fast-tracking of implementation of new apartment guidelines which while supporting good quality build, will improve the viability of this type of development; and

- legislative amendments to introduce greater flexibility and streamlining to the Strategic Development Zone provisions of the Planning and Development Acts.

In addition, NAMA is aiming to deliver a target of 20,000 residential units before the end of 2020, with 90% of these units to be in the greater Dublin area.

In terms of social housing, the Social Housing Strategy 2020 sets out clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list with flexibility to meet future demand. In total, 110,000 new social housing units are targeted for delivery with 35,000 new units to be delivered and 75,000 households to be supported mainly through the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme.

The Strategy has been supported by two successive budgets with €1.7 billion allocated to housing. Given the pressing need to recommence a house building programme almost €3 billion in capital funding will be provided in support of the Social Housing Strategythroughthe Government’s Capital Plan - Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021.

This commitment of on-going financial support has allowed Minister Kelly and me to allocate half a billion euro to local authorities and approved housing bodies for 2,900 social housing new builds and acquisitions to be delivered by end 2017.

These projects will contribute to delivery in 2016 and, when taken together with the broader range of housing programmes, I expect that over 17,000 housing units will be provided next year. In addition, preparatory work will continue in 2016 on further new innovative projects, such as advancing the provision of 500 new social housing units through a PPP programme and an affordable rental scheme.

Overall, I am satisfied that the approach taken by Government is comprehensive and Minister Kelly and I are committed to seeing it implemented in full.