Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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355. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities such as Westmeath County Council will be provided with an allocation of funds, in order to enable them to purchase a house for a family with special needs or has specific health circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22397/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides funding support to local authorities to acquire suitable new and second-hand housing for social housing use. The selection of housing for acquisition, and the tenant to whom it is allocated, are matters for local authorities as the housing authorities for their areas, with the clear expectation that such acquisitions meet priority housing need. Otherwise, the guidance from my Department to local authorities regarding acquisitions for social housing purposes is that they satisfy themselves regarding suitability, quality, value for money and desirable tenure mix.