Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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607. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of new posts that have been sanctioned by his Department in 2016 to facilitate local authorities to recruit staff such as architects and project managers in order that the number of social housing projects to be delivered can be increased to address the acute shortage of supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25441/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since the publication of the Social Housing Strategyin November 2014, and indeed prior to its publication, my Department has been engaged with local authorities, with a view to ensuring their capacity and preparedness for delivery of social housing targets to 2020. This engagement continues on an ongoing basis to ensure that local authorities are resourced to deliver on the targets contained in Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisation arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.

To date i n 2016, my Department sanctioned recruitment of 77 housing related posts. These posts included a range of professional, technical and administrative staff including but not limited to technicians, engineers, project managers, housing welfare officers, building inspectors, clerks of works and administrative officers.