Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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20. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he expects to publish individual targets for each local authority with regard to local authority targets for social housing, new builds and acquisitions; and the way in which the targets for the number of new build and acquisitions to be provided in each area will be determined. [28635/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All local authorities already have targets for social housing delivery out to 2017. At present, my Department is liaising with local authorities in relation to increasing social housing targets and accelerating social housing delivery over the coming years. Having regard to the Social Housing Assessment 2016 and reflecting the increased targets and significantly increased budget of €5.35 billion provided by the Government for social housing delivery under Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, new individual targets will be formally issued to local authorities in early 2017.

I can advise the Deputy that the Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2016 is now well advanced and will provide updated figures of national housing need. This updated information will allow for social housing delivery and resources to be aligned with the up-to-date priority housing needs locally.

In the meantime, social housing building programmes across all local authorities are well underway and continue to be ramped up.

It should be noted that the exact blend of delivery on new units between, for example, new builds and acquisitions, will depend in the first instance on the approach of individual local authorities. Some authorities may, for example, pursue a greater number of new builds where the local market does not support acquisitions as strongly. Other authorities may take a different approach and it is appropriate that, having regard to overall national targets, some level of local responsiveness is available to local authorities in their pursuit of the earliest possible delivery.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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21. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of rapid build houses that will be completed and under construction, respectively, by the end of 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28424/16]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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23. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on further delay of provision of rapid build homes in Dublin; the number of these units which will be tenanted in Dublin at the end of 2016 and at the end of each quarter of 2017. [28700/16]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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27. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if funding for proposed rapid builds is new funding or if it is funding that was previously allocated to other housing projects. [28610/16]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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70. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the options for local authorities for the tender process; the reason for the recent delays in the houses planned in Cherry Orchard, Darndale, Finglas and Drimnagh; and the projected unit cost for all such homes to be delivered in 2017. [28689/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 23, 27 and 70 together.

Of the 47,000 social housing units to be delivered under Rebuilding Ireland, an Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, it is estimated at this stage that approximately 26,000 will be constructed, including 1,500 rapid-build homes, primarily in the Dublin region.

I envisage that there will be more than 320 homes either complete or under construction on site by end-2016. These include the four projects referred to in Deputy Boyd Barrett’s Question, which have been advanced as quickly as possible, subject to the need to complete procurement and contractual arrangements necessary to ensure value for money. I am advised that works will commence on each of these sites very shortly and units will be handed over to Dublin City Council, on a phased basis over the coming months. Sites for a further 200 homes have already been identified and work is ongoing to identify sites for a further 500 homes to be constructed in 2017.

In relation to the unit cost for each project, this will vary from site to site and this information is financially sensitive, as Dublin City Council is in the process of finalising the procurement-contract phase for the four projects and a wider procurement framework is being put in place by the Office of Government Procurement.

As Deputies will be aware, I am rolling out the rapid-build housing programme in order to address issues associated with inappropriate hotel arrangements for homeless families and to expedite social housing supply. This type of accommodation offers a greater level of stability for homeless families, while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Furthermore, such arrangements will facilitate more co-ordinated needs assessment and support planning for these families, with access to all required services, including welfare, health and housing services.

Funding for the delivery of rapid-build housing units is being made available as part of my Department’s capital funding for the provision of social housing units. It will not impact on the funding previously approved for other social housing projects, which will continue to be delivered under the Rebuilding Ireland programme. The specific breakdown of the funding allocation for the capital housing programmes will be determined annually in the context of the estimates process.

I can assure the Deputies that rapid-build homes are being built to the highest construction standards, with a minimum 50 to 60 year life guarantee. My Department is working closely with the local authorities, particularly in the greater Dublin region and other urban areas where the need is greatest, with a view to expediting the delivery of rapid-build units as quickly as possible.