Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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179. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the housing needs assessment in each local authority will be completed; the common assessments that are being undertaken across all local authorities; and when the results of these assessments are due to be published. [33297/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In line with a commitment given in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, summaries of social housing assessments will now be undertaken on an annual basis, starting this year

The summary process requires all housing authorities to review those households who are on their housing list but who are not currently in receipt of housing support. This is to ensure that the details of the applicant households are up to date and accurate and that they remain eligible for, and in need of, social housing support in accordance with the criteria set down in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations. As part of this assessment, all local authorities wrote to relevant households over the past number of months, including those in transitional and shared or emergency accommodation if relevant, informing them of the assessment process and seeking updated information where necessary.

All local authorities are required to submit their returns electronically to a central IT system managed by the Local Government Management Agency. Following the verification and analysis of the uploaded information, a report collating the Summary findings will be submitted to my Department by the Housing Agency. Work in this regard is well advanced and I expect the 2016 Summary to be finalised shortly.