Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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69. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the total number of new social housing units currently under construction; the location of these units; and the target date for when these units will be tenanted. [35451/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In May 2015, the first major direct build social housing programme for some years was announced with over 100 separate housing projects. This was followed up by further approvals and announcements in July 2015 and January 2016. These three major announcements saw almost €680 million allocated for over 3,900 new social housing units, mainly via new construction projects and also including turnkey developments and acquisitions. Details are available on my Department’s website at the following links:

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These projects created a pipeline of new social housing construction projects that had not existed for many years, during which period the role of local authorities in delivering social housing had diminished. Since those announcements, I have continued to approve further construction schemes with an additional 1,100 units of accommodation, worth in excess of €200 million, added to the pipeline.

All of these projects are now at various stages of advancement, ranging from planning and development work by local authorities, across to projects that are on site. I am keen that they are all advanced as quickly as possible and I have assured the local authorities that funding is available to fully support their efforts in this regard.

Overall, our efforts to significantly ramp up social housing construction nationally are taking effect. In 2015, just 74 units were constructed by local authorities, while there are currently in excess of 1,200 units started on site, listed by local authority area, with further projects commencing construction on an ongoing basis.

In addition, over 700 further social housing units are currently under construction by developers for delivery to local authorities and approved housing bodies as turnkeys when completed, while local authorities and AHBs are also undertaking significant programmes of acquisitions and remediating vacant units for immediate use.

On completion of these units through whatever delivery means, their final tenanting is then a matter for the local authorities directly. However, I am keen that in all cases there should be no undue delay between the completion of units and their tenanting by the local authorities.