John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

18. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the new repair and leasing initiative (details supplied); if he will set out his vision for the early expansion of this scheme; the total number of housing units that will be brought into use each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35416/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant properties across Ireland. The scheme was launched in Waterford and Carlow in early October 2016, on a pilot basis, and it is my intention that the scheme will be available nationally by April 2017 .

My Department and the Housing Agency met with representatives from both local authorities as recently as last week and I understand that the pilot is progressing well at a local level. Waterford and Carlow have been advertising the scheme with local media and have made good progress in engagements with property owners. Inspections of potential units have also commenced.

Several AHBs will be working together with the Waterford and Carlow local authorities to manage the scheme in those particular areas and, as the scheme becomes available nationally, I expect that more AHBs will become involved over time and as the scheme is rolled out nationally.

Over the period 2016 to 2021, it is anticipated that up to 3,500 units will be secured for social housing under this scheme and I will be making up to €140m available. It is expected that 150 units will be delivered in 2017 and based on the early progress of the scheme in both Carlow and Waterford to date, I am confident that we will achieve those numbers.