Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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18. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the latest figures that suggests the number of social houses built in 2016 were among the lowest in the State's history; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9044/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The breakdown of the delivery for social housing in 2016 , including the number of built units, was set out in the Second Quarterly Progress Report under the Rebuilding IrelandAction Plan on Housing and Homelessness. At 640, the number of built social housing units indicated for 2016 is provisional , while final statistics are gathered from local authorities, for publication by my Department in the usual manner. Notwithstanding the suggestion in the Deputy’s Question, the factual position is that the 2016 delivery of newly built social housing units represents very significant progress compared to recent years. However, I recognise that we still need to grow this number substantially and this is a key focus with in the overall strategy and ambition of Rebuilding Ireland. To boost the supply of new social housing, project approvals have continued apace in 2016, adding to the sizeable pipeline already in place to deliver significant additional social housing.

The strength of this pipeline can be seen in the Status Report for Social Housing Construction Projects, which I published on Monday last, and which is now available on my Department’s website. The relevant weblink will be circulated with the official report.

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The report lists all approved projects up to end - 2016, including those completed in 2016 and those at various stages of advancement through planning, design and construction. It comprises over 500 construction schemes to deliver almost 8,500 units right across the country.

Further construction project approvals are continuing and the reforms mapped out in Rebuilding Ireland, along with additional resources that have been made available over the last two years, are restoring local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to a central position in new social housing build and delivery for the years ahead.