Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

23. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide funding for the roll-out of a social housing building programme on lands in County Louth in view of the fact that there are almost 54 acres of council owned land banks in County Louth, 20 acres of which are in Drogheda, and have lain idle for over a decade; when this will take place in view of the current housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8929/17]

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

Social housing need, is in the first instance, a local issue and local authorities must respond to the nature and extent of that local need by devising and implementing appropriate targeted proposals that best fit the specific needs in their areas. For that purpose,my Department has put in place a wide range of programmes that are available to all local authorities to generate increased social housing supply. In addition, my Department has put in place the structures and funding required for the early advancement of social housing supply proposals put forward by local authorities.

In relation to the Deputy’s specific query, my Department is working closely with Louth County Council to facilitate and accelerate the delivery of social housing in the county, including working with the Council to maximise the use of available lands in the county. On Monday last, I published a Status Report for Social Housing Construction Projects, which lists all approved projects including those delivered in 2016 and those at various stages of advancement through planning, design and construction. This report is available at the following link:

.

It contains a range of information in relation to each separate social housing construction project, including the local authority area, project name, AHB name where applicable, the number of units and the status of each application in terms of its current level of advancement. Louth County Council are actively considering various options to deliver additional units on council owned lands and are due to submit proposals in the near future. My Department will give careful consideration to these once received.