Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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2232. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of units to date in 2017 acquired per annum under the housing agency's vacant housing fund by local authority and area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28266/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Under Actions 1.1, 2.5 and 5.6 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Housing Agency is actively and positively engaged with banks and investment companies in relation to its acquisitions programme. €70m is being provided in 2017 to the Housing Agency to establish a revolving fund to acquire some 1,600 units over the period to 2020 for social housing use.  The Fund will be replenished by the Agency through the sale of units to the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector. 

As of 31^stMay 2017, the Housing Agency has had bids accepted on 489 dwellings from a range of vendors with a total value of €86.92m.  Of these, the Agency has signed contracts for 379 dwellings and 225 of these purchases have closed. The process of selling properties on to Approved Housing Bodies is underway.  The table below sets out the breakdown of the 225 units acquired by local authority (as of 31/05/17).