Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

404. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of capital funded local authority housing units approved in May 2015 and January 2016, by local authority, in tabular form; the number of these units that have been completed; the average cost per completed unit, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44602/17]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

405. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of capital funded housing association units approved in May 2015 and January 2016, by local authority, in tabular form; the number of these units that have been completed; the average cost per completed unit, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44603/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 405 together.

Announcements of new social housing approvals that were made in May 2015 and January 2016 followed the publication of the Social Housing Strategy. These announcements covered the delivery of new social housing construction schemes under both the local authority construction programme and the Capital Assistance Scheme, which provides funding to approved housing bodies to provide sheltered housing for people with disabilities, people who are homeless and elderly people. Up to date information in relation to the projects in the May 2015 and January 2016 announcements is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Over the course of 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017, in the context of Rebuilding Ireland's increased social housing targets, further project approvals have been added to the construction programme as projects were developed by local authorities and approved housing bodies. Other initiatives have also been introduced to advance social housing, in particular the rapid delivery programme which, in the time since the announcements made in May 2015 and January 2016, has seen new social homes completed or nearing completion in Dublin at Poppintree (22), Finglas (39), Drimnagh (29), Ballyfermot (24), Belcamp (38), Mulhuddart (20) and Rathvilly (17).

My Department now publishes status reports on a quarterly basis for all social housing construction schemes, showing details such as their locations and a range of information relating to their advancement. The most recent of these reports covers the period up to the end of quarter 2 of 2017; it contains information on the delivery of 11,000 approved new social homes, some of which were delivered during 2016 and up to the end of quarter 2 of 2017, with the remainder progressing through planning, design and construction. The report can be accessed at the following link:

.

My Department is continuing to approve new social housing schemes to add to the construction programme as they are developed by the local authorities and approved housing bodies. I am keen that all local authorities advance their social housing construction programmes as speedily as possible and I have assured them that funding is in place to support their activity in this regard.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

406. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of capital funded local authority housing units approved from February 2016 to date in 2017, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44604/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A total of 3,379 new local authority social homes have been approved for construction from February 2016 to date, under my Department’s capital funding programmes. The breakdown by local authority is set out in the following table. 

All of these schemes are progressing through planning, design and construction. Further project approvals are being added to the construction programme on an ongoing basis, as they are developed by local authorities and approved housing bodies. I am keen that all local authorities advance their social housing construction programme as speedily as possible and I have assured them that funding is in place to support their activity in this regard.