Written answers

Thursday, 18 January 2018

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Housing Data

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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353. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the 35,000 additional social housing units; the amount spent to date; the number of houses completed; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2517/18]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the 75,000 available leasing and renting in private rental sector to 2021; the amount spent to date; the number of houses rented; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2518/18]

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 354 together.

The targets referred to by the Deputy relate to delivery targets from the previous Social Housing Strategy 2020. 

The current targets for social housing delivery are set out in Rebuilding Ireland, the Government’s Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which was published in July 2016 and is available at the following link: .

Rebuilding Ireland provides for a significantly increased level of ambition over the previous Social Housing Strategy 2020 and, following my recent review of Rebuilding Ireland, the target for the delivery of social homes under the plan has been increased from 47,000 to 50,000. 

These homes will be delivered through build, refurbishment, acquisitions, and leasing over the period 2016 to 2021, with a greater emphasis on direct build activity by local authorities and approved housing bodies.  Within the revised target of 50,000 social homes, almost 33,500 will be delivered through build activity and some 6,500 delivered through acquisitions with the remaining 10,000 delivered through long term leasing initiatives. 

In addition, the schedule of rollout of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) as envisaged under the original Strategy was accelerated in Rebuilding Ireland.  In total, 87,000 flexible housing supports will be delivered through HAP and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) between 2016 and 2021 with a Government commitment to the current expenditure required to meet the cost of this support over the period.

Following Budget 2018, the overall investment framework to support the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland has increased from €5.35 billion to €6 billion.  

While only 18 months into the plan there is strong evidence that the focus on increasing and accelerating housing supply in Rebuilding Ireland is succeeding.  In 2016, the housing needs of over 19,000 households were met through expenditure of over €935 million. 

A further €1.4 billion was expended in 2017 which delivered housing solutions for 25,892 households, thereby exceeding last year's delivery target by 23%, or some 4,800 additional tenancies.  Detailed information on the 2017 social housing output figures under the various delivery mechanisms is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: .

In 2018, a further increase in funding is being provided, with €1.9 billion being made available for housing programmes.

Details on the number of properties constructed, purchased and leased by all local authorities, for letting to those on the social housing waiting lists, are available on my Department’s website at the following link: .

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