Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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286. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of social or affordable homes that have been built as a result of investment made through the immigrant investor programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13575/18]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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291. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of affordable and social homes built and the value of investment in these areas made through the immigrant investor programme to date and in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13577/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 291 together.

I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) was introduced by the Government in April 2012 to encourage inward investment so as to create business and employment opportunities in the State.

The programme provides investors with the opportunity to invest in Ireland. Key to the programme is that the investments are beneficial for Ireland, generate or sustain employment and are generally in the public interest. In that context, where applications for social housing investment related projects are submitted they are evaluated against these criteria and approval granted where the criteria are met.

To date, 166 applications have been received for 33 individual projects with a proposed investment of €124m in social housing projects. In 2017, 33 applications for 14 projects to the value of €33m have been approved in respect of social housing projects, with a further 22 applications awaiting final decision. As there continues to be a high demand for Social Housing, this programme will remain open to appropriate applications in this area.

I am unable to provide the Deputy with details of the operation of specific projects submitted in relation to social housing as my Department does not have information on the number of houses which have been built.