Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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51. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of newly built social housing units built directly by local authorities in 2017; the way in which this figure is in line with the stated goal of solving the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19836/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Under Rebuilding Ireland, a total of 50,000 social housing homes will be delivered through build, acquisition and leasing programmes.  In addition to this, 87,000 additional households will be supported through the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).

The combination of 50,000 social housing homes and 87,000 HAP and RAS social housing supports, which will be funded by the Government out to 2021, means that over 137,000 long term and flexible options will be made available to those on the housing waiting lists under Rebuilding Ireland. There are currently 86,000 households on social housing waiting lists.

I recently wrote to all local authorities setting out their individual social housing targets across build, acquisition and leasing for 2018 and also for 2018-2021. Details of these are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link:

http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-delivery-targets-for-local-authorities-2018-2021/. 

The Government, working with the local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and other delivery agents, is already exceeding the delivery targets set for the first two years of Rebuilding Ireland. Of the combined target of 137,000 referred to above, just under 45,000 households have had their housing need met by the end of year 2 of the Rebuilding Ireland Plan – 33% of those targeted under the 6 year Plan as a whole.

Detailed data in relation to social housing delivery by each local authority for 2017, including units built directly by local authorities is available on my Department's website at the following link:

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My Department will continue to work with local authorities to maximise delivery and also harness appropriate opportunities to deliver on additional build units in 2018, including through turnkey schemes.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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52. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of social housing units he expects to come on stream in the next year in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19797/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I recently wrote to all local authorities, including Tipperary County Council, setting out their individual social housing targets across build, acquisition and leasing for 2018 and also for 2018-2021.

In the case of Tipperary County Council, they have a target to deliver 117 new social homes in 2018 through build, acquisition and long-term leasing initiatives, with a further 154 families or individuals to be housed through the Housing Assistance Payment or the Rental Accommodation Schemes. I am keen to see Tipperary County Council and all other local authorities meet or, indeed, exceed these targets and have assured them that funding is available to support them in that regard. Full details of the targets for all local authority areas, including Tipperary, are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link:.

My Department also publishes information of the construction of new social housing via quarterly Social Housing Construction Status Reports. The most recently available report can be seen on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link:. This shows activity up to end-2017 and, since then, local authorities will have advanced further projects through approval onto site, with new projects also being added to the pipeline.