Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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270. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of social housing units under the national housing strategy for persons with a disability delivered during the period 2015 to 2017 in the four Dublin counties and nationally. [21854/18]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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271. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of social housing units under the national disability inclusion strategy which will be delivered by Rebuilding Ireland in 2018 to 2021. [21855/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together.

Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. The provision and allocation of social housing are matters for local authorities in accordance with their allocation scheme. Accordingly, my Department does not collect data from local authorities on their allocations to individual categories of applicant.

Planning authorities are however required, under section 94 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, to include a housing strategy in their development plans which must outline the authorities’ plans for the existing and future housing needs of the population of their areas. The strategy must include provisions to ensure that a mixture of house types and sizes is developed to reasonably match the requirements of the different categories of households including the special requirements of people with disabilities. Housing strategies must also have regard to relevant policies or objectives of the Government. In that context and building on the Programme for Partnership Government commitment to meet the housing needs of people with a disability, the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD) 2011-2016 was affirmed in Rebuilding Ireland and extended to 2020 to continue to deliver on its aims.

In accordance with the vision and strategic aims of the NHSPWD to achieve a coordinated and integrated approach to meeting the housing needs of people with a disability at local level, Housing and Disability Steering Groups (HDSGs) have been established in all local authority areas. These are chaired by the Directors of Housing with membership including the HSE and disability representatives. Each HDSG has prepared a local Strategic Plan for its own City/County area, to develop specific local strategies to meet the identified and emerging housing needs of people with disabilities in their areas with a view to developing annual targets for the delivery of housing to people with a disability on their housing waiting lists. All Plans are now operational in each local authority with the majority already published on the relevant local authority websites. These Plans, along with the annual Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA), will allow local authorities to plan more strategically for the housing needs of people with a disability and will support the delivery of accommodation using all appropriate housing mechanisms. I have instructed all local authorities to be cognisant of the needs identified under the SSHA process as they work on delivery to meet the targets set for them by my Department over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland.

Rebuilding Ireland contains specific commitments to meet the housing needs of the vulnerable in our society. The needs of people with disabilities and older people are specifically addressed through targeted funding such as the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). This scheme provides funding of up to 100% of project costs advanced by local authorities to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to provide accommodation for specific categories of people, including people with a disability. A provision of €88.8 million is available for the scheme this year. My Department also provides funding for necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works to the houses of people with disabilities and older people in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs, and to facilitate the continued occupancy of their own home for as long as possible. Rebuilding Irelandhas committed to increasing the funding available for these grants and funding has increased year on year since 2014. A total of €66.25 million is available for these schemes in 2018, comprising €53 million exchequer funding, which is an increase of 11% on the 2017 figure, with the balance of €13.25 million coming from local authority resources. Further consideration will be given to increasing this funding over the coming years. In addition, under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme, funding is provided to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to the existing social housing stock to meet the needs of older local authority tenants and people with a disability. In 2017 funding of €13.1 million was recouped to local authorities supporting improvements in over 1,300 homes. Local authorities have recently submitted details of their work proposals and related funding requirements for this scheme in 2018. These are currently being assessed and funding allocations will be notified to local authorities shortly.

The supports put in place since the launch of the NHSPWD in 2011, together with the commitments and substantial funding provided by my Department under Rebuilding Ireland,point to continuing tangible progress being made in respect of housing for people with disabilities and accord with the Programme for Government commitment to improve the lives of people with a disability.