Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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358. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the ongoing review of income eligibility for social housing supports in each local authority area will be complete; the details of same made available to the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36221/20]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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372. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the review of income thresholds for social housing support eligibility; and when the review is due to take place. [36395/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 372 together.

Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.

The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The 2011 Regulations do not provide local authorities with any discretion to exceed the limits that apply to their administrative areas.

Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all local authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Pension-Related Deductions within the meaning of Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and local authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature.

The income bands are expressed in terms of a maximum net income threshold for a single-person household, with an allowance of 5% for each additional adult household member, subject to a maximum allowance under this category of 10%; and 2.5% for each child, subject to a maximum allowance under this category of 10%.

The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. It is important to note that the limits introduced at that time also reflected a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn, both promoting sustainable communities and also providing a degree of future-proofing.

Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support. The current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this, providing for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households facing the greatest challenge in meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources.

However, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of income eligibility for social housing supports in each local authority area is underway. The review will also have regard to current initiatives being brought forward in terms of affordability and cost rental and will be completed when the impacts of these parallel initiatives have been considered.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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359. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the breakdown in 2019 of Part V units acquired or leased by local authority area; the number of units that were leased; the number purchased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36237/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commits to increasing the social housing stock by more than 50,000, with an emphasis on new builds. In 2021, the total funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes is €3.3bn.  This includes funding to deliver 12,750 social homes through build, acquisition and leasing.  A major focus of this investment is the delivery of new build, with an overall target of 9,500 new homes. The build target includes the delivery of 5,250 new homes by local authorities, 2,950 by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and 1,300 new homes through Part V. 

In 2019, Part V Delivery accounted for 1,326 of the 5,771 New Build Social Housing Units delivered. This included both local authority and AHB Part V Build Delivery.  There are detailed statistics specific to Part V delivery available at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/affordable-housing/affordable-housing-and-part-v-statistics 

My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: