Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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278. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average length of time that new social housing units are vacant prior to being occupied for the first time by local authority area and approved housing body over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42774/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, requires all local authorities to make an allocation scheme determining the order of priority to be accorded in the allocation of dwellings to households qualified for social housing support, the allocation of which would, in the opinion of the authority, meet the accommodation needs and requirements of the households. Under section 22, an allocation scheme shall apply to dwellings owned or under the control of a local authority, as well as dwellings provided by approved housing bodies (AHBs) with Exchequer funding.

The timing and allocation of tenants to a home is a matter for each local authority and my Department does not hold the details requested by the Deputy. Information on the average length of time that local authority social housing units are vacant is included in the National Oversight and Audit Committee Local Authority Performance Indicator Report. The most recent report is available at the following link