Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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137. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the 29,720 households that have had their social housing needs met since 2016; the percentage that were housed through private rental accommodation and housing assistance payments; the percentage that were allocated permanent housing through local authority housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17719/21]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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138. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the 6,813 households that have had their social housing needs met since 2019; the percentage that were housed through private rental accommodation and housing assistance payments; the percentage that were allocated permanent housing through local authority housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17720/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 137, 138 and 141 together.

Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).

The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813 households or 9.9% on the last assessment in June 2019. Since 2016, the numbers have decreased from 91,600 to 61,880, a reduction of 32.4%.

It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time snapshot of the demand for social housing support in each local authority area and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the housing waiting lists. As such, the numbers of housing solutions provided do not equate to changes in the annual SSHA. The table below includes data on the number of housing solutions provided in each year from 2016-2020, which are provided by new social housing delivery through build acquisition and leasing, in addition to housing solutions supported by HAP and RAS.

The allocation of dwellings to qualified households is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with their allocation scheme made under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations. This legislation requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, 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 and to households approved for a transfer, the allocation of which would, in the opinion of the authority, meet the accommodation needs and requirements of the households.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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139. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the 61,880 households assessed as being qualified for social housing supports as of 2 November 2020 by household size; if any of these households are currently in receipt of the housing assistance payment; the percentage that are in homeless accommodation; the percentage that are on transfer lists in the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17721/21]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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140. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are other households assessed as being qualified for social housing supports that are not included in the 61,880 households assessed as being qualified for social housing supports as of 2 November 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17722/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.

Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).

The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813 households or 9.9% on the last assessment in June 2019.

Below is the link to the summary report for 2020 which includes breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories.

Tables 2.4 and A1.4 of the report provide details on household size. It should be noted that the category “Household Composition” in the previous reports, was replaced in the 2019 report by the “Household Size” profile category which provides more granular level of detail regarding the number of persons in each household type.

Tables 2.7 and A1.7 provide details on the breakdown of the current tenure, including those in emergency accommodation/none.

The key figure reported in the SSHA is referred to as ‘net need’. Net need is the total number of households qualified for social housing support whose need for support is not being met. This total excludes the following households:

- Duplicate applications– Where a household has applied to more than one authority for social housing support, only their first application was included in the count.

- Those in receipt of social housing support—for example, households currently living in local authority rented accommodation, approved housing body accommodation, accommodation provided under the HAP scheme, accommodation provided under the RAS, or accommodation provided under the SHCEP schemes.

- Households on a transfer list—any household that has applied for a transfer from an existing form of social housing support including HAP.

It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time snapshot of the demand for social housing support in each local authority area and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the housing waiting lists.

2020 Report

www.gov.ie/en/publication/970ea-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2020-key-findings/#:~:text=The%20Summary%20of%20Social%20Housing,is%20not%20currently%20being%20met.