Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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24. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to provide social and affordable housing to persons with disabilities. [33842/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD) 2016-2021, which is a  joint publication by the Department of Housing and the Department of Health, sets out the Government’s broad framework for the delivery of housing for people with disabilities.  The Strategy was developed as part of a coherent framework of housing and care for people with disabilities, in conjunction with the Government’s mental health policy as set out in A Vision for Change and the Report of the Working Group on Congregated Settings "Time to Move On" (2011) which provides for the transitioning of people with intellectual disabilities from institutional settings to community living.

Persons with disabilities can, and are encouraged to, apply to housing authorities for housing supports, similarly to all citizens, and the range of social and affordable housing solutions are available to them following an assessment of their needs.  Accommodation is provided by the local authorities and approved housing bodies supported by Exchequer funding.

The Housing Agency is responsible for implementation of the Strategy and has published a number of documents, including guidelines, to support local authorities in implementing the Strategy. Its vision is to facilitate access for people with disabilities to the appropriate range of housing and related support services, delivered in an integrated and sustainable manner, which promotes equality of opportunity, individual choice and independent living.

Development of a new Strategy to 2027 is underway and the first consultation phase, with a research phase running in parallel, has concluded. A second phase of consultation will be held in the Autumn and the new Strategy will be published by the end of 2021.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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25. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a social housing passport will be introduced that will allow persons on social housing waiting lists to change local authority without losing time on the list. [33612/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including the introduction of a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority list to another.   

It should be noted that the four Dublin local authorities already co-operate in arrangements that enable social housing applicants to apply for housing in one or two of the other Dublin authorities simultaneously.  Similar arrangements apply in the two Cork and two Galway local authorities.  It is also already possible for households to move and relocate between housing authority areas under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme where the household income is within the appropriate income limits. 

The issue of providing for wider tenancy movements is being examined and I will look at proposals in relation to such wider movement along with the other reform package measures.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of new local authority homes completed in Cork city from January 2020 to June 2021; the amount spent on local authority housing in Cork city in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33756/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Government investment for the delivery of all housing programmes this year is €3.3 billion which, subject to the impact of Covid-related restrictions on the construction sector, is intended to support the delivery of 12,750 new social homes through build, acquisition and leasing. The major focus of this investment is the delivery of new build social homes, with an overall target of 9,500 new homes, in addition to 800 acquisitions and 2,450 homes to be delivered through leasing programmes. Cork City Council has been set a target to deliver 258 new build social homes and 246 homes through leasing this year.

Details of completed social housing projects in Cork City from January 2020 to June 2021 can be found on the Construction Status Report, which is available at the following link:

www.rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-obrien-publishes-social-housing-construction-status-report-for-q1-2021/ 

During the period in question, Cork City Council has received over €95 million in funding for social housing from my Department.