Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

41. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will refer the findings of the summary of social housing assessments 2020 and elaborate on the fact that 16,832 of the 61,880 persons on the qualified household waiting lists for local authority housing have been waiting more than seven years; if there is a strategy in place to reduce these writing times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33868/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

The oversight and management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with Sections 20 and 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Assessment and Allocation Regulations, respectively.

If a household meets the eligibility and need criteria, it qualifies for the suite of social housing supports, including HAP, and is placed on the housing list to be considered for the allocation of suitable tenancies in accordance with the authority’s allocation scheme. There are many and varied reasons why some households may remain on the social housing waiting list for a longer period, generally associated with the size and type of home required and the availability of such homes  in the areas of choice selected by the applicant household. It is however, important to note that HAP is a flexible and immediate support which is available to all eligible households in all local authority areas across the State.

With regard to reducing waiting times, increasing the supply of social, affordable and private housing is a priority for this Government. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of 50,000 new social homes with a focus on new build homes. 

In 2021, the Government has made available €3.3 billion for housing delivery programmes.  Subject to delays arising from COVID-19 restrictions, this funding will support the delivery of 12,750 social homes through Build, Acquisition and Leasing, including 9,500 new build homes. The Government will be publishing a new housing strategy in the coming weeks, which will set out details of social housing delivery for 2021-2025, including social housing targets for 2022 onwards.  In addition to supporting households in homes allocated by local authorities, eligible households are supported in the private rental market through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

Also, my Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/