Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department, through local authorities, makes a number of funding programmes, including the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS – closed to new applications since 2011), leasing, P&A-CALF available to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the provision of housing for social housing use.

As we have moved to the statutory regulation of the AHB sector, an internal working group, the AHB Unencumbered Units Working Group, has been established to look at options on how to ensure the continued use of these units for social housing support use. Its membership comprises the relevant policy areas within my Department.

The work of this group aims to assist my Department and its delivery partners in meeting the objectives under Housing for All, to enable a sustainable housing system in Ireland with a supply of good quality housing to match long-term needs, to promote social inclusion in our communities, and to ensure that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent possible.

The group met six times during 2022 and the first meeting in 2023 will take place in early February.

The work of the group is ongoing to gather the necessary data to inform the work of the group in line with the agreed Terms of Reference.

It is tasked with examining and making recommendations, where appropriate, including in relation to the following:

- Ascertain the number of units already out of mortgage on a geographical basis to end 2022, including the name of the relevant AHBs, stock conditions, level of repairs (if required), vacancy/ occupancy rates, tenancy arrangements and sinking funds available;

- Ascertain the numbers of units due to exit mortgage by 2040 on a geographical basis and include the classification status of the AHBs;

- Examine sectoral proposals in the context of housing policy, the National Development Plan, the National Retrofitting Plan and Housing for All more generally;

- Explore funding and other arrangements for similar units in other jurisdictions;

- Explore appetite and capacity of lenders for new loan products, including for example the Housing Finance Agency;

- Explore the different options available to include any funding requirements needed based on the initial funding of the AHB Unit(s) (Units acquired without the assistance of State funding including from fundraising, donations and bequests) and ascertain if a one size fits all funding arrangement meets the needs of all unencumbered units or if bespoke funding mechanisms are required;

- Evaluate if there are any synergies with future funding requirements for CAS voids /vacant units and AHB Unencumbered Units;

- Prepare options for any new arrangements, to include a funding stream if deemed appropriate, including alignment with the Local Authority Housing Delivery Action Plans;

- Define terms and conditions of any new arrangements, to include funding arrangements if deemed appropriate, including funding eligibility, Key Performing Indicators, monitoring and reporting requirements;

- Evaluate the costs and risks associated with proposed options, including the possible impacts of statutory regulation for the AHB sector, fiscal constraints as a result of classification, resource implications for Local Authorities and the Department; and

- Recommend pathways for these units with a view to seeking funding, if deemed appropriate for same as part of the Estimates process for future budgets.