Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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711. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government how many approved housing bodies are currently in operation in Ireland at present; what is their combined number of housing units; and the combined amount in euros of these that are fixed assets. [16479/23]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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713. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government how many approved housing bodies have signed up to the code of practice that the State introduced. [16481/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 711 and 713 together.

As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019, the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. AHBRA is an independent body tasked with providing the regulation of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies. It is not clear what code of practice to which the Deputy refers.

The register of AHBs previously managed by my Department was officially transferred to AHBRA on 1 January 2022. On this date there were 450 AHBs that were deemed registered and are subject to all provisions in the Act. AHBRA is responsible for maintaining the register and for registering organisations as AHBs. The register is published on AHBRA's website, available here: www.ahbregulator.ie/registration/the-register/. Currently, 450 organisations remain registered as AHBs.

Statistics on overall units owned, managed or leased by AHBs are captured as part of AHBRA's annual monitoring programme. The first monitoring programme took place in 2022 and statistics will be published by the Regulator over the coming months.

The Department does not keep information in relation to the monetary value of each AHBs fixed assets, this is a matter for each individual AHB.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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712. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the State maintains any rights or agreements with the approved housing bodies when the term of the mortgage is finished. [16480/23]

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.

Once these units have reached the end of their mortgage/charge period, the terms of the funding agreements no longer apply, including rent setting, monitoring and reporting responsibilities and nominations from the local authority. In addition, some AHBs have acquired units without the assistance of State funding including from fundraising, donations and bequests and utilise these units for the provision of accommodation to those qualified for social housing support.

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.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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714. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government how many legal disputes that the State has engaged in as a result of an approved housing body going out of business, or any other reason to dispute houses held in their care; and what, if any, are the associated legal costs. [16484/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019 (the Act), the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. AHBRA is an independent body tasked with providing the regulation of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies.

A central aspect of the statutory framework is the requirement for AHBs to inform AHBRA of changes or events which may have a serious or significant impact on their organisation. These are known as ‘Notifiable Events’. A Notifiable Event is a material, significant, or exceptional issue, event, or change within an organisation. AHBRA has a regulatory interest in such changes or events, as they may have a serious or significant impact on an AHB. In particular circumstances, the Act sets out specific timeframes in which an AHB is required to notify AHBRA. Section 55(3) of the Act makes it an offence to fail to give notice to AHBRA of these events. AHBRA has provided a guidance document for AHBs in this regard which is also available on their website.

My Department has not been party to any legal disputes in relation to houses in the care of approved housing bodies.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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715. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average amount, in support, given by the State to an approved housing body to secure a unit. [16485/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.