Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 848 and 849 together.

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).

For 2023 and 2024, the Government agreed that there will be increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department will fund local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes each year. The additional acquisitions are focused on properties where a tenant in receipt of social housing supports has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property.

Local authorities have delegated sanction in relation to these acquisitions, subject to those acquisitions being within Acquisition Cost Guidelines issued by the Department. An independent valuation must also be obtained for each acquisition, in line with established practice for local authorities for social housing acquisitions. My Department issued a circular letter to all local authorities in March 2023, setting out details of these arrangements and each local authority was provided with a provisional target for social housing acquisitions in 2023.

My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q3 2023, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: gov.ie - Overall social and affordable housing provision (www.gov.ie).

In relation to the detail supplied, it is a matter for individual local authorities to identify suitable acquisitions in line with local circumstances and their social housing allocations policy and determine whether a property should be acquired. The cost of the property, its condition and its suitability for the existing tenants are issues that will be considered by the local authority. I have asked local authorities to be proactive in this area.

Local authorities will work with all social housing supported tenants who receive a Notice of Termination and where it is not possible to purchase the property, the local authority will seek alternative supports, which may include support to obtain an alternative tenancy, including a HAP-supported tenancy or an allocation to local authority stock where possible.

Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. As Minister, I am precluded by housing legislation from intervening in relation to the procedures followed, or decisions made, by local authorities in the provision of social housing support regarding any individual application.