John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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51. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department is reviewing the approval and handover process involving local authorities and approved housing bodies, with a view to expediting occupancy of completed social housing units; and the specific steps which are now being implemented to accelerate the allocation of homes such as those at a location (details supplied). [65837/25]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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67. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reasons the completed social housing units at a location (details supplied) remained vacant for close to a year before tenants were allocated homes; and the measures which are being taken to ensure that newly completed units are not subject to similar delays in future, particularly where demand is high. [65836/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 67 together.

My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist Local Authorities to work in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to construct and purchase homes and make them available for Social Housing.

The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) is a funding stream exclusively provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction or purchase of new social housing units. This loan facility is a contract between the local authority and the AHB, which supports between 25% and 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the remaining finance sourced by the AHBs from private lenders (usually the HFA). The housing units are provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements (P&A).

Applications for P&A-CALF funding are made by AHBs directly to my Department. This is done following a consultation period with the Local Authority. During this period the Local Authority confirms their support for the proposed homes and agrees the need and the terms and conditions of the availability agreement around the homes.

As with all Exchequer-supported projects, my Department as sanctioning authority, assesses each project proposal for suitability as determined by the Local Authority, value for money and compliance with the various requirements of the funding programme.

With regard to the specific project referred to in the question, an application for CALF funding was submitted to my Department by Oaklee Housing for the provision of 37 social housing properties.

My Department has met with Oaklee Housing on a number of occasions to discuss the particulars of this project and funding was approved for the 37 properties on 31 July 2025.

However, the allocation of social housing to tenants and matters arising, including the length of time it takes for this to happen upon completion of a project, is a matter for the Local Authority and accordingly such information sought is not available in my Department.

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. Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 specifically provides that the Minister’s power to issue policy directions and guidelines to housing authorities in relation to their housing functions shall not be construed as enabling the Minister to exercise any power or control in relation to any individual case with which a housing authority is or may be concerned.

As Minister, therefore, I am precluded by law from intervening in any decisions made by housing authorities in their management of particular dwellings.