Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, today (19 July) announced the green light for proposals from local authorities for the provision of over 800 new social and voluntary housing units. At a cost of approximately €100m, the units will come on stream between now and 2014.
These new permanent housing units are intended, in the main, to provide accommodation for people with special housing needs including the elderly, homeless persons and people with a disability.
“Everyone knows that Government finances are very restricted. As Housing Minister I am determined that the much reduced capital budget available is targeted at those most in need as outlined in the Government’s Housing Policy Statement, published in June 2011. Against the backdrop of a very challenging fiscal climate, I am particularly pleased to be able to provide €100 million in capital funding at this time to provide over 800 households with quality accommodation that is safe, secure and appropriate to their requirements,” stated Minister O’Sullivan.
Some €35 million is earmarked for the voluntary housing sector for the provision of 377 housing units across 30 local authorities. “Voluntary housing bodies, often in conjunction with the HSE, provide a range of services and supports to tenants, thus enabling older persons to continue to live independent lives in their own community. Adding 377 new housing units to the voluntary stock will have a positive impact for a lot of people and allow elderly people, in particular, to continue to live in and contribute to their own community. ”
Local authorities will be allocated some €65 million for the purchase of an estimated 246 houses and the construction of a further 185 houses, largely to meet special housing need. The Minister said, “ While scaling back on social housing construction programmes has, in turn, given rise to increased delivery under alternative supply routes like the Rental Accommodation Scheme and the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, there are certain gaps that can best be filled through targeted purchases of built properties or the construction of new properties to meet the specific accommodation needs of certain categories of tenants. I am setting aside some €65 million over the next two and half years for the purchase of new houses and to support a limited construction programme. Most construction projects are ‘infill’ development in existing communities which has the additional benefit of contributing to the vibrancy of a community, enhancing streetscapes and eliminating the risk of anti-social behaviour in neighbourhoods.”
Details of the capital allocations to local authorities are set out on the attached appendix.
ENDS
APPENDIX
Local Authority Capital Assistance Scheme Local Authority Social Housing
AMOUNT UNITS AMOUNT UNITS
Carlow County €348,000 2 €1,062,400 9
Cavan County €560,000 8 €924,575 8
Clare County €459,000 8 €2,400,000 14
Cork County €4,810,000 33 €3,297,945 20
Cork City €2,331,927 11 €1,707,000 10
Donegal County €1,293,600 40 €705,000 6
DunLaoghaire/Rathdown €1,577,696 8 €6,520,000 93
Dublin City €1,176,450 24 €4,700,000 29
Fingal €1,034,302 10 €1,500,000 10
Galway County €319,440 10 €1,260,000 9
Galway City €1,602,448 12 €750,000 5
Kerry County €1,017,250 11 €900,000 6
Kildare County €900,030 10 €2,650,000 17
Kilkenny County €1,030,000 14 €1,000,000 7
Laois County €600,000 6 €630,000 5
Leitrim County €0 0 €350,000 3
Limerick City Council €3,800,000 44 €2,590,000 18
Limerick County €1,977,500 17 €1,600,000 9
Longford County €174,826 2 €1,170,000 9
Louth County €568,500 6 €1,900,000 16
Mayo County €858,000 7 €375,000 2
Meath County €516,700 4 €1,246,000 8
Monaghan County €1,750,360 16 €2,380,759 13
Offaly County €580,524 5 €1,947,100 12
Roscommon County €924,673 8 €750,000 5
Sligo County & Borough €200,000 1 €2,112,000 16
South Dublin County Council €1,425,250 27 €2,400,000 15
Tipperary North County Council €573,500 12 €716,517 4
Tipperary South County Council €270,398 3 €525,000 3
Waterford County €1,000,000 7 €1,485,000 11
Waterford City €415,000 3 €1,978,000 11
Westmeath County €366,550 5 €1,350,000 9
Wexford €0 0 €1,700,000 10
Wicklow County €93,000.00 3 €1,425,000 9
TOTAL €34,554,924 377 €58,007,296 431
* €7 million Reserve for acquisitions in 2013/2014