Internal working group on the strategy for unsold affordable housing units

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For Written Answer on : 19/01/2022
Question Number(s): 518 Question Reference(s): 1348/22
Department: Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 305 of 9 September 2021, if the internal working group established to consider a long-term strategy for unsold affordable housing units met as planned in September 2021; if so, if action has taken place or is planned as a result of this meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

In September 2020 I convened a working group to examine the issues around unsold affordable properties. The working group comprises members of the Local Government Sector, Housing Finance Agency (HFA), Housing Agency, Approved Housing Bodies through the Irish Council of Social Housing, and the Social Housing Leasing Section of my Department. 

In progressing this examination, the working group has discussed a number of options to date. When the Group’s work is finalised, which is expected in 2022, they will make recommendations to my Department.

The working group last met on 28 September 2021.

Following discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, €54,918,210 voted capital funding was used in December 2021 to bring 319 unsold affordable units fully into local authority stock by paying off the HFA debt on those units.