Bulk of social housing to come from private sector

Fewer than a third of the 7,400 new social housing units promised this year in the Government’s social housing strategy will be provided by public bodies.

About 5,000 of the units will come from the private sector through long-term leasing arrangements with private property owners or shorter-term arrangements with private landlords under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).

The figures were provided in response to a Dáil question from Dessie Ellis of Sinn Féin.

The social housing strategy published last November promised 110,000 units by 2020, of which 75,000 would be through the transfer of households receiving rent supplement and living in the private rented sector on to a new housing assistance payment. The remaining 35,000 units would be “new social housing units”.

Of the 35,000 new units, about 22,500 would be built or bought by local authorities or housing associations, 11,000 would be leased and 2,300 so-called “voids” – local authority properties that have been vacated – would be brought back into use.

Replying to Mr Ellis, Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly said 7,400 "new social housing units will be provided" this year. He said 3,000 would be provided through long-term leasing arrangements with private property owners and 2,000 new RAS units would be provided in agreements with private landlords.

About 1,000 local authority “voids” would be refurbished and 1,400 units would be “built or acquired by local authorities and approved housing bodies”.