The needs of elderly and disabled people are in danger of being excluded from social housing strategies being drawn up by local authorities, the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) warned voluntary organisations in the mid-west this week.
The council's director, Mr Donal McManus, said he was concerned that the needs of all marginalised people be included in the strategies, which would become part of local authorities' development plans under the new Planning and Development Act.
"There is a short timescale now between drawing up the housing strategies, going for public consultation and then adopting them by August 1st," he said.
The Act was the most influential legislation on housing and planning ever, integrating social and private housing by providing that up to 20 per cent of new housing developments should be social and affordable housing.
"Housing organisations should make submissions to their local authority that they wish to be considered for the transfer of the 20 per cent for social housing," he said.
According to the ICSH, housing associations provided up to a quarter of social housing per year, amounting to 1,000 of the 4,000 units built. By contrast, about 45,000 private houses were built. "There is a real problem here. There is an imbalance between private housing and social housing," Mr McManus said.
In the housing boom of recent years the organisations were unable to buy sites when competing with private developers, and the grant system was underdeveloped. "Throughout the country, from 1996 to 1999, the waiting lists increased from 27,000 to 39,000," he said.
Less than 10 per cent of the housing stock is in the social housing sector compared to 18 per cent in Denmark and 30 per cent in Scotland. In Clare, Limerick and north Tipperary, voluntary housing associations developed more than 250 units last year. "In the very rural areas there is a fair bit of hidden homelessness. It is not well documented," Mr McManus said.
In the mid-west region there are 2,050 on waiting-lists, with 200 in north Tipperary, 600 in Clare and 1,250 in Limerick city and county.
"Limerick is probably one of the more progressive counties in Ireland in terms of housing associations. Out of about 40 towns and villages, there are 13 locally-based associations providing houses for the elderly, for families and for the homeless," he said.
One of those, the Dromcollogher Community Housing Association, has built 33 houses and a daycare centre since it was established in 1989. The idea grew from the centenary celebrations of the State's first successful co-operative, which was set up in the west Limerick village.
Ms Rona Wall, the association's secretary, said delegations had travelled from around Munster to see how the organisation took off. "If you are going to do it, do it. That is my advice, because that is what we did, and there are far better grants now than when we started," she said.
With rents coming in now, the association, set up as a limited company, has capital for going forward. Initially, the first four houses for elderly people were built on county council lands, with funds raised through a community festival, a credit union loan and shares owned by the community council and sold back to the local Irish Dresden porcelain factory.
Ms Karen Murphy, the ICSH's management services officer, said there needed to be greater consideration of the provision, new 20 per cent. "The Irish Council for Social Housing would like to see more concrete discussions on what this actually means." The council represents more than 140 social housing organisations and is hosting regional meetings on housing strategies.
Mr McManus added that housing organisations needed to build "marriages of convenience" with developers. "They are looking to housing associations who will be able to manage the houses properly," he said.
At this week's meeting in Rathkeale, developers were represented, along with council officials, county councillors and housing organisations.