Drop in number of households needing social housing but almost 62,000 still on list
Last year the State delivered just over 5,000 new build social homes. By Michelle Hennessy Tuesday 9 Mar 2021, 5:35 PM Mar 9th 2021, 5:35 PM 12,744 Views 25 Comments
Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock
THE GOVERNMENT HAS reported a continued drop during the Covid-19 pandemic in the number of households on the social housing waiting list, despite failing to meet targets last year for new builds.
Over the 17 month period from June 2019 to November 2020, there was an almost 10% reduction in the number of households on the list, which now stands at 61,880.
The social housing list does not include households currently living in local authority rented accommodation or those receiving the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or Rental Accommodat
Minister OâBrien Publishes 2020 Social Housing Statistics
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OâBrien TD, has today (9 March 2021) published details of social housing delivery in 2020 alongside the Construction Status Report for 2020.
In 2020 over 24,000 households had their housing need meet through the allocation of a new social home, or through the supports provided by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). A total of 7,827 new social homes were delivered in 2020 including 5,073 new build homes, 1,314 targeted acquisitions by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies and 1,440 homes delivered through leasing programmes.
The restrictions and partial shutdown of construction activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on the delivery of social homes in 2020, with a number of projects delayed until 2021.
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Councillors call for Monasterevin school site to be converted into housing for older people
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Kildare County Council has agreed to write to the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin to suggest that St Paul’s Secondary School be converted into housing for older people when it is vacated.
Pupils from the school in the heart of the town are relocating to a new school premises in the grounds of Moore Abbey.
Cllr Noel Connolly had called on the Council to make contact with the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin to explore the provision of housing for older people on the current site of St Paul’s School in Monasterevin, which is due to be vacated within the next two years.
Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien has given approval in principle for the first Cost Rental Homes in Ireland, allowing tenants to pay rent that only covers the costs of delivering, managing and maintaining the properties.