Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to encourage innovative approaches involving joint venture arrangements, public private partnerships, financing, direct provision and management of public housing as recommended by the Institute of Engineers of Ireland. [3710/05]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to encourage innovative approaches involving joint venture arrangements, public private partnerships, financing, direct provision and management of public housing as recommended by the Institute of Engineers of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4021/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 114 and 173 together.

In response to strong demand for housing in recent years, the Government has focused on a range of measures to boost housing supply. We have placed particular emphasis on the issue of affordability and put in place a broad range of targeted schemes, which have met the needs of over 13,000 households for each of the last two years. A wide range of administrative arrangements and new initiatives have been developed, working closely with local authorities, the voluntary and co-operative sector, the construction industry and other interested parties to ensure that housing is delivered in an integrated fashion with necessary infrastructure and amenities in the surrounding environment. I am anxious to ensure that the significant public funding invested in the sector, some €1.3 billion in 2005, is used to best effect so that priority is given to those most in need and that housing is delivered in a manner which breaks cycles of dependency and disadvantage.

I fully recognise and support the important role of PPPs and joint venture arrangements in the provision of social and affordable housing. There have already been a number of successful innovative public private partnerships between local authorities and developers in the provision of mixed developments of private, affordable and social housing with extra amenities such as child care facilities.

Two successful partnerships of this kind are taking place between Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council in Mulhuddart and Cherry Orchard respectively. My Department has also encouraged local authorities to investigate the use of PPP, where possible, in regeneration developments. Dublin City Council is currently undertaking the redevelopment of Fatima Mansions as a PPP and has recently determined that O'Devaney Gardens will be developed as a similar type project. The tendering process of the Fatima Mansions project has demonstrated the interest of international and foreign based companies in developing partnering arrangements-consortia with Irish firms to tender for such projects.

Other local authorities are developing large scale proposals for the redevelopment of estates which may be appropriate as PPP projects. Furthermore, affordable housing delivered under the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative may be procured by relevant local authorities entering into PPP type arrangements with developers to deliver housing on lands provided by the non-commercial State sector. The Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative further develops this partnering concept. A new approach, which was suggested by the industry, is being tried in Harcourt Terrace, where the tender process recognises the possibility of swapping the site for alternative affordable housing.

An increasing number of units of social and affordable housing are also now being completed under Part V arrangements and output from this source should continue to grow.

It is important to note that in addition to local authority provision of social housing, there is also an increasing provision by the not for profit sector. Participation by the voluntary and co-operative sector has been consolidated by the generous levels of funding being provided by the Government over recent years. We remain committed as ever to developing the sector's role in housing both at national and local level. Local authorities have also been encouraged to take account of the role and potential of voluntary and co-operative housing groups in housing when completing their action plans.

Furthermore, under the rental accommodation scheme announced by the Government in July 2004, local authorities will, over a four year period, progressively assume responsibility for accommodating supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, rent supplement recipients of 18 months or more continuous duration with a long-term housing need. Local authorities will provide accommodation mainly through availability contracts with landlords. The use of public private partnership type arrangements to put in place long-term contracts for the supply of rented accommodation will be a feature of the scheme.

While the management and maintenance of their rented dwellings is the responsibility of local authorities, my Department plays an important role in providing support and guidance to the authorities in their efforts to better manage their estates. In recent years my Department has introduced a number of initiatives in this regard, including the housing management initiative grants scheme designed to support innovative pilot projects in the area of local authority housing management by way of grant assistance from my Department.

The Government's efforts to create good conditions for social and affordable housing have been innovative and creative. We welcome the role of PPPs and we will continue in our joint efforts to progress the sector while also continuing to ensure a high quality of design and environmental treatment.