Housing body component of housing targets for 2019

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Housing; Planning and Local Government if he has reviewed the approved housing body component of housing targets for 2019 due to the reclassification of such bodies by EUROSTAT in March 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The Government is committed to using all mechanisms set out  in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan to ensure that we maintain full momentum towards meeting the ambitious 50,000 social housing target set out in the Plan over the period 2016 - 2021.  Notwithstanding the decision by Eurostat to confirm the reclassification of the majority of the Tier 3 Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Government continues to see a central role for the voluntary housing sector in contributing to delivery of social housing under Rebuilding Ireland.
The cost of enabling the AHBs to meet their delivery targets as set out in Rebuilding Ireland is already factored into the State's financial projections for the coming years, so the Eurostat decision will not impact on the planned social housing delivery.