Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell has, today (Wednesday) welcomed the allocation of over €81 million, for local authority housing in Fingal. This is part of a national allocation of funding by Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Paudie Coffey TD, as part of the Government’s €3.8 billion social housing strategy announced last November out to 2020.
“Over €81 million has been allocated to Fingal County Council for local authority housing. It is estimated that this funding will meet 23% of the housing need in Fingal which will go a long way towards reducing the waiting list. This does not take into account the impact which the Housing Assistance Payment will have in assisting to further reduce the demand on our housing waiting list.
“Along with all local authorities, Fingal County Council was asked to bring forward the housing unit targets and specific building projects it has planned for the period from 2015 to 2017. As part of the strategy, targets had to be agreed with each local authority this year, and the funding allocation to Fingal County Council aims to bring 1,376 social housing units on-stream over the coming two years.
“In total across the country, over €1.5 billion will be invested in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes by local authorities. Approximately 300 separate building proposals by local authorities are currently being assessed by the Department of Environment and will be announced in a number of phases starting this month. Construction is already underway for social housing in approximately 33 sites throughout the country.
“In Fingal this funding will help to create and sustain approximately 650 jobs in the construction sector. The allocation of this funding will be positive news for many individuals and families throughout the North County who are currently on the housing waiting list and I will continue to actively engage with Minister Coffey in relation to social housing provision in Dublin Fingal.”