1. Frank Donohoe Housing Policy and Finance Section Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

2. Presentation Outline Ireland’s social housing system Governance issues - 2 programmes - local authority programme - not for profit (voluntary) programme

3. Housing in Ireland

4. Local authority programme Some features – 88 local authorities Total stock of c.120,000 units Mostly general needs (family type units) Projects funded(100%) by central government

5. Local authority programme Role of central government Developing housing policy and legislation Securing funding for social housing Allocating funding to social housing providers Setting design/cost standards

6. Local authority programme Role of local authority Assessing housing need Supply of social housing projects Allocation of houses Rent setting and collection Management and maintenance

7. Local authority programme New governance structures needed Why? Currently central government advises/guides local authorities Outcome Fragmentation – in needs assessment, allocation, - rents etc,

8. Local authority programme New housing legislation will provide for – a new means of assessing need, allocation and rent policies New powers for central government to direct local authorities

9. Not for profit sector c. 330 active bodies Stock of c. 22,000 units Provides for general needs and special needs – elderly, homeless, disabled Projects supported(100%) by central government via local authorities No right to purchase for tenants

10. Governance of not for profit sector Role of Central Government - grant/withdraws approved status to bodies to operate - secures and allocates capital funding (loans) for projects - sets design/cost standards

11. Governance of not for profit sector Role of Local Government - oversees delivery of new projects design standards, funding - allocations to tenants from local authority waiting list (in consultation with the sector) - rent levels - financial accounts for projects

12. Governance of not for profit sector Role of not for profit sector - Supply of new housing units - Allocation of accommodation to tenants - Set and collect rents - Management and maintenance - Financial accountability

13. Governance of not for profit sector New structures – review of the sector’s role - merge funding schemes - general needs or special needs - options for private finance -one regulator

14. Rent Supplement Introduced as short term income support measure By default it became a parallel medium to long-term social housing support It assists - Unemployed people living in the private rent sector 76,000 households currently Expenditure c. €460m in 2009