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Budget 2017 Housing Investment Welcome – State Lands Needed to Build Social Housing

Press Release
Tuesday 11 October 2016: For immediate release
 
The Irish Council for Social Housing has reacted to Budget 2017 positively. The ICSH welcome the housing allocation of €1.2 Billion, signifying a substantial commitment to address the housing crisis. An additional €28 million (40% increase) in emergency accommodation funding to tackle homelessness, along with significant funding for repair, purchase and renewal measures to bring vacant housing stock online as social homes is also evidence of progress and is to be welcomed.
 
Dr. Donal McManus, ICSH CEO, said “A 50% budget increase for housing is commendable, however the ICSH has called for state lands to be immediately released to housing associations, otherwise the plan for 47,000 social housing units will not be delivered by 2021. Currently social housing is 9% of all housing stock and our long-term housing vision is 20%.”
 
Identifying gaps in Budget 2017, Dr McManus stated “Currently, housing associations provide over 10,000 homes for older people, but the projected doubling of the over-65 population in the next 20 years makes planning for the future housing needs of older people critical. Developing flexible models for supported housing for older people, could see family homes released in high-demand urban locations. There is no specific provision in this budget for housing for older people, which is a missed opportunity”.
 
For enquiries, please contact:
Ken Reid, Information and Communications Coordinator
Email: kenreid@icsh.ie
Tel: 01 6618334
Mob: 0860831786