Provision for Social Housing Slashed by 31% (€358m)
Social Housing Sector will be destabilised by Budget and thousands of families condemned to living in poverty and deprivation.
The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) has criticised the significant reduction in the capital allocation by over €350 million for social housing in the Budget today. ICSH Executive Director, Mr Donal McManus stated, “Capital funding for social housing is now less than half of what it was in 2008”. He added, “This decrease in funding will impact significantly on the capacity of local authorities and housing associations to both finish existing projects and provide new housing to those who have lost their jobs and their homes as well as special needs groups such as the homeless and people with disabilities. The savings offered up from the reduction in the social housing budget is disproportionate”.
“We are concerned that these cuts in the capital budget come at a time when demand for social housing in soaring,” said Mr McManus, “ It is essential with the absence of a significant capital programme that this is counterbalanced with adequate revenue funding so that thousands of household’s still have access to a secure, affordable home for years to come”. Non-profit housing associations have the potential to provide new social housing with a mixture of capital and revenue funding and this process should be expedited.
The ICSH is fully aware of the context in which this Budget is being framed however there are certain priorities that the Government cannot ignore. Mr McManus added “the gap that exists between current capital investment in social housing and growing demand needs to be addressed and, with the right support, housing associations can play a central role in meeting this demand, while playing their part in the economic recovery”.
Ends
For further information contact Donal McManus on 01 6618334.
Note to Editors
- The Irish Council for Social Housing is the National Federation of social housing organisations with over 300 housing associations affiliated nationwide.
- The Irish Council for Social Housing is a member of the Community and Voluntary Pillar of Social Partnership.
- Voluntary housing associations currently manage 25,000 homes in every local authority area in the country serving the needs of 500 local communities.
- In addition Voluntary housing associations house approximately 2500 new households each in need of housing on local authority waiting lists which include families, older people, people with disabilities and the homeless.
