Roche hails spending plans for housing sector

The Government is determined to deliver more social housing, Minister for the Environment Dick Roche said tonight.

Total state spending on housing provision will be €1.3bn in 2006, according to the Book of Estimates, an increase of 5% from last year, he said.

Mr Roche said other priorities for his department were the enhanced delivery of affordable housing and investment in non-national roads.

The minister said the €2.6bn made available to his department in the estimates, a 3% increase on last year, would lead to the biggest ever spend on Local Government issues.

The Environmental Protection Agency and An Bord Pleanala will also receive increased funding next year, while money will be provided to underpin the recently announced Irish Heritage Trust, he added.

Mr Roche said the Estimates showed the Government's commitment to maintaining high levels of provision of social services and essential infrastructure to meet the demands of the country's expanding population.

"This level of investment is a confirmation of the Government's strong commitment to the development of the local government sector," he said.

"It continues our high levels of investment in meeting local social needs and in providing the vital infrastructure.

"After all as Minster for the Environment, my focus is to deliver improved quality of life for all, and these Estimates will allow me to do that."

Mr Roche said highlights in the Estimates for his department included:

• €53m more capital funding for local authority housing,

• €125m for current Housing Expenditure,

• Continued Progress on Water Services,

• €51m for Strategic non-national roads.

However, Labour's Environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore was critical of the Estimates for the department.

"The Estimates announced today will mean that council house building will be 8,000 short of the Government's own targets by the end of 2006," he said.

"Today's estimate, providing for an increase of 5% on last years figures, will result in approximately the same level of construction activity as last year."

Mr Gilmore also claimed overall environmental expenditure will be down by 7% in money terms, or approximately 10% in real terms, on last year.

"The Government's modest heritage budget is being increased by only 1% which, when inflation is taken into account, represents a real cut," he said.

"That both the environment and heritage budgets are being cut shows that this government has little feel for these important aspects of modern life."