Unspent cash to benefit housing

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7189363.stm

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An extra £50m redistributed for social housing could allow an extra 900 properties to be built this year.

The funding comes from cash which was not spent by government departments.

It will also assist 525 applications for home ownership in Northern Ireland through the co-ownership scheme, Finance Minister Peter Robinson says.

The Department of Education is to get an extra £15m, most of which will go to meet costs arising from the classrooms assistants dispute.

Health will also receive £17m, with much of it going to help pay the costs associated with the Review of Public Administration.

About £28m is being allocated to the Department of Regional Development to address ongoing costs of water infrastructure and roads maintenance.

The money is part of the December Monitoring Round, something which Mr Robinson said was designed "in simple terms, to help the Executive make the most of the resources at its disposal".

It is understood the extra funding could mean Margaret Ritchie's Department of Social Development will be able to meet its target of building 1,500 new social houses this year.