At a meeting with Antrim Council last week, representatives of the Housing Executive explained that while they were satisfied with the progress on the provision of new social housing, growing waiting lists fuelled by affordability issues were a primary concern.

Colm McCaughley, the Housing Executive's Director of Housing and Regeneration highlighted the challenges to be met over the next year and said that across Northern Ireland, an increasing number of people had registered for housing and were now on waiting lists.

"Waiting list trends for social housing show an increasing number of applicants registered on the waiting list over the past five years and a decreasing number of allocations of social housing. At the end of 2007, the number of applicants on the waiting list was 38,346, an increase of over 4,000 on the previous year. The number in housing stress also increased from 18,701 to 20,695," Mr McCaughley said.

He said that one area of particular concern is that the number of elderly people as a proportion of the population is increasing and this is reflected in their waiting lists.

"Allocation of existing stock has been the means by which the majority of housing need has been met in the past, but now there is a growing dependency on the delivery of new stock," he said.

He added: "In our first year of managing the Social Housing Development Programme we have succeeded, in partnership with the Housing Association movement, in delivering a total of 1,595 house starts against a target of 1,500.

"However this must be set against a need for 2,500 new social dwellings each year in Northern Ireland. This shortfall, combined with continuing difficulties for first time buyers getting on the first rung of the home ownership ladder has added to the pressures on the waiting list for homes in the social rented sector."

Mr McCaughley referred to assurances by the Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie MLA, that housing would remain her priority and that the Housing Executive would continue to be Northern Ireland's strategic housing authority will be central to success.

"There is good news. Considerable progress has been made in improving the condition of Housing Executive stock, with 75 per cent meeting the Decent Homes Standard," he said.

He added: "Nevertheless, we want to continue this progress and a significant amount of improvement and replacement work remains to be carried out. We will continue with a programme of activity to realise capital from surplus assets, but with a turbulent housing and land market this may not be easy.

"It will therefore be essential to continue to put the case for additional funding to deliver all of our programmes and hopefully 'in-year bids' will be successful."

Adding that is was a "challenging period", Mr McCaughley said the Housing Executive remains committed to improving housing for everyone.

"We will continue to work with the Minister, the Northern Ireland Assembly and local Councillors to ensure that housing remains a priority," he said.