The Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Functions of the Department

4.—(1) Without prejudice to any specific function conferred on the Department by or under this Part or any other statutory provision, the Department may—

(a) promote and assist the development of registered housing associations and of unregistered self-build societies;

(b) facilitate the proper exercise and performance of the functions, and publicise the aims and principles, of registered housing associations and unregistered self-build societies;

(c) establish and maintain a register of housing associations, exercise supervision and control over registered housing associations, and consider applications for and make payments of grants to registered housing associations.

(2) In the exercise of its functions under paragraph (1)(a) the Department may, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, make such contributions as it may determine towards the administrative and other expenses of registered housing associations, unregistered self-build societies and such bodies as appear to it to be representative of housing associations.

(3) In exercising its functions under paragraph (1)(a) and (b) the Department may, with the consent of the Department of Finance and Personnel, make grants to voluntary organisations which are not registered housing associations towards the expenses incurred by them in carrying out the objects mentioned in Article 15(3)(f); and any such grant may be made subject to such conditions as the Department may, with the consent of the Department of Finance and Personnel, determine.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (2) the term “registered housing association” shall include an unregistered housing association which at the date of payment of the contribution has made application to the Department for registration under Article 16 and the application has not yet been disposed of by the Department.