More than 1,800 new social housing units have been completed in NI during a single year - representing a major target being achieved.

The NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said she has surpassed her social housing target, providing a total of 1,838 new homes.

This is the highest number of new homes delivered in any year for over a decade and she said that it has helped to cut the housing waiting lists by 6% over the last two years.

Having now delivered 88 new homes above the initial target of 1,750, Minister Ritchie made a further commitment to the people of Northern Ireland, to deliver at least 2,000 more new homes next year.

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She said: "Thousands more people are now living a better life in their own home thanks largely to the work we are doing to build more homes and bring existing homes back into use.

"My priority is to increase both the quantity and quality of our housing. Everyone deserves the chance to live in a decent home.

"It is two years since I launched the New Housing Agenda and it is now having a major impact. I believe successive reductions in the waiting lists are sure signs that we are now starting to turn the corner."

She continued: "In delivering this record level of new homes, we are working something of an economic miracle given the current financial climate.

"Not only are we building more homes, we are also building more sustainable and more energy efficient homes than ever before."

(NS/BMcC)