Published Tuesday, 07 July 2009
The funds will finance house renovations and modifications for the disabled.
The SDLP had long called for a boost to social housing as a means of supporting the construction industry.
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie welcomed the announcement, but warned it would not fill the £100m hole she said was left in her budget by the fall in resources her department expected to make from house sales.
Sinn Fein and DUP MLAs criticised her handling of her budget in the past and called for careful use of the fresh resources.
'Summer recess'
The Assembly was recalled from its summer recess on Tuesday after parties demanded full details of the redistribution to government departments of £235m in unspent resources.
The SDLP's Declan O'Loan described the handling of the overall budgetary announcement as a 'debacle' and criticised the need to recall the Assembly to ensure the details were discussed by MLAs.
The announcement was expected for June but UUP leader Sir Reg Empey objected to being handed details of the complex financial package at short notice before an Executive meeting.
He refused to rubber-stamp the plans without a proper chance to scrutinise them.
After an initial expectation that the announcement would be made in September, parties including Sinn Fein demanded the Assembly be recalled to discuss the details.