Written Answers Nos. 214-229
214. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify what changes, if any, can be made to the sustainable housing policy to ensure that individuals choose to locate their homes in rural areas, in view that many rural areas are in decline because of the lack of clarity on sustainable housing policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49714/23]
View answerSince the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the NPF) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment and adapting to and mitigating climate change have become more central to the operation of the planning system.
Updated Rural Housing Guidelines are currently being prepared by my Department. The updated guidelines will expand on the high level spatial planning policy of the National Planning Framework (NPF), in particular on National Policy Objective (NPO) 19 which relates to rural housing. This objective makes a clear policy distinction between rural areas under urban influence (i.e. areas within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment) on the one hand, and structurally weaker rural areas where population levels may be low or declining, on the other. NPO 19 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need are to be applied by planning authorities in rural areas under urban influence.
The draft Rural Housing Guidelines will set out relevant planning criteria to be applied in local authority development plans for rural housing, based on the high level policy framework set by the NPF. The guidelines will continue to allow county development plans to provide for housing in the countryside based on the considerations detailed in NPO 19 of the NPF, and will also highlight the need to manage development in certain areas, such as the areas around cities and larger towns and environmentally sensitive areas, in order to avoid over-development.
While planning policy is a national, as opposed to an EU competence, due care is being taken to ensure the updated guidelines will not operate to conflict with fundamental EU freedoms, comply with EU environmental legislative requirements and have due regard to decisions of the European Court of Justice. The draft planning guidelines will address these complex environmental and legal issues, while also providing a framework for the sustainable management of housing in rural areas.
Having regard to these complex considerations, the draft guidelines are subject to legal review and Ministerial approval, following which it is intended that the draft guidelines will be published for a period of public consultation.
215. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will undertake an assessment to determine whether or not EU proposals for rewetting the bogs may lead to flooding on neighbouring farm land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49283/23]
View answerThe final steps in the proposed Nature Restoration Regulation process are approaching, with the European Parliament vote on the matter likely to take place early next year. If the Regulation is approved, Member States will then need to develop and implement National Restoration Plans.
The proposed Regulation provides that restoration targets relating to drained peatlands, including rewetting, can be achieved across a range of areas including former industrial peat extraction sites and other drained peatlands. In Ireland, this means that the targets set out in the proposed regulation up to 2030 and beyond can be achieved within state-owned lands.
The rehabilitation of peat bogs is currently underway through the Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme (EDRRS) administered by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and operated by Bord na Móna, and water-level management is a key part of the rehabilitation process for peat bogs. Indeed, the management of water levels on peatlands designated for restoration is essential for many sites before any activity or rehabilitation can commence.
Before commencing rehabilitation work at each site, Bord na Móna submit a rehabilitation package, which includes a detailed rehabilitation plan and drainage management plan, to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department for review and approval. These packages and plans are tailored to each individual site and take account of the surrounding lands.
Any proposed restoration work planned on peatlands, including bogs, as part of the proposed Nature Restoration Regulation will, similarly, require thorough analysis beforehand including rehabilitation and drainage management plans.
Finally, it is worth noting that restoration of peatlands, including bogs, at an adequate scale can help reduce flooding in their catchments, as their capacity to hold water and release it slowly is greatly enhanced.
216. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta cad is cúis leis an moill ar an eolas a theastaíonn ón Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta a fháil ó Roinn na Gaeltachta chun na treoirlínte pleanála geallta a fhoilsiú; cathain a bheidh sé curtha ar fáil aici dó; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [53615/23]
View answerTá Grúpa Idir-Rannach (ina bhfuil oifigigh ón Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta; An Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán; agus Údarás na Gaeltachta) ag leanúint lena chuid oibre maidir le treoir phleanála ar leith a fhorbairt do cheantair Ghaeltachta. Tá Grúpa Oibre ar leith ann freisin atá comhdhéanta den Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta, An Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, Údarás na Gaeltachta agus na húdaráis áitiúla ábhartha le ceantair Ghaeltachta.
Ag cruinniú an Ghrúpa Idir-Rannach ar an 15ú Nollaig 2022, comhaontaíodh go gcuirfeadh an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán staidéar ar bun in 2023 ar mhodheolaíocht agus formáid do Ráitis Tionchair Teangeolaíochta mar phríomheilimintí de threoirlínte pleanála amach anseo do cheantair Ghaeltachta. Cuireadh tús leis an staidéar seo ina dhiaidh sin i mí Feabhra 2023. Tá moltaí tosaigh faighte ó chomhairleoir, a bhfuil a chuid oibre ag druidim chun críche, agus tá sé seo mar bhonn eolais do dhréacht-treoirlínte pleanála do cheantair Ghaeltachta. Tionóladh roinnt cruinnithe den Ghrúpa Idir-Rannach in 2023 agus tá rannpháirtíocht dhéthaobhach na Roinne fós ar siúl.
217. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the current system for determining business and commercial rates for SMEs that are challenged with rising costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51527/23]
View answerLocal authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by Tailte Éireann under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2020.
The amount of rates liable on a property is determined by multiplying the valuation of the property set by Tailte Éireann by the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) set by the local authority. The ARV is decided by the elected members of each local authority in their annual budget and its determination is a reserved function of a local authority. I have no role in this regard.
Commercial rates income makes a significant contribution to the funding of local government, providing between 14% and 47% of total funding for local services at individual local authority level, averaging 27% nationally. Rates income is a very important contribution to the cost of services provided by local authorities such as roads, footpaths, the public realm, litter management, public lighting, development control, parks and open spaces; all essential elements to create the environment in which businesses can prosper.
The Government has previously encouraged local authorities to show restraint in terms of ARV increases, in order to support local businesses, and local authority members have generally responded very positively. Local authorities are fully aware of the challenges facing many ratepayers and work with ratepayers to agree flexible payment options that reflect capacity to pay. Provisional, unaudited data for 2022 suggests that collection levels for commercial rates are strong.
The Government recognised the need to modernise the collection of commercial rates and the Local Government Rates and Other Matters Act (LGROMA) 2019 was passed by the Oireachtas and enacted on 11 July 2019.
Only certain provisions of the Act relating to rates were commenced in 2019. Amendments, which were largely technical in nature, were required prior to further commencement of the Act. The Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was identified as the vehicle for carrying Rates Act amendments. That Act was signed into law by the President on 13 October 2023. The necessary provisions of the Act in order to allow local authorities to levy and collect rates under the new legal framework in 2024 will commence from 1 January 2024.
Once commenced, the Act will further facilitate flexible approaches, provided ratepayers engage with the local authority concerned. Importantly, the Act also provides for new rates vacancy abatement and rates alleviation schemes, to be decided by local authority members in order to promote national and/or local policy objectives. My Department is currently preparing supporting regulations and working with local authorities on implementation with a view to commencing these provisions. These new provisions will add to the suite of options already available to local authorities to support local businesses and ratepayers.
The Increased Cost of Business Grant (ICOB) was a measure announced as part of the Budget 2024 package. The ICOB Grant is a matter for my colleague, Mr. Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
218. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what actions he has taken to expedite the process of issuing payments under the croí cónaithe scheme to applicants who have submitted payment requests through their local authority, following the successful completion of works; the total value of payments that have been issued to persons who have completed works and issued payment requests, by each local authority; the amount paid out to individuals who have completed the required works and submitted payment requests; the number of applications and that are waiting for payment approval by his Department to each local authority; the length of time that this payment is outstanding, since July 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54279/23]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.
In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.
Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas. A maximum of two grants are available to any applicant, of which one must be in respect of a home they intend to occupy as their principal private residence and the other may be in respect of a property which will be made available for rent.
In order for payment of the grant to issue a final inspection is carried out by the local authority to ensure works approved are completed. On average refurbishment works are taking approximately 12 months to complete.
Support and guidance is provided to local authorities by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department and by the Housing Agency in respect of the processing of applications and grant payments.
To date the total value of payments that have been issued by local authorities to persons who have completed works is €3,403,178.
My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, see gov.ie - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics (www.gov.ie/en/collection/4bbe4-vacant-property-refurbishment-grant-statistics/).
219. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what actions he has taken to expedite the issuing of clarification on unvouched expenditure that has been submitted with payment requests to local authorities through approved applications under the croí cónaithe scheme, given the lack of clarification on unvouched expenditure is delaying the processing of payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54280/23]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.
In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.
Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas.
The grant process involves the local authority receiving and reviewing applications to ensure that the grant conditions are met and arranging for a qualified person to visit the property to check the refurbishment work being applied for and to assess the proposed cost. Following confirmation of a successful application and the works being completed, the local authority will conduct a final property visit to review that the work has been completed in line with the grant application. Once the local authority is satisfied, they will then pay the grant.
The grant is paid when works are completed, following a final inspection by the local authority. Payment of the grant at the end of the process is to ensure that the applicant has carried out the works applied for, and approved, and to safeguard that the grant is related to the works which have been completed.
Local authorities are provided with support and guidance in their administration of the grant on an on-going basis, by my Department and the Housing Agency to support processing of applications and payments in a timely manner.
When the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund was launched, a commitment was given that the schemes funded by it would be kept under ongoing review. It is intended that a comprehensive review and evaluation of the schemes under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund will be undertaken by mid-2024. Questions related to the operation of the grant will be addressed through the review.
220. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the main policy achievements of his Department in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54291/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is the foundation for my Department's main policy initiatives. My Department has commitments across 10 of the 12 Missions in the Programme. My Department's Statement of Strategy 2023-2025 was published in August of this year and sets out our strategic goals, objectives and actions for the period ahead. It is available on my Department's website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/3be76-statement-of-strategy-2023-2025/.
My Department's website, www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage, is a good source of information about activities and initiatives undertaken, but by way of illustration, some of the key actions delivered in 2023 include:
• the continued progression of initiatives under the Governments 'Housing for All - a new Housing Plan for Ireland’;
• the launch of a new Vacant Homes Action Plan, including a fund of €150 million for local authorities, outlining measures introduced to address vacancy;
• targets for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, a Croí Cónaithe initiative, were doubled to 4,000 homes by 2025;
• under the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme, a third development of owner occupier apartments has received approval. The scheme aims to bridge the current ‘viability gap’ between the cost of building apartments and the market sale price where the cost of building is greater;
• the publication of the ‘Roadmap for increased adoption of Modern Methods of Construction in Public Housing delivery’, a priority action under Housing for All;
• the publication of the draft Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities, providing updated guidance to facilitate compact growth and innovative housing types, informed by the Housing Needs Demand Assessment Tool (HNDA);
• increase of eligibility criteria for the Local Authority Home Loan;
• an increased budget to support local authority homeless programmes;
• the commencement of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme;
• the preparation of legislation for a Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) to commence in 2024;
• all local authorities published RZLT maps, identifying lands subject to the tax on 01 December;
• commencement of the process to revise the National Planning Framework;
• the publication of the Planning and Development Bill 2023 which will ensure that the planning system meets the needs of the people of Ireland;
• the enactment of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023 which will require all public service bodies to integrate biodiversity into plans, policies and programmes;
• the development of the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan;
• the publication of the National Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Plan 2023-2025;
• enactment of the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023;
• the publication of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023, providing for the establishment of an office of mayor for the administrative area of Limerick City and County Council;
• establishment of the Electoral Commission following the enactment of the Electoral Reform Act 2022;
• the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA);
• the establishment of Tailte Éireann;
• the announcement of €14.7 million for the resolution of developer provided water services infrastructure in 21 projects in housing estates, under the multi-annual fund to connect developer provided water services to public Uisce Éireann network.
The Departments high level activity, with respect to the Statement of Strategy, is documented in its Annual Reports, which can be found at gov.ie - Annual Reports (www.gov.ie).
Regular updates, in the form of press releases, are also issued by my Department, particularly when outcomes are achieved, and these can be found at www.gov.ie/en/search/?type=press_releases&organisation=department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage
As a whole-of-government approach has been adopted to the implementation of Housing for All, Housing for All updates and progress reports are being coordinated and overseen by the Department of the Taoiseach, in close cooperation with my Department. These can be found at www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/dfc50-housing-for-all/.
221. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications received, the number of grants approved and the number of grants completed and paid out under the mobility aids grant, housing adaption grant for people with a disability and housing aid for older people grant in Mayo for the years 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54298/23]
View answerMy Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to administer the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which support older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority.
Details of the number of grants paid and the amount spent by each local authority, including by Mayo County Council, for 2022 are available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics.
The Council claimed a total of over €2.5 million in Exchequer funding facilitating the payment of 558 grants to date in 2023, the detail of which is set out in the following table:
|
Grant Scheme |
Number of Grants Claimed 2023 (To Date) |
Value of Grants Claimed (To Date) |
|
Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability |
91 |
€627,668 |
|
Mobility Aids Grant |
167 |
€617,987 |
|
Housing Aid for Older People Grant |
300 |
€1,257,784 |
|
Total |
558 |
€2,503,439 |
The detailed administration of these schemes, including assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of the relevant local authorities. Details in relation to the number of applications received, approved or completed and paid (but not yet claimed from my Department) by Mayo County Council to date in 2023 are not available in my Department. This information may be available directly from the local authority.
222. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many homes have been purchased for tenants at risk of homelessness by each of the AHBs or local authorities under the tenant-in-situ-cost rental scheme and for each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54317/23]
View answerThe Government has developed the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord intends to sell the property, but who are not in receipt of social housing supports. The scheme was established on a temporary administrative basis from 1 April 2023 and is managed by the Housing Agency, pending further policy development over the longer term with the intention of transitioning these tenants and homes to the standard Cost Rental model.
I am informed that the Housing Agency are engaging with more than 130 landlords with a view to the purchase of those homes.
The Quarterly data on this scheme is currently being collated by the Housing Agency and being validated by my Department. It will be published in the near future.
223. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an assessment been done on the stated reasons by AHBs or local authorities for not going ahead with a tenant-in-situ purchase of a dwelling; and the steps that will be taken to address those problems to ensure more tenants at risk of homelessness can remain in their homes having been bought through the tenant-in-situ scheme. [54318/23]
View answerUnder Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).
Social Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) delivery programmes across the build acquisition and lease delivery streams.
For 2023, the Government has agreed that there will be increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department is funding local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes. The additional acquisitions are focused on properties where a tenant in receipt of social housing supports has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. My Department issued a circular letter in March, setting out details of these arrangements and each local authority was provided with a provisional allocation for social housing acquisitions in 2023.
Local authorities have delegated sanction in relation to these acquisitions, subject to those acquisitions being within Acquisition Cost Guidelines issued by the Department. An independent valuation must also be obtained for each acquisition, in line with established practice for local authorities for social housing acquisitions.
Local authorities will work with all social housing supported tenants who receive a Notice of Termination and offer the available supports, which may include a tenant in situ acquisition or support to obtain an alternative tenancy, including a HAP-supported tenancy or an allocation to local authority stock. It is a matter for individual local authorities to identify suitable acquisitions in line with local circumstances and their social housing allocations policy.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority, including completed acquisitions. From 2023, this data includes a breakdown of acquisitions completed by each local authority where a Notice of Termination issued to a tenant and is available, for all local authorities, to the end of Quarter 2 2023 on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
The Cost Rental Tenant in Situ scheme is administered by the Housing Agency and, as of the end of Q2 2023, 68 cases had been referred to the Housing Agency by 21 local authorities. It is intended that data in relation to the Scheme will be published on a quarterly basis.
224. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps a family can take in a situation in which a landlord is happy to sell to a housing agency through the tenant-in-situ scheme to ensure the tenants of 14 years standing can remain in the community in circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54319/23]
View answerThe Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023, for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Housing Agency may purchase the home and allow the tenant to continue residing in it, where the tenant is not in receipt of social housing supports and has a net household incomes within the limits set for Cost Rental housing (increased on 1 August to €66,000 for Cost Rental homes in Dublin and €59,000 in the rest of Ireland).
The reasons for not progressing some cases include tenants having net household incomes above the limits for Cost Rental, tenants vacating the properties, tenants ceasing engagement with the Agency or formally withdrawing their application. In addition, in some cases it is not possible to reconcile vendor expectations on price with the Housing Agency’s independent professional valuation of the property, or to achieve an overall capital cost within the Acquisition Cost Guidelines issued by my Department in April of this year for each Local Authority area.
Furthermore in some cases, very substantial works would be required to bring the property into compliance with the minimum standards for rental accommodation or to stabilise the physical condition of the property and make it suitable for long-term Cost Rental use.
Tenants at risk of homeless should also continue to engage directly with their Council’s Housing Department who can advise tenants in relation to their immediate and long-term accommodation options.
225. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of local authority housing starts recorded on a monthly basis over the course of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54430/23]
View answerMy Department collects and publishes statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing completions rather than commencements. This includes data by local authority and is available to the end of Quarter 2 of 2023 on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
To give further information of the advancement of individual social housing projects, we also publish a Social Housing Construction Status Report with details of project locations and stage of advancement including developments that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. That data is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/.
The statistics for Quarter 3 of 2023 for Social Housing Delivery are currently being collated and will be published as soon as possible, in conjunction with the Quarter 3 Social Housing Construction Status Report.
226. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which the local authority housing stock has increased by way of purchase of extra houses or new builds over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54431/23]
View answer228. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent, if any, to which rapid build or modular housing has been offered to Kildare County Council, having regard to the seriousness of the housing situation and recognising that this will not improve unless drastic steps are taken to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54433/23]
View answer230. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he can take to address the acute problem of the local authority housing shortage in the short term, and to identify more ambitious targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54435/23]
View answer232. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which serviced or serviceable lands, zoned or unzoned, have been identified by each of the local authorities in the greater Dublin area to facilitate a rapid build housing programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54437/23]
View answer234. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the degree to which he expects to meet the imminent demand in respect of housing, following the displacement of tenants from private accommodation for a variety of reasons including repossession, and the immediate needs of such tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54440/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 228, 230, 232 and 234 together.
Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes an average of 10,000 new build social homes each year in the period to 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.
Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes; 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026. Local authorities have also published Housing Delivery Action Plans, setting out details of social and affordable housing delivery over a five-year period, which includes details of the locations of housing projects. The high level of ambition in Housing for All, backed by record levels of State investment in public housing, provides clear evidence of Government commitment to residential construction and provides significant opportunities to the construction sector.
Separately, the LDA has an immediate focus on managing the State’s own lands to develop new homes, and regenerate under-utilised sites. In the longer-term, it will assemble strategic land-banks from a mix of public and private lands making these available for housing in a controlled manner, which is expected to bring essential more long-term stability to the Irish housing market.
Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. In preparing the Plans, local authorities were required to include details of land available to deliver housing and details of land acquisition requirements. The Plans also include details of the locations and delivery streams for social housing schemes. The Plans have been published on local authority websites.
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address increased housing delivery and methods to support increased use of MMC are set out in Pathway 5 of Housing for All. The development of MMC will improve productivity in construction and increase efficiency in residential construction. The development of MMC is being led by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment which has established a MMC Leadership and Integration Group and my Department is represented on this Group.
The Housing for All Action Plan Update and Quarter 3 2022 Progress Report, which was published on 2 November, included a new action to develop a roadmap with targets for increased use of MMC in public housing. This Roadmap was published on 11 July 2023 and is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/414cd-roadmap-for-increased-adoption-of-mmc-in-public-housing-delivery/. My Department is now working closely with the local authorities, to increase the use of MMC in social and affordable housing.
Modern Methods of Construction is used to describe a range of offsite manufacturing and innovative onsite techniques that provide alternatives to traditional house building. Modern Methods of Construction can be completed dwelling units manufactured in a factory setting and transported to site, or panelised components manufactured in a factory and assembled on site. All Modern Methods of Construction systems must be of a high quality, comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations and have a 60-year durability. For new innovative products or systems, not covered by existing standards, compliance with the Building Regulations can be demonstrated by 3rd party certification by an independent approval body, such as National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI).
Last December funding of €94m was provided to local authorities to address legacy land debts. The provision of this funding was linked to the immediate development of a housing proposal, a commitment to use Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and for construction to start in 2023 or no later than 2024. A total of 26 sites received funding as part of an accelerated delivery programme, and with some additional sites since added, my Department is overseeing a project to progress delivery of MMC projects on 35 sites which will deliver approximately 1,800 new social homes.
The Office of Public Works (OPW), in conjunction with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) as the Department with policy responsibility, is also leading on a project to secure the provision of modular homes to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from the Ukraine.
For 2023, the Government has agreed that there will be increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department will fund local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes. The additional acquisitions will be focused on properties where a tenant in receipt of social housing supports and has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. My Department issued a circular letter to all local authorities in March, setting out details of these arrangements and each local authority was provided with a provisional allocation for social housing acquisitions in 2023.
The Government has also developed the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ (CRTiS) scheme for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord intends to sell the property, but who are not in receipt of social housing supports. The scheme was established on a temporary administrative basis from 1 April 2023, pending further policy development over the longer term with the intention of transitioning these tenants and homes to the standard Cost Rental model.
The current household net income limit for scheme eligibility is €66,000 for Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere. This is in line with the revised income limits for Cost Rental which came into effect from 1 August 2023. Local Authority Housing Officers have responsibility for assessing the risk of homelessness to tenants who have received a valid notification of termination due to an intended sale of a property, and so it is the local authority that tenants should first approach.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q2 2023, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: gov.ie - Overall social and affordable housing provision (www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/) - Data for Q3 2023 is currently being collated and will be published shortly.
My Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 2 2023. All Construction Status Reports are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis of completions, locations, approvals stage etc at the link below: gov.ie - Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report Q2 2023 (www.gov.ie/en/publication/3aeae-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q2-2023/)
Statistics in relation to the social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including vacancy and the average time taken to re-tenant a dwelling. The most recent report, relating to 2022, is available on the NOAC website at the following link: www.noac.ie/noac_publications/8339/#:~:text=The%202022%20Performance%20Indicator%20Report,44%20indicators%20under%2011%20headings
The Government’s Housing for All plan is a living plan with an in-built flexibility to review actions and targets, as needed. The plan currently sets out annual targets of overall housing delivery to 2030. A review and refresh of housing targets has commenced. The work will be underpinned by independent, peer-reviewed research by the ESRI. It will inform national and local housing targets, as well as subsets of social, affordable and private housing, and will ensure we provide enough of the right type of homes, in the right locations, to meet overall need. This work will have regard to detailed Census 2022 data published by the CSO. The ESRI research and analysis will be finalised in Q1 2024.
Significant progress is being made to deliver the ambitious targets contained in Housing for All and my Department is working closely with the local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and other stakeholders to accelerate the delivery of social and affordable housing.
227. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he expects extra local authority houses to become available in the course of the next twelve months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54432/23]
View answerUnder Housing for All, we will deliver a total of 47,600 new build social homes, as well as 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-26.
The 2024 funding provision for my Department will allow us to meet the social housing needs of almost 22,000 households, which will include 9,300 new build social homes and supporting a further 6,400 households to buy or rent at an affordable price.
My Department and I are working constantly with our local authorities on their delivery of new public homes, including those being delivered in partnership with the Approved Housing Bodies.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. This data is available to the Quarter 2 2023, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 1 2023. A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis of completions, locations, approvals stage etc. at the link below: data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q1-2023
In addition, data for affordable housing delivery is published on a quarterly basis, similar to social housing delivery. This data is available up to Quarter 2 2023 and is published at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery
229. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which planning procedures can be expedited to facilitate the building of extra local authority houses, with particular reference to the need to make a serious impact on the numbers currently on local authority waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54434/23]
View answerSection 179A of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended - as inserted by section 14 of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 - was commenced on 08 March 2023. It introduced a time-limited exemption, until 31 December 2024, for local authorities from the 'Part 8' local authority "own development" approval process, and from planning, for the provision of specified forms of housing developments on designated State lands.
The primary purpose of this measure is to help expedite the provision of housing supply by local authorities, particularly social, affordable and cost rental housing at a time of need. The use of the exemption is mandatory for local authorities in strictly defined circumstances where the following criteria are satisfied:
• the land is owned by the local authority or another specified State Body;
• the land is zoned for residential development;
• the proposed development does not materially contravene the development plan or local area
• plan for the area;
• the proposed development is in accordance with the relevant local authority’s housing strategy;
• the land is serviced or will be serviced with the necessary supporting infrastructure or facilities within the timeframe of the development;
• the proposed development is not required to undergo environmental impact assessment (EIA) under the EIA Directive or appropriate assessment (AA) under the Habitats Directive; and
• the development works in question are commenced by no later than 31 December 2024
The exemption can be utilised on any land owned by a local authority or by the prescribed State bodies and where the zoning objectives for the land as set out within the adopted development plan or local area plan includes residential use (i.e. where the land is zoned for residential purposes or for mixed use including residential). However, it is not required that the land be in the ownership of either a local authority or prescribed State body at the time the required residential zoning was designated; the land in question may be subsequently acquired by a local authority or a prescribed State body but must be in the ownership of such bodies at the time the exemption is being availed of.
Under article 39A(1) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, local authorities must report on a quarterly basis on the use of section 179A of the Act. Article 39A(1) specifies that the information provided must include the number of proposed housing developments, the number of commenced housing developments and the number of completed housing developments and include the number of residential units under each category.
As at 30 September 2023, 30 housing developments have been proposed containing 995 residential units, with accompanying site notices and newspaper notices issued. It is expected that this number will grow during 2024 with commensurate levels of levels of commencements and completions in due course.
