Written Answers Nos. 458-479
458. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the allocation his Department has made to Cork City Council to deal with the homelessness issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19159/15]
View answerDuring 2014, my Department provided €4.3 million in Exchequer funding to Cork City Council, as the lead authority for the South-West Region, towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under ‘Section 10’ funding arrangements. Housing authorities also contribute to the funding costs for their areas from their own resources.
I have made an additional €10.5 million available nationally for homeless accommodation and related services in 2015. This is an increase in funding of over 20%, bringing the Exchequer contribution to €55.5 million. The 2015 regional allocations are currently being finalised with a view to their confirmation shortly.
459. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received letters from Cork Simon Community regarding homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19160/15]
View answer460. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received letters from Simon Communities Ireland regarding its concerns in respect of the increased number of persons who are homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19161/15]
View answer461. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received letters of concern from Focus Ireland regarding homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19162/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 459 to 461, inclusive, together.
My Department liaises with a range of stakeholders on an ongoing basis in relation to issues of homelessness, including non-governmental service providers such as Focus Ireland and the Simon Communities of Ireland. Such liaison includes written correspondence, direct communication, participation at a variety of fora and bilateral meetings.
My Department has had recent bilateral meetings with both Focus Ireland and a Simon Communities’ delegation, which included representation from Cork Simon, during which information was shared on both national and local homelessness issues.
462. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Directive 95/46/EC, in particular those principles outlined in Article 6, was deemed to be compatible with the legislation allowing third parties share data with Irish Water. [19199/15]
View answerUnder the Water Services Acts 2007-2013, Irish Water has statutory powers to request its customers and certain specified persons or bodies to provide it with information so that Irish Water can perform its functions under these Acts including the collection of data to develop its customer database. In particular, section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to obtain information on its customers from other third parties as listed in the section. This legislation is in full compliance with Article 6 of Directive 95/46/EC. Furthermore, Irish Water is required to manage all personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. Irish Water has an on-going engagement with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner which has worked closely with Irish Water to agree the process for the capture, storage and usage of customer data.
463. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to review the membership of the Construction Industry Register Ireland, and to remove construction companies (details supplied) which have failed to deal with substantial breaches in planning regulations. [19215/15]
View answerThe Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) has been established by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) as a register of builders and contractors. Participation in the register is voluntary at present. Any concerns in relation to firms on the register should be raised directly with CIF/CIRI. I have no direct role in relation to this aspect of the matter.
The Government has signalled its commitment in the Construction 2020 Strategy to placing the Construction Industry Register Ireland on a statutory footing. Legislative proposals in this regard are currently being prepared by my Department with a view to their being presented to Government for consideration in the near future.
Responsibility for planning enforcement under the Planning and Development Act 2000 is a matter for individual local planning authorities and I am satisfied that adequate arrangements are in place to allow for failures to comply with planning requirements to be addressed in a reasonable and appropriate manner.
464. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to require local authorities to refuse planning permission to developers who have been responsible for serious breaches of planning regulations previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19216/15]
View answerSection 35 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that a planning authority may refuse planning permission in a case where having regard to any information available to it, it is satisfied that the planning applicant or a connected person is not in compliance with a previous permission, has carried out a substantial unauthorised development, or has been convicted of an offence under the Planning Acts, and the planning authority consequently forms the opinion that there is a real and substantial risk that the development in respect of which permission is sought would not be completed in accordance with such permission.
The applicant may apply to the High Court for an order annulling the planning authority’s decision and on the hearing of such application, the High Court may, as it considers appropriate, confirm the decision of the authority, or annul the decision and direct the authority to consider the applicant’s application for planning permission.
465. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the progress of the pyrite remediation scheme; the number of homes that have been remediated to date; and the time frame for the completion of remediation work on all affected properties. [19219/15]
View answerSince the pyrite remediation scheme was first published in February 2014, the Pyrite Resolution Board has received approximately 720 completed applications and applications continue to be received at a rate of circa 5 per week. A total of 498 dwellings have now been accepted into the scheme of which 352 have technical consultants assigned to them and the necessary preparatory work, tendering or remediation is either under way or imminent. The remaining applications are being progressed through the initial application and validation stage or the assessment and verification process of the scheme.
As matters stand, 15 dwellings have been completed to date, i.e. the pilot project of 5 dwellings completed in late 2014 plus another 10 dwellings completed recently. A further 6 projects, comprising 94 dwellings, are on site at present. Tender proposals have been received, or are due, in respect of another 5 remediation projects which will involve some 82 dwellings. It is anticipated that an additional 4 remediation projects, in respect of 119 dwellings, will go out to tender shortly.
The Board estimates that approximately 200 dwellings will be remediated under the scheme by the end of 2015. Ultimately, the timeframe for completion of remedial works to all affected dwellings will largely be influenced by the final number of applications that will be received under the scheme; in this regard, the scheme is open-ended.
466. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he or his departmental officials have discussed increasing business rates; even if this is a sole matter for the councils if he agrees with any increase in the business rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19244/15]
View answer467. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he or his Department have completed a cost-benefit analysis for businesses in the event that business rates are increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19245/15]
View answer468. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he or his officials were consulted regarding increasing business rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19246/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 466 to 468, inclusive, together.
Local 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 the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.
The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied to the valuation for each property determined by the Valuation Office to obtain the amount payable in rates, is decided by the elected members of each local authority in the annual budget and its determination is a reserved function.
I am aware of the continued need to restrain the costs on businesses. My Department has in recent years requested local authorities to exercise restraint in setting, and where possible to reduce, ARVs and they have responded positively in this regard. The national average ARV decreased each year from 2010 to 2014; 2015 is not directly comparable due to the local authority mergers and the necessity to harmonise rates across new local authority areas.
Following the reorganisation of local government structures arising from the Local Government Reform Act 2014 there are now just 31 local authorities that adopt an Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV). This is a reduction from the 88 rating authorities which existed prior to the Act.
Because of the wide variances in ARVs within counties, it is not possible to achieve a single ARV per county without some ratepayers benefiting and others losing as a consequence. Moving rates downwards as a general policy would result in a very significant loss of income to the local government sector which would negatively affect the provision of services by local government. The challenge was to identify a solution that balanced these conflicting interests.
The local government reform programme requires authorities to harmonise ARVs across former rating authorities within each of the restructured 31 local authorities within a 10 year period, generally. This will ultimately result in one ARV being in place for each of the 31 authorities. The 10 year timeframe was put in place to ensure that there would be a gradual adjustment to all businesses affected and also to minimise the impact on local authorities' funding levels.
I will continue to keep the approach to rates by local authorities under active review, and am determined that every avenue will be pursued to optimise efficiency and contain costs in the local government sector.
469. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has examined introducing one uniform mechanism for calculating commercial rates; if the exemption of crèches from rates has been examined; his views on allocating a proportion of rates for the mentoring of new local enterprise start-ups and entrepreneurs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19258/15]
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 the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The Commissioner of Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters, including the method of valuation. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The Valuation Act 2001 is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied to the valuation for each property determined by the Valuation Office to obtain the amount payable in rates, is decided by the elected members of each local authority in the annual budget and its determination is a reserved function.
It is important to acknowledge that commercial rates, as a local tax, and the rating system generally are deeply embedded in the local government system. A large body of case law is well established and local authorities and ratepayers are, in the main, very familiar with, and generally accepting of, the operation and practice of the rating system. Rates are also a stable source of financing for local government which is not affected unduly by short-term changes in economic circumstances.
I will continue to keep the approach to rates by local authorities under active review, and am determined that every avenue will be pursued to optimise efficiency and contain costs in the local government sector.
An amendment to the law has been included in the recently enacted Valuation (Amendment) Act 2015 to provide for changes to the valuation of certain child care facilities. This is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.
470. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of vacant social housing units in each housing area; and the percentage of total housing stock made up of vacant properties in each area. [19297/15]
View answer471. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number and location of social housing voids which are planned to be removed from housing stock and are due to be demolished; if he will provide details on any cost estimates of making these voids active; and if he will provide an indicative time frame for the demolishment of these voids. [19298/15]
View answer474. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding that has been allocated to each local authority for refurbishing void social houses; the amount of money that has been provided to date to each local authority for refurbishing void social houses; the number of void social houses each local authority is expected to refurbish using the allocated funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19354/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 470, 471 and 474 together.
General statistics on local authority housing stock, including vacant social housing units, are published annually by the Local Government Management Agency. The most recent statistics are the Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2013 which are available on the following website www.lgma.ie.
The table shows the number of units returned to productive use in 2014 and the funding provided to local authorities by my Department for this work. I will announce details shortly of the 2015 funding for local authorities to address vacant social housing units, including the breakdown of the targets and funding for each authority.
In relation to the consideration of the demolition of vacant social housing units, it is a matter in the first instance for local authorities to identify units that might be derelict and where demolition may be an appropriate option. Demolition of social housing units would be an unusual step and would normally only arise in the context of an overall approach – such as regeneration of an area - agreed with my Department. There is no programme or policy to deal with vacant units by way of demolition.
|
Local Authority |
Number of Units returned in 2014 |
Funding Provided in 2014 |
|
|
1 |
Carlow |
42 |
€325,111 |
|
2 |
Cavan |
23 |
€349,137 |
|
3 |
Clare |
65 |
€995,829 |
|
4 |
Cork City |
212 |
€2,872,027 |
|
5 |
Cork County |
155 |
€1,539,364 |
|
6 |
Donegal |
167 |
€919,797 |
|
7 |
Dublin City |
467 |
€6,163,464 |
|
8 |
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown |
5 |
€89,896 |
|
9 |
Fingal |
165 |
€1,938,780 |
|
10 |
Galway City |
24 |
€474,050 |
|
11 |
Galway County |
76 |
€958,263 |
|
12 |
Kerry |
79 |
€718,938 |
|
13 |
Kildare |
49 |
€503,463 |
|
14 |
Kilkenny |
25 |
€484,430 |
|
15 |
Laois |
43 |
€257,013 |
|
16 |
Leitrim |
15 |
€229,072 |
|
17 |
Limerick |
98 |
€915,969 |
|
18 |
Longford |
16 |
€313,250 |
|
19 |
Louth |
18 |
€113,620 |
|
20 |
Mayo |
80 |
€464,508 |
|
21 |
Meath |
59 |
€1,037,501 |
|
22 |
Monaghan |
21 |
€92,751 |
|
23 |
Offaly |
35 |
€514,000 |
|
24 |
Roscommon |
34 |
€224,028 |
|
25 |
Sligo |
29 |
€311,648 |
|
26 |
South Dublin |
92 |
€627,408 |
|
27 |
Tipperary |
86 |
€935,801 |
|
28 |
Waterford |
42 |
€605,428 |
|
29 |
Westmeath |
56 |
€396,518 |
|
30 |
Wexford |
20 |
€316,307 |
|
31 |
Wicklow |
35 |
€650,204 |
|
TOTAL |
2,333 |
€26,310,575 |
472. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the report by daft.ie on rental costs and supply (details supplied), which indicates the lowest availability of private rented accommodation since 2006 and a rise in the cost of rents particularly in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19346/15]
View answerThe Daft.ie Rental Report for Quarter 1 2015, which was published last week, reported that year-on-year inflation in rents continued to ease slightly in the first three months of 2015. It reported that rents nationally were 8.2% higher than in the first quarter of 2014, down from the 10.4% annual increase recorded in mid-2014. While the report recorded a slow-down in rent inflation in Dublin, this was offset by an increase in the surrounding counties.
These trends are broadly in line with the most recent data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) whose rent index is based on actual rents paid as opposed to the asking price. The PRTB data shows that in the fourth quarter of 2014, rents were 5.8% higher nationally than in the same quarter of 2013. Dublin, however, was seeing the highest rates of increase nationally with rents there higher by 9.6% over the same period although the rate of annual increase was down slightly.
The daft.ie report notes that a shortage of supply is at the heart of rising rents and the Government is addressing this on a number of fronts. Construction 2020 A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector, published last year, is aimed at addressing issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any bottlenecks that might impede the sector in meeting residential and non-residential demand are addressed. Construction 2020 also commits to identifying and implementing further improvements to the planning system to facilitate appropriate development. The General Scheme for a Planning and Development (No. 1) Bill aimed primarily at addressing the current housing supply shortage situation was published in November 2014. The main provisions in this Bill are:
- the revision of the Part V arrangements on social and affordable housing;
- retrospective application of reduced development contribution charges, and
- the introduction of a vacant site levy to incentivise urban regeneration and the provision of housing in central urban areas.
It is estimated that the revised Part V arrangements will contribute in the region of 4,000 housing units to the delivery of the output targets included in the Social Housing Strategy. The Bill is currently being drafted in consultation with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel with a view to publication in the coming weeks and enactment before the summer recess.
Addressing the supply shortfall in housing will take time but in the period since the publication of Construction 2020, some welcome signs of recovery in the sector have become evident. Particularly notable in this regard is the increase in the number of house completions in 2014 to 11,016 units nationally – an increase of 33% on the 2013 figure. The latest figures for new house completions show that 2,629 units were completed in the first three months of 2015, up 26% on the corresponding figure for the first quarter 2014.
Social housing is a key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. The total targeted provision under the Social Housing Strategy 2020 of 110,000 social housing units includes the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units through Pillar 1. The private rental sector, through Pillar 2 of the strategy, will accommodate up to 75,000 eligible low-income households primarily through the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. Social housing targets have been set for each local authority out to 2017 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) report Ireland’s Rental Sector: Pathways to Secure Occupancy and Affordable Supply which was published last week, is a welcome and timely contribution to the debate around the rental sector. The report calls for more secure occupancy for tenants, including greater rent certainty as well as measures to increase the supply of rental housing. The recommendations put forward in this report will be considered carefully in the context of framing any measures in relation to the rental market.
473. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of planning applications granted in each county in 2013 and 2014 for new nursing home developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19351/15]
View answer483. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of planning applications granted in each county in 2013 and 2014 for extensions to existing nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19407/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 473 and 483 together.
While my Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics, it does not collect information on the number of planning applications for new nursing homes nor applications for extensions to existing nursing homes.
475. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a progress report on the implementation of the housing first programme; and if he will provide details of the funding set aside for same. [19392/15]
View answer476. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he and the Minister of State have been working together on the national implementation of the housing first programme. [19393/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 together.
The Government’s Homelessness Policy Statement, which was published in February 2013, outlines the Government's aim to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. The Statement also emphasises a housing-led approach which is about accessing permanent housing as the primary response to homelessness. Such an approach to addressing homelessness is sometimes referred to as a ‘housing-first’ model. Given the significance of housing-led/housing-first approaches to homelessness, both in Ireland and internationally, homelessness service providers often use these descriptions when identifying the ultimate objective of their services.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities.
A range of measures are being taken to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households and mobilise the necessary supports in order to deliver on the Government's target of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. These measures have been identified in the Government's Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness (May 2014) and in the Action Plan to Address Homelessness (December 2014). Progress in implementing these plans is reported through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. The plans and progress reports are available on my Department's website at the following link:http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/.
477. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of the 1,700 social housing units to be directly built up to the end of 2017 that will reach completion in the years 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. [19394/15]
View answer478. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of social housing units to be directly built in 2015 using the €312 million funding allocation for direct builds up to the end of 2017 that had received planning permission by 1 May 2015. [19395/15]
View answer479. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of social housing units to be directly built in 2015, using the €312 million funding allocation for direct-builds up to end 2017, that were, on 1 May 2015, under construction. [19396/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 477 to 479, inclusive, together.
On 5 May 2015, I announced a major social housing construction investment programme of €312 million, covering all 31 local authorities and with over 1,700 housing units to be built across some 100 separate projects. That announcement followed proposals made by local authorities on their planned delivery of new social housing units out to 2017.
The projects approved were those deemed most suitable to go ahead at this time. This was the first such announcement under the Social Housing Strategy and further announcements will be made as local authority proposals for the delivery of social housing units are evaluated. Information supplied by the local authorities on their proposals shows that 32 of the projects approved by me already have Part VIII planning approval. As this was an announcement of newly approved projects, it did not include any projects that are already under construction.
The process for new build construction involves a number of stages, such as the appointment of consultants, design and planning stages, contractor procurement and ultimately the site build and sign-off period. In a social housing context, each of these stages must comply with the requirements of the Capital Works Management Framework, including in relation to the procurement elements of the process. Taking each of these stages into account, a minimum realistic timeline from inception to completion for a standard new build scheme on a serviced site would be 14-16 months, assuming no issues with planning or site vacancy exist.
Given the foregoing, it is not possible at this stage to state the number of units that will be delivered each year from 2015 to 2017. However, I expect that all the projects involved will be advanced as quickly as possible and will be delivered by the end of 2017.
