Written Answers Nos. 737-750
737. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total Exchequer funding of social housing in each year from 2009 to 2014, by local authority; voluntary and co-operative; shared ownership; house purchase and improvement loans; private housing grants; and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29783/15]
View answerUnder my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, funding is provided to housing authorities in respect of a range of initiatives. Details of expenditure under the main areas of the Social Housing Investment Programme for the years referred to are set out in the following table.
|
- |
*Local Authority Housing |
Voluntary and Co-Operative Housing |
Private House Grants |
Shared Ownership/Affordable Loans (Subsidies) |
|
2009 |
€670.6m |
€158.5m |
€67.8m |
€3.8m |
|
2010 |
€417.5m |
€113.6m |
€78.2m |
€3.2m |
|
2011 |
€189.2m |
€38.0m |
€61.2m |
€5.6m |
|
2012 |
€116.9m |
€58.0m |
€52.8m |
€5.0m |
|
2013 |
€83.3m |
€36.7m |
€38.3m |
€5.0m |
|
2014 |
€88.5m |
€34.3m |
€37.0m |
€5.0m |
*Includes funding for Unfinished Housing Developments and the Land Aggregation Scheme.
House Purchase Loans and House Improvement Loans, as set out in the following table, are advanced by local authorities to qualified borrowers within their functional area. Expenditure on such loans is non-exchequer and is funded either by borrowing from the Housing Finance Agency, or from local authorities’ own resources. The figures outlined in relation to affordable housing also represent non-exchequer funding.
|
- |
House Purchase Loans |
House Improvement Loans |
Affordable Housing |
|
2009 |
€5.6m |
€27,924 |
€75.1m |
|
2010 |
€9.7m |
€54,524 |
€13.3m |
|
2011 |
€34.0m |
€120,050 |
€2.6m |
|
2012 |
€24.8m |
€2,728,600 |
€3.6m |
|
2013 |
€26.8m |
Nil |
€0.3m |
|
2014 |
€28.1m |
€4,000 |
€0.3m |
738. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown, by local authority and housing body, of the number of homes they have repossessed in each of the years 2012 to 2014 and to date in 2015, under each lending or finance scheme they offer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29784/15]
View answerMy Department publishes a breakdown of Local Authority repossessions on its website at: www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15295,en.xls.
A breakdown of the Local Authority repossession data under individual lending or finance schemes is not available in my Department.
739. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total amount of loans outstanding to the Housing Finance Agency in respect of each local authority; the date by which these loans must be repaid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29794/15]
View answerThe total amount of loans outstanding to the Housing Finance Agency in respect of each local authority is set out in the following table. These amounts represent the capital outstanding at 31 December 2014. The original loans advanced typically have a duration of just under 25 years. The weighted average remaining years to maturity for loans outstanding at 31 December 2014 is just under 18 years.
|
Local Authority |
Capital outstanding at 31 December 2014 - € |
|
Carlow County Council |
47,874,378 |
|
Cavan County Council |
25,452,737 |
|
Clare County Council |
65,525,258 |
|
Cork City Council |
129,390,120 |
|
Cork Co Co Co |
399,059,560 |
|
Donegal County Council |
143,583,550 |
|
Dublin City Council |
710,698,596 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council |
145,850,402 |
|
Fingal County Council |
364,316,956 |
|
Galway City Council |
82,123,167 |
|
Galway County Council |
94,857,877 |
|
Kerry County Council |
94,244,996 |
|
Kildare County Council |
116,343,769 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
47,836,259 |
|
Laois County Council |
119,120,728 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
11,159,634 |
|
Limerick City &County County Council |
63,473,453 |
|
Longford County Council |
44,915,883 |
|
Louth County Council |
157,026,519 |
|
Mayo County Council |
132,821,086 |
|
Meath County Council |
84,362,323 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
28,940,131 |
|
Offaly County Council |
38,730,892 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
22,110,211 |
|
Sligo County Council |
115,822,020 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
248,242,734 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
109,522,902 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
154,885,876 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
102,529,870 |
|
Wexford County Council |
144,317,081 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
109,555,897 |
|
Total |
4,154,694,864 |
740. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of a scheme run by the Housing Finance Agency in the 1980s, whereby persons were provided with loans for house purchase, the number of loans that are still outstanding; and in arrears; the rate of interest that applies to such loans; his plans to apply changes to the way in which the scheme operates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29795/15]
View answerI assume that the Question refers to income-related loans that were advanced by individual local authorities to individual borrowers between 1982 and May 1986. The Housing Finance Agency (HFA) advanced the associated funds to local authorities. A total of €403m was advanced by local authorities under the income-related loan scheme and 15,571 mortgages were made available to borrowers. The most recent information available refers to amounts at 30 June 2014, at which point 286 of these loans were still outstanding with a corresponding total loan balance of €10.5m. Information on arrears relating to these loans is not available.
Following a review of the income-related loan scheme, the Board of the HFA approved the following initiatives to be implemented with effect from 1 July 2015 with the aim of making these loans more affordable for the borrower and to help secure a pathway to full home ownership. From 1 July 2015, inflation was eliminated on these loans and the variable rate on income-related loans was reduced to bring it in line with the standard variable mortgage rate offered by local authorities.
No new loans have issued under this Scheme since 1986 and there are no plans to alter this position. Individual local authorities administer these loans and deal directly with borrowers. I would advise any local authority borrower who is having difficulty meeting their loan repayments to contact their local authority. To assist local authorities in dealing with borrowers in financial distress, my Department issued revised guidelines for dealing with mortgage arrears within the local authority sector in June 2014. Dealing with Mortgage Arrears – A Guide for Local Authorities is available on my Department’s website by clicking on the following link:
www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,30943,en.pdf.
741. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority mortgages in existence; the total value of local authority mortgages outstanding; the number that are in arrears for more than 90 days; the total amount of arrears on local authority mortgages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29804/15]
View answer742. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the actions being taken to put in place a sustainable solution to assist persons who are in arrears to a local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29805/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 741 and 742 together.
My Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics, including the number and value of local authority mortgages, with a breakdown of those in arrears. The statistics are available on my Department’s website at:www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15295,en.xls by clicking “Mortgage Data/Arrears in Local Authorities” under the Housing Loans contents.
The Central Bank’s Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears requires all mortgage lenders to ensure that it has in place a Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) as a framework for handling such cases. My Department introduced guidelines for local authorities in 2012 and, subsequently, issued revised guidelines in June 2014. These guidelines, Dealing with Mortgage Arrears – A Guide for Local Authorities, are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,30943,en.pdf.
A range of alternative repayment arrangements are available to local authority borrowers in arrears under the MARP. These include interest only repayments on the mortgage for a period of time; paying interest and part of the capital for a period of time; deferring, in exceptional circumstances, payment for a period of time; extending the term of the mortgage to a maximum of 35 years and a maximum borrower age of 70; changing the type of the mortgage, in certain circumstances; adding arrears and interest to the principal amount due; and Local Authority Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme. The operation of MARP within local authorities is kept under constant review. In cases of acute mortgage distress, homeowners also have the option of seeking to avail of the legal process now also in place to deal with personal insolvency. The most important step any household in arrears can take is to engage early with the Arrears Support Unit of the local authority. Solutions are available and advice should be sought as early as possible.
743. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that a fair share - at least 17% - of national lottery funding is allocated in budget 2016 for work on the natural environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29866/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 856 and 859 of 14 July 2015 which sets out the position in this matter.
744. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the role the Private Residential Tenancies Board can play in resolving issues where tenants are allegedly involved in anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29869/15]
View answerWhile action to deal with anti-social behaviour is primarily a matter for An Garda Síochána, in the case of private rented dwellings, landlords are responsible for enforcing the obligations that apply to their tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The Act prohibits a tenant in a private residential tenancy from engaging in anti-social behaviour in, or in the vicinity of, a dwelling to which the Act applies and allows a landlord to terminate any tenancy where the tenant is engaging in or allowing others to engage in such behaviour, subject to a notice period of only 7 days in the case of serious anti-social behaviour or 28 days in the case of less serious but persistent behaviour. The Residential Tenancies Act also provides that a third party affected by anti-social behaviour may take a case to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) against a landlord who has failed to enforce a tenant’s obligation not to engage in anti-social behaviour.
The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 is currently before the Oireachtas and will amend the Act to, inter alia, make it easier for a third party to make a complaint concerning anti-social behaviour. The amendments will provide that the third party may refer a complaint to the PRTB where they have attempted to resolve the issues with the landlord alone, rather than with both landlord and tenant which they must do under the Act currently. In addition, the amendments will provide that an owners’ management company, a residents’ association or a neighbourhood watch scheme may bring a third party complaint to the PRTB.
745. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide clarification on the household charge in 2012 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29873/15]
View answerThe Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provided the legislative basis for the Household Charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date is liable to pay the Household Charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The Charge has operated on a self-assessment basis with an owner of a residential property determining liability and paying the Charge or claiming a waiver. The Household Charge was operational in respect of 2012 only, with arrears and penalties in respect of a 2012 liability being collected by local authorities, assisted by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on a shared services/agency basis, up to and including 30 June 2013. As of 1 July 2013, outstanding Household Charge liabilities were increased to €200 and converted to a Local Property Tax (LPT) liability due on the property; the Revenue Commissioners, who have responsibility for the collection of Local Property Tax, are now pursuing outstanding liabilities.
Section 4(4)(b) and section 4(6) of the Act provide that a waiver from the Household Charge applies to properties in certain unfinished housing estates specified in a list prescribed by the Minister. As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into one of four categories, as follows: Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist; Category two, where a receiver has been appointed; Category three, where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and Category four, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious public safety issues for residents.
Only households in developments in categories three and four are eligible for the waiver from payment of the household charge. The development in question was listed in error as an unfinished housing estate in original Regulations, which were subsequently revised to remove the estate. The list of developments in which households are eligible for the waiver is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge)(Amendment) Regulations 2013.
As a self-declared Charge, the onus is on the property owners to make contact with the Revenue Commissioners and regularise their position in relation to specific properties. In circumstances where a person believes that an amount is not due because either it was paid to the LGMA, or the property was not liable to, or was exempt from the Household Charge, a person can update their 'Household Charge Arrears Record' online at www.revenue.ie or through the LPT Helpline at 1890 200 255. Should a person wish to apply for a Certificate of Waiver in respect of a property, the contact details for the Household Charge Support Centre are available on www.householdcharge.ie.
The administration of issues relating to unfinished housing developments is a matter for individual local authorities. Each local authority has appointed an Unfinished Housing Development co-ordinator; contact details can be found at www.housing.ie/our-services/unfinished-housing-developments/local-authority-contacts.aspx.
746. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of investment from capital spending his Department has made in County Kildare since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29888/15]
View answerUnder my Department’s Social Housing Capital Investment Programme, funding is provided to housing authorities in respect of a range of programmes and initiatives. The following are details of funding to Kildare County Council from 2011 to 2014 under the main areas of this Programme.
|
2011 € |
2012 € |
2013 € |
2014 € |
|
|
Local Authority Housing Construction and Acquisition |
2,901,449 |
4,114,913 |
3,801,389 |
4,197,992 |
|
Capital Assistance Scheme |
1,956,675 |
1,891,864 |
842,708 |
448,598 |
|
*Capital Advance Leasing Facility |
Nil |
303,816 |
792,575 |
Nil |
|
Remedial Works Scheme |
398,000 |
830,392 |
870,923 |
326,488 |
|
Adaptations and Extensions to Social Housing |
459,256 |
194,318 |
80,185 |
193,926 |
|
Returning Vacant Social Housing to Productive Use |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
503,463 |
|
Energy Efficiency Insulation Measure |
847,262 |
468,204 |
453,614 |
1,528,046 |
|
Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People with a Disability |
2,852,228 |
1,622,950 |
1,743,825 |
1,676,952 |
* Funding provided to approved housing bodies for units purchased or built under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme.
Funding was also provided by my Department for Fire Services and under the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. The following table outlines details of expenditure to Kildare County Council from 2011 to 2014 in respect of these programmes.
|
2011 € |
2012 € |
2013 € |
2014 € |
|
|
Fire Services |
Nil |
346,199.00 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Rural Development Programme - Cill Dara ar Aghaidh Teoranta |
878,195.02 |
787,867.81 |
2,651,706.88 |
2,517,305.39 |
747. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will investigate the possibility of re-assessing the breed of German Shepherd current classification as a dangerous dog under the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 with a view to a possible downgrade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29939/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 885 of 14 July 2015 which sets out the position in relation to this matter.
748. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update regarding the passing of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29944/15]
View answerThe Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015 was published on 19 January 2015. The Bill provides a statutory basis for the national objective of transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by the year 2050. In doing so, it also gives a solid statutory foundation to the institutional arrangements necessary to enable the State to pursue and achieve that national transition objective. The Bill is currently at Report Stage in Dáil Éireann and I intend to continue to progress the Bill through the Oireachtas as quickly as possible, with a view to enactment later this year.
749. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the cost of water (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29951/15]
View answerThe Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provided for the transfer of responsibility for the provision of public water services from the local authorities to Irish Water. The Act provides that Irish Water shall charge each customer for the provision of services provided by it in accordance with water charges plan to be approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). A new water charging regime was announced by the Government on 19 November 2014. The Water Services Act 2014 provides that the capped annual charges will be €160 for single adult households and €260 for all other households until the end of 2018. The main aspects of the Irish Water funding model are set out in a detailed fact sheet published on my Department’s website.
Irish Water’s costs have been examined by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and only efficiently incurred costs can be passed on to the customer. It will be open to the CER to reduce the per unit price of €3.70 per 1,000 litres after 2016, in the context of determining the allowed revenue and efficiency challenges for 2017 and 2018. The CER has a statutory responsibility for ensuring that the interests of customers of Irish Water are protected. This will be central to the CER’s review of all costs and revenues of Irish Water in the context of the approval of water charges and the overall allowed revenue for Irish Water in future regulatory cycles.
The Government is determined that water charges will always remain affordable. Average charges will continue to be kept low through on going subvention to Irish Water, and section 3(5) of the Water Services Act 2014 allows for a capped charge to also be set for 2019 onwards.
750. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost of public advertising, statutory and non-statutory, funded by his Department in 2013 and 2014; the corresponding figure for agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30024/15]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy in respect of the Department’s expenditure is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to him as soon as possible. Expenditure by agencies on advertising is not maintained by my Department and is a matter for the agencies concerned.
