Tuesday, 22 Sep 2015

Written Answers Nos. 1470-1489

Ministerial Correspondence

Questions (1470)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1470. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Minister of State's letter to the chief executive officers of the four Dublin local authorities dated 10 June 2015 that urged adherence to minimum development plan standards in building construction would be at extreme variance with his consistent argument that water conservation methods must be encouraged domestically; his further views on the inclusion in a city-county development plan, which stipulated a high water conservation standard along the lines of his objection letter of 10 June last; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31820/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I and Minister of State Coffey and jointly wrote to the Chief Executives of each of the four Dublin Local Authorities on 10 June 2015 urging that the process for making development plans, underway in each authority at present, should focus around practical measures that can be adopted to boost housing supply and to ensure that good quality housing in suitable locations is available at affordable prices.

The letter highlights the impacts of development plan requirements on the viability of new development and advises rigorous regulatory impact assessment of any new or existing development plan standards that are above relevant national minimum requirements. Floor size is one such example. The critical need for viable housing development will be central to my Department’s exercise of its statutory role in the development plan process.

Central to reform of water services is ensuring conservation of Ireland's precious water resources, whether water is supplied by Irish Water, the group water sector or through private sources. Water conservation in the public network is being addressed at a national level through Irish Water conservation measures in the roll out of its capital programme and at household level through Irish Water's ‘First Fix Leak Repair Scheme’, which facilitates the fixing of customer-side leaks from the front gate to as close as possible to the dwelling. The Government is also implementing a water conservation grant scheme, a €100 annual payment in support of water conservation measures, to eligible households (both Irish Water customers and non-customers) that registered with Irish Water by 30 June 2015.

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Questions (1471)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1471. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of the four Dublin local authorities, Meath County Council, Kildare County Council and Wicklow County Council, the amount of houses acquired for social housing; the amount of properties entered into rental accommodation scheme and under the social leasing initiative; the amount constructed for social housing since the announcement earlier this year of large-scale measures to tackle the housing problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31826/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

On 1 April, I announced provisional funding allocations totalling €1.5 billion for all local authorities, to meet an ambitious delivery target of circa. 22,900 social housing units out to 2017. Details of the individual targets set for local authorities can be found on my Department's website at:

http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.

To date in 2015, some €493 million has been allocated to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies for the construction and acquisition of over 2,900 social housing units, full details of which can be found on my Department’s website at the following links:

http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm

http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,42225,en.htm.

In addition, over €91 million worth of housing investment, across a range of housing schemes, including bring vacant social housing units back into productive use, which is an important component to reducing the numbers on the social housing waiting lists was announced in May 2015. Full details of the allocations made to local authorities are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

http://www.environ.ie/en/GeneralNews/MainBody,41581,en.htm.

Data in relation to all social housing units acquired or developed by all local authorities, including those authorities referred to in the Question, to the end of Q1 2015 are published on my Department’s website at the following link:

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15291,en.xls

under the heading “LA hsg output commenced (1994+)”. Data in relation to Q2 is currently being collated and will be published shortly.

Delivery under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP, previously referred to as the social housing leasing initiative) nationally has reached 6,323 units by the end of August 2015, of which 699 have been delivered in 2015. My Department has issued approval for 8,304 housing units to be brought into social housing use under SHCEP and I am confident that local authorities that utilise all the delivery mechanisms available under SHCEP will continue to deliver in substantial numbers. Details of the properties entered into under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme and the Rental Accommodation Scheme in 2015 for the local authorities referred to in the Question are outlined in a table.

Local Authority	*Rental Accommodation Scheme	**Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme
Dublin City	44	190
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown	9	10
Fingal	39	7
South Dublin	121	50
Kildare	46	13
Meath	23	51
Wicklow	40	3

*To end July 2015

**To end August 2015

Local Authority Housing

Questions (1472, 1473)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

1472. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has instructed local authorities not to submit proposals for funding for social housing of more than 50 units; and if so, the reason why. [31839/15]

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

1473. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department will consider applications from local authorities for social housing developments in excess of 50 units where the authority has available land for developments larger than 50 units. [31840/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1472 and 1473 together.

No direction has issued from my Department to local authorities restricting the development of social housing schemes in excess of 50 units. The provision of social housing services is in the first instance, a matter for each local authority as the housing authority for its area. Guidelines from my Department to local authorities in respect of the successful design of good quality sustainable housing projects are set out in the document Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities, which is available at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,1979,en.pdf.

Homelessness Strategy

Questions (1474)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1474. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on each of the 20 initiatives arising from the 2014 conference on homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31854/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

In December 2014 I hosted a special Summit on Homelessness to reaffirm the Government's commitment to end involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. A number of actions arising from the Summit were subsequently integrated into an Action Plan to Address Homelessness. This is a whole-of-Government plan involving a range of actions by various State agencies. Substantial progress has been made in implementing this Plan; all of the more immediate actions have all been competed while a number of on - going actions continue to be progressed. A specific report on the implementation of the 20 actions identified in the Plan was provided to the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform Action Plan for their meeting of 30 March 2015 and this report is available on my Department’s website at the following link:

http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/.

Reporting to the Cabinet Committee in relation to the remaining actions has been incorporated into the established quarterly reporting structure in respect of the Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness. I expect the next quarterly report to be prepared next month and once noted by the Cabinet Committee, it will be made available on my Department’s website.

Ministerial Correspondence

Questions (1475)

Clare Daly

Question:

1475. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding correspondence received by his office on 29 July 2015 (details supplied); when a reply will issue on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31875/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

A reply has issued to the correspondence referred to, outlining my Department ’s concerns regarding the tender assessment for the proposed development concerned.

Natural Heritage Areas Designation

Questions (1476)

Finian McGrath

Question:

1476. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the designation of lands as natural heritage area precludes or influences the development of wind farms on this land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31886/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Section 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that when preparing the development plan for their areas, planning authorities must include objectives for a range of specified matters, including the conservation and protection of the environment which incorporates the protection of prescribed sites such as those designated as natural heritage areas. In deciding whether or not to grant permission for a proposed development, including wind farms, the relevant planning authority or An Bord Pleanála must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area having regard to the provisions of the development plan, any submissions or observations received on the proposed development, and relevant Ministerial or Government policies including any guidelines issued by my Department.

Question No. 1477 answered with Question No. 1466.

Motor Tax Rates

Questions (1478)

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1478. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views that the current motor tax regime sufficiently promotes the use of environmentally friendly and less toxic fuel types; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31907/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The current motor tax regime is not fuel based. In both the private and goods vehicle categories, there is a low rate of tax designed to incentivise the use of electric vehicles (€120 and €92 per annum, respectively). Otherwise, private vehicles registered prior to 2008 are taxed on the basis of engine capacity and private vehicles registered thereafter are taxed on the basis of carbon dioxide emissions. Goods vehicles are based on the unladen weight of the vehicle. A series of EU directives provide the minimum environmental standards for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in EU member states, and these are becoming increasingly more stringent with each iteration. Ireland is bound by the terms of such Directives. The transposition of the Directives into national law, where appropriate, is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (1479)

Niall Collins

Question:

1479. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to provide further resources to South Dublin County Council to allow the council to respond in an effective way to the homeless and housing crisis in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31929/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Funding from my Department for homeless services is provided to housing authorities on a regional basis. Dublin City Council is the lead authority for the Dublin Region, which also includes South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. I have allocated €37.16 million to the Dublin Region for 2015 with regard to accommodation and related services for the homeless. This is an increase of 19% on the region’s initial allocation (of €31.32 million) in 2014 and represents over 70% of all the homelessness funding allocated by my Department to housing authorities nationally in 2015. My Department is engaging with Dublin City Council, as the lead authority for homelessness in the Dublin Region, on an ongoing basis in relation to any possible need for additional Exchequer funding in 2015, which will be addressed towards the end of Quarter 3, in the light of expenditure actually incurred at that stage.

Local Authority Housing

Questions (1480, 1481, 1482, 1483, 1484, 1485, 1486, 1487, 1488, 1489)

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1480. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts allocated by his Department to Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for housing adaptation grants for older people with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31964/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1481. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts drawn down from his Department by Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for housing adaptation grants for older people with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31965/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1482. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts allocated by his Department to Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for adaptations and extensions to social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31966/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1483. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts drawn down from his Department by Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for adaptations and extensions to social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31967/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1484. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts allocated by his Department to Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for the upgrading, refurbishment and reinstatement of vacant housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31968/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1485. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts drawn down from his Department by Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for the upgrading, refurbishment and reinstatement of vacant housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31969/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1486. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts allocated by his Department to Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for housing construction and acquisitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31970/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1487. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts drawn down from his Department by Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for housing construction and acquisitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31971/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1488. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts allocated by his Department to Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for capital advance leasing, the remedial works scheme and energy efficiency insulation measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31972/15]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

1489. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts drawn down from his Department by Cork City Council for each of the years 2008 to 2015 for capital advance leasing, the remedial works scheme and energy efficiency insulation measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31973/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1480 to 1489, inclusive, together.

The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.