Written Answers Nos. 159-162
159. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to revise the eligibility for the water conservation grant to include households which have paid their bills but which have not registered with Irish Water within the stated time frame; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36728/15]
View answerThe eligibility criteria for the Water Conservation Grant are set out in the Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) Regulations 2015. Persons who register with Irish Water, as required under Section 5 (2)(a) of the Water Service Act 2014, on or before 30 June 2015 shall be eligible to receive the grant in 2015 if they were normally resident at the principal private residence on that date.
The grant is being paid on a universal basis to all householders in respect of their primary dwellings. It is important that all households are encouraged to reduce their water consumption. This approach is an important step in communicating to society the need to conserve water and is fair as it includes all those in principal private residences who satisfy criteria set down in the Water Services Act 2014 and the Water Conservation Grant Regulations 2015.
The reckonable date for registration for inclusion in the 2015 grant campaign is 30 June 2015 and only individuals who have confirmed their details with Irish Water on or before this date were invited to apply for the grant. These criteria were widely communicated by my Department, on www.watergrant.ie and in the print and radio media. I have no plans to amend the reckonable date for registration with Irish Water for the 2015 grant campaign.
I will be reviewing the operation of the 2015 scheme when all payments have been finalised by the Department of Social Protection. Following this review, I will set down the administration arrangements for the 2016 Grant scheme in regulations under the Water Services Act 2014.
160. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details on the new affordable rental scheme pilot announced in budget 2016; the locations for the pilot; the purpose of the scheme; and the way it differs from the housing assistance payment scheme. [36686/15]
View answer161. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his position on affordable housing provision; the directives that have been issued to local authorities providing guidelines on the provision of affordable housing units; if there is a need for provision of new affordable housing units, as opposed to just social housing units; if he is considering any new affordable housing schemes in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36687/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 161 together.
An Affordable Rental pilot scheme, which was announced as part of Budget 2016, is currently being developed by my Department, in the context of the implementation of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. €10 million has been made available from the proceeds of the sale of Bord Gáis Éireann for the scheme in 2016. This is to be an ongoing annual commitment to secure a long term increase in the supply of housing for affordable rental, which is expected to work on the basis of tenants paying the majority of the rental cost from their own resources, with the State helping to meet the shortfall.
It is intended that the scheme would be made available to employed households on low to moderate incomes, as well as being a possible support option for some households who qualify for social housing support. An affordable rental scheme targeted at these households has the potential to meet their housing need using an intermediary, State-funded, level of support to allow them to remain in a secure and stable private rented sector. A State policy intervention - such as a subsidy - would be applied to bridge the gap between what people can afford, and what the housing market charges. Such a scheme would also facilitate and incentivise private investment into this sector. I expect that the details of the pilot scheme, including the locations to be targeted, will be announced when the scheme has been finalised by my Department in early 2016.
Affordable Rental is a separate scheme to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). The implementation of the HAP scheme is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. To be eligible for HAP, a person must first apply for and be approved for social housing support by their local authority. Under the scheme, eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented sector, payments are made electronically directly to the landlord on behalf of the tenant, and the tenancy agreement is between the HAP recipient and the private landlord. The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 deems HAP to be an appropriate form of social housing support and the HAP recipient pays a differential rent to the Local Authority.
The first phase of the statutory pilot for the HAP scheme commenced in September 2014 and has been introduced incrementally to 13 local authority areas to date. Dublin City Council is also implementing the HAP pilot scheme for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of all four Dublin local authorities. There are now over 4,300 households being supported by HAP across the pilot local authority areas operating the scheme.
Affordable Rental is different to previous affordable housing schemes where the focus was on the purchase by individuals of the relevant housing units. The Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement announced that all affordable housing schemes were being stood down in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. A full independent review of the operation of Part V was completed, and a range of legislative changes were incorporated into the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, which was commenced on 1 September 2015.
The principal objectives of the 2015 amendments are to:
- maximise the opportunity for the delivery of social housing units;
- secure the principle of integrated mixed tenure developments;
- address weaknesses in aspects of the existing legislation identified in a number of court judgements; and
- enhance the economic viability of developments.
Section 31 of the Act of 2015 amends section 94 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 by changing to 10%, the percentage of land that must be provided for social and affordable housing in a housing development. With regard to the provision of affordable housing, local authorities have been advised by my Department that in the context of the current acute need, social housing should be the priority for local authorities in the first instance. Local authorities should seek agreement to fulfil Part V obligations in the form of the direct transfer of completed social housing units, where possible. Furthermore, where capital funding is available, local authorities should aim to enter Part V agreements for the acquisition of social housing units by the local authority, or an approved housing body.
162. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the housing aid for older persons scheme and the housing adaptation grant for people with disabilities exclude works to address problems with an existing registered septic tank; if he is aware that such persons cannot avail of the existing septic tank grant unless they are randomly selected by the Environmental Protection Agency inspection programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36716/15]
View answerArising from the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a grants scheme is available to assist with the cost of remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed to require repair or upgrading, following inspection under the EPA’s National Inspection Plan and the subsequent issue of an Advisory Notice by the local authority. This provides for a local authority to pay a grant to a person who is required, following an inspection, to have repairs or upgrades to, or replacement of, a septic tank or other domestic waste water treatment system. Full details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, are set out in the explanatory leaflet and application form published on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/Water/FileDownLoad,33607,en.pdf.
Householders who do not meet the eligibility criteria included in the above regulations, but who wish to remediate or upgrade their on-site treatment systems, may qualify for relief under the Home Renovation Incentive Scheme, introduced under Section 5 of the Finance (No.2) Act 2013. The Scheme covers main residence repairs, renovations and improvements, including the repair or replacement of septic tanks and is administered by the Revenue Commissioners, with full details their website www.revenue.ie.
The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability is administered by local authorities with funding from my Department. Grant eligible works are generally those carried out to the fabric of a building such as structural repairs or improvements, re-wiring, repairs to or replacement of windows and doors, sanitary facilities, the provision of heating and other repair or improvement works which are considered reasonably necessary. In view of the focus of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes on works generally to the building fabric, and given the support that is available for the remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems set out above, I do not expect that local authorities would ordinarily approve works to address problems with a septic tank from these particular Schemes.
