Written Answers Nos. 571 to 593
571. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of homes and buildings in County Mayo which are subjected to pyrite issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43767/15]
View answerIn March of last year, my Department met with a number of private homeowners from County Mayo whose homes are affected by structural problems. The problems appear to concern approximately 15 private houses and the period of construction for the houses involved was 1997 to 2002. My Department was also made aware of problems associated with the cracking of concrete blocks in approximately three local authority estates in County Mayo involving some 17 dwellings. Additional information has been sought from the Council by my Department with regard to these estates.
While building defects are, in the first instance, matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the supplier and/or their respective insurers, I recently announced my intention to set up a small expert group, with a strong technical background, to establish, in so far as it is possible, the number of affected dwellings in Mayo and Donegal, the root cause of the problems and the technical solutions for remediation.
In this regard, the expert group will have the following terms of reference:
(i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo;
(ii) To carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, testing laboratories, industry stakeholders and other relevant parties, to establish the nature of the problem in the affected dwellings;
(iii) To outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and
(iv) To submit a report by 31 May 2016.
Arrangements are now underway within my Department to identify a suitable chair for the expert group and I will be seeking nominations shortly from a number of professional bodies for suitable persons to participate on the group.
572. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how he will combat rent increases, if and when he will introduce rent controls, what these rent controls will be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43772/15]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. Section 19 of the Act provides that in setting the rent under a tenancy, whether at the outset or by way of a review, the rent must not be greater than the market rent. Section 20 provides for the frequency with which rent reviews may occur.
On 10 November 2015, Government approval was given to a package of measures to address rent stability and housing supply. In relation to rent stability, the measures were given effect by the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015, enacted on 4 December 2015. This Act provides, inter alia, that the minimum period between rent reviews for tenancies is being increased from 12 to 24 months and this new provision will apply for a four year period. In addition, the minimum period of notice of new rent is increased from 28 days to 90 days and longer notice periods for the termination of long-term tenancies have been introduced. Each of these new provisions commenced on enactment.
Further amendments in the Act regarding rent and tenancies will be the subject of commencement orders. Details of the full package of new rent stability and housing supply measures are available at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,43556,en.pdf .
Ultimately, the key to addressing rising rents is increasing the supply of housing and Government is addressing this on a number of fronts, including Construction 2020; A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector and the Social Housing Strategy 2020. The package of measures announced on 10 November will act to stabilise rents in the short to medium term while the additional supply of housing comes on stream.
573. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the funding allocation announced recently for redevelopment works at Erne Dale in Ballyshannon in County Donegal will be made available to Donegal County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43862/15]
View answerMy Department issued provisional approval for funding in relation to the acquisition and refurbishment of eleven housing units at Erindale Heights, Ballyshannon, on 15 June 2015. This approval grants 30% support under the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) amounting to €292,155 to an approved housing body for the completion of this work. In addition, approval was also issued for support under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme in respect of an annual availability payment of €54,648 over a period of 30 years.
My understanding is that a programme of works is being finalised by the approved housing body, and on that basis, a recoupment claim has yet to be received by my Department from Donegal County Council in respect of this project.
574. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Comhshaoil, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil cén uair a bheifear i dteagmháil le Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe maidir leis an airgead atá curtha ar fáil faoina Roinn chun cé Inis Oírr a fhorbairt; an mbeidh ar an gComhairle Contae sciar den chostas a chur ar fáil le híoc as forbairt na cé agus más amhlaidh go mbeidh, cén céatadán a bheidh i gceist; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [43887/15]
View answerIs féidir liom a dheimhniú go bhfuil soláthar €8 milliún curtha ar fáil ag an Rialtas faoin gClár Bonneagair agus Infheistíochta Caipitil, 2016-2021 d’fhorbairt na cé ar Inis Oírr, Oileáin Árann. Tá sé mar chuspóir lárnach ag an Rialtas go leanfaidh pobail bhríomhara, inmharthana ag cur fúthu ar na hoileáin agus is léir go rachaidh an togra tábhachtach seo go mór chun tairbhe pobal Inis Oírr.
Beidh mé ag dul i mbun comhráití go luath faoin togra le mo chomhleacaí, an tAire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, Heather Humphreys T.D., a bhfuil príomhfhreagracht ag a Roinn as forbairt na n-oileán. Pléifear na mionsonraithe cuí maidir leis an togra tábhachtach seo a chur i gcrích ag an bpointe sin.
575. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the expenditure on the housing adaptation grant scheme and the mobility aid scheme from 2011 to date; the cost of restoring these to their 2011 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43939/15]
View answerMy Department provides funding under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. There are three separate grants available and local authorities receive an overall allocation, with the responsibility for the apportionment between the three schemes being a matter for each authority.
Information on the exchequer funding provided by my Department to each local authority for these grants is available on my Department’s website at the following link:http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/, by selecting ‘Social and Affordable Housing’, ‘Housing Adaptation Grants by Area 2008 to date’. Information on the 2015 allocations is on my Department’s website at the following link:http://www.environ.ie/en/GeneralNews/MainBody,41581,en.html.
The total funding allocation of €50.5m nationally for these grants that I announced in May 2015 represents an increase of some 10% over the 2014 funding. As the funding provided in 2011 was €76m, additional funding of €25.5m would be required to restore funding to that level. I am aware of the social benefit accruing from these schemes in terms of facilitating the continued independent occupancy of their own homes by older people and people with a disability and a further funding increase of 10% is proposed for the grants in 2016.
In addition, some changes were introduced to the grants in January 2014 following a review carried out in 2013. These changes are spreading the benefits of the grants as widely as possible and improving fairness and value for money in their operation. This approach, combined with the additional funding being provided, will see over 8,500 households benefit from the grants in 2016.
576. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of tenants with landlords who are not registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43960/15]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. The Act applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exceptions which are set out in section 3(2) of the Act. Where a dwelling is occupied by a person under an arrangement or agreement which is not a tenancy or under a tenancy to which the Act does not apply, such as instances where a bona fide licensing arrangement exists, the PRTB does not have any function in the registration of such agreements or arrangements.
In circumstances where it is unclear as to whether a particular rental agreement is a tenancy or a licence, the PRTB can adjudicate on the question and has done so in the past.
Where it finds that a tenancy is unregistered due to the landlord’s wrongful claim of licence, the PRTB can serve a notice requiring registration and failure to comply is an offence.
577. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of completed plans received under the Leader programme to date, including the names of the applicants and the sub-regional areas they relate to; the number of outstanding plans still awaited and the sub-regional areas they relate to; the number of groups successful at stage 1 of the process that have now indicated that they will not be submitting a plan under stage 2, and the sub-regional areas they relate to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43975/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, Ireland is conducting a two stage process for the selection of local development strategies to support the delivery of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
Stage one of the process is complete and those successful at stage one have moved to stage two of the process, which is the preparation of local development strategies in each of the 28 sub-regional areas.
There were 42 successful submissions to the expression of interest phase of the process, with 7 of these subsequently withdrawing their interest as follows:
|
Express ion of Interest W ithdrawn |
Sub-Regional Area |
|
Carlow County Development Partnership Ltd |
Carlow |
|
West Cork Development Partnership |
South Cork |
|
North & East LEADER Partnership Teoranta |
Kerry |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd |
Kerry |
|
South Tipperary Development Company Ltd |
Tipperary (South Tipperary) |
|
South Tipperary Development Company Ltd |
Tipperary (County Tipperary) |
|
Tipperary Leader |
Tipperary |
A minimum period of six months to end-January 2016 has been allowed for the submission of strategies by all Local Action Groups, with the majority expected to submit strategies within that timeframe.
To date, six local development strategies have been received as follows:
|
Local Development Strategy Received |
Sub-Regional Area |
|
Waterford LCDC |
Waterford |
|
North Cork LCDC |
North Cork |
|
Offaly LCDC |
Offaly |
|
Roscommon LCDC |
Roscommon |
|
Limerick LCDC |
Limerick |
|
Sligo LCDC |
Sligo |
A further twenty nine local development strategies are awaited in respect of twenty two sub-regional areas as follows:
|
Local Development Strategy Awaiting Submission |
Sub-Regional Area |
|
Carlow LCDC |
Carlow |
|
Cavan LCDC |
Cavan |
|
Clare LCDC |
Clare |
|
Clare Local Development Company |
Clare |
|
Donegal LCDC |
Donegal |
|
Dublin Rural LCDC |
Dublin |
|
Forum Connemara |
Galway |
|
Galway LCDC |
Galway |
|
Kerry LCDC |
Kerry |
|
County Kildare Local Action Group (Kildare LCDC / County Kildare LEADER Partnership) |
Kildare |
|
Kilkenny LCDC |
Kilkenny |
|
Kilkenny Leader Partnership |
Kilkenny |
|
Laois LCDC |
Laois |
|
Leitrim LCDC |
Leitrim |
|
Longford LCDC in partnership with Longford Community Resources |
Longford |
|
Louth LCDC |
Louth |
|
Mayo LCDC |
Mayo |
|
IRD Kiltimagh |
Mayo |
|
Moyvalley Resources |
Mayo |
|
Meath LCDC |
Meath |
|
Monaghan LCDC |
Monaghan |
|
South and East Cork Area Development Partnership |
South Cork |
|
South Cork LCDC |
South C ork |
|
Tipperary LCDC |
Tipperary |
|
West Cork Development Partnership |
West Cork |
|
West Cork LCDC |
West Cork |
|
Westmeath LCDC |
Westmeath |
|
Wexford LCDC |
Wexford |
|
County Wicklow LCDC/County Wicklow Partnership |
Wicklow |
578. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the investigation panel to examine the MICA issue will be established and functioning; what the process will be for those home owners affected by MICA in notifying the panel of the details of their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43989/15]
View answerIn order to assist the parties directly involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to their difficulties, I recently announced my intention to establish an expert group to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in both Donegal and Mayo.
While building defects are, in the first instance, matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the supplier and/or their respective insurers, a small expert group, with a strong technical background, will be set up to establish, insofar as it is possible, the number of affected dwellings in Donegal and Mayo, the root cause of the problems and the technical solutions for remediation.
In this regard, the expert group will have the following terms of reference:
(i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo;
(ii) To carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, testing laboratories, industry stakeholders and other relevant parties, to establish the nature of the problem in the affected dwellings;
(iii) To outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and
(iv) To submit a report by 31 May 2016.
Arrangements are now underway within my Department to identify a suitable chair for the expert group and nominations will be sought shortly from a number of professional bodies for suitable persons to participate on the group.
Once established the expert group will decide upon the means by which they will carry out their investigations, including the means by which they will interact with affected homeowners on the issues concerned.
579. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of times the fire service from a station (details supplied) in County Longford was called to assist at serious road accidents in each of the years 2012 to 2014. [44010/15]
View answerThe number of times the fire service from the station referred to in the Question was called to assist serious road traffic accidents in each of the years 2012 to 2014 is set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2012 |
10 |
|
2013 |
24 |
|
2014 |
19 |
580. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of an enforcement order issued by Westmeath County Council in respect of a company (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he can provide an update in respect of the implementation of Order. [44080/15]
View answer581. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a company (details supplied) was in receipt of Leader funding in 2013 after an enforcement order was issued against it; the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44081/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 581 together.
Responsibility for planning enforcement under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, is a matter for the relevant local authority, in this case Westmeath County Council. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 Act, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case, including a matter of planning enforcement, with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.
Westmeath Community Development Ltd. are contracted to deliver the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) in Westmeath and are the decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. This is in line with the ‘bottom up’ approach to rural development. The decision to award funding to the project referred to by the Deputy was taken by Westmeath Community Development Ltd. on 29 March 2012, with funding of €13,387 paid on 26 July 2013.
The provision of LEADER funding is subject to compliance with both EU and national regulations and rules at all times. In relation to the marina referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied, I am advised that funding was awarded and paid in respect of a feasibility study, which inter alia examined the project promoter’s existing business and potential business opportunities. No funding was provided for the development of the marina per se. Accordingly, I am satisfied that the enforcement order from Westmeath County Council was not breached by the LEADER funded project.
582. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the type of energy efficiency measures attended to by Mayo County Council on its social housing stock pursuant to funding from his Department between 2011 and 2014; how many housing units benefitted, by year; how many housing units remain in need of energy efficiency measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44088/15]
View answer583. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the energy efficiency measures attended to by Mayo County Council on its social housing stock pursuant to funding from his Department between 2011 and 2014, how many housing units had installed an oil-fired central heating system; how many had solid fuel ranges and back boilers removed in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44089/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 583 together.
My Department provides funding for certain programmes to support local authorities in the development and improvement of social housing, including improving energy efficiency. An ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting for the least energy efficient social houses was introduced in 2013, with €77 million funding being provided by my Department from 2013 to 2015. This has resulted in improved Building Energy Ratings and comfort levels in over 30,000 local authority homes, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a significant contribution to Ireland’s carbon emissions reduction targets and energy efficiency targets for 2020.
A programme of remediation and energy efficiency measures in vacant social housing was implemented from 2009-2012, under which improvements were carried out to over 7,700 social units nationally. In 2014, a new programme to remediate vacant properties was introduced with over €50 million funding being provided by my Department in 2014-2015. Nearly 5,000 vacant units are being remediated nationally between 2014 and 2015, with a particular focus on upgrading their thermal efficiency.
The number of social housing units in Mayo that have been retrofitted under Departmental energy efficiency programmes in 2011-2014 is as follows:
|
Vacant units retrofitted 2011 |
Vacant units retrofitted 2012 |
Fabric upgrade programme 2013 |
Fabric upgrade programme 2014 |
Vacant units retrofitted 2014 |
|
62 |
26 |
193 |
131 |
80 |
Currently my Department is not supporting any programme to remove solid fuel cookers and heating systems in existing social houses. A previous programme operated over the years 2004 to 2009 and saw local authorities upgrade the central heating of 27,750 social houses, at a cost to the exchequer of €140 million.
I understand that approximately 600 social housing units that are the responsibility of Mayo County Council remain to have their insulation retrofitted. The number of units that had an oil fired central heating system installed, or had solid fuel ranges and back boilers removed in the process, are not known in my Department and are matters for Mayo County Council.
584. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of home grants for the elderly (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44092/15]
View answerA total funding allocation for 2015 of €50.5m nationally was made available for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, an increase of 10% on the previous year.
At local level, the detailed administration and processing of the grants, including the assessment, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority.
585. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government who co-ordinates the emergency service teams in County Longford that are called to the scene of serious road accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44101/15]
View answerA Framework for Major Emergency Management sets out the arrangements by which the principal response agencies will work together in the management of large-scale incidents. In the event of serious road accidents, An Garda Síochána are the designated lead agency under this framework.
586. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how many hoax calls Cork City and Cork County Fire Service were called out to in each of the years 2013 to date, the cost of responding to these calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44150/15]
View answerThe number of false alarm incidents attended by Cork City Fire Service and Cork County Fire Service in 2013 and 2014, broken down by malicious and good intent, is set out in the following tables. The information for 2015 will not be available until early next year.
Cork City
|
Year |
Malicious |
Good Intent |
Total |
|
2013 |
69 |
196 |
265 |
|
2014 |
85 |
162 |
247 |
Cork County
|
Year |
Malicious |
Good Intent |
Total |
|
2013 |
162 |
460 |
622 |
|
2014 |
107 |
474 |
581 |
The cost incurred as a result of these calls is a matter for the local authority concerned, and is not collected by my Department.
587. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has discussed its grievances on the workings of the tyre working group and some of the practices and recommendations that have resulted from its deliberations, with the Independent Tyres Wholesalers and Retailers Association. [44166/15]
View answer588. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review the prescribed solution of a full producer-responsibility initiative, with the suggested loss of jobs, distortion of trade and imposition of a new tax on the consumer, given that the tyre industry claims that the tyre working group process was flawed. [44167/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 587 and 588 together.
Extensive discussions with the tyre industry through the establishment of a Tyres Working Group have taken place since the publication of the PRI Review Report on Tyres and Waster Tyres over two years ago in November 2013. The Tyres Working Group was, and continues to be, an open and transparent arrangement through which stakeholders have an opportunity to shape the future of the tyre sector in Ireland. However, the Independent Tyre Wholesalers and Retailers Association (ITWRA) withdrew from the Group shortly after I announced my decision to establish a full PRI for tyres and waste tyres in January 2015. My Department has been in occasional contact with the organisation since their decision to withdraw. The ITWRA continue to receive all Tyres Working Group related correspondence and on several occasions I have urged them to re-join the process and to embrace the opportunity to influence the shape of the new structures.
Prior to the adoption of the current 2007 Regulations, my Department made it very clear that this was the last opportunity for the tyre industry to embrace environmental compliance and take responsibility for the waste it produces. It stated that if the required improvement did not happen a full Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) model would be introduced. The Producer Responsibility Initiative report on Tyres and Waste Tyres published in November 2013 looked at the operation of the system introduced in 2007 and found:
- A non-compliance rate with the Tyre Regulations of 46%,
- A lack of consistent and accurate data on tyres,
- The system was not tracking data flows well, and
- Between 25% and 50% of waste tyres were not accounted for.
In summary, this system, which has resulted in between 15–20 million tyres being dumped illegally around our country, is failing to provide a proper waste management system for tyres and cannot be allowed to continue. The tyre industry is now being asked to do what operators in other areas such as WEEE, packaging, batteries, and farm plastics have been doing for years; that is, to take responsibility for managing the waste that they produce. Economic operators who are in compliance with the Regulations have nothing to fear from the new structures.
The model that is being introduced will formalise a charge that tyre retailers already apply to purchases of new tyres by consumers and ensure that the fee consumers pay actually goes towards its stated purpose, which is to support the environmental treatment of waste tyres. This charge varies across the country from around €1.75 to as much as €3.50 per tyre. As things stand, the consumer, in effect, pays twice – first, when they purchase new tyres and then, again, through their taxation when local authorities remove illegal tyre stockpiles across the country. The new system is therefore very positive from the perspective of the consumer.
Repak ELT, which has already replaced TRACS as the sole compliance scheme for tyres as of 1 November 2015, already has almost 200 members and the model that I am developing, which mirrors arrangements in place in 20 other EU Member States, will, I am confident, enjoy the full support of all members of the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association, who make up approximately 50% of the Irish tyre market.
As I have previously stated, I urge both the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) and the Irish Tyre Wholesalers & Retailers Association (ITWRA) to re-join the process and re-engage with my Department in finalising the details for the new regulatory regime. In addition, my Department and Repak ELT continue to engage with representatives from the farming, construction and haulage sectors on the new arrangements.
589. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority housing unit builds completed by county in 2015 to date, in tabular form. [44193/15]
View answer590. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority housing units builds commenced but not competed by county in 2015 to date, in tabular form. [44194/15]
View answer592. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of new social housing units and the scheme under which they have been delivered, in 2015 to date, in tabular form. [44196/15]
View answer593. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority units that will be built and commenced by county in 2016, in tabular form. [44197/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 589, 590, 592 and 593 together.
Information on all new social housing units constructed and acquired in respect of all local authorities and approved housing bodies is published on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15291,en.xls.
In addition, information supplied to my Department by local authorities identifies 112 construction ‘starts’ over the 9 month period to the end of September 2015 in respect of local authority contracted projects; I expect projects involving further significant local authority ‘starts’ to be reported in due course for Q4 2015. Equivalent information in relation to ‘starts’ in respect of Approved Housing Body projects in the same period is not readily available.
On 1 April 2015, I announced provisional funding allocations totalling €1.5 billion for all local authorities, to meet the delivery target of circa 22,900 social housing units out to 2017 of the Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020. 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.
In line with the targets, a major social housing construction and acquisition programme was kick-started as part of announcements of new local authority and approved housing body projects in May and July of this year. These projects will see the delivery of almost 3,000 new housing units at a value of almost half a billion euros, covering all 31 local authorities; full details 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.
It will be these projects, in addition to projects announced by my Department in March 2014, details of which are available at http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,36901,en.htm, that will be the construction projects to commence and complete in 2016. It is not possible to confirm the exact breakdown of local authority units to be commenced in 2016 on a county by county basis given that all projects must undergo planning and this and other factors can have a direct impact on the timing for the advancement of construction projects.
591. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of housing assistance payment tenancies in operation and yearly cost of these tenancies to the State by county in tabular form. [44195/15]
View answerThe implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a key priority for Government and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. To date, the HAP scheme has been introduced incrementally to 18 local authority areas, with over 5,200 households being supported by the scheme across those pilot local authority areas. Dublin City Council is also implementing a HAP pilot scheme for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of all four Dublin local authorities. Initially, for the purposes of the HAP statutory pilot, Limerick City and County Council have been nominated by the City and County Management Association (CCMA) as the lead authority in respect of the HAP project and are providing a transactional shared service hub for all local authorities operating HAP during the pilot phase. All HAP financial transactions, including the collection of differential rent from tenants and the payment of HAP rents directly to landlords, are being made by the transactional shared services hub. To date in 2015 , there has been expenditure of €10.3m on the HAP scheme, which comprises landlord and administration recoupment payments to Limerick City and County Council.
Funding for HAP has been increased to €47.7 million in 2016, in order to meet the continuing costs of HAP households supported at end 2015, and the costs of an additional 10,000 households to be supported by the scheme in 2016.
I am pleased with the operation of the HAP scheme and I would like to commend the local authorities on their engagement with the scheme to date. The information requested on households supported by HAP is set out in the following table.
|
Local Authority |
Commencement Date of HAP Scheme |
Active HAP Tenancies (30/11/2015) |
|
Carlow CC |
29/06/2015 |
70 |
|
Clare CC |
29/06/2015 |
184 |
|
Cork City Co |
29/06/2015 |
87 |
|
Cork CC |
15/09/2014 |
824 |
|
Donegal CC |
25/05/2015 |
360 |
|
Dublin City Co* |
18/12/2014 |
42 |
|
Dun- Rathdown CC* |
18/12/2014 |
1 |
|
Fingal CC* |
18/12/2014 |
6 |
|
Galway CC |
16/11/2015 |
1 |
|
Kildare CC |
02/11/2015 |
6 |
|
Kilkenny CC |
01/10/2014 |
494 |
|
Limerick City & Co |
15/09/2014 |
1013 |
|
Louth CC |
01/10/2014 |
622 |
|
Monaghan CC |
01/10/2014 |
168 |
|
Meath CC |
02/11/2015 |
6 |
|
Offaly CC |
15/06/2015 |
71 |
|
South Dublin CC** |
01/10/2014 |
523 |
|
Tipperary CC |
29/06/2015 |
155 |
|
Sligo CC |
16/11/2015 |
1 |
|
Waterford City & Co |
15/09/2015 |
628 |
|
Total |
|
5262 |
* Dublin City Council is operating HAP Homeless pilot on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities.
** Includes some households supported through the HAP Homeless pilot.
