Dessie Ellis
Question:100. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the allocation to local authorities for housing maintenance, in tabular form. [18595/16]
View answerLocal Authority Housing Maintenance
Questions (100)
Written answers
The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs to properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 and is not directly funded by my Department.
Over and above maintenance programmes and responsive repairs of social housing by local authorities, my Department supports local authorities under a range of specific exchequer-funded programmes to improve the quality and availability of social housing stock. These programmes include support for the return of vacant properties to productive use, improving the energy efficiency of social housing stock and providing funding towards the cost of adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. Full allocations for 2016 in respect of these programmes are currently been formally notified to local authorities and in the meantime, local authorities have been authorised since early 2016 to carry out works as needed, to deal with vacant social houses, to make energy efficiency improvements by way of attic/roof insulation and cavity wall insulation, and to carry out extensions/adaptations, where required.
Local Authority Housing Provision
Questions (101)
Dessie Ellis
Question:101. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for a progress report on rapid-build housing in Dublin City. [18596/16]
View answerWritten answers
In October 2015, the Government approved a programme to deliver 500 units of rapid-delivery housing across the Dublin Region for homeless families currently residing in commercial hotels. This programme is being implemented to mitigate the issues associated with an increasing volume of homeless households accommodated in inappropriate commercial hotel arrangements. The units will provide emergency accommodation for those families currently in hotels in the first instance, offering a greater level of stability while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Furthermore, such arrangements will facilitate more coordinated needs assessment and support planning for access to all required services, including welfare, health and housing services.
An initial 22 units have been delivered and occupied in Poppintree, Ballymun and another 131 units are expected for completion in the Dublin City Council area by the end of this year. In addition, 44 units are to be delivered in the Fingal County Council area by the end of this year. A further 305 units will be provided in 2017 across the four Dublin authorities, the bulk of which will be delivered in the early part of the year. A procurement framework, overseen by the Office for Government Procurement, will be in place by September and will be available all local authorities for the procurement of rapid-delivery housing.
Local Authority Housing Standards
Questions (102)
Dessie Ellis
Question:102. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to expand the insulation programme to remaining houses that do not benefit from cavity insulation (details supplied). [18597/16]
View answerWritten answers
Local authorities are currently undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting, with the support of my Department, on the least energy efficient social homes. Funding of some €85 million has been provided from 2013 to end-2015 to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 46,000 local authority homes, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a significant contribution to Ireland’s carbon emissions reduction targets and energy reduction targets for 2020.
The insulation retrofitting programme is being implemented in two phases, Phase 1 commenced in 2013 and is focused on providing attic/roof insulation and the less intrusive cavity wall insulation in all relevant properties. There are 80,000 social homes to be tackled in that phase and to end-2015, some 46,000 homes have been retrofitted, with further good progress anticipated under that phase in 2016.
Phase 2 of the programme will focus on the external fabric upgrade of those social housing units with solid/hollow block wall construction, of which there are 28,000 homes. This phase has commenced on a pilot basis in both Fingal and Westmeath local authorities in 2015 and the outcome of this pilot work will inform the full national roll-out of Phase 2 across all local authorities.
Local Authority Housing Provision
Questions (103)
Alan Kelly
Question:103. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Bagenalstown, County Carlow which should result in the creation of 24 housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18624/16]
View answerWritten answers
The advancement of the project at Bagnalstown, County Carlow to construct 24 new social housing units through design, planning and construction is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council.
My Department recently granted funding approval for this project following the completion of the tendering process by the local authority and I expect works to commence on site shortly.
Local Authority Housing Provision
Questions (104)
Alan Kelly
Question:104. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Tullow, County Carlow which should result in the creation of 14 housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18625/16]
View answerWritten answers
The advancement of the project at Tullow, County Carlow to construct 14 new social housing units is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council.
I understand that the Council is currently preparing tender documents in relation to this project with a view to advancing the project at the earliest possible opportunity.
Local Authority Housing Provision
Questions (105)
Alan Kelly
Question:105. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Rathvilly, County Carlow, which should result in the creation of ten housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18626/16]
View answerWritten answers
The advancement of the project at Rathvilly, County Carlow to construct 10 new social housing units through design, planning and construction is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council. I understand that this project is due to start on site shortly.
Local Authority Housing Provision
Questions (106)
Alan Kelly
Question:106. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Myshall and Mount Leinster, County Carlow which should result in the creation of eight housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18627/16]
View answerWritten answers
The advancement of the projects at Myshall and Mount Leinster, County Carlow to construct 8 new social housing units is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council.
I understand that the Council is currently preparing tender documents in relation to these projects with a view to advancing them at the earliest possible opportunity.
Local Authority Housing Provision
Questions (107)
Alan Kelly
Question:107. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Bagenalstown, County Carlow which should result in the creation of six housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18628/16]
View answerWritten answers
The social housing project to deliver 6 units at Bagenalstown, County Carlow is now complete, with funding of €829,969 provided by my Department.
Local Authority Housing Provision
Questions (108)
Alan Kelly
Question:108. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Borris, County Carlow which should result in the creation of four housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18629/16]
View answerWritten answers
The advancement of the project at Borris, County Carlow to construct 4 new social housing units through design, planning and construction is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council. I understand that the Council is preparing tender documents for the project at present with a view to advancing this project at the earliest opportunity.