Written Answers Nos. 86-98
86. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the extent to which he expects revised planning procedures and protocols to facilitate an acceleration of house building in both the public and private sectors; if a reduction in house prices may accrue therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35421/16]
View answerThe main purpose of the recently published Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 is to give early effect to a number of priority legislative commitments in the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, including those relating to Pillar 3 which is about building more homes and making the planning permitting and approvals systems more efficient. In this regard, two key measures in the Bill propose:
the introduction of temporary fast-track planning arrangements whereby planning applications for large-scale housing developments (100+ units), including student accommodation developments (200+ units), will be made directly to An Bord Pleanála and determined within the specified maximum timeframe of 25 weeks; and
the streamlining of timelines, to a maximum of 20 weeks, for presenting and considering local authority own development proposals, including social housing proposals, through the Part 8 process.
Both of these streamlining measures, in respect of large housing developments and local authority own developments proposals, are intended to provide greater certainty in respect of the timelines for the progression of such housing developments, thereby facilitating the earlier provision of increased housing supply and helping to address the current housing supply shortage situation.
It is estimated that, from the aggregation of factors arising from measures already taken to reduce housing input costs, including the package of interim measures on housing supply, entitled Stabilising Rents – Boosting Supply which was approved by the Government in November 2015, a decrease in the cost of building new residential units by between €20,000 and €40,000 can be achieved, depending on whether apartments or houses are being constructed. Among the main contributing factors are:
implementation of new apartment guidelines, Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities published in December 2015;
reforms to the Part V process;
reductions in development contributions and a targeted development contribution rebate scheme in Dublin and Cork to encourage large-scale developments at affordable prices; and
the establishment of the new €200m Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF).
It is also expected that the additional planning related measures in the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016, in combination with the above measures and those outlined in the Action Plan, will help to activate housing development, increase the supply of new homes and in turn have a further positive impact on house prices.
88. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if, in conjunction with the Dublin homeless executive and relevant local authorities, his Department will initiate a review of the practice of requiring households presenting as homeless to self-accommodate. [35440/16]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. In accordance with section 37(2) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, rests with individual housing authorities. The matter raised in the Question is an operational matter for housing authorities within their statutory function and I have no plans at present to initiate such a review.
89. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his response to damning national and international reports on puppy breeding farms here; his plans to cease this barbaric treatment of animals and ensure enforcement of the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32205/16]
View answerThe regulation of dog breeding establishments is a matter for local authorities in accordance with the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010. Each local authority must maintain for public inspection a register of dog breeding establishments in its functional area, which must include the name and address of the applicant seeking entry onto the register, the address of the dog breeding establishment and the maximum number of breeding bitches that may be kept at the dog breeding establishment or premises.
The Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010 provides a robust regulatory framework for, inter alia, the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments.
A joint inspection regime of dog breeding establishments, involving the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Local Authority Veterinary Service, was inaugurated last year for the purpose of inspection and follow up action. The discovery of individual problematic dog breeding establishments, and the taking of action by the Gardaí, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and local authorities in an integrated manner in the most serious cases, is a matter for the enforcement authorities concerned.
In late 2015, my Department agreed to begin a process of review of the current Dog Breeding Establishment Guidelines, with meetings to review the Guidelines commencing last January. The work undertaken to date has been to produce a first draft revision, which is currently under consideration in my Department. I intend to extend the consultation process on the guidelines shortly.
More generally, the enforcement of welfare standards regarding all animals is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
90. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the total number of properties included in the pyrite remediation scheme; the total number of estates in which these properties are located; the total number of houses in these housing estates; and if he will run a pilot project to test properties in these estates that currently do not have physical damage to determine the level of pyrite that affect such properties in the future. [35432/16]
View answerThe latest figures available from the Pyrite Resolution Board indicate that 1,409 applications have been received under the pyrite remediation scheme, of which 1,064 have been approved for inclusion in the scheme as follows:
271 are at remedial works planning stage,
41 are at tender/tender analysis,
35 are at tender decision,
241 are under remediation, and
476 are complete.
The Pyrite Resolution Board have indicated that applications have been received from 45 developments containing multiple applications, 27 developments with only one application, and 36 single site applications.
The Report of the Pyrite Panel (June 2012) recommended a categorisation system as a means of prioritising pyrite remediation works in recognition of the expensive and intrusive nature of pyrite remediation and the unpredictability of pyritic heave. The independent Pyrite Panel was clear in its view that only dwellings with significant damage due to pyritic heave should be remediated and that it would be unreasonable to expect dwellings not exhibiting such damage to be remediated. Dwellings which have no significant damage but have reactive pyrite in the hardcore should be monitored and only remediated if they display significant damage due to pyritic heave.
The relevant provisions of Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 and the eligibility criteria of the pyrite remediation scheme are reflective of the conclusions and recommendations of Panel’s report. In this regard, there is no sunset provision in the Act. Where a dwelling, which has a Damage Condition Rating of 1 and is currently not eligible under the scheme, progresses to a Damage Condition Rating of 2, an application can be made at that point in time for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme.
As matters currently stand, there is no requirement on any homeowner to carry out testing on their property in order to confirm the presence or otherwise of reactive pyrite in the subfloor hardcore and I have no proposals to run a pilot programme in this regard. However, I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol does provide an objective, reliable and robust means by which dwellings can be tested and categorised and it is open to any homeowner to test the hardcore material in their home in order to establish whether it is susceptible to expansion due to reactive pyrite.
91. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the figures on the Galway City Council and Galway County Council transfer list, specifically in relation to those households that have been put on a transfer list after having gone into RAS, HAP and-or long-term leasing; the criteria for allocation of a local authority house to a household on this list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35474/16]
View answerThe practical operation of transfer lists is a matter for each local authority to manage, on the basis of their scheme of letting priorities. My Department does not gather or hold any information on households seeking a transfer to an alternative social housing support whether they are currently having their housing needs met through HAP, RAS and or any other form of social housing support.
On 16 December 2014, a statutory direction was issued to all authorities involved in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, instructing them to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefiting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support, should they wish to do so, through a transfer option. Local authorities were also directed that HAP recipients, who apply to go on the transfer list, should get full credit for the time they spent on the waiting list and be placed on the transfer list with no less favourable terms than if they had remained on the waiting list.
It is ultimately up to the household to choose if they wish to be placed on a local authority’s transfer list, and I understand that the majority of HAP households do avail of this option. As of the start of November 2016, over 190 households across the country have transferred from the HAP scheme to other forms of social housing support.
92. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of e-mails he has received to date from the secure rents campaign launched on 25 October 2016 by organisations (details supplied). [35457/16]
View answerPillar 4 of the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan commits to developing a comprehensive strategy for the rental sector in Q4 2016. My Department has just completed a public consultation process in relation to the strategy and has received a number of submissions from a wide range of stakeholders, which will contribute to shaping the final strategy.
The number of emails received from the secure rents campaign is 375.
93. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will request the housing agency to conduct a report on the all-in cost of providing private sector houses and apartments, comparisons of costs here with other OECD countries, and policy recommendations to Government on the best way to bring down the cost of providing private sector homes. [35449/16]
View answer160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the extent to which he and his Department continue to monitor the cost of house building with particular reference to the need to ensure that house prices do not return to the unsustainable levels experienced before the economic collapse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35593/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 160 together.
Under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Government is committed to a broad range of measures to tackle, among other things, some of the costs associated with the provision of housing in the interests of reducing construction overheads. This includes undertaking a detailed analysis, in conjunction with the construction sector, to benchmark housing delivery input costs in Ireland, in order to facilitate an increased level of housing output into the future. A working group, chaired by my Department, will begin work on this task over the coming weeks with representatives from the Construction Industry Council.
My Department has also input into work led by the Department of Finance in relation to construction costs which was undertaken under the Construction 2020 Strategy. In addition, costs are examined in the context of proposed legislative changes, particularly in relation to Building Regulations, and a cost benefit analysis and regulatory impact analysis is carried out on any proposed amendments.
In the context of social housing provision, my Department undertakes analysis in respect of the average costs associated with the delivery of a range of differently sized social housing units, both in terms of construction costs and ‘all-in’ costs. These costs are based on an analysis of returned data from local authorities on social housing schemes and this is kept under constant review.
Further measures taken by my Department to bring down the cost of providing private sector homes include the €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF), which will provide much-needed enabling infrastructure on key sites to open up lands for development from early 2017 onwards.
In addition, the NTMA, through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), is developing proposals to offer competitive financing on a commercial basis, and in line with ISIF’s statutory mandate, to meet other infrastructure requirements on large development sites.
94. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the national oversight and audit commission report on rented house inspections published in October 2016 and, in particular, on the findings in the report of the low inspection levels in many local authorities, the 55% non-compliance rate in properties inspected and the €1.3 million shortfall in funding in the private rented sector functions in 2014. [35442/16]
View answerI am committed to developing a real and meaningful strategy for the rental sector to enable it to develop to its full potential. Ensuring quality accommodation standards in the sector is an integral part of this process.
Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. The Regulations specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and safety of gas and electrical supply. With very limited exemptions, these regulations apply to local authority and voluntary housing units as well as private rented residential accommodation.
To ensure that the standards reflect the requirements of a modern rental market, a review of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended, has been initiated. The review is at an advanced stage with new regulations currently being finalised.
The findings and recommendations of the National Oversight and Audit Commission’s report, Rented Houses Inspections - A Review of Local Authority Performance of Private Rented Houses Regulations Functions will be carefully considered in the context of the development of a strategy for the rental sector, which is well under way in my Department. As indicated in Rebuilding Ireland – an Action Plan for Housing & Homelessness, a number of measures in relation to improving the enforcement of standards in the rental sector will be considered, including a move towards delivery of enforcement services on a regional basis.
96. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the delay in assigning a case to an officer with regard to a file submitted to the Property Registration Authority of Ireland (details supplied); the timeframe for when this will be assigned; when a final decision may be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35570/16]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions.
The Deputy will be aware of the service to T.D.s and Senators which provides information on the current status of applications, such as the subject of this question, which was introduced in May 2006. The service provides a speedier, more efficient and more cost effective alternative to submitting Parliamentary Questions. It is operated by the PRA and is available all year round.
I can further inform the Deputy that his query has been forwarded to the PRA for attention and direct reply via the above mentioned service.
97. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the costs incurred to date under headings such as office accommodation, legal expenses, salaries and so on for each commission of investigation formally established since 2012 by her Department; the estimated final cost; the expected completion date of the commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35651/16]
View answerSince 2012, two commissions of investigations were established under the remit of my Department:
- The MacLochlainn Commission of Investigation was established under SI No 346 of 2014 to undertake a thorough investigation of the fatal shooting of Mr Ronan MacLochlainn by members of the Garda Síochána in the course of an attempted armed robbery of a Securicor van in Co. Wicklow in May 1998.
- The O'Higgins Commission of Investigation was established under SI No 38 of 2015 to investigate and report on certain matters relative to the Cavan/Monaghan Division of the Garda Síochána.
The costs to date of these commissions are set out in the attached table. The administration costs include matters relating to the running of the Commissions, such as rent, equipment and salaries. Both sole members were paid at the rate of a High Court Judge and in the case of Judge O'Higgins, pension abatement applied. The cost of the Commissions' legal teams are separately itemised.
|
Commission of Investigation |
Administration
€ |
Commission legal team
€ |
Witness legal costs and expenses € |
Overall Cost
€ |
|
MacLochlainn Commission |
€591,960 |
€236,775 |
€320,922 |
€1,149,657 |
|
O’Higgins Commission |
€773,932 |
€553,974 |
€449,449 |
€1,777,355 |
The above costs are provisional. The final report of the MacLochlainn Commission has not yet issued due to legal proceedings having been taken by one party before the Commission. The O'Higgins Commission reported on 25 April 2016 and costs relating to it have been paid, including third party costs. I should mention that the Guidelines setting out the rates for legal costs for witnesses and others incurred in connection with the Commission are the subject of a Judicial review by one of the parties.
98. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of 5 October 2016, in which matters pertaining to a criminal investigation were queried, if she has received the information sought from the Garda Commissioner; if she will provide a comprehensive response to this query; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35552/16]
View answerFurther to my response of 5 October 2016, I understand that the allegations which are the subject of the Deputy's representations on behalf of the person concerned have now been referred to in the course of his legal proceedings.
Accordingly, as these proceedings are ongoing it would not be appropriate for me to comment further in the matter.
