Written Answers Nos. 60 - 72
61. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if will he publish the full data report on planning permissions for 2016 as referenced at the meeting of the Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on 12 October 2016. [35462/16]
View answerThe data referred to by the Deputy have been published on my Department’s website and are available on the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/housing_statistics_planning_timelines_2016_for_joint_oireachtas_committee.xlsx.
62. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he plans to revise the SI 9 Building Control Regulations for multi-unit dwellings; his views on whether the self-regulatory assigned certifier system is the safest and most cost-effective building control system. [35467/16]
View answerA review of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 9 of 2014), following its first 12 months in operation, was announced on 2 April 2015. While the review examined the impact of S.I. No. 9 of 2014 on single dwellings and domestic extensions, it was not restricted nor confined to those specific issues. It constituted a full review of the operation of the regulations, which was open to all construction professionals, industry stakeholders, local authorities and other interested parties. The scope and objectives of the review were as follows:
(a) To review the operation of S.I. No. 9 of 2014 in consultation with industry and local authority stakeholders and members of the public;
(b) To consider in particular the impact of S.I. No. 9 of 2014 on single dwellings and extensions to existing dwellings having regard to specific concerns which have been raised in relation to the cost burden of the regulations and the level of certification required for this sector;
(c) To consider more generally the impact of S.I. No. 9 of 2014 on owners, occupiers and users of buildings have regard to the statutory purposes for which building regulations may be made (i.e. public safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, efficient use of resources and good building practice);
(d) To make recommendations that will strengthen and improve the arrangements in place for the control of building activity in keeping with the principles of good and fair administration; and
(e) To report with recommendations to the Minister of State as soon as possible, but in any event no later than 30 June 2015.
A total of 171 submissions were received from private individuals, industry stakeholders and local authorities during the public consultation process. All submissions received were reviewed by my Department and a report on the consultation process was published on my Department’s website on 31 July 2015 and remains available at:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,42398,en.pdf .
No specific issues were raised during the consultation process in relation to the impact of S.I. No. 9 of 2014 on multi-unit developments.
I am confident that the key reforms introduced by the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and complemented by the Building Control Management System (BCMS) represent a reasonable, cost effective and appropriate response to the many building failures that occurred in the past decade and will lead to improved quality within the construction sector in the future.
63. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the Water Framework Directive places an obligation on the State to introduce a water abstraction licensing scheme; if so, when he plans to introduce it; the details of the scheme; and if large commercial businesses that extract large volumes of water will be included. [35436/16]
View answerThe Water Framework Directive requires that abstractions of surface water or ground water which are likely to have a significant effect on water status must be regulated. My Department is currently examining how best to address this requirement in a proportionate and efficient way.
While no decisions will be made on any proposals in this regard until thorough public consultation is undertaken, I expect that a proportionate abstraction control regime can be developed that would effectively manage abstraction risks and pressures without imposing an unnecessary regulatory burden. Recognising the relatively low abstraction pressures in Ireland, the scale and extent of which will be set out in a draft River Basin Management Plan I expect to publish for public consultation in the coming months, it is expected that such a regime would focus on the most significant abstraction volumes and pressures, recognising that the Directive does not require the registration and licensing of private wells serving individual domestic dwellings.
65. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide an outline of explorations into the provision of voting rights for Irish emigrants in the presidential election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30270/16]
View answerThe Convention on the Constitution, in its Fifth Report, recommended that voting rights be extended in presidential elections to Irish citizens resident outside the State. The Government considered the Convention report in February 2015 and decided that it would be necessary to analyse the full range of legal, practical and policy issues arising before any decision could be made on the holding of a referendum on the matter. The estimated costs arising would also need to be fully analysed and considered. The Government asked the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, in co-operation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Minister of State with responsibility for diaspora affairs, to analyse these issues and to report back to the Government in due course.
A range of complex and interrelated issues are being examined as part of the analysis being undertaken. For example, the potentially very high number of citizens outside the State is an important consideration. Questions arise as to whether voting rights should be extended to all citizens resident outside the State or to particular categories of citizens such as passport holders, those born in Ireland or those who have lived outside the State for a limited period. The registration of voters who are resident outside the State and the way in which they would be enabled to vote are other important matters that need to be considered. This work is ongoing in my Department with a view to its completion as soon as possible.
66. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the first bundle of social housing PPPs, consisting of 677 homes and announced in October 2015, will commence; if he has had meetings with the NTMA to ensure a speedy delivery of these projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35236/16]
View answerThe Social Housing Strategy 2020 provided for an investment with a capital value of €300 million in social housing through the public private partnership or PPP model. In total, the programme is expected to deliver 1,500 social housing units.
The delivery of social housing through PPP is part of the plan to accelerate the supply of social housing, which is the second pillar of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing & Homelessness, launched in July 2016.
To enable delivery to commence as quickly as possible, the PPP programme is being rolled-out in three bundles. The first bundle, comprising six PPP sites which are to provide over 500 units in the greater Dublin area, was announced in October 2015. The social housing is being developed at these sites in co-operation with the local authorities in each area. Two of the sites are located in Dublin City with one each in South Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth.
The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), which operates under the auspices of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), is acting as the procuring authority on behalf of my Department and the relevant local authorities. Dublin City Council has been appointed to act as the lead local authority for the delivery of the social housing PPP Programme in respect of this first project bundle.
These PPP projects are expected to take an estimated 37-48 months to deliver, in total. The design team for the first bundle of sites was appointed in August 2016 and the site appraisal and design development works are currently being undertaken. It is envisaged that a planning application, which will be subject to the relevant public consultation provisions, will be submitted for the sites in early 2017. Progress on the project to date is in line with the estimated delivery timescales. My Department maintains ongoing contact with the NDFA and with Dublin City Council in overseeing the delivery of the project.
67. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the contingency plans in place to provide Irish Water with an additional €58 million in the event that the Oireachtas votes to abolish water charges in 2017. [35459/16]
View answerAn Expert Commission has been established to make recommendations for the sustainable long-term funding model for the delivery of domestic water and wastewater services by Irish Water. The Commission will report to a Special Oireachtas Committee and consideration of recommendations on the funding model will ultimately be voted upon by the Oireachtas next year. Pending the outcome of the Expert Commission on the funding of domestic water services and the consideration of the Commission’s report by the Oireachtas, it is not possible to determine what financial implications may arise for Irish Water post March 2017; the financial implications arising from the suspension of water charges up to March 2017 have already been addressed by the Government.
On 30 September 2016, the CER published its consultation on the level of Irish Water's allowed revenue, including proposals on operational and capital budgets, for the 2017 and 2018 period with a view to a final decision being made by the CER by end 2016. A copy of the CER's consultation paper is available on its website, www.cer.ie.
68. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the engagements he or his officials have had with housing officials in South Dublin County Council in recent months regarding the provision of additional emergency accommodation in that council’s administrative area. [35452/16]
View answerHousing authorities have statutory responsibility for the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, on a regional basis. The four Dublin housing authorities have agreed that Dublin City Council acts as the lead local authority with regard to the provision and oversight of homeless services in the Dublin Region and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive carries out these functions under a shared service agreement with the authorities. Accordingly, my Department liaises primarily with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive in relation to funding and service needs across the Dublin Region, and such liaison occurs on an on-going basis.
In addition, my Department also engages with all four Dublin authorities directly on a range of social housing and homelessness issues as necessary and, in that context, is continuing to engage with the authorities to explore a range of homeless accommodation options in the Dublin region.
69. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the total number of new social housing units currently under construction; the location of these units; and the target date for when these units will be tenanted. [35451/16]
View answerIn May 2015, the first major direct build social housing programme for some years was announced with over 100 separate housing projects. This was followed up by further approvals and announcements in July 2015 and January 2016. These three major announcements saw almost €680 million allocated for over 3,900 new social housing units, mainly via new construction projects and also including turnkey developments and acquisitions. Details are available 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 .
http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/ministers-kelly-coffey-announce-further-1000-social-housing-units.
These projects created a pipeline of new social housing construction projects that had not existed for many years, during which period the role of local authorities in delivering social housing had diminished. Since those announcements, I have continued to approve further construction schemes with an additional 1,100 units of accommodation, worth in excess of €200 million, added to the pipeline.
All of these projects are now at various stages of advancement, ranging from planning and development work by local authorities, across to projects that are on site. I am keen that they are all advanced as quickly as possible and I have assured the local authorities that funding is available to fully support their efforts in this regard.
Overall, our efforts to significantly ramp up social housing construction nationally are taking effect. In 2015, just 74 units were constructed by local authorities, while there are currently in excess of 1,200 units started on site, listed by local authority area, with further projects commencing construction on an ongoing basis.
|
Local Authority |
Units under construction through local authority direct build, including Rapid Build, regeneration areas and units being constructed by AHBs under the Capital Assistance Scheme and the Capital Advance Leasing Facility |
|
Carlow County Council |
52 |
|
Cavan County Council |
0 |
|
Clare County Council |
3 |
|
Cork City Council |
37 |
|
Cork County Council |
19 |
|
DLR County Council |
130 |
|
Donegal County Council |
11 |
|
Dublin City Council |
604 |
|
Fingal County Council |
9 |
|
Galway City Council |
0 |
|
Galway County Council |
0 |
|
Kerry County Council |
6 |
|
Kildare County Council |
0 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
50 |
|
Laois County Council |
33 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
0 |
|
Limerick City and County |
137 |
|
Longford County Council |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
15 |
|
Mayo County Council |
28 |
|
Meath County Council |
39 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
7 |
|
Offaly County Council |
0 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
0 |
|
Sligo County Council |
22 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
10 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
0 |
|
Waterford City and County |
15 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
0 |
|
Wexford County Council |
25 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
0 |
In addition, over 700 further social housing units are currently under construction by developers for delivery to local authorities and approved housing bodies as turnkeys when completed, while local authorities and AHBs are also undertaking significant programmes of acquisitions and remediating vacant units for immediate use.
On completion of these units through whatever delivery means, their final tenanting is then a matter for the local authorities directly. However, I am keen that in all cases there should be no undue delay between the completion of units and their tenanting by the local authorities.
70. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to publish updated wind turbine guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32062/16]
View answerIn December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed:
- the setting of a more stringent day-and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,
- a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations, and
- the complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.
A public consultation process was also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which ran until 21 February 2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.
As outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government is committed to finalising the revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines within the first six months of coming into office. The revisions to the Guidelines will be informed by the public consultation process and by best international practice. My Department is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, in order to bring the matter to a conclusion as early as possible.
The revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, when finalised, will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard to such guidelines, issued under Section 28, in the performance of their functions under the Planning Acts.
71. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the percentage of the 2016 capital allocation for new builds and house purchases that was expended in the first nine months of 2016; and if he will provide a breakdown per local authority of spending. [35226/16]
View answerTotal funding of €933 million has been made available in 2016 for the provision of housing. This includes a capital provision of €180.12 million to support the provision of local authority housing through a programme of construction and acquisitions. To date in 2016, €137 million has been expended under the local authority programme, representing 76% of the 2016 allocation. Details of expenditure to date under the local authority capital programme by individual authority are given in the table.
The expenditure to date figure of €137 million includes a sum of €1.039 million for the procurement of housing for local authorities by the Housing Agency. As is normal with capital programmes, I anticipate a continued high level of spend in the remaining weeks to year end.
|
Local Authority |
Local Authority Capital Programme - Expenditure to date in 2016 (€) |
|
Carlow |
€1,126,796 |
|
Cavan |
€1,303,754 |
|
Clare |
€2,668,864 |
|
Cork County |
€10,993,534 |
|
Cork City |
€4,706,226 |
|
Donegal |
€1,409,078 |
|
Dublin City |
€34,771,469 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
€4,364,688 |
|
Fingal |
€1,499,670 |
|
Galway County |
€1,089,581 |
|
Galway City |
€475,000 |
|
Kerry |
€1,654,592 |
|
Kildare |
€16,399,128 |
|
Kilkenny |
€4,304,870 |
|
Laois |
€1, 382,085 |
|
Leitrim |
€447,615 |
|
Limerick City and County |
€227,043 |
|
Longford |
€496,881 |
|
Louth |
€5,617,903 |
|
Mayo |
€2,201,746 |
|
Meath |
€5,684,037 |
|
Monaghan |
€1,316,578 |
|
Offaly |
€41,188 |
|
Roscommon |
€890,695 |
|
Sligo |
€1,704,410 |
|
South Dublin |
€9,737,281 |
|
Tipperary |
€5,601,699 |
|
Waterford City and County |
€4,910,789 |
|
Westmeath |
€3,030,175 |
|
Wexford |
€5, 396,426 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
72. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his current position on pension-related deductions, PRDs, applying to local authority workers who are also employed as retained firefighters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30938/16]
View answerIn 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service. Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of actual service (up to a maximum of four times the annual retainer). All retained fire-fighters appointed after 1 January 2013 must join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 states that any public servant who is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme, or receives a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme, is subject to Pension Related Deduction (PRD) from their remuneration. Additional pension benefits do not arise as a result of this deduction.
In the case of a local authority worker who is also a member of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme, PRD contributions are payable in respect of the pay applicable to that employment also, on the basis that such a person qualifies for the payment of a pension and lump sum as a member of the LGSS.
The payment of the retirement gratuity to retained firefighters who are not members of the LGSS is a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme and, as such, all retained fire-fighters, whether members of a public service pension scheme or not, are subject to the deduction outlined in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. Responsibility for this legislation rests with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
