Written Answers Nos. 29 - 43
29. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of persons in recovery from addiction availing of emergency accommodation and the risks posed to their recovery by being placed in temporary accommodation with persons who are still active in addiction. [2168/17]
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 and, in accordance with sections 38 and 39 of the Act, a Homelessness Consultative Forum and Statutory Management Group, which include representatives of the Health Service Executive, advise and assist housing authorities, inter alia, in the configuration and provision of homeless services in their areas.
I am aware of the difficulties faced by those recovering from addiction in emergency accommodation and I am informed that, within the statutory structures mentioned above, the HSE is actively involved in providing appropriate in-reach services to assist such individuals with their addiction, mental health and other health needs. Also, where appropriate to the individuals’ needs, I understand that the service providers in emergency accommodation will try to ensure recovering addicts are placed in single rooms to assist them in their recovery.
As the Deputy would be aware, responsibility for policy development in relation to addiction and rehabilitation issues rests with the Minister for Health and the delivery of services in this regard is managed through the Health Service Executive. Under Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Department of Health and the HSE are committed to addressing the rehabilitation needs of homeless people with addiction issues through the forthcoming new National Drugs Strategy, which will have a particular emphasis on projects providing drug and alcohol detoxification programmes and enduring services supporting long-term recovery.
Furthermore under Rebuilding Ireland, the target for delivering secure tenancies for the most-vulnerable homeless individuals under the Dublin Region ‘housing-first’ initiative has been tripled from 100 to 300. These permanent, stable and supported tenancies for long-term homeless individuals will reduce their reliance on emergency accommodation over time. A Focus Ireland – Peter McVerry Trust consortium is tasked with delivering this programme.
30. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of applications to the local infrastructure housing activation fund which would be of great benefit to accelerating housing in County Kildare; when he expects to make an announcement on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2182/17]
View answerThe aim of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund is to relieve critical infrastructural blockages to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites and to improve the economic viability of new housing projects in Dublin and in urban areas of high demand for housing. The €200m Fund will be composed of an Exchequer allocation of €150 million, matched by a €50 million contribution from participating local authorities.
A call for proposals under the fund was issued to local authorities on 26 August 2016, with a closing date for receipt of proposals of 14 October. It was open to all local authorities to apply, with funding to be allocated on the basis of a competitive bid process. Twenty-one local authorities, including Kildare County Council, have submitted a total of 74 project applications, relating to specific sites or development land areas.
The overall total cost of the 74 funding bid applications is approximately €800m, with funding of some €600 million being sought from the Exchequer and local authorities agreeing to fund approximately €200 million as part of their matching fund requirements. It will not be possible to approve all applications, given the scale and value of applications received.
The viability of the applications is currently being examined in detail against the assessment criteria set out in the Call for Proposals, with a focus on the level of funding required and what it might leverage, the number of housing units that could be delivered, their strategic location and speed of delivery, and affordability levels of a proportion of the homes. I intend to announce successful applications during the first quarter of 2017.
31. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he has had any discussions on the new centralised national public library procurement system which would appear to be discriminating against small library supply businesses here and may lead to businesses closing and the loss of jobs. [2020/17]
View answerThe provision of public library services, including the procurement of books, is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. My Department has no direct role in these matters.
A national tender for book stock procurement is being progressed by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of local authorities. The Request for Tender was published on the ‘e-Tenders’ website in October 2016 and the process is expected to conclude shortly. The LGMA has confirmed that the process was conducted in a fair and transparent manner and in full compliance with all regulations, policies and guidelines governing public procurement in Ireland. There was no discrimination against any supplier. Indeed, the publication of the tender in six lots sought to ensure equality of opportunity for all suppliers.
As the tender process is ongoing it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the process or the outcome at this time.
32. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the detail of the land that is owned by Galway city and county council and zoned residential; the location of those lands in the city and in the county; if that figure includes the lands transferred by the city or county under the land aggregation scheme; the figure for the lands transferred; the plans for those lands; the location of those lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2176/17]
View answerRebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which is available at http://rebuildingireland.ie/Rebuilding%20Ireland_Action%20Plan.pdf, contains a number of integrated actions to underpin active land supply management for the delivery of housing. Initially, this involves identifying and mapping sites in local authority and public ownership with appropriate lands to be master-planned to deliver increased mixed-tenure housing, including social and more affordable homes, to meet demand.
The Housing Agency, in close consultation with my Department and local authorities, has already commenced the mapping of approximately 700 sites in local authority ownership and those held by the Agency under the Land Aggregation Scheme, showing their location, size, boundaries and other information. This includes information on all lands suitable for housing in the ownership of Galway City Council and Galway County Council, as submitted to the Housing Agency by the respective local authorities, as well as the site at Ballymoneen Road, previously in the ownership of Galway City Council, now held by the Housing Agency under the Land Aggregation Scheme (LAGS). This is the only site situated in Galway that is in the LAGS.
This map will form part of the broader National Land Supply Management Strategy (as committed to under Action 3.5 of Rebuilding Ireland), which is being developed within the context of the National Planning Framework (NPF). In this regard, an initial public consultation process will commence later this month with the aim of finalising the NPF later in 2017. Once collated, the map will be made available, and will be updated to record the development and use of these lands.
Furthermore, with regard to Land Aggregation Scheme lands, the Housing Agency is tasked with preparing a Strategic Management Plan for each of the sites held by it under the Scheme (as committed to under Action 2.7 of Rebuilding Ireland). This work will be completed in the first Quarter of 2017. With specific reference to the LAGS site at Ballymoneen Road, my Department has issued approval to Galway City Council for the construction of 69 social housing units of accommodation to be completed under two phases. Phase 1, which involves 14 units of accommodation, is currently at tender stage while Phase 2 of the scheme, to deliver a minimum of 55 units of accommodation, is at design stage.
Rebuilding Ireland also proposes the development of new approaches to local authority housing strategies, as part of their statutory development plans, with a particular focus on the selection of privately owned sites for delivery of starter homes at affordable prices to meet housing needs across their area, across tenures and house types, as well as meeting the social housing requirements.
34. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the information he has available of the annual cost to the Exchequer of subsidies, including tax breaks and tax exemptions, for private landlords, developers and other property owners including vulture funds, as compared to the cost of State investment in permanent State owned local authority housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2181/17]
View answerThe cost to the Exchequer of subsidies, including tax incentives and tax exemptions, falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
In respect of social housing, to support the implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, I have secured €5.35 billion in exchequer investment to deliver 47,000 social housing units through build, refurbishment, acquisitions and leasing, over the period to 2021. A total of €1.3 billion is being provided for the delivery of housing services in 2017.
35. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to seek more funding to purchase more units in view of the fact that banks (details supplied) have offered the State up to 1,000 vacant houses for purchase yet to date the Government has only provided money for the purchase of 200; the amount of funding; and the number of additional units. [2143/17]
View answerUnder Actions 2.5 and 5.6 of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Housing Agency is actively and positively engaged with banks and investment companies in relation to its acquisitions programme. €70m is being provided to the Agency in 2017 to establish a revolving fund to acquire some 1,600 units over the period to 2020 for social housing use. The fund will be replenished by the Agency through the sale of units to Local Authorities and the Approved Housing Body sector at cost.
Once properties have been offered for consideration to the Agency by banks or investment companies, the Agency co-ordinates with local authorities regarding their local social housing requirements. This is an on-going process and the Agency is continuing to liaise with local authorities on lists of properties provided by banks, investment funds etc. Not all properties offered are deemed suitable. Unsuitable properties may be located in areas with no social housing demand or may be physically or financially unsuitable (for example, poor quality dwellings or dwellings above price limits). They may also have been located in areas which were deemed to have sufficient social housing already. It should also be noted that properties can be withdrawn during the process by the vendor due to legal or other issues.
Since the launch of Rebuilding Ireland in July, the Agency has fully completed the purchase of 27 additional properties and has signed contracts to purchase a further 160 properties. It is expected that these acquisitions will be fully completed in January or early February 2017. In total, therefore, the Agency has completed or signed contracts for a total of 187 properties since the launch of the Action Plan. Further details of the progress under this initiative will be outlined in future Rebuilding Ireland quarterly progress reports.
36. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to take steps to protect tenants who have been served with rent reviews that are demanding 50% and 60% rent rises by landlords trying to evade the proposed rent caps in some areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2147/17]
View answer40. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the huge rent increases facing some tenants on foot of rent review demands notified by landlords in the days before his recent Bill was passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2146/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 40 together.
The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2016 regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Acts to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants.
The Acts provide that rents may not be greater than the open market rate and generally may only be reviewed upward or downward every 24 months unless there has been a substantial change in the nature of the accommodation that warrants a review. Tenants must be given 90 days’ notice of new rent and may make an application for dispute resolution to the RTB where they feel the rent increase is in excess of the market rent. These provisions have effect notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in a lease or tenancy agreement.
On 13 December, Government approved the publication of a Strategy for the Rental Sector, which delivers on a commitment made under the Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness which was published in July 2016.
One of the measures contained in the Strategy is the introduction of a Rent Predictability Measure. This is a new provision that will moderate the rise in rents in the parts of the country where rents are highest and rising. In these areas, called Rent Pressure Zones, rents will only be able to rise by a maximum of 4% annually. This measure has been applied immediately to Dublin and Cork city because they already meet the criteria for a Rent Pressure Zone.
The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced the Rent Predictability Measure with effect from 24 December 2016. If a valid notice of new rent was served on a tenant before the legislation was enacted, or a valid rent review commenced before that date, then the rent pressure zone formula does not apply.
However, a rent review cannot take place until 24 months has elapsed since either the commencement of the tenancy or since the last rent review under the tenancy and the rent set may not be greater than the open market rate. Where the tenant feels that these conditions have not been fulfilled, they may initiate a dispute resolution procedure with the RTB.
A notice of new rent must be in writing and must be accompanied by information in relation to the rents of 3 other similar dwellings in the area. The purpose of this provision is to ensure that tenants are adequately informed in relation to prevailing rents and are aware of their rights under the Act, particularly in relation to market rent and the procedures for bringing a dispute to the Residential Tenancies Board where a tenant believes the new rent is in excess of market rent.
Where a tenant brings a dispute to the Residential Tenancies Board regarding the validity of a notice of new rent, the rent may not increase until the proceedings have been determined.
37. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will address the need to bring forward new guidelines on wind farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38584/16]
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 February 2014. The Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.
In light of the commitment in the Programme for A Partnership Government to finalise the Guidelines and on-going policy and legal developments in this area, my Department is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines and related matters in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, in order to bring the various issues to a conclusion as early as possible. I expect to be in a position to make a statement on the matter in the coming weeks, outlining the timelines for implementation of the various elements.
38. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the measures his Department has taken or planned in order to improve the enforcement of standards in the rental sector in response to the National Oversight and Audit Commission's report, Rented House Inspections - a Review of Local Authority Performance of Private Rented Houses Regulations Functions, which was published in October 2016; if his Department plans to introduce a type of NCT for rental properties as recommended by advocacy groups (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2170/17]
View answerOn 13 December 2016, I published the Strategy for the Rental Sector, one of the key measures promised under Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homeless. The strategy sets out a range of measures under the headings of Security, Supply, Standards and Services to address both immediate and long term issues affecting the supply, cost, accessibility and quality of rental accommodation.
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.
The findings and recommendations of the National Oversight and Audit Commission’s (NOAC) report, Rented Houses Inspections - A Review of Local Authority Performance of Private Rented Houses Regulations Functions were carefully considered in the context of the development of the Strategy.
A review of the standards regulations to bring them into line with modern requirements has been completed and changes to the regulations, focussing on tenant safety and including new measures covering heating appliances, carbon monoxide and window safety, will be published shortly and will take effect from 1 July 2017. New guidelines to address the findings of the NOAC report and ensure a uniform approach to inspections and enforcement both within and across local authorities will be issued in Q2 2017.
Specific ring-fenced funding for inspection and compliance activity will be identified from 2018 onwards in order to increase the numbers of properties inspected and annual targets for both inspection and compliance will be agreed with local authorities. The objective is to increase inspection numbers incrementally each year with the aim of achieving a 25% annual inspection coverage rate by 2021.
As outlined in the Strategy, in order to support landlords and improve standards in the rental sector, the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) will offer a voluntary landlord accreditation scheme by which landlords and agents will gain knowledge on best practice, including a comprehensive understanding of the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. Such accreditation will be voluntary and offered as a service by the RTB, rather than mandatory regulation. The accreditation will show tenants that landlords are professional and offering a quality service and allow landlords to be recognised for the good service being provided. It will also support landlords in their rental business, providing confidence in applying and adhering to the regulatory framework. The potential for accreditation courses and Continuous Professional Development or refresher courses for all registered landlords will also be explored.
The Strategy can be accessed on the Rebuilding Ireland website at: http://rebuildingireland.ie/Strategy-for-the-Rental-Sector.pdf.
39. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if, in view of recent confusion as to when the monthly homeless figures will be released, he will consider publishing the monthly homeless figures within two weeks of the end of the month in question; and if, in future, he will include adults and children in emergency domestic violence refuges funded by Tusla, non-residents in emergency accommodation funded by the new communities unit of the Department of Social Protection or those persons sofa surfing in his Department’s monthly homeless figures. [2144/17]
View answerThe official monthly homelessness data reports provided by housing authorities are produced using the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. They therefore do not capture details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements which are not overseen by housing authorities, such as clients of domestic violence refuges or the New Communities Unit. Any relevant data compilation and management in relation to those clients is a matter for Tusla and the Department of Social Protection respectively. Likewise, persons who may be ‘sofa surfing’ are not in State-funded emergency accommodation overseen by housing authorities and would not be eligible for inclusion in the official monthly reports or officially regarded as homeless, unless such persons are deemed to be homeless by housing authorities having regard to the criteria set out in section 2 of the Housing Act 1988.
The official monthly reports are published on my Department's website as soon as the data from housing authority reports has been compiled, assessed and verified. While I am not in a position to commit to a target date for the publication of each month’s data, I will continue to ensure that the data are published in as timely a manner as possible, taking account of the need to collect the housing authority reports, liaise with the housing authorities on any data quality issues and compile the data into a formal publication, without impacting negatively on the overall quality of the data.
42. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will consider broadening the eligibility criteria for the tenant purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2122/17]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
All tenants of houses included in the scheme who meet the eligibility criteria can apply to purchase their house, provided they are not disqualified from doing so under the provisions of the legislation. Reasons for disqualification include rent arrears, participation in a previous tenant purchase scheme or engagement in anti-social behaviour.
In line with the commitment given in Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a review of all aspects of the first 12 months of the scheme’s operation is currently being undertaken by my Department. Details of how to get involved in the public consultation process which will inform this review can be found on my Department’s website at the following link:http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/tenant-purchase-scheme/public-consultation-review-tenant-incremental-purchase.
I expect this review to be completed by the end of Quarter 1 2017.
43. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the growing proportion of new housing purchases made by investment funds and REITs, and the fact that financial companies now control 90,000 of mortgages and the effects of this on the housing and rental markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2171/17]
View answerA lack of additional housing supply coming on stream over the past decade or so in the areas of strongest demand is one of the principal root causes of our current housing crisis. Activity by institutional and professional residential sector investment specialists such as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) in purchasing housing and engaging in the building out of part completed schemes and commencing new housing projects is a positive signal of investment beginning to flow back into the housing sector to provide the housing that people need.
The acquisition and management of properties by professional Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) is one component part of a more sustainable, long-term property rental market for both investors and tenants. While commercial property investment has been a key focus for some of the REITs launched to date in Ireland, residential property also forms part of the sector's interest and exposure. It is expected that the sector will continue to develop over time and in so doing to increase the supply of professionally managed, good quality, secure and affordable rented accommodation. Investments by REITs that increase the number of dwellings available in the rented sector are a positive development. That said, a diverse sector, which includes both institutional investors specialised in providing and managing larger scale residential rental projects and small scale and individual landlords, is inherently more stable and less exposed to property market risk and volatility.
Historically the private rented sector in Ireland has been largely made up of small-scale landlords, who will continue to provide the bulk of private rented accommodation. Institutional investors can also help provide the range of tenancy options that households need across their lifecycles. Attracting large scale investment in property has an important role to play in helping to deliver the professional high-standard rental sector that tenants deserve.
In cases where buy-to-let mortgages are sold on by the original lender, the rights and responsibilities of the landlord and tenant and the terms of the mortgage are unaffected.
