Written Answers Nos. 242-266
242. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the EU funds his Department accesses; the plans he is putting in place to access these funds to a greater degree in view of Brexit; if he will outline initiatives he is pursuing to establish access to new funds in view of the challenge of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8804/17]
View answerMy Department accesses the European Social Fund (ESF, including the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI)), the European Globalisation Fund (EGF), PEACE IV and Erasmus+ funding. EU Funding is also available to researchers and institutes under the Horizon2020 programme.
The ESF operates within the Multi-Annual Financial Framework and the ESF allocations are agreed for the 2014-20 funding round. The relevant Operational Programme for Ireland, the “Programme for Employment, Inclusion & Learning 2014-2020” (PEIL) was approved by the European Commission in February 2015. The key areas chosen for the ESF investment in Ireland revolve around activation of the unemployed, social and labour market inclusion, education and youth employment. The total budget of the PEIL is €1.153 billion, with the ESF and the Exchequer each contributing €542.43 million and the EU YEI budget contributing €68.145 million. I anticipate that the entire ESF allocation will be drawn down in due course.
The EGF is an EU co-funding instrument to assist workers made redundant as a result of globalisation or due to the global financial and economic crisis. The EGF has a maximum annual budget of €150m for 2014-2020 which can be approved to fund 60% of the cost of Member State’s qualifying programmes.
To be eligible for assistance there must be at least 500 redundancies in a specific company (including suppliers/ downstream producers) in a 4 month period, or at least 500 redundancies in a specific sector in a 9 month period. However, in small labour markets or in exceptional circumstances, applications can be made where these criteria are not entirely met and the Member State can substantiate that there is a serious impact on employment and the local, regional or national economy. Ireland has made 10 successful EGF applications to date, of which 9 are closed and 1 is on-going. The EGF Managing Authority, located within my Department monitors redundancy situations on an on-going basis, to assess the potential for EGF assistance.
Horizon 2020 is the current EU framework programme for research and innovation and runs over seven years from 2014 – 2020. Horizon 2020 is open to applications from individual researchers, higher education institutes, research performing organisations, private industry including SMEs etc. and these bodies apply directly for the research grants. In the period from commencement of Horizon 2020 in January 2014 to September 2016, Ireland's drawdown is €336 million.
My Department will also be liable for expenditure under the Shared Education objective of the Peace IV programme (2014-2020). The outcome of the UK Referendum on EU membership has implications for the programme which is 85% funded by the EU. But the Irish Government has been clear about its commitment to the successful implementation of the programme and its ambition to see successor programmes post-2020.
As part of the Government's contingency planning for Brexit, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform identified the implications for the Peace and Interreg programmes as an issue that would have to be addressed in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Executive and the European Commission, and that process commenced immediately following the referendum result.
In October 2016 agreement was reached between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Northern Ireland counterparts on the terms of Letters of Offer to programme beneficiaries. The objective was to Brexit-proof Letters of Offer to the greatest extent possible and to give programme beneficiaries assurance as to the legal and financial commitments they are entering into so they can plan for the future with confidence. On this basis it will be possible to proceed with the full implementation of the Peace IV programme on a firmer basis than would otherwise have been the case. My objective now is to see the current programme implemented fully and the Government’s intention is to secure agreement from the EU and the UK for successor programmes post-2020.
Erasmus+ is the EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport for 2014-2020. It aims to make a contribution to meeting the key challenges facing Europe to boost growth and jobs and to foster social equity and inclusion. Erasmus+ will provide opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, gain work experience and volunteer abroad. The Programme aims to boost skills and employability, while supporting the modernisation of education, training and youth systems. Funding is provided for mobilities, organisational partnerships and policy work. The allocation for Ireland is €169m over the seven year duration. The funding for 2017 is in excess of €19m with significant increases expected annually to 2020. While the future participation of the UK in Erasmus+ is unknown until negotiations between the EU and UK are concluded, it is not envisaged that the funding allocations to Ireland will change during the present term of the scheme.
My Department will continue to monitor drawdown of EU funds under the various EU programmes and will seek to maximise opportunities to claim any new funding that becomes available as a result of Brexit.
In addition, the Action Plan for Education 2017 includes an action to develop a strategy to attract world-leading researchers to Ireland in the context of Brexit. This specifically relates to programmes and awards funded by the Irish Research Council. Funding of €1.5m was provided in Budget 2017 to support this work.
243. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress on the Technological Universities Bill 2015; if he still favours the amalgamation of AIT with Dundalk; if his Department is examining alternative proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8818/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government outlines that this Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities.
This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030. With regard to the institute of technology sector, the Strategy recommended significant reforms to position the sector to meet national strategic objectives. In particular, the Strategy recommended consolidation within the sector and a pathway of evolution for those consolidated institutes of technology, to allow them to demonstrate significant progress against robust performance criteria and to apply to become technological universities.
Consortiums who have applied to become Technological Universities:
As part of the implementation of the Strategy, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in 2012 published a four-stage process and criteria for applicant groups of institutes of technology wishing to apply to become technological universities. There are currently four consortia engaged with the process to become designated as TUs.
These are TU4Dublin (Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown), Technological University for the South-East (TUSE - consisting of Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow), Munster Technological University (MTU - consisting of Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee) and the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA - consisting of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo and Letterkenny Institute of Technology).
Neither, Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) nor Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) have made an application, either as part of one of the existing consortiums or as a joint consortium, to commence the process towards designation as a Technological University.
Position of Technological Universities Bill:
In relation to the legislation, the third Government Legislative Programme of this Partnership Government was published on 17 January 2017, and the Technological Universities Bill is listed on the Dáil Order Paper and is awaiting Committee Stage.
I recognise that there were a significant number of matters raised previously in respect of the Bill at both Committee and Report Stage. Accordingly, I have commenced a process of consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders, including Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) and Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT), in relation to both the matters raised during the legislative process and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.
Following the finalisation of this consultation process I will then advance the legislation having determined a position in relation to any matters raised as part of this consultation process.
244. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which efforts continue to be made to create apprenticeship opportunities under various trades; the degree to which specific shortages have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8820/17]
View answerFollowing the Review of Apprenticeship Training in Ireland, the Apprenticeship Council was established in November 2014 to oversee the expansion of the apprenticeship system into a range of new sectors of the economy. The Council immediately began work on a call for proposals for the development of new enterprise-led apprenticeships. The call issued in January 2015 and over 80 proposals were received from industry stakeholders working with education and training providers.
The Apprenticeship Council has been working with the proposers of these new programmes to develop them in sustainable apprenticeships that can be delivered on a nationwide basis. Recently we have seen the first of these new programmes coming on stream with the Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship commencing in September 2016 and the Industrial Electrical Engineer Apprenticeship getting underway in November 2016. 13 further new apprenticeships are due to launch later this year in various sectors including medical devices, polymer processing and financial services.
Last month, I launched the Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020, which sets out how state agencies, education and training providers and employers will work together to deliver on the Programme for Government commitment on the expansion of apprenticeship and traineeship in the period. The Plan sets out how we will manage the pipeline of new apprenticeships already established through the first call for proposals and also commits to a new call for apprenticeship proposals later this year. Over the lifetime of the Plan, 50,000 people will be registered on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes which represents a doubling of current activity.
In addition, a campaign to promote apprenticeship is currently being developed by SOLAS in consultation with key partners, including the Apprenticeship Council. The campaign will raise awareness and promote the value of apprenticeship for individual apprentices and for employers and it will cover both existing apprenticeships and the new apprenticeships now coming on stream.
245. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the public funding supplied to trade unions and representative bodies in 2015 and 2016 from his Department, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9097/17]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is currently being compiled by my Department and will be forwarded shortly.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
246. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the Docklands oversight and consultative forum, including membership, meetings to date and its workplan for the year. [8736/17]
View answerThe Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Act 2015, which facilitated the wind-up of the Authority, provided in Part 5 for the establishment of a Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum on a statutory basis. The function of the Forum is to facilitate continued local stakeholder input into future social and economic regeneration of the Docklands area. The Forum will consider and advise Dublin City Council, and the Council’s Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs), on issues relating to its functions in so far as they relate to the Dublin Docklands Area.
The Act provides for the forum to have an independent Chairperson and 21 ordinary members, to include the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council or his nominee, 4 elected members of Dublin City Council, 5 members from groups involved in community development in the area, 5 members from groups representing the business community, 5 members from public authorities with a remit in Docklands and 1 member representing the educational sector.
I recently appointed the following members to the Forum:
|
DDDA Dissolution Act |
Name of Body. |
Member |
|
Section 39 (2) Chair |
n/a |
Mr. Michael Stubbs. |
|
Section 39 (6) (a). CEO of DCC. |
Dublin City Council |
Mr. Owen Keegan. |
|
Section 39 (6) (b) Elected members |
Dublin City Council |
Councillor Christy Burke. Councillor Claire Byrne. Councillor Dermot Lacey. Councillor Gaye Fagan. |
|
Section 39 (4) (a)- Community |
H.O.P.E Hands Peer Education |
Irene Crawley |
|
Co-operative Housing Ireland (Society) Ltd |
Ms. Catherine O’Brien. |
|
|
Grand Canal Dock Residents Association |
Mr.Michael Ingle. |
|
|
St. Andrews Resource Centre |
Dolores Wilson |
|
|
North Wall Community Association |
Gerry Fay |
|
|
Section 39 (4) (b)- Business |
Docklands SME & Start-up Partnership |
Owen O’Reilly |
|
Docklands Hospitality and Entertainment Venue Association |
Charlie Sheil. |
|
|
Docklands Business Forum |
Alan Robinson |
|
|
Trinity College Dublin |
Dr Mary Lee-Rhodes |
|
|
Dublin Docklands Culture Forum |
Vincent Mc Cabe. |
|
|
Section 39 (4) (c)-Educational |
National College of Ireland |
Ms. Gina Quin. |
|
Section 39 (4) (d)- Public Authorities |
Dublin Port Company |
Eamonn O’Reilly |
|
Waterways Ireland |
Ms. Terre Duffy |
|
|
The Central Bank |
Mr. Paul Molumby |
|
|
Iarnród Éireann |
Mr. Frank Masterson |
|
|
Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs |
Mr.Martin Colreavy |
The first meeting of the Forum will be convened shortly by the Chair and at which point the work-plan will be decided by the Forum.
247. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the 4% rent limits included as the new rent pressure zones apply to the rental accommodation scheme, housing assistance payment, SCHEP lease and approved housing body tenancies. [8110/17]
View answerThe Rent Predictability Measure provided for in the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, applies to tenancies supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) as these tenancies are governed by the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2009.
Under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) local authorities enter into long-term lease or availability agreements which can range from 10 to 30 years with private property owners and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to secure units for social housing purposes. The Residential Tenancies Acts do not apply to these types of contracts and therefore the Rent Predictability Measure does not apply to these arrangements. However, the limiting effect the Measure will have on market rent inflation will impact positively on costs from a local authority perspective in the context of the periodic rent reviews that form part of the SHCEP contractual arrangements. Where a dwelling the subject of a SHCEP lease or availability agreement is subsequently let by a housing authority or an approved housing body to a social housing tenant, the tenant is charged a differential rent.
Sections 19 to 22 of the 2004 Act, which include provision for the Rent Predictability Measures, do not apply to AHB tenancies. Three new sections, sections 19A, 20A and 22A, were inserted into the 2004 Act by the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 to provide for the setting of rents and rent reviews in AHB tenancies. Section 19A provides for the setting of rent in AHB tenancies; section 20A provides for reviews of rent in AHB tenancies; and section 22A provides for the notification of a change in the amount of rent following a review under section 20A. In general, Approved Housing Bodies use the differential rent scheme applied by local authorities to determine the rents of their dwellings.
248. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department will in principle approve funding under the Traveller accommodation programme for a two bedroom extension in respect of a property in Galway city for a family that consists of eight children and two adults, in the event that the local authority recommends and makes a submission to his Department for such an extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8137/17]
View answerMy Department provides funding to local authorities to support housing adaptations and extensions for social housing for a range of circumstances, including to address overcrowding. However, the management of the scheme locally is a matter for the local authority, including the assessment and prioritisation of applications.
249. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of money paid by his Department in 2016 to local authorities for the upgrade of private wastewater facilities; his plans to extend eligibility for this grant to all registered owners of such facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8150/17]
View answerThe Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, brought into operation a grants scheme to assist with the cost of remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed, following inspection under the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Inspection Plan, to require repair or upgrading. The grant scheme ensures that the limited financial resources available are targeted towards householders, particularly those on lower incomes, who incur expenditure directly as a result of the implementation of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012. The Regulations provide that, subject to the applicant meeting all qualification criteria, a local authority may pay a grant to a person who is required, following an inspection, to have repairs or upgrades to, or replacement of, a septic tank or other domestic waste water treatment system. Full details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, are clearly set out in the explanatory leaflet and application form published on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov .ie/en/Publications/Environment/Water/FileDownLoad,33607,en.pdf.
It is not proposed to make any changes to the grant scheme at this time.
Householders who do not meet the eligibility criteria included in the above regulations but wish to remediate or upgrade their on-site treatment systems may qualify for relief under the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) Scheme introduced under Section 5 of the Finance (No.2.) Act 2013. The HRI scheme covers main residence repairs, renovations and improvements, including the repair or replacement of septic tanks. The scheme is administered by the Revenue Commissioners and full details are published on the Revenue Commissioner’s website (www.revenue.ie).
Applications for grant aid in respect of remediation works are submitted to, and processed by, the local authorities who then seek recoupment of the amounts paid from my Department. Details of the grant amounts recouped by my Department to local authorities since the scheme was introduced in 2013 are published on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/dwwts_grants_paid_2014-2017_1.pdf.
250. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he or his Department have been briefed on any proposed changes by the Dublin city manager to the current operation of the emergency ambulance call out service as provided by the Dublin Fire Brigade. [8194/17]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question Nos. 150 and 151 of 16 February 2017, which sets out the position in this matter.
251. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason the Local Government Management Agency, LGMA, decided to rush the execution of the framework agreement to a UK company prior to the expiration of the challenging period, especially when the LGMA was aware that at least two Irish tenderers had expressed great reservation on the legality of the procurement process in the framework agreement for the supply of library books and AV material competition; the reason for the haste, in view of the fact that the LGMA's own system, according to its tender document, would not be ready until 31 March 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8196/17]
View answer252. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason the Local Government Management Agency is advising participating local authorities to promptly place call off contracts under framework agreements, even if statutory judicial review proceedings have been issued, as according to regulation 8(2) of the remedies regulations, contracting authorities are prohibited to conclude any contract until such date that the court has determined the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8197/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together.
My Department has no role in relation to the procurement of book-stock for public libraries. The 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.
A national tender for book-stock procurement was run recently by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of local authorities. All matters related to the tender process were managed by the LGMA with support from the Education Procurement Service.
My Department had no direct role in this process.
Arrangements have been put in place by bodies under the aegis of the Department to facilitate the provision of information by those bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. Accordingly, information requested in respect of the national book-stock tender can be sought directly from the LGMA at corporate@lgma.ie.
253. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to add the Drogheda and greater Louth area to the rent pressure zones, RPZs, in view of the new information (details supplied) that shows the correspondence between Louth County Council and the Housing Agency during the consultation period to choose suitable areas for RPZs, in which Louth County Council state the current rent prices are far greater than the figures used to decide the RPZ. [8239/17]
View answer254. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will revisit the decision and designate Drogheda and the greater Louth area in the rent pressure zone, in view of a report (details supplied) that shows the year on year increase in the Louth area now at 17.3%, the quarter on quarter increase at 4.2% and average monthly rents at €952; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8240/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 254 together.
The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to provide that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone.
For an area to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone, it must satisfy the following criteria set out in section 24A(4) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended by section 36 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016):
(i) The annual rate of rent inflation in the area must have been 7% or more in four of the last six quarters; and
(ii) The average rent for tenancies registered in the area with the RTB in the last quarter must be above the average national rent (the National Indicative Rent in the RTB’s Rent Index Report) in the last quarter.
The Act provides that in confirming whether or not the criteria have been met, the information relating to the area concerned must be determined by the information used to compile the RTB Rent Index quarterly report. I have no further role or discretion in proposing areas for designation as Rent Pressure Zones or in deciding whether they should be designated. The designation process is independent and based on clear objective criteria and quantifiable evidence. All areas that meet the criteria have now been designated but the Housing Agency will continue to monitor the rental market and may recommend further areas for designation. Where, following the procedures set out in the Act, it is found at a future date that additional areas meet the criteria, they will be designated as Rent Pressure Zones.
255. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the Drogheda boundary review; when the final decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8256/17]
View answerIn June 2015, an independent statutory committee was appointed to carry out a review of local government boundaries in Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda and Waterford. In each case, the committee was asked to carry out a review of the boundary between the respective local authorities and to make recommendations with respect to those boundaries and any consequential matters that they consider necessary in the interests of effective local government. The report in relation to Drogheda was submitted to me in the past week. I will be considering it, along with the other boundary reports, in the context both of ongoing work in relation to the future of local government in Ireland and also the development of Ireland 2040, the new National Planning Framework, over the coming months. I intend to address all relevant issues as part of the overall report on local government matters to be submitted to Government and the Oireachtas in mid-2017 under the Programme for a Partnership Government.
256. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of households and the equivalent number of persons that are in receipt of rent supplement, HAP and RAS in County Kildare; the cost of rent supplement, HAP and RAS in County Kildare for 2015 and 2016; the number of households that have had their rent increased above the prescribed rent supplement; if he will provide a breakdown of one bedroom, two bedrooms, three bedrooms and so on of those households; the monetary value of those increases in 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8284/17]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), which has been rolled out to local authorities on a phased basis, was commenced in the Kildare County Council administrative area on 2 November 2015. As HAP is rolled out nationally and replaces Rent Supplement for households with a long-term housing need, the number of households transferring to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) will decrease. In the meantime, RAS continues to be an effective and secure form of social housing support that local authorities have been utilising in order to secure additional social housing.
In relation to HAP, at the end of 2015, 32 households were being supported by HAP in the Kildare County administrative area with €8,626 in total payments to landlords made in respect of those tenancies in that year. At the end of 2016, an additional 773 households were supported by HAP in Kildare, at a provisional cost of €2.6m in payments to landlords for the full year.
In relation to RAS, at the end of 2015, 653 households were supported by RAS in Kildare County. To end December 2016, a further 69 households had been transferred to RAS in Kildare County during 2016. The final number of households supported in 2016 is being collated and will be provided on my Department’s website along with the figures for all other local authorities once available. The cost of RAS to my Department in Kildare County Council was € 6.26 m and €6.43 m in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Details on the number of persons in each household supported by any of the social housing schemes funded by my Department are not held by my Department and are a matter for the local authorities concerned. Information relating to the cost of, and tenancies supported by, Rent Supplement is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection.
257. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when his Department will issue the official guidelines to regulate solar energy projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8286/17]
View answerThere are no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar farms. Proposals for individual solar farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Planning applications are made to the relevant local planning authority with a right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála. Under the Planning and Development Act, each planning authority's development plan must set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned. Section 10 of the Act requires a development plan to include, inter alia, objectives for the provision or facilitation of the provision of infrastructure, including energy facilities, and many local authorities have developed renewable energy strategies for their areas in this context.
In making decisions on planning applications, planning authorities and the Board must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the local development plan, any submissions or observations received and relevant Ministerial or Government policies, including any relevant guidelines issued by my Department. Planning authorities must then make their own decisions based on the specific merits or otherwise of individual planning applications.
I am satisfied that the planning code is sufficiently robust to facilitate the assessment of individual planning permission applications for solar farm developments. However, the matter will be kept under review, in consultation with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, and his Department - which leads on renewable energy policy - in the context of the Government's White Paper on Energy Policy, published in December 2015, the development of a Renewable Electricity Policy and Development Framework, as well as the finalisation of a new support scheme for renewable electricity by that Department, expected in late 2017.
258. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if a long-term 30 to 60 years plus cost benefit analysis of the proposed new mortgage-to-rent scheme was carried out to compare it to the cost benefit to the State of taking ownership of the homes and leasing them to the occupants, especially taking into account that many of the mortgages in question are owed to State owned banks. [8328/17]
View answerThe Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme for borrowers of commercial private lending institutions is now an established part of the overall suite of social housing options and an important part of the mortgage arrears resolution process.
The Review of the Mortgage to Rent Scheme, published on 8 February 2017, concludes that the current financial model of the scheme may not be capable of delivering the scale of successful cases that could benefit from the scheme over time. Currently, the MTR scheme relies on AHBs to purchase from lenders properties that have been voluntarily surrendered by eligible borrowers.
It is a clear priority of the Government to maximise delivery of social housing to cater for the greatest level of need, while also achieving value for money. The provision of social housing is carried out by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) through a range of delivery methods, including construction, acquisition, leasing and other approaches, which allow local authorities, as housing authorities, to respond flexibly to meet local demand and operate within local property circumstances. Significant Exchequer support has been provided by Government to support this endeavour. While there are obvious social and economic benefits to be derived from the MTR scheme, most significantly by facilitating individual households in mortgage arrears to remain in their home, detailed consideration needs to be given to the impact on the capacity of local authorities and AHBS to meet the ambitious targets around new social housing supply in respect of any proposal to intensify their investment and involvement in the MTR scheme.
In parallel, the Government has been actively exploring potential mechanisms that would facilitate investment in the housing market, in particular social housing, in a manner that does not impact on the General Government Balance. A number of private equity firms have expressed an interest in purchasing mortgage debt portfolios from commercial banks with a view to exploring the potential for them to access the MTR scheme model for the borrowers in occupation of the mortgaged property. They are seeking an alternative arrangement that would see the mortgaged property staying in the funding firm’s ownership and the property itself leased back to the local authority in circumstances where the borrower is eligible for MTR and the borrower would therefore remain in their own home.
One of the outcomes of the Review is that in order to test the operability of alternative funding models for the scheme, the Housing Agency will work with a number of financial entities who have come forward with an interest in working with the MTR scheme to progress a number of pilot alternative lease arrangements. The objective is to explore what is available within the current market and to determine if this alternative model will benefit a greater number of households.
A detailed financial assessment of the structure of the funding of the MTR scheme will be undertaken in advance of the budgetary process for 2018. The assessment will be informed by the early impact of the other actions proposed by the review, as well as the outcome of the experience with the pilot lease arrangements, and the availability of financial resources overall, including in the context of the significant investment currently being made by Government through local authorities and AHBs in terms of developing new social housing supply.
259. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the penalties applicable to landlords that violate the maximum allowable rent increases in rent pressure zones, the way this will be policed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8329/17]
View answerWhere a landlord carries out a rent review, a notice of new rent must be served on the tenant. A notice of new rent must be in writing and include information in relation to the dispute resolution procedures that a tenant can pursue through the RTB if they do not believe the new rent is valid, e.g. if the rent is above market rent or above the permitted increase in a rent pressure zone. The notice of new rent must also 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.
In a Rent Pressure Zone, the landlord must also include information and calculations in the notice of new rent that demonstrate that any rent increase is not more than the maximum amount allowed since the rent was last set. In addition, the new legislation provides for a statutory obligation on a landlord at the beginning of a tenancy to provide a tenant with details of the previous rent under a tenancy, and a statement as to how the rent has been calculated under section 19(4), so that a tenant can ensure that their rent complies with the legislation. Where a tenant believes that the rent is set above the market rent or above the permitted increase in a rent pressure zone, they may refer a dispute to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). The RTB may make a declaration as to whether the rent set complies with the legislation and if it does not comply, may make a declaration as to what amount would comply. The rent cannot be increased pending the determination of the dispute.
Both landlords and tenants are notified by the RTB when a tenancy has been registered. This notification advises both parties of their rights and obligations in relation to the setting and review of rent, security of tenure, the termination of tenancies, and of the dispute resolution procedures that are available through the RTB. Ongoing education and awareness is an increasing focus of the RTB, educating tenants and landlords in relation to their rights and obligations, encouraging compliance through measures which support best practice.
260. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason for the alteration in the numbers of social housing builds for 2016 between Wednesday 8 and Friday 10 February in communications from his Department. [8330/17]
View answerThe only breakdown of the delivery for social housing in 2016 published by my Department, including the number of built units, was set out in the second Quarterly Progress Report on the implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, published on 7 February 2017. The report is available at the following link:
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-irelands-second-quarterly-progress-report/.
The number of built social housing units in 2016, as set out in the second Quarterly Progress Report is provisional, while final statistics are gathered from local authorities for publication by my Department in the usual manner.
261. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the technical guidelines for near zero energy buildings will be published; the detail of these guidelines and their implications for public buildings and in particular, all new social housing in terms of energy efficiency requirements. [8401/17]
View answerDirective 2010/31/EU on the Energy Performance of Buildings requires that by 31 December 2020 all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings. Furthermore, it requires that after 31 December 2018 new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly zero-energy buildings. However, new social housing is not subject to the earlier 31 December 2018 date as social housing is not “occupied by public authorities”.
The Directive defines a Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) as a building that has a very high energy performance and that the nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby.
My Department is responsible for transposing the Directive into national law and for making necessary amendments to the Building Regulations to ensure that they are in compliance with the Directive. The definition of NZEB was transposed into the Building Regulations in January of this year in the Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 2017 and Technical Guidance Document L Dwellings was amended to specify the numerical indicator for NZEB Dwellings in Ireland.
In addition, my Department will publish draft Building Regulations to amend Part L of the Building Regulations (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) in respect of Buildings other than dwellings and a draft Technical Guidance Document in the coming weeks to set the specific NZEB performance requirements for Buildings other than Dwellings in Ireland. A full review will take place after the period of public consultation has closed and it is planned that the Regulations will be finalised in Q 3 of 2017 and come into force on 1 January 2019. This process will be replicated to amend Part L of the Building Regulations in respect of Dwellings during 2018.
To comply with the requirement for the public sector to introduce NZEB from 31 December 2018, an interim NZEB performance specification was published in December 2016 after consultation with relevant public sector agencies and an NZEB seminar for the public sector was held jointly by my Department and the SEAI on 31 January 2017.
262. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the measures he is taking to deal with the problem of escalating rents in the private rental sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8402/17]
View answerThe most effective way to reduce and stabilise rents in the long term, and benefit the entire sector, is to increase supply and accelerate delivery of housing for the private and social rented sectors. Rebuilding Ireland, the Government’s Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness aims to increase and accelerate housing delivery across all tenures to help individuals and families meet their housing needs. It sets out over 80 actions that the Government is taking through new policy, new legislation and innovative Budgetary measures to achieve that aim.
Pillar 4 of the Action Plan committed to development of a comprehensive strategy for the rental sector and this was delivered, with the publication of the Strategy for the Rental Sector on 13 December 2016, which identifies high and rapidly rising rents as the key driver of accommodation insecurity for tenants and a factor in the termination of tenancies. To address this situation, the Strategy introduced a Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where the imbalance between demand and supply of rental accommodation is driving rent levels upwards most acutely.
The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 gave effect to, and provided for the immediate implementation of, the Rent Predictability Measure. Areas of the country satisfying the statutory criteria will be designated as Rent Pressure Zones and rent increases in those areas are generally capped at 4% per annum for a period of 3 years. The measure was introduced with immediate effect in the four Dublin Local Authority areas and in Cork City. A further 12 Local Electoral Areas were designated as Rent Pressure Zones on 27 January 2017.
The provisions limiting rent increases in rent pressure zones apply both at the commencement of a tenancy and at each rent review. In addition, at the beginning of a tenancy, there is a statutory obligation on a landlord in a rent pressure zone to provide a tenant with details of the rent under the previous tenancy of the dwelling, together with a statement as to how the new rent has been calculated. The purpose of this provision is to allow a tenant to ensure that their rent complies with the legislation. The existing prohibition on charging a rent above market rent continues to apply in all areas.
263. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the measures he is taking to deal with the problem of substandard accommodation in the private rental sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8403/17]
View answer275. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the action he will take to ensure an improvement in the standard of one bedroom rental accommodation; if he is satisfied with the current level of inspections on such properties being carried out by local authorities; the steps that can be taken by local authorities to compel landlords to improve the standards of their lettings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8559/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 275 together.
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.
All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the regulations rests with the relevant local authority, supported by a dedicated stream of funding provided from part of the proceeds of tenancy registration fees collected by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
Since the establishment of the RTB in 2004, over €32 million has been paid to local authorities to assist them in the performance of their functions under the Housing Acts, including the inspection of rented accommodation. Over 185,000 inspections have been carried out in this period.
Following enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, local authorities have a strengthened legislative framework available to them which provides for the issuing of Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices where landlords are in breach of their obligations. Fines for non-compliance with the regulations were also increased; the maximum fine increased from €3,000 to €5,000 and the fine for each day of a continuing offence increased from €250 to €400.
The Government’s Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, sets out a number of actions in relation to Standards with the combined aim of improving the quality and management of rental accommodation. My Department conducted a review of the existing Regulations in 2016 to bring them into line with modern requirements, with a focus on tenant safety including new measures covering heating appliances, carbon monoxide and window safety. On 27 January, I signed the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017 giving effect to the commitment in the Strategy. The new regulations will come into operation generally on 1 July 2017 and will replace the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008 and the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009.
The Strategy for the Rental Sector also prioritises strengthening the inspection capacity of Local Authorities to increase the number and frequency of inspections of rental properties. In addition to the updated regulations, procedures for a more efficient, standardised and transparent inspection and enforcement approach across all Local Authority areas will be introduced. Specific ring-fenced funding for inspection and compliance activity will be identified from 2018 onwards and annual targets for both inspection and compliance will be agreed with local authorities. The objective set out in the Strategy is to increase inspection numbers incrementally each year so that, by 2021, 25% of all rental properties are inspected annually.
264. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the person or body that is the designated authority dealing with the EIA and SEA directive for offshore energy projects here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8469/17]
View answerMy Department is the competent authority with responsibility for transposing both the EIA and SEA directives. In respect of SEA, there are five designated statutory environmental authorities in Ireland which are my Department, the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The policy regarding offshore renewable energy facilities is set out in the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP), published by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in April 2014, which was subject to an SEA.
My Department is also a competent authority under the EIA Directive in respect of applications for development on the foreshore falling under Part XV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. In addition Section 13 (A) of the Foreshore Act provides that proposed development on the foreshore is subject to environmental impact assessment in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive. EIA screening is undertaken during the processing of such applications with an EIS being required in such cases where it is deemed appropriate.
265. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the way in which land costs for residential developments are measured and tracked by his Department or any agency under the remit of his Department; and the latest publication his Department is relying on to inform trends in this area. [8473/17]
View answerThe cost of land is market driven and is influenced by a large number of factors. My Department does not measure or track trends in land costs for residential developments, however, a number of initiatives have been established by my Department to open up lands for development in order to increase the supply of housing. A working group, chaired by my Department, with a broad range of industry representatives has been established to undertake a detailed analysis to benchmark housing delivery input costs in Ireland, including land and acquisition costs, in order to facilitate an increased level of housing output into the future. A number of meetings have taken place since December 2016 and the working group is expected to complete this study in the first half of 2017.
266. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of local authority loans, on a national basis, that are in arrears; if there is a policy to deal with arrears, particularly when large amounts are involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8492/17]
View answerTo the end of Q1 2016, there were a total of 17,696 local authority house purchase loans with a value of €1,028,153,195 outstanding. Over one-quarter (27%) of these loans were in arrears of more than 90 days. My Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics, including the number and value of local authority mortgages and a breakdown of those in arrears by local authority. The statistics concerned are available on my Department’s website at: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-prices-loans-and-profile-borrowers/local-authority-loan-activity.
Local authorities generally have been lending to house purchasers at the lower end of the income spectrum. This cohort of borrowers would, in the main, be more vulnerable to unemployment, restricted working hours and downward pressure on wage rates in lower skilled jobs.
The Central Bank’s Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears requires all mortgage lenders to ensure that it has in place a Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) for handling such cases. My Department introduced guidelines for local authorities in 2012 and issued revised guidelines in June 2014. The guidance, Dealing with Mortgage Arrears – A Guide for Local Authorities (June 2014), is available on my Department’s website at:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/home-ownership/mortgage-arrears/dealing-mortgage-arrears-guide-local-authorities.
Extending the term of the mortgage to a maximum of 35 years and a maximum borrower age of 70, depending on the type of loan, the remaining term and the circumstances of the individual borrower, as well as adding arrears and interest to the principal amount due at the interest rate applicable to the parent mortgage, are some of the long term resolutions to borrowers in mortgage arrears distress. In the case of acute mortgage arrears distress, all homeowners also have the option of seeking to avail of the legal process now also in place to deal with personal insolvency. In addition, a Mortgage to Rent scheme, specifically for local authority mortgage borrowers, is also available as part of the MARP arrangements. The Local Authority Mortgage to Rent (LAMTR) scheme and the wider operation of MARP within local authorities are kept under regular review by my Department.
The most important step any family in arrears can take is to engage early with the Arrears Support Unit of the local authority. Supports are available and advice should be sought as early as possible. In addition, the Government has established a new Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service, known as the Abhaile Service, and operated by the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) in conjunction with the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI), the Legal Aid Board and the Citizens Information Board. The objective of the Abhaile Service is to ensure that a person who is at risk of losing their home due to their mortgage arrears can access independent expert financial and legal advice, which will help them to identify their best options for returning to solvency - with priority to their remaining in their home, where that is a sustainable option. The website www.keepingyourhome.ie contains comprehensive details of the supports available under the Abhaile Service.
