Written Answers Nos. 440-465
441. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the assistant principal officer position in his Department, previously held by a person (details supplied) will be filled; and the name of the senior official in his Department that is now responsible for liaising with a group (details supplied) of affected homeowners in County Donegal. [13385/17]
View answerMy Department keeps staffing matters under constant review in order to ensure all priority vacancies are filled in a timely manner and that resource allocations are balanced across the Department to meet key priorities as necessary. Officials within my Department’s Housing Advisers and Building Standards Section continue to liaise with the group referred to in the Question on an ongoing basis.
442. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the report of the expert panel examining problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in counties Donegal and Mayo will be published. [13386/17]
View answerAn expert panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in April 2016 to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. The panel have the following terms of reference:-
(i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo;
(ii) To carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, testing laboratories, industry stakeholders and other relevant parties, to establish the nature of the problem in the affected dwellings;
(iii) To outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and
(iv) To submit a report within six months.
The expert panel on concrete blocks met on twelve occasions since it was first established and a similar number of meetings have taken place with key stakeholders, including affected homeowners, the elected members of Donegal and Mayo County Councils, local authority officials, industry bodies, academics, public representatives and other interested parties. A substantial volume of information has been provided by affected homeowners in both counties, as well as from Donegal and Mayo County Councils; additional information was also provided through the consultation process.
The panel have now concluded their meetings and are in the process of finalising their draft report which is undergoing legal proofing, which I anticipate shortly. In this regard, I will await the outcome of the panel’s report before considering what further actions may be required to assist the parties directly involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to the problems that have emerged in the two counties.
443. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will undertake a review of the register of electors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13421/17]
View answerThe Government recently agreed that work should now commence on modernisation of the voter registration process, in the context of facilitating the registration of voters that are resident outside the State in the event of an extension of the franchise at Presidential elections being approved by the people in a referendum. This provides an opportunity to undertake significant work on the voter registration process.
The modernisation of the voter registration process will deliver benefits by providing for the registration of all voters in an efficient and user-friendly manner, while also, vitally, protecting the integrity of the system.
444. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will consider a submission by a residents' association (detail supplied) to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13475/17]
View answerNeither my Department nor Cork County Council is aware of any submission by the Residents Association referred to in the details supplied.
The Revised Masterplan for Cork City Northwest Regeneration Programme was adopted in 2011, following extensive consultation with elected members, residents and other key stakeholders. This Plan clearly outlines the areas to be covered under the Programme and I understand that the residents in question are outside the area covered by the plan. There are no plans at this stage to review the boundary of the regeneration area.
It should be noted that the residents of Knocknaheeney and the greater Knocknaheeney area, however, do now enjoy better community facilities already delivered under the Regeneration Programme, including library facilities, a community garden, a new scouts hall, a new community hall and new community rooms.
I understand that Cork City Council is in regular contact with the residents of Harbour View Road and continue to meet with them an ongoing basis to address any particular concerns raised.
445. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if a person (details suppled) can have essential maintenance performed on their council home. [13496/17]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and the carrying out of responsive repairs for tenants living in social housing, is a matter for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 and are not directly funded by my Department.
446. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a scheme to assist those persons working but earning a low income to secure housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13550/17]
View answerThe current income limits for social housing support mean that individuals in different areas can earn up to €25,000, €30,000 or €35,000 after tax and qualify for social housing supports, including the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Families can earn more than this and still be eligible for support. I am satisfied that the current income eligibility limits provide a fair and equitable system of identifying those households unable to provide accommodation from their own resources and ensure that the available resources are directed towards those most in need of social housing support. However, a review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda set out in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, is scheduled to commence later this year.
Apart from long-term social housing support, there are other supports available for households to secure appropriate housing. The Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2012, which set out the terms and conditions and key eligibility criteria for local authority mortgages, include maximum gross income limits but do not set minimum income limits. However, in assessing a loan application an applicant’s borrowing capacity and ability to repay the loan in question must to be taken into account. It is important to note that while 4 local authorities have been designated to operate the Home Choice Loan, the loan is available to all eligible applicants nationwide.
I have no plans at present to re-introduce an Affordable Housing Purchase Scheme. However, a range of measures are being taken under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness to increase housing supply overall, with the aim of creating a functioning and sustainable housing system which can meet housing demand at more affordable prices.
The plan is divided into five pillars, with each targeting a specific area of the housing system. Pillar 3, entitled Build More Home, has a key objective of increasing the output of private housing to meet demand at affordable prices, including by-
- Opening up land supply and State lands, including the Major Urban Housing Development Sites initiative, which identified large-scale sites in the main cities that are capable of delivering significant homes in the short to medium term to boost overall housing supply;
- €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund;
- National Treasury Management Agency financing of large-scale “on-site” infrastructure;
- Planning Reforms;
- Putting in place a National Planning Framework and land management actions;
- Efficient design and delivery methods to lower housing delivery costs;
- Measures to support construction innovation and skills.
Pillar 4 of the Plan, entitled Improve the Rental Sector, provided for the introduction of an affordable rental scheme to enhance the capacity of the private rented sector to provide quality and affordable accommodation for households currently paying a disproportionate amount of disposable income on rent. As set out in the recently published Strategy for the Rental Sector, this commitment is now being progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones.
Other measures taken to increase the supply of housing include -
- The enhanced supply of more affordable starter homes in key locations through a targeted rebate of development contributions in Dublin and Cork for housing supplied under certain price levels;
- New National Apartment Planning Guidelines, reducing the cost of apartment building;
- Changes to aspects of the operation of Strategic Development Zones to enable swifter adjustments to meet market requirements;
- A vacant sites levy.
447. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to outline the level of funding provided by his Department or agencies under its remit to individual local authorities for the provision of life-saving equipment, such as lifebuoys, defibrillators and safety signage for each of the past six years, in tabular form; the level of funding sought by local authorities over the corresponding period; his plans in relation to this area of safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13580/17]
View answerMy Department provides no direct funding for equipment of the types mentioned above. My Department supports local authorities through the setting of general policy and the provision of certain core funding. Local authorities also receive funding from a number of other Departments and agencies for activities they carry out on their behalf.
As democratically elected independent bodies, it is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities, including funding towards lifebuoys, defibrillators and safety signage, in the context of the annual budgetary process, having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.
448. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the original budget planned for a project (details supplied); the final amount spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13637/17]
View answerThe major Ballymun regeneration project spanned almost 20 years, with Departmental funding requirements first coming into play in 1999. Due to the form and complexity of the programme, a single overall budget was not put in place.
The substantial programme, which included 24 projects, is now complete. Approximately €972 million was spent on the programme, €775.3 million of which was recouped by my Department.
My Department’s oversight of the regeneration projects at this location was principally concerned with general progress on the overall programme and it continually liaised with the local authority on the strategic approach and general phasing of works. This ensured that the project progressed on a sustainable basis, particularly having regard to general budgetary constraints and with a view to achieving its original intended outcomes for the community in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner.
449. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide a monthly housing completions record on the building control management systems from March 2014 to date in 2017, broken down by county and indicating once off, estate housing, apartments, local authority, approved housing bodies and private sector, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13669/17]
View answerThe purpose of the Building Control Management System (BCMS) is to facilitate building control authorities, building owners, builders and construction professionals in discharging their separate responsibilities under the Building Control Act 1990. The system provides a common platform for clear and consistent administration of building control matters across the local authority sector.
The BCMS was not designed to report on housing completions. However, the BCMS does facilitate the receipt and lodgement of commencement notices, statutory certificates and compliance documentation in line with the Regulations (SI 9 of 2014). One such statutory certificate is the Certificates of Compliance on Completion, which confirms to the Building Control Authority that the building works, as constructed, are in compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations.
Certificates of Compliance on Completion are required for certain works that submitted a commencement notice on or after 1st March 2014. They are not required for one-off houses that have chosen to opt out of the statutory certification process since 1 September 2015. Certificates of Compliance on Completion may cover multiple buildings or works.
Building Control Authorities are required to keep certain information pertaining to building works that come under the Building Control Regulations 1997-2015 on a statutory register, including particulars in relation to the Certificates of Compliance on Completion. BCMS is centrally hosted by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of the 31 Local Authorities and has enabled this information to be hosted on a central nationwide register, readily available and updated quarterly at https://www.localgov.ie/en/link-type/bcms.
450. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to amend the new housing assistant payment website www.hap.ie to make it explicit that families that take part in the HAP scheme can be assured they will not lose their place on the housing list, in view of the fact that the absence of this information is giving rise to confusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13679/17]
View answerA dedicated Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) website, www.hap.ie, was launched on 1 March 2017 to coincide with the completion of the nationwide roll-out of the HAP scheme, with the introduction of the scheme to the administrative areas of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. www.hap.ie provides a single national point of information on the HAP scheme for both landlords and tenants, before directing potential tenants to the relevant local authority.
Following the commencement of the provisions in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, HAP is considered to be a social housing support and consequently households are not eligible to remain on the main housing waiting list.
Acknowledging that households on the waiting list who avail of HAP might have expectations that they would receive an allocated form of social housing support, Ministerial Directions issued during the pilot phase of the scheme to ensure that, should they so choose, HAP tenants could avail of a move to other forms of social housing support through a transfer list. With the completion of the HAP roll-out and the ending of the scheme’s pilot phase, I recently signed a Ministerial Direction, instructing local authorities to continue to offer HAP tenants access to other forms of social housing through the transfer list. This refreshed direction ensures that following completion of the HAP pilot phase, HAP tenants still get all the benefits of HAP and are no less likely to get a different form of social housing support.
The practical operation of transfer lists is a matter for each local authority to manage, on the basis of their scheme of letting priorities. The setting of such schemes is a reserved function of the local authority and as such is a matter for the elected members. I understand that the majority of HAP households do avail of the option to be placed on a transfer list. Since its statutory commencement in September 2014, some 240 households (at the end of December 2016) have transferred from the HAP scheme to other forms of social housing support.
The information on www.hap.ie reflects the legislation and states that any HAP tenant who wants to access other social housing supports, may do so through the transfer system as operated by their respective local authority.
451. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the criteria used to allocate funds to local authorities under public participation networks; the scheme the funds for this scheme are allocated from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13700/17]
View answerAs was the position in 2015 and 2016, funding of up to €50,000 is being provided by my Department in 2017 under the Local Government Fund (Other Miscellaneous Schemes) to each local authority to support the work of Public Participation Networks (PPNs), on the basis that this is supplemented by a minimum of €30,000 from each local authority’s own resources. This funding is used to meet the costs of employing a resource worker to support the PPN Secretariat, the provision of office space, equipment and infrastructure, and other essential operating costs.
Earlier this year, my Department made an early initial payment of €30,000 to each local authority for PPNs from its annual commitment of up to €50,000. This was to ensure PPNs would have certainty of and access to funding from the outset. The balance of my Department’s contribution (up to €20,000) will be addressed later in the year.
Separate funding is also provided by my Department under the Scheme of Supports for the Community and Voluntary Sector for the development of the PPN process and network. This funding is to meet costs including those associated with the National PPN Advisory Group, the roll-out of a vital client database system for PPNs and other general supports.
452. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of residential units that will be commenced in County Kildare in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13719/17]
View answerThe information requested is not available within my Department.
In accordance with the Building Control Act 1990 and the Building Control Regulations made thereunder, a commencement notice signed by the owner must be submitted to the local building control authority not less than 14 days and not more than 28 days prior to commencement of works coming with the scope of the regulations, including the construction a new residential unit. The building control authority then has 7 days to determine the validity or otherwise of the commencement notice received; once validated, key particulars of the commencement notice are referenced on the public register of building control activity which can be viewed online at the following weblink - https://www.localgov.ie/en/link-type/bcms.
My Department publishes a statistical series based on commencement notices for new-build residential units submitted to each local building control authority each month. During 2016, commencement notices relating to a total of 919 new residential units were submitted to Kildare County Council. This is a 28% increase on the number of residential commencement notices submitted in Kildare during 2015 (718 units). In January 2017, the latest month for which details are available, commencement notices relating to a total of 73 residential units were submitted to Kildare County Council (the comparable figure for January 2016 was 36 units).
As the Deputy will be aware, under-supply of housing across all tenures is at the heart of the significant challenges which exist in the housing sector. At an overall level, 25,000 new homes per year are targeted to meet demand nationally.
The key objective of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness is to increase and accelerate housing delivery, across all tenures, to help individuals and families find homes. With regard to increasing the supply of private housing in particular, Pillar 3 of Rebuilding Ireland, entitled “Build More Homes”, has as its key objective a doubling of housing output, from approximately 12,500 homes in 2015, to at least 25,000 homes per annum by 2021. In order to support the supply of affordable housing and to ensure a steady supply of development land and planning permissions so that housing providers can plan ahead effectively in response to current and emerging demands in Kildare and other counties, Rebuilding Ireland sets out key actions which provide for:
- active State-land management;
- greater certainty in the planning process, including provisions introduced in the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016;
- targeted investment in enabling infrastructure, including through the €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund;
- competitive financing for developers to fund on-site housing infrastructure through ISIF; and
- development of capacity and skills within the construction sector.
The Strategy for the Rental Sector published in December 2016 also contains a number of actions targeted at increasing the supply of properties to rent; these actions have been incorporated into the reporting under Rebuilding Ireland. Updates on the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland, including those that will encourage the supply of housing nationally, are outlined in the first two Quarterly Progress Reports, covering the cumulative period from July to December 2016, which are available on www.rebuildingireland.ie. The Third Quarterly Progress Report, covering Quarter 1 2017, is expected to be published in early May 2017.
Under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Housing, chaired by An Taoiseach, the Government will be keeping the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland under regular and active review.
453. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of voids in Kildare County Council that are currently under refurbishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13720/17]
View answerLocal authorities, including Kildare County Council have recently submitted the list of properties they wish to be included in the 2017 Voids Programme. These units are currently being assessed and I expect to announce details shortly of the 2017 funding for local authorities to address vacant social housing stock, including the breakdown of the targets and funding for each local authority. Local authorities have been advised that they should not delay in carrying out the necessary refurbishment works on eligible units, while waiting for the assessment and allocations.
It should be noted that over the period 2014-2016, my Department provided funding of over €1.3 million to bring some 90 void units in Kildare back into use. The Deputy will, of course, be aware that the Voids Programme is separate from any other refurbishment works that Kildare County Council may undertake from their own resources.
454. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the current turnaround time for voids in each of the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13721/17]
View answerThe information on the turnaround time for voids is not collected by my Department. However the key objective of the Voids Programme is aimed at minimising the turnaround and re-let time of vacant units and returning them to use in a very energy efficient condition. Since the commencement of the Voids Programme in 2014, over 7,100 vacant social housing units have been returned to productive use. This figure does not include units which are returned by local authorities through funding from their own resources.
In the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, commitments are set out in line with best asset management practices, which will see all local authorities operating to a national re-letting performance standard and greater use of a preventative maintenance approach to housing stock management.
Statistics on the average re-letting times for local authority social housing are set out in the report of the National Oversight and Audit Commission on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities, the last published report being for 2015, which is available at the following link: http://noac.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2015-PI-Report.pdf.
455. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the level of funding that has been approved for Kildare County Council for the construction of houses in 2017 in respect of specific housing schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13722/17]
View answerA substantial pipeline of new social housing construction projects is already in place, both in terms of Local Authority direct build and Approved Housing Body (AHB) projects. We are now seeing progress through this pipeline, as is evident in the Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report, which I published on 20 February 2017.
The report contains a range of information, including projects delivered in 2016 and those at various stages of advancement through planning, design and construction. It also includes information such as local authority area, project name, AHB name where applicable, the number of units and the status of each application in terms of its current level of advancement. The report can be accessed at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/social-housing-developments/.
Funding is provided to local authorities in line with their advancement of projects through construction. I expect that a number of the projects listed for Kildare County Council will commence on site during 2017, as well as in subsequent years; the precise timing for the advancement of each of these projects is a matter for Kildare County Council, in the first instance.
Accordingly, the level of funding that will be provided in 2017 to Kildare County Council for their social housing delivery activity will be directly linked to the scale of delivery they achieve on these projects. I am keen that these projects are advanced as soon as possible and have assured local authorities that funding is in place to support their activity in this regard.
456. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the allocation to Kildare County Council under the repair and leasing scheme announced recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13723/17]
View answerThe Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant properties across Ireland. The scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental property. Subject to the suitability of the property for social housing, and the agreement of the property owner, the cost of the necessary repairs will be met upfront by the local authority or an Approved Housing Body (AHB). This allows for the property owner to sign-up to a lease arrangement for a length that is linked to the value of the repairs, subject to a minimum of 10 years. The value of the repairs will then be offset incrementally against the agreed rental payment over a defined period within the lease.
A property owner can either choose to arrange for a contractor to carry out the repairs themselves, or the local authority or AHB can arrange this instead. Property owners will not be required to take on landlord responsibilities and the local authority or AHB will have on-going management and maintenance responsibilities in respect of the properties.
The local authority will determine the eligibility for the scheme, having regard to the location and the suitability of the property for social housing and also taking into consideration the extent of the repairs that may be required. The maximum costs of repairs allowable under this initiative will be €40,000. My Department is working closely with local authorities to implement the scheme locally.
Following on from the success of the initial pilot in Waterford and Carlow local authorities, the Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) is being rolled out on a national basis from 23 February 2017.
I am making an additional €26m available to fund the scheme in 2017, which brings the total amount available this year to €32m. This additional investment in 2017 means that delivery under the scheme can be accelerated and up to 800 vacant properties can be brought back into use as new homes for families on local authority waiting lists this year. This funding represents a frontloading of the €140m being made available for the scheme over the next 5 years. Over the period 2016 to 2021, it is anticipated that up to 3,500 units will be secured for social housing under this scheme. Funding to support the cost of bringing new social houses into use using the Repair and Leasing Scheme in 2017 will be released based on proposals submitted by local authorities to my Department rather than by allocation to each local authority. I have provided funding to support ambitious delivery under the scheme in 2017 and I would urge every local authority to work hard to secure units as early as possible and maximise the use of this investment.
I will be carefully monitoring the scheme in 2017 to ensure that it works well and is cost effective. Likewise, this analysis will assist in determining its delivery potential for future years, as well as whether additional financial resources are required in that context.
The Repair and Leasing Scheme is one of a number of initiatives in Rebuilding Ireland to address vacant properties around the country. Other initiatives include the Buy and Renew Scheme. The full details of this scheme are being finalised and will be communicated to local authorities shortly. I have made an initial €25 million available for this initiative this year and propose to increase this to as much as €50 million in 2018, depending on the uptake. I expect this investment to deliver between 400 and 500 renewed houses for social housing use.
The initiative may present opportunities for local authorities and approved housing bodies to tackle dereliction in towns and urban areas, but prospective housing units will always need to be suitable for social housing use, in an area of need, and to represent reasonable value for money.
457. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the timeframe for any forthcoming legislation to reform the commercial rates system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13724/17]
View answerLocal authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation pursuant to the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.
Commercial rates form an important element of the funding of all local authorities. The principle of local authorities levying rates based on an independent valuation is well established and I have no plans to change this. However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century. I have asked my Department to develop proposals for the preparation of a consolidated Rates Bill to modernise and consolidate the legislation in this area. I hope to bring proposals in this area to Government in the coming weeks.
458. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position in relation to the ability of a landlord to increase the rent by more than the rent pressure zone limit of 4% per annum in respect of a rental property situated within a rent pressure zone in a circumstance in which the existing rent on the property is below the market rent in the area; if the landlord is allowed to bring the rent up to the market rent if this means exceeding the 4% increase limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13740/17]
View answerAs set out in the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, rents in a Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) may only increase by a maximum of 4% annually for a period of 3 years. The first rent review in relation to a property in an RPZ can only take place 24 months after the time that the tenancy was established or the time that the rent was last set. The first rent review in an RPZ after that 24 month period will allow a maximum rent increase of 4%. This is 2% per annum applied pro-rata for the period since the rent was last increased. If the period since the rent was last set is longer than 24 months the permissible increase can be applied pro-rata.
Landlords who have not raised rents for significant periods of time will be able to increase rents in proportion to the period of time since the rent was last set provided the increase concerned does not exceed the limits applicable in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) as laid out in the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016.
The existing requirement that the rent set may not be above the local market rents for similar properties still applies and the landlord must also provide three examples of rents for similar properties in a comparable area to demonstrate this.
459. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the funding scheme a rural water programme liaison officer's salary, rural water programme group water scheme subsidy payments and recoupment of lost income from rates on water infrastructure are funded from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13781/17]
View answerGroup water schemes subsidy payments, a contribution towards the salary costs of local authority Rural Water Programme Liaison Officers and the compensation of local authorities in respect of rates income foregone are all recouped to local authorities by my Department through the Local Government Fund.
460. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to a 2013 European Court of Justice decision in regard to planning (details supplied); the consequences this ruling has on planning law here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13824/17]
View answerMy Department is presently engaged in consultations with planning authorities regarding potential modifications required to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing as a result of the above decision, with a view to ensuring that rural housing policies and objectives contained in development plans comply with Article 43 (Freedom of Movement of People) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
On conclusion of these consultations, my Department will be engaging with the European Commission on proposed changes to the Guidelines, with a view to issuing updated Guidelines to planning authorities on the matter in due course.
461. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to review the boundaries for the next local elections; if he will introduce changes to the new districts established by the last reform initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13826/17]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government sets out a number of requirements in relation to local government reform, involving a report to Government and the Oireachtas by mid-2017 on potential measures to boost local government leadership and accountability, including a commitment to consider reducing the size of local electoral areas. Work is proceeding on the development of proposals for the preparation of the report. An important input to this process is an initial operational review of the revised local government structures completed in 2016, which included surveys of local authority members and chief executives. The results indicated that the revised structures are generally operating well but will need more time to bed down fully and that there is some scope for improvements to certain aspects of the system.
The most recent review of local electoral areas was carried out from November 2012 to May 2013 by a Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee established under the Local Government Act 1991. Depending on the outcome of consideration of the mid-2017 report, any review of local electoral area boundaries would be undertaken in good time before the 2019 local elections. Any changes to municipal district boundaries which might be warranted can also be considered in that context as each municipal district is composed of one or more than one local electoral area.
462. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of money spent by his Department on the Waterford Kilkenny boundary report; the amount of money spent by Waterford and Kilkenny county councils in preparing their respective inputs to the process; if the figures include the number of person hours worked by all parties involved in the process; if not, if he will quantify this cost; and the next steps in the process and the timeframe for a final decision. [13839/17]
View answerGeneral expenses recouped to date specifically in relation to the Waterford boundary review committee amounted to €8,051. This recoupment was in respect of expenses incurred by the committee members. The members provided their time and expertise on a pro bono basis, and no fees were paid to them.
An amount of €70,460 was paid to the Institute of Public Administration in respect of their work in supporting all 4 boundary committee reports. Details of costs, including man-hours, incurred by the individual local authorities are a matter for that authority, and I have no function in relation to any expenditure they may have incurred from their own resources in connection with this matter.
463. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the first bundle of 520 new social housing homes across six sites, which had approval granted by the then Minister on 13 October 2015 and are to be developed through the PPP programme, will advance to planning and construction; the timeline for this project; when he expects all 520 units to be constructed and ready for occupation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13868/17]
View answerThe Social Housing PPP programme provides for an investment with a capital value of €300 million and is expected to deliver 1,500 social housing units in total, via three bundles.
The first bundle, comprising six PPP sites providing for over 500 units in the greater Dublin area, is being developed in co-operation with the local authorities concerned. Two of the sites are located in Dublin City, with one each in South Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth. 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 bundle. It is expected that the process of seeking planning approval for the first bundle will commence within the coming month.
The procurement process is being led by the National Development Finance Agency. Tender documents are currently being finalised and are expected to be published in the coming months.
Each individual bundle of sites takes an estimated 37-48 months to deliver, in total. It is expected that construction would commence in 2018 with units becoming available in 2019.
464. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason for the delay in progressing a housing scheme (details supplied) from stage 1 approval in Q2 2015 to stage 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13869/17]
View answerSocial housing need is, in the first instance, a local issue and local authorities must respond to the nature and extent of that local need by devising and implementing appropriate targeted proposals that best fit the specific needs in their areas.
For that purpose, my Department has put in place a wide range of programmes that are available to all local authorities to generate increased social housing supply. In addition, my Department has put in place the structures and funding required for the early advancement of social housing supply proposals put forward by local authorities.
Local authority housing construction projects require careful consideration and planning, and their advancement through the various phases of development is in the first instance a matter for the proposing local authority. My Department has been working closely with South Dublin County Council to facilitate and accelerate the delivery of social housing in the South Dublin area. South Dublin County Council already has a strong pipeline of construction projects in development and is being encouraged by my Department to prepare and submit additional construction proposals to further strengthen that pipeline. Details of South Dublin County Council’s construction pipeline are available at the following weblink: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/social-housing-developments/.
With regard to the project referred to by the Deputy, I am advised that South Dublin County Council intends to progress to a Stage 2 pre-planning submission in the second quarter of 2018. When the Stage 2 submission is received by my Department, it will be considered responded to as a matter of urgency.
465. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the body or person to which An Bord Pleanála is responsible; the number of An Bord Pleanála's decisions which were overturned by judicial review in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13949/17]
View answerAn Bord Pleanála was established in 1977 under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1976 and is an independent statutory body responsible for the determination of planning appeals and certain other matters under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, as well as the determination of applications for strategic infrastructure development such as major road and railway cases. It is also responsible for dealing with proposals for the compulsory acquisition of land by local authorities and other bodies under various enactments. An Bord Pleanála also has functions to determine specific appeals under the Building Control, Water and Air Pollution Acts.
As Minister, my role in relation to the planning system is primarily to provide the policy and legislative framework to support the system's operation, comprising the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, and a suite of planning guidelines, which planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála are obliged to have regard to in the performance of their planning functions. The day-to-day operation of the planning system is, however, a matter for planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála themselves.
Furthermore, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, as Minister, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is, or may be concerned.
In 2016, there were 5 legal cases in which decisions by An Bord Pleanála were not upheld in the relevant Court judgments while a further 3 cases were conceded by the Board. In 10 other cases, judgments were given upholding the Board's decisions. Proceedings against the Board were dismissed or withdrawn in a further 7 cases. In 2 other cases, the High Court refused to grant leave applications to relevant parties for judicial review. Statistical information in relation to legal proceedings involving An Bord Pleanála is published in the Board's Annual Reports. Reports up to 2015 are available at the weblink below; the 2016 report will be published later this year. http://www.pleanala.ie/publications/index.htm.
