Written Answers Nos. 133-151
133. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount provided under the capital plan for a scheme (details supplied); the amount spent to date; the number of homes completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18784/17]
View answerThe construction of the project referred to in the details supplied is now well advanced and will deliver 81 new social housing units, consisting of various sized houses and apartments, including some sheltered accommodation for older people and for people with a disability. To date, 2 units at the front of the site have been completed and are tenanted. The project budget is over €19m of which, to date, some €12m has been paid.
134. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of houses built under PPP in the capital plan; the amount spent and to be spent; the progress made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18785/17]
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. Costs incurred by my Department to date on the programme amount to some €564,000.
Each PPP site is being developed in co-operation with the local authorities concerned. The first bundle comprises six sites in the greater Dublin area, with provision for over 500 units. 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 this first bundle.
The second bundle comprises eight PPP sites which are to provide over 450 units across the country. Three of the sites are located in County Cork, with one each in the cities of Galway and Waterford. There is a further one site in each of counties Clare, Kildare and Roscommon. Cork County Council is the lead local authority for this bundle.
Sites for the third bundle are currently being identified and are to be announced in the coming months.
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 for the first bundle and are expected to be published in the coming months.
Planning and tendering for the second bundle are expected to progress later in 2017, with arrangements for the third bundle to follow in 2018.
136. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he travelled abroad as part of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations; the locations he travelled to; the duration of the trip; the cost of the trip, including travel and accommodation in addition to other expenses incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18894/17]
View answerI represented the Government at the 2017 St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ottawa and Toronto, Canada during the period 9 March to 12 March.
In addition to participating in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Ottawa and visiting the Ireland Park Foundation Famine Memorial Park, the Irish Canadian Immigration Centre and attending the Ireland Fund Luncheon in Toronto, I also attended the Greening of the Niagara Falls.
While in Canada I met with members of the Irish Community, Ms. Catherine McKenna MP, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, the IDA and some of their client companies, and members of the local business community, and also delivered the Keynote address at the Gowling WLG / Mason Hayes & Curran seminar on a theme of “Ireland: A New Gateway to Europe”.
The total cost paid for the visit for the official travelling party is circa €4,250. Costs have yet to be received from the Irish Embassy in Ottawa for any other expenses involved, although these are not expected to be material.
137. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of representatives from municipal districts and county councils who travelled abroad as part of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations; the locations each representative travelled to; the duration of each trip; and the total costs incurred for each trip in tabular form. [18904/17]
View answerMy Department is not in possession of the information requested by the Deputy. Under the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, local authorities are independent statutory bodies. The reserved functions of a local authority are performed by the elected members by resolution passed at a meeting of the local authority. The prioritisation and sanctioning of expenditure, including authorising representation of the local authority by elected members, is a reserved function for each individual local authority.
138. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of resources available to support local groups seeking to meet their own housing needs through the co-operative housing model; if he will consider issuing a circular to local authorities encouraging support for co-operative housing groups, including the provision of low cost sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18948/17]
View answerHousing authorities have powers to make low cost sites available to persons who are qualified for social housing support and to voluntary or co-operative non-profit housing groups. I have no plans at present to amend the conditions under which such sites are made available.
A range of measures are being taken under the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, to increase housing supply overall, with the aim of creating a better functioning and more sustainable housing system which can meet housing demand at more affordable prices.
Assistance to first time buyers is also available under the Help to Buy Scheme, introduced by my colleague, the Minister for Finance. In addition, households may be eligible for a local authority mortgage or Home Choice Loan to finance their house purchase; further details are available from individual local authorities.
139. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will consider amending Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007 or section 14(2) of this Act to ensure that the grandfather clause in respect of longstanding architects will be amended to allow them use the title "architect"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18980/17]
View answerPart 3 of the Building Control Act 2007 introduced a system of statutory registration for architects and restricted use of the title architect to persons who are registered architects. Section 22 of the Act makes specific provision for registration based on technical assessment of persons who had been independently performing duties commensurate with those of an architect for a period of 10 or more years in the State prior to the commencement of the Act. This is in effect what is often colloquially referred to as a grandfather clause.
In 2013, in response in particular to the lower than anticipated rate of applications for registration by technical assessment, an independent review of the arrangements in place for registration was undertaken by Mr Garret Fennell, Solicitor. Mr Fennell’s report on the matter is available at: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad%2C34097%2Cen.pdf. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht also examined the matter and published its Report on the Title of Architect (July 2013) which is available at: https://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/committees/archivedcommittees/environmenttransportcultureandthegaeltacht/Report-on-the-Title-of-Architect.pdf
Both reports, which were welcomed by my Department, made a number of recommendations intended to improve and streamline the arrangements for registration. Implementation of these recommendations, in consultation with the Architects Alliance of Ireland and others, has seen a number of reforms being implemented which include the administration of the technical assessment process on a cyclical basis where briefing, guidance and support for candidates can be administered in a structured manner; mentoring and supporting applicants; facilitating assessment based on recent projects; facilitating applicants with reassessment/reapplication (i.e. ensuring that the technical assessment procedure is not seen as a one chance only route to registration); and reviewing and simplifying guidance materials with direct input from practice-trained persons. My Department and the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI), as registration body, are committed to continuing to work with the Architects Alliance of Ireland and others in this manner to achieve whatever further reasonable and practical improvements of registration arrangements can be made in the context of the Fennell report or otherwise.
In addition to the transitional “grandfather” provision set out above, section 14(2)(f) of the Act provides a permanent route to registration for practically trained persons who have 7 years appropriate practical experience and who have passed the prescribed register examination. In 2016 the Architects Alliance of Ireland proposed a special entry route to incorporate the proposed development of a prescribed register admission examination as currently provided for under this section. While the Act would allow me to prescribe such a register admission examination as a route to registration for eligible persons, neither I nor my Department have the remit or the competence to validate or approve the proposed register admission examination. That aspect of the matter comes within the responsibility of the RIAI who are designated as the registration body for the purposes of the 2007 Act and as the competent authority for the purposes of the Directive on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications (as amended). For this reason the Architects Alliance of Ireland were advised by my Department to discuss their proposal, in the first instance, with the RIAI as registration body and competent authority for the architectural profession in Ireland.
My Department and the RIAI, as registration body, are committed to continuing to work with the Architects Alliance of Ireland and all other stakeholders to achieve whatever further reasonable and practical improvements in registration arrangements can be made. I would encourage all practically trained persons to pursue the routes to registration which are open to them and to continue to engage constructively with my Department and the RIAI.
140. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the progress of preparation of revised planning guidelines for the development of wind turbines; when he expects these to be available for review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19006/17]
View answerSince May 2016, I have been liaising closely with my colleague Minister Naughten, having regard to his responsibility for renewable energy policy, on the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines relating to noise, setback distance and shadow flicker, recognising the need to bring the review to a close and provide certainty on the matter to all stakeholders, local authorities, the energy sector and the wider community.
In light of the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to finalise the Guidelines and on-going policy and legal developments in this area, my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines and related matters in order to bring the various issues to a conclusion as early as possible.
I expect to be in a position to make a statement on the matter in the coming weeks, outlining the proposed revisions to the Guidelines and the timelines for implementation of the various elements shortly.
It is important to mention that as part of the overall review, and having regard to recent ECJ Judgement the Belgian/Wallonian wind energy guidelines, it is proposed to undertake a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of the proposed revisions to the 2006 Guidelines before they come into effect. This is in accordance with the requirements of EU Directive 2001/24/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, the SEA Directive.
SEA is a process by which environmental considerations are required to be fully integrated into the preparation of plans and programmes which acts as frameworks for development consent, prior to their final adoption, with public consultation as part of that process.
In light of the SEA requirement which will take approximately 9 months, it is likely that while the proposals for revisions to the Guidelines will be available shortly, the Guidelines will not be finalised and come into effect until the end of the year.
When finalised revised Guidelines will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála must have regard to guidelines issued under Section 28 in the performance of their functions generally under the Planning Acts.
141. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to expand the mortgage to rent scheme and improve the conditions of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19077/17]
View answerA Review of the Mortgage to Rent Scheme for borrowers of commercial private lending institutions was published on 8 February 2017 and represents the completion of an early action in the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. The Review is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link:
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/changes-in-mortgage-to-rent-scheme/ .
The Review has explored the avenues and impediments to participation in the scheme and recommends a number of actions to make the scheme work better for borrowers. Key actions include:
- Lenders will be required to formally communicate with borrowers as to why they are not suitable for the scheme.
- The property price threshold for a house in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow is being increased to €365,000 (from €350,000) while the threshold for an apartment / townhouse in these areas is being increased to €310,000 (from €300,000). For the rest of the country, the threshold for a house is being increased to €280,000 (from €250,000) and for an apartment / townhouse to €210,000 (€190,000).
- Flexibility is being provided in relation to the size of properties which qualify for the scheme. In practical terms, this means that an assessment of the property size suitable to a particular household will allow for a maximum of two additional bedrooms in the property above the actual needs of the household, with the property still being considered eligible.
- There are a number of actions to improve knowledge and understanding of the scheme. A range of state agencies will be facilitated to assist and guide borrowers who could benefit from the scheme. A Step by Step Guide for Borrowers will be produced alongside a range of other targeted information supports.
I am confident that the implementation of the actions put forward in the Review will make the MTR process quicker, more transparent, easier to navigate for borrowers and ultimately, more accessible to more households in mortgages distress.
In addition, the Review 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 Approved Housing Bodies to purchase from lenders properties that have been voluntarily surrendered by eligible borrowers. The Government has been actively exploring potential mechanisms that would facilitate investment in social housing, including the off-balance sheet potential of private institutional investment. 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. In advance of these pilots, a targeted market testing exercise is currently underway by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), on behalf of my Department, to test the suitability of the proposed enhanced leasing arrangements to ascertain if they would be viable for a mortgage to rent cohort. 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.
142. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has directed local authorities to increase rent paid by persons (details supplied); if so, the reason for this increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19097/17]
View answerMy Department has not issued any instructions or advice to housing authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) recently regarding reviewing rents for social housing tenants.
The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of housing authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. Where social housing units are provided by AHBs under Payment and Availability (P&A) arrangements with local authorities, it is a condition of such funding that rents be determined in accordance with the differential rents scheme of the housing authority in which the house is situated, and AHBs will carry out rent reviews from time to in accordance with the particular rents scheme in question. Where sheltered housing is provided by AHBs under the Capital Assistance Scheme, my Department’s guidance states that rents should be at levels which are reasonable having regard to tenant’s incomes and the outlay of the AHB on the accommodation.
The reviewing of local authority housing rents is also a matter for individual housing authorities. Guidelines entitled “Rent Assessment, Collection, Accounting and Arrears Control”, prepared in 2001 by the Housing Unit (which subsequently became part of the Housing Agency) in conjunction with my Department and the City and County Managers Association, set out good practice in the administration of rent related matters. The Guidelines state that local authorities should review the rent assessment of all existing tenants at least annually to ensure that all tenants are paying the correct rent and to update rents to reflect changes in tenants’ incomes and in housing management costs.
143. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of dwellings in the private rental sector; the number in the social housing sector; and the number of owner occupied dwellings as of 2016, in tabular form. [19099/17]
View answerThe recently published Census 2016 results provide the following information on tenure types:
|
All types of occupancy |
1,697,665 |
|
Owner occupied with loan or mortgage |
535,675 |
|
Owner occupied without loan or mortgage |
611,877 |
|
Rented from private landlord |
309,728 |
|
Rented from a Local Authority |
143,178 |
|
Rented from a Voluntary Body |
16,765 |
|
Occupied free of rent |
27,440 |
|
Not stated |
53,002 |
144. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the new commercial rates Bill to address the significant anomalies and issues pertaining to the revaluation of properties throughout the State will be introduced; if it will reform the archaic and outdated process that has been in existence for over a century; if consideration will be given in the new bill to a system whereby rates will be levied on the basis of actual profit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19138/17]
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 under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.
The Commissioner for Valuation has responsibility for valuation matters, including the revaluation of properties. The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 come under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
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. My Department has developed legislative proposals to modernise and consolidate the legislation governing commercial rates. In this regard, the Government approved the drafting of a Rates Bill at its meeting on 11 April 2017. These proposals will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny in due course.
145. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual cost of increasing maternity leave benefits by one week, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, five weeks, six weeks, seven weeks, eight weeks, nine weeks and ten weeks, respectively. [19103/17]
View answerMaternity benefit is paid for 26 weeks at a rate of €235 per week. The 2017 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of approximately €266 million on maternity benefit.
The estimated additional cost of extending the duration of maternity benefit is €10 million for each extra week. The following table estimates the additional cost of increasing the duration of maternity benefit above its current 26 week duration at the current weekly rate of €235:
|
Estimated annual cost of increasing the duration of maternity benefit based on 2017 rates |
||||||||||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
|
No. of additional weeks |
week |
weeks |
weeks |
weeks |
weeks |
weeks |
weeks |
weeks |
weeks |
weeks |
|
Estimated cost (€m) |
10 |
20 |
30 |
40 |
50 |
60 |
70 |
80 |
90 |
100 |
These estimates are on a full year basis and assume that any increase in duration is implemented at the beginning of the year. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2017.
Any changes to the rate or duration of maternity benefit could also have implications for adoptive benefit; health and safety benefit; and paternity benefit. Revised figures for these schemes are not included in the costings above.
Any increase would have to be considered in the overall budgetary context.
146. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual cost of increasing parental leave benefits by one week, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, five weeks, six weeks, seven weeks, eight weeks, nine weeks and ten weeks, respectively. [19104/17]
View answerParents have an entitlement to parental leave which is unpaid but there is no provision under current legislation for paid parental leave. Since 8 March 2013 the amount of parental leave available for each child amounts to a total of 18 working weeks per child. Both parents have an equal separate entitlement to parental leave.
There is a commitment in the Programme for Partnership Government (PfG) to increase paid leave for parents for the first year of a child’s life. Work has commenced to explore the options available with discussions taking place between officials from the Department of Justice and Equality and my Department.
148. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection if he travelled abroad as part of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations; the locations he travelled to; the duration of the trip; the cost of the trip, including travel and accommodation in addition to other expenses incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18901/17]
View answerSt. Patrick’s Day offers a unique opportunity to promote Ireland’s economic and political interests overseas, with levels of publicity and media attention unmatched by the national day of any other country. Ministerial visits around this period are organised to ensure that we use this exposure to maximise the promotion of Ireland’s trade, tourism and investment interests and to spread a positive message about Ireland remaining a committed member of the EU.
This year, I undertook a four day St Patrick’s Day promotional programme to Paris and Cannes. I had the opportunity to meet with Minister Sapin, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Affairs where I raised Ireland’s concerns and priorities.
I also addressed a number of Irish community engagements including Saint Patrick’s “Greening Tours” in both Paris and Cannes and a St Patrick’s Day reception at the Irish Embassy.
I attended business events to promote trade, tourism and investment and to promote Ireland in the international media.
Each Minister and Department is responsible for their own costs and, where Embassies incur costs on behalf of Ministers, these are agreed with the Ministers’ offices in advance. Before travelling, all Ministers are reminded that the programme of Ministerial visits for St. Patrick’s Day should be undertaken in the most cost efficient way possible.
With these guidelines on travel in place, the cost of my Saint Patrick’s Day travel in 2017 was €196.79. The Department of Foreign Affairs arranged accommodation and internal transport. These costs are not available to me yet but the Department will be invoiced for these costs in due course.
149. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the documents which his Department consider as proof of the valuation of an additional property in the assessment of an additional property as part of a disability allowance application; if there is provision for his department to not assess an additional property if it is in an unfinished state (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18907/17]
View answerIn the case of means-tested payments from my Department, such as disability allowance (DA), applicants are assessed with any cash income, property other than the home, and capital (such as savings, shares and investments). For all means-tested schemes, there is an initial amount of capital that is disregarded for means assessment purposes. For most schemes this disregard is €20,000 but, in the case of DA, it is €50,000.
How the means assessment is applied is set down in legislation and deciding officers are obliged to follow this legislation. There are disregards applied to every means assessment which allow for general costs. There is no disregard allowable specifically for an unfinished property. My department accepted the documentation provided by the claimant as proof of the valuation of the property. If the information provided is incorrect, it is open to the person in question to provide further documentation. On receipt of the updated information, my department will review their entitlement.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
150. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of private companies assisting his Department in job searches; his views on whether these companies are providing value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18909/17]
View answerThe State’s Public Employment Service is managed by my Department and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contracted private companies, such as JobPath, Local Employment Service (LES) and Job Club providers.
The department currently has contracts in place with in excess of 60 companies for the provision of these services, comprising 44 Job Club, 22 Local Employment Service and two JobPath providers.
The JobPath contract model operates under a payment by results model, i.e. contractors are only paid when they achieve sustained employment outcomes for jobseekers. The LES and Job Club contracts are paid by inputs i.e. they are paid an amount that is agreed at the beginning of a contract term based on forecasted activity levels.
As the Deputy may be aware, the contracts for the provision of LES and Job Club services may be awarded for a period of up to twelve months and accordingly, all contracts are reviewed on an on-going and annual basis.
My department is committed to the further development of these services and in late 2016 Indecon were asked to undertake a review of the services being provided and this report is due for completion in Q2 of 2017.
In the case of JobPath, my department publishes a quarterly performance report. The report published in January of this year detailed the results of an independent customer satisfaction survey which indicates that jobseekers feel that they are receiving a good service and that JobPath has improved their chances of securing employment. Between 76% and 81% of customers were satisfied with the service provided and only between 5% and 8% expressed dissatisfaction. Over 90% of customers reported that JobPath staff made them feel valued and that they have a good relationship with their JobPath adviser. They also felt that the service had improved their chances of getting a job.
While the analysis of employment outcomes for participants showed that they have a higher chance of securing and remaining in a job than participants with a similar duration of unemployment. Given that only a small number of people have completed their full engagement with the JobPath service these results can only be treated as indicative, nevertheless they are very encouraging. Should the Deputy wish to consider the matter in more detail, the report is available on the department’s website.
The department will be publishing similar JobPath performance reports for each quarter with the next such report to be published on the department’s website in the coming weeks. In addition, the Department is also planning for an econometric review of the JobPath service, which will commence later this year when participant numbers will have reached a level to support a robust review.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
