Written Answers Nos. 232-249
232. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if large scale housing funding projects proposed to his Department by local authorities, approved housing bodies or the Housing Agency, including acquisitions or new builds, were deferred in 2016 or have been deferred in 2017; if so, the projects concerned; the amounts requested and deferred; and the reasons for these decisions. [23111/17]
View answerWhile delays can arise in relation to projects for a range of reasons, including planning and procurement issues, I am satisfied, on the basis of social housing delivery in 2016 having exceeded targets and the substantial progress which has been made already in the early months of 2017, that the delivery of social housing continues to gather further significant momentum.
As the Deputy will be aware, €5.35 billion is being made available for housing projects over the lifetime of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan and my Department is actively encouraging local authorities and approved housing bodies to progress as many projects as possible over the coming years.
In terms of construction projects that are advancing at present, a comprehensive status list of such social housing schemes can be accessed at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/social-housing-developments/.
Further project approvals are being added to the published list as they are developed by local authorities and approved housing bodies, details of which will be outlined in the context of the next quarterly reporting under Rebuilding Ireland. I am keen that all local authorities advance their social housing projects, direct or approved housing body led, as speedily as possible and I have assured them that funding is in place to support their activity in this regard.
234. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if there has been a change in policy in his Department with respect to the offering of rapid build and modular homes for long-term lease as opposed to short-term transitory accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23121/17]
View answerUnder the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, a Rapid-Build Housing Programme is being implemented, through which I expect in the region of 1,500 rapid-build units to be delivered by 2018. While this programme is being implemented, in the first instance, to mitigate the issues associated with using hotels as emergency accommodation for homeless families, the programme is also intended to expedite the supply of standard social housing. In this regard, the Office of Government Procurement has established a framework for the procurement of rapid build contractors to allow local authorities across the country to run quicker procurement competitions and advance rapid build projects to site more efficiently and effectively.
The allocation of social housing support to qualified households is a matter for the housing authority concerned in accordance with the authority’s allocation scheme made under Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011. Insofar as families being moved from hotels is concerned, I understand that the local authorities concerned are, where appropriate, providing accommodation under licence arrangements rather than through tenancies.
235. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that rents in Limerick city have risen substantially since legislation was introduced to cap rents in certain areas; if he will consider extending the rent cap to the Limerick area in view of the recent rent increases in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23131/17]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 lays out the process through which rent pressure zones can be designated. It provides 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.
On 29 March the RTB published the Rent Index Report in relation to Quarter 4 2016, which includes a summary of the data used as the criteria for designating rent pressure zones in relation to all Local Electoral Areas in the country, allowing all interested parties to see exactly where their area stands in relation to rents and possible designation. The data from the Rent Index Report relating to Limerick is detailed in the following table.
Rent Index Report - Limerick Area
|
Local Electoral Area |
Quarters > 7% |
2016 Q4 € |
|
Newcastle West |
3 |
467.35 |
|
Adare-Rathkeale |
4 |
773.56 |
|
Cappamore-Kilmallock |
2 |
648.39 |
|
Limerick City West |
5 |
984.84 |
|
Limerick City North |
3 |
804.84 |
|
Limerick City East |
5 |
868.10 |
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 Standardised Rent in the RTB’s Rent Index Report) in the last quarter (€986 per month).
The data for Local Electoral Areas in Limerick indicates that these areas do not meet the criteria for designation at this time.
Under the Act, 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.
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.
I have undertaken to carry out a review, in June this year, of the Rent Predictability provisions introduced under the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016. At that point, the provisions will have been in place for 6 months and it will be possible to ascertain their effectiveness and whether any changes need to be made to, for example, the qualifying criteria or the designation process.
236. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether some or all of households with more persons than rooms are in breach of section 63 of the Housing Act 1966, in view of the release of the latest Central Statistics Office data (details supplied); and his plans to tackle overcrowding, particularly in the private rented and social housing sectors. [23155/17]
View answerIt is important to point out that there is no direct correlation between the definition of overcrowding contained in Section 63 of the Housing Act 1966 and the recently published CSO Census 2016 Report, Profile 1 Housing in Ireland.
The CSO report has highlighted that 95,013 households (almost 10% of the population) are living in homes with more people than rooms. The background notes provided with the CSO report provide clarification on which rooms are counted in a home for the purpose of the Census, as follows:
The number of rooms occupied by a private household is the total number used by the household. This includes kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, conservatories you can sit in and studies, but excluding bathrooms, toilets, kitchenettes, utility rooms consulting rooms, offices, shops, halls, landings and rooms that can only be used for storage such as cupboards.
Section 63 of the 1966 Act refers specifically to the sleeping arrangements of persons in a dwelling and sets out a definition of overcrowding in accommodation for the purpose of the Housing Acts. Paragraph (a) of the definition states that a dwelling is deemed overcrowded when the sleeping arrangements are such that any two opposite-sex persons aged 10 or more who are not married must sleep in the same room. Paragraph (b) refers to the free air space in any room used for sleeping for any person not being less than 400 cubic feet.
In the absence of detailed information regarding the number and gender of individuals in each household, the sleeping arrangements in place and the type of dwelling occupied, it is not possible to determine whether any of the 95,013 households referred to in the CSO report are in overcrowded accommodation as defined in Section 63 of the Housing Act 1966.
The Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (July 2016) is focused on increasing supply, across all tenures, to achieve total housing output of at least 25,000 homes per year by 2021 and beyond, effectively doubling the output of 12,600 homes recorded in 2015. Specifically, Pillar 5 of the Action Plan is focussed on achieving optimum occupancy of the country’s existing housing stock, both private and social housing, so as to meet national housing needs in as effective a way as possible.
While still at an early stage of implementation, there is already strong evidence that the focus on increasing and accelerating housing supply in Rebuilding Ireland is starting to have a positive impact. The latest residential commencements and completions data show that house-building activity is continuing to strengthen. Completions, as measured through ESB connections, for the 12-month period to end February 2017 stood at 15,327 homes, a 16% increase year on year. Likewise, commencement notices for 13,169 new homes were submitted in the twelve month period to end February 2017, up 27% year on year.
237. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when a reply will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23157/17]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that a final reply to the correspondence referred to by the Deputy, has now issued from my Department.
238. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will request a report from Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council on the supported temporary accommodation projects currently in place for persons to assist them prior to being placed in a housing assistance payment tenancy; if he will provide this report to Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23188/17]
View answer239. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will request a report from Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council on the measures in place to assist persons in avoiding homelessness prior to their tenancies ending; if he will provide this report to Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23189/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 239 together.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, rests with individual housing authorities. While my Department engages with housing authorities on a regular basis in relation to housing and homelessness matters, the issues raised in the Questions are a matter for the relevant housing authorities, in this case Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council, and information can be obtained from those authorities directly.
240. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the national emergency co-ordination group has been convened in relation to the recent large numbers of gorse fires across County Donegal and the gorse and forest fires elsewhere in the State; and the person or body that was overseeing this emergency situation at national level and that was making decisions on the deployment of resources such as helicopters with water and Defence Forces personnel. [23212/17]
View answerThe role of responding to incidents of fire is assigned to fire authorities in the Fire Services Act, 1981 to 2003. Under Section 10 of that Act, fire authorities are required to make provision for the prompt and efficient extinguishing of fires in buildings and other places of all kinds in its functional area and for the protection and rescue of persons and property from injury by fire. A fire authority, in the exercise of its fire-fighting functions is required to have regard (in addition to all other relevant considerations) to the nature of the fire hazards and the probable incidence and extent of fires in its functional area, the character of the area and the value of the property liable to be damaged by fires. Decisions about mobilising and deploying fire-fighting resources to fire situations are vested in the Senior Fire Officer present at the scene. On-scene co-ordination of all responding resources takes place under the aegis of the Senior Fire Officer. The safety of members of the public, as well as the fire authority’s own personnel, is a primary consideration in all fire-fighting situations.
My Department is assigned the “Lead Government Department” role for fire emergencies. On behalf of the Department, the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) exercises the role of monitoring and responding at national level to incidents of fire as considered appropriate. The NDFEM’s Assessment Team has been monitoring the incidents of wildland fires and has been liaising with the relevant fire authorities in this regard.
The NDFEM undertakes a liaison role also, in accordance with pre-agreed procedures, for channelling requests from fire authorities for Defence Forces support, including for deployment of Air Corps helicopters, where requested.
Where a situation merits, or where a fire authority indicates that the local level response is overwhelmed, national level co-ordination may be invoked to support the local response. Where judged as necessary and appropriate, the ‘Lead Government Department’ may convene a National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) to bring a whole of Government support to bear in assisting the local response as necessary.
While recognising the difficulties and dangers posed to local communities by the recent spate of wildland fires, the NDFEM Assessment Team has not considered it appropriate to move to the stage of convening a National Emergency Co-ordination Group, as the relevant Departments and agencies have been working well with fire services to deal with the fires at a local level.
The NDFEM Assessment Team will continue to monitor further incidents of gorse and forest fires at a local level and will make decisions whether or not to convene a NECG on a case-by-case basis, in conjunction with relevant local authority fire services.
241. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he will bring forward new legislation pertaining to the calculation of commercial rates; and if he will make a statement of the matter. [23298/17]
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.
Commercial rates form an important element of the funding of all local authorities. However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century. Many of the provisions are outdated and not suitable for business trends in the modern era. My Department has developed legislative proposals to modernise and consolidate the legislation governing commercial rates. 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.
242. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22760/17]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 7 March 2017. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention.
This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 11 May 2017 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.
243. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedure to address a circumstance raised in correspondence (details supplied). [22901/17]
View answerThe re-registration of births to include the name of the father is provided for in Section 23 of the Civil Registration Act 2004. This section provides that a registrar may enter the name of the father in the Register of Births on receipt of a declaration by the parents of the child identifying a person as the father, or on production of a Court Order declaring a person to be the father of the child.
In the case referred to by the Deputy it is assumed, due to the remove in time, that it is not now possible to obtain declarations from the parents of the person concerned.
It is however open to the person to apply to the Circuit Court for a declaration of parentage. I understand that the General Register Office recently advised the person that this is the appropriate course of action.
244. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when arrears will issue regarding an application for disability allowance by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22687/17]
View answerFollowing a successful appeal, this lady has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 2 March 2016. Arrears of payment due have been issued to her home address by cheque on 9 May 2017.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
245. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is mandatory for a person selected by his Department for the JobPath scheme to engage with a company (details supplied) and to sign a contract with it when that person has not signed a record of mutual commitments with Intreo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22691/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare (Consolidated) Act 2005, Part 3, Ch. 2, Sect. 141 specifies that participation in activation meetings arranged by or on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection is mandatory for those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance.
All people in receipt of Jobseekers payment must satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking employment. They are also required to engage with my Department’s activation service and this obligation applies irrespective of whether the service is provided by the Department’s own case officers or those advisors employed by the contracted JobPath companies.
Seetec are one of the two companies who have been contracted to provide the JobPath activation service to customers of my Department who are long term unemployed.
Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help them address barriers to employment and to assist them in finding sustainable jobs. Each person is assigned a personal advisor who will assess a person’s individual skills, experience, qualifications and work goals. Every customer referred to JobPath is requested to agree and sign a personal progression plan (PPP). The PPP is an agreement containing a schedule of activities; actions and job focused targets, taking into account a person’s specific qualifications and employment preferences. The contents of the PPP may change during the person’s engagement with the service as they develop new skills or experience.
It is important to note that all decisions regarding a person’s welfare entitlements while on JobPath are taken only by Department officials and not by the JobPath providers. In addition the process for sanctioning clients who do not engage with the JobPath activation process is exactly the same as the process for clients who fail to engage with the Department’s other activation services provided by Intreo Centres, Local Employment Services and Job Clubs.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
246. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the mortgage interest supplement is being abolished; if so, his plans to replace it with another scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22723/17]
View answerThe original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme was to provide short-term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence due to temporary unemployment or loss of earnings.
The scheme was discontinued to new entrants from 1st January 2014. Customers availing of this support prior to 1st January 2014 have been able to retain entitlement to the scheme up to 1st January 2018. There are currently approximately 1,800 people in receipt of the scheme, for which Government has provided over €4 million in 2017.
The most appropriate way in which customers experiencing mortgage difficulties can be supported is through on-going engagement with their lender to explore sustainable solutions. The payment of this supplement on an indefinite basis does not address the longer term issues for people in serious mortgage arrears.
It is expected that the customers currently in receipt of this support will continue to exit the scheme through sustainable solutions being put in place with their lenders; securing employment; or exit strategies such as the Mortgage to Rent Scheme. In line with all schemes administered by my Department, any further extension of the mortgage interest scheme for existing customers would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
The Deputy may be aware that the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments. As part of its free services, MABS provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears.
The role of MABS was expanded in 2015 with the establishment of a Dedicated Mortgage Arrears MABS service (DMA MABS) across the MABS network, to help people specifically with home mortgage arrears. There are now 32 specialist DMA advisors working across 27 locations countrywide, assisting borrowers to assess the options available to them and, where required, negotiating with lenders on their behalf. To date, the DMA service has helped almost 3,600 such borrowers.
Additionally, MABS provides a national network of court mentors who attend each listed repossession Court hearing countrywide. The mentors provide support to distressed borrowers who are facing the loss of their home and signpost them to the appropriate services. To date, over 1,400 borrowers have been referred onward to MABS advisors through the court mentor service.
In 2016, a further initiative was announced by Government, known as Abhaile. This scheme further extends the free services already available to borrowers through the DMA MABS service and the court mentor service. The new voucher based scheme, for which MABS is the gateway, provides access for people, who are insolvent and in home mortgage arrears, to access independent expert financial and/or legal advice and assistance, free of charge. To date, approximately 6,780 vouchers for services have been issued, in respect of over 3,940 principle private residences.
I am continuing to monitor the supports and services which the Department has put in place to assist homeowners in serious mortgage arrears.
247. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection when a public services card will issue to a person (details supplied). [22759/17]
View answerA Public Services Card is issued to an individual following a robust registration process to establish and verify the person’s identity. Part of the required evidence of identity for a non-EEA national to get a Public Services Card is a current valid passport.
The person concerned claims to be unable to produce such a document at this time. As a consequence, my Department is carrying out further enquiries in this case and the person concerned will be contacted when these enquiries are complete.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
248. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and when a decision will be made on the application. [22774/17]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 29 March 2017. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. In the meantime, both the person concerned and his spouse are in receipt of a weekly social welfare support.
CA is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.
Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of disability and caring schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested payments also require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision making process.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
249. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full combined cost of increasing maternity benefit by €20, €30, €40 and €50 per week, while extending maternity benefit by two, three, four and five weeks, in tabular form. [22782/17]
View answerMaternity Benefit is a payment made for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed pregnant women who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions in order to avoid the need for them to work pre and post-delivery of their baby. The original scheme was introduced in 1970 and was extended to include self-employed mothers with effect from June 1997.
It is currently estimated that next year my Department will spend approximately €266 million on Maternity Benefit in respect of an average of 22,000 recipients per week.
The table below estimates the additional cost, over and above the current estimated expenditure on Maternity Benefit in 2017. The additional costs include increasing the weekly rate of Maternity Benefit above the current weekly rate of €235 and simultaneously increasing the duration of Maternity Benefit above its current 26 week duration.
|
Increase the weekly rate of Maternity Benefit from €235 to: |
Additional 2 weeks €m |
Additional 3 weeks €m |
Additional 4 weeks €m |
Additional 5 weeks €m |
|
€255.00 |
43 |
53 |
64 |
74 |
|
€265.00 |
55 |
65 |
76 |
86 |
|
€275.00 |
66 |
77 |
87 |
97 |
|
€285.00 |
78 |
88 |
99 |
109 |
Any changes to the rate or duration of Maternity Benefit could also have implications for Adoptive Benefit, Health & Safety Benefit and Paternity Benefit. Revised figures for these schemes are not included in the costings above.
These estimated costings are on a full year basis and assume that the increase is implemented from the beginning of January. It should be noted that these costings relate to a full year and are subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2017.
