Written Answers Nos 1267-1289
1267. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of families rehoused by Kildare County Council in each of the past two years and to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33667/17]
View answerMy Department does not collate or hold the specific statistical data requested by the Deputy. The allocation of social housing support to qualified households is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations.
1268. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to facilitate the urgent restart of development on house building sites throughout the greater Dublin area with particular reference to the urgent need to bring new houses onto the market as early as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33668/17]
View answer1269. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of houses and new housing starts in each of the counties immediately adjacent to Dublin city and county over the past 12 months; the expectation in this regard in the next six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33669/17]
View answerThe Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, published in July 2016, is particularly focused on increasing supply of new homes across all tenures, to achieve total housing output of at least 25,000 homes per year by 2020, effectively doubling the output of 12,600 homes recorded in 2015.
Rebuilding Ireland commits to the delivery of an additional 47,000 social housing units over the 6-year life-time of the plan for which a budget of €5.35 billion is in place. Last year, €935 million was invested in providing some 19,000 social housing supports, through new builds, refurbishments and acquisitions as well as through the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme. In 2017, some 21,000 households will have their social housing needs met.
With regard to the wider housing market, under Pillar 3 of Rebuilding Ireland, a wide range of actions are already well advanced to increase housing supply significantly, including opening up State lands for housing; the €226m Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund; planning reforms; promoting more efficient design and delivery methods to lower housing delivery costs; and the review of costs of construction to identify potential efficiencies.
While we are still just one year into the 6-year Action Plan, there is already strong evidence that the actions set out in Rebuilding Ireland are yielding results. The latest Monthly Housing Activity Report, published by my Department on the Rebuilding Ireland website, www.rebuildingireland.ie, shows that house building is continuing to gather strength and pace.
Planning permissions for 17,934 new homes were granted in the twelve-month period to end March 2017 (up 39% year on year). 6,497 of these were in Dublin with, 10,518 in the wider Greater Dublin Area (i.e. the four Dublin Local Authority areas plus Counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow).
In addition, site Commencement Notices for 15,579 new homes nationwide were submitted in the twelve-month period to end May 2017 (up 42% year on year), of which 5,856 are in Dublin and 9,053 in the GDA.
The number of homes connected to the ESB Grid, a proxy for house completions, during the twelve month period to end May 2017 was 16,340, of which 4,633 are in Dublin while 7,047 are in the GDA. This represents a year on year increase of 19% nationally and 33% in the GDA. The expectation is that the number will reach 18,000/18,500 for 2017 as a whole.
Through the range of actions currently being progressed through Rebuilding Ireland to increase the supply of homes across all tenures, the Government has made considerable progress towards restoring a more sustainable and normally functioning housing market, which will be capable of providing homes at affordable price points to buy or rent, where and when they are needed. Nevertheless, I will be giving further consideration to housing supply and affordability issues in the context of the targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland which my Department has now commenced and which I hope to conclude in September.
1270. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the extent to which facilities are available to meet the housing needs of the indigenous rural population by way of ensuring an adequate number of houses in keeping with good planning principles to facilitate in so far as is possible the indigenous needs of those living in rural areas thereby reducing the impact on housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33670/17]
View answerBased on ESB connections data, it is estimated that around half of the 15,000 new homes completed last year were one-off houses, mainly built in rural areas, which account for less than 40% of the national population. The high proportion of overall national house-building taking place in rural areas points to the degree to which indigenous communities in rural areas are being facilitated in meeting their housing needs in those rural areas, with a degree of overspill development from cities and towns as well.
In addition, my Department’s 2005 Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing are designed to ensure that planning authorities strike a balance between managing the future of rural areas from a development perspective and at the same time enabling housing requirements of rural communities to be met. The Guidelines set out how planning authorities should frame their development plan policies for the different types of rural areas which may exist within the development plan area, which range from rural areas close to cities and towns at risk of overspill development and remoter areas with low levels of development pressure and consistent patterns of population decline. The Guidelines also set out policy advice on issues such as access to appropriate wastewater treatment facilities, potential impacts of the development on groundwater, landscape, natural and cultural heritage and addressing road safety issues (e.g. frontage onto national roads).
I am satisfied that a sufficiently flexible and robust policy framework is in place to ensure that rural communities can meet their housing needs.
I also recognise that the major shortfalls in housing provision are in our larger cities and towns and that it is in and around these key locations that we must particularly focus our efforts to boost supply, as outlined in the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, to avoid driving unsustainable overspill development in rural areas as a result of undersupply in urban locations.
1271. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if NAMA may again be approached with a view to the possible availability of extra housing to meet the pressing needs of local authority housing applicants throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33671/17]
View answerTo end Quarter 1 2017, the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) had identified 6,947 units, associated with the security for loans that NAMA has acquired, that could be made available for social housing. Many of these units were in unfinished housing developments or developments that required significant remediation work. All of the units identified by NAMA, regardless of their condition, location or circumstance were offered to local authorities in the first instance.
To date, demand has been confirmed by local authorities for 2,780 of the properties that NAMA has identified as potentially available. Local authorities have confirmed that 2,423 of the properties are considered unsuitable by reference to sustainable planning and housing policy, or are located in areas with no social housing demand. A further 1,744 properties have been sold or privately let by the owners or receivers since the initial offer was made to the local authority.
General information in relation to NAMA delivery for social housing is available on the website of the Housing Agency at the following link:
https://www.housingagency.ie/Our-Services/Housing-Supply-Services/NAMA-(1).aspx.
In consultation with my Department, the Housing Agency and local authorities, NAMA continues to work through its portfolio with a view to identifying units that could be made available. The local authorities and the Housing Agency have been working systematically through the units with NAMA to determine if there is a social housing demand for the properties identified as potentially suitable for social housing. However, many of these units may be in private rented use and it is not appropriate or desirable that such private tenancies would be displaced.
Where a demand is identified by a local authority, this information is provided to NAMA and efforts are made to secure as many of the suitable properties as possible for social housing. While this process is ongoing, it is unlikely to yield a significant number of further properties.
1272. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of private housing completions in 2016 and to date in 2017 in Dublin city. [33673/17]
View answer1274. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of affordable housing completions in 2016 and to date in 2017 in Dublin city. [33675/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1272 and 1274 together.
My Department publishes ESB Networks data on residential homes connected to the ESB grid, as a proxy for house completions, as it currently represents the best available indicator, with full coverage, that a residential unit is becoming available for occupation.
This ESB dataset includes recently completed one-off homes, multi-unit scheme developments and apartments. It also includes some re-connections to the grid, where properties that have been unoccupied for over two years are being brought back into use. The dataset is updated monthly and is published on my Department's website, with a breakdown by local authority. This information can be accessed through the following weblink - http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/construction-activity-completions.
My Department also publishes Monthly Housing Activity Reports that draw together the most up-to-date data on housing activity indicators, such as planning permissions, housing development site commencements, ESB connections, social housing output, and residential purchase and rental prices. The latest monthly report can be accessed on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following weblink -
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/house-building-activity-gathering-strength-and-pace/.
While information on house sales and rental prices is useful, the issue of affordability is a more complex matter that is as much a function of a household's income level, access to finance and circumstances as it is a function of residential completions and pricing data.
I have initiated a targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland, with an emphasis on examining and strengthening the measures already in place and identifying new initiatives that add value and raise ambition. As part of this review process, I have asked my Department to focus in particular on the broad issue of housing affordability.
1273. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of social housing completions in 2016 and to date in 2017 in Dublin city. [33674/17]
View answerDetails on the number of social housing completions by local authority are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. Information on quarter four of 2016 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly, with information on quarter one of 2017 to follow thereafter. The provisional data indicates that nationally in 2016, the housing needs of over 19,000 households were met through a range of housing programmes, supported by expenditure of over €935 million. A further €1.3 billion has been provided for 2017 to support the accelerated delivery of social housing and the achievement of the 2017 target to meet the housing needs of over 21,000 households.
Details in respect of the substantial pipeline of new social housing construction projects that is now in place, including in the Dublin City Council area, are set out in the Status Report on Social Housing Construction Projects, the latest update of which is available at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/coveney-publishes-details-further-progress-social-housing-schemes.
Details of all the social housing construction projects being implemented across the 31 local authority areas are set out in the Report, including the number of new social homes covered by each separate project.
The Report covers over 600 projects, delivering over 10,000 new social homes, including some projects completed in 2016 and in the 1st quarter of this year, and others that are on site or at various stages of advancement through planning and design. The scale of the construction pipeline as at end-quarter 1 2017 represents a major escalation in the social housing build programme and more projects are being added on an ongoing basis, to ensure we deliver on the ambitious targets set in the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness. I am keen that all local authorities advance their social housing projects as speedily as possible and I have assured them that funding is in place to support their activity in this regard.
1275. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the current number of homeless families in Dublin city. [33676/17]
View answer1276. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the current number of homeless children in Dublin city. [33677/17]
View answer1282. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of households with children that have become newly homeless each month in Dublin since January 2014 to date in 2017. [33710/17]
View answer1284. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of homeless households that have progressed from temporary emergency accommodation to permanent housing in the social housing or private housing sector in each month since January 2015 to June 2017 or latest date available for the Dublin region. [33712/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1275, 1276, 1282 and 1284 together.
My Department publishes official homeless reports on a monthly basis, the latest of which is for the month of May 2017. These reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These reports are based on data provided by housing authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System, in relation to State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. These reports capture details of adult individuals on a regional and county basis and also details of the number of family units within the overall homeless population as well as associated dependents.
My Department does not collate data on a monthly basis, as requested, in relation to the number of homeless households that have progressed from temporary emergency accommodation to permanent housing in the social housing or private housing sector. However, I can confirm that there was 1,059 exits from homelessness in the Dublin Region during 2015 and 1,833 during 2016. Figures for 2017 are not yet available.
Details of the number of new homeless families with dependents entering homeless accommodation in the Dublin Region are set out in the following table for each month since the start of 2014:
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
|
2014 |
42 |
25 |
28 |
26 |
28 |
28 |
41 |
33 |
37 |
42 |
33 |
19 |
|
2015 |
47 |
55 |
57 |
63 |
66 |
65 |
70 |
78 |
70 |
72 |
60 |
41 |
|
2016 |
125 |
83 |
84 |
74 |
64 |
72 |
97 |
72 |
65 |
67 |
60 |
39 |
|
2017 |
87 |
62 |
77 |
67 |
79 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1277. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the current number of households in Dublin city in receipt of the housing assistance payment. [33678/17]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is now available to all eligible households throughout the State. There are currently just over 24,000 households having their housing needs met via HAP and some 18,000 separate landlords and agents currently in receipt of monthly HAP payments.
The nationwide roll-out of the HAP scheme was completed following its introduction on 1 March 2017 to the Dublin City, Fingal and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Local Authority areas. HAP has been particularly successful in the South Dublin County Council (SDCC) area, where it has been available since 1 October 2014.
The Homeless Pilot of the HAP scheme has been operational since February 2015 across the four housing authorities in the Dublin Region, and is being implemented through the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). The focus of this pilot scheme is to transition qualified households from emergency accommodation, including hotels, into private rented tenancies.
There are currently almost 4,000 active HAP tenancies set up by the four Dublin local authorities, including 1,600 homeless households set up by the DRHE.
A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP in each local authority area at the end of Quarter 1 2017 is available on my Department's website http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
Quarter 2 data will be published on the website shortly.
1278. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the current average residential property rental cost in Dublin city and Dublin north city. [33679/17]
View answerCompiled by the ESRI and based on the Residential Tenancies Board’s own register of over 300,000 tenancies, the RTB Rent Index is a valuable source of information and provides standardised average rent data at Local Electoral Area level throughout the State, based on the actual rents reported in registrations with the RTB. The Rent Index is updated quarterly and shows the percentage change in rents over the previous quarter and over the previous twelve months.
Earlier this year, the RTB and the ESRI revised and developed the methodology for producing the RTB's Rent Index so that RTB data can now be used to calculate and monitor changes in rents at the level of Local Electoral Areas. On 15 June, the RTB published the Rent Index Report in relation to Quarter 1 2017, which includes a summary of the data in relation to all Local Electoral Areas across the country.
For Quarter 1 2017, the standardised average rent for Dublin, as reported in the RTB Rent Index, is €1,415 per month. The report, including details for Local Electoral Areas in Dublin, is publicly available on the RTB website at the weblink below and allows all interested parties to see exactly where their area stands in relation to average rent levels.
http://www.rtb.ie/docs/default-source/default-document-library/rtb-rent-index-2017-q1-(3).pdf?sfvrsn=2.
1279. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the current average cost residential property sale price in Dublin city and Dublin north city. [33680/17]
View answerMy Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy. Data on house price statistics are available on my Department’s website at http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-prices-loans-and-profile-borrowers/house-price-statistics.
Further detail is available from the Central Statistics Office who publish a Residential Property Price Index and also average house prices by Eircode area on their website at www.cso.ie.
1280. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has explored the number of potential development sites held by investors due to the seven-year capital gains tax exemption; and his views on whether this is a significant source of land hoarding. [33708/17]
View answerMatters of taxation policy are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance. My Department does not hold specific information in relation to the impact of the taxation measure cited.
In terms of vacant sites more generally, the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced a new measure, the vacant site levy, which is aimed at incentivising the development of vacant, under-utilised sites in urban areas. Under the Act, planning authorities are required to establish a register of vacant sites in their areas, beginning on 1 January 2017, and to issue annual notices to owners of vacant sites by 1 June 2018 in respect of vacant sites on the register on 1 January 2018. The levy will be applied by planning authorities, commencing on 1 January 2019 in respect of sites which were vacant and on the vacant site register during the year 2018 and will subsequently be applied on an annual basis thereafter, as long as a site remains on the vacant site register in the preceding year.
Planning authorities are empowered to apply an annual vacant site levy of 3% of the market value of vacant sites, exceeding 0.5 hectares in area - with reduced or zero rates of levy applying in specific circumstances – which, in the planning authority’s opinion, were vacant or idle in the preceding year, in areas identified by the planning authority in its development plan or local area plan for residential or regeneration development. The 3% rate of vacant site levy is consistent with the rate applied to derelict sites under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 and is considered a reasonable initial step in incentivising the activation of such sites for residential or regeneration purposes.
It is also worth noting that all levies due on an individual site will remain a charge on the land concerned until all outstanding levies due are paid. Accordingly, under the vacant site levy provisions, there will be a cumulative effect associated with not activating a site for development purposes for each year that a site remains vacant or idle.
Planning authorities are presently engaging in the necessary preparatory work, prior to the application of the levy with effect from January 2019 in respect of sites identified on the register in 2018. As required under the Act, this includes the identification of specific vacant sites for entry on the register as well as the registered owners of the sites in question along with undertaking a site valuation. Vacant site registers were established in January 2017 by planning authorities and the registers will be populated as the preparatory work progresses during the year.
With regard to addressing the issue of the hoarding of residentially zoned land, I have tabled a number of amendments to the provisions relating to the extension of duration of planning permissions in the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, which is currently at Dáil Report Stage. The amendments proposed are collectively aimed at tightening up the provisions in relation to the extension of duration of planning permissions and ensuring that extensions of duration, without commencing substantial development, will no longer be facilitated.
1281. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of HAP persons to date in each county and year. [33709/17]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is now available to all eligible households throughout the State. There are currently just over 24,000 households having their housing needs met via HAP and some 18,000 separate landlords and agents currently in receipt of monthly HAP payments.
A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP in each local authority area at the end of Quarter 1 2017 is available on my Department's website http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
Quarter 2 data will be published on the website shortly.
1283. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the funding for current and capital housing programmes from his Department in each of the years 2000 to 2016. and to date in 2017. [33711/17]
View answerThe information sought in respect of funding for current and capital housing programmes for the period 2005 to 2017 is set out in the following table. As my Department’s current financial management system was implemented during 2004, the information sought prior to that is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work.
The data for 2015, 2016 and 2017 include amounts self-funded by certain local authorities from surplus Local Property Tax receipts. In relation to 2017, the table contains the budgeted amount for the current year.
Expenditure to date in 2017 on capital housing programmes is €370.53 million with a further €212.38 million expended on current housing programmes.
|
Year |
Current - €m |
Capital - €m |
|
2005 |
89.234 |
1,142.354 |
|
2006 |
110.474 |
1,252.464 |
|
2007 |
143.217 |
1,364.446 |
|
2008 |
194.508 |
1,515.499 |
|
2009 |
230.975 |
1,160.499 |
|
2010 |
235.213 |
830.066 |
|
2011 |
257.497 |
484.890 |
|
2012 |
275.273 |
397.197 |
|
2013 |
284.771 |
295.165 |
|
2014 |
285.759 |
299.636 |
|
2015 |
331.210 |
430.491 |
|
2016 |
401.143 |
534.028 |
|
2017 |
566.102 |
731.681 |
1285. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of vacant social houses brought back into productive use with aid from his Department in each of the years 2015 to 2016, and to date in 2017; the estimated number of long-term voids and short-term vacant social housing units to date in each local authority. [33713/17]
View answer2,696 and 2,090 vacant social homes were brought back into productive use in 2015 and 2016, respectively, with funding assistance from my Department.
To date in 2017, funding has been provided in respect of remediation for 115 vacant social homes and, based on proposals submitted by the local authorities, I anticipate this number to be around 1,400 by year-end. The distribution of these numbers across the local authorities is set out on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/funding/minister-coveney-announces-allocation-funding-over-eu24-million-void-and-vacant-social-housing-units .
As well as the above numbers of vacant social homes requiring significant remediation, there is a regular turnover of short-term vacancies in the social housing stock of local authorities. In general, these vacancies are addressed by the local authorities and given that these numbers alter on an ongoing basis, for example as tenants move in and out of housing, my Department does not record such numbers.
1286. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount that has been spent under the local infrastructure housing activation fund to date in 2017; if he will provide a list of projects, a brief description and the locations of each; the areas in which funding was allocated; and the number of housing units each funding allocation has facilitated or will facilitate. [33714/17]
View answerOn 28 March 2017, funding was announced for 34 projects under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF). The cost of these projects is €226.46 million, of which €169.65 million would be funded under LIHAF with local authorities funding the remaining €56.81 million.
No drawdown of funding can occur until grant agreements between my Department and local authorities have been signed. It is expected that all the agreements involved will be finalised by the end of this month, which will enable drawdown of funding to begin in the latter part of 2017.
The full list of approved projects, together with brief descriptions and the projected housing yield for each site, is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/local-infrastructure-housing-activation-fund-approved-projects.
1288. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of applications to the mortgage to rent scheme; the number of mortgage to rent transactions that have been fully completed to date in 2017, by lender, local authority and approved housing body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33757/17]
View answer1289. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of mortgage to rent applications rejected on the grounds of ineligibility per year since the scheme's creation broken down by reason for ineligibility in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33758/17]
View answerSince the introduction of the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions in 2012, a total of 3,694 cases have been submitted under the scheme up to the end of June 2017. Of the 3,694 cases submitted, 2,879 were ineligible or terminated during the process. Of the remaining cases submitted, 265 have been completed and the remaining 550 are being actively progressed.
The Housing Agency publishes, on a quarterly basis, detailed statistical information on the operation of the MTR scheme, including the number of properties deemed ineligible and the number of mortgage to rent transactions that have been completed. This information which is updated to the end of Q2 2017 is available on the Agency's website at the following link: https://www.housingagency.ie/our-services/housing-supply-services/mortgage-to-rent.aspx .
The Review of the Mortgage to Rent Scheme for borrowers of commercial private lending institutions published on 8 February 2017 contains a number of actions to make the MTR process quicker, more transparent, easier to navigate for borrowers and ultimately, more accessible to more households in mortgage distress. The Review is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/install/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Review-of-the-Mortgage-to-Rent-Scheme-February-2017.pdf.
My Department and the Housing Agency are in the process of implementing each of the actions set out in the Review and I am confident that these changes will make a significant impact to those households who can benefit from access to the scheme.
