Written Answers Nos. 1714-1735
1714. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to link Personal Public Service, PPS, numbers to the voter registration process in order that those turning 18 years of age are automatically on the voting register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54515/17]
View answerThe preparation of the register of electors is a matter for each local authority, as a registration authority. It is the duty of registration authorities to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the register. Electoral law provides for an entitlement rather than an obligation to be registered as an elector when eligibility criteria, including reaching the age of 18 years, are met.
Work has, however, commenced on the modernisation of the voter registration process, in the context of the potential need to facilitate the registration of voters resident outside the State, in the event of an extension of the franchise at Presidential elections being approved by the people in a referendum. This will deliver benefits by providing for the registration of all voters in an efficient and user-friendly manner, while also, vitally, protecting the integrity of the system. All aspects of voter registration, including the legal provisions, will be reviewed as part of this project.
1715. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 22 November 2017, if he will address a series of queries (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54528/17]
View answerMy Department has ongoing engagement with all the local authorities regarding the delivery of social housing through all funding streams. This includes quarterly meetings of the technical staff, of both my Department and the local authorities, to review progress on all projects. These engagements can also involve site visits to review project activity at first hand. These quarterly meetings and the other ongoing contacts between the local authorities and my Department confirm delivery of projects and identify delays where these arise. As with all construction activity, a range of issues can give rise to delays with construction projects and in such cases, actions to avoid or minimise delays are explored between the technical staff.
In addition to my Department’s direct engagement with the local authorities, they also make quarterly statistical returns to my Department on their social housing delivery, including details of the construction schemes started and finished in their areas, as well as the number of new homes completed by the local authorities and approved housing bodies. These returns are collated and published on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
Statistics on the social housing delivery for the three local authority areas referenced by the Deputy are included in these statistics, from 2010 to the end of Quarter 3 of 2017. Information on Quarter 4 of 2017 is currently being finalised for publication.
The linking of delivery to the capital funding provided to the local authorities, is straightforward: funding to the local authorities from my Department is provided based directly on the costs incurred in the delivery of social housing. For example, the funding drawn down by a local authority over the course of a construction project is directly in line with the progress in the construction activity. For a housing acquisition, a local authority draws down funding when it has acquired the property.
My Department now publishes a quarterly Social Housing Construction Status Report, which lists all such projects that are on site, are undergoing planning and design, or have been completed since the commencement of Rebuilding Ireland. The latest Status Report is for Quarter 3, 2017 and is available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/minister-murphy-announces-additional-eu100m-housing-and-homelessness-2017.
1716. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of homeless persons reported by his Department in County Wicklow (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54563/17]
View answerMy Department publishes data on a monthly basis regarding the number of homeless persons accommodated in all forms of emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities. These reports are based on data provided by housing authorities and are produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. The monthly reports outline the number of individuals accommodated in emergency accommodation over a designated survey week, including a breakdown by local authority. The reports are published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
The long-term solution to homelessness is to increase the supply of new homes and the provision of social housing supports as envisioned in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. During the course of 2017 almost 26,000 social housing solutions were provided via housing authorities. My Department, local authorities and approved housing bodies will continue to work closely, quickly and proactively to identify further solutions and increase social housing solutions so that we can continue to give those experiencing homelessness the support they need.
1719. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason for the delay by An Bord Pleanála in dealing with applications from quarries and other entities for substitute consent, with some cases taking more than two years to decide; if he has received a request from An Bord Pleanála for further resources to clear this backlog of cases in view of the fact these delays are hampering economic development in many areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54575/17]
View answerSubstitute consent is essentially a form of retrospective development consent for development requiring environmental impact assessment (EIA), screening for EIA or appropriate assessment (AA). The substitute consent procedure is set out in Part XA of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and related provisions specifically for quarries are set out in section 261A of that Act. These provisions were inserted into the 2000 Act, following a 2008 Judgment of the European Court of Justice, which found that, generally speaking, provisions of the 2000 Act permitting applications for planning permission to retain existing developments requiring environmental impact assessment (EIA) or appropriate assessment (AA) were contrary to EU law.
The substitute consent process involves the preparation of a remedial environmental impact statement or a remedial Natura impact statement, or both as appropriate, stating the significant effects of the development on the environment or the European site concerned, the remedial or mitigation measures taken or proposed to be taken in relation to those effects and a timescale for the taking of such proposed measures.
Since the introduction of these provisions, the Board has received a total of 141 substitute consent applications of which 131 have been determined, leaving a total of 10 such cases on hand at the end of 2017. Nine of these cases relate to quarry developments and one relates to temporary holiday accommodation. The fact that 8 cases on hands have been extended beyond the statutory objective period for a decision is indicative of the generally complex nature of these applications, involving EIA or AA, or both, and often complex site-specific circumstances. In certain cases, this has resulted in the Board seeking further information from applicants and engaging in correspondence with relevant participants in the cases.
The Board is now focused on making a determination on the remaining substitute consent cases as soon as possible and I am satisfied that it has sufficient resources in this regard.
1720. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress made in implementing the high level intervention recommended in the 2013 report of the Waterford reorganisation implementation group (details supplied). [54601/17]
View answerIt is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority.
Prior to unification, at the end of 2013, the combined revenue deficit of Waterford County Council, Dungarvan Town Council and Waterford City Council stood at €8.86m. The audited 2016 annual financial statement of Waterford City and County Council shows a revenue deficit of €7.62m, an improvement of €1.24m.
Prior to unification, at the end of 2013, the combined borrowings of the three authorities stood at €135m. The audited 2016 annual financial statement of Waterford City and County Council shows total borrowings of €125m, a reduction of €10m.
Savings from the reformed structures introduced in 2014 cannot be measured solely in terms of a reduction of overall expenditure or savings. The reforms have resulted in many non-financial benefits due to the single administrative structure across each county which has reduced duplication with improved services, which will bring about cost reduction over time.
1721. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of local authority dwellings that have been built in each housing authority area in the past 20 years; and the number of these that were acquired under the tenant purchase scheme, by council area, for this period. [54602/17]
View answerThrough the supports made available from my Department, funding is available to all local authorities to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects and through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments for social housing use, including through working with approved housing bodies.
Details on the number of properties built and purchased in all local authority areas, for letting to those on the social housing waiting lists, 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 2017 will be published once finalised.
Information on sale of local authority houses up to 2016 is also available by local authority on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics.
1722. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the stock of social housing in each of the years 2010 to 2017, by local authority; and the stock owned by local authorities and approved housing bodies respectively, in tabular form. [54642/17]
View answerStatistics in relation to the social housing stock of local authorities are gathered by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC), in their annual reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including the total number of dwellings in each local authority area.
The most recent NOAC report covers the 2015 period and is available at the following link: http://noac.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2015-PI-Report.pdf. Prior to NOAC's work in this area, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) published Performance Indicator Reports from 2004 to 2014, which are available on their website at the following link: http://www.lgma.ie/en/serviceindicators/2004to2013.
My Department does not record details of the number of houses owned by approved housing bodies. However, details on the number of accommodation units delivered by approved housing bodies under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme, Capital Advance Leasing Facility and the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme since 2010 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.
1723. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if consideration will be given to allow the Sligo borough boundary to be increased (details supplied) in view of the fact the borough boundary has not been increased in line with spatial growth; the way in which this could be done to take into effect the true population of the Sligo urban area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54722/17]
View answerThe Borough District of Sligo was determined in the County of Sligo Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2014. Any alteration in the borough district would be a matter for consideration in light of the review by the relevant local electoral areas boundary committee which is to report not later than 13 June 2018.
1724. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason Irish Water is refusing or is unable to repay individual persons on the basis that they originally overpaid and that Irish Water has no system in place to process these specific repayments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54737/17]
View answerSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels.
Payment arrangements, including arrangements where overpayments occur, are an operational matter for Irish Water, subject to the policy approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. I understand that Irish Water does, and will continue to, refund customers who contact them regarding valid overpayments. Verified overpayments for active non-domestic accounts can be used as credits toward future bills, or refunded by cheque where the account is up-to-date and/or closed. In the case of domestic water accounts, verified overpayments will be refunded by cheque. Customers who want to seek refunds for overpayments should contact Irish Water on 1850 448 448.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives on specific issues relating to water services. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
1725. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if local authorities send a copy of their RA16 schedule of uncollected rates to him annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54749/17]
View answer1726. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a local authority's RA16 schedule of uncollected rates is a public document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54750/17]
View answer1727. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on whether a local authority's RA16 schedule of uncollected rates should be available to be viewed on request by elected members of a particular local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54751/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1725 to1727, inclusive, together.
Local 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 form RA16 schedule of uncollected rates operated under Article 75 of the Public Bodies Order 1946. This Order, and its schedule of prescribed forms, was revoked by the Local Government (Financial Procedures and Audit) Regulations 2002. The 2002 Regulations were in turn revoked by the Local Government (Financial and Audit Procedures) Regulations 2014.
Regulation 26 of the Local Government (Financial and Audit Procedures) Regulations 2014 sets out the procedure for the preparation by a local authority of a schedule of uncollected rates at the close of the financial year and includes instruction to the Chief Executive to submit a report on the prepared schedule to the members of the local authority at the next practicable meeting of the Council. Such schedules are not submitted to me or my Department. Furthermore, a list of uncollected rates and ratepayers may be published in one or more newspapers circulating in the administrative area of the authority and on the local authority's website.
1729. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the name and number of organisations here that are in receipt of funding from his Department that have expended resources seeking the repeal of the eighth amendment; the amount of funding these organisations have received from the State in the past five years; the amount of money they have spent on this particular campaign during that time; the number of organisations here that are in receipt of funding from his Department that have expended resources seeking the retention of the eighth amendment; the amount of funding these organisations have received from the State in the past five years; and the amount of money they have spent on this particular campaign during that time. [54769/17]
View answerMy Department has a wide and diverse business agenda. Each year, in order to support delivery on this agenda, my Department allocates significant resources to a broad range of organisations, including local authorities, dedicated agencies and non-statutory bodies, as well as to individuals. The views of any organisation on the constitutional provisions referred to in the Question do not arise for consideration in the context of the business of my Department and such information is not held in my Department.
1730. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of social and voluntary housing units allocated by Louth County Council under the various methods of delivery in 2017; the number of units expected to be allocated by the local authority; the location of the projects currently planned and/or under construction in 2018 and 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54780/17]
View answerThe allocation of social housing supports to qualified households is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with its allocation scheme made in accordance with section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations.
Through the supports made available under Rebuilding Ireland, funding is available to all local authorities to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects and through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments for social housing use, including through working with approved housing bodies.
Provisional details on the number of properties nationally purchased and built in all local authority areas, for letting to those on the social housing waiting lists in 2017, are available on my Department’s website at the following links:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/social-housing-delivery-2017-ministers-statement.
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/attachments/rebuilding_ireland_progress_against_targets_14.01.2018.xlsx
My Department and I are in regular contact with all local authorities, including Louth County Council, in order to accelerate and progress the social housing delivery programme. In relation to social housing construction activity in general, my Department publishes status reports on a quarterly basis, of social housing construction schemes for all local authority areas, showing details such as their locations and a range of information relating to their advancement.
The most recent of these reports covers the period up to the end of quarter 3 of 2017. It includes information on the delivery of over 12,000 new social housing homes, which are currently approved and progressing through planning, design, and construction, or have been completed in 2016 and to the end of quarter 3 of 2017. The report can be accessed at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/housing-construction-report-q3/
In the case of Louth County Council, the report includes details of some 37 construction schemes which are at various stages of advancement and which will yield in the region of 570 units, once completed. It will be these and other schemes that are brought forward that will form the basis for social housing construction delivery in Louth under Rebuilding Ireland to 2021. The precise timing for the advancement of each of these projects, including completion dates and tenanting, is a matter for Louth County Council and the approved housing bodies concerned, in the first instance. I can assure you that my Department will continue to engage actively with all local authorities, including Louth County Council, to deliver social housing through all available avenues, with a particular emphasis on additional construction projects.
1732. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 622 of 21 November 2017, the names and qualifications of all persons involved in the decision making process at the statutory screening stage of the environmental impact assessment relating to the foreshore licence application for a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54790/17]
View answerThe Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Report for the Marine Institute (MI) foreshore licence application for an underwater fibre optic cable at Spiddal, Co. Galway (FS005751) was completed by Water and Marine Advisory Engineer, Mr Edwin Mooney of my Department's Water and Marine Advisory Unit (WMAU). Internal advisers in the WMAU are appointed to their roles on the basis that they have the appropriate professional qualifications and experience commensurate with my Department’s role in foreshore consenting.
All aspects of the application were assessed including the application form and supporting documentation, environmental reports, submissions received through the prescribed bodies and public consultation process as well as the applicant’s responses. The assessment process provides for a determination of how likely a project might be to have significant effects on the environment.
1733. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if funding will be made available to Mayo County Council under the energy retrofitting programme or other related schemes to fund the carrying out of works, including insulation and replacement of windows and doors, in residential dwellings; the date on which such funding will be made available; the amount to be allocated in this funding; the amount of funding made available to all local authorities for such works in the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54793/17]
View answerLocal authorities are currently undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting, with the support of my Department, on the least energy efficient social homes. Funding of some €115.7 million has been provided from 2013 to the end of 2017 to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in almost 64,000 local authority homes, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a significant contribution to Ireland’s carbon emissions reduction targets and energy reduction targets for 2020. Details of the funding provided and the number of units upgraded by local authority under the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme since 2013 are provided in the attached table.
The Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme is being implemented in a number of phases: Phase 1 commenced in 2013 and is focused on providing attic/roof insulation and the less intrusive cavity wall insulation in all relevant properties while Phase 2 of the Programme, which has been piloted in both Fingal and Westmeath County Councils, will focus on the external fabric upgrade of those social housing units with solid/hollow block wall construction. Funding may also be provided under Phase 2 to upgrade poorly performing windows and doors in specific circumstances.
The Voids Programme introduced by my Department in 2014, also provides funding for energy efficiency works to local authority housing. During the period 2014 to 2017, works were carried out on 7,160 units under this Programme supported by funding of €29.8m from my Department. This funding is in addition to the specific Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme information outlined in the attached table.
In 2018, funding of €35 million is available for energy efficiency works under both programmes. The main focus of the available funding for the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme will be on the completion of the remaining Phase 1 works and formally rolling out Phase 2. My Department will, shortly, be asking local authorities including Mayo County Council to submit details of their work proposals and related funding requirements for this Programme in 2018. Funding allocations will be determined following assessment of the local authority returns.
PQ 54793/17 : Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme –Units & Funding 2013 - 2017
|
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2013 - 2017 |
|||||||
|
Local Authority |
Units |
Funding € |
Units |
Funding € |
Units |
Funding € |
Units |
Funding € |
Units |
Funding € |
Total Units |
Total Funding € |
|
Carlow |
179 |
329,763 |
262 |
385,922 |
290 |
788,864 |
53 |
48,750 |
59 |
169,812 |
843 |
1,723,111 |
|
Cavan |
180 |
341,138 |
525 |
850,818 |
598 |
775,874 |
302 |
327,346 |
54 |
79,337 |
1659 |
2,374,513 |
|
Clare |
366 |
635,724 |
333 |
498,635 |
298 |
518,285 |
175 |
260,960 |
116 |
65,522 |
1288 |
1,979,126 |
|
Cork City |
397 |
1,091,105 |
950 |
2,002,047 |
2,329 |
3,260,660 |
2,128 |
4,593,455 |
922 |
1,761,898 |
6726 |
12,709,165 |
|
Cork County |
510 |
1,223,799 |
819 |
1,079,181 |
1,181 |
1,340,036 |
1,622 |
2,913,930 |
220 |
280,658 |
4284 |
6,837,604 |
|
Donegal |
235 |
325,561 |
526 |
800,503 |
453 |
891,633 |
380 |
797,268 |
480 |
754,856 |
2074 |
3,569,821 |
|
Dublin City |
449 |
3,131,363 |
3303 |
5,244,209 |
2,469 |
3,828,503 |
496 |
670,496 |
1440 |
1,990,878 |
8157 |
14,865,449 |
|
Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown |
757 |
1,351,270 |
1058 |
2,009,876 |
369 |
957,237 |
75 |
182,956 |
0 |
0 |
2259 |
4,501,339 |
|
Fingal |
2135 |
3,262,813 |
146 |
1,897,600 |
326 |
1,548,500 |
207 |
983,250 |
0 |
0 |
2814 |
7,692,163 |
|
Galway City |
167 |
321,828 |
319 |
497,190 |
383 |
777,569 |
874 |
2,344,707 |
25 |
44,936 |
1768 |
3,986,230 |
|
Galway County |
802 |
761,261 |
325 |
390,515 |
290 |
625,670 |
461 |
774,437 |
0 |
0 |
1878 |
2,551,883 |
|
Kerry |
69 |
494,824 |
538 |
468,715 |
441 |
549,315 |
108 |
146,213 |
334 |
311,106 |
1490 |
1,970,173 |
|
Kildare |
201 |
453,614 |
694 |
1,528,046 |
311 |
617,455 |
468 |
1,224,403 |
180 |
393,189 |
1854 |
4,216,707 |
|
Kilkenny |
415 |
776,234 |
212 |
417,279 |
260 |
396,662 |
21 |
147,093 |
180 |
312,184 |
1088 |
2,049,452 |
|
Laois |
333 |
482,937 |
512 |
753,953 |
402 |
555,936 |
51 |
77,999 |
0 |
0 |
1298 |
1,870,825 |
|
Leitrim |
146 |
258,978 |
164 |
254,259 |
550 |
308,382 |
158 |
173,231 |
0 |
0 |
1018 |
994,850 |
|
Limerick City |
245 |
404,883 |
||||||||||
|
Limerick County |
104 |
396163 |
545 |
964,754 |
41 |
65,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
935 |
1,830,800 |
|
Longford |
521 |
1,147,820 |
227 |
370,286 |
142 |
321,974 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
890 |
1,840,080 |
|
Louth |
194 |
182,866 |
430 |
636,718 |
502 |
879,880 |
761 |
954,333 |
120 |
65,764 |
2007 |
2,719,561 |
|
Mayo |
193 |
481,774 |
131 |
410,361 |
216 |
464,238 |
131 |
330,567 |
20 |
117,105 |
691 |
1,804,045 |
|
Meath |
185 |
642,557 |
405 |
676,837 |
577 |
1,079,905 |
526 |
874,625 |
50 |
113,920 |
1743 |
3,387,844 |
|
Monaghan |
213 |
335,406 |
240 |
419,118 |
336 |
325,345 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
155,359 |
814 |
1,235,228 |
|
Offaly |
269 |
360,276 |
217 |
237,467 |
694 |
553,963 |
287 |
301,861 |
0 |
0 |
1467 |
1,453,567 |
|
Roscommon |
90 |
186,232 |
422 |
472,438 |
202 |
232,886 |
107 |
29,576 |
535 |
444,813 |
1356 |
1,365,945 |
|
Sligo |
189 |
337,015 |
265 |
344,450 |
624 |
652,028 |
280 |
243,399 |
0 |
0 |
1712 |
1,576,892 |
|
South Dublin |
223 |
712,114 |
601 |
1,828,879 |
390 |
647,231 |
346 |
748,330 |
391 |
761,731 |
1951 |
4,628,617 |
|
Tipperary North |
898 |
1,707,438 |
||||||||||
|
Tipperary South |
322 |
528,106 |
689 |
1,301,342 |
0 |
810,434 |
223 |
326,827 |
172 |
282,233 |
2304 |
4,956,380 |
|
Waterford City |
68 |
570,878 |
||||||||||
|
Waterford County |
286 |
340,411 |
636 |
766,288 |
605 |
1,859,600 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1595 |
3,537,177 |
|
Westmeath |
753 |
1,079,494 |
968 |
859,733 |
200 |
489,788 |
131 |
863,517 |
55 |
434,441 |
2107 |
3,726,973 |
|
Wexford |
757 |
971,133 |
1263 |
1,031,290 |
298 |
446,196 |
59 |
206,428 |
20 |
22,082 |
2397 |
2,677,129 |
|
Wicklow |
256 |
1,324,927 |
285 |
1,325,039 |
225 |
334,732 |
873 |
1,986,878 |
0 |
0 |
1639 |
4,971,576 |
|
Totals:* |
13,107 |
€26,951,705 |
18,010 |
€30,723,748 |
16,002 |
€26,903,781 |
11,303 |
€22,532,835 |
5,398 |
€8,665,268 |
63,820* |
€115,777,337* |
(*Figures include Phase 1, some Phase 2 (2015/2016/2017) and special projects outside Phase 2.)
1734. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will request the pyrite board to increase the allowances for accommodation costs during remediation in view of the substantial rise in rents since the scheme was introduced. [54807/17]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and while the Act provides that the scheme can be amended, replaced or revoked, this can only be done in accordance with the scope of the Act. In this regard, any proposal to revise the pyrite remediation scheme is ultimately a matter for the Pyrite Resolution Board and would require detailed consideration of the evidence to support the case for an amendment to the scheme.
The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The scheme is applicable to dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. In addition, applicants under the scheme must be able to demonstrate to the Pyrite Resolution Board that they have no practicable options, other than under the scheme, to secure the remediation of their homes.
The scheme provides for the recoupment of the vouched cost of alternative accommodation, furniture removal and storage subject to limits of €3,000 and €2,500 (inclusive of VAT), respectively. However, where a scheme participant can satisfy the Housing Agency, who will be making the payments, in advance that suitable rental accommodation cannot be obtained for €3,000 or less the expenses for the accommodation and furniture removal can be combined, subject to the overall limit of €5,500.
My Department understands that the Pyrite Resolution Board undertakes periodic reviews of the combined accommodation costs limit and monitors rental increases in the private rental sector in Ireland based on regulatory data provided by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI).
My Department is in regular contact with the Pyrite Resolution Board and the Housing Agency in relation to the implementation of the scheme and is satisfied that the arrangements that are currently in place provide the necessary flexibility to support scheme participants in meeting their alternative accommodation needs while their homes are under remediation.
1735. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason housing associations, such as an association (details supplied), are not charging tenants a differential rent. [54921/17]
View answerWhere social housing units are provided by Approved Housing Bodies (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 income and the outlay of the AHB on the accommodation.
In the past where social tenants in such properties considered that the rent was unaffordable they could apply for Rent Supplement from the Department of Social Protection to help them meet the costs of their accommodation. However, it is currently my Department’s policy that any new tenants who find themselves in this position should be catered for under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). The Department of Social Protection will assess nominated households for Rent Supplement, and agree the likely level of support with the household moving directly on to RAS with the Rent Supplement rate being paid to the AHB via RAS.
Accordingly the tenant referred to in the question should pursue with Westmeath County Council the matter of moving to RAS.
