Written Answers Nos. 351-363
352. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons waiting on social housing lists; if his Department has carried out an analysis of the impact on this list from an increase in repossessions; the estimated impact on the numbers waiting for social housing if repossessions increased by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2484/18]
View answerThe most recently published statutory summary of social housing assessments relates to the assessment carried out in 2016. This summary is a record of the number of households on all local authority waiting lists, as at 21 September 2016. The results of the 2016 summary show that there were 91,600 households deemed qualified for, and in need of social housing support. The 2016 results provide a breakdown by each local authority across a range of categories.
Full details in relation to the 2016 assessment are available on my Department's website, at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/summary_of_social_housing_assessments_2016.pdf
Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. Accordingly, the day-to-day operation of the social housing system is a matter for the relevant local authority.
My Department has not carried out an analysis of the type set out by the Deputy. However, an increased national social housing target of 50,000 homes has been set under Rebuilding Ireland and I will be discussing this heightened target at a Housing Summit I am holding with the local authority Chief Executives next week. I recently wrote to each local authority setting out their respective social housing delivery targets out to 2021. These targets are based on their housing need, as identified through the 2017 assessment, which I expect to be published shortly. This is the fairest and most objective basis for target setting.
The delivery targets I have set for local authorities out to 2021 are based on current housing need. It is acknowledged that future annualised assessments may see individual local authorities housing need numbers rising, or falling, for a variety of reasons. The targets have been set in such a way as to be able to respond to such an eventuality over the course of the period covered by Rebuilding Ireland. Within the suite of social housing solutions is the Mortgage to Rent Scheme, which is specifically targeted at households in unsustainable mortgage situations, and which can be deployed by local authorities as a response to potential repossession situations, where appropriate.
353. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the 35,000 additional social housing units; the amount spent to date; the number of houses completed; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2517/18]
View answer354. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the 75,000 available leasing and renting in private rental sector to 2021; the amount spent to date; the number of houses rented; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2518/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 354 together.
The targets referred to by the Deputy relate to delivery targets from the previous Social Housing Strategy 2020.
The current targets for social housing delivery are set out in Rebuilding Ireland, the Government’s Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which was published in July 2016 and is available at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/install/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Rebuilding-Ireland_Action-Plan.pdf.
Rebuilding Ireland provides for a significantly increased level of ambition over the previous Social Housing Strategy 2020 and, following my recent review of Rebuilding Ireland, the target for the delivery of social homes under the plan has been increased from 47,000 to 50,000.
These homes will be delivered through build, refurbishment, acquisitions, and leasing over the period 2016 to 2021, with a greater emphasis on direct build activity by local authorities and approved housing bodies. Within the revised target of 50,000 social homes, almost 33,500 will be delivered through build activity and some 6,500 delivered through acquisitions with the remaining 10,000 delivered through long term leasing initiatives.
In addition, the schedule of rollout of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) as envisaged under the original Strategy was accelerated in Rebuilding Ireland. In total, 87,000 flexible housing supports will be delivered through HAP and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) between 2016 and 2021 with a Government commitment to the current expenditure required to meet the cost of this support over the period.
Following Budget 2018, the overall investment framework to support the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland has increased from €5.35 billion to €6 billion.
While only 18 months into the plan there is strong evidence that the focus on increasing and accelerating housing supply in Rebuilding Ireland is succeeding. In 2016, the housing needs of over 19,000 households were met through expenditure of over €935 million.
A further €1.4 billion was expended in 2017 which delivered housing solutions for 25,892 households, thereby exceeding last year's delivery target by 23%, or some 4,800 additional tenancies. Detailed information on the 2017 social housing output figures under the various delivery mechanisms is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/2017-social-housing-output-figures-published/.
In 2018, a further increase in funding is being provided, with €1.9 billion being made available for housing programmes.
Details on the number of properties constructed, purchased and leased by all local authorities, 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.
355. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the Lord Edward Street sheltered housing scheme; the amount spent to date; the number of houses competed; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project,; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2519/18]
View answerThe project at Lord Edward Street, Limerick, which consists of 81 units, has an overall capital budget of over €19 million including land acquisition, site development and enabling works. Construction commenced in February 2016 and was expected to take 18 months to complete. The houses were completed in December 2017 and they are currently being tenanted. To date almost €17 million has been provided to the Council in respect of this project.
356. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of houses built under the PPP in the capital plan; the amount spent; the amount to be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2520/18]
View answerThe Social Housing PPP Programme involves an investment with a capital value of €300 million. It is to deliver 1,500 social housing units in total, via three bundles. The first bundle, which comprises six PPP sites, is to provide over 500 units in the Greater Dublin Area. Two of the sites are located in the Dublin City Council area with one each in the County Council areas of South Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth.
The second bundle, comprising eight PPP sites which are to provide over 450 units, was announced in June 2016. Three of the sites are located in the Cork County Council area, with one each in the Galway City Council and Waterford City & County Council areas. There is a further one site in each of the County Council areas of Clare, Kildare and Roscommon.
The identification and selection of sites for the third project bundle is currently underway and is expected to be finalised in the coming months.
Each individual bundle of sites takes an estimated 37-48 months to deliver in total, including planning, procurement and construction. It is expected that construction will commence in 2018 on the first bundle of sites, with units becoming available from 2019.
357. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the new guidelines on wind energy will be published. [2590/18]
View answer358. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on a suspension of new wind energy applications until such time as the new guidelines are published. [2591/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together.
My Department is currently undertaking a focussed review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. As part of the overall review, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is being undertaken on the revised Guidelines before they come into effect. This is in accordance with the requirements of EU Directive 2001/24/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, the SEA Directive.
SEA is a process by which environmental considerations are required to be fully integrated into the preparation of plans and programmes which act as frameworks for development consent, prior to their final adoption, with public consultation as part of that process. Following a tendering process, my Department appointed SEA consultants in December 2017 to assist in this regard. It is expected that a public consultation on the revised draft Guidelines, together with the comprehensive environmental report, will be undertaken during the first quarter of this year, with the aim of issuing the finalised Guidelines - following detailed analysis and consideration of all of the submissions and views received during the consultation phase - during Q3 2018.
When finalised, the revised Guidelines will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála (the Board) must have regard to guidelines issued under section 28 in the performance of their functions generally under the Planning Acts.
In the meantime, the current Guidelines remain in force and continue to apply to existing planning applications which are with either the local planning authorities or the Board for determination.
359. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason the Residential Tenancies Board, when advised of a rent in a rent pressure zone that is in excess of the allowable cap, does not take enforcement or other action against the landlord, instead leaving responsibility with tenants to raise a case with the RTB and potentially face retaliatory eviction or other retaliatory action by the landlord in view of the fact that landlords are obligated to advise the RTB of revised rents in rent pressure zones. [2633/18]
View answerIn September 2017, as part of the review of the Rent Predictability Measures, I announced a series of measures in relation to the rental sector, including a two-year change plan to develop and strengthen the role of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), particularly with regard to enforcement.
Charging rents above those permitted by Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2016 will become an offence and the RTB will be provided with the required powers of enforcement so that it will no longer be solely up to the tenant to initiate a dispute. A landlord will be required to notify the RTB of any exemption claimed from the rent increase limits and the RTB will be empowered to take follow up enforcement action, if required. These changes will strengthen the impact of the Rent Predictability Measure and will further slow the growth in rents. These enhanced enforcement procedures to be introduced in 2018 will reform the Rent Pressure Zone Mechanism to deliver a more effective and transparent approach to its operation.
360. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 2241 of 20 June 2017, the status of the work to establish the commission as outlined in A Programme for Partnership Government and in view of the decision of the Citizens' Assembly to endorse the establishment of a permanent electoral commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2642/18]
View answerThe 2016 report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on the establishment of an electoral commission is informing the implementation of the commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government on establishing an electoral commission and it is informing the preparation of an Electoral Commission Bill to give effect to that. Work is ongoing in my Department in preparing, in the first instance, a Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Bill.
Following the completion of its deliberations on the manner in which referendums are held, the Citizens' Assembly will report and make recommendations, in due course, to the Houses of the Oireachtas. Any recommendations made by the Citizens' Assembly regarding the establishment of an Electoral Commission will then be considered as part of the ongoing work in my Department.
361. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on proposals by a farming organisation (details supplied). [2658/18]
View answerMy Department is close to completion of its work on the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan which will address various matters relating to the conservation of the Hen Harrier, and will discuss the draft Plan with the Consultative Committee, which includes many farming and forest sector representatives.
CAP reform is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My Department will liaise fully with that Department in regard to the next CAP, Natura sites and relevant nature conservation issues.
My Department also regularly meets with the main farming organisations to discuss all of the farming issues around Natura sites.
362. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding payments that have been received in respect of communications constructed on the lands of the National Park and Wildlife Service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2473/18]
View answerNo payments are at present being received by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in respect of masts constructed on Wolftrap Mountain on its land. However the National Parks and Wildlife Service has recently initiated discussions with various interests with a masts presence on Wolftrap Mountain with a view to addressing the issue of payments and for the objective of enhancing the overall care and management of the site.
363. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason for the €1 million in capital underspend in her Department as outlined in the fiscal monitor for December 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2491/18]
View answerWork is continuing on finalising the 2017 expenditure figures for my Department and adjustments continue to be made in relation to individual financial transactions to ensure that expenditure is accounted for in accordance with Government accounting policies, principles and procedures.
However, provisional figures outline that the total capital expenditure for my Department for 2017 will be €50.095m. In addition, the sum of €700,000 has been earmarked for carryover by way of deferred surrender into 2018. This indicates that 99% of the 2017 capital allocation for my Department has been utilised, taking account of both expenditure and carryover, and underlines my commitment to ensuring that the maximum value is derived from my Department's budget in terms of maintaining, promoting and protecting Ireland’s heritage and culture, developing cultural tourism, advancing the use of the Irish language and supporting the sustainable development of the islands.
Details of the final outturn for my Department at subhead level for 2017, together with explanations for any variances between allocations and expenditure, will be published in the Annual Appropriation Account for 2017 and be made available on the website of the Comptroller and Auditor General later this year, as was the case for previous years.
