Tuesday, 23 Jan 2018

Written Answers Nos. 651-670

Vacant Properties

Questions (651)

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

651. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the vacant homes strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3181/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Preparatory work on the vacant home strategy was undertaken by a working group chaired by the Housing Agency which also comprised senior representatives from my Department, local authorities, the Irish Council for Social Housing and from the Housing Agency itself. My Department received the output of the working group in June 2017 and is presently further developing the strategy with a view to publishing it in the near future.

In advance of formal publication, it should be noted that a significant number of measures to incentivise the increased use of vacant housing stock have already been introduced which are being progressed by my Department and local authorities. These measures include:

- requiring all local authorities to develop Vacant Homes Action Plans for their functional areas by end January 2018;

- requiring local authorities to designate Vacant Homes Officers to co-ordinate local actions to address vacancy (the majority of local authorities now have a designated Vacant Homes Officer in place);

- the ongoing implementation of the Repair and Leasing Scheme, the Buy and Renew Scheme, and the Housing Agency Acquisitions Fund for the purchase of vacant buy-to-let properties from financial institutions;

- the review of planning legislation to allow the change of use of vacant commercial units in urban areas, including vacant or under-utilised areas over ground-floor premises, into residential units without having to go through the planning process. Draft regulations to give effect to this measure were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 13 December 2017 and it is intended that the new regulations, which - as set out in the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended - require the approval of both Houses, will be made as soon as possible; and work on further streamlining, and providing guidance on, the building control regulatory requirements in relation to the conversion of vacant premises (including vacant over the shops spaces) into residential use.  

As part of their vacant homes action plans, local authorities are also undertaking local surveys to ascertain up-to-date vacancy levels within their functional areas. Actions plans received to date from local authorities indicate that the level of vacant homes is significantly less than that set out in Census 2016, which was in essence, a snapshot at a particular point in time, i.e. end April 2016. In this regard, it is considered that a significant number of those vacant units contained in the Census 2016 data have, given the passage of time since its collation, been re-introduced as viable housing stock, including homes that were subject to short-term vacancies that normally occur in a properly functioning housing market, e.g. the house may have been placed on the market for sale or to let, it may have been temporarily vacant while undergoing refurbishment works, or it may have been subject to legal or probate procedures.

The Department is currently liaising with relevant stakeholders to agree a robust methodology to assess vacancy for inclusion in the national vacant homes strategy. The local vacant homes actions plans - which, as mentioned, are due to be submitted by the end of January 2018 - will inform the finalisation of the strategy in terms of setting further actions and targets, and it is proposed to publish the strategy as soon as possible thereafter.

Vacant Properties

Questions (652)

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

652. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position regarding the vacant homes website established in 2017; if it has resulted in the turnaround of homes for new use to date; if targets have been set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3182/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

A dedicated website, www.vacanthomes.ie, was established by Mayo County Council in July 2017 on behalf of the local government sector to serve as a central portal for individuals to anonymously log possible vacant homes and to alert local authorities so that they can then follow up with the registered owners, with a view to ascertaining the potential for bringing these homes into productive use for residential purposes.

This source of locally generated information is proving useful in supplementing the country-wide analysis on vacancy and in mobilising communities to assist local authorities in developing and implementing a targeted approach. The website also provides useful information for property owners on how to bring their vacant properties back into use and on available financial supports.

To date, Mayo County Council has indicated that the website has received notifications of potential vacant homes across the country as follows:

- 1,515 properties have been registered on the website, mostly by individual citizens and local groups; 

- 55% of the logged properties are located in Leinster, where housing demand is highest, with 28% logged in Munster, 14% in Connacht and 3% in Ulster;

- once unknown properties are disregarded, 84% of the logged properties have been vacant for more than 24 months;

- in terms of property types logged on the website, 35% are detached, 29% are semi detached, 27% are terraced, with flats and apartments accounting for 9%.

A number of local authorities have publicly acknowledged the usefulness of the website in helping to bring vacant properties back into use, for example: -

- Louth County Council has credited it with identifying over 30 homes in its functional area which have been deemed suitable for social housing, with a number of these homes already in the Council’s ownership or in the process of being taken into the council's ownership for social housing use;

- a number of other local authorities have indicated similar experiences arising from the website;

- a number of properties have been identified as suitable to avail of the repair and leasing scheme, with work ongoing towards bringing these properties into use for private rental purposes in 2018;

- owners of vacant homes who are living abroad have made direct contact with the website with a view to bringing their respective vacant properties back into use. 

While specific targets for 2018 have not been set for the website, Mayo County Council hopes to:

- increase the number of logged properties on the site throughout the year;

- identify, with the assistance of local authorities, more owners of vacant homes in order to bring increasing numbers of vacant homes back into use;

- provide further assistance and support, in consultation with my Department's Vacant Homes Unit, on bringing further vacant residential units back into use; and

- work with other agencies and bodies in targeting high vacancy areas and reduce the number of vacant homes throughout the country.

Metropolitan Area Networks Programme

Questions (653, 654, 655)

Barry Cowen

Question:

653. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the bodies which will be responsible for the drafting of metropolitan area strategic plans for the five cities. [3203/18]

Barry Cowen

Question:

654. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if it is planned that the executives of the local authorities in the Dublin metropolitan area will be responsible for drafting the metropolitan area strategic plans; and if not, if this will be a sole function of the executive of the east and midland assembly. [3204/18]

Barry Cowen

Question:

655. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the elected representatives that will be responsible for passing the metropolitan area strategic plans for the Dublin metropolitan area; if it will only be elected councillors from the metropolitan region affected by the plan; and if not, if it will be councillors from all areas in the ERMA. [3205/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 653 to 655, inclusive, together.

The three regional assemblies, co-ordinating the work and detailed technical input from the relevant local authorities, will enable the preparation of initial metropolitan area strategic plan components of the forthcoming Regional, Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) being drafted to succeed the current Regional Planning Guidelines in 2018.

In this regard, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, working with Galway City and County Councils will co-ordinate a strategic metropolitan plan for Galway City. The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, working with the relevant local authorities across the Greater Dublin Area, will co-ordinate a strategic metropolitan plan for the Dublin area and the Southern Assembly will, with the relevant local authorities, co-ordinate strategic metropolitan plans for Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

The eventual adoption of the RSES's will be a matter for the members of the regional assemblies, drawn from the constituent local authorities in each assembly area.

Emergency Planning

Questions (656)

Barry Cowen

Question:

656. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the legislation that designates each of the three principal response agencies here, that is, the Health Service Executive, the local authorities and An Garda Síochána as principal response agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3206/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Damien English)

The Principal Response Agencies are designated as such in the framework for major emergency management (2006) which was approved by Government decision. The framework enables An Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive and local authorities to prepare for and make a co-ordinated response to major emergencies resulting from events such as fires, transport accidents, hazardous substance incidents and severe weather.

The principal response agencies are tasked by Government with providing, managing and co-ordinating the response to emergency situations which arise within their functional areas. They provide and operate Ireland's principal emergency services which respond to emergencies on a daily basis. The principal emergency services have developed arrangements for working in a co-ordinated fashion at a range of events, from small, routine incidents to large-scale emergencies. The framework for major emergency management sets out arrangements that facilitate the principal emergency services in scaling up the response required, so as to utilise the full resources of the principal response agencies and to work together in the management of large-scale incidents.  Each principal response agency and principal emergency service operates under its own legislative code. 

The framework also provides mechanisms for linking the work of the principal response agencies with those at other levels of Government.   As part of the systemic approach to emergency management, major events and incidents are reviewed and learning points are identified and improvements made. A region-based structure is in place to facilitate on-going development of emergency management at the local level and this process is supported and overseen by the inter-Departmental national steering group for major emergency management which was also established  by Government decision in 2006.

Repair and Leasing Scheme

Questions (657)

Barry Cowen

Question:

657. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the per annum target and delivery of the repair and lease scheme in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3242/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Repair and Leasing Scheme, RLS, has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or approved housing bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant dwellings across Ireland.

The scheme is targeted at owners of vacant dwellings who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their dwellings up to the required standard for rental property. Subject to the suitability of the dwelling for social housing, and the agreement of the property owner, the cost of the necessary repairs will be met up-front by the local authority or an approved housing body.

The RLS was established on a pilot basis in Waterford and Carlow local authorities in October 2016 and expanded nationwide from 23 February 2017. No targets were set for the scheme in 2016. Individual targets for 2017 were set for each local authority and these are set out in tabular form below.

Provisional 2017 outputs, across the range of delivery methods available to local authorities and approved housing bodies, were published on 15 January 2018 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/social-housing-delivery-2017-ministers-statement.

My Department is currently validating data from local authorities in order to report detailed progress on the RLS in the final quarter of 2017. This will be published shortly. However, at the end of the third quarter 2017, 292 dwellings had been deemed suitable and local authorities were negotiating with properties owners; a further 231 dwellings were being inspected for suitability by local authorities; 18 Agreements to Lease had been signed. A detailed breakdown of the RLS scheme data for the third quarter of 2017 is 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.

Funding of €32 million is available for RLS for 2018 with an overall target of 800 dwellings. The target number of social houses to be delivered across all delivery mechanisms in each local authority area out to 2021 was confirmed to each local authority on 5 January 2018, with a particular focus on 2018 delivery. Each local authority chief executive is now required to furnish a report by mid-February, confirming and setting out how their local authority will deliver on its social housing target over the coming years. The targets and details of the delivery programme of each local authority will then be published.

Tackling vacancy continues to be a key focus and, in that context, I announced a range of improvements to the existing scheme on 22 January 2018 following the second housing summit with local authority chief executives. I will be publishing full details of these improvements shortly.

2017 RLS Targets per Local Authority

Local Authority	RLS Target 2017
Carlow County Council	14
Cavan County Council	9
Clare County Council	18
Cork City Council	26
Cork County Council	50
Donegal County Council	22
Dublin City Council	150
Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council	25
Fingal County Council	41
Galway City Council	24
Galway County Council	20
Kerry County Council	27
Kildare County Council	31
Kilkenny County Council	13
Laois County Council	13
Leitrim County Council	6
Limerick City and County Council	30
Longford County Council	10
Louth County Council	22
Mayo County Council	20
Meath County Council	18
Monaghan County Council	5
Offaly County Council	13
Roscommon County Council	8
Sligo County Council	10
South Dublin County Council	47
Tipperary County Council	23
Waterford City and County Council	53
Westmeath County Council	20
Wexford County Council	19
Wicklow County Council	13
-	800

National Planning Framework

Questions (658)

Eamon Ryan

Question:

658. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the roles the three regional spatial economic strategies under the national planning framework will play in mitigating climate change; and the relationship that will be established with the regional climate change adaptation plans which are to be co-ordinated under different geographical regions of local authorities. [3266/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Damien English)

The draft National Planning Framework, which is currently being finalised by my Department includes national policy objectives, NPOs, reflecting wider Government objectives in relation to climate change. 

These include objectives to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by integrating climate action into the planning system in support of national climate change targets, NPO 56; the promotion of renewable energies at appropriate locations to meet the national transition objectives towards a low-carbon economy by 2050, NPO 57; and support for integrating climate considerations into statutory plans and guidelines.

In addition, each regional assembly will be tasked with preparing a regional spatial and economic strategy, RSES, to further tease out and apply the NPOs at regional levels and for subsequent incorporation into local authority statutory development plans and local plans. The preparation of each of the RSESs will be subject to strategic environmental assessment, SEA, which requires each plan to take full account of relevant EU and national legislative requirements, including in relation to climate change, in accordance with the SEA legislation. 

The national climate adaptation framework, which was launched last week by my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, sets out the context to ensure local authorities, regions and key sectors can assess the main risks and vulnerabilities of climate change, implement climate resilience actions and ensure climate adaptation considerations are mainstreamed into all local, regional and national policy making. The role of spatial planning through the national planning framework will be critical in ensuring successful implementation of the national adaptation framework.

Minister Naughten has also announced a funding commitment of €10 million over five years to establish four local authority regional climate action offices. This commitment recognises the significant obligation which has been placed on the local government sector to develop and implement its own adaptation and mitigation measures as well as the need to build capacity within the sector to engage effectively with climate change.

I understand the proposed regional climate action offices will be operated by a lead local authority in four different regions, grouped according to shared climate change risks. These offices are intended to provide a coherent and coordinated response to climate change at local level, both in terms of adaptation and mitigation and they will also be a key enabler in linking effectively with the new national planning framework.

Land Availability

Questions (659)

John Curran

Question:

659. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the strategic development plans for the use of local authority lands requested from all local authorities by the end of September 2017 will be available; if these plans will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3281/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Damien English)

As part of the active management of the publicly owned housing land bank, all local authorities have been requested to prepare strategic development and management plans for housing lands in their ownership, with particular emphasis on prioritising those sites with the greatest potential to deliver housing at scale, in the short to medium term.

The plans received to date are currently being reviewed by my Department and, when finalised, they will be made available publicly, both on the dedicated Rebuilding Ireland website, as well as on the website of the relevant local authority.  The State Land Management and Development Group, which I will chair, will convene in the coming weeks to, inter alia, drive the delivery of housing from the local authority and broader State land bank.

Vacant Sites Data

Questions (660)

John Curran

Question:

660. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of sites registered for the vacant site levy; the number of those currently under appeal with An Bord Pleanála by each local authority; the number of these sites on which he expects to see developments commence during 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3282/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

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 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 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 their vacant site registers in 2018.  As required under the Act, this includes the identification of specific vacant sites for entry on the register, the registered owners of the sites in question and undertaking site valuations of the registered sites. 

My Department does not maintain a central register of vacant sites as each local authority administers the vacant site register in respect of their functional area. However, on foot of a recent review of the on-line vacant site registers across all local authority areas, I understand that there are collectively over 230 sites on the registers.  In total, the inclusion of 49 of these sites on the local registers has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála, with 20 of these appeals having been decided, leaving 29 appeals currently on hand with the Board, as follows:

Local Authority	Number of Appeals
Dublin City Council	7
Fingal County Council	1
Kilkenny County Council	6
Waterford City & County Council	8
Wicklow County Council	7
Total:	29

My Department continues to monitor and engage with local authorities in relation to the implementation of the vacant site levy and held a seminar with authorities on 8 November 2017 in this regard.

The purpose of the levy is to act as an incentive to the bringing forward of vacant underused sites for development, for residential or regeneration purposes.  I would hope that as many sites as possible will be developed for these purposes, thereby avoiding liability to the levy.

As recently announced, it is proposed to increase the rate of levy from 3% to 7% of the market valuation of relevant sites with effect from January 2020 in respect of sites included on the local vacant site registers in 2019. Legislative provision for this increase will be tabled by way of Seanad amendment to the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, which is presently at Dáil Report Stage.

Statutory Retirement Age

Questions (661)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

661. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3290/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

International research indicates that the retirement age of 55 is the optimum age to ensure that fire-fighters are capable of satisfactorily performing the tasks expected of them. The retirement age of 55 years of age was introduced because of health and safety considerations related to the job. Since the enactment of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 1989, underpinned by subsequent legislation, each fire authority, as an employer, has a statutory duty to avoid placing employees at risk.

A full time firefighter is statutorily required to retire at age 55 under the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. This retirement age is set at 55 due to the physically demanding nature of the fire-fighter role.

The retirement age for retained fire fighters is 55 with an extended period to age 58 subject to a formal application process including a compulsory medical assessment.

A collective agreement was reached between the Local Government Management Services Board and the trade unions involved, SIPTU and ATGWU, in November 2002. This collective agreement provided, inter alia, for the appointment of an expert group which in turn would advise as to the retirement age for retained firefighters. The Expert Group's Report on Retirement Age recommended that the retirement age for retained firefighters remain at 55, with provision for an annual extension, subject to medical assessment, up to 58 year of age. Following the report of the expert group published in April 2003, a circular was issued by my Department in November 2003 setting out the age requirements in relation to retained firefighters in line with the expert report.

In general, any changes proposed by either management or unions are negotiated using the established industrial relations processes. In this regard, the matter of increasing the retirement age for firefighters was included as part of recent discussions on a wide range of issues at the Workplace Relations Commission, between the Local Government Management Agency, representing the employers, and SIPTU.

I understand that these discussions are at a preliminary stage and therefore I am unable to give an indication as to when these discussions will be completed or the likely outcome.

Foreshore Licence Applications

Questions (662)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

662. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if there have been applications for a foreshore licence from a company (details supplied) to allow for an exploratory rig on the Kish Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3298/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Damien English)

Providence Resources surrendered a licence to allow for an exploratory rig on the Kish Bank on 12 February 2013.  My Department has not received a subsequent application in respect of exploratory works on the Kish Bank.

Housing Adaptation Grant Applications

Questions (663)

Robert Troy

Question:

663. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if an appeal lodged by Longford County Council in respect of a person (details supplied) will be allowed. [3326/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The detailed administration of the housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability, including the assessment, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. 

The framework for the operation of the scheme is laid down in statutory regulations, namely the Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability) (Amendment) Regulations, 2014.  Under these regulations, applications for grant aid are assessed by a local authority on the basis of household income and the maximum grant of €30,000 is available to applicants whose gross household income is less than €30,000 per annum, tapering to 30% for applicants with gross household incomes of between €50,001 and €60,000 per annum. No grant is payable where the household income is over €60,000 per annum.

I understand from the local authority that in the case raised, the household income is above the income threshold where a grant can be paid.

Housing Assistance Payment Eligibility

Questions (664)

Barry Cowen

Question:

664. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to change eligibility for housing assistance payment recipients on the social housing waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3336/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Housing Assistance Payment, HAP, is a flexible form of social housing support available to households throughout the State who have a long-term housing need. To qualify for HAP a household must first be deemed eligible for social housing support. Eligibility for social housing support is based primarily on a household's income. The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard household means policy.

The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band are based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. The limits also reflect a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn and thereby promote sustainable communities.

Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support.  The current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this, providing for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households facing the greatest challenge in meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources. 

However, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports, including HAP has commenced.  I expect the results of this review to be available for publication later this year.

Housing Assistance Payment Data

Questions (665)

Barry Cowen

Question:

665. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of HAP and RAS recipients respectively by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3337/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Indicative social housing outputs for 2017 were published on Monday 15 January 2018 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/social-housing-delivery-2017-ministers-statement

My Department is currently finalising and verifying HAP and RAS data relating to 2017 and this data will be published on my Department’s website in due course.

At the end of 2016 local authorities reported that there were 20,306 Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) tenancies in place. The most recent data regarding the number of tenancies funded under the RAS scheme, broken down by local authority is 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.

At end of the third quarter of 2017, there were a total of 27,618 active HAP tenancies; details of these tenancies, by local authority, are set out in the following table.

Total Active HAP tenancies as at end September 2017

Local Authority	Total Active HAP Tenancies at end September 2017
Carlow County   Council	556
Cavan County   Council	103
Clare County   Council	1,187
Cork City   Council	1,510
Cork County   Council	2,496
Donegal County   Council	1,587
Dublin City   Council	655
Dun Laoghaire   Rathdown County Council	107
Fingal County   Council	260
Galway City   Council	792
Galway County   Council	657
Kerry County   Council	287
Kildare County   Council	1,276
Kilkenny   County Council	803
Laois County   Council	215
Leitrim County   Council	69
Limerick City   & County Council	1,840
Longford   County Council	93
Louth County   Council	1,779
Mayo County   Council	738
Meath County   Council	1,072
Monaghan   County Council	396
Offaly County   Council	587
Roscommon   County Council	126
Sligo County   Council	424
South Dublin   County Council	1,987
Tipperary   County Council	1,548
Waterford City   & County Council	1,492
Westmeath   County Council	259
Wexford County   Council	404
Wicklow County   Council	307
Subtotal	25,612
-	-
Dublin   Regional Homeless Executive*	2,006
Grand Total	27,618
* DRHE is operating the HAP Homeless scheme on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (666)

Michael McGrath

Question:

666. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount provided to local authorities in each year since 2010 by way of the annual block grant from the local government fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3368/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I assume the Question refers to the payment of General Purpose Grants (GPGs) and Local Property Tax (LPT) from the Local Government Fund to local authorities. Before the introduction of local retention of LPT in 2015, GPGs were my Department’s contribution towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. The 2014 figures recognise the removal of water related costs and are therefore not directly comparable to previous years’ funding. In 2015 GPGs were replaced by LPT payments.

The details of all GPG and LPT payments are available on my Department's website at the following link:

http://www.housing.gov.ie/local-government/administration/finance/general-purpose-grants-and-local-property-tax-payments-local.

Personal Injury Claims

Questions (667)

Michael McGrath

Question:

667. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount paid out by each local authority in respect of personal injury claims for each of the years 2010 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3384/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I have no function in relation to the matters raised in the question and the information requested is not available in my Department.

Local authorities are independent in the execution of their powers and the directly elected members are democratically accountable for all expenditure of the authority. Personal injury claims involving local authorities are matters for each authority and details in that regard may be obtained directly from individual authorities.

Vacant Properties

Questions (668)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

668. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress that has been made by county councils in acquiring abandoned or boarded up houses by CPO or otherwise on the same procedures as those followed by Louth County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3386/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

My Department provides funding to local authorities to acquire a range of properties for social housing use. The properties involved can range from those in good condition to those that need remediation and may have been vacant. To ensure a local led response to such work, responsibility for property acquisitions is delegated to local authorities.

To further assist local authorities pursuing vacant properties, my Department introduced a Buy & Renew Scheme to facilitate local authorities in acquiring and remediating vacant properties that may be suitable for social housing. As with standard acquisitions, local authorities have delegated responsibility to utilise the Buy & Renew Scheme, as part of the blend of property acquisitions, as appropriate to their area, given housing need and the availability of properties of different types.

Given that responsibility is delegated to local authorities for this work, my Department does not have detailed statistics differentiating between the different categories of property acquisitions undertaken by local authorities, but I am satisfied that local authorities are using the range of funding mechanisms available to them to acquire various properties, including those that have been vacant.

Departmental Bodies

Questions (669)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

669. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of agencies, boards or other bodies under the aegis of his Department that have been disbanded or amalgamated or whose functions were subsumed back into his Department since 2011; the number of such bodies set up by his Department since that date; the names of the bodies in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3407/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The agencies, boards and other bodies under the aegis of my Department that have been disbanded or amalgamated or whose functions were subsumed back into my Department since 2011, some of which have since moved to the remit of other Departments, are set out in the following tables:  

Agencies,  Boards and Bodies	Comment
National Building Agency	Merged with   the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency (Housing Agency) (2011)
Comhar	Integrated into the work of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) with effect from January 2012.
Building Regulations Advisory Body(BRAB)	Subsumed into the Department in 2012
An Chomhairle Leabharlanna	Merged with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) (2012)
The Local Government Computer Services Board	Merged with the LGMA (2012)
Local Government Management Services Board	Merged with the LGMA (2012)
Limerick Northside Regeneration Agency	Subsumed into Limerick City & County Council (2012)
Limerick Southside  Regeneration Agency	Subsumed into Limerick City & County Council (2012)
Radiological     Protection Institute of Ireland	Merged with the EPA (2014)
Rent Tribunal	Dissolved and functions transferred to the Residential Tenancies Board (2016)
Dublin Developments Docklands Authority	Merged with Dublin City Council (2016)

The bodies set up by my Department since 2011 are set out in the following table:

New bodies set up since 2011	Comment
The Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency (Housing   Agency)	Established on an administrative basis in 2010 but   formally established on 1 August 2012.
Irish Water	Established under the Water Services (No. 1) Act 2013
Pyrite   Resolution Board	Established 2014
Public Water Forum	Established under the Water Services Act 2014
The National   Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC)	Established in 2014 under the Local Government Reform Act 2014
An Fóram Uisce   (the Water Forum)	Not statutorily established yet. Operating on a non-statutory basis.

While I have responsibility for policy and legislation in respect of the local government system, local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities.  As such, local authorities are not under the aegis of my Department.  However, they underwent a major reform programme in the period since 2011 that, inter alia, saw the dissolution of 86 bodies including amalgamation of three pairs of authorities resulting in a net reduction of 83 in the number of authorities from 114 to 31.  This reform also saw a total of eight regional authorities and two regional assemblies dissolved and replaced by three consolidated regional assemblies.

Personal Injury Claims

Questions (670)

Michael McGrath

Question:

670. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount paid out and the number of claims the pay-outs related to by each agency under the aegis of his Department in respect of personal injury claims in each of the years 2010 to 2017; the number of claims that were settled outside of court in each of these years; the number of payments that were as a result of a court judgement in each of these years; the nature of the claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3424/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned and are not collated or retained by my Department.

Arrangements have been put in place by each agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The relevant contact email address for each agency, to which members may address queries, are set out in the following table:

Agency	Email address
An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Irish Water	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
Ordnance Survey Ireland	[e-mail]
Property Registration Authority	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Valuation Office	[e-mail]