Written Answers Nos. 600-619
600. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the 20 year home caring credits announced recently will apply to qualifying pensioners after the total contributions approach comes into effect in 2020. [5871/18]
View answerOn 23 January, the Government agreed to a proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated by a new “Total Contributions Approach”, TCA, which will include up to 20 years of a new HomeCaring credit. This approach is expected to significantly benefit many people, particularly women, whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, while raising families or in a caring role. It will make it easier for pensioners assessed under the yearly average model, to qualify for a higher rate of the State Pension, contributory. The TCA will ensure that the totality of a person’s social insurance contributions, as opposed to the timing of them, determines their final pension outcome.
Under the new arrangements a person who reached pension age after 1 September 2012 and has a 40 year record of paid and credited social insurance contributions, subject to a maximum of 20 years of the new HomeCaring credits, will qualify for a maximum contributory pension where they satisfy the other qualifying conditions for the scheme. Crucially, unlike the existing Homemakers disregard system, periods of home caring before that scheme was introduced in 1994 may be recognised under the new scheme. This is particularly important among people reaching pension age around now, many of whom had children in the time before a range of childcare options were widely available to the extent they have become in recent decades.
Up to 10 years of other credits, for example when unemployed or ill, may also be used, subject to the total number of credits not exceeding 20 years. So, for example, a person might receive a maximum pension based on 20 years paid PRSI contributions, 5 years jobseeker credits, and 15 years HomeCaring Credits, over a 50 year period.
The model of TCA which will be in place for all new pensioners from 2020 will be decided upon following a public consultation later this year, and I do not wish to pre-empt this process, nor the Government decision and legislation which will follow it. However, I can state that the need to provide adequate provision for home-carers will be an important factor in the final design.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
601. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that have had their jobseeker's payments stopped due to the fact they did not engage with Jobpath; if there has been a High Court ruling on the legality of this process; her plans to cease stopping payments for those not engaging in jobpath; if persons that had their payments stopped will be entitled to back payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5874/18]
View answerAll jobseekers are required to engage with the Department’s activation service and this obligation applies irrespective of whether the service is provided by the Department’s own case officers or those advisors employed by external contractors such as the Local Employment Services and JobPath service providers. Failure to engage without good cause may result in the jobseeker’s payment being reduced or temporarily suspended. The legislation underpinning the application of reduced rates of payment is provided for in the Social Welfare Act 2010
As of the end of December 2017 there were 93,000 clients engaged with JobPath of which 483, or 0.5%, currently have a penalty rate applied to their claim. This figure is consistent with the overall level of penalty rate applied across all job seekers. In total since the JobPath service commenced, approximately 6,500 or 4.6% of the 141,000 clients who had engaged with the JobPath service, between July 2015 and December 2017, have had, at some point during their engagement period, a penalty rate applied to their payment.
All decisions on the application of reduced rates of payment can only be made by a deciding officer of the Department and are based on all the available evidence and the circumstances of each case. Jobseekers can request a deciding officer to review the decision or appeal the deciding officer’s decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, SWAO. The payment of arrears of jobseeker’s payment to an individual in respect of sanctions for failing to engage with activation services will depend on the outcome of any review or appeal.
The recent court proceedings whereby an individual sought leave for judicial review to challenge decisions taken by my Department were refused by the High Court in the judgment delivered on 26January 2018. I am happy to advise the Deputy that there are no recent High Court rulings which have implications for the application of penalty rates by my Department and there are no plans to cease applying penalty rates where appropriate.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
602. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend the time a person can remain on the Tús scheme from one year to three years in view of the circular issued by her Department on 19 January 2018 in relation to the difficulty in filling the Tús scheme places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5878/18]
View answerTús is one of a range of supports provided by my Department to cater for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. It provides part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping-stone back to employment. However, it is important to note that these placements are not full-time sustainable jobs and are designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market or getting a job for the first time. The Deputy will appreciate that the welcome reduction in the unemployment rate is a factor in recruitment to all programmes. Long-term unemployment is expected to fall further this year in line with the continuing forecasted fall in overall unemployment.
Currently, participants can remain on Tús for one year and I have no plans to change this. However, changes were introduced recently to the selection criteria for Tús which should broaden the availability of Tús to a greater number of people on the live register. This includes an increase in the percentage of assisted referrals from 20% to 30%, as well as permitting someone who has had a break of up to 30 days on the Live Register in the past 12 months to be considered eligible for Tús selection.
The Department keeps all aspects of its activation programmes under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants and communities. The Government is very mindful of the large number of work programme places involved in service delivery and other valuable services around the country.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
603. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the continuation of a payment of child benefit for all children that have reached 18 years of age but that remain in full time education in their leaving certificate year will be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5904/18]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child benefit is currently paid to more than 627,000 families in respect of some 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of more than €2 billion in 2018.
Given the universality of child benefit it is not a payment which lends itself to a targeted approach and the considerable costs associated with any adjustment to the payment can result in benefits being spread very thinly, rather than making a difference where there is most need.
Families on low incomes can however avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education up to the age of 18, and up to the age of 22 under certain circumstances, including:
- Increases for Qualified Children, IQCs, with primary social welfare payments;
- the Working Family Payment, formerly Family Income Supplement, for low-paid employees with children;
- the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for low income families, paid at the full-time second-level education rate.
As part of measures under Budget 2018, the IQC rate for each child increased from €29.80 to €31.80. This is an increase of 6.7%, and will benefit over 400,000 children.
Also in Budget 2018 the earnings thresholds for the Working Family Payment, formerly Family Income Supplement, were increased by €10 per week for families with up to three children. This measure will particularly benefit low-income working families.
All of the schemes described above provide targeted assistance directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
605. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application for exceptional needs payment by a person (details supplied) will receive a reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6037/18]
View answerA Supplementary Welfare Allowance, SWA, exceptional needs payment application was received from the person concerned on 1 February 2018.
The application in this instance for funeral expenses has been refused by the designated person, as the applicants’ spouse is in full-time employment, and as the household income is above the SWA rate by €422.50 per week.
The SWA rate for a couple is €319.10 and this couple’s combined income is €741.60 per week.
A letter of notification has been sent to the person concerned today, which includes information on their right to have this decision reviewed by an independent review officer.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
606. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made in respect of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in making a decision on this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6062/18]
View answerBased on the evidence supplied in support of their application for disability allowance, DA, this person’s application was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied.
The person concerned appealed this decision and submitted additional medical evidence for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office, SWAO, decided that, based on this additional evidence, the medical qualifying condition was satisfied and DA has been awarded with effect from 28 December 2016.
The first payment of DA will be made on 14 February 2018 and arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
607. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the €200 million raised by the Housing Finance Agency for the purposes of the newly announced local authority loan scheme constitutes on balance sheet general government expenditure for the purposes of calculating fiscal space; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5334/18]
View answerFunding of €200 million for the new Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan has been raised by the Housing Finance Agency, HFA, from a variety of sources, on a fixed rate basis for periods out to thirty years maturity. Based on the pricing achieved, local authorities can offer a first tranche of fixed-rate annuity finance to eligible borrowers at rates of 2.0% and 2.25% per annum, for twenty five and thirty years respectively, up to an aggregate maximum of €200 million.
This funding is not allocated to individual local authorities but rather will be drawn down by local authorities from the HFA to match their lending under the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. Local authority borrowing from the HFA that is lent by local authorities to individuals, as long as it is provided on a commercial basis and is being repaid, is classified as a financial transaction, and so does not count as general Government expenditure.
608. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if persons with visual impairments will be facilitated to vote independently by secret ballot in the upcoming referendum; if ballot paper templates for persons with visual impairments will be available in each polling station; if persons will have an opportunity to test them in advance for access purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5534/18]
View answerThe Electoral Regulations 2016 provide for ballot paper templates to be provided at polling stations at referendums. These templates are designed to facilitate visually impaired voters to vote in secret. My Department has procured ballot paper templates for use at referendums on behalf of returning officers and they will be available at each polling station at the upcoming referendum.
My Department, in conjunction with the National Council for the Blind in Ireland, NCBI, plans to promote the availability of the templates in advance of the forthcoming referendum. The templates, which were devised in conjunction with the NCBI, will be easy to use and will be available for trial at a number of NCBI centres in advance of the forthcoming referendum. In addition, presiding officers at polling stations will be available to assist and advise anyone opting to use ballot paper templates to ensure that those voters are fully facilitated to vote in secret.
609. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of social housing current expenditure programme, SCHEP, tenancies in which properties are owned by private landlords in 2017, by local authority area and source; the cost of these tenancies in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5338/18]
View answerOf the 50,000 social housing units to be delivered under the Rebuilding Ireland action plan for housing and homelessness, just over 10,000 will be secured by local authorities and approved housing bodies, AHBs, under leasing arrangements from a range of different sources, including direct leasing by both local authorities and AHBs from private owners.
The social housing current expenditure programme, SHCEP, administered by my Department, supports this delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities and AHBs for the leasing of houses and apartments. Properties made available under the programme are used to accommodate households from local authority waiting lists and are allocated in accordance with the relevant local authority's allocation scheme.
To end December 2017, the total number of operational units under SHCEP is 10,152. Details of the number of these dwellings, which are privately owned dwellings secured directly by local authorities and AHBs, are set out in the tables below. The term "privately owned" excludes dwellings supported under SHCEP that are owned by AHBs, unsold affordable dwellings, and dwellings owned by the National Asset Management Agency vehicle, National Asset Residential Property Services, NARPS.
Data on payments made under SHCEP to AHBs is held on a cumulative basis only and includes both payments made in respect of dwellings leased by AHBs from private owners and payments made in respect of dwellings owned by AHBs. A breakdown of the amount paid to AHBs in respect of the leasing of dwellings from private owners only is not available; however, as a result of changes made in 2017 to the systems used for the recording of financial data, this information will be available in 2018 and subsequent years.
Table 1: Dwellings leased by local authorities from private owners
|
Local Authority |
No. of privately owned properties leased by LAs |
Cost of LA private leases 2017 |
|
Carlow County Council |
39 |
€277,394 |
|
Cavan County Council |
16 |
€89,272 |
|
Clare County Council |
264 |
€1,457,652 |
|
Cork City Council |
61 |
€461,881 |
|
Cork County Council |
7 |
€29,774 |
|
DLR County Council |
22 |
€284,885 |
|
Donegal County Council |
180 |
€1,395,061 |
|
Dublin City Council |
129 |
€1,268,005 |
|
Fingal County Council |
168 |
€1,818,995 |
|
Galway City Council |
160 |
€1,319,269 |
|
Galway County Council |
42 |
€234,167 |
|
Kerry County Council |
233 |
€1,701,976 |
|
Kildare County Council |
2 |
€20,549 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
9 |
€50,839 |
|
Laois County Council |
31 |
€229,212 |
|
Leitrim County County Council |
15 |
€63,091 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
36 |
€238,416 |
|
Longford County Council |
92 |
€440,052 |
|
Louth County Council |
268 |
€2,068,027 |
|
Mayo County Council |
195 |
€828,874 |
|
Meath County Council |
23 |
€171,590 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
5 |
€28,861 |
|
Offaly County Council |
206 |
€1,402,145 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
4 |
€24,000 |
|
Sligo County Council |
40 |
€315,754 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
369 |
€5,632,023 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
374 |
€2,463,763 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
60 |
€361,156 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
255 |
€1,361,235 |
|
Wexford County Council |
105 |
€646,277 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
19 |
€173,667 |
|
Total: |
3,429 |
€26,857,862 |
Table 2: Dwellings leased by AHBs from private owners*
|
Local Authority |
No. of privately owned properties leased by AHBs |
|
Carlow County Council |
0 |
|
Cavan County Council |
12 |
|
Clare County Council |
25 |
|
Cork City Council |
30 |
|
Cork County Council |
5 |
|
DLR County Council |
1 |
|
Donegal County Council |
80 |
|
Dublin City Council |
70 |
|
Fingal County Council |
1 |
|
Galway City Council |
0 |
|
Galway County Council |
16 |
|
Kerry County Council |
0 |
|
Kildare County Council |
165 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
10 |
|
Laois County Council |
89 |
|
Leitrim County County Council |
0 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
16 |
|
Longford County Council |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
20 |
|
Mayo County Council |
0 |
|
Meath County Council |
24 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
0 |
|
Offaly County Council |
0 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
0 |
|
Sligo County Council |
2 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
16 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
6 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
11 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
7 |
|
Wexford County Council |
20 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
8 |
|
Total: |
634 |
*A financial breakdown is currently unavailable for AHB privately leased dwellings. This will be available from 2018 onwards
610. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if persons that were legally divorced or separated and that have legally discharged their interest in the family home are entitled to apply for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme. [5392/18]
View answerFollowing a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the house purchase loan and the home choice loan, a new loan offering, the Rebuilding Ireland home loan, was made available on 1 February 2018. The new loan will enable credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. The low rate of fixed interest associated with the Rebuilding Ireland home loan provides first time buyers with access to mortgage finance that they may not otherwise have been able to afford at a higher interest rate.
As with the previous local authority loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland home loan is available to first time buyers only. This is to ensure the effective targeting of limited resources. Applicants who are separated or divorced may be treated as first-time buyers if they meet certain conditions including:
- they are separated or divorced under a court order or by a separation agreement;
- the property being purchased is the first property since leaving the family home;
- they have left the family home and retain no interest in it;
- the other party has remained in the family home.
The option currently available for non-first time buyers is to seek home loan facilities from one of the commercial lending institutions.
Detailed information on the new mortgage is available on the dedicated www.rebuildingirelandhomeloan.ie website, from the helpdesk at 051 349720, or directly from local authorities.
611. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position regarding housing in County Carlow (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5398/18]
View answerThrough the supports made available from my Department 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.
Provisional details on social housing delivery in 2017, including acquisitions, 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.
A breakdown of these numbers across all local authority areas for 2017 will be published on my Department's website following completion of the necessary validation process. In the meantime, details in respect of acquisitions made by each local authority up to the end of quarter 3 of 2017 are currently published and available at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision .
Details on the number of units acquired under Part V agreements to end 2016 are available at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/affordable-housing/affordable-housing-and-part-v-statistics .
While delivery in 2018 will have a greater focus on new builds rather than acquisitions, the latter remains an important source of new social housing supply and funding remains available to support this activity. Decisions as to the type and location of properties to be acquired are a matter for individual local authorities, having regard to the nature and priority of their housing lists. However, it is important that local authorities are selective in such actions so as to avoid, for example, impacting disproportionately on the private housing market.
As regards the number of social housing developments approved for Carlow, the latest construction status report setting out the position at end quarter 3 2017, which is available at the following link, http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/quarter-3-social-housing-construction-status-report/ , details 21 projects that were completed, on site or undergoing planning and design. These projects will deliver in the region of 278 units, including two single rural dwellings.
612. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when he will introduce the new incremental purchase scheme for local authority houses. [5479/18]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
In line with the commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland action plan, a review of the first 12 months of the tenant purchase scheme’s operation has been undertaken. The review has incorporated analysis of comprehensive data received from local authorities regarding the operation of the scheme during 2016 and a wide-ranging public consultation process which saw submissions received from individuals, elected representatives and organisations.
The review is now complete and a full report setting out findings and recommendations has been prepared. I expect to be in a position to publish the outcome of the review shortly.
613. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount raised in development levy contributions in each of the years 2001 to 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5529/18]
View answer616. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the total and long-term amount due in development levies to each local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5584/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 613 and 616 together.
Local authorities operate on an accrual accounting basis and recognise income and expenditure as incurred relating to the period it falls due, regardless of the cash transactions. The annual financial statements, AFSs, of local authorities do not show the annual receipts from development contributions but instead show the gross invoiced income before any income deferral or refund schemes are accounted for. They also show the amount of development contributions due to local authorities, exclusive of any bad debt provision.
Summary information in relation to aggregated accounts for the local government sector for 2015 (the most recent year for which aggregated accounts are available) can be found on my Department’s website at: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/afs2015_audited_for_31_las.pdf. The total amount falling due for collection within 12 months can be found in Note 5, Trade Debtors and Prepayments, on page 20.
With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water has responsibility for both water supply and waste water services, including the collection of any charges that may be associated with the provision of these services. Amounts invoiced and collected by local authorities in respect of water services prior to this date were subsequently paid over to Irish Water, but still appear as income in the year in which the payment to the local authority became due.
The more detailed information requested is not available in my Department. However, my Department is in the process of reviewing management information being collected from the local government sector generally, including in respect of development contributions, and may make some changes to the requirements in this regard in the coming year, following consultation with local authority directors of finance.
614. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of Government policy on the use of development levies in encouraging construction levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5530/18]
View answerDevelopment contributions provide critical resources to facilitate the provision of essential public infrastructure and facilities that support the implementation of local authority development plans.
My role as Minister with regard to development contributions is to provide the necessary statutory and policy framework within which individual development contribution schemes are adopted by each local authority. The adoption of these schemes is a reserved function of the locally elected members of each planning authority, and it is a matter for the members to determine the level of contribution and the types of development to which they will apply.
I am satisfied that the existing statutory and policy framework in this regard strikes the right balance between ensuring a transparent and broadly consistent levying of development contributions across the country, while also affording each local authority sufficient flexibility and discretion in the application of development contributions within their own respective functional areas.
Stimulating residential construction activity through targeted interventions on development contributions has already been examined by my Department. In this regard, a development contribution rebate scheme was announced in November 2015, the primary objective of which was to enhance the viability of the construction and sale of residential housing units at affordable prices in locations of greatest need.
Take-up under the scheme was however relatively low, and it has since been overtaken by the introduction of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund, LIHAF, which is designed to provide upfront enabling infrastructure to open up strategic lands for early development. Under Phase 1 of the fund, 29 projects have now been approved across 14 local authorities with a total value of €177 million, with the potential to facilitate the delivery of up to 18,000 new homes from these sites over the coming years. I expect a further project, involving €20m of investment supporting 2,000 new homes, to be approved shortly. A further Phase 2 of the Fund will be launched later in Q1 this year, with a further €65 million available to open up more residential sites for development.
Further initiatives in relation to development contributions are being considered in relation to delivering on the “compact urban growth” objective set out in the draft National Planning Framework, particularly in the context of appropriate levels of contributions for infill or brownfield redevelopment, where many of the infrastructural services are already in place.
615. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his department will remove from its website all references to having to have paid water charges to avail of certain schemes following repeal of section 3A of the Water Services Act 2014; and if he will request all local authorities to do the same. [5581/18]
View answerThe Water Services Act 2017 (No. 29 of 2017), which was enacted on 17 November 2017, reflects the recommendations of the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services, which was published in April 2017 and approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas.
The Act provides for the discontinuance of domestic water charges for dwellings as set out in the Water Services Act 2014 and for the refund of domestic charges paid by customers. It also repealed section 3A of the Water Services Act 2014, which provided that upon the sale of a property, a certificate of discharge was required from Irish Water to show that the relevant water charges had been paid. This repeal is provided for in section 5(1)(b)(ii) of the 2017 Act.
Following the repeal of section 3A of the Water Services Act 2014, as outlined above, tenants seeking to purchase their home under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase scheme, TPS, are no longer required to provide a certificate of discharge from Irish Water to show that the relevant water charges have been paid. My Department wrote to all local authorities informing them of this change in relation to the TPS on 1 December 2017.
The TPS scheme has also recently been the subject of a separate review by my Department and a report setting out the findings and recommendations will be published shortly, following consultation with relevant Departments on implementation arrangements. In this context, updated guidance for local authorities and tenants on all aspects of the TPS will be given due consideration as appropriate.
In the interim, I am arranging for a general statement regarding these changes as a result of the Water Services Act 2017 to be placed on my Department's website.
617. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the review undertaken by his Department in respect of a framework for harmonisation approach by local authorities to rent schemes; if the findings of this review will be published; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5587/18]
View answerConsiderable work has been carried out by my Department in developing a draft national differential rents framework, which will harmonise local authority rents, including income disregards. The introduction of a rent framework will mean that the amount of rent payable by some households may be subject to change in some cases. This work is now being examined further in the light of the broader commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland action plan for housing and homelessness, to review the disparate systems of differential rent for social housing in place across local authorities. The overall objective is to ensure that housing supports are fair and sustainable, prioritise those on lowest incomes and avoid creating social welfare traps that may prevent people from either returning to work or to the private housing market.
It is expected that the review will be completed shortly.
618. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the framework document on housing for older persons currently being developed by his Department; the number of officials working on this paper; the number of times this working group has met; the third party stakeholders consulted by the group as part of its work; and when the framework document will be completed and published. [5589/18]
View answerGovernment policy, as expressed in the Programme for Partnership Government and Rebuilding Ireland, is to support older people to live in their own home with dignity and independence, for as long as possible.
In this context, the preparation of a policy statement on housing for older people is at an advanced stage. This policy statement is being progressed by the Department of Health and my own Department and I expect it will be ready to issue as a joint statement shortly.
A cross Department and agency steering group of key stakeholders was established in 2017 to provide guidance in developing the policy statement. It was chaired by a senior official in my Department and comprised representatives from my Department, the Department of Health, the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Health Service Executive, the Housing Agency, the Irish Council for Social Housing, the centre of excellence in universal design at the National Disability Authority and the National Age Friendly Ireland programme manager. The group met formally on three occasions to discuss and review progress and in addition there has been on-going engagement and separate meetings between my officials, Department of Health officials and other stakeholders.
This policy statement will be a first step in the broader process of seeking to ensure that older people are provided with appropriate accommodation options suited to their needs. It will set out a framework by which the Government can encourage and facilitate housing, including supported housing/housing with care, for older people having regard to current demographics and looking at best practice models, including where appropriate, suitable integration with relevant health and social care services.
619. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of projects (details supplied); the stages they are at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5595/18]
View answerThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Act, 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.
In February 2016, my Department announced a five-year fire services capital programme with an allocation of €40 million, based on an annual €8 million allocation, to be used for the purchase of fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised fire stations, an upgrade of the Communications and Mobilisation system and improvements to training centres.
A new fire station at Virginia is provided for in the Capital Programme. Cavan County Council has indicated that Virginia is its number one fire station priority. The Council submitted a revised cost plan for a new station to my Department in August 2016, and permission to proceed to tender was granted in November 2016. Approval to accept the selected tender was issued in July 2017; however, the successful tenderer withdrew the tender and subsequent tenderers were unable to proceed with the project. The Council sought approval to re-tender and such approval was given by my Department on 16 January 2018. My Department will continue to work with Cavan County Council to progress this project.
A fire station project in Ballyjamesduff is also included in the Capital Programme under the list of priority projects to be progressed for 2018. The projects in the capital programme are reassessed on an annual basis and priority may be adjusted to bring forward projects offering best value-for-money and to take account of the state of readiness of the projects.
