Tuesday, 17 Apr 2018

Written Answers Nos. 1551-1567

Register of Electors Administration

Questions (1551)

Pat the Cope Gallagher

Question:

1551. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the dates for applying for inclusion on the supplementary register of electors; the latest date for applying for postal votes; the eligibility for inclusion on the register of electors for those turning 18 years of age in the run-up to polling day for the forthcoming referendum scheduled to take place on 25 May 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15591/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government

Eligible voters, including those who will have reached the age of 18 years by polling day, who are not on the register of electors but who wish to vote at the forthcoming referendum should apply for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors. Applications should be made to the local City, County or City and County Council, as appropriate, from whom the application form is available. Forms are also available on-line at www.checktheregister.ie. The closing date for receipt of applications for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors is 8 May 2018; the closing date in the case of applications for entry to the Supplement to the Postal or Special Voters list is 28 April 2018.

Question No. 1552 answered with Question No. 1497.

Water Services Infrastructure

Questions (1553)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

1553. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding drinking water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15624/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has been the statutory authority responsible for the delivery of public water services, which includes responsibility for the provision of water services infrastructure at national, regional and local levels.

Conservation of water supplies is a key policy imperative as the treatment and distribution of drinking water is expensive and the supply of treated water is finite. Rain water harvesting at individual property level is a key element of Irish Water’s water conservation messaging as it reduces the need for treated potable water.

However, the suggestion of retrofitting a new dual system of distribution pipes for treated and untreated water across the public water network nationally would be economically prohibitive and massively disruptive. Irish water is currently managing 88,000 kilometres of pipe network, which is largely underground and concentrated in densely populated towns and cities, together with some 7,000 water and wastewater assets nationwide.

The immediate priority in conservation terms will continue to be the ongoing national Leakage Reduction Programme. This will include investment of some €250 million over the next four years under the Find and Fix repair scheme and the Water Mains Rehabilitation programme.

It may be helpful to note that while water sustainability systems (e.g. rain water recovery systems, grey water usage, etc.) are not mandatory, they are being used increasingly in homes and buildings, and my Department has ensured that appropriate standards are referenced under Part H – Drainage and Waste Water Disposal – of the Building Regulations and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document H 2010. My Department also publishes design guidance for local authorities - Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities – which emphasises environmental sustainability and resource efficiency. The influence of this guidance extends beyond social housing provision to provide an important reference point in promoting sustainability issues generally.

Home Loan Scheme

Questions (1554)

Clare Daly

Question:

1554. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the options available to persons who had hoped to obtain a house purchase loan from a local authority and had saved the 3% deposit required, since the abolition of the house purchase loan and its replacement with the Rebuilding Ireland home loan, which has a 10% deposit requirement (details supplied). [15641/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Following 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 from 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. 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 and there is no change in this regard.

To support prudential lending and consistency of treatment for borrowers, a Loan to Value ratio of 90% applies to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan as per the Central Bank's prudential lending guidelines. Therefore, in order to avail of the loan, applicants must have a deposit equivalent to 10% of the market value of the property. I have no plans to change this as this provision is financially prudent and helps to protect both borrowers and lenders alike.

Applicants must provide bank or similar statements (such as post office, credit union, etc.) for a 12-month period immediately prior to making an application, clearly showing a credible and consistent track record of savings. The cash savings should be no less than 3% of the market value of the property. Gifts are permissible up to 7% of the market value of the property, where their source is verified.

For prospective purchasers of newly built properties, the availability, through the Revenue Commissioners, of the Help to Buy Initiative for first-time buyers may provide additional assistance to prospective applicants for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. Up to 5% of the purchase price of properties below €400,000 could be available, which represents a significant contribution towards the relevant deposit requirements.

Local Authority Housing

Questions (1555)

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

1555. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if local authority tenants are liable for the cost of repairing internal leaks found by Irish Water; if not, if it is the responsibility of the local authority as the landlord; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15711/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has been responsible for delivering public water services, which includes responsibility for maintaining water supply pipes extending from a waterworks or wastewater works to the curtilage of a private property.

Under sections 43 and 54 of the Water Services Act 2007, responsibility for maintenance and replacement of any pipes, connections or distribution systems that are located within the boundary of a private property rests with the owner. This was the position that pertained prior to the establishment of Irish Water, when individual local authorities held responsibility for public water services.

Under the 'First Fix Free' leak repair scheme operated by Irish Water, as approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities,  Irish Water assists customers by notifying them where suspected leakage is occurring within the boundary of their property. Leaks which are identified on the external supply pipe serving a property are offered a free leak repair. The First Fix Free scheme does not apply to leaks within a dwelling.

In the context of a local authority tenancy, section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock is a matter for each individual local authority. This includes the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and the carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs.

Question No. 1556 answered with Question No. 1491.

An Bord Pleanála

Questions (1557)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

1557. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the additional resources and personnel he plans to allocate to An Bord Pleanála; the cost and timing of these additional supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15741/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

My Department engages with An Bord Pleanála (the Board) on an ongoing basis to ensure that it has the appropriate resources to perform its broad range of functions.

Section 116 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides for the payment to the Board in each financial year of a grant of such amount as the Minister may fix, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The grant goes towards financing the administration and general expenses of the Board.  The grant allocation for 2018 is €17.2m.  The staffing complement of the Board at the end of February 2018 was 147.8 (whole-time equivalent).  There are also currently 10 Board members, including the Chairperson.

Under the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, the Board received additional functions in relation to determining planning applications for strategic housing developments which will apply until end-2019 and, subject to a review, may be extended until end-2021.  The legislation provided for the establishment of a new Strategic Housing Division within the Board to decide on these applications, requiring the appointment of two additional ordinary Board members. 

The first additional Board member was appointed on 12 February 2018 and I expect to make the second appointment shortly.  In addition, the filling of an additional dedicated 10 professional and administrative posts was sanctioned by my Department to support the new Division and the relevant staff are in place since 2017. The annual cost of these additional resources is estimated to be of the order of €800,000.  

Approved Housing Bodies

Questions (1558)

Peter Burke

Question:

1558. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of approved housing bodies in operation; the names of the bodies; the annual allocation each received in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15781/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, housing authorities may provide assistance to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the provision and management of housing accommodation in accordance with the Housing Acts. As Minister, I am empowered to grant approved status to housing bodies for this purpose.

There are 547 bodies with approved status. The register of AHBs can be found on my Department's website at:

http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/voluntary-and-cooperative-housing/register-housing-bodies-approved-status.

There are a range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social housing supports in partnership with AHBs through capital funding and social housing current expenditure funding. The funding under these programmes is provided directly to local authorities who, in turn, advance the funding to AHBs, as appropriate.

The total funding provided by local authorities to AHBs in 2017 was €228.73m. As the schemes are administered by the local authorities, my Department does not have details of the funding specifically allocated by them to each individual AHB.

Irish Water

Questions (1559, 1560, 1561)

Noel Rock

Question:

1559. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the detail of Irish Water’s figures on the first fix free scheme for each quarter in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15803/18]

Noel Rock

Question:

1560. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason Irish Water’s figures on the first fix free scheme are no longer being published on its website as a matter of course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15804/18]

Noel Rock

Question:

1561. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if Irish Water will be penalised for ceasing to publish data on the first fix free scheme on its website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15805/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1559 to 1561, inclusive, together.

Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels.

I understand that Irish Water publishes quarterly reports relating to the First Fix Free leak repair scheme on its website once the reports have been submitted to and reviewed by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Reports for each quarter to Q2 2017 can be accessed on Irish Water's website at the following weblink - https://www.water.ie/for-home/first-fix/. I understand that Irish Water is currently finalising the report for the third quarter of 2017 for submission to the CRU and has begun compiling its report for the final quarter of 2017.  Both reports will be published on Irish Water's website once the reports have been reviewed by the CRU.

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email at [e-mail] or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.

An Bord Pleanála Appeals

Questions (1562)

Noel Rock

Question:

1562. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will ask local authorities to provide full details of planning permission decision appeals to An Bord Pleanála including observations deadlines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15808/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

In the case where a planning authority is notified by An Bord Pleanála that a decision made by the authority on a planning application has been appealed to the Board, articles 68 to 70 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, require the authority to—

make a copy of the appeal available for inspection or purchase during office hours at the authority’s offices until the appeal is withdrawn or dismissed or is determined by the Board;

give written notice of the appeal to any person who made a submission or observation on the planning application to which the appeal relates, stating that submissions or observations in relation to the appeal may be made in writing to the Board within the appropriate period specified in section 130 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and on payment of the appropriate fee; and include in its weekly list of planning applications an indication of any planning application in respect of which it has been notified during the week concerned that an appeal has been made to the Board.

It is also common practice for planning authorities, when making documents relating to a planning application available for public inspection in electronic form, to indicate those applications in respect of which an appeal has been made to the Board.

Pending the enactment and implementation of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, which proposes to introduce a mandatory requirement on planning authorities to make documents relating to planning applications available for public inspection in electronic form, I have no proposals to expand the existing requirements on planning authorities in relation to the notification of appeals made to the Board.

Housing Assistance Payment Data

Questions (1563, 1564)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

1563. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of HAP recipients in each county in 2017; the value paid to landlords by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15814/18]

Jackie Cahill

Question:

1564. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the contributions paid by tenants in County Tipperary who are part of the HAP scheme in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15815/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1563 and 1564 together.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme was initially implemented, on a statutory phased pilot basis, in September 2014, and rolled out across local authorities incrementally over the last number of years. HAP became a national scheme on 1 March 2017.

The following table reflects the number of HAP tenancies set up and the annualised cost of the average monthly rent paid to landlords under HAP for all local authorities at the end of 2017. The HAP scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. In relation to the Deputy's specific query regarding contributions paid by tenants in County Tipperary that are part of the HAP scheme, the average weekly differential rent for Tipperary County Council at the end of 2017 was €33.22.

Local Authority Area	Total HAP tenancies set-up	Annualised cost of the average monthly payment paid to landlords under the HAP scheme €
Carlow County   Council	725	6,504
Cavan County   Council	143	5,160
Clare County Council	1,565	5,160
Cork City Council	1,867	8,664
Cork County Council	3,199	8,268
Donegal County Council	2,036	4,596
Dublin City Council*	1,040	15,096
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council*	166	15,432
Fingal County Council*	491	15,504
Galway City Council	978	9,408
Galway County  Council	792	7,824
Kerry County Council	449	6,024
Kildare County  Council	1,553	10,932
Kilkenny County Council	1,160	6,672
Laois County Council	324	6,420
Leitrim County  Council	104	4,896
Limerick City & County Council	2,474	6,624
Longford County Council	142	4,764
Louth County Council	2,314	9,168
Mayo County Council	942	5,868
Meath County Council	1,332	10,848
Monaghan County Council	570	5,484
Offaly County Council	797	5,784
Roscommon County Council	182	5,364
Sligo County Council	525	5,856
South Dublin County Council*	2,339	13,764
Tipperary County Council	1,952	5,652
Waterford City & County Council	1,961	5,868
Westmeath  County Council	379	6,480
Wexford County Council	569	6,024
Wicklow County Council	433	11,700

*In Dublin City Council, DLR, Fingal and South Dublin County Councils, eligible homeless households are assisted under the Homeless HAP scheme operated by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, under which additional discretion is available in recognition of the difficulty that can exist in housing homeless households. These homeless HAP numbers are not included in the HAP numbers identified under each of these Dublin LA areas in the table above.

Local Authority Boundaries

Questions (1565)

Michael McGrath

Question:

1565. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the local area boundary committees that have been charged with making recommendations in respect of the local electoral area boundaries for Cork city and county will engage in a public consultation exercise and invite submissions from members of the public. [15819/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government

I established two independent Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees on 13 December 2017 to review and make recommendations on all local electoral areas other than those in Cork and Galway.  In broad terms, these reviews are being undertaken in advance of the next local elections which are scheduled for late May/early June 2019 and having regard to the results of Census 2016 as well as the commitment to consider reducing the size of territorially large local electoral areas as set out in A Programme for Partnership Government (May 2016).  The Committees are tasked with reporting to me within six months, that is by 13 June 2018.

On 23 March 2018, I made a further announcement appointing the existing two Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees to review and make recommendations on local electoral areas in Cork city and Cork county.  These reviews will be conducted on the basis of the revised boundary between the city and county, as proposed by the Cork Implementation Oversight Group and agreed by Government, and which will be given legal effect by forthcoming legislation.  The review of Cork county will be undertaken by Committee No. 1 while Committee No. 2 will report on Cork city.

My Department understands that a public consultation, in respect of the reviews in Cork city and county, was announced by the two committees on 11 April 2018 inviting submissions from all relevant stakeholders, interested parties and members of the public.  Submissions may be sent by e-mail to [e-mail] or, alternatively, by post to:

Secretary

Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees

Room 1.67

Custom House

Dublin 1

D01 W6X0

The closing date for receipt of submissions is 5:00 p.m. on 9 May 2018.

Rent Pressure Zones

Questions (1566)

Robert Troy

Question:

1566. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a review of the way in which rent pressure zones are performing has been completed; and the future plans for these zones. [15843/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

My Department recently conducted a review of the Rent Predictability Measure on the basis of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) rent data and the recently conducted public consultation on the operation of the Rent Pressure Zones.  In September 2017, arising from the review findings, I announced a number of measures to further strengthen the effectiveness of the rent setting and rent review laws including the implementation of a change plan to develop and strengthen the role of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), particularly with regard to enforcement.

These measures include the intention to make it an offence to increase rents in contravention of the legislation and to provide the RTB with the necessary powers and resources to protect tenants from illegal rent increases.

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 should contribute to a further slowing in the growth in rents, in tandem with increasing supply.  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.

The Government has given priority to the drafting and early publication of a Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill to address these and other urgent issues in the residential rental sector.

The RTB is also planning to move towards annual registration of tenancies, which will permit the building of a national rent dataset. This enhanced data will be key to understanding trends and behaviour in the rental market as well as informing future policy decisions.

The Residential Tenancies Board’s latest quarterly Rent Index Report for Q4 2017, which was published last month, shows reductions in the rate of rental inflation across both national and Dublin rents.  The slowdown in the quarterly growth rate in Dublin rents to 1.1% in Q4 2017 is particularly noteworthy, bringing the annualised growth rate over 2017 to 5.2%, a drop from 8% in the year to Q3 2017.  Significantly, this 5.2% increase for Dublin is the lowest annual growth rate since 2013.  This latest quarterly index provides evidence that the introduction of the RPZs, in December 2016, is having a positive effect on rent inflation, particularly in Dublin.

Housing Adaptation Grant

Questions (1567)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

1567. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the definition of net income as applied to a self-employed person and-or farmer in the context of the local authority housing adaptation grants; and if the net figure is to be used by the local authority before or after expenses incurred by a person (details supplied). [15857/18]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The annual gross income, not the net income, of a registered property owner together with all household members over 18 (or over 23 if in full-time education) in the previous tax year, is used to calculate household income for the purposes of the Housing Adaptation Grant schemes for Older People and People with a Disability.   

Certain income is not taken into account, or is disregarded, in calculating household income, including €5,000 for each member of the household up to 18 years, Family Income Supplement, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance if paid in respect of the person to whom the grant application relates.