Written Answers Nos. 1385-1404
1385. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if funding is available via local authorities towards covering the cost of damage to private businesses that were uninsured and which were damaged during Storm Eleanor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36389/18]
View answerSince the severe flooding of winter 2015/2016 the Irish Red Cross has operated a scheme of assistance for small businesses, sporting bodies and community and voluntary groups who have been unable to obtain insurance against flooding and experienced flood damage to their premises. This scheme is administered by the Irish Red Cross on behalf of the Department of Defence.
In early January 2018, the Government announced the activation of this scheme to provide emergency humanitarian support to small businesses, sporting bodies and community and voluntary groups affected by the flooding arising from Storm Eleanor in the period 2 to 5 January, 2018. The closing date for receipt of applications was 31 January, 2018. A total of €346,285 was paid out to 40 successful applicants under the scheme.
My Department and the local government system have no responsibility for overseeing any scheme of assistance for private businesses affected by flooding.
1386. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the arrangements in place in his Department and the organisations under its aegis for lo-call numbers or 1800, 1850 and 1890 phone numbers for members of the public to contact his Department or organisations under its aegis; which of these phone numbers are completely free to call by persons who use mobile phones and who may incur major bills phoning such organisations; if the situation will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36402/18]
View answerMy Department offers both landline and LoCall numbers for anyone wishing to contact its offices. The rates charged for the use of 1890 (LoCall) numbers is a matter for each service provider and, therefore, the Department has no control over this matter. However, the Department’s website does indicate clearly to customers that rates charged may vary among different service providers.
The information requested in relation to organisations under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is set out in the table.
|
Agency |
Email address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
Oireachtas@osi.ie |
|
Property Registration Authority |
reps@prai.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Office |
oireachtas.enquiries@VALOFF.ie |
1388. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of fire fighters employed in each county in each of the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36439/18]
View answerMy Department gathers quarterly data on fire fighters in local authorities. The most recent data collected at the end of June 2018, together with data from the past three years, are set out in the following table.
My Department works closely with all local authorities to ensure adequate staffing levels are in place and maintained for emergency services.
|
- |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 (end Q2) |
||||||||
|
- |
Full Time |
Retained |
Total |
Full Time |
Retained |
Total |
Full Time |
Retained |
Total |
Full Time |
Retained |
Total |
|
Cork City |
136 |
0 |
136 |
136 |
0 |
136 |
136 |
0 |
136 |
136 |
0 |
136 |
|
Dublin local authorities |
842 |
21 |
863 |
898 |
28 |
926 |
920 |
26 |
946 |
919 |
25 |
944 |
|
Limerick City & County |
58 |
73 |
131 |
65 |
69 |
134 |
64 |
71 |
135 |
66 |
67 |
133 |
|
Waterford City & County |
31 |
93 |
124 |
29 |
87 |
116 |
32 |
89 |
121 |
32 |
87 |
119 |
|
Carlow |
1 |
47 |
48 |
1 |
46 |
47 |
1 |
47 |
48 |
1 |
47 |
48 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
90 |
90 |
0 |
93 |
93 |
0 |
92 |
92 |
0 |
91 |
91 |
|
Clare |
1 |
73 |
74 |
1 |
77 |
78 |
0 |
66 |
66 |
1 |
66 |
67 |
|
Cork |
0 |
211 |
211 |
0 |
209 |
209 |
0 |
202 |
202 |
0 |
207 |
207 |
|
Donegal |
0 |
159 |
159 |
0 |
159 |
159 |
0 |
151 |
151 |
0 |
154 |
154 |
|
Galway |
35 |
113 |
148 |
35 |
111 |
146 |
37 |
114 |
151 |
36 |
113 |
149 |
|
Kerry |
3 |
106 |
109 |
3 |
103 |
106 |
2 |
102 |
104 |
3 |
96 |
99 |
|
Kildare |
0 |
65 |
65 |
0 |
71 |
71 |
0 |
72 |
72 |
0 |
69 |
69 |
|
Kilkenny |
0 |
67 |
67 |
0 |
66 |
66 |
0 |
66 |
66 |
0 |
66 |
66 |
|
Laois |
0 |
69 |
69 |
0 |
70 |
70 |
0 |
65 |
65 |
0 |
65 |
65 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
48 |
48 |
0 |
46 |
46 |
0 |
47 |
47 |
0 |
47 |
47 |
|
Longford |
0 |
48 |
48 |
0 |
46 |
46 |
0 |
47 |
47 |
0 |
47 |
47 |
|
Louth |
53 |
41 |
94 |
54 |
43 |
97 |
54 |
40 |
94 |
54 |
38 |
92 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
119 |
121 |
2 |
116 |
118 |
2 |
121 |
123 |
2 |
121 |
123 |
|
Meath |
1 |
72 |
73 |
1 |
73 |
74 |
1 |
75 |
76 |
1 |
73 |
74 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
47 |
47 |
0 |
49 |
49 |
0 |
48 |
48 |
0 |
50 |
50 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
50 |
52 |
2 |
48 |
50 |
2 |
49 |
51 |
2 |
52 |
54 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
56 |
56 |
0 |
55 |
55 |
0 |
53 |
53 |
0 |
52 |
52 |
|
Sligo |
4 |
43 |
47 |
3 |
43 |
46 |
3 |
43 |
46 |
2 |
42 |
44 |
|
Tipperary |
0 |
130 |
130 |
0 |
124 |
124 |
0 |
129 |
129 |
0 |
128 |
128 |
|
Westmeath |
0 |
48 |
48 |
0 |
45 |
45 |
0 |
49 |
49 |
0 |
49 |
49 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
65 |
66 |
1 |
65 |
66 |
1 |
63 |
64 |
1 |
64 |
65 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
101 |
101 |
0 |
98 |
98 |
0 |
98 |
98 |
0 |
101 |
101 |
|
1170 |
2055 |
3225 |
1231 |
2040 |
3271 |
1255 |
2025 |
3280 |
1256 |
2017 |
3273 |
1389. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the guidelines and rules in place for funding to local authorities in respect of turnkey housing schemes to be provided by the private sector; the maximum percentage a local authority can pay into an escrow account at the commencement of the process; if stage payments can be made during the building process; if the balance of the project is only payable on the completion of the houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36469/18]
View answerGiven that turnkeys are a good source of social housing that can often be quickly delivered, at value for money prices, local authorities actively utilise turnkeys as one of a range of mechanisms to deliver additional social homes.
Turnkey delivery involves local authorities going to the market to procure a social housing solution to meet an identified social housing need. As is standard with turnkey development, apart from an initial 10% of the purchase cost that my Department will provide to a local authority to cover its deposit costs, the balance of the funding provided by my Department is based on delivery, as homes are completed in a turnkey condition and keys handed over to the local authority.
In many cases, these developments would not go ahead without the certainty of the end purchaser and they are of particular use where the local authority has limited or no lands available for housing in an area.
1390. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the average connection fee charged by Irish Water for mains and sewerage for each local authority area in 2016, 2017 and 2018 in tabular form. [36493/18]
View answer1391. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason for the large discrepancies in the cost of new water and sewerage connections from one local authority area to another; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 57 different connection charging regimes exist with over 900 different connection charges due to the fact that each local authority area has its own method for calculating connection charges with different cost structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36499/18]
View answer1392. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the Commission for Regulation of Utilities plans to publish recommendations regarding Irish Water's plan to charge a flat fee of €5,636 for connection to both water mains and sewerage; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that publication of this report has been delayed twice; if his attention has been further drawn to the discrepancies in charges for connections that exist from one area to another; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36500/18]
View answerI propose to takes Questions Nos. 1390 to 1392, inclusive, together.
The Water Services Acts 2007-2017 set out clearly the arrangements in place for the delivery of water and wastewater services by Irish Water, and for the scrutiny and oversight provisions that apply in respect of these arrangements. Responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and the CRU is required to perform its functions in a manner that best serves the interests of customers of Irish Water.
Under the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, and since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has been responsible for charging for the cost of connections to the water and wastewater network. The Act of 2013 provides that Irish Water shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it in accordance with a water charges plan, to be approved by the CRU. Section 22(5) of the Act provides that a water charges plan may provide for charges in respect of the provision of services connections to premises.
In line with a direction issued by the CRU, Irish Water currently continues to apply the same connection charges for connecting to the public water and/or wastewater network as were applied by local authorities on 31 December 2013. In practice this means that some 57 different connection charging regimes, with over 900 different connection charges, currently continue to apply as each local authority had its own method for calculating connection charges, with different cost structures and customer classifications and differing approaches to service delivery.
I understand that in 2016 the CRU requested Irish Water to submit a proposal for an enduring Connection Charging Policy for customers seeking a connection to the network. In January 2018, the CRU held a public consultation on the development of the policy for domestic and non-domestic connections to Irish Water’s network, known as a National Connection Charging Policy. The Policy will be aimed at developing a more harmonised methodology for connections to the public water and wastewater network.
In an information note published on its website on 2 August 2018, the CRU indicated that the time-line for publishing its proposed decision on Irish Water's proposed National Connection Charging Policy has been extended, while indicating that it now expects to publish its proposed decision in the fourth quarter of 2018. The public will be invited at that stage to comment on any additional information included further to the public consultation process, undertaken earlier this year, before the CRU makes its final decision in the matter which it anticipates will be made by the end of 2018.
The CRU as regulator is independent in this matter and will come to its own independent assessment of the appropriate Water Connections Charging Policy, having considered the views of interested parties through the public consultation process. As Minister, I must respect the statutory powers and functions which the Oireachtas has conferred on the CRU in this matter.
Details of the average connection fee charged by Irish Water for mains and sewerage for each local authority area in 2016, 2017 and 2018 are an operational matter for which Irish Water has responsibility. It may be helpful in this regard to know that Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
1393. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the new build housing target that was set for 2017; the way in which this compares to output by housing type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36509/18]
View answerThe total target for Social Housing delivery in 2017 was to provide 21,050 additional housing solutions across Build, Acquisition, Leasing, HAP and RAS schemes. The total output for 2017 was 25,901, or 123% of the target.
The table sets out delivery by each main delivery programme. Build refers to Local Authority and Approved Housing Body construction, including traditional construction, turnkeys, rapid build delivery, regeneration and homes delivered through the Part V mechanism.
|
Delivery Method |
2017 Targets |
2017 Final Output |
% of 2017 Target Achieved |
|
Build |
2,434 |
2,297 |
94% |
|
Voids |
766 |
1,757 |
229% |
|
Acquisitions |
1,250 |
2,214 |
177% |
|
Leasing |
600 |
827 |
137% |
|
RAS |
1,000 |
890 |
89% |
|
HAP |
15,000 |
17,916 |
119% |
|
Total |
21,050 |
25,901 |
123% |
1394. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the way in which the cost rental housing scheme at a location (details supplied) in Dublin 8 will operate; the persons that will be eligible to rent these properties; the amount below market rents they will be rented for; if funding for this project can be considered off balance sheet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36514/18]
View answerThe Emmet Road/St. Michael's Estate site in Inchicore has been selected as the location for Dublin’s first major Cost Rental development. It is an excellent site in the ownership of Dublin City Council that is suited for a mixed tenure approach. Under the Cost Rental model, minimising profit, land costs and other costs and securing very competitive EIB financing mean that much more affordable rents can be achieved than can be delivered through market arrangements. The on/off balance sheet position of the project will be influenced by the final delivery and financing arrangements.
While the final tenure mix will be decided by the Council and informed by the detailed site development process, it will include 140 social housing homes, with the remaining 330 homes predominantly provided under cost rental.
The final rents will be set after all associated costs are determined, following on from the competitive construction and management tender processes, and I expect that the cost rental scheme should be able to deliver rents of between of 15% to 25% below the market rate. The scheme will be aimed at households earning low to moderate incomes at a maximum of €50,000 for single applicants and €75,000 for dual applicants.
1395. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the fire safety task force established after the Grenfell Tower fire disaster submitted its report; if he has considered the conclusions and recommendations of same; the necessary actions to be taken on foot of the report to ensure fire safety with regard to high rise developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36516/18]
View answerOn 27 June 2017, following the fire in London’s Grenfell Tower, and in recognition of concerns arising for fire safety in Ireland, I tasked my Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management with convening and co-ordinating a high-level task force to lead a re-appraisal of fire safety in Ireland.
In addition to this, and in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, I instructed local authorities to undertake a review of fire safety in medium-to-high rise buildings fitted with cladding systems. I asked the task force to oversee and report on this initial action, as well as, among other things, reviewing existing arrangements and systems for fire safety and related issues which impact on fire safety in Ireland.
The work of the task force has now been completed and it has provided me with a full report, titled “Fire Safety in Ireland: Report of the Fire Safety Task Force”, which describes its work, its conclusions on the state of fire safety in Ireland and its recommendations for moving forward.
I have accepted the task force’s recommendations, and its report was brought to Government on 6 June 2018.
With regard to the review of medium-to-high rise buildings, fire authorities were asked to identify buildings in their functional areas of more than six storeys, or more than 18 metres in height. In cases where the buildings identified are fitted with external cladding systems, fire authorities were asked to consider if use of powers under section 18(6) of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003 – to require the person having control over the building to carry out a fire safety assessment of the premises and provide the assessment to the fire authority – was warranted. The most recent figures provided by fire authorities indicate:
- 842 buildings have been identified, countrywide, at this height,
- of these, 291 buildings are fitted with cladding systems,
- of these, fire authorities required fire safety assessments in 226 cases – 105 in residential buildings, and 121 in non-residential buildings,
- of these, 108 fire safety assessments have been received by fire authorities,
- of these, fire authorities are proposing further action in respect of fire safety in 19 buildings where fire safety concerns – not in all cases related to external cladding – have been identified.
This fire safety assessment work is on-going, and will be overseen by fire authorities and the National Directorate.
My Department issued guidance in December 2017 dealing with fire safety assessment of medium-to-high rise buildings with cladding systems, and including guidance on fire safety measures to be applied in buildings, pending completion of remedial works to cladding systems, where these are considered necessary.
By identifying a small number of buildings, so far, where remedial works were required, the review process undertaken is seen to have had a positive effect and to have made contributions to both enhancing fire safety in medium-to-high rise buildings, and also raising fire safety awareness among owners/ landlords with statutory fire safety responsibilities.
However, the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower highlights the critical importance of fire safety in buildings, and the need for sustained vigilance in this regard. The Task Force report makes a range of recommendations for improvements to fire safety in buildings, and to provision of fire services in Ireland and I have requested the Management Board of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management to carry through the recommendations of the report within my direct ambit and to oversee and report on the implementation of other recommendations.
Copies of both the Report and the Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations are available on my Department’s website at the following links:
Fire Safety Task Force Report:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/fire_safety_in_ireland_-_report_of_the_fire_safety_task_force.pdf .
Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/fire_safety_in_ireland_-_report_summary_of_conclusions_and_recommendations.pdf.
1396. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of inspections carried out in the rental sector in 2017; the number of non-compliant dwellings at first inspection in 2017 for each of the four Dublin local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36517/18]
View answerThe Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, set out a series of measures to be introduced to ensure the quality of private rental accommodation by strengthening the applicable standards and improving the inspection and enforcement systems.
The Rental Strategy recognises the need for additional resources to be provided to local authorities to aid increased inspections of properties and ensure greater compliance with the Regulations. Provision has been made for an additional €2.5 million funding in 2018, with the intention of providing further increases each year in the period to 2021 to facilitate a targeted inspection coverage of 25% of rental properties annually.
Since establishment of the RTB, over €36 million has been paid to local authorities to assist them in the performance of their functions under the Housing Acts, including the inspection of rented accommodation. Over 207,000 inspections were carried out during this period. In 2017, 19,647 inspections were carried out by Local Authorities.
The numbers of non-compliant dwellings at first inspection in 2017 for each of the four Dublin local authorities are as follows;
- Dublin City Council: 1,165,
- Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: 202,
- Fingal County Council: 559, and
- South Dublin County Council: 1,135.
1397. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of children and adults deemed homeless in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Louth in each of the past 12 months in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36551/18]
View answerMy Department publishes a monthly report on homelessness. The monthly report is based on data provided by housing authorities and produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The report captures details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities and can be accessed at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
While these reports identify the number of adults utilising State-funded emergency accommodation at county level, details in relation to dependants (typically children but may include dependant adults) is only available on a regional basis and is set out in the following table.
Numbers in Emergency Accommodation - North East Region
|
- |
Cavan - Adults |
Louth - Adults |
Monaghan - Adults |
North East Region - Dependents |
|
August 2017 |
2 |
122 |
1 |
48 |
|
September 2017 |
2 |
137 |
1 |
65 |
|
October 2017 |
4 |
137 |
2 |
73 |
|
November 2017 |
3 |
142 |
3 |
85 |
|
December 2017 |
2 |
139 |
4 |
84 |
|
January 2018 |
3 |
147 |
5 |
101 |
|
February 2018 |
4 |
150 |
1 |
155 |
|
March 2018 |
5 |
54 |
1 |
49 |
|
April 2018 |
4 |
124 |
0 |
45 |
|
May 2018 |
5 |
111 |
0 |
55 |
|
June 2018 |
3 |
125 |
1 |
54 |
|
July 2018 |
7 |
118 |
2 |
43 |
1398. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the measures he is taking to increase the stock of social housing by 50,000 by 2021; the immediate measures he is taking to alleviate the plight of the increasing number of families presenting as homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36584/18]
View answerUnder Rebuilding Ireland, a total of 50,000 social housing homes will be delivered through build, acquisition and leasing programmes. In addition to this, 87,000 additional households will be supported through the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).
The combination of 50,000 social housing homes and 87,000 HAP and RAS social housing supports, which are being funded by the Government in the period 2016 to 2021, means that over 137,000 long term and flexible options will be made available to those on housing waiting lists under Rebuilding Ireland.
The Government, working with the local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and other delivery agents, is already exceeding the delivery targets set for the first two years of Rebuilding Ireland. Of the combined target of 137,000 referred to above, just under 45,000 households have had their housing need met by the end of year 2 of the Rebuilding Ireland Plan – 33% of those targeted under the 6 year Plan as a whole.
In 2017, 25,901 households had their housing need met, with some 7,095 of these properties delivered through the build/acquisition and long-term leasing mechanisms.
The significant expansion of the social housing build programme is evident in the Quarter 1 2018 Social Housing Construction Status Report. The programme includes 930 schemes (or phases) at the end of last year, delivering almost 15,000 homes, a very substantial increase on the 10,072 homes in the programme a year earlier. The full report can be accessed at: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-construction-status-report-q1-2018/ .
Data relating to overall social housing delivery in 2017 and Quarter 1 2018, across all local authorities, is published on my Department's website at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
In 2018, I expect to see at least 25,500 households having their housing need met. I have advised all local authorities of their minimum social housing targets across build, acquisition and lease both for 2018 and also for the multi-annual period to 2021, details of which can be accessed on my Department's website at: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-delivery-targets-for-local-authorities-2018-2021/.
Given that the scale and pace of local authority building activity are targeted to continue to increase, additional resources, including technical resources which during the inactive years had been lost to local authorities, continue to be replenished. Streamlined approval processes for capital projects have also been put in place, including a revised single stage approval process for certain projects.
In addition, my Department and I are actively addressing homelessness, working with local authorities to accelerate the delivery of social housing homes for those who need them. While these more permanent housing solutions are being put in place, we are working with local authorities to deliver Family Hubs, which are a first response only, but do provide more suitable, safe and supported family living arrangements, with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotel accommodation, while move-on options to long-term independent tenancies are identified and secured.
There are currently 22 family hubs in operation, 18 of which are in Dublin, two in Limerick, one in Cork and one in Kildare. Combined, these hubs provide over 500 units of family accommodation. My Department is working closely with the local authorities on the development of further family hubs.
1399. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the measures he is taking to alleviate the crisis in student accommodation; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the severe shortage in rental accommodation is continuing to push rents upwards and out of the reach of most students that are then left with no choice but to defer their college place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36585/18]
View answerIn July 2016, the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness identified the under-supply of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Ireland and the significant related adverse impact that this deficit was having on the wider private rental sector. The increased provision of PBSA was established as a key priority in addressing the current wider housing crisis.
My Department works closely with the Department of Education and Skills through the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Student Accommodation in examining the issue of student housing and potential policy measures to increase accommodation supply. This Group which includes stakeholders from the Higher Education Institutes, Union of Students in Ireland and other Government Departments highlighted important issues in developing new student accommodation projects, including the planning and development finance aspects in assembling new development projects.
The work of this Group led directly to the initiation of reforms in the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 which provided for the fast-tracking of planning applications for student housing construction projects of greater than 200 bed-spaces to An Bord Pleanála (which commenced on 3 July 2017). In addition, the legislation provides for the availability of low-cost financing from the Housing Finance Agency to the Higher Education Institutes specifically for new student accommodation projects in order to support the delivery of new accommodation projects.
My Department has also assisted in the preparation of the National Student Accommodation Strategy which was launched by the Department of Education and Skills in July 2017 – a specific action committed to under Rebuilding Ireland. This policy document was developed with input from the key stakeholders in the sector and includes eight key targets and 27 actions to support the delivery of an increased supply of purpose-built student accommodation.
These and other measures by my Department have assisted in delivering a significant increase in the level of purpose-built student accommodation projects coming forward nationally.
Recent analysis from the Higher Education Authority has indicated that, by May 2018, approximately 3,000 bedspaces had been delivered since the publication of Rebuilding Ireland and some further 7,250 bedspaces are currently under construction nationally. In addition, over 7,000 bedspaces have received planning permission but are yet to commence construction and a further 1,200 are seeking planning permission. The scale of this level of additional student accommodation should exert a downward pressure on the cost of such accommodation, through availability of supply and competition.
In tandem with measures to increase new accommodation supply, my Department has supported the initiative of the Minister for Finance in increasing the availability of student accommodation in private homes through the "rent a room" provisions whereby a tax exemption for the homeowner of up to €14,000 per year can be availed of.
Since 2016, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, my Department has also provided funding to the Union of Students in Ireland for their ‘Homes for Study’ campaign – this essentially funds a website and activities to match students with rooms in private houses through the following weblink: http://homes.usi.ie/ .
My Department is therefore very keenly aware of the concerns raised over significant increases in the cost of student accommodation in certain student complexes and will continue to liaise with wider education-sector stakeholders through the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Student Accommodation under the chairship of the Department of Education and Skills. For example, the Group will continue to examine the range of student accommodation types (and ancillary services), available with a view to considering how best to regulate pricing arrangements, including, if appropriate, new regulatory or legislative proposals which might be considered in the context of the forthcoming Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2018.
1400. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the full year cost of the HAP and RAS programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36596/18]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. The full rollout of HAP in all Local Authorities was completed in March 2017 and, therefore, 2018 will be the first full 12 month calendar year of operation. Budget 2018 provided Exchequer funding of €301 million which will provide ongoing financial support for the existing HAP households for whom tenancies were in place up to end 2017, and the additional 17,000 households targeted under Rebuilding Ireland to be supported by the HAP scheme in 2018.
The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) places responsibility on local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of people in receipt of Rent Supplement for 18 months or longer, and who are assessed as having a long-term housing need. Data for the years 2011 to 2017 on the number and cost 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. The number of RAS tenancies in place at the end of 2017 was 19,756 and expenditure on the scheme in 2017 was just under €143m. €134.338m has been allocated to RAS in 2018.
1401. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of dwellings that have been acquired on long-term leases for social housing in 2017 and to date in 2018; the number of those dwellings that are apartment dwellings; the number that are house dwellings; the length of the long-term leases per unit of all dwellings acquired; if the cost is fixed at time of acquirement or is subject to increase or decreases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36606/18]
View answerThe Government has set out an ambitious set of targets for the delivery of social housing in the period to 2021 in its Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan. A commitment to deliver 50,000 new social housing homes through a range of delivery mechanisms is being supported by a multi-annual Exchequer commitment totalling €6.5 billion over the period of the plan. These targets will be achieved using a combination of building, purchasing and leasing high quality properties to meet the needs of households on local authority waiting lists around the country.
Of the 50,000 social housing homes to be delivered under Rebuilding Ireland, 10,000 will be leased by local authorities and approved housing bodies under leasing arrangements from a range of different sources.
Data on social housing leasing, funded by my Department, in respect of all local authorities to end Q1 2018 is published on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. Data in respect of Q2 2018 is currently being collated and will be available shortly. Data relating to property type, i.e. apartments/houses, is not collected by my Department.
In general, long-term lease arrangements are for terms of between 10 to 20 years in duration, giving local authorities access to properties on a long term basis and providing certainty and security for tenants. All long term leasing contracts provide for periodic rent reviews. Reviews usually take place every 3 to 4 years, and are adjusted upwards or downwards in line with the rent setting mechanism set out in the lease agreement. In most cases, rent reviews are linked to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Harmonised Index of the Consumer Price Index (HICP).
1403. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons on the Kildare County Council housing list in each of the years 2012 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36665/18]
View answerDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each housing authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published SSHA, carried out in 2017, details the number of households on all local authority waiting lists as at 28 June 2017.
The results of the SSHA are available on my Department’s website and include breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories. The 2017 report also includes the results of the 2016 summary for comparative purpose. Full details in relation to the 2017 assessment are available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/sha_summary_2017.pdf.
The SSHA for 2018 will be published shortly.
1404. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the balance of funding required to be provided by local authorities in addition to the funding they receive from his Department to bring void council homes back into use; his plans to reduce that contribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36683/18]
View answerSection 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 carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs.
My Department supports local authorities in bringing vacant properties back to productive use by providing funding under the voids programme. The exchequer funding is additional to the support that local authorities provide themselves towards such work. Under this programme, local authorities can claim a maximum of €30,000 funding per unit and there are no plans to change this limit. The derelicts and 2 into 1 programmes require greater levels of remediation with associated higher costs, in excess of the limits as set out in the voids programme.
