Written Answers Nos. 606-623
606. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the spending commitment for social housing targets in the national development plan in total and by each year of the plan. [48892/18]
View answerThe National Development Plan 2018-2027, provides for the delivery of 112,000 new social homes over the next decade. These 112,000 new social homes will be delivered through a range of mechanisms, including build, long term leasing and acquisitions.
As reflected in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, some €11.6 billion in capital funding will be provided for the delivery of social homes. The specific capital allocations underpinning the various social housing delivery programmes for each year out to 2027 will be determined in the context of the annual estimates process and will reflect the blend of delivery methods and approaches required to deliver on the targets set out in the National Development Plan.
607. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the projected average unit cost of a new social housing unit to rent or to buy in each of the years 2020 to 2024. [48893/18]
View answer608. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the projected average unit cost of a buy and renew unit in each of the years 2020 to 2024. [48894/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 607 and 608 together.
Under Rebuilding Ireland, funding is available to Local Authorities through a range of build, acquisition and leasing schemes to facilitate constructing, acquiring, leasing and remediating vacant properties that may be suitable for social housing. The blend delivered in each local area will have regard to housing need, value for money, opportunities available for build projects and also the availability of vacant and other second-hand properties of different types.
Going beyond Rebuilding Ireland, the National Development Plan 2018-2027 provides for the delivery of 112,000 new social homes over the next decade. These 112,000 new social homes will be delivered through a range of mechanisms, including build, long term leasing and acquisitions.
As reflected in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, some €11.6 billion in capital funding will be provided for the delivery of social homes. The specific capital allocations underpinning the various social housing delivery programmes for each year out to 2027 will be determined in the context of the annual estimates process and will reflect the blend of delivery methods and approaches required to deliver on the targets set out in the National Development Plan.
Cost guidelines and strict approval processes are in place to ensure the highest possible adherence to the principles of ensuring that options pursued represent value for money and maximising output for state investment, not only in terms of quantity but also quality.
Looking ahead, it is not possible to accurately predict potential future costs to deliver social housing units for a variety of different reasons not least geographical location, property values at the time, condition of property and scope of work required where remedial work is necessary, size and property characteristics, construction price fluctuations/construction market trends at the time.
609. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the projected average unit cost of a housing unit constructed under a scheme (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2024. [48895/18]
View answerThe cost of constructing new affordable homes is dependent on a range of variables, such as the location, scale of the development, home sizes and infrastructure requirements. Future costs are also obviously dependent on tender price levels and construction market trends at any given time. Any proposals to be brought forward by the body referred to in the 2020 to 2024 period will be a matter for the body itself in the first instance.
The Government's determination to support affordable housing delivery is demonstrated by the €310 million committed to the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), as part of Budget 2019. The Exchequer contribution is €275 million with €35 million to be contributed by local authorities. In 2019 funding of €100 million will be available under the Fund with a further €142 million in 2020 and €68 million in 2021. The funding is available for key facilitating infrastructure, on local authority sites, to support the provision of affordable homes to purchase or rent.
I envisage a maximum amount of SSF funding of €50,000 per affordable home. On the basis of this infrastructure investment, I expect that some 6,200 affordable homes could be facilitated in this way. The prices at which affordable homes supported under the SSF will be made available will be determined on a project by project basis. I expect to advise the relevant local authorities of decisions on the first round of applications under the Fund shortly.
610. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 1207 of 6 November 2018, the number of applications received by An Bord Pleanála in each of the past five years; the percentage of these applications which were dealt with in each year within the specified 18 week period; the average time for dealing with an application across each of the past five years in tabular form. [48925/18]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables.
Normal Planning Appeals
|
Year |
Number of Cases Received |
Number of Cases Disposed |
% disposed within statutory objective period |
Average Time taken to dispose in weeks |
|
2013 |
1,396 |
1,572 |
72% |
19 |
|
2014 |
1,456 |
1,384 |
83% |
16 |
|
2015 |
1,646 |
1,637 |
83% |
15 |
|
2016 |
1,827 |
1,745 |
82% |
16 |
|
2017 |
2,041 |
1,742 |
64% |
17 |
Strategic Infrastructure Development Applications
|
Year |
Number of Cases Received |
Number of Cases Disposed |
% disposed within statutory objective period |
Average Time taken to dispose in weeks |
|
2013 |
14 |
21 |
24% |
37 |
|
2014 |
20 |
20 |
65% |
24 |
|
2015 |
9 |
8 |
38% |
27 |
|
2016 |
8 |
14 |
14% |
50 |
|
2017 |
20 |
13 |
92% |
22 |
In relation to strategic housing development applications, since the new arrangements came into operation in July 2017 up until 31 October 2018, the Board has issued decisions in respect of 33 cases, 100% of which were within the 16 week statutory time period specified, with an average time of 14 weeks to dispose of such cases.
611. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 218 of 24 May 2018, if his attention has been drawn to the decision (details supplied) of 16 October 2018; and his plans to ensure that the relevant cross-boundary consultation provided for in the EIA directive and the Espoo Convention are put in place without further delay. [49074/18]
View answerMy Department was notified of the decision made by the relevant planning authority in Northern Ireland - the Causeway, Coast and Glens Borough Council - that it had concluded that there is likely to be a significant effect on the environment of Ireland as a result of the proposed development referred to by the Deputy.
Donegal County Council was notified by my Department in this regard and was requested under article 132 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, and in accordance with the United Nations Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context and the EU Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive, to undertake a statutory transboundary EIA public consultation in respect of the proposed development.
Further to this request, Donegal County Council has informed my Department that the arrangements for the public consultation are being finalised and that it will commence shortly. Donegal County Council has been requested to notify the Deputy when the consultation has commenced.
612. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a discrepancy in funding trends. [49083/18]
View answerLocal authorities’ costs and income bases vary significantly from one another, based on their size, demography, topography and rural/urban mix. Accordingly, the funding system that applies to local authorities is a complex one, as authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government.
Changes in funding over the period reflect the implementation of various Government policies. For example, the Local Government Fund primarily paid General Purpose Grants to local authorities up to 2014; in 2015 these were replaced by Local Property Tax payments. Also, as a result of the introduction of Irish Water, from 2014 onwards, local authorities no longer received funding directly from the Local Government Fund in respect of the provision of water services.
Funding to local authorities from my Department’s Vote includes programme funding primarily in relation to housing and water (up to 2014). It is important to note, however, that the funding reflects how the Department was configured in the years concerned. For instance, in 2016, the environment functions were transferred to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) and certain rural development functions were transferred to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. In addition, in 2017, community development functions transferred to the Department of Rural and Community Development. Funding to local authorities in respect of these policy areas is no longer provided through my Department but is reflected in the Votes of those Departments and, in the case of DCCAE, the Environment Fund. Also, fluctuations in funding from one year to the next can reflect the funding of significant capital projects which, by their nature, are time limited.
In overall terms, funding to local authorities from central government (not solely from my Department) totalled €2.66 billion in 2017, an increase of 19.8% on the €2.22 billion in 2016, and an increase of 33.6% on the 2015 figure of €1.99 billion.
A breakdown of funding to each local authority from my Department as it was configured in each year from 2011 to 31 October 2018, broken down between funding from the Departmental Vote, the Local Government Fund and, from 2011 to October 2016, the Environment Fund, before it transferred to the responsibility of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment is available at the following link:
613. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on whether it is appropriate that an appeal under the pyrite remediation scheme against a decision to refuse would take 694 days to progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49234/18]
View answer614. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of appeals to the pyrite resolution board that were made since the inception of the scheme; the numbers of appeals which were upheld with the property subsequently being included in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49235/18]
View answer616. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the procedure when a resident has had a BCA conducted revealing a DCR of two by a competent engineer on the pyrite list only to have that assessment overruled by the board at a later date meaning the board refuses remediation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49241/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 613, 614 and 616 together.
The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” for affected homeowners who have no other practical option to obtain redress and is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out in the scheme which is available on the Board’s website, www.pyriteboard.ie.
The scheme is applicable to dwellings, which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established, in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2017 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. In this regard, it is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2. Dwellings which do not have a Damage Condition Rating of 2 are not eligible to apply under the scheme. This ensures that, having regard to the available resources, the focus of the scheme is on dwellings which are most severely damaged by pyritic heave. I have no proposals to amend this eligibility criterion.
The latest figures available indicate that a total of 2,214 applications have been received under the pyrite remediation scheme. Of the 2,214 applications received so far, 1,767 dwellings have been included in the pyrite remediation scheme and the applicants notified accordingly.
A further 88 applications have been validated and referred to the Housing Agency for the Assessment and Verification Process, while another 215 applications are at the initial Application and Validation Process. 144 applications under the scheme were not successful.
Of the 1,767 dwellings that have been included in the pyrite remediation scheme:
- 146 are at remedial works planning stage,
- 78 are at tender / tender analysis,
- 264 are under remediation, and
- 1,279 are complete.
33 appeals have been made to the Pyrite Resolution Board since the inception of the scheme:
- 3 Appeals were upheld and subsequently included in the scheme,
- 14 Appeals were refused by the Board,
- 10 Appeals were withdrawn by the applicants, and
- 6 Appeals are pending the decision of the Board.
A sum of €30 million was announced under Budget 2018 to fund the operation of the pyrite remediation scheme this year. This allocation will facilitate the remediation of some 430 additional dwellings in 2018.
A sum of €32 million was announced under Budget 2019 to fund the operation of the pyrite remediation scheme next year. This allocation will facilitate the remediation of some 460 additional dwellings and is a clear signal of the continuing importance attached by Government to addressing the issue of significant pyritic damage in private dwellings.
In regard to the other matters raised by the Deputy, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Board is independent in the performance of its functions, and as Minister, I have no role in the operational matters pertaining to the implementation of the scheme. The Board may be contacted by phone at Lo call 1890 252842 or by email to info@pyriteboard.ie or alternatively at oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie.
615. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans for building height regulations; when he plans on presenting these proposals to Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49238/18]
View answerMy Department recently published Draft Guidelines for planning authorities for public consultation in relation to how best to encourage increased building height in urban areas.
The Draft Guidelines are intended to set out national planning policy guidelines on building heights in relation to urban areas, as defined by the census, building from the strategic policy framework set out in Project Ireland 2040 and the National Planning Framework.
These Guidelines:
- develop policy outlined in the National Planning Framework, in particular National Policy Objectives 1 and 13;
- outline wider and strategic policy considerations and performance criteria that planning authorities should apply, alongside their statutory development plans, in assessing proposals for taller buildings; and
- support the accommodation of anticipated population growth and development needs, whether for housing, employment or other purposes, by building up and consolidating the development of our existing urban areas.
A public consultation on the Draft Guidelines took place from 9 August to 24 September 2018. A number of submissions were received in the consultation period and these are currently being considered by my Department. The Guidelines will be finalised in the coming weeks having regard to the submissions received, and will be issued by me under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.
617. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will provide detailed consideration to the issues raised by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49298/18]
View answerResponsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic abuse rests with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the delivery of such services is managed through the Child and Family Agency, Tusla. Housing authorities do not provide or oversee services specifically designed for victims of domestic violence.
Where victims of domestic violence require continued State support to meet their housing needs, housing authorities are encouraged to work with all service providers to ensure that a victim’s housing eligibility and need is assessed in a timely manner. A housing authority may consider a victim of domestic violence as having a housing need to be placed on a housing list where all other criteria are met.
The allocation of social housing is administered by housing authorities in accordance with their allocation schemes made under section 22 of the 2009 Act. In line with commitments in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (Action 1.8) and the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021 (Action 2.30), my Department has issued guidance to all housing authorities in relation to assisting victims of domestic violence with emergency and long-term accommodation needs. The guidance can be accessed using the following link to my Department’s website:
Guidance to Housing Authorities
The purpose of this guidance is to ensure an effective and consistent housing response for victims of domestic violence. The guidance covers a range of scenarios that may arise for victims of domestic violence in seeking social housing supports, including provisions around the use of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme, or the Rental Accommodation Scheme, where a victim has a joint interest in the family home, or ownership of alternative accommodation, but would otherwise qualify for social housing support.
Where affordable housing rather than social housing is appropriate, under Budget 2019, the Government has trebled, to €310 million, the funding available for key facilitating infrastructure on local authority sites, to support the provision of affordable homes to purchase or rent, under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). The type of affordable housing that will be delivered on local authority sites may be affordable housing for purchase, under the recently commenced provisions of Part 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, or cost rental, which is being advanced on a number of pilot sites before being rolled out further. These initiatives complement other Government actions which help first-time buyers to buy a home, such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.
The new Land Development Agency (LDA) will also contribute significantly to the delivery of affordable housing. All of the State land developed by the LDA will include 40% social and affordable homes to purchase or rent.
618. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when outstanding issues will be dealt with for a person (details supplied) under the pyrite remediation scheme. [49307/18]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility are set out in the scheme which is available on the Board’s website, www.pyriteboard.ie.
All works under the pyrite remediation scheme are completed, by competent builders, to the requirements of I.S. 398-2:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material - Part 2: Methodology for Remediation Works, and are overseen by design professionals in accordance with the requirements of the Board and the Housing Agency.
In accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Board is independent in the performance of its functions, and as Minister, I have no role in the operational matters pertaining to the implementation of the scheme. The Board may be contacted by phone at Lo call 1890 252842 or by email to info@pyriteboard.ie or alternatively at oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie.
619. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the signing into law of the statutory instrument to enact the European Union (Licensing of Large-Scale Extraction of Peat) Regulations 2018; the timeframe for completion of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49319/18]
View answerMy Department is actively progressing the drafting of European Union Regulations with a view to putting in place as speedily as possible a robust and effective legislative underpinning for a new regulatory system for the large-scale peat extraction sector.
Under the new system, the Environmental Protection Agency will be required to carry out environmental impact assessment as part of its examination of licence applications for peat extraction on sites of 30 hectares or more, and such activity will be exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission.
The draft regulations have been the subject of focused stakeholder input from relevant Government Departments and State bodies, industry representatives and environmental groups. Consultations are continuing with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the EPA with a view to finalising the draft regulations, and deciding on the appropriate Minister to sign these regulations, as soon as possible. However, before these regulations can be made, Regulations transposing relevant elements of the 2014 Environmental Impact Assessment (Directive 2014/52/EU) must first be made by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment and my Department is awaiting confirmation of the making of those Regulations.
620. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the action he plans to take to address the needs of homeowners in which they require remediation of their homes due to the contamination of the concrete blocks with pyrite and mica; the measures he will take to ensure affected homeowners in north Leinster and particularly in Fingal are covered by all actions to address the contamination of concrete blocks with mica and pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49336/18]
View answerIn 2013, the issue of external walls of dwellings displaying significant cracking in Donegal was raised with my Department. The nature of the problem related to the crumbling of the concrete blockwork in the external walls of affected dwellings, thereby compromising their structural integrity and giving rise to considerable personal distress to the many homeowners involved. At that time, several hundred homes were suspected to be affected in north Donegal. The presence of muscovite mica in abundant quantities in the aggregate constituent of the concrete blocks was suggested as being one of the main factors contributing to the deterioration of the concrete blocks.
By the end of 2013, similar problems had also come to light in both public and private dwellings located in west Mayo and Mayo County Council submitted a report to my Department on problems that had been identified with the concrete blockwork in their social housing stock. In this instance, it was the presence of pyrite in the aggregate constituent of the concrete block that was suggested as being one of the main factors contributing to the deterioration of the concrete blocks. The emergence of similar problems among private households located in County Mayo was also reported in 2013.
Over the course of 2014 and 2015, there were significant representations, media reports and letters from affected homeowners illustrating the increasing scale of the problems emerging in the two counties, the progressive nature of the external wall cracking and the resultant structural distress in the affected properties.
An Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks was established by my Department in 2016 and its terms of reference were limited to the investigation of the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo.
Under Budget 2019, the Government approved in principle the development of a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the two counties to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to defective concrete blocks. Work is underway in my Department on the development of such a scheme and it is intended to revert to Government with proposals for the scheme by the end of the year.
A standardised protocol was published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) on 13 November 2018 and is available at www.nsai.ie. This standard can be used by homeowners anywhere in the country to assess and categorise the damage in properties where the concrete blocks are suspected to contain the minerals mica or pyrite and it will inform the course of action in relation to remedial works for all such affected properties.
621. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the tenant purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49344/18]
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.
The minimum reckonable income for eligibility under the scheme is determined by the relevant local authority in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, local authorities include income from a number of different sources and classes, such as from employment, private pensions, maintenance payments and certain social welfare payments, including pensions, where the social welfare payment is secondary to employment income.
In determining reckonable income, the income of all tenants of the house, including adult children that are joint tenants, is included, as is the income of the spouse, civil partner or other partner/co-habitant of a tenant who lives in the house with them, thus ensuring the appropriate level of discount is applied to the purchase price.
The minimum income criterion was introduced in order to ensure the sustainability of the scheme. Applicants must demonstrate that they have an income that is long-term and sustainable in nature. This ensures that the tenant purchasing the house is in a financial position, as the owner, to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, in compliance with the conditions of the order transferring the ownership of, and responsibility for, the house from the local authority to the tenant.
In line with the commitment given in Rebuilding Ireland, a review of the first 12 months of the Scheme’s operation, including the issue referred to by the Deputy, has been undertaken. The review is now complete and a full report has been prepared setting out findings and recommendations.
I hope to be in a position to publish the review shortly, following completion of consideration of a number of implementation issues arising.
622. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the local authorities that were contacted in relation to the first call for affordable housing scheme proposals; the local authorities which responded; when funding for the proposals will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49345/18]
View answer623. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when he plans to issue a second call for affordable housing proposals; if he will publish the relevant criteria arising from local authorities' assessments of affordability in their areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49346/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 622 and 623 together.
In order to support the affordable housing programmes of local authorities, the Government has committed €310 million, over the three years 2019 to 2021, under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) announced as part of Budget 2019. The funding is available for key facilitating infrastructure, on public lands, to support the provision of affordable homes to purchase or rent. I envisage a maximum amount of SSF funding of €50,000 per affordable home and on this basis at least 6,200 affordable homes could be facilitated.
A first call for proposals under the Fund issued to the four Dublin local authorities; Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Louth and Cork County Councils, and Cork and Galway City Councils.
Fifteen proposals were received, from nine local authorities targeted under this first call. Only South Dublin and Louth County Councils did not make applications under the first call. However, it will be open to those Councils to submit applications under future calls, if they consider it appropriate. I expect to announce funding decisions in relation to the first call applications shortly and for the infrastructure works on approved projects to begin as soon as possible thereafter, with the delivery of affordable homes from late 2019/early 2020 onwards.
More broadly, all local authorities are carrying out economic assessments of the requirement for affordable housing in their areas and the viability to deliver such affordable housing from their sites. Guidance in this regard issued to local authorities in Circular letter APH/02/2018 of 16 October 2018 and my Department hosted a workshop for local authorities on 8 November to discuss these issues.
A second call for proposals under the Fund will be made shortly. The scope of that call will be influenced by the information received from local authorities, as part of the aforementioned assessments, which they have been requested to submit by 30 November.
As to whether the economic assessments will be published, this will be a matter for the individual local authorities concerned as the information contained therein may be commercially sensitive and its publication could prejudice the outcome of contractual or other negotiations with respect to the development of the sites concerned.
