Written Answers Nos. 264-288
264. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability allowance appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49694/18]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred on 23rd November 2018 to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
265. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49695/18]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred on 23rd November 2018 to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
266. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the legislation that will need to be amended in order to transpose IORP II; and the timeline for transposition. [49696/18]
View answerThe over-arching objective of IORP II Directive is to facilitate the development of occupational retirement savings in the EU. Many of the provisions contained within the directive will support positive reform of the Irish occupational pension sector. The directive provides for a range of new requirements concerning governance, management standards in schemes, safekeeping of assets, the need for clear and relevant information to members, the removal of obstacles to cross-border provision of pension services and the facilitation of cross border transfer of schemes. There are also provisions that will enhance the powers of the Pensions Authority for effective supervision of occupational pensions. The deadline for transposition is 13 January 2019.
My Department, supported by the Pensions Authority, is managing the transposition process of the IORP II Directive. Regulations under the Pensions Act 1990, as amended, are being drafted to transpose the directive into Irish law. Primary legislation will not be necessary to transpose the directive. Codes of practice will also be issued by the Pensions Authority following approval of the Minister. The codes will expand on requirements, policies and principles prescribed in the transposing regulations. They will explain in practical detail what the Authority will expect from trustees to demonstrate their commitment to serving the best interests of members, deferred members and other beneficiaries.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
267. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if social insurance contributions made by self-employed persons before 1987 will be recognised for pension purposes when those self-employed persons reach pension age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49738/18]
View answerWhether social insurance contributions made by self-employed persons before 1987 are reckonable for pension purposes will depend upon the nature of those contributions.
Class S PRSI was introduced for the self-employed in 1988. Prior to 1988 the self-employed could maintain their social insurance record by paying Voluntary Contributions, once they had already been an employed contributor and met the qualifying conditions of the Voluntary Contributions scheme. Generally, Voluntary Contributions maintained entitlement to a limited range of pension payments, including the State pension (contributory).
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
268. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount a person (details supplied) on a reduced State pension (contributory) with 35 years of stamps and credits can expect to receive following the review of the State pension (contributory) due to take place in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49747/18]
View answerOn 23 January last, the Government agreed to allow pensioners, born on or after the 1st September 1946, affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands, to have their state pension (contributory) entitlement calculated under an interim “Total Contributions Approach” (TCA). The changes also provide for up to 20 years of home caring periods in the calculation of that entitlement, for those who took time out of the workplace for parenting children under age 12, or individuals who needed increased levels of care.
The changes apply to those who reached pension age on or after 1st September 2012 who were awarded less than maximum rate, on post Budget 2012 rate bands. The changes do not apply to anyone already entitled to maximum rate state pension (contributory).
Currently there are approximately 79,000 pensioners in this category. My Department has issued Information Letters to over 70,000 of these pensioners who are resident in Ireland and the person concerned was one of these pensioners. The remaining over 8,000 pensioners resident outside of Ireland are expected to receive these letters in December.
The Information Letter informs pensioners that my Department will contact them directly with the outcome of their individual pension review, or a request for further information regarding gaps in their social insurance record, if required to complete their review. It is not necessary for anyone to contact the Department on this matter.
Work on examination of the social insurance records of the pensioners concerned commenced in September. As social insurance records are unique to individual pensioners, this manual examination phase is expected to continue to the end of the year. To date, over seventy temporary staff members have been recruited to work on this phase. Further recruitment will take place in January 2019 when the first pension reviews are expected to get under way following enactment of the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registrations Bill 2018. In line with this timeframe, it is anticipated that the first review outcomes will be notified to pensioners during Quarter 1 2019.
Payment of increases, where awarded, will be made immediately after an individual's review is completed. Given the numbers involved, it will take my Departments a number of months to work through all the reviews. In all cases, where the outcome of the review results in an increase in state pension (contributory) entitlement, the increase will be backdated to 30 March 2018 or the date of a person's 66th birthday if later, and arrears will be paid.
Personal pension entitlement rates will not be reduced as a result of this review. If a pensioner does not qualify for an increased rate, they will continue to receive their existing rate of entitlement.
As stated, once the legislation is enacted, individual review outcomes or requests for additional information will be sent to those individual pensioners directly, as reviews are processed.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
269. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the decision of certain general practitioner practices to charge persons in receipt of illness benefit for certificates relating to the benefit; and her plans to have discussions with the Minister for Health regarding this practice in view of the fact that it is impacting persons in receipt of illness benefit that are on limited means and unable to afford the €10 charge. [49835/18]
View answerMy Department has been made aware of a number of instances of customers being asked by individual GPs to pay a fee in order to receive a medical certificate. This is at variance with the Department's contract under which the GP is obliged to complete and return specified medical report forms (including medical certificates), free of charge to the patient, when requested to do so by the Department. In general, GPs have been advised that the imposition of any charge breaches their contract. The reported instances of possible charging for these services will be followed up with the individual practitioners concerned.
In addition, the Department has and is engaged in a consultation process with the Irish Medical Organization (IMO) - a longstanding representative body with a broad range of GPs in its membership – over recent months. It is hoped that this process can be brought to a successful conclusion shortly and that agreement can be concluded on a range of issues including e-certification, closed certification and changes to the forms in use for medical certification
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
270. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of Government cleaning contracts within his Department (details supplied). [49711/18]
View answerMy Department has a contract in place for the provision of cleaning services in the office in question, where it is the lead tenant among a number of Government Departments, which is similar to the approach taken in many shared Government buildings. This contract will remain in place until July 2021 and can be extended for a further 12 months with the agreement of the contracting parties. The contract was entered into following a competition held by the Office of Government Procurement under the terms of its Framework for the Provision of Commercial Cleaning Services for Central Government.
The terms of employment for staff of this, or any, contractor providing such services to the Department is a matter for the company itself, subject to adherence to employment law, including compliance with the European (Protection of Employees’ Rights of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 and Council Directive 2001/23/EC.
271. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when funding regarding the local infrastructure housing activation fund will be made available in view of the fact that south County Kildare needs funding for a new bridge in Newbridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49739/18]
View answerMy Department established the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) to relieve critical infrastructural blockages to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in Dublin and in other urban areas with high demand for housing. The type of infrastructure investment includes roads, bridges, diversion of powerlines, drainage works as well as public amenities (e.g. parks).
The 30 projects under the Fund will stimulate development of approximately 20,000 homes across the 14 local authorities in areas of high housing need by 2021. Details of the projects funded are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website and can be accessed at the following link:
http://rebuildingireland.ie/lihaf/.
Since the original call under LIHAF in 2016, significantly increased funding has been made available for enabling infrastructure through three new funds: the new €2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and the €310 million Serviced Sites Fund, operated through my Department, and the €1 billion Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF), operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
The URDF is designed to leverage a greater proportion of residential and commercial development, supported by infrastructure, services and amenities, within the existing built-up areas of our larger urban settlements. The first call for proposals were initiated by my Department under the URDF in July 2018 and the first round of funding approvals was announced on 26 November 2018, details of which are available at the following weblink:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/urdf_-_2019_funding_allocations_0.pdf.
A second call for proposals under the URDF will issue in early 2019.
While a second call for proposals under LIHAF was originally planned, given the number of funding streams now available for infrastructure and in order to avoid duplication, the funding initially intended for the second LIHAF call was amalgamated into the new Serviced Site Fund (SSF) referred to above, under which relevant Local Authorities can apply for funding for key facilitating infrastructure on public lands, to support delivery of affordable homes to purchase or rent. Decisions on applications received under a first call for proposals under the SSF will be finalised shortly and a further call for proposals will issue thereafter.
272. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of an application on behalf of Waterford City and County Council in relation to capital funding approval for the North Quays project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48425/18]
View answerThe Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched as part of Project Ireland 2040, to support the compact growth and sustainable development of Ireland’s five cities, regional drivers and other large urban centres.
I initiated the first call for proposals under the Fund in July 2018 and the deadline for submission of applications was 28 September. A total of 189 applications were submitted to my Department and on 26 November I announced the successful applicants for 2019 funding, details of which are available on my Department's website at the following weblink:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/urdf_-_2019_funding_allocations_0.pdf .
My Department has allocated a total of €6 million for Waterford City & County Council's North Quays proposal. This is the single largest funding allocation announced for 2019. The proposal is to provide timely plan-led implementation of key transportation elements of the Waterford Planning Land Use and Transportation Strategy, to transform city and regional access and mobility and to support substantial development on the North side of Waterford city. The combined projects will catalyse significant immediate development, enabling a natural extension of Waterford City Centre, to the North side of the river, as well as opening up the North side of the City for development in an unparalleled manner.
The URDF is a rolling fund, with €2 billion available to 2027. It is my intention to announce a second call for proposals for this round of funding early in 2019.
273. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress made in securing properties under the repair and leasing scheme in each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49637/18]
View answerThe Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) was initially piloted in Carlow and Waterford and the pilot has been rolled out nationally since 23 February 2017. The scheme is one of a suite of measures available to local authorities to bring vacant properties back into use. Since the national roll out, my Department has been working intensively with local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to develop and implement the scheme. There have been a number of national and local press advertising initiatives, as well as targeted online promotion, in an effort to ensure that property owners who can benefit from the scheme are aware of the benefits.
It was clear from end 2017 output, that RLS has not yet delivered the level of new social housing homes envisaged. The operation of the scheme was reviewed, as part of the review of Rebuilding Ireland, and it was concluded that the scheme has significant potential but there are areas where it can be improved to make it more attractive and effective. Accordingly, from 1 February 2018, a number of key changes were being made to the scheme. These include:
- a reduction in the minimum lease term required from 10 to 5 years;
- increasing the proportion of market rent available to property owners where they take on more responsibilities under the tenancy, meaning that up to 92% of market rent will be available; and
- provision of additional funding for property owners, over and above the current €40,000 limit, where the dwelling is a bedsit type dwelling being brought into compliance with the Standards for Rented Houses Regulations and made available for social housing.
Data up to end Q2 2018 has shown an increase in the number of applications although given the lead in time of at least 6 months for most applications, the real impact of the recent changes to the scheme will not become apparent until later in the year. Local authorities have indicated that the changes have been well received by property owners.
A detailed breakdown of the RLS activity in 2018, on a local authority basis, up to Q2 2018 is set out in the table below:
Table: RLS Q1 and Q2 2018
|
LA |
No. of applications received |
Number of Agreements to Lease Signed |
Number of Properties Operational |
|
Carlow |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Cavan |
19 |
0 |
0 |
|
Clare |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cork City |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cork County |
20 |
0 |
0 |
|
DLR |
17 |
0 |
0 |
|
Donegal |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
Dublin City |
5 |
1 |
0 |
|
Fingal |
3 |
4 |
0 |
|
Galway City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway County |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kerry |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kildare |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Laois |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Leitrim |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
22 |
6 |
5 |
|
Longford |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Louth |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mayo |
9 |
7 |
0 |
|
Meath |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
7 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
7 |
0 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
10 |
2 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
SDCC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary |
7 |
0 |
0 |
|
Waterford |
4 |
33 |
5 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
45 |
2 |
9 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
217 |
60 |
22 |
Data for end Q3 2018 is currently being collated and will be available shortly.
274. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of units of accommodation that will be secured under Part V by each of the four local authorities in Dublin in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49638/18]
View answerPart V plays an important part in social housing delivery and is a significant tool in helping to drive sustainable and mixed communities. Over the course of the 6 years of Rebuilding Ireland, it is projected that just under 5,000 homes will come through that stream, delivered to local authorities (LAs) or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and funded through a range of delivery programmes. Part V delivery is contingent on private developer timelines and, as such, local authorities have less control over the timing of completion and handover. Across the period 2016 and 2017, some 558 Part V homes were delivered, in 2018 a further 590 are targeted to be delivered, with up to 1,200 Part V homes profiled to come on-stream in 2019. Details of the number of housing units delivered by local authorities, including the four Dublin authorities, up to Q2 2018 are 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 .
A further quarterly update in respect of Q3 will be made available shortly and full year 2018 data will be available early next year.
It should be noted that Part V applies only to developments of 10 or more houses. In addition, some developments completed in recent years will have been subject to older Part V agreements made before 1 September 2015, when other options - such as a financial contribution, the provision of fully or partially serviced sites or the provision of land elsewhere in the functional area of the planning authority - were available.
275. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of local authority houses constructed and completed by each local authority in each of the past ten years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49639/18]
View answerStatistics on the number of social housing properties constructed, purchased and leased by local authorities and approved housing bodies, are published on my Department’s website and are available at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
276. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views and plans to reduce further increases in rents to attract workers to come here in view of a recent ESRI report that said Ireland will need more construction workers to increase housing supply but rental costs will hamper efforts to attract them here particularly in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49640/18]
View answerAffordability remains a significant issue in the rental market. Continued economic and population growth coupled with inward migration and a constrained supply of housing contribute to upward pressures on rents.
Initiatives introduced by the Government, including streamlined fast-track planning of large housing developments through An Bord Pleanála, more flexible planning guidelines that are targeted at making apartments more cost effective as well as increased Exchequer funding for enabling infrastructure to open up key sites for early development, will all help to boost supply of new homes, including rental properties, to meet both pent-up and emerging demand.
In addition, the Government has prioritised a range of further actions to ensure that existing rent predictability measures, such as the Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) and increased security of tenure, are fully enforced. In that context, the Government has approved the General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2018 to give legislative underpinning to a number of specific actions outlined in the Government’s Rental Strategy and to enhance the powers of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to protect both tenants and landlords in the residential rental sector, particularly with regard to enforcement of the annual rent increase limit in RPZs. The Bill's provisions are intended to strengthen further the effectiveness of the rent setting and rent review laws by empowering the RTB to investigate any contravention of the law relating to rent increase limits (4% per annum) in RPZs and to take enforcement action, if necessary. The provisions involved include power for the imposition of sanctions on landlords in breach of the legal requirements and power for the RTB to investigate without the need for a complaint to be made. My Department is working closely with the Office of the Attorney General in the drafting of the Bill and I hope to bring it to Government for approval to publish in the coming weeks.
My Department is also working with the RTB to appropriately resource and develop its capacity to implement these provisions. The proposed new powers for the RTB are a crucial first step in expanding its overall role and function as part of a multi-annual change management programme to proactively enforce tenancy law. The RTB publishes its quarterly Rent Index and advises my Department on the residential rental market on a continuous basis which informs policy development in this area.
277. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on the fact that according to a report by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive the four Dublin local authorities are set to deliver just 142 of a target of 950 homeless family hub units by the end of 2018; the reason for this failure to meet targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49642/18]
View answerLast September, I wrote to the Chief Executives of the four Dublin local authorities highlighting the need for increased action in a number of areas, including escalated delivery of family hubs to reduce the numbers of families being accommodated in hotels. A combined plan for the four Dublin local authorities was submitted to me by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive on 20 September.
The plan submitted provided for the delivery of family hubs containing 142 units of accommodation in 2018, with further facilities to cater for approximately 450 additional families being progressed for delivery during 2019. I have since met with the Chief Executives of each of the four Dublin local authorities and further options are being pursued by each of the local authorities to increase the delivery of family hubs in both 2018 and 2019. I expect the number of units to be delivered to increase as this work continues.
278. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on the manner in which developers are remunerated for properties sold in circumstances in which they access funds under LIHAF in terms of the percentage profit they are permitted per affordable unit and the manner upon which it is calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49672/18]
View answer283. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of affordable properties that were made available as a result of the LIHAF funding provided towards a development (details supplied); his views on whether the provision of two bedroom properties at a price of €295,000 constitutes affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49773/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 283 together.
The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is a measure designed to activate housing supply by putting in place enabling public infrastructure to facilitate large-scale development on key sites. Under Pillar 3 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan, LIHAF is designed to specifically address the issue of housing supply, which is a crucial factor in terms of moderating house prices.
LIHAF provides much needed public infrastructure. No funding is provided to housing developers as the infrastructure is procured by the local authority, ensuring transparency and value for money.
Where a site has been activated by LIHAF, developers and local authorities have made individual agreements with respect to their particular projects in terms of the acceleration of housing supply to be delivered and making housing on associated sites more affordable than it otherwise would have been. Local authorities were directed to negotiate the best agreement possible for their own relevant local sites as each project was different.
Summary details of those agreements were made available in March 2018 and are published on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/lihaf/. In some cases developers have provided a cost reduction off the purchase price of units across the development. In other cases, a smaller number of units will be provided for allocation by the local authority as affordable housing.
As outlined in the document published last March, in relation to the specific development referred to, the local authority secured an agreement with the developer to deliver 800 residential units within the Local Area Plan area by 2021. In addition to the 10% social housing being provided at this development, the open market value of the units will also have a cost reduction of €2,500 for the remaining 720 units. These units constitute much needed housing supply in that area and the provision of public infrastructure will be instrumental in its delivery.
LIHAF is a supply measure but the Government also continues to address affordability through a range of specific measures. In particular, for those households earning low to moderate annual gross incomes, a multi-stranded approach is being taken to the targeted delivery of affordable housing including measures such as Help to Buy, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan and the new Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). 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 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. It is envisaged that a maximum amount of SSF funding of €50,000 per affordable home will be provided and on this basis at least 6,200 affordable homes could be facilitated.
279. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of HAP payments being made to section 23 properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49706/18]
View answerThe operation of tax reliefs that apply to rented residential property in a tax incentive area is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
Under section 42(2) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, landlords in receipt of payments under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme must be tax compliant. It is therefore a statutory requirement that a landlord must provide a PPS number or tax reference and a current tax clearance certificate or other evidence of tax compliance. Landlords are also informed and agree that the data they supply on the HAP Application Form will be shared with other public bodies, including the Revenue Commissioners, for the purpose of the prevention or detection of fraud.
280. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if applications have been received by local authorities (details supplied) for funding to clear waiting lists for housing aid for older people, mobility aids grant and housing adaptation grants; if so, when funding was sought; the amount sought by each county; and the stage of the process in tabular form. [49708/18]
View answerFor 2018, I have provided €66.25 million nationally for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability living in private houses, comprising €53 million exchequer funding and €13.25 million from local authority resources.
Over the course of the year, my Department works closely with the local authorities to monitor spend and to achieve a full drawdown of the available funding. This allows any underspend to be redistributed to local authorities with high levels of grant activity who seek additional funding and have the capacity to use it.
Complete applications for additional funding have been received from the local authorities in question in July, August and November respectively, for €210,060, €200,000 and €160,000, all of which have been approved by my Department.
281. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of Rebuilding Ireland home loan applications to date in 2018; the number of those approved; the number of those drawn down; the number of those declined; the spend under the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49763/18]
View answerMy Department publishes information on the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Information up to Q2 2018, including in relation to number and value of mortgage drawdowns, is available on the Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-prices-loans-and-profile-borrowers/local-authority-loan-activity, and this information will be updated on a quarterly basis as additional data is compiled.
In addition, the Housing Agency provides a central support service which assesses loan applications that are made to the local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities as to whether loans should be offered to applicants. I have asked the Agency to centrally compile figures on the numbers of applications that it has assessed and recommended for approval. The most recent figures, as at the end of October, indicate that the Agency had assessed 2,583 valid applications, of which a total of 1,317 were recommended for approval.
Each local authority must have in place a credit committee and it is a matter for the committee to make the final decision on applications for loans, in accordance with the regulations, having regard to the recommendations made by the Housing Agency.
282. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of LIHAF funds accessed by Fingal County Council in relation to a development (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49772/18]
View answerThe Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) provides grants to 14 local authorities to construct public infrastructure which will in turn enable accelerated development on nearby housing sites.
The project referred to consists of public infrastructure which has been approved for LIHAF funding in the amount of €4.90 million, with 75% or €3.68 million being funded by the Exchequer through a LIHAF grant and the remaining 25% being provided by Fingal County Council.
The infrastructure works include road improvements and junction works at Rathbeale Road. The road will be constructed following a public procurement process conducted by Fingal County Council and will be on public lands, for the use of the general public. The building of this public road will stimulate the development of eight hundred much needed houses by 2021 on the associated housing site. Construction works on the project are due to commence in February 2019.
284. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the way in which leased Part V units operate in terms of funding, management and ownership; the number of leased Part V units by local authority; and the annual cost of leased Part V units in each year since the introduction of this funding method to date in 2018. [49806/18]
View answerPart V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) requires that a developer must provide up to 10% of the site for development, that has the benefit of planning permission, to the Local Authority for the purposes of social housing at a price equivalent to the existing use value of the lands on the date on which planning permission was granted. Part V obligations can also be fulfilled using a range of other options, subject to the agreement of the Local Authority, including the transfer of fully completed units at a cost reflective of the construction costs, existing use site value and a contractor’s profit. All Part V agreements must result in a “gain” or benefit being equivalent to the “net monetary value” of the land that the Local Authority would receive if the Part V agreement had provided for a transfer of land - the “net monetary value” being defined as the market value less the existing use value.
The Part V provisions were amended in 2015 to permit the obligation to be met by way of a grant of a lease of housing units to the Local Authority, either on the site subject to the planning application or on any other land within its functional area.
My Department has provided guidance to local authorities to the effect that the preference is for Local Authorities to acquire units in order to comply with Part V although, in some instances, it may be more appropriate for the Part V obligation to be fulfilled by the leasing of units to the local authority. When considering a Part V agreement a Local Authority is obliged to consider a number of things, including whether, inter alia;
- the proposed agreement will contribute effectively and efficiently to the achievement of the objectives of the housing strategy;
- the agreement will constitute the best use of the resources available to it to ensure an adequate supply of housing and any financial implications of the agreement for its functions as a housing authority;
- the need to counteract undue segregation in housing between persons of different social background in the area of the authority.
Where the Part V agreement is for the leasing of units to the Local Authority from the developer, the net monetary value must be realised in the form of a discount from the payable rent over the period of the lease. Such a discount is in addition to the normal discount on the open market rent obtained by the Local Authority through a lease agreement with a property owner.
Currently, my Department operates two principal leasing schemes that can be utilised for the purposes of Part V agreements; standard Long Term Social Housing Leasing and the Enhanced Long Term Social Housing Leasing Scheme. Both of these schemes are funded under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP). The SCHEP is a funding programme that supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the long term leasing of houses and apartments from private owners and developers. Where the Part V negotiation between the Local Authority and the developer results in a long-term lease arrangement, there is no capital funding requirement and the annual cost of the homes are incorporated into the SHCEP budget.
In terms of the management of the individual units, each leasing scheme has different arrangements. In standard Long Term Social Housing Leasing, the Local Authority manages and maintains the individual units with the Lessor responsible for the structure of the building(s) and will pay the Lessor up to 80/85% of the open market rent (depending on the unit type). In the Enhanced Leasing Scheme, the Lessor retains the responsibility for the management and maintenance of the building(s) in exchange for up to 95% of the open market rent. As indicated above, the rents payable under the lease would have to reflect the net monetary value discount over and above the normal discounts for the relevant scheme. In both schemes, the Lessor remains responsible for any management company or other communal charges and the Local Authority remains the landlord to the tenant and collects the differential rent from them.
The details of Part V units currently leased under SHCEP are set out in the tables below:
|
Local Authority |
No. of Units |
Year of delivery |
|
Dun Laoghaire – Rathdown |
124 |
2017 |
|
South Dublin |
18 |
2017 |
|
Full year cost of all leased Part V units 2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
€0 |
€2,019,661 |
€2,019,661 |
285. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he or his officials have read the latest ESRI report on the construction industry. [49143/18]
View answerBoth my Department and I are fully aware of the latest ESRI report on the construction industry.
The report indicates that much of the additional labour required for housing supply and other construction and infrastructural work may have to be secured through inward net migration and that the present high cost of accommodation may act as a disincentive for workers seeking to come and work, particularly in the greater Dublin area. However, the report concludes the Irish economy would not appear, at present, to be unduly constrained in terms of labour market.
Increasing housing supply generally, and social and more affordable housing in particular, is, and will remain, a top Government priority. Through the continued delivery on the ambitious programme of action set out in the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, the State intends to fully meets its obligations to those who need a home.
Separately, my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, continues to implement a range of measures to ensure that there will be the required number of construction workers in place to support the delivery of the Rebuilding Ireland programme. These measures include:
- educational and training programmes, which aim to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market;
- expanding the range of apprenticeships on offer to meet the identified skill needs of industry;
- SOLAS-funded construction related further education and training programmes provided by Education and Training Boards; and
- working with the Construction Industry Federation as industry lead, to further develop the national apprenticeship programme.
Following the launch of the National Development Plan under Project Ireland 2040 in February 2018, a Construction Sector Group (CSG) has been established. The role of the CSG is to ensure regular and open dialogue between Government and the construction sector in relation to issues that may impact on the successful delivery of the NDP on a value-for-money basis for the State. The CSG is chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department will continue to participate actively in it.
286. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will request that the NPWS undertake a monitoring of the activities of a group (details supplied). [49615/18]
View answerThe Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2010 makes it an offence to hunt deer with two or more dogs. It is understood that, since the enactment of the legislation, the hunt in question has operated a “drag hunt” in order to comply with the legislation. This form of hunting involves the release of a deer to set a scent over a course. Following the recapture of the deer, the hounds and horses follow the scent. This practice is not considered to be hunting, as defined in the Wildlife Acts. As such, officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department do not regularly monitor the release and recapture of the deer in these situations although occasional monitoring of a hunt may occur from time to time.
In addition, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department would investigate reported breaches of the Wildlife Acts and, if there is sufficient evidence to support allegations, prosecutions would be brought under the Wildlife Acts.
287. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding supports she will be providing in 2018 and 2019 for built and natural heritage programmes nationally and in County Kildare. [49744/18]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 48 of 15 November 2018.
In addition, today I launched the 2019 Historic Structures Fund, together with the Built Heritage Investment Scheme for 2019. Details and application forms will be published in the coming days on my Department’s website and local authority websites.
288. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she plans to take to improve employment opportunities in the Connemara area in order to tackle high levels of unemployment (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49758/18]
View answerI have been informed by Údarás na Gaeltachta that they are taking a number of steps in order to improve employment opportunities in the Connemara area referred to by the Deputy. These include :
- Development of Action Plan for the area
A 5 year action plan has been compiled for the area. The plan covers development of natural resources, employment, infrastructure, enterprise, youth, education, tourism and facilities and contains a wide range of actions focusing on sustainable development and job creation. It is intended that the plan, which has been prepared by Údarás, working in partnership with local community interests and with relevant external organisations, will be launched before the end of this year. As part of the implementation phase, Údarás is recruiting a dedicated Project Officer to deliver the plan.
- Gteic – Gréasán Digiteach na Gaeltachta
A digital hub, developed under the gteic – Gaeltacht Digital Network, is located in the area and will shortly be opened to the public. Gteic – Gréasán Digiteach na Gaeltachta is an important element in the job creation strategy, providing an innovation unit with high-speed broadband connectivity giving new technology companies an opportunity to establish and locate themselves in the region. These developments, as part of the remote working strategy of An tÚdarás, will give the community an opportunity to return to or live in their home area by providing remote working opportunities at hot desks, co-working spaces or offices within the hub. It will facilitate people who wish to develop a business concept and will also provide access to mentoring and support.
Páirc na Mara – Marine Innovation Park
The development of projects based on renewable energy and enterprises focused on natural resources is central to the organisation’s strategy. Páirc na Mara in Cill Chiaráin is being developed as a state of the art, low carbon marine innovation park, located on a brownfield site in the area. The project, which is central to the Údarás 2018-2020 Strategy Statement and supports national strategies such as the 5-Year Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022, Harnessing our Ocean Wealth, Foodwise 2025, the National BioEconomy Policy Statement and the Action Plan for Jobs, is being advanced as a partnership with a number of state agencies. In addition, Údarás is in active discussions with a range of international partners with world class expertise in the area who can bring resources and best practise to bear on the project.
- Tourism Development
Údarás na Gaeltachta is working with sectoral interests and community groups to advance the development of tourism and marketing in the Connemara area. A tourism marketing company, Costa Conamara, has been established, promoting the region at home and abroad. Its new website www.conamara.ie is currently going live.
Community Development
Údarás na Gaeltachta works in close co-operation with local community groups and provides financial support for the local Co-operative.
Finally Údarás na Gaeltachta has advised me that key to the success of all the initiatives listed above is a focus on attracting new enterprise and investment to the area from indigenous companies and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as well as from supporting local enterprise.
