Tuesday, 15 Jan 2019

Written Answers Nos. 1181-1202

Local Authority Housing Mortgages

Questions (1182)

James Browne

Question:

1182. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when a revised credit policy will be issued from the Housing Agency to local authorities for considering council mortgage applications; if a revised credit policy will include a provision to give persons who have gone through bankruptcy the opportunity to apply for a council mortgage rather than being deemed ineligible in view of the fact they are not a first-time buyer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1507/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme was launched last year to replace the existing House Purchase and the Home Choice Loan schemes. It has been established under the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan) Regulations 2018, which also provide for the issuance of a statutory Credit Policy. The purpose of the Credit Policy is to set out in more detail the eligibility criteria for obtaining a loan and procedures to be followed by local authorities in considering loan applications.

In order to assist the on-going administration of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, I have asked my Department to undertake a review of its operation to date. This is due to be finalised shortly, and will have regard to the views from local authorities, the Housing Agency, and the Housing Finance Agency, and will also take account of issues raised by public representatives since the scheme's commencement.

This review will incorporate an examination of queries that have been raised concerning the Credit Policy and the corresponding eligibility criteria. However, in making any recommendations in relation to the operation of the scheme, it must also take account of the need to ensure that lending issued under it is provided on a prudential basis, so as to protect the financial interests of the borrowers and the local authorities.

Applicants for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan must be of good credit standing and have a satisfactory credit record. A person who has been discharged from bankruptcy and who meets the other eligibility criteria, including being a first-time buyer, may apply for a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, and will be subject to the same credit assessment process that applies to all applicants.

As with the previous local authority home loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is available to first time buyers only. There is no change in this regard. This is to ensure the effective targeting of limited resources.

Legislative Measures

Questions (1183)

Darragh O'Brien

Question:

1183. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of ballots undertaken under section 48 of the Environmental (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 since its commencement; the number of ballots that have been passed in circumstances in which the ballots have occurred; the number rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1514/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Section 48 of the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 has not been commenced. It is intended to commence section 48 at the same time as the commencement of a related provision within the Local Government Bill 2018, following the enactment of that Bill.

An Bord Pleanála

Questions (1184)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

1184. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the steps he is taking to ameliorate the long delays with planning appeals to be decided by An Bord Pleanála, in particular the need for the ongoing staffing shortage to be dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1540/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Under section 126 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, An Bord Pleanála (the Board) has a statutory objective to determine planning appeals within 18 weeks. Where the Board does not consider it possible or appropriate to reach a decision within 18 weeks (e.g. because of the particular complexities of a case or the requirement to hold an oral hearing), it will inform the parties of the reasons for this, and will indicate when it intends to make its decision.

It is acknowledged that there has been a reduction in the Board's compliance rate with the statutory objective period over the past year due to a number of factors, including an increase in the number of cases it has received. At end November 2018, the compliance rate for determining normal planning appeals within the statutory objective period stood at 35%, and for all planning cases, the rate stood at 41%.

A range of measures have been taken to address the situation, including the appointment of additional Board members and additional resources. While current staff resources are lower than at the peak in 2008, the caseload levels, though now increasing, are still at lower levels than at the peak. Staffing levels are similar to levels in 2010 when the caseload was comparable, though on-going and planned recruitment processes will see staffing increase further in the months ahead.

I am satisfied, taking account also of the increased Exchequer grant of €18.5m for the Board in 2019, a 7% increase on 2018, that the measures involved will enable the Board to significantly improve its compliance rate over the coming months. Indeed, the number of cases decided by the Board in the 11 months to end November 2018 was up 29% on the corresponding period in 2017 and the Board's output is now at circa 250 cases per month.

The Board has a complement of 11 members, including a new Chairperson who took up duty on 30 October 2018, and an extra Board member engaged in June 2018 to supplement the normal complement of 10 members. While two vacancies have recently arisen on the Board within that complement, these are due to be filled shortly. The Board also employs over 150 staff members including 10 additional dedicated staff engaged in 2017 to support the Strategic Housing Division. My Department will continue to liaise closely with the Board to ensure that it has appropriate resources to support it in the performance of its functions.

Question No. 1185 answered with Question No. 89.

Local Authority Housing Data

Questions (1186)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

1186. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number and location of houses acquired and purchased by Galway City Council in each of the years 2011 to 2018, and to date in 2019; the number and location of houses constructed by the city council for each of those years; the number, location and completion date of houses under construction; the number planned for construction by the city council in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1558/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Statistics on the number of social housing properties constructed, purchased and leased by local authorities, including Galway City Council, 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. These statistics are updated on a quarterly basis and data for Q4 2018 is now being validated and will be published as soon as possible, with data for each successive quarter of 2019 made available over the course of the year.

The acquisition of properties for social housing purposes is a function that is largely delegated to the local authorities and, accordingly, the precise locations of the properties purchased by Galway City Council should be available from the Council itself.

A detailed breakdown of the construction programme for new social housing build is set out in the Social Housing Construction Status Report which is published on a quarterly basis. This report provides information on the construction programme underway for each local authority area. The report covering the period up to end Quarter 3 of 2018 is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-quarter-3-social-housing-construction-report/ .

The report reflects the activity of Galway City Council on the construction of new social housing, including those schemes already on site and under construction, in addition to those at the final pre-construction stage and those progressing through the various stages of planning, design and procurement. These schemes will form the bulk of social housing starts and completions over the course of 2019 and beyond, although further projects will continue to be added to the pipeline on an ongoing basis.

I will be publishing social housing targets for 2019 for all local authorities, including Galway City Council, in the near future and the progress of each authority against these targets on a quarterly basis, will also be published on my Department's website. This transparency allows all stakeholders to view the targets and the progress of each local authority in delivering social housing for their areas.

Urban Development

Questions (1187)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1187. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position regarding progress towards the resumption of development at the Naas town centre site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1605/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

As I have indicated in previous parliamentary responses on this issue, the management of the stalled Naas Town Centre development is a matter for Kildare County Council in the first instance and is one in which I do not have any function. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be involved, except in very specific circumstances which do not apply in this case.

Social and Affordable Housing

Questions (1188)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

1188. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to introduce affordable housing schemes in 2019; when and the locations in which they will be available; the persons who will qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1625/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

A multi-stranded approach is being taken to the targeted delivery of affordable housing. In particular, for those households earning annual gross incomes up to €50,000 for single applicants and €75,000 for dual applicants.

In terms of affordable purchase, I commenced the relevant provisions of Part 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 on 18 June 2018, to provide a statutory basis for the delivery of affordable housing for purchase. Part 5 contains significant detail on the procedures and operation of the new Affordable Purchase Scheme. The primary legislation will be supported by associated regulations, which are currently being finalised, following extensive consultation between my Department, the Housing Agency and local authorities. The regulations, once finalised, together with guidance, will issue to local authorities.

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.

On 11 December 2018, I issued approval in principle for ten infrastructure projects across five local authority areas, in Dublin and Cork, under the first SSF call for proposals. This first tranche of funding of €43 million will enable the delivery of 1,400 affordable homes on local authority lands. I expect infrastructure works on these projects to begin as soon as possible and delivery of affordable homes from early 2020 onwards. Details of these projects are set out in the table below. There are five further projects under active consideration by my Department, with the potential to facilitate the delivery of an additional 230 affordable homes.

More broadly, all local authorities have been asked to carry out economic assessments of the requirement for affordable housing in their areas and the viability to deliver such affordable housing from their sites. 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 are currently being examined in my Department.

The Government is also committed to the introduction of a not-for-profit, cost rental sector in Ireland. Together with delivering more affordable and predictable rents, cost rental will make a sustainable impact on national competitiveness and the attractiveness of our main urban centres as places to live and work. Like affordable purchase, cost rental homes will be targeted at households earning incomes up to a maximum of €50,000 for single applicants and €75,000 for dual applicants.

As cost rental is a new housing model to Ireland and in order to drive delivery, a number of important early mover projects are being advanced, delivering important lessons in terms of cost rental in an Irish setting. These cost rental pilot schemes are at Enniskerry Road, in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, and Emmet Road in Inchicore, respectively.

It is expected that 50 cost rental units and 105 social homes will be made available on the Enniskerry Road site. The tenders for the project are currently being assessed, and it is anticipated that construction will commence later in the first quarter of 2019.

Dublin City Council has appointed a dedicated project manager and a project team to drive the Emmet Road project forward. While the final tenure-mix on the site will be decided by the Council, informed by the detailed site development process, it will likely include 140 social housing homes, with the remaining 330 homes predominantly provided under cost rental arrangements.

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.

Table: List of projects that have received approval in principle under the SSF first call for proposals

LA	Project/ Location	Total Provisional Cost of Proposal €	Provisional Exchequer Grant Amount €	Provisional LA Contribution €	Affordable Housing Potential
Cork County	Glanmire	€1,500,000	€1,335,000	€165,000	20
Cork City	Boherboy Road	€4,968,366	€4,421,846	€546,520	103
Cork City	Kilmore Road, Churchfield	€1,410,551	€1,255,390	€155,160	21
Dublin City	Cherry Orchard	€7,645,415	€6,804,419	€840,996	183
Dublin City	Balbutcher, Ballymun	€4,135,351	€3,680,462	€454,889	74
Dublin City	Sillogue, Ballymun	€3,975,000	€3,537,750	€437,250	83
DLR	Enniskerry Road	€4,537,576	€4,038,443	€499,133	50
Fingal	Church Fields, Mulhuddart	€11,000,000	€9,790,000	€1,210,000	753
Fingal	Dun Emer, Lusk	€1,500,000	€1,335,000	€165,000	74
Fingal	Hackettstown, Skerries	€2,198,667	€1,956,814	€241,853	49
Total		€42,870,926	€38,155,124	€4,715,801	1410

Housing Assistance Payment Administration

Questions (1189)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

1189. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if local authorities are entitled to charge for an assessment (details supplied); if this is protocol; if his attention has been drawn to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1658/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) supported tenancies are agreed between the landlord and the tenant; the local authority is not a party to the tenancy and has no role in its agreement.

Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017. All landlords, including those in receipt of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations and responsibility for the enforcement of the regulations rests with the relevant local authority.

Local authorities are required to commence the inspection process within 8 months of the commencement of HAP support being provided in relation to a particular dwelling if not already inspected within the previous 12 months

Local authorities do not charge a fee for the assessment of HAP applications or the inspection of dwellings.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (1190)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1190. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the budget for each local authority in 2019, outlining expenditure in the categories of housing, roads, water, environmental services, recreation and amenity development management and staffing. [1671/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Local Government Act 2001, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, provides the legislative basis for the local authority budget process. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.

The provision of detailed information on income and expenditure is a matter for each individual local authority. Local authority budget documents and other information on the cost of their services are generally available on local authority websites.

My Department compiles and publishes consolidated local authority annual data based on the statutory revenue budgets adopted by each local authority. Material in respect of previous years, up to 2018, is available at the following link;

https://www.housing.gov.ie/search/archived/archived/archived/current/type/publications?query=Local%20Authority%20Budgets .

Data in respect of local authority budgets for 2019 is being compiled and will be published in due course.

Elected Office Requirements

Questions (1191)

Clare Daly

Question:

1191. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the steps he is taking to ensure access to elected office for persons with disabilities; and the funding schemes available in this regard. [1725/19]

Written answers

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

Electoral law provides that 'a person of unsound mind' is disqualified from seeking election to the Dáil or European Parliament and, from membership of the Seanad. However this provision is to be repealed by the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016, which is currently at Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann.

There are no other barriers in electoral law to persons with a disability seeking elected office. The Department does not provide a funding scheme in this regard.

Housing Policy

Questions (1192)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if consideration has been given to setting up housing co-operatives with a view to bringing housing costs within the reach of those on the average industrial wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1729/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The approved housing body sector includes a number of housing co-operatives whose objectives are to provide social and affordable housing. These bodies are supported through a range of schemes for both social and affordable housing which are funded by the State through the local authorities. As part of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan, approved housing bodies have been given the task of delivering up to a third of the 50,000 social housing homes targeted in the Plan over the period 2016 to 2021 and are being supported in their work in this regard by a range of actions by local authorities, including the provision of public land for housing developments.

There have been instances where local authorities have facilitated housing developments through supporting co-operatives to deliver housing under the low cost sites scheme. In the future, the main method of delivery of affordable housing will be directly by local authorities and through approved housing bodies. With the introduction of a new affordable purchase housing scheme, coupled with the Serviced Sites Fund, there will be further opportunities for approved housing bodies, including co-operatives, to provide affordable housing, provided they can demonstrate the capacity to deliver housing and are in compliance with the priorities for affordable housing set out by the relevant local authority.

Local Authority Housing Data

Questions (1193)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of direct build local authority housing starts scheduled for 2019 with particular reference to those local authorities with long housing waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1730/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

All local authorities are being funded to significantly increase their delivery of social housing as part of Rebuilding Ireland and a strong social housing construction pipeline is in place for local authorities and AHBs.

A detailed breakdown of the construction programme of new social housing build is set out in the Social Housing Construction Status Report which is published on a quarterly basis. These reports provide information on the construction programme underway for each local authority area. The report covering the period up to end Quarter 3 of 2018 is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-quarter-3-social-housing-construction-report/. The report reflects an increase in the scale of the social housing build programme, with 1,173 schemes (or phases of schemes) in place, delivering 17,536 homes. Of this total, 4,173 units have already been delivered during 2016, 2017 and up to Q3 2018, while a further 4,933 are on site and under construction.

Some 2,700 homes are at the final pre-construction stage of preparation and the remainder are progressing through the various stages of planning, design and procurement. These schemes and those already on site will form the bulk of the housing starts and delivery over the course of 2019, although further projects will continue to be added to the pipeline on an ongoing basis. The aim is to deliver over 6,200 new build social homes nationally in 2019. Specifically, local authorities will contract the delivery of over 3,000 of these newly constructed social homes, while around 600 more are expected to be added to the stock of local authorities via Part V new construction.

The delivery of new local authority housing remains the largest element of the Rebuilding Ireland social housing programme and I am pleased to see the progress being made in this area, as well as in projects that AHBs are implementing in partnership with the local authorities. I am keen that all local authorities further accelerate their programmes and I have assured them that the necessary funding is available to support their work in this regard.

Local Authority Housing Provision

Questions (1194, 1196, 1197)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1194. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which the annual housing requirements for local authority houses have been identified on a county basis with a view to putting in place a structure sufficient to meet this demand annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1731/19]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1196. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of new local authority housing applicants registered with each local authority in the course of the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1733/19]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1197. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the degree to which his Department remains in contact with each local authority in order to monitor the extent of the evolving local authority housing needs in their administrative areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1734/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1194, 1196 and 1197 together.

Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA), which has been carried out on an annual basis since 2016.

The 2018 assessment shows that 71,858 households were assessed as qualified and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 13,941 households or 16.2% on the last assessment in June 2017. Indeed, since the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan was launched in 2016, the numbers have decreased from 91,600 to 71,858, a reduction of 22%.

It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time exercise and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the list. It is also important to note that social housing is a demand led service and for that reason it is difficult to predict the degree to which housing lists will decrease or increase over the next 12 months. The number of homes delivered by local authorities in a given time period does not necessarily equate to the ‘net need’ for social housing support reducing by an equivalent number. The nature of the list is dynamic in that, as households are added to it, the needs of others are met and further households will leave the list for various reasons including the households themselves indicating that they no longer require State support.

I have set delivery targets for all local authorities out to 2021, based on current housing need. It is acknowledged that future annualised assessments may see individual local authorities housing need numbers rising, or falling, for a variety of reasons. The targets have been set in such a way as to be able to respond to such an eventuality over the course of the period covered by Rebuilding Ireland.

Over the six years of Rebuilding Ireland, the Government is committed to meeting the housing needs of over 137,000 households through the provision of social housing supports. The implementation of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan is well underway and significant progress has been made. Annual delivery targets were exceeded in 2016 and again in 2017. By end September 2018, over 63,700 additional social housing solutions have already been provided under the plan.

The latest data in relation to social housing delivery to end Q3 2018 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 .

Data in relation to Q4 2018 outputs is currently being compiled and will be published shortly.

The importance of aligning social housing delivery with housing need has been a consistent theme of the three housing summits I have held with local authority Chief Executives during 2017 and 2018. Following on from these summits and the commitments given and objectives set there, my Department engages with all local authorities on a regular basis regarding the delivery of social housing. I am confident that the actions, targets and resources available to all local authorities under Rebuilding Ireland provide a strong platform for meeting our challenges in the housing sector and continuing to reduce the number of households on waiting lists.

Local Authority Housing Mortgages

Questions (1195)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1195. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of Rebuilding Ireland loans approved for each of the local authorities throughout 2018; the extent to which newer and more ambitious targets have been set for 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1732/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

My Department publishes information on the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Information up to Q3 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 December 2018, indicate that the Agency had recommended a total of 1,550 applications for approval since the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme launched, as set out in the following table:

Local Authority	Recommended to Approve
Carlow County Council	16
Cavan County Council	7
Clare County Council	19
Cork City Council	53
Cork County Council	133
Donegal County Council	18
Dublin City Council	215
Dún Laoghaire - Rathdown County Council	45
Fingal County Council	229
Galway City Council	30
Galway County Council	41
Kerry County Council	40
Kildare County Council	87
Kilkenny County Council	15
Laois County Council	36
Leitrim County Council	2
Limerick City & County Council	46
Longford County Council	15
Louth County Council	31
Mayo County Council	18
Meath County Council	124
Monaghan County Council	6
Offaly County Council	14
Roscommon County Council	13
Sligo County Council	20
South Dublin County Council	112
Tipperary County Council	29
Waterford City & County Council	14
Westmeath County Council	17
Wexford County Council	43
Wicklow County Council	62
Total	1,550

Each local authority must have in place a credit committee and it is a matter for the committee to make the decision on applications for loans, in accordance with the regulations, having regard to the recommendations made by the Housing Agency.

In relation to the Deputy's query concerning targets for the scheme for 2019, as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a mortgage product that is available to all eligible applicants, it is by its nature a demand-led scheme. As such there are no targets set for its uptake on an annual basis.

Questions No. 1196 and 1197 answered with Question No. 1194.

Question No. 1198 answered with Question No. 1152.

Local Authority Assets

Questions (1199)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1199. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the availability of building lands in the ownership of each local authority nationally; the extent to which these lands are serviceable and available for utilisation as serviced sites for eligible applicants or direct build local authority houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1736/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I refer to my reply to Question No. 49 on today's Order Paper which broadly sets out the position in relation to this matter.

Moreover, while the development of residential land in local authority ownership is in the first instance a matter for the individual authority concerned, including its elected members, I am determined to ensure that new social and affordable homes are delivered from the public land bank without delay, with particular emphasis on prioritising those sites with the greatest potential to deliver housing at scale, in the short to medium term.

Given the priority of the strategic development of the local authority land bank, all local authority residential sites were mapped on the Rebuilding Ireland land map, which is available at the following link on the Rebuilding Ireland website, http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/. The map includes details of over 700 local authority and Housing Agency owned sites amounting to some 1,700 hectares, and local authorities have been requested to update the map on a quarterly basis.

The active management of these lands and the wider publicly owned land bank is one of a range of complementary actions being progressed under Rebuilding Ireland and the recently established Land Development Agency will increasingly play an important role in this regard.

All local authorities are being funded to significantly increase their delivery of social housing as part of the Rebuilding Ireland programme and a strong social housing construction pipeline is already in place for local authorities and approved housing bodies. A detailed breakdown of the social housing construction programme is set out in the Social Housing Construction Status Report which is published on a quarterly basis. These reports provide information on the construction programme underway for each local authority area. The report covering the period up to end Quarter 3 2018 is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-quarter-3-social-housing-construction-report/. The report for Q4 2018 is currently being prepared.

In terms of affordable housing, a targeted approach is being pursued to support local authorities. To this end, I have provided additional funding for enabling infrastructure via the Serviced Sites Fund. Under Budget 2019, a total of €310 million will be provided for this purpose over the course of 2019 to 2021. I approved the first tranche of funding under the Fund on 11 December 2018, through which some €43 million in funding is being provided to facilitate the delivery of some 1,400 affordable homes in Dublin and Cork . A second call for proposals will issue shortly.

The combination of this Fund and the significantly increased funding for the social housing programme will open up more significant opportunities for larger mixed-tenure developments and my Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities to accelerate the delivery of these projects.

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Questions (1200)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1200. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which adequate resources remain available to each local authority for the purpose of DPGs or housing adaptation grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1737/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Government is committed to helping to meet the specific housing needs of people with disabilities and older people. There is a recognised quality of life benefit in terms of facilitating the continued independent living by older people and people with a disability in their own homes. To this end, my Department continues to support local authorities with schemes such as the Disabled Persons Grants scheme (DPGs) and the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme. This is also recognised in the Programme for a Partnership Government and funding for these schemes has been prioritised and increased year on year since 2014.

Under the DPGs scheme, my Department provides local authorities with capital funding for adaptations and extensions to existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants. The scheme applies to adaptations that are necessary to address the needs of older people or people with a disability who may require stair-lifts; grab-rails; showers; wet-rooms and ramps etc. It also provides funding for extensions such as the installation of a downstairs bedroom or bathroom or in the case of overcrowding.

Under the DPG scheme, funding is also provided to local authorities for Improvement Works In Lieu (IWIL’s) to enable them to repair, improve or extend privately owned houses that are occupied by approved housing applicants as an alternative to the provision of local authority housing.

Funding recouped to local authorities by my Department has steadily increased in recent years. In 2018, €15.4m was recouped under the DPG scheme. In order to ensure that there are no delays, for priority and urgent cases, local authorities may undertake works of up to 65% of their 2018 allocation in advance of the notification of their 2019 funding. In this regard, a circular will issue to local authorities shortly.

My Department also provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, in respect of private housing. The schemes are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the local authority. For 2019, a total of €71.25 million will be provided for the schemes, which represents an 8% increase on the funding provided in 2018.

Further consideration will be given to increasing this funding over the coming years in the context of the range of housing supports and provision being made under Rebuilding Ireland.

Construction Industry

Questions (1201, 1202)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1201. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which reliable structural guarantee schemes are available to protect homeowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1738/19]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which the construction industry, the local authorities and a structural guarantee scheme can be combined to assist persons affected by poor construction, non-compliance with planning permission or other structural defects impacting negatively or likely to so do on the homeowner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1739/19]

Written answers

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1201 and 1202 together.

In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved: the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme.

Under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014, primary responsibility for compliance of works with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the owners, designers and builders of buildings. Enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the 31 local building control authorities who have extensive powers of inspection and enforcement under the Acts and who are independent in the use of their statutory powers.

Policy responsibility in relation to insurance is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance, with the insurance sector being subject to regulation by the Central Bank of Ireland.

In response to the defects that have come to light in relation residential buildings built during the 2000's, the Government’s focus has primarily been on ensuring strong and effective regulation in the building control system and the construction industry and on improving compliance with the Building Regulations. This reduces the risk and the incidence of defective buildings and has provided insurance underwriters with sufficient confidence to introduce new latent defect type products in Ireland, despite a general retrenchment and conservatism in the wider insurance industry. These new products are first party insurance policies which cover damage and non-damage (breaches of buildings) claims, to varying degrees. This means that the purchaser does not have to make a claim through the builder but can submit a claim directly to the insurer. This would be of particular benefit to a homeowner in circumstances where the builder or developer has ceased trading. It is critical that consumers, house purchasers and the public are aware of the various insurance products available and the scope of such policies.

Under planning legislation, enforcement of planning control is a matter for the relevant planning authority which can take action if a development does not have the required permission or where the terms of a permission have not been met. Planning authorities have substantial enforcement powers in this regard. A planning authority may issue an enforcement notice in connection with an unauthorised development, requiring such steps as the authority considers necessary to be taken within a specified period. If an enforcement notice is not complied with, the planning authority may itself take the specified steps and recover the expense incurred in doing so. A planning authority may also seek a court order under section 160 of the Planning and Development Act requiring any particular action to be done or not to be done. Indeed, section 160 of the Act provides that anyone may seek a court order in relation to unauthorised development; such action is not restricted to planning authorities.