Tuesday, 14 May 2019

Written Answers Nos. 502-515

Housing Grant Applications

Questions (502)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

502. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the average length of time applications for housing and mobility grants are waiting in County Donegal; the number of persons granted housing and mobility grants for each year since 2016; the amount spent by Donegal County Council by year; the number of persons that were turned down applications for each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20696/19]

Written answers

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

I recently announced funding for 2019 of €71.25 million nationally for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, living in private houses. This included an allocation of €1,468,819 to Donegal County Council. Details on the number of grants paid and the amount spent since 2016 by all local authorities, including Donegal County Council, are available on my Department's website at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics.

The detailed administration of the grants including the assessment, approval and prioritisation of grants to applicants under the various grant measures, is the responsibility of the local authorities. My Department does not hold information in relation to waiting lists or unsuccessful applicants for individual local authorities. This information may be available directly from the local authorities.

Question No. 503 answered with Question No. 499.

Social and Affordable Housing

Questions (504)

Joe Carey

Question:

504. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if points made in correspondence (details supplied) will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20737/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

My Department has been in contact with Clare County Council and agreed that, alongside increased delivery through the build programme, acquisitions of second hand properties for social housing purposes should be used more prudently compared with the high numbers of previous years. However, it is appropriate to have a continuation of a certain level of acquisitions, focused on priority cases and where good value for money can be achieved, without adversely impacting private purchasers.

It will be a matter for Clare County Council to determine the priority cases, working in conjunction with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) operating in their area and this has been communicated to the Council. In general, it is important that we see a continued shift from acquisitions to new build for new social housing, both by Councils and AHBs, and my Department has encouraged this in its engagements with Clare County Council.

Mayoral Election

Questions (505)

Catherine Martin

Question:

505. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the annual cost of the Lord Mayor of Cork, including salary, office, assistant staff, driver and pensions; the difference between the current cost and the expected annual cost under the proposal for a directly elected Lord Mayor of Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20751/19]

Written answers

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

On 24 May 2019, the electors of the expanded administrative area of Cork City Council will be asked to vote in a plebiscite on the Government’s proposal for a Lord Mayor with executive functions to be directly elected by the people.

An independent Committee, has been put in place to facilitate and oversee the provision of impartial and factual information about the plebiscites to the electorate. The Committee is chaired by Henry Abbott, a retired judge of the High Court, and includes representatives from the three local authorities, my Department, the Local Government Management Agency as well as an independent legal adviser.

The Committee has estimated in its guide for voters that "while the full costs are unknown, the additional costs of the Government's proposals to establish an office of directly elected Mayor with executive functions could range from around €313,000 to €450,000". In the case of Cork City Council, the costs could be broken down as per the table below.

Pension-related costs for a directly elected Lord Mayor are not considered in the Government's proposals. The Committee advises that the costs of an office for directly elected Lord Mayor would be a matter for the Oireachtas in any future legislation and for the Council itself in agreeing the annual budget and staffing arrangements for the office of directly elected Lord Mayor.

Existing annual costs of office of Lord Mayor:	€	€
Lord Mayor's allowance	30,000
Salaries and employer's PRSI of administrative staff (Grade 4 + 50% Clerical Officer)	69,725
Contract driver	47,000
Overheads apportioned (based on sector norms)	26,388
Total		173,113
Estimated annual costs of an office of directly elected Lord Mayor with executive functions:
Proposed salary of directly elected Lord Mayor (as per Government proposal)	129,854
Proposed vouched mayoral expenses (as per Government proposal)	16,000
Proposed salaries including Employer's PRSI of 2 advisors (as per Government proposal)	148,098
Proposed salary and PRSI costs of Mayor's driver (as per Government proposal)	38,367
Possible salaries and Employer's PRSI of administrative staff (Grade 5 and Grade 3)	82,553
Estimated overheads (based on sector norms)	103,434
Total		518,306
Difference between existing costs and possible costs of an office of directly elected Lord Mayor with executive functions		345,193

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Questions (506)

John Curran

Question:

506. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to roll out a more sustained programme of cost rental properties through AHBs beyond the existing cost rental pilots being rolled out by AHBs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20757/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Acknowledging that renters in Dublin and other major urban centres are currently facing significant access and affordability challenges, the Government is committed to the introduction of a Cost Rental sector in Ireland. Together with delivering more affordable and predictable rents, Cost Rental can make a sustainable impact on national competitiveness and the attractiveness of our main urban centres as places to live and work.

To support the introduction of affordable housing, including Cost Rental, the Government has made €310m available to local authorities to fund facilitating infrastructure, under the Serviced Sites Fund, over the next three years.

Two Cost Rental 'path-finder' projects are currently being supported by my Department. Firstly, the Housing Agency, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and two Approved Housing Bodies (Respond and Túath) are working on a project at the Enniskerry Road, Dublin, which will deliver 50 Cost Rental homes. Tenders for the project have been assessed and the contract is due to be awarded shortly, with construction expected to commence by the end of this month. An application submitted by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for Serviced Sites Fund grant funding associated with the project has been successful, with a resulting budget of c. €5 million.

The second planned pathfinder project, at Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8, is estimated to have the potential to accommodate circa. 470 homes in a high quality development. The anticipated tenure mix is 30% social and 70% cost rental. Initial estimates of the St. Michael’s project by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) indicated that rents of between 15-25% below market are achievable. The European Investment Bank is also working on this project in terms of financial and advisory services.

Finally, the Land Development Agency is examining the potential to deliver cost rental homes at scale from its land port-folio and the broader State land bank, and constructive engagement is ongoing in this regard.

In addition to these delivery actions, my Department has just signed an agreement with the European Investment Bank for the provision of Cost Rental advisory services. The EIB, which has extensive international experience of delivery, will provide technical assistance in examining market demand for Cost Rental housing. It will also provide advice on optimal operating structures that are scalable and accessible to attract finance. Guidance will be provided as to other notable examples of successful European Cost Rental housing projects.

Informed by, and in parallel with all of this work, my Department is developing a national policy approach to Cost Rental for Ireland. This requires consideration to be given to the many delivery options possible, and the challenges posed, in order to ensure that a coherent Cost Rental model can be delivered at a scale and in a manner that will have the desired positive impact on the Irish housing sector.

Approved Housing Bodies

Questions (507)

John Curran

Question:

507. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the actions he is taking to have tier 3 AHBs reclassified as off-balance sheet; the timeline for this reclassification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20758/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

My Department is continuing its work on the issue of reclassification, by Eurostat, of the majority of Tier 3 Approved Housing Bodies as part of the Government sector for accounting purposes. It is engaging with the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, with technical support from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) and the Housing Agency (HA), in order to ensure that AHBs can continue to fulfil their full potential in the delivery of the targets set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan.

The Department has also had constructive discussions with the AHB representative bodies. The sector itself has engaged its own research on the matter, and has put forward its own proposals. My Department is evaluating these proposals as part of its ongoing consideration of the issue and with regard to their potential wider implications. The Department is also examining measures that could be taken to develop the AHB sector to enable reclassification in the longer term.

Notwithstanding the decision by Eurostat, the Government continues to see a central role for the voluntary housing sector in contributing to delivery of social housing under Rebuilding Ireland. It is committed to using all mechanisms and schemes, including through the AHB sector, to ensure that we maintain the momentum towards meeting the ambitious 50,000 social housing target under the Action Plan.

Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility

Questions (508)

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

508. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will amend the requirement by which there must be a household income other than from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection in order for a tenant to qualify for the tenant purchase scheme; if a person in receipt of carer's allowance or carer's benefit can qualify if that person satisfies other criteria in view of the fact that persons who have to care full-time for a relative cannot accept employment at the same time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20858/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase 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. A number of income sources, including carer’s allowance, are disregarded for the purposes of determining reckonable 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 the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, a review of the operation of the first 12 months of the Tenant Purchase (Incremental) Scheme has been completed and a full report has been prepared setting out findings and recommendations.

Following consideration of a number of implementation issues arising, I expect to be in a position to publish the Review shortly.

Question No. 509 answered with Question No. 497.

Foreshore Licence Applications

Questions (510)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

510. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position regarding a foreshore licence for a proposal (details supplied) in County Dublin; if there will be an opportunity for public and community consultation in this process; if the highly environmentally sensitive nature of the proposed location will be taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20866/19]

Written answers

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

Public notices concerning this application were published in the “Irish Examiner” and the “Dublin North Gazette” on 28/06/2018. The public display documents were made available at Swords Garda Station and were also available on my Department's website for the required period of twenty one days from 28/6/2018. Two public submissions were received on foot of the public consultation.

The Marine Licence Vetting Committee considered the application including submissions received from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, other statutory consultees and the public. The Committee concluded that, subject to compliance with conditions to be set out in the licence, the proposed works would not have a significant negative impact on navigation, fishing, the marine environment or protected species, would not impact on other legitimate uses or users of the foreshore area in question and would not have a significant effect on the qualifying interests of the adjacent Natura 2000 sites and recommended that a licence should be granted.

In consideration of the above recommendation, I approved the granting of a foreshore licence on 16 April 2019. The licence is currently being drafted by the Chief State Solicitor's Office.

Details of the application can be viewed on my Department's website at https://www.housing.gov.ie/planning/foreshore/applications/deepsea-fibre-networks-limited.

Coastal Erosion

Questions (511)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

511. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if consideration will be given to establishing a high-level interdepartmental task force working with local authorities to drive strategic policy on coastal erosion and flooding with a view to putting a national policy framework in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20867/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the lead State body for the coordination and implementation of Government policy on the management of flood risk in Ireland. The OPW is also the national authority for the implementation of the EU Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks. This role includes responsibility for defences and protection against coastal erosion.

I understand that the OPW has been asked to carry out an exercise to analyse and assess the nature and extent of the coastal erosion and flooding problem, to identify public bodies with relevant roles and responsibilities, and to make recommendations to Government on the structural arrangements required to address the issue at a strategic level.

I expect that my Department will be one of many public authorities included in the consultations required to carry out this exercise.

Departmental Advertising Expenditure

Questions (512)

Michael McGrath

Question:

512. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the costs incurred by his Department in respect of advertising in all forms to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21124/19]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled to the extent to which it can reasonably be collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A

My Department uses advertising and public information campaigns where there is important information that needs to be brought to the public’s attention. The advertising campaigns generally comprise traditional advertising methods including TV, radio and print as well as social media. Examples of these campaigns include modernisation of the Electoral Register and the national fire safety campaign.

The details requested by the Deputy are set out in the following table.

Amount	Advertising in respect of
€430.50	Met Éireann advert in National Ploughing Catalogue 2019
€10,479.11	Promotion of schemes available to bring vacant homes back into use
€19,726.23	Franchise
€112,082.71	Modernisation of Electoral Register
€57,874.53	National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management

City of Culture Initiative

Questions (513)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

513. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 23 of 10 April 2019, the breakdown of sponsorship raised by Galway 2020 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20432/19]

Written answers

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

A full breakdown of Galway 2020’s income and expenditure is reported to my Department on a quarterly basis as part of the Performance Delivery Agreement. As at 31 December 2018, the total received by Galway 2020 in sponsorship and in-kind support was €133,477. Following the next meeting of the Board on 17 May, my Department will receive the Quarter One 2019 monitoring report from Galway 2020 in the week beginning 20 May, and this will include an update on sponsorship, amongst other items.

The annual accounts for Galway 2020 is publicly available on the Galway 2020 website.

Galway 2020 commenced a large-scale fundraising drive in January this year with the appointment of Artichoke. Since then there has been sustained engagement with local, national and international businesses and it is my understanding that a number of potential partnerships are at an advanced stage of negotiation and Galway 2020 expects to make announcements in that regard in the coming weeks.

As is normal for projects of this scale, it is envisaged that the fundraising drive will continue throughout 2019, and into 2020, with funding achieved at different stages and attached to distinct elements of the project.

Arts and Culture Capital Scheme Funding

Questions (514)

Aindrias Moynihan

Question:

514. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the capital funding a theatre (details supplied) is being considered for; and if the 2016 €250,000 is the only committed capital at this point. [20450/19]

Written answers

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

My Department has committed €250,000 in principal to the Briery Gap theatre project which was awarded in 2017 under an arts and cultural capital scheme. This funding was awarded due to exceptional circumstances; as insurance did not cover the cost of the expected refurbishment funding and is subject to a number of conditions.

As I previously stated in February last, I understand that the Council's reinstatement proposal is significantly more ambitious than the available finance and the council has been in ongoing engagement with officials in my Department regarding the project and the funding shortfall.

National Parks Projects

Questions (515)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

515. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address a matter regarding a unit (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20513/19]

Written answers

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The Unit the Deputy refers to was originally an information point for the Park. The National Park is now served by a world- class visitor centre at Killarney House. This presents a gateway experience to Killarney National Park. It seeks to educate and encourage exploration and participation creating a link between the tangible and intangible heritage of the Park. Inhabiting 16 rooms within Killarney House, it is designed to offer visitors a multitude of experiences, creating an ebb and flow through the spaces so that every room offers something to explore. Creative highlights include a number of atmospheric and immersive spaces including an abstract representation of the different woodlands in the park, a multiscreen projection mapped film exploring the importance of water and a corridor of Rhododendron illustrating the threat to local flora.

With such an amenity available it is not therefore intended to re-open the Unit as an information point.

Consideration could be given in the future to re-purposing the Unit subject to a change of use application being made under the Planning and Development Acts. It would, however, require capital funding being re-directed from elsewhere in the Park and is therefore not an immediate priority.