Written Answers Nos. 906-925
906. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will make contact with the Property Registration Authority office in County Roscommon to expedite an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12301/20]
View answerIn relation to any specific cases with the Property Registration Authority (PRA), arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. Further information in relation to the specific case referred to may be obtained by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of the PRA at reps@prai.ie.
907. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of entire homes listed for short-term let on sites such as that of a company (details supplied); the number of persons that have more than one entire property for let on short-term let sites; if these data are not available, if he will request same from the companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12332/20]
View answerMy Department does not collate data in relation to accommodation let on a short term basis for tourism purposes.
New planning legislative reforms to regulate the short term letting sector - as provided for in the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 and supplementary regulations which I made entitled the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 - came into effect on 1 July 2019.
The primary objective of the legislative changes is aimed at regulating short-term letting through the planning code in the context of its impact on the supply of private rented accommodation particularly in urban centres of high housing demand i.e. rent pressure zones. The planning system facilitates the regulation of such short-term letting uses undertaken by the individual carrying out the activity, i.e. the owner/occupier of the house or apartment, rather than the online platforms. It is worth pointing out that these new planning laws go further than what was proposed by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government when it considered this matter. In fact, they go further than similar laws in most comparable jurisdictions.
I am not opposed to the broader regulation of tourism activity, including the possible development of a new regulatory or licensing/registration system for commercial platforms and short-term letting agents which was recommended in the final Working Group report on the regulation of short-term lettings. However, this is beyond the scope of the planning code and my remit. I corresponded with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the possible implementation of the recommendation which would fall to him to progress. It will be a matter for the incoming Government to decide on any further actions it may wish to take in relation to the possible regulation of online platforms.
908. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will consider establishing a commission or working group to examine street names that are linked to slave owners and establish a process for appropriate replacements through public consultation; if he will provide guidance to local authorities on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12335/20]
View answerUnder Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, decisions to adopt a proposal to substitute a new place name in respect of a place, including the name of a street, and decisions to hold a ballot of qualified electors in respect of a proposal to change a place name, are reserved functions of local councils.
Following the enactment of the Local Government Act 2019, the relevant provisions of Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, have been commenced. This allows for new regulations to be made to provide for the holding of ballots for the purpose of changing place names.
Before making such regulations, however, it is necessary to ensure that the provisions of the 2001 Act and provisions relating to place names under Part 5 of the Official Languages Act 2003, which is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, operate effectively together. Accordingly, my Department is engaging with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht on this matter and seeking legal advice prior to the finalisation of the necessary regulations.
909. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to provide an update on his work in terms of "disability proofing" the planning process; how he intends to make access to amenities for people with a disability a priority in the planning process; how he plans to improve consultation with disability groups on such matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12345/20]
View answerAccess to amenities for people with a disability is addressed by a cross-cutting combination of requirements and measures related to rights, building regulations, universal design, planning consultation, development plan objectives and road and street design:-
Access to amenities such as public buildings, public services and heritage sites is provided for under Part 3 of the Disability Act 2005 which is under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality.
In addition, there are Building Regulations requirements for new buildings and extensions or material alterations to existing buildings, to comply with the legal minimum performance standards set out in the Building Regulations 1997 - 2019. In this context, the Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010, and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use (2010), which came into effect on 1 January 2012, set out the minimum statutory requirements that a building must achieve in respect of access. The TGDs are available on my Department’s website at http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/building-standards/tgd-part-d-materials-and-workmanship/technical-guidance-documents.
The requirements of Part M aim to ensure that regardless of a persons’ age, size or disability:
- new buildings other than dwellings are accessible and usable;
- extensions to existing buildings other than dwellings are, where practicable, accessible and useable;
- material alterations to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings, where practicable;
- certain changes of use to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings where practicable; and
- new dwellings are visitable.
Part M of the Building Regulations aims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. While the Part M requirements may be regarded as a statutory minimum level of provision, the accompanying technical guidance encourages building owners and designers to have regard to the design philosophy of universal design and to consider making additional provisions, where practicable and appropriate. Separate to requirements under the Building Regulations, the building control regulations require, in the case of commercial buildings and apartment blocks, that a Disability Access Certificate be obtained from the local building control authority.
Guidance on how to design, build and manage buildings and spaces so that they can be readily accessed and used by everyone, regardless of age, size, ability or disability is available in 'Building for Everyone, A Universal Design Approach', published by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority (NDA). The publication may be accessed at www.nda.ie.
The preparation of city and county development plans is entirely separate to Building Regulations. As part of all statutory plan processes, including city or county development plans and local area plans, planning authorities “must take whatever measures are considered necessary to consult with the public and interested bodies”, that include disability groups and this is generally the case in practice.
It is a mandatory requirement of the Planning and Development act 2000 (as amended) that county development plans include objectives for “the integration of the planning and sustainable development of the area with the social, community and cultural requirements of the area and its population”, with “facilities for the elderly and for persons with disabilities”, purposes for which objectives may be included in a development plan.
Each of the thirty-one local authorities must prepare a city or county development plan every six years, as well as more area or town-focused local area plans.
The Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS), was jointly prepared by the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) and the then Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG) in 2013 and was recently updated in May 2019. The DMURS manual responds to the principles of universal design, as outlined in documents including ‘Building for Everyone, A Universal Design Approach’, referred to above.
Safety and mobility for all pedestrians, is a core objective of DMURS. There are two overarching ways within which DMURS seeks to achieve this.
1. DMURS requires designers to place pedestrians at the top of the design hierarchy.
2. DMURS provides designers with the tools to create of self-regulating streets which calm traffic and increase pedestrian mobility.
By putting the needs of pedestrian at the forefront of street design, DMURS is intended to meet the needs of the most vulnerable of users, such as children, older people and those who have a visual or mobility-related disability. The principles, approaches and standards set out in DMURS apply to the design of all urban roads and streets (that is streets and roads with a speed limit of 60 km/h or less), except (a) motorways or (b) in exceptional circumstances, certain urban roads and streets with the written consent of the NTA, TII or DTTAS.
910. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if there will be an extension to the rent freeze beyond 30 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12352/20]
View answer926. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to extend the ban evictions launched during the Covid-19 crisis to the end of 2020 in view of the intense hardship many households are experiencing and the positive impact the ban has had on homelessness numbers. [12611/20]
View answer927. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to extend freezes on rent reviews for residential tenancies until at least the end of 2020 in view of the intense hardship many households are experiencing and the positive impact the ban has had on homelessness numbers. [12612/20]
View answer929. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to address the rising number of tenants with rent arrears accrued due to the Covid-19 crisis and the calls by housing advocates for an amnesty of these arrears to avoid increased homelessness and poverty among tenants. [12614/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 910, 926, 927 and 929 together.
With effect from 27 March 2020, under new emergency measures introduced into law to protect tenants during the COVID-19 emergency period, tenants cannot be forced to leave their rental accommodation, other than in exceptional circumstances. The measures also prohibit any increase to rent for the duration of the emergency period. These emergency laws initially applied for a period of 3 months from the enactment of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 but, on my request, the Government, by Order, has extended their application until 20 July 2020.
Under the legislation, the process for any extension of the COVID-19 emergency period involves the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government requesting the Government to make an Order, having consulted with the Minister for Health and with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Government must consider it appropriate and be satisfied that it is in the public interest to extend the emergency period having regard to:
- the threat to public health;
- the highly contagious nature of COVID-19; and
- the need to restrict the movement of persons to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Tenants are required to pay rent to their landlord during the COVID-19 emergency period and, in the event of tenants having difficulty doing so, they are encouraged to engage with their landlords at the earliest opportunity. They should also engage with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) as income supports and Rent Supplement are available to assist them. Further information on these supports can be found by calling the DEASP Income Support Helpline for Covid-19 on 1890 800 024 or by visiting the DEASP website at:
https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/?referrer=https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/home.aspx.
My Department and the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) urge landlords to consider the negative impacts of COVID-19 on their tenants and to show forbearance where temporary rent arrears might arise. I have asked my Department to undertake a piece of research on the potential accumulation of rent arrears during the emergency period in conjunction with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) as part of the established Department/ESRI housing research programme. The research will have regard to the range of rental and income supports being made available to those affected by COVID-19, and will assess the combined impact that these supports together with the changed consumption patterns have on the incidence of arrears.
My Department recently published a Guidance Document on COVID-19 supports for landlords and tenants, which sets out the emergency rental measures and income and other supports available to tenants and landlords during the emergency period. The Guidance document is available at: https://onestopshop.rtb.ie/images/uploads/general/COVID_Update_Guidance_Document_final.pdf
and a list of Frequently Asked Questions has been developed and is available at:
https://onestopshop.rtb.ie/images/uploads/Comms%20and%20Research/FAQs_on_Emergency_Legislation_Final.pdf .
During the emergency period, a landlord can still serve their tenant with a warning notice if their tenant is in rent arrears or otherwise failing to fulfil their obligations. The landlord must give their tenant 28 days, rather than the usual 14 days, from receipt of a rent arrears warning notice to pay the arrears. The longer rent arrears warning notice during the emergency period is intended to afford more time for tenants to seek any necessary income support. A notice of tenancy termination cannot be served by a landlord during the emergency period for any reason.
The RTB is encouraging all customers who may require assistance or advice, including in relation to any threatened eviction, to contact them via their web chat service as there may be delays to their phone lines during the emergency period. The webchat service can be accessed at the following link:
https://onestopshop.rtb.ie/contact-us/.
911. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons on the HAP scheme in County Tipperary; and the cost of HAP payments in the county since 2014. [12369/20]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2019, over 71,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 52,500 households actively in receipt of HAP support and over 30,000 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme.
The HAP scheme was rolled out in four waves between September 2014 and March 2017. Tipperary County Council was part of wave 2 to participate in the HAP scheme, joining in June 2015. Over the period 2015 to end 2019 more than 2,800 households have been supported in Co. Tipperary under the HAP scheme of which 1,778 tenancies were active as at end Q4 2019.
A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP in each local authority area from 2014 to the end of 2019 is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision
HAP is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. Limerick City and County Council provides a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. This HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord.
Details of the number of active HAP tenancies and the average monthly landlord payment at the end of Quarter 4 2019 are set out in the table below.
|
Local Authority |
Active tenancies as at end 2019 |
Average Monthly Landlord Payment |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1,778 |
€500 |
912. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of private rental inspections of HAP properties carried out by Limerick City and County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [12377/20]
View answer913. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of private rental inspections of RAS properties carried out by Limerick City and County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [12378/20]
View answer914. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of private rental inspections of rent allowance properties carried out by Limerick City and County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [12379/20]
View answer915. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of private rental inspections of unassisted renters' properties carried out by Limerick City and County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [12380/20]
View answer916. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of private rental inspections of fixed-term tenancy properties carried out by Limerick City and County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [12381/20]
View answer917. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of private rental inspections of approved housing bodies properties carried out by Limerick City and County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [12382/20]
View answer918. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of private rental inspections of sub-letters properties carried out by Limerick City and County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [12383/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 912 to 918, inclusive, together.
The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented residential accommodation.
All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties, regardless of tenancy type, comply with these regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.
In relation to private rental inspections of rent allowance properties, unassisted renters' properties, fixed-term tenancy properties, approved housing bodies properties and sub-letters properties the information requested is not reported by local authorities to my Department and is not available.
The number of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) properties inspected by Limerick City and County Council, for compliance with the minimum standards in rental accommodation, is available from 2018 to the end of March 2020 and is set out in the table below.
|
Year |
RAS |
HAP |
|
2018 |
317 |
838 |
|
2019 |
509 |
1,002 |
|
Q1 2020 |
200 |
243 |
Detailed information in relation to inspections carried out by each local authority since 2005 is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/private-housing-market-statistics
919. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he has shared the Moorhead report with members of the Opposition in Dáil Éireann; and when the report will be published. [12453/20]
View answerThe report of the Independent Review of the Role and Remuneration of Elected Members, led by Ms Sara Moorhead SC, was brought to Government on Friday, 19 June 2020, and then published. The Report has been circulated to all local authority elected members and to members of both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Report is available on the Department's website at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/local-government/administration/payscales/independent-review-role-and-remuneration-local-authority-0
920. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the detail of the threshold cap for eligibility to social housing, particularly the way in which a family in County Clare with seven children that is in receipt of social welfare payments is judged to be over the housing threshold cap and therefore cannot avail of social housing or supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12505/20]
View answerApplications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The 2011 Regulations do not provide local authorities with any discretion to exceed the limits that apply to their administrative areas.
Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all local authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Pension-Related Deductions within the meaning of Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and local authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature.
The income bands are expressed in terms of a maximum net income threshold for a single-person household, with an allowance of 5% for each additional adult household member, subject to a maximum allowance under this category of 10%; and 2.5% for each child, subject to a maximum allowance under this category of 10%. The maximum net income threshold for Clare County Council is €25,000 for a single person or €30,000 for a household of three adults and four children.
Details on the maximum net income limits for each local authority are outlined in the Departments website and can be found at the below link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/table_with_2016_income_limits.pdf
The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. It is important to note that the limits introduced at that time also reflected a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn, both promoting sustainable communities and also providing a degree of future-proofing.
Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support. The current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this, providing for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households facing the greatest challenge in meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources.
However, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of income eligibility for social housing supports in each local authority area is underway. The review will also have regard to current initiatives being brought forward in terms of affordability and cost rental and will be completed when the impacts of these parallel initiatives have been considered.
921. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason the HAP threshold for housing assistance has not been reviewed since 2016 in view of the fact rents continue to rise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12506/20]
View answerMaximum rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are set for each housing authority area by the Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017, which are available on the Irish Statute Book website at the following link:
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/56/made/en/print?q=housing&years=2017 .
The HAP limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP). In reviewing rent limits, the Department worked closely with the DEASP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre. The new rent limits set in the Regulations involved reflected significant increases on previous limits, in the order of 60% in some areas.
Local authorities also have discretion, because of local rental market conditions, to exceed the maximum rent limit by up to 20%, or up to 50% in the Dublin region for those households either in, or at immediate risk of, homelessness. The additional discretion available to homeless households recognises the difficulty this cohort of households face in sourcing and securing properties in a highly competitive rental market. It should be noted that it is a matter for the local authority to determine whether the application of the flexibility is warranted on a case by case basis and also the level of additional discretion applied in each case.
At end 2019, 42.7% of the total number of households being supported by HAP were benefiting from the additional flexibility. When the additional discretion available to homeless households in the Dublin region is removed, 36.0% of households nationally were benefiting from the additional flexibility. In those cases, the average rate of discretionary payment being used was 16.6% above rent limits provided. This increases to 22.5% when the Dublin region homeless area data is included.
I am conscious that increasing the current HAP rent limits could have negative inflationary impacts, leading to a detrimental impact on the wider rental market, including for those households who are not receiving HAP support.
My Department closely monitors the level of discretion being used by local authorities, taking into account other sources of data, including Residential Tenancies Board rent data published on a quarterly basis. I am satisfied that the current maximum rent limits, together with the additional flexibility available to local authorities, are generally sufficient to support the effective operation of the HAP scheme. However, my Department will continue to keep the matter under review.
922. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason a person who has been deemed homeless must wait until after being assessed for local authority social housing via the local authority housing unit before supports are granted; the reason this process has not been amended during Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12508/20]
View answerThe primary purpose of social housing support is to assist the provision of suitable accommodation for households who have a long term housing need but who are unable to secure accommodation from their own resources. It is open to any person or household to apply to a local authority for social housing support. However, in order to qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list, an applicant must be assessed by the authority in accordance with the statutory eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. These criteria are applied by all local authorities in assessing individual households for support.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities.
Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard. Any person regarded as homeless may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation without the requirement to undergo a social housing assessment; these arrangements give local authorities the flexibility that is essential to respond quickly and effectively to the various needs of cases that may arise.
Depending on the circumstances, where a person is homeless or at risk of homelessness, it may be open to a household to apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for rent supplement, which provides income support to those with short term housing needs.
If the household has a long term housing need, it may be appropriate to apply for social housing supports but a full social housing assessment will be necessary as the supports are granted on a long-term basis and the assessment considers both eligibility and housing need so the appropriate housing supports can be provided.
Local authorities have continued to carry out social housing assessments during the pandemic and have been making every effort to conduct such assessments quickly. Where issues did arise in relation to obtaining forms at the outset of the pandemic, my Department implemented temporary changes to the process to allow for assessments to progress without delay.
923. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to issues with funding for the Rebuilding Ireland loan fund for 2020. [12529/20]
View answerThe Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) was launched on 1 February 2018. When the RIHL was initially being developed, it was estimated that the drawdown of loans under the scheme would be approximately €200 million over three years. The RIHL proved to be more successful than initially anticipated and following discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, an increase in funding to €363.6 million for 2018-2019 was communicated to all 31 local authorities on 15th August 2019.
Following further engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, additional funding for new lending of up to €210 million has been secured to ensure the continuation of the RIHL in 2020. Details of their 2020 allocations have been communicated to all 31 local authorities.
924. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the issues brought to his attention by Galway city and county councils in the recent update provided by the two local authorities in respect of the vacant site levy; if copies of the two updates furnished by the local authorities will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12555/20]
View answerMy Department proactively engages with local authorities with a view to ensuring that the vacant site levy achieves its full potential in terms of bringing concerned sites into productive use. In this regard, my Department issued Circular Letter PL 09/2019 on 13 November 2019 requesting the submission of a progress report on the implementation of the levy by each local authority.
The returns from the local authorities indicated that, as of 31 October 2019, there were 359 sites listed on local authority vacant site registers.
The progress report from Galway City Council indicated that it had 6 sites populated on it's register on 31 October 2019 with market valuations yet to be attached to the sites in question. A recent review of Galway City Council’s register shows that these valuations have since been attached to the sites in question.
In its progress report, Galway County Council noted a delay in varying its Development Plan to include an objective relating to the regeneration of, and provision of housing in, designated areas in accordance with section 10(2)(h) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, to facilitate its implementation of the vacant site levy. However, it has completed preparatory work in relation to the identification of suitable sites for the application of the levy.
The Council further noted that given the generally more rural nature of Galway County, there may be less scope to apply the levy in its functional area having regard to the criteria that must be satisfied to apply the levy. The primary purpose of the levy is to incentivise the activation of development of vacant sites in urban areas for housing and regeneration purposes, thereby bringing the sites into productive use. In certain local authority areas, particularly in more rural/ low population counties, housing need may not be as acute as in larger urban areas. Consequently, where the levy criteria are not satisfied in certain areas, there is justification for non-application of the levy in those areas. Currently 8 local authorities have not included sites on their registers.
A further Circular Letter PL 08/2020 in relation to progress on Implementation of the vacant site levy issued on 9 June 2020 and is available at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/pl_08-2020_progress_on_implementation_of_the_vacant_site_levy.pdf
I will arrange for copies of the 2019 progress reports submitted by Galway City Council and Galway County Council to be made available to the Deputy.
925. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will issue guidance to local authorities to outline in clear terms the forms of mortgage protection insurance that should be acceptable for applicants to the Rebuilding Ireland programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12583/20]
View answerThe local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986, including the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan introduced on 1 February 2018. Mortgage protection insurance is charged at the rate of 0.555%.
It is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to join the scheme, which is a group policy. Altering this condition would have a negative impact on the scheme and increase the cost for all existing borrowers.
A local authority housing loan applicant who is not eligible for the local authority MPI scheme must source a suitable comparable individual MPI policy from the market. The level of coverage/benefits provided under the alternative MPI should be similar to that available under the Local Authority Group MPI
The final decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants.
