Written Answers Nos. 393-412
393. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of registrations, inspections and permissions of short-term lettings that have taken place since July 2019, by month in tabular form; and the number of inspectors allocated to carry out inspections of short-term lettings in each local authority. [21088/20]
View answerThe Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 introduced legislative changes last year in relation to the regulation of short-term letting sector through the planning code to help address its impact on the supply of private rented accommodation, particularly in urban centres of high housing demand i.e. rent pressure zones (RPZs). 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 advertising such properties.
My Department has been in contact with each of the relevant local authorities in which RPZs are located throughout the year, and has requested regular updates on the enforcement and implementation of the Short Term Letting (STL) Regulations. Notwithstanding the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the workforce and workload of local authorities over recent months, as well as on the short-term letting market itself, this enforcement and implementation has continued to the extent possible.
The STL legislation does not require planning authorities to report statistical information to my Department regarding the receipt of notifications from concerned property owners of the letting of their properties on a home-sharing basis, thereby being eligible to avail of the exemption from the requirement to obtain planning permission, or the number of change of use planning applications that have been received further to the commencement of the provisions. Nor does it require information on the number of inspections carried out by the planning authorities.
However, as of 7 September 2020, updated STL statistics have been received from the following planning authorities:
|
Planning Authority |
Total no of properties identified as potentially in breach of STL regulations |
No of Form 15 (annual notification) received |
No of STL change of use planning applications received |
No of STL change of use planning permission granted |
No of warning letters issued (section 152) |
No. of additional staff employed on contract |
|
Carlow |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
Cork County |
Return awaited |
|||||
|
Cork City |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
DLR |
46 |
99 |
0 |
0 |
46 |
1 |
|
Dublin City |
466 |
334 |
32 |
0 |
466 |
12 |
|
Fingal |
825 |
59 |
0 |
0 |
37 |
|
|
Galway City |
0 |
31 |
5 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
|
Galway County |
Return awaited |
|||||
|
Kerry |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Kildare |
2 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny |
100 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laois |
43 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
0 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Louth |
159 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
36 |
2 |
|
Meath |
0 |
21 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Sligo |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
South Dublin |
61 |
31 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
N/A |
|
Waterford |
Return awaited |
|||||
|
Westmeath |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
45 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
28 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
1757 |
637 |
47 |
2 |
633 |
21 |
394. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to conduct a review of the vacant site tax. [21094/20]
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 08/2020 on 9 June 2020 requesting the submission of a further progress report on the implementation of the levy by each local authority.
My Department received a return from each of the 31 local authorities which indicated that as of 1 January 2020 there were 369 sites listed on local authority registers. These sites will be levied at 7% market valuation rate in 2021 unless works commence in the interim or their inclusion on the registers is successfully appealed.
The levy is not intended to be a revenue generating measure with the proceeds accruing to the relevant local authority rather than the Exchequer. The levy proceeds generated are specifically intended to be used by local authorities for the provision of housing and regeneration development in the local area in which vacant sites are located. No more than 10% of the levy monies received by planning authorities may be used on their administration costs in collecting the levy.
The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future commits to strengthening enforcement of the Vacant Site Levy and keeping the legislation under review. The responses provided by local authorities to the most recent progress report request are currently being examined by my Department to see, among other things, what further implementation supports may be required. My Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities and monitor implementation of the levy with a view to ensuring that it achieves its full potential.
395. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Land Development Agency will be subject to the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015. [21104/20]
View answerThe Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order (S.I. 352 of 2018, as amended by S.I. 603 of 2018) made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency.
The designation of categories of officials under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 is a matter for the Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform. Officials of the LDA are currently not designated as Designated Public Officials under the Act.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to “extend the lobbying register so that the lobbying of senior officials in bodies like the Central Bank of Ireland, Comreg, the NTA and the HSE which have significant policymaking or development functions will need to be reported on the same basis as central and local government ”. It is therefore a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in consultation with my Department, to consider whether it is appropriate to provide that the senior management of the LDA are designated as Designated Public Officials under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, in the context of this commitment.
396. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the provision being introduced to penalise tenants that have refused to pay rent while seeking the safeguard of emergency legislation on not terminating their lease and leaving a property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21111/20]
View answerFrom 1 August 2020, the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 provides new protections for tenants who have fallen into rent arrears, and as a result, are at risk of losing their tenancy. The Act recognises the impacts of unemployment and reduced working hours amongst those living in the residential rental sector as a result of Covid-19 and acknowledges the adverse impact on the ability of those impacted to meet their obligations to pay rent.
Tenants who are currently (or at any stage between 9 March 2020 and 10 January 2021):
- in receipt of (or entitled to receive) Illness Benefit for Covid-19 absence - further information available at -
https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/);
- in receipt of (or entitled to receive) the Temporary Wage Subsidy, Employment Wage Subsidy or any other social welfare payment or State support paid as a result of loss of earnings due to Covid-19 (this includes the rent supplement or a supplementary welfare allowance);
and
- at risk of losing their tenancy,
can receive additional protections to remain in their tenancy without any increase in rent until 11 January 2021. In order to qualify for these supports, tenants must fill in and sign a Self-Declaration form, available on the Residential Tenancies Boards (RTB) website - www.rtb.ie, if they meet the above criteria.
Under section 4(2) of the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020, a person who makes a declaration that is false or misleading in any material respect shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a Class B fine, with a value of between €2,500 and €4,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both.
The RTB and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) are working with tenants to outline the financial supports which may be available to enable the tenant to meet their rental obligations to sustain their tenancy.
Tenants are required to pay rent to their landlord and, in the event of tenants having difficulty doing so on foot of Covid-19, 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 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 urge tenants and landlords to discuss problems promptly, keep lines of communication open and respect each other’s positions. If the problem cannot be resolved, registered landlords and all tenants can apply to the RTB for dispute resolution. Further information is available on www.rtb.ie.
397. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason approvals for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme are being withdrawn by his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21153/20]
View answerThe Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme remains open for business. All local authorities are receiving and processing RIHL applications and are incorporating increased flexibility to accommodate applicants during the COVID 19 Pandemic.
As is the case with any lender, local authorities must lend mortgages on a prudent basis, taking into account the most recent income and employment data available. This is both for the protection of the lender and the borrower, in particular to seek to ensure that borrowers are not left with unsustainable debt burdens, as a mortgage is a long-term commitment. It would not be appropriate to lend when there is an identifiable risk that the person’s income and ability to pay might not return to the level required to support the borrowing requested.
The Covid-19 situation has had an unprecedented economic impact and unfortunately some applicants for the RIHL have been affected. In order to address this issue, my Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the process for dealing with applicants already in the application/approval process whose economic circumstances have changed for the worse. These options could include reducing, suspending or withdrawing the amount that can be borrowed. However, there is no one size fits all approach, it depends on the individual circumstances.
Nevertheless, the fact that an applicant’s income is supported by the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) is a factor that must be taken into account. As noted on Revenue’s website, employers’ participation in the scheme is ‘a declaration which states that, based on reasonable projections, there will be, as a result of disruption to the business caused or to be caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a decline of at least 25% in the future turnover of, or customer orders for, the business for the duration of the pandemic and that as a result the employer cannot pay normal wages and outgoings fully but nonetheless wants to retain its employees on the payroll.’ Given that the ability to repay a mortgage is based upon a careful assessment of an applicant’s employment situation, the fact that their employer has declared that they are unable to pay normal wages must be taken into consideration.
Therefore, on 6 July, my Department issued a Circular including additional guidance on the treatment of persons whose employers avail of the TWSS as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Where such persons are approved for a RIHL loan, draw down would not commence until their unsupported income post TWSS has returned to the level specified in the original application for a period of time, usually up to three months. This is line with the requirement to lend prudently. Local authorities can, however, use their judgement and knowledge of local employers to advance loans to applicants before the end of this three-month period, where appropriate.
There are exceptions to this approach. In the case of a joint application where only one party is on TWSS, the application can also proceed to drawdown if repayment capacity can be assured based on the other person’s income.
For applicants whose post-TWSS income is lower (e.g. due to reduced hours) than stated on their application, their application can be re-assessed to determine the most appropriate borrowing amount for them. In addition, persons currently on the TWSS can continue to apply for a RIHL mortgage based on their pre-TWSS 19 Income. This will provide clarity to applicants regarding their eligibility for the loan and will enable them to commence the property search.
398. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the annual cost of family hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21162/20]
View answer399. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost to set a 14 day-limit on stays in family hubs to ensure all families are moved to more sustainable accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21163/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 399 together.
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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities.
In relation to the operational funding for the family hubs, my Department provides funding to housing authorities on a regional basis towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services. Under the funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless related services outside of the funding arrangements with my Department. Therefore, the exact amounts spent by housing authorities on homeless services are a matter for those authorities. In addition, the cost of operating individual hubs will vary based on factors such as a the location and numbers of families being accommodated in the hub. Financial reports from each of the regions, setting out expenditure on homeless services, including family hubs, in each region in 2019, are published on my Department's website at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/search/sub-type/financial-report.
In general, the operation of family hubs is contracted out by local authorities, under service level agreements, to NGOs involved in the delivery of homeless services. Local authorities and their NGO service providers work with families in family hubs to secure tenancies in the shortest timeframe possible. The time spent in the hub will depend on the housing requirements and preferences of individual families, in addition to the supply of properties in the relevant local authority area. As families are provided with accommodation until such time as a home is secured, it is not possible to provide costings based on a 14-day limit on the duration of a stay in a family hub.
400. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of land owned by the State that has been zoned for residential development; the estimated number of housing units that could be built on such land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21164/20]
View answerGiven the diversity of state bodies and agencies and multiplicity of landholdings for a range of different purposes, there isn’t currently one central comprehensive database of all lands in state ownership. It is not, therefore, possible to conclusively identify all such lands that may be zoned for residential development or to estimate the total number of houses that could be built on such land.
As part of its remit, the Land Development Agency (LDA) is working to develop an inventory of state owned lands to allow for better management of these State land assets, including their strategic planning and urban regeneration potential. This database will contain information on relevant public lands including location, mapping and title. It is intended that the forthcoming LDA Bill will provide that all state bodies will be obliged to assist the LDA in the compilation of the database, were appropriate.
The LDA has an immediate focus on managing the State’s own lands, as they are released, to develop new homes. In the longer-term, the LDA will assemble strategic land-banks. in order to bring essential long-term stability to the Irish housing market. On establishment, the LDA has been given access to an initial tranche of nine sites that have near-term delivery potential for 3,600 new homes.
This will build on work that was completed under the Rebuilding Ireland Strategy, in relation to a State Lands Map which includes site details and information on over 700 local authority and Housing Agency owned sites amounting to approximately 1,700 hectares in total. This equates to a capacity (based on a national average of 35 units per hectare) of 59,500 housing units. The Rebuilding Ireland land map is available at https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/
Initiatives underway to develop housing on State lands, include the Service Sites Fund (SSF) which has a total of €310 million available support local authorities in developing affordable housing projects and ongoing work being undertaken by Local Authorities to progress the development of new social housing on lands in their ownership, through their social housing construction programmes.
More details of the social housing construction programmes can be found in the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q4 2019 and was published on 14 May 2020. This report is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at https://rebuildingireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Construction-Status-Report-Q4-2019-1.pdf
With regard to the quantum of all lands zoned for residential development nationally, my Department, in conjunction with local authority planning departments, published a Residential Land Availability Survey in February 2015, covering all lands zoned for residential development in statutory local authority development plans and local area plans across Ireland. The survey showed the location and quantity of lands that may be regarded as being undeveloped and available for residential development purposes in each local authority area, but did not include details of whether the lands were in public ownership or owned privately, or whether they were fully serviced for development purposes.
The aggregate area of all such private and public land identified in 2015 amounted to 17,434 hectares which, given a range of densities applicable to whether the lands are in small villages or in larger towns and cities and as determined by the relevant local authorities, was estimated to ultimately enable the construction of in excess of 400,000 dwellings.
401. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of households as opposed to the number of new HAP tenancies each year in receipt of HAP for the most recent date available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21165/20]
View answerAt the end of Q2 2020, 78,922 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which 56,548 households were actively in receipt of HAP support.
402. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the annual cost of moving all residents in direct provision to own-door housing covered by the housing assistance payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21166/20]
View answerAt the end of Q2 2020, the average monthly exchequer cost for a Housing Assistance Payment tenancy was €665, or €7,980 annually. This represents the portion paid by the State after the receipt of the differential rent paid by the tenant to the local authority, additional administration costs would also apply. Costing information in relation to residents of direct provision centres would be dependent on various factors, including current and projected numbers and types of households. As responsibility for direct provision falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, detailed questions relating to costing for numbers in Direct Provision are best referred to that Department.
403. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost to increase resources to local authorities to increase the rate of private rent inspections from less than 8% to 20% per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21167/20]
View answerThe Strategy for the Rental Sector set out a series of measures to be introduced to ensure the quality of private rental accommodation by strengthening the applicable standards and improving the inspection and enforcement systems.
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 the safety of gas, oil and electrical supply. My Department also published a guidance document to assist and support local authorities in implementing these Regulations.
All landlords 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.
The Rental Strategy recognises the need for additional resources to be provided to local authorities to aid increased inspections of properties and ensure greater compliance with the Regulations. Provision was made for €2.5 million to be made available to local authorities in 2018, to aid increased inspections of rental properties, increasing to €4.5 million in 2019 with corresponding inspection rate targets of 10% and 15% respectively. This has enabled local authorities to build inspection capacity incrementally. Significant progress has been made across the sector. The number of inspections more than doubled from 19,645 in 2017 to 40,998 in 2019.
The 2020 inspection rate target is 20% and €6 million of Exchequer funding has been made available to local authorities, with the intention of a further increase next year to facilitate a targeted inspection rate of 25% of registered tenancies in 2021.
Detailed information in relation to inspections carried out by each Local Authority since 2005, can be found on my Department's website at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/private-housing-market-statistics
404. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority voids by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21168/20]
View answerThere is always a level of vacancy in local authority housing stock that fluctuates over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock takes place on an ongoing basis. My Department actively encourages local authorities to ensure all vacant properties in their stock are brought back into use as expeditiously as possible. Local authorities also provide significant funding from their own resources to address the level of vacancy within the social housing stock.
Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting. Some €172.3million has been recouped to local authorities under the Voids Programme between 2014 and 2019 inclusive which resulted in 12,495 units being returned to productive use.
In relation to the Voids Programme for 2020 and arising from the impact of COVID-19, there was an initial call for proposals for COVID-19 Voids funding. Local authorities have received funding approval of €5million in an effort to return 500 approved units to productive use.
On 30 July, I announced extra funding for voids, as part of the July stimulus package, to support local authority work in this area to target approximately 2,500 units. My Department has now approved 2,362 units based on detailed submissions received from local authorities with a combined cost of over €39 million, and will continue to work to the overall target.
The National Oversight & Audit Commission (NOAC) reviews the social housing stock level in local authorities every year, including the number of vacant local authority houses at a particular point in time. NOAC’s activities in this regard are published in its Annual Performance Indicator Reports. The most recent report, relating to 2018, is available on the NOAC website and can be accessed at the following link (see Appendix 2):http://noac.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NOAC-Performance-Indicator-Report-2018-1.pdf.
405. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if emergency funding will be made available, in addition to funds announced to date, in order to supplement local authority budgets in order to defer a possible increase to the local property tax whilst the Covid-19 pandemic is having such a detrimental impact on the economy and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21248/20]
View answerThe elected councils are responsible for all budgetary decisions of local authorities, including Local Property Tax (LPT) variation decisions, the Annual Rate on Valuation for commercial rates and charges associated with services provided. Adoption of the annual budget is a reserved function.
LPT variation decisions must be finalised by local authorities by 30 September in order to take effect for the 2021 liability year. There are certain factors that a local authority is legislatively bound to take into account when deciding whether or not to vary the LPT rate for a given year, including expected income and expenditure, accumulated assets and liabilities and the impact of any variation on their local area. The decision is not one that can be taken without considering its implications, as it has a direct impact on the level of funding available and on the ability of the local authority to deliver services.
My Department continues to assist local authorities with the financial challenges they are experiencing since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, including cash flow support by bringing forward payments where possible, in order to ensure that the services that local authorities deliver can be maintained.
It is recognised that additional costs are being incurred by local authorities in relation to Covid-19. Local authorities have been advised to capture all related costs in their financial systems to aid financial analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on the local government sector, which will inform decisions on funding. In the meantime, my Department continues to keep local authority income, expenditure and cash flow under review and will continue to work with all local authorities, both collectively and individually, on issues arising.
406. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a map of the rent pressure zones in Cork city and county. [21258/20]
View answerSection 24A of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered for designation as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. For the purpose of the Act, ‘area’ is defined as either the administrative area of a housing authority or a local electoral area within the meaning of section 2 of the Local Government Act 2001.
Detailed information in relation to Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) along with a map of all designated RPZs (Cork City and County included) can be found on my Department's website at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/private-rented-housing/rent-pressure-zones
407. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason rent caps have not been reviewed in relation to the housing assistant payment since it was introduced in 2016; his plans to review same in view of ongoing national increases in rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21272/20]
View answerIncreased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rent Supplement Scheme were introduced in 2016. These limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DEASP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre. The HAP rent limits were increased significantly, in the order of 60% in some cases.
Maximum rent limits for the HAP scheme are set out for each housing authority area by the Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017. The current maximum HAP rent limits 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.
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. 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.
In considering this issue, 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.
The 2020 target for additional Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) set-ups is 15,750 and at the end of Q2 2020, 7,825 HAP tenancies had been set up (49%).
I will continue to keep the matter under review.
408. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the inspections and reporting being carried out by homeless accommodation providers to ensure the standards set out in the national quality standards framework are being met and that a full social care model is being pursued. [21449/20]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level.
The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) for homeless services has been developed to ensure a consistent approach in how local authorities and service providers respond to the needs of those experiencing homelessness and to improve the quality of services provided. In general, the operation of emergency accommodation facilities is contracted out by local authorities, under service level agreements, to NGOs involved in the delivery of homeless services. Monitoring and inspection of services under the National Quality Standards Framework are a matter for the individual local authorities. My Department does hold the details requested by the Deputy.
409. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the delineated rates of existing homelessness for private and charity run homeless accommodation providers, respectively. [21450/20]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis.
I assume that the Deputy's question refers to the rates of exits from homelessness. Quarterly performance reports are submitted to my Department which provide information on the numbers of adults exiting homelessness to a tenancy. My Department publishes a Homeless Quarterly Progress Report, which includes details of exits from homelessness each quarter. The most recent Progress Report for Quarter 2 2020 shows that a total of 3,033 adults exited homelessness to a tenancy in the first six months of the year. This report is published on my Departments website at https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/homeless_quarterly_progress_report_q2_2020.pdf
My Department does not hold details on rates of exiting homelessness from private or charity services.
410. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the policy restrictions on planning for one-off, eco-friendly housing in rural areas by non-locals; the reason for the restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21451/20]
View answerUnder the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, planning authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing and haphazard development, particularly in those areas near cities and towns that are under pressure from urban generated development.
The Guidelines identify four rural area types in respect of which planning authorities may formulate policies for ‘urban generated’ and ‘rural generated’ rural housing. Section 3.2.3 of the Guidelines suggests that in areas “under major urban influence”, planning authorities may define “rural generated” housing need for “Persons who are an intrinsic part of the rural community” and for “Persons working full-time or part-time in rural areas”.
The National Planning Framework (the NPF) provides an important strategic basis for interpreting the 2005 Guidelines. National Policy Objective (NPO) 15 of the NPF fully supports the concept of the sustainable development of rural areas by encouraging growth and arresting decline in areas that have experienced low population growth or decline in recent decades, while simultaneously indicating the need to manage certain areas around cities and towns that are under strong urban influence and under pressure from uncoordinated and ribbon-type development, in order to avoid over-development of those areas.
National Policy Objective 15 is supplemented by National Policy Objective 19, which aims to ensure that a policy distinction is made between areas experiencing significant overspill development pressure from urban areas, particularly within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment, and other remoter and weaker rural areas where population levels may be low and or declining. NPF Policy NPO19 is intended to tie in with the generally established Guidelines approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need may be applied by planning authorities in rural areas under urban influence.
The 2005 Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines are framed in the context of the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) 2002. Given the many changes in policy and in wider society since 2002/5, the superseding of the NSS by the National Planning Framework (NPF) in 2018, together with other factors, the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines now require updating, in a broader rural development and settlement context. While these documents do not make specific reference to ‘eco-friendly’ housing, current building regulations separately require that all new houses, irrespective of whether they are rural or otherwise, must meet much higher construction and energy standards than heretofore.
My Department intends to bring forward updated and comprehensive Guidelines that will fully reflect NPF objectives and will bring clarity to the issue of rural housing. In the interim, the NPF objectives together with the 2005 Guidelines, enable planning authorities to continue to draft and adopt county development plan policies for one-off housing in rural areas.
411. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to implement the recommendations for the reform of planning made in the first report of the Just Transition Commissioner (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21491/20]
View answerI understand that the Question refers to the interim recommendation made in the first progress report of the Just Transition Commissioner, published 22 May 2020, in respect of planning and licensing regulation as apply to peat extraction, in particular the need to consider a fast-track ‘one-stop-shop’ arrangement for planning, licensing and regulatory compliance and the development of greater cohesion and coordination in this regard.
I acknowledge the complexity of the current dual system of planning regulation and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Integrated Pollution Licensing for large-scale commercial peat extraction, which primarily derive from adjustments made to ensure compliance with EU environmental legislation. The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, with the assistance of my Department, is engaged in addressing these complexities, with the aim of streamlining the peat extraction consenting process, as recommended by the Government’s National Peatlands Strategy 2015 and informed by the Commissioner’s Report.
412. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a request from the chief fire officer in County Louth has been received seeking approval to commence the capital process of developing the new fire station in Dunleer, County Louth; if so, the time frame for when the project will progress and commence construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21549/20]
View answerThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.
In February 2016, my Department announced a five-year Fire Services Capital Programme with an allocation of €40 million, based on an annual €8 million allocation, to be used for the purchase of fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, an upgrade of the Communications and Mobilisation system and improvements to Training Centres.
A new fire station at Dunleer is included in the Capital Programme, with an estimated commencement date this year. Identification of potential sites, determination of suitability of sites for a fire station and acquisition of an optimal site is being undertaken by Louth County Council. My Department received correspondence on this from the Council on 12 June 2020 and will continue to work with the Council to progress this project in accordance with the schedule set out in the Capital Programme.
