Written Answers Nos. 293-313
293. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a value for money evaluation has been carried out with respect to leasing of social housing; if so, if he will publish same; his plans to seek independent valuations in advance of entering into long-term lease arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22993/21]
View answerA spending review and analysis of capital and current expenditure on housing supports has been carried out by the Irish Government Economic & Evaluation Service (IGEES) staff within the Department of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, published in July 2018. This report focuses on the comparative analysis of delivery streams particularly related to cost effectiveness, including leasing. This report can be found at the following link:
https://igees.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/19.-Current-and-Capital-Expenditure-on-Social-Housing-Delivery.pdf
This Report found that the net present cost (NPC) of delivery through leasing varies nationwide and can, in specific areas, be above or below the NPC of delivery through construction or acquisition. There are a number of factors to consider, along with cost, when considering whether leasing is good value in the long term for the State, such as the overall mix of delivery, the speed of delivery, the quality and appropriateness of the accommodation, sectoral capacity and flexibility, the availability of capital and the availability of land.
While the Government’s objective is to focus strongly on local authority led build activity, long-term leasing is an important option available to local authorities to supplement delivery and secure high quality social housing on a long-term basis. Lease payments are paid to the property owner based on a discounted market rent, with the level of discount reflecting the variation in maintenance and management responsibilities taken on by the owner. The maximum lease term is 25 years and rents are reviewed every 3 years linked to the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP).
The standard long-term leasing programme has been in operation for over 10 years and has a well-established assessment protocol. Local authorities have delegated sanction to lease up to four dwellings. All proposals to lease five or more dwellings must be submitted to my Department for approval. These proposals must be accompanied by an independent valuation of the market rent for the properties, carried out by, or commissioned and paid for by, the relevant local authority. The Enhanced Leasing Scheme was launched in 2018 and all potential proposals are submitted by the proposers to the Housing Agency for initial assessment and co-ordination with local authorities. The proposal is then submitted to my Department for approval. As with long-term leasing, all enhanced leasing proposals submitted to my Department must be accommpanied by an independent valuation of the market rent for the properties, carried out by, or commissioned and paid for by, the relevant local authority.
294. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of eviction notices served from March to December 2020 and from 1 January to 27 April 2021. [22995/21]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
My Department does not collect the data sought, however the Clerk of the Dáil requested that arrangements be put in place to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies to members of the Oireachtas. Following the issue of Circular LG (P)05/16 on 20 September 2016 from my Department, the RTB set up a dedicated email address for this purpose. The RTB may be contacted at OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie to establish the extent to which it may hold the information sought.
295. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he has taken since entering Government to prevent so called cuckoo funds buying entire housing developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22996/21]
View answerI have serious concerns of instances, recently reported, where investors are inappropriately purchasing entire completed houses estates, preventing their sale to families and first time buyers.
Institutional Investors are regulated by the Department of Finance. The issue of sale and of purchase of land or housing are matters for the Minister for Justice. I am working with my Government colleagues to bring forward comprehensive proposals to address this issue as a matter of urgency.
I would note that institutional investors occupy a relatively small share of the housing market which based on the last census in 2016 was more than 2 million houses and apartments. Industry estimates suggest that the total number of residential units under institutional ownership in Ireland was approximately 15,550 at the end of 2020, less than 1% of the total housing stock.
Historically, the private rented sector in Ireland has been largely made up of small-scale landlords, who will continue to provide the bulk of private rented accommodation. Data provided by the Residential Tenancies Board in November 2020 reports that the majority (over 70%) of landlords registered a single rental tenancy.
The presence of such institutional investors in the market helps to increase the supply of housing, particularly of urban apartments, through forward-funding of development. This is essential to reaching the National Planning Framework targets and to support more sustainable living generally. However, the possibility of a trend of investment emerging where already or nearly completed traditional family home estates are purchased in bulk is deeply concerning and not in line with Government policy.
On Tuesday, 4 May last, I received Government approval for the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which I will shortly be bringing before the Oireachtas. A key aspect of this Bill is the reform of Part V of the Planning and Development Act by increasing the existing 10% obligation for social housing in residential developments to a 20% obligation for social and affordable housing.
I will continue to prioritise the increase in the supply of homes and supports which enable first time buyers access their own home.
296. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the Tara management plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21489/21]
View answerThe Hill of Tara is one of Ireland’s premier national monuments and is of international prominence and importance. In recent years, it has been subject to extensive research by the Discovery Programme, funded by my Department, through which our knowledge and understanding of the site has been greatly increased.
Against a general background of increasing visitor numbers, my Department has been developing a conservation management plan for the state-owned lands at the Hill and is leading a working group of relevant stakeholders, including the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has responsibility for day to day management, Meath County Council, the Heritage Council and the Discovery Programme, with the objective of progressing, completing and publishing the updated plan as soon as practicable.
As a result of this process, the Department is now in the final stages of producing the plan. The preparation of the plan has included a monument condition survey to inform the conservation needs of the monuments on the State-owned lands. An online visitor survey, as well as a visitor profile, was also undertaken by the Dublin Institute of Technology at the request of the Discovery Programme and Heritage Council. In addition, a Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Report and a Report for Screening for Appropriate Assessment have been produced. My Department is now reviewing all relevant documentation with a view to bringing the plan to completion by the end of 2021.
The new plan will focus on conservation issues and will inform a list of priority conservation and site management actions and measures to be implemented over its lifetime. It will inform future interventions on the site, aided by the ongoing monitoring of visitor numbers by the OPW. It will concentrate on the lands that are in the ownership of the State and as such, it will not, nor is it intended to, address land use and planning issues in the wider environs of Tara. Parking and traffic management, as well as other visitor facilities outside the area of the State-owned lands, are matters for the local authority, although the Plan may provide useful guidance to the authority in that regard. My Department is also available to advise and assist the local authority with any related proposals in the context of its role in protecting the archaeology and amenity of the Hill of Tara itself.
297. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which by way of direct build housing he expects to be in a position to meet the housing needs of those currently excluded from being housed or housing themselves on the basis of lack of supply or excessive cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3394/21]
View answerIreland’s underlying housing affordability challenges are clearly associated with an imbalance between supply and demand. This Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society and this is reflected in the Programme for Government "Our Shared Future".
The Programme for Government makes commitments to intoduce affordable purchse and cost rental programmes. The commitments in the programme are a direct response to well-accepted issues with housing affordability in both the home purchase and private rental markets, particularly in major urban areas.
I am currently progressing two affordable purchase schemes. The first of these entails the delivery of affordable homes by local authorities. To support this, under the Serviced Sites Fund, €310 million has been allocated to provide infrastructure to support the delivery of more affordable homes on local authority lands. With a maximum of €50,000 funding available per home, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated. To date, Serviced Sites Funding of €198 million has been approved in principle in support of 39 projects in 14 local authority areas, which will assist in the delivery of over 4,200 affordable homes.All Serviced Sites Fund proposals are assessed on the basis of economic analyses submitted by local authorities, which are required to verify local affordability challenges, project viability, and the ability to deliver affordable homes with at least a 10% discount on open market values.
Separately, a new National Affordable Purchase Shared Equity scheme is currently being designed for private developments. My intention is that this measure will be available nationally. It will help bridge the gap, by means of an equity stake purchased by the State, between the maximum mortgage available to eligible households and the price of the new home they wish to buy. The objective of the scheme will be to increase housing supply by activating viable planning permissions and to enable First Time Buyers to buy a new home at a price they can afford sooner than would otherwise be the case.
In relation to Cost Rental, a range of work is ongoing to deliver this new form of housing. My Department is utilising the expertise of Local Authorities, the Land Development Agency, and the Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to deliver projects in a variety of ways, in order to prove the concept of this new sector. This is in conjunction with the policy development for the sector that is set out in the forthcoming Affordable Housing Bill.
Cost Rental will be informed by National Planning Framework priorities. It will be focused, at least initially, in densely populated urban areas where rental affordability pressures are particularly acute and where State resources can have the biggest impact. It is important that the State targets its affordability measures towards the parts of the country that are experiencing the most extreme affordability challenges.
One of the main sources of State funding for Cost Rental homes is the new Cost Rental Equity Loan scheme. It gives AHBs access to Government loans on favourable terms to cover up to 30% of the cost of new Cost Rental homes.
The detailed provisions to operationalise these schemes in 2021 will be contained within a new housing Bill which I intended to bring to the Oireachtas in the very near future to allow their commencement this year.
In the meantime both the Help to Buy and the Rebuilding Ireland Homeloan remain available to eligible purchasers to make the cost of housing more affordable.
298. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he expects to be in a position to ensure the restart of housing construction with a view to ensuring an adequate supply of houses and an end to spiralling prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12221/21]
View answerIncreasing the supply of public, social and affordable homes is priority for my Department.
In January, the enhanced Level 5 restrictions introduced by Government involved most residential construction being halted from 8 January until 12 April. Certain essential social housing projects, which were scheduled for completion by 30 April were allowed to continue. This has ensured that some social housing continued to be delivered during the first four months of the year.
On 30 March, the Government announced that all residential construction could resume from 12 April 2021.
299. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it will be ensured that persons who lost their employment temporarily due to the Covid-19 pandemic and who will be returning to work in the near future can avail of the tenant purchase scheme without further delay; the guidance provided by his Department to local authorities on the way to administer the scheme during the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23018/21]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The 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 provisions of the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 484/2015) and the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the 2014 Act. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, local authorities can 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. Guidance for Local Authorities on the administration of the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 was issued in November 2015.
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.
The financing of any house sold under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is a separate matter from the eligibility criteria for the scheme. If the tenant is deemed eligible under the scheme, he or she may fund the purchase of a house from one, or a combination, of his/her own resources or a mortgage provided by a financial institution or a local authority house purchase loan.
300. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing units delivered by each local authority using the build delivery mechanism in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and the number delivered that were directly built by local authorities and approved housing bodies and the acquisition of newly built units through turnkey and Part V mechanisms over the same period in tabular form. [23029/21]
View answer301. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has conducted a spending review process in respect of the delivery of social housing in 2020 and or 2021; and if he has undertaken a cost efficiency and or comparison that tracks the delivery of social hosing that factors in the mechanism used to deliver social housing and locations of social housing. [23030/21]
View answer304. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of housing programme expenditure from 2019 to date in 2021, including build, acquisition, lease, HAP and RAS. [23033/21]
View answer305. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of build programme expenditure from 2019 to 2021, including local authority construction, turnkey, rapid, Part V, PPP, voids and regeneration. [23034/21]
View answer307. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing units delivered by each local authority under each pillar of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; the number delivered that were directly built by local authorities and approved housing bodies; and the acquisition of newly built units through turnkey and Part V mechanisms over the years mentioned. [23079/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 300, 301, 304, 305 and 307 together.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. The data is available to the end of Quarter 4 2020. The 2021 Quarter 1 statistics are currently being compiled and will be available in due course. Housing statistics are published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/
In addition to the statistical overview of activity in each local authority, the Social Housing Construction Status Report is published each quarter which provides scheme level detail on new build activity in each local authority. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q4 2020 and is available at the following link: https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-obrien-publishes-2020-social-housing-statistics/
An Excel version of this file can be downloaded at the following link and may be used for various analysis in terms of delivery programme, stage of activity, location, quarter of completion, number of homes etc. and is available at the following link: https://data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q4-2020. Data specific to Part V delivery can be found at following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/fd048-affordable-housing-and-part-v-statistics/
In relation to the delivery of new social housing, the Programme for Government commits to the delivery of 50,000 new social homes, with a focus on new build homes. Social housing construction projects (as with all publicly funded construction projects), must be competitively tendered, in accordance with the public procurement guidelines, to ensure transparency as well as value for money for the tax-payer. The Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) is a structure that has been developed to deliver Government objectives in relation to public sector construction procurement reform and consists of a suite of best practice guidance, standard contracts and generic template documents. The CWMF is for use by contracting authorities involved in the expenditure of public funds on construction projects and related consultancy services.
A spending review on social housing expenditure has not been conducted in respect of 2020 or 2021. However, in conjunction with my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform published the Spending Review 2020 - Analysis of Social Housing Build Programme in November 2020. This review focused on build delivery in the years 2016-2019 and examined the cost of build mechanisms in six local authorities. The Review is available at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/daf0c-spending-review-papers-2020/#housing
The breakdown of total Housing expenditure for the period 2019 to end March 2021 is set out in the table below.
|
Housing Expenditure (2019 - March 2021) |
€m |
|
Build |
2,029 |
|
Acquisition |
825 |
|
Lease |
391 |
|
Total Build, Acquisition & Lease |
3,246 |
|
RAS |
283 |
|
HAP |
974 |
|
Homelessness |
480 |
|
Other Capital Programmes |
343 |
|
Other Current Programmes |
226 |
|
TOTAL |
5,553 |
In respect of the specific categories of build expenditure requested by the Deputy, expenditure in respect of those delivery lines are as follows:
|
Expenditure 2019 to March 2021 |
€m |
|
LA Construction |
578 |
|
LA Turnkey |
499 |
|
Rapid |
53 |
|
LA Part V |
233 |
|
PPP |
38 |
|
Voids |
84 |
|
Regeneration |
103 |
It should be noted that expenditure and unit delivery do not always occur in the same year. Payments made under phased programmes may cross a number of financial periods.
302. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding granted to each local authority through the SHIP programme since its introduction. [23031/21]
View answerMy Department provides capital funding to local authorities under the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP), to assist them in delivering new social homes through both the construction and acquisition of houses/apartments and also delivery through Part V arrangements.
Details of this funding from 2016 to the end of 2020 by local authority is set out in the table below. While my Department has provided funding to local authorities under SHIP over many years prior to 2016, its full compilation would involve considerable time and resources. Further details in respect of capital and current Housing programmes and associated funding provisions are set out in the Revised Estimates Volumes at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates/?referrer=/en/rev/. However, if the Deputy is concerned about any specific local authorities or particular years, I will have the matter explored further on receipt of the relevant information.
|
Local Authority |
Amount |
|
CARLOW COUNTY COUNCIL |
€52,770,726 |
|
CAVAN COUNTY COUNCIL |
€27,877,810 |
|
CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL |
€57,533,738 |
|
CORK CITY COUNCIL |
€188,893,447 |
|
CORK COUNTY COUNCIL |
€210,468,340 |
|
DONEGAL COUNTY COUNCIL |
€64,118,952 |
|
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL |
€505,405,689 |
|
DUN LAOGHAIRE/RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL |
€56,183,401 |
|
FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL |
€201,481,833 |
|
GALWAY CITY COUNCIL |
€55,481,040 |
|
GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL |
€68,823,483 |
|
KERRY COUNTY COUNCIL |
€94,186,080 |
|
KILDARE COUNTY COUNCIL |
€270,676,180 |
|
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL |
€72,798,022 |
|
LAOIS COUNTY COUNCIL |
€35,961,380 |
|
LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL |
€16,334,102 |
|
LIMERICK CITY & COUNTY COUNCIL |
€72,404,293 |
|
LONGFORD COUNTY COUNCIL |
€46,221,440 |
|
LOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL |
€69,322,727 |
|
MAYO COUNTY COUNCIL |
€54,528,168 |
|
MEATH COUNTY COUNCIL |
€166,128,909 |
|
MONAGHAN COUNTY COUNCIL |
€57,985,356 |
|
OFFALY COUNTY COUNCIL |
€34,723,654 |
|
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL |
€23,125,395 |
|
SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL |
€32,079,947 |
|
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL |
€155,223,894 |
|
TIPPERARY COUNTY COUNCIL |
€80,521,532 |
|
WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY COUNCIL |
€85,094,135 |
|
WESTMEATH COUNTY COUNCIL |
€50,395,814 |
|
WEXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL |
€94,458,256 |
|
WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL |
€133,846,525 |
303. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding granted to each local authority through the estate regeneration remedial works programme since its introduction. [23032/21]
View answerThe Estate Regeneration and Remedial Works consists of a suite of programmes including Regeneration, Remedial Works Schemes, Disabled Persons Grants (DPGs) and Improvements Works in Lieu (IWILs).
The Regeneration programme consists of multi-year programmes of large-scale regeneration projects in Limerick, Cork and Dublin and smaller projects in Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk. These projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration. The regeneration projects being funded by the Department target the country’s most disadvantaged communities, including those defined by the most extreme social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behavior.
The Remedial Works Scheme provides funding to assist housing authorities to carry out major essential repairs to certain groups of their rented dwellings which they cannot fund from their own resources. It is focused on full estate remediation works rather than individual houses.
The DPG scheme provides funding to local authorities to undertake housing adaptations and extensions to their stock in order to meet the needs of tenants who are elderly or disabled or to address overcrowding.
The IWILs programme allows local authorities to fund the improvement or extension of existing sub-standard privately owned dwellings, as an alternative to the provision of local authority housing.
Details of this funding for each local authority for Regeneration, Remedial Works Schemes, Disabled Persons Grants (DPGs) and Improvements Works in Lieu (IWILs) from 2016 to the end of 2020 is set out in the table below. While my Department has provided funding to local authorities under the Estate Regeneration Program over many years prior to 2016 its compilation would involve considerable time and resources. However, if the Deputy is concerned about a specific local authority or local authorities, I will have the matter explored further on receipt of the relevant information.
|
Local Authority |
Total |
|
Carlow |
€1,779,000 |
|
Cavan |
€1,263,271 |
|
Clare |
€3,632,549 |
|
Cork City |
€41,298,021 |
|
Cork County |
€6,636,959 |
|
DL Rathdown |
€2,121,622 |
|
Donegal |
€1,994,232 |
|
Dublin City |
€94,973,331 |
|
Fingal |
€3,229,094 |
|
Galway City |
€1,096,968 |
|
Galway County |
€1,942,756 |
|
Kerry |
€10,747,804 |
|
Kildare |
€5,268,355 |
|
Kilkenny |
€1,386,079 |
|
Laois |
€866,151 |
|
Leitrim |
€618,366 |
|
Limerick City & County |
€150,837,953 |
|
Longford |
€1,017,309 |
|
Louth |
€3,900,285 |
|
Mayo |
€1,035,359 |
|
Meath |
€2,425,968 |
|
Monaghan |
€3,158,263 |
|
Offaly |
€1,201,987 |
|
Roscommon |
€877,778 |
|
Sligo |
€12,990,834 |
|
South Dublin |
€2,706,193 |
|
Tipperary |
€2,982,977 |
|
Waterford |
€1,607,877 |
|
Westmeath |
€1,226,780 |
|
Wexford |
€1,917,951 |
|
Wicklow |
€7,703,764 |
|
€374,445,833 |
306. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the next step for the independent working group which has been established to examine issues of defective housing; the details of the way property owners can seek to have their properties examined to ensure that they can form part of the solution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23065/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses".
In this regard, my Department has been actively engaging with key stakeholders and I have had several meetings with stakeholder representative groups on this matter.
I appointed Mr Seamus Neely, former Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, to the position of Chair to the independent working group. The Chair will oversee the effective implementation of the group’s terms of reference, which are currently being finalised. The membership of the working group includes representatives, with relevant expertise and experience, from Engineers Ireland, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland, the Public Sector, the Local Authority Sector, the Legal Sector, the Department of Finance, Construction Defects Alliance and Apartment Owners Network. The inaugural plenary working group meeting was held at the end of March and the working group met again in April.
In regard to the working group’s deliberations, the group will seek to engage with a range of interested parties, including homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals and industry stakeholders, among others to examine the issue of defects in housing and report to me on the matter. Arrangements in regard to the consultation with relevant parties will be agreed by the working group in due course.
308. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the unit size of social leased housing units by county in tabular form; the number delivered that were directly built by local authorities and approved housing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23080/21]
View answer309. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the way in which the social leased programme will address the family size numbers and single person units who are on the list; the criteria for accepting single, two bedroomed and three bedroomed units as social leased units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23081/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together.
While the Government’s objective is to focus strongly on local authority led build activity, long term leasing is an important option available to local authorities to supplement delivery and secure high quality social housing on a long term basis.
The social housing long term leasing programme allows local authorities and approved housing bodies to lease suitable properties from private owners for periods of between 10 to 25 years. The leasing programme does not fund properties built by local authorities or an approved housing body.
Local authorities lease dwellings taking account of local need, the suitability of dwellings, sustainable communities considerations and value for money. These properties are allocated to households on the social housing waiting list. As such, the type and size of dwelling leased, and the allocation of those dwellings, is a matter for the relevant local authority having regard to its most recent housing needs assessment.
Data relating to property size is not recorded by my Department. Generally, one, two and three bedroom houses and apartments are leased. A smaller number of four bedroom houses are leased.
Data on social housing leasing, funded by my Department, in respect of all local authorities to end 2020 is published on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
Data in respect of Q1 2021 is currently being collated and will be published when available.
310. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to negotiate leased units as social housing units for 2022 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23082/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government has committed to increasing social housing stock by more than 50,000 over the coming five years, with an emphasis on delivering new build homes. However, leasing is an important option available to local authorities to supplement delivery and secure high quality social housing on a long-term basis.
Delivering the necessary supply of social homes requires a multi-faceted approach, harnessing capacity and delivery from all available channels. More homes can be provided by including leasing, than could reasonably be expected to be delivered under construction and acquisition programmes alone.
The Government's new Housing Strategy - Housing for All - is due to be published later this year and the delivery of more affordable and social homes will be a key focus in the Plan. The leasing programme for the period 2022 to 2025 is being considered in the context of Housing for All.
311. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has conducted a review of the social leased units being advertised as a financial product online and in which the advertisement process indicates that a landlord will not have any tenant contact; the way in which he expects to do the estate management piece; if this will be funded by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23083/21]
View answerUnder standard long term leasing arrangements, suitable properties can be leased to a local authority or an approved housing body (AHB) for periods of between 10 and 25 years. The local authority or AHB is responsible for day-to-day property maintenance. These dwellings are allocated dwellings and the social housing tenant signs a tenancy agreement with the local authority or AHB, who acts as the landlord to tenants. Responsibility for the structural maintenance of the dwelling remains with the owner of the dwelling.
A discount of 20% is applied to market rent for the property to take account of the tenant management and property maintenance responsibilities taken on by the local authority or AHB. Where a management company is in place and an annual service charge is payable, a discount of 15% is applied. In these circumstances, the owner of the property is responsible for payment of the annual service charge. The day-to-day maintenance of the properties is funded from the differential rent payable to the local authority in respect of the property. Properties entering the leasing scheme must meet all relevant statutory requirements and local authorities may set out additional requirements for properties entering into their leasing programme.
Under enhanced long term leasing arrangements, the owner of the property is required to provide day-to-day maintenance of the properties under a schedule of management services. A discount of 5% is applied to the market rent to take account of the tenant management responsibilities taken on by the local authority. Penalties are applied and deducted from the rent where services are not performed as required. Any service charges payable are paid by the owner of the property.
Maintaining the landlord tenant relationship between the local authority or AHB and the social housing tenant under the long term leasing schemes is key feature of the scheme for both local authorities and social housing tenants. This feature means that a discounted market rent is paid in respect of these dwellings.
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312. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the housing assistance payment limits for social housing support for families securing own door accommodation in line with rents paid for social leasing units in the space in which his Department is paying much higher rents as an entity than single families can get support for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23084/21]
View answerUnder the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. The tenancy agreement is between the tenant and the landlord and is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended. HAP supported tenancies are afforded the same protections as all private rented tenancies. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.
Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 20% above the prescribed maximum rent limit to secure appropriate accommodation for a household that requires it, or up to 50% in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. It is a matter for the local authority to determine, on a case by case basis, whether, and to what extent, the application of the flexibility is warranted.
The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that HAP levels are adequate to support vulnerable households, while we increase the supply of social housing. The Government’s objective, in terms of supply, is to focus strongly on new build, and in particular, local authority led new build activity. However, leasing is one of a range of options available to local authorities to supplement delivery.
Under long term leasing arrangements, suitable properties can be leased to a local authority or an approved housing body (AHB) for periods of between 10 and 25 years. The local authority or AHB is responsible for day-to-day property maintenance. Varying discounts - between 5% to 20% - are applied to market rent to calculate the lease payment for the property to take account of the level of tenant management or property maintenance responsibilities taken on by the local authority or AHB. Unlike HAP, leased dwellings are sourced by the local authority or AHB and are allocated dwellings.
Leased properties can be sourced through a range of different schemes - including direct leasing by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies, the Mortgage to Rent Scheme, the Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) and the Enhanced Leasing Scheme - and have the potential to provide faster and more flexible delivery than traditional delivery methods.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP and Leasing schemes under review as they are key mechanisms in meeting housing need across the country.
313. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the length of time the water and electric provision on Waterways Ireland moorings will be disrupted due to work on Lough Derg; and if his Department has engaged with those who reside in liveaboards along the waterways. [43934/20]
View answerService provision at Waterways Ireland moorings on Lough Derg is not disrupted. All services have been reconnected in advance of the boating season which in the context of the current Covid 19 Pandemic, will re-open fully on 10 May 2021. At that time navigation on the Shannon will resume and all service blocks will be open to boaters and visitors.
Waterways Ireland continues to work closely with boat owners along the waterways, adjacent land-owners and local committees. Meetings are also held with the key stakeholder interest groups, the Royal Canal Amenity Group, Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) and the Heritage Boat Association (HBA).
