Written Answers Nos. 321-340
323. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when positions (details supplied) will be advertised; the number of positions to be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23731/21]
View answerA recruitment competition for Conservation Rangers being run by the Public Appointments Service is currently at an advanced stage. A panel will be formed shortly and I have asked my Department to accelerate appointments from this panel, with the recruitment of a further 60 Rangers planned. The new appointees will be allocated to fill vacant positions throughout the country. Any appointments across the country made from this panel will take account of both the prevailing business needs and financial resources to meet pay costs in the context of Government policy on public sector pay and staffing.
324. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of judicial reviews of An Bord Pleanála decisions on strategic housing developments that have been taken since the start of the strategic housing development process to date. [23748/21]
View answer325. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of judicial reviews of strategic housing developments that have been taken but conceded to by An Bord Pleanála since the start of the strategic housing development process to date. [23749/21]
View answer326. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of judicial reviews of strategic housing developments that have been taken and successfully defended by An Bord Pleanála since the start of the strategic housing development process to date. [23750/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 324, 325 and 326 together.
The recording of court cases is one in which I have no statutory function and is a matter for the Courts Service which is statutorily independent. Judicial reviews against the State, in which my Department may be included as a party, are co-ordinated by the Chief State Solicitors Office under the guidance of the Attorney General's Office.
Under section 30 of the Act, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.
An Bord Pleanála can be challenged by judicial review on a range of its functions, including decisions on planning applications in resepct of strategic housing developments, and it publishes an update on legal cases in its Annual Report. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
327. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when all payments under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme will be made for 2021. [23754/21]
View answerThe cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme was established in 2011 for domestic turf cutters arising from the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation and was extended in 2014 to encompass turf cutters from raised bog natural heritage areas. This scheme is applicable to turf cutters who have been affected by the designation of raised bogs, encompassed by the scheme, as special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas and who fulfil the qualifying criteria of the scheme. It is comprised of a payment of €1,500 per annum, index-linked, for 15 years, or relocation, where feasible, to a non-designated bog, together with a payment of €500 on the signing of a legal agreement under the scheme.
Annual payments for 2021 under the scheme continue to be made on a weekly basis. My Department expects that these payments to applicants, who fulfil the qualifying criteria of the scheme will, as in all previous years of the scheme, be completed before the end of the third quarter of 2021.
328. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if all vacancies in local authorities since 2018 have been advertised and filled in accordance with the rules and regulations set out by his Department. [23796/21]
View answerThe filling of posts in the local authority sector is undertaken both by individual local authorities and the Public Appointments Service. Such recruitment is undertaken in accordance with best practices and also in accordance with specific regulations or rules where these apply.
329. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding that has been allocated annually for the past five years to specifically provide social and affordable housing on offshore islands. [23802/21]
View answerThe responsibility to develop social and affordable housing within their operational areas, including offshore islands, rests with the individual local authorities, working in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies. Targets are provided to each local authority for social housing delivery and it is a matter for the authority to decide on locations for new social housing based on their housing need. Accordingly, my Department does not allocate funding or set delivery targets for new social housing on the islands and it's a matter for the local authorities to make decisions in that regard.
Statistics on social housing delivery by each local authority are available on my Department's website at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/. Further information should be available from the individual local authorities on their social housing delivery and the locations involved.
To provide further information on recent and planned social housing delivery, my Department publishes a quarterly 'Construction Status Report' which provides scheme level detail on new build social housing activity in all local authorities. This provides information on the locations of the social housing projects listed. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q4 2020 and is available at the following link: https://rebuildingireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Final-Report.pdf.
330. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his policy on the provision of housing on offshore islands. [23803/21]
View answerImplementation of national housing policy is a matter for individual local authorities in accordance with their Housing Strategy and based on their estimate of the different types and amount of housing need throughout their administrative area.
In relation to social housing, responsibility for its delivery within their operational area, including on offshore islands, rests with the individual local authorities, working in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies. Targets are provided to each local authority for social housing delivery and it is a matter for the authority to decide on locations for new social housing based on their estimate of housing need. My Department does not set specific delivery targets or allocate funding for new social housing specifically related to the islands and it is a matter for the local authorities to make decisions in that regard.
332. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address a series of matters (details supplied) in relation to strategic housing developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23994/21]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the 2016 Act) introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála (the Board) for determination.
In relation to judicial reviews, the recording of court cases is one in which I have no statutory function and is a matter for the Courts Service which is statutorily independent. Judicial reviews against the State, in which my Department may be included as a party, are coordinated by the Chief State Solicitors Office under the guidance of the Attorney General's Office.
Under section 30 of the Act, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or the Board is or may be concerned.
The Board can be challenged by Judicial Review on a range of its functions, including decisions on planning applications in respect of SHDs, and it publishes an update on legal cases in its Annual Report.
With specific regard to SHD applications received in respect of proposed developments in the functional areas of the four Dublin local authorities, I understand the Board has received 183 such SHD applications in respect of a total of 48,924 housing units (comprising 4,711 houses, 33,250 apartments and 10,963 build to rent), as well as 3,506 shared accommodation units and 10,290 student bed spaces from the commencement of the new SHD arrangements in 2017 up until end March 2021. Build to rent units make up 22% of the housing units applied for to date. 35 (19%) of the 183 applications in the four Dublin authorities included build to rent units.
Of the 183 SHD applications lodged, the Board has decided 153 of these cases with 4 further applications subsequently withdrawn. The Board has granted permission in 117 of these cases in respect of a total of 30,548 housing units (comprising 3,157 houses, 19,226 apartments and 8,165 build to rent), as well as 769 shared accommodation units and 7,870 student bed spaces under the SHD arrangements. I understand that the remaining 36 cases decided have either been refused by the Board or are developments which were originally granted by the Board but set aside as a result of a judicial review.
The status of individual developments which have been granted permission under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act), is not routinely maintained by my Department given that some 30,000 planning permissions are granted nationally on an annual basis. My Department has conducted periodic research on the activation rate of SHD permissions and the most recent data in this regard, from a review undertaken on 27 April 2021, would indicate that as of end March 2021, works have commenced on 36 (30.7%) of the 117 SHD permissions granted in the Dublin area since the arrangements came into operation. There can be some delay for various reasons, such as phasing of development, in the activation of housing developments post the granting of permission. In this connection, if permissions granted in 2020/2021 are excluded from the calculations, the data indicates that works have commenced on 49% of the SHD permissions granted in 2018 (when the first permissions were granted) and 2019.
The specific information sought in relation to how many Local Area Plans have been overridden by the SHD process is not maintained by my Department. Under the 2016 Act, planning applications for SHDs may only be made to the Board where the proposed development is on land zoned for such use. The zoning of lands for particular uses is a reserved function of the elected members of a planning authority, in accordance with the statutory development plan procedures under the 2000 Act.
Section 9(6) of the 2016 Act empowers the Board, where it deems it appropriate, to grant planning permission for a SHD that materially contravenes the development plan or local area plan relating to the area concerned and, in this regard, requires the Board to set out the main reasons and considerations for doing so in its decision. However, the Board shall not grant permission where the proposed development would materially contravene the zoning objective of the relevant plan.
The SHD provisions in the 2016 Act are in line with the pre-existing provisions in the 2000 Act, relating to the determination of planning applications generally, which provide that, where a proposed development would materially contravene the development plan, a planning authority may decide to grant permission, provided that the requirements set out in section 34(6) of the 2000 Act are complied with. In cases on appeal, where a planning authority has refused to grant permission for a proposed development because it would materially contravene the local development plan, and in certain cases where planning applications are made directly to the Board, the Board may grant planning permission for a proposed development that materially contravenes the development plan in specified circumstances only.
The 2017 SHD Regulations provide for the publication of a weekly list of applications received and applications determined or otherwise disposed of by the Board in relation to SHD cases. These weekly lists are available to view on the Board's website at http://www.pleanala.ie/.
Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future commits to not extending the SHD arrangements beyond their legislative expiry date of end December 2021, which has now been extended to 25 February 2022 arising from the Covid-related extension of duration of statutory deadlines within the planning system by 8 weeks in respect of the period March to May 2020.
Work is ongoing on the development of new legislative proposals for the wind-up of the current SHD arrangements and the submission of large-scale housing planning applications (including student accommodation) to local planning authorities. It is intended to publish a General Scheme in this regard as soon as possible.
333. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the increase that has occurred in the private rental sector in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24011/21]
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.
The RTB Rent Index is published quarterly and reveals the actual rents being paid for rented properties, as distinct from the asking rents which feature in other rent reports. It is compiled in conjunction with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and is the authoritative report on the Irish rental market. It is based on actual rents paid on private tenancies registered with the RTB in the quarter, which is made up of homes new to the rental sector, new tenancies in existing housing stock and renewals of existing tenancies. Rent Index publications from 2007 to Q4 2020 can be found on https://www.rtb.ie/data-hub/rent-index.
My Department does not collect this data, 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.
334. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of Housing Assistance Payments that has been paid out to private landlords in County Cavan since the payment was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24012/21]
View answer335. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of rental accommodation scheme that has been paid out to private landlords in County Cavan since the payment was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24013/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 334 and 335 together.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support and the scheme is operated by local authorities. Under the HAP scheme, monthly payments are made directly to landlords on behalf of the HAP recipient in respect of rent, subject to the conditions of the scheme.
HAP is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies.
Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective transactional shared service on behalf of all HAP local authorities. This HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Accordingly, my Department does not recoup individual local authorities in respect of HAP rental payments in their administrative areas but rather recoups all landlord costs via the HAP SSC.
A breakdown of the HAP exchequer spend for landlord payments, 2019 to 2020, broken down by local authority, is available on my Department's website at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/
The following table details the exchequer cost of HAP landlord payments by year in respect of Co. Cavan:
|
Year |
Euro (€) |
|
2016 |
N/A |
|
2017 |
€192,334 |
|
2018 |
€645,964 |
|
2019 |
€1,037,931 |
|
2020 |
€1,311,686 |
The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) has been an important contributor to social housing supply since its introduction on a pilot basis in 2005 and has placed responsibility on local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of people in receipt of Rent Supplement for 18 months or longer, and who are assessed as having a long-term housing need. RAS has provided a more structured, accommodation-based approach to the use of the private rented sector to meet long-term housing need, thereby eliminating dependence on temporary income support payments through Rent Supplement. The scheme is delivered by local authorities who source accommodation from the private market and Approved Housing Bodies.
While data for individual counties for the years prior to 2011 is not available, details for the period from 2011 to 2020 on the number and cost to the exchequer of tenancies funded under the RAS scheme in County Cavan, is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision
The HAP and RAS schemes continue to be effective and secure forms of social housing support and remain a significant part of the suite of social housing options currently available across the country.
336. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the housing budget that has been granted to Cavan County Council in each of the past ten years; the amount the housing budget granted to Cavan County Council has been reduced in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24014/21]
View answerMy Department provides funding to local authorities on an ongoing basis as housing projects are progressed and claims fall due for payment. As such, it is a matter for the local authority concerned to ensure that claims for recoupment of funds are submitted to my Department in a timely manner. The funding provided by my Department to Cavan County Council for the delivery of housing programmes in each of the past ten years is set out in the table below.
|
2011 €m |
2012 €m |
2013 €m |
2014 €m |
2015 €m |
2016 €m |
2017 €m |
2018 €m |
2019 €m |
2020 €m |
|
5.1 |
5.7 |
6.4 |
7 |
7.4 |
7.5 |
9.9 |
13.8 |
16.6 |
15.7 |
338. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacancies that exist at the office of his Department in Ballina, County Mayo; if an overview of the vacancies by grade will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24028/21]
View answerMy Department operates a rolling three-year workforce planning process in line with guidance from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This process assists my Department in making critical decisions related to its workforce over the short to medium term, ensuring it has the capability and capacity required to deliver on its strategic goals and objectives in the coming years. It also assists in creating awareness of our staffing requirements in the short to medium term so that shortfalls can be addressed, threats to business mitigated and service delivery maintained in a seamless fashion. This plan encapsulates all of the locations where my Department is currently based including Ballina.
Requests for additional staff at any point in time are considered by reference to the broad focus of my Department's workforce planning and available funding, to make sure we have the right number of people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time to facilitate the delivery of the strategic business goals and Programme for Government commitments mandated to it. A continuous programme of recruitment is underway in my Department across all grades and locations with a view to addressing these staffing requirements.
339. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated by his Department or agencies under his remit to An Taisce in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the expected allocations to An Taisce for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24107/21]
View answerMy Department has provided a total of €3.4m to An Taisce between 2015 and 2020. Some €720,000 has been budgeted for 2021.
This funding supports a range of environmental education, awareness raising and citizen activation programmes operated by An Taisce. These programmes include:
- The Blue Flag programme, which aims to improve bathing water quality by encouraging compliance with EU bathing water quality standards, information provision, environmental education, safety and beach management;
- The Green Schools programme, which aims to teach schoolchildren about the complexity, value and importance of the marine environment and looks at the detrimental impact certain human activities can have upon it, as well as teaching them about marine biodiversity and habitats and the impacts of other human activities;
- The Clean Coasts programme, which engages coastal communities in the protection of Ireland’s beaches, seas and marine life. As well as local community groups, it engages local authorities, State Agencies and the business community who work together in an integrated way to Implement this programme; and
- The Green Flag programme, which seeks to promote best practice management of green heritage sites, and sustainably enhances heritage tourism to these sites.
It is a condition of funding for these programmes that it is only used for the agreed purpose and approved criteria within An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unit. My Department's grant support for these programmes may not be used to fund any other programmes or the operations of any other unit of An Taisce.
Please see below table for a breakdown of funding to An Taisce by subhead in each of the years 2015-2021:
My Department does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis. These State bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the table below.
|
State Body |
Contact E-mail Address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum) |
info@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Ervia |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
info@noac.ie |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
Oireachtas@osi.ie |
|
Property Registration Authority |
reps@prai.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Office |
oireachtas.enquiries@VALOFF.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
info@valuationtribunal.ie |
|
Water Advisory Body |
info@wab.gov.ie |
