Thursday, 13 May 2021

Written Answers Nos. 248-262

Housing Policy

Questions (248)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

248. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the regulatory measures in place through local authorities or the Housing Agency under leasing arrangements; the payment and availability agreements through enhanced leasing in cases in which State funding has been provided to private operators and investors in relation to the provision of housing; the specific due diligence arrangements in place for these private organisations in receipt of funding to ensure value for money, satisfactory corporate governance and efficient housing management services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25306/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Enhanced Leasing Scheme was introduced in 2018 in order to encourage social housing leasing at a reasonable scale in order to supplement social housing delivery under other programmes. 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.

Under the scheme, the relevant housing authority is the landlord to the social housing tenant - nominated in accordance with their Scheme of Letting Priorities - and must ensure the Lessor discharges their obligations under the lease, including the delivery of management services in a manner consistent with the terms of the agreement. The enhanced leasing agreement is a performance-based contract where deductions apply to the rent if the management services requirements are not adequately performed. Prior to an enhanced lease commencing, the housing authority and the Lessor agree a Management Plan for the scheme to ensure efficient housing management services are delivered to tenants in line with the terms of the agreement.

Lease payments are paid to the property owner based on a discounted market rent, with the level of discount reflecting the maintenance 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). All enhanced leasing proposals submitted to my Department 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 role of the Housing Agency is to assist housing authorities and my Department with the administration of the scheme. As part of the due diligence process for Enhanced Leasing, the Housing Agency engages with the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) and legal advisors, as required, to assess the ability of the proposed leasing entity to deliver the proposed dwellings and to provide the property maintenance services required. The Lessor’s legal status, funding position and operational structure are assessed as part of this process. The Agency liaises with the housing authority throughout the process to ensure that all required documentation is provided by the Lessor. Prospective Lessors are also subject to assessment by the solicitors acting on behalf of the housing authority.

While the Housing Agency acts as a national coordinator for the scheme, housing authorities retain their responsibilities in relation to social housing provision; assessment of social housing need and suitability, and tenancy management. At end 2020, a total of 113 Enhanced Leasing arrangements had been entered into by housing authorities.

Housing Policy

Questions (249)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

249. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for the introduction of enhanced leasing; the private organisations that were involved in seeking the introduction of the enhanced leasing scheme; the analysis that had been made on the impact on the introduction of the enhanced leasing scheme, the delivery gap or target group that enhanced leasing was intended to fill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25307/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Following the launch of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, a wide variety of stakeholders expressed an interest in being involved in the provision or financing of social housing across the country. On foot of a wide variety of interest from stakeholders in being involved in the provision of social housing, a structured, formal process was put in place to facilitate engagement with such parties. The Clearing House Group (CHG) was established to examine and consider proposals and to meet with the companies, groups and institutions involved. The CHG comprised representatives from:

- Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government;

- Department of Finance;

- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform;

- Dublin City Council; and

- The Housing Agency; The National Economic and Social Council (NESC).

The CHG was a sub-group of the Finance Work Stream, one of the governance structures of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. The examination of proposals was a complex task and despite a high level of engagement with potential providers, none of the proposals met the criteria that would enable them to be considered off-balance sheet. The summary table below details each of the 25 proposers who made submissions to the CHG. Included also are the dates on which the proposers met with the Clearing House Group.

Proposer	Date of meeting with CHG
Barclays	29/06/2015
Trinity IM	27/03/2015
Menolly Homes	N/A
Home Grown Home	28/08/2015
Richard McCafferty/Rampart Capital	N/A
Investec	21/04/2015
McGarrell Reilly Group	N/A
Centrus	30/04/2015
Lex Risk Solutions/RK Harrison	04/06/2015
AIB	04/06/2015
BOI	04/06/2015
Dublin Artisan Dwelling Fund	17/4/2015
Tuath Housing Association	27/03/2015
Tuath Housing Association – “Rent and Save” proposal	23/09/2015
Apex Housing Association	29/06/2015
IRES REIT	29/06/2015
Bartra Capital Limited	13/07/2015, 28/8/2015
Clyde Capital Partners/Tom Barry	04/06/2015
New Ground	28/08/2015
Clúid – Local Authority Void Units	13/07/2015
Clúid – Cost Rental Pilot	13/07/2015
NABCO	13/7/2015
Asset Backed Investment	28/08/2015
Ó Cualann CoHousing Alliance	28/08/2015
Irish League of Credit Unions Proposal received	24/11/2015

In the period after the Clearing House Group concluded its work, my Department, the National Development Finance Agency, the Housing Agency and local authorities worked to develop a new set of long-term leasing arrangements, culminating in the development of the Enhanced Leasing Scheme. The scheme was introduced in order to encourage social housing leasing at a reasonable scale in order to supplement social housing delivery under other programmes.

A 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

Housing Provision

Questions (250)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

250. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the monitoring arrangements in place to establish the scale of building sites and construction projects, which were intended and planned for delivery of social and cost-rental housing by approved housing bodies and have now, subsequently, been purchased by private investment funds and are no longer part of his pipeline of projects for social and cost-rental programmes. [25308/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Given the importance of the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector in the delivery of social housing there is an ongoing level of communication and interaction with this sector across my Department regarding a range of funding streams and in the area of AHB policy and regulation.

In regular meetings with officials of my Department the AHB sector advise and update on the status of projects including where relevant details of any projects which they advise are no longer part of their delivery pipeline. This level of information available to my Department is supplemented by information from the Local Authority quarterly returns. It is using this methodology whereby my Department would be made aware of any project which no longer forms part of an individual AHB delivery pipeline including those that might be purchased by a private investment firm.

A detailed Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR) is published each quarter. The CSR provides details of individual build projects 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/

Approved Housing Bodies are also playing an important role in the delivery of homes in the new cost rental sector. This includes the delivery of the first 440 homes beginning this year and supported via the Serviced Sites Fund and through the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL). Commercial arrangements for the eight CREL sites selected under the initial tranche of funding for this scheme are currently being finalised by the relevant AHBs, and I hope to be able to make an announcement concerning their specific locations shortly.

Housing Provision

Questions (251)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

251. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the level of financial return for private operators planned as part of his cost rental proposals in the Affordable Housing Bill 2020; and the regulatory, governance and due diligence arrangements he has planned for private operators to ensure viability and transparency of cost-rental housing in cases in which they are not regulated by the housing Acts or the Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority. [25309/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

This Government is fully committed to implementing a new Cost Rental sector in Ireland. Significant progress has already been made through the Enniskerry Road pilot project supported by Serviced Sites Funding, the new Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, and through legislative provisions in the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which was recently approved by Government and is now published. Our approach to Cost Rental has been modelled on similar successful models elsewhere in Europe.

Cost Rental homes will be governed in line with provisions in the forthcoming Affordable Housing Bill, which defines Cost Rental in Ireland for the first time and will regulate tenancies in which rents only cover clearly defined costs. The Bill sets out how 'financing costs' are an element of the overall cost of delivery to be covered by rents, and that this category includes both interest on debt funding and also a limited return on any equity investment. While the precise figure for this limit on equity return will be set in Regulations, it is intended that it will be informed by the moderate return permitted for Limited Profit Housing Associations in other jurisdictions where the model operates very successfully.

Delivery of Cost Rental is expected to be through public and charitable bodies initially - Local Authorities, the Land Development Agency (LDA), and AHBs. It is also expected that State resources will support this initial delivery. In particular, AHBs will utilise the CREL scheme administered by my Department and the Housing Agency, together with loans on more commercial terms from the Housing Finance Agency. Allowance for a limited return on equity will permit AHBs and the LDA to invest their own funds in a sustainable manner, receiving a small return through rents and growing their resources.

While past experience has shown the difficulties in designing a Government policy intervention to be delivered 'off-balance sheet', the legislation has been drafted so as not to prohibit private sector involvement in future years. Some element of private investment may help to deliver Cost Rental at large scale in high-cost locations, in the context of limited Exchequer resources and the difficulties of securing reasonably-priced finance when projects are largely or wholly debt-funded. Although equity returns will regulated and limited, there may be interest from non-State investors able to take a long-term view or with a particular emphasis on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors.

If a private body is willing to commit to making homes available within the Cost Rental framework for a period of at least 30-40 years, such additional provision at no cost to the State would be positive. Private sector providers would be limited to the same allowable costs as Local Authorities, the LDA, and AHBs, with the same limited return on any equity investment. A private body would also be subject to the same Regulations, which will include the application process for landlords, eligibility criteria for tenants, mandatory elements of tenancy agreements, and an auditing process under which landlords must retain records and supply them to the Minister on request.

Local Authorities

Questions (252)

Seán Haughey

Question:

252. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will request local authorities to be conscious of the needs of the disabled and visually impaired when facilitating the erection of tables and chairs associated with on-street outdoor dining; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25313/21]

Written answers

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

With a view to supplementing the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Grant Scheme which was recently announced by my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and further to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions over the coming months, a package of amending planning regulations were made on 30 April last to assist in facilitating outdoor dining as well as increased vibrancy and commercial activity in urban areas, particularly in relation to the hospitality and restaurant sectors.

The package of regulations includes the waiving of the street furniture licence fees in respect of tables and chairs used for serving food outside hotels, restaurants, pubs and other establishments in the current year; enabling restaurants to operate as takeaways for the remainder of 2021 without having to apply for change of use planning permission; and revised planning arrangements in relation to the erection of awnings, canopies and other structures at such establishments to support outdoor dining with no fee being applied for the erection of such structures when ancillary to a street furniture licence for tables and chairs.

The licensing of street furniture and other appliances on public roads and footpaths is governed by section 254 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), and by Article 201 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations). Under section 254(5) of the Act, an application for such a licence shall be made to the relevant planning authority, or the Board on appeal, who, in determining an application or appeal, are required to have regard to the convenience and safety of all road users including pedestrians, the disabled and visually impaired.

Furthermore, detailed information on the content of the new regulations and advice on their practical implementation was communicated by my Department to planning authorities by way of Planning Circular Letter PL 06-2021 which issued on 30 April last and which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/circular/b41c5-circular-pl-062021-takeaway-and-outdoor-dining-planning-amendments/

The Circular requested that planning authorities give consideration at a local level to the principles of Universal Design when assessing a licence application to ensure that the wider area is accessible, useable and convenient to all those who wish to use or pass through it, while also ensuring that any alternative street layout arrangements proposed in order to facilitate further outdoor dining, such as the relocation of designated accessible parking bays on temporarily pedestrianised streets, are appropriate and fit for purpose.

In light of the foregoing, I am satisfied that local authorities have received appropriate and sufficient guidance on the implementation of the new arrangements at this time and that there is no immediate requirement for any further guidance in this matter.

Animal Welfare

Questions (253)

Seán Haughey

Question:

253. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce measures to protect all nesting birds regardless of location or species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25316/21]

Written answers

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

Nesting birds are already protected under the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended.

It is an offence to wilfully destroy, injure or mutilate the nest of a protected wild bird, or to wilfully disturb a protected wild bird on or near a nest containing eggs or unflown young. It is also an offence to wilfully take or remove the nest of a protected wild bird, unless in accordance with a licence issued by the Minister.

To protect wild birds during their nesting season, Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits (with certain strict exemptions) the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation between 1 March to 31 August.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (254)

Niall Collins

Question:

254. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 46 of 20 April, if a local authority can write off and or write down the outstanding equity balance on a shared ownership agreement in circumstances of financial hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25322/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

As set out in the reply to Question No. 46 of 20 April 2021, I understand that Limerick City and County Council has offered a number of payment options available to the borrowers concerned. It is important that these borrowers now seek independent financial advice on this matter. Under relevant legislation, I am precluded from intervening in relation to individual cases.

To assist with the scenario outlined by the Deputy, a Shared Ownership Restructuring Option has been available to shared ownership borrowers since 1 April 2016. This new restructuring option involves rolling-up all outstanding debt into a single annuity loan with an all-sums-owing mortgage charge applying to the property. The term of the annuity loan will be determined by the amount of the monthly repayment deemed to be affordable and sustainable for each borrower. This restructuring option allows the borrower to have a regularised, restructured repayment solution which is more easily understood. This arrangement may be of particular benefit to those borrowers who are nearing the end of their annuity term but who have not made sufficient provision for the repayment of their Rental Equity balance. The feasibility of this new option for each borrower will be determined by their local authority, and may not be appropriate in all cases.

In terms of ongoing scheme arrangements it would be important that borrowers engage with their local authority and also seek independent financial advice and support.

Traveller Accommodation

Questions (255)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

255. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding that is available to Tipperary County Council for housing for members of the Traveller community; the funding that has been made available to County Tipperary under Traveller accommodation programmes in the past five years; the amount that has been spent by the council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25344/21]

Written answers

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

In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.

Following a review of the arrangements for the disbursement of funding for the provision and related supports of Traveller specific accommodation a new allocation process was implemented for 2020. My Department has ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities. Instead, it is open to all local authorities to apply for and drawdown funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department. My Department’s capital budget of €14.5m for Traveller Accommodation was drawn down in full in 2020. Officials from my Department will continue to make regular contact with each local authority throughout 2021 to support and facilitate the development of effective Traveller accommodation projects.

The breakdown of funding allocated and drawn-down by Tipperary County Council over the past 5 years is outlined in the table below.

Allocation	Drawdown	Allocation	Drawdown	Allocation	Drawdown	Allocation	Drawdown	Drawdown
2016	2016	2017	2017	2018	2018	2019	2019	2020
€900,000	€1,399,370	€327,492	€399,337	€25,655	€42,003	€25,655	€0	€156,731

Departmental Schemes

Questions (256)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

256. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if grants are available for a house (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25348/21]

Written answers

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

My Department provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).

The HSF is for conservation and enhancement to heritage structures and historic buildings, in both private and public ownership, for the benefit of communities and the public. The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS). It is designed to leverage private capital for investment in small-scale conservation projects across the country and to support the employment of skilled conservation professionals.

The BHIS has been allocated €3m this year, up 20% on 2020. The HSF has also been allocated €3m, up over 75% on 2020. Details of the projects to be funded under both schemes were announced recently and are available on my Department’s website. Details of the 2022 schemes will be made available later this year and an application in relation to the structure mentioned would be welcome.

In the context of a particular building or historic structure, the best advice is generally to contact the Architectural Conservation Officer or Heritage Officer in the local authority who is very well placed to advise on the various types of funding available to assist with renovation.

Irish Water

Questions (257)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

257. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of talks between local authorities and Irish Water on the transfer of staff from the former to the latter; if he can give an assurance that all employment terms and conditions will remain the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25350/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I refer to the reply given to Questions Nos. 126 and 127 of 12 May 2021 which sets out the up-to-date position in relation to this matter.

Departmental Data

Questions (258)

Paul Murphy

Question:

258. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if information (details supplied) will be provided. [25351/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The SSHA has been conducted on an annual basis since 2016, prior to which it was carried out once every three years, with the last Summary under this approach having taken place in 2013.

Below are links to the summary report for 2013-2020 which include breakdowns by each local authority, across a range of categories, including medical needs.

The oversight and management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation of, and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. As such, my Department does not collate information in relation to allocations by individual local authorities to households with a medical priority. Neither, does my Department collate information into the level of individual local authority funding that is used for the accommodation of households with a medical priority. However, details on the length of time spent on the record of qualified households (waiting lists) can be found at tables 2.8 and A1.8 of the report. It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time snapshot of the demand for social housing support in each local authority area and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the housing waiting lists.

Report 2020www.gov.ie/en/publication/970ea-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2020-key-findings/#:~:text=The%20Summary%20of%20Social%20Housing,is%20not%20currently%20being%20met.

It is important to note that only the results of the 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 summaries are directly comparable with each other. These summaries were carried out using a standardised methodology as specified by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011. Previous summaries were not carried out under the current standardised assessment regime for social housing support which came into effect on 1 April 2011.

As there were no assessments carried out in 2012, 2014 or 2015 my Department does not have data for those years.

Below also is a link to the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) for 2011.

Report 2019 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/29da7-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2019-key-findings/

Report 2018 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6fab90-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2018-key-findings/

Report 2017 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6205a6-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2017/

Report 2016 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cce84-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2016/

Report 2013 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3a099-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2013-key-findings/

HNA 2011 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d2410-housing-needs-assessment-2011/

Departmental Data

Questions (259, 260)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

259. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of live long-term leases for the most recent date available by lease type that is, mortgage to rent, repair and lease, standard long-term lease, enhanced long-term lease, Part V lease and so on; and the total estimated cost of these leases in 2021 for each category of lease, in tabular form. [25357/21]

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

260. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of long-term leases active in each year since long-term leasing was introduced in 2009 to 2020, by lease type and location, and by local authority area; and the annual cost of each lease type for each year, in tabular form. [25358/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.

The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the long term leasing of houses and apartments from private owners and Approved Housing Bodies.

At end 2020, a total of 9,208 leased properties were supported under SHCEP across all leasing delivery programmes. Details of these dwellings by lease type, and their estimated cost in 2021, are set out in Table 1 below. Details of the annual cost of each lease type in each year from 2018 to 2020 is set out in Table 2 below. Data in relation to the cost of each lease type is not available for the period 2009 to 2017.

A breakdown of the total number of leased dwellings by lease type and local authority is set out in the attached spreadsheet for each year from 2014 to 2020. A detailed breakdown by lease type is not available for the period 2009 to 2013.

All data is based on local authority claims for operational agreements recorded on the Department's SHCEP financial management system. Any variations in data between operational figures and total output under leasing delivery streams is due to the time lag in the submission of claims to my Department in respect of new claims after delivery.

Table 1: Total Leased Units at End 2020 & Estimated Cost in 2021

Scheme	No. of Properties	Total Estimated Cost in 2021
AHB MTR	671	€6,732,505
AHB Private Lease	925	€8,837,814
Enhanced Leasing	115	€2,475,510
LA Direct	4,024	€41,946,485
Leasing Part V	20	€344,318
NAMA SPV Part V	142	€2,019,661
NAMA SPV	1,250	€10,990,366
Private MTR	26	€291,252
RLS	138	€841,623
Unsold Affordables	2,039	€7,028,329
Total	9,208	€81,507,863

Table 2: Leasing end 2018 to 2020

Scheme	2018	2019	2020
AHB MTR	€3,481,410	€5,288,157	€6,967,132
AHB Private Lease	€4,948,063	€6,343,497	€9,126,657
Enhanced Leasing	€0	€0	€3,116,154
LA Direct	€28,244,064	€32,461,940	€40,270,519
Leasing Part V	€0	€2,714	€100,038
NAMA SPV Part V	€2,019,661	€2,019,661	€2,019,661
NAMA SPV	€12,126,909	€11,116,511	€10,807,340
Private MTR	€0	€9,958	€197,337
RLS	€280,395	€692,852	€883,158
Unsold Affordables	€7,112,669	€6,997,061	€6,974,471
Total	€58,213,171	€64,932,351	€80,462,467

Attachment

Departmental Data

Questions (261)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

261. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the property price caps for the shared equity loan scheme; and the details of the methodology and data used in setting these price caps. [25359/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The current price caps envisaged for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme are detailed below. These will be finalised in advance of the schemes deployment and will be kept under review.

Determining the price caps requires balancing the accessibility of the scheme for eligible purchasers, mitigating against potential inflationary pressure and ensuring that a range of homes can be supplied across key locations.

The price ceilings are informed by the CSO recorded median prices of new First Time Buyer homes sold by area. Therefore, homes in the lower half of recorded sales prices over the previous year are targeted.

Price Cap (€)	Location\Area
450,000	Dublin City Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown
400,000	Fingal County Council, Cork City Council, Galway City Council, South Dublin County Council, Wicklow.
350,000	Cork County Council, Galway County Council, Kildare, Limerick City and County Council, Meath
300,000	Clare, Westmeath, Wexford.
275,000	Carlow, Louth, Offaly.
250,000	Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Roscommon, Waterford.
225,000	Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Sligo, Tipperary
Additional price caps for apartments
500,000	Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
450,000	Fingal County Council, Cork City Council, South Dublin county Council

Departmental Data

Questions (262)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

262. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the affordable cost rental units funded under the cost rental equity loan scheme in 2021; and the location, approved housing body provider, purchase cost, cost rental equity loan contribution and expected entry level rent for each scheme, in tabular form. [25360/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

On 8 February 2021 I announced approval in principle of funding for 390 new homes under the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme. This new scheme was allocated €35m in funding in Budget 2021, which is being used to make loans on favourable terms to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for up to 30% of the cost of new homes for Cost Rental. The announcement followed a Call for Proposals and a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Department and the Housing Agency. CREL financing has been granted this year for 390 new homes, to owned and let by the Tuath, Respond, and Clúid AHBs. The homes are located in Dublin, the surrounding Greater Dublin Area, and Cork, with cost-covering rents projected to be at least 25% below comparable open market prices.

The successful AHBs are completing the necessary financial and commercial arrangements in relation to these homes. When these arrangements are concluded, details of the funded projects, including specific locations, housing typologies, and cost-covering rents, will be made public.

Cost Rental homes will be operated and allocated in line with provisions in the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which was recently approved by Government and will be published imminently. The Bill defines Cost Rental in Ireland for the first time and will allow the Minister to regulate tenancies in which the rents only cover clearly defined costs.