Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Written Answers Nos. 385-405

Defective Building Materials

Questions (385, 386)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

385. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the growing tensions in County Donegal in relation to the serious problems that families are experiencing with the defective concrete blocks grants scheme and the ongoing awarding of business to the companies that manufactured the defective products by public bodies such as Donegal County Council; the advice his Department is providing to Donegal County Council on both issues; and the steps he can take to address these growing tensions. [25947/21]

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

386. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will accede to requests for a public inquiry into the circumstances that led to the defective concrete block crisis in County Donegal that has devastated and traumatised thousands of families in private and public housing. [25948/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together.

The cracking of external walls of dwellings in Donegal and Mayo, due to the crumbling of concrete blockwork, came to light in 2013. An Expert Panel was established in 2016 to investigate the matter. It was chaired by Mr Denis McCarthy (formerly Waterford Co Co) and it included representatives nominated by the National Standards Authority of Ireland, Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland, and the Institute of Geologists of Ireland.

Their Report (available on the Department’s website) was published on 13 June 2017. It concluded that the disintegration of the concrete blocks used in the construction of the affected dwellings in Donegal and Mayo was primarily due to excessive amounts of deleterious materials in the aggregate used to manufacture the concrete blocks. The deleterious material in Donegal was primarily muscovite mica and in Mayo it was primarily reactive pyrite.

In many of the affected dwellings, the problems appear to have been exacerbated by their location in geographic areas of severe exposure and the ingress of moisture into the concrete blocks. The problems were possibly accelerated by the extreme weather conditions arising in the winters of 2009 and 2010.

The panel estimated that the scale of the problem in Donegal as being between 1,200 to 4,800 private dwellings and 541 to 1,000 social housing dwellings. In the case of Mayo, the panel estimates that the minimum potential number of private dwellings likely to be affected is approximately 345 and a total of 17 social housing units across 3 estates are known to be affected.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland published a standardised protocol in November 2018 - I.S. 465:2018 for the assessment, testing and categorisation of damaged buildings incorporating concrete blocks containing certain deleterious materials. It establishes a protocol for assessing and determining whether a building has been damaged by concrete blocks containing certain excessive amounts of deleterious materials and:

- Describes methods for establishing the extent of the problem;

- Describes the scope of any testing required; and

- Categorises buildings, in accordance with this Standard, providing competent persons with guidance on the appropriate measures to be taken.

Rigorous analysis therefore has already been carried out in relation to the circumstances that led to the defective concrete block issue and the scheme was informed by the work of the Expert Panel and the current maximum grant amounts payable under the scheme were finalised in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This process also took account of the comprehensive engagement that took place between my Department and both Donegal and Mayo County Councils, who operate and administer the scheme.

Budget 2021 provides funding of €20 million to fund the operation of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme for the counties of Donegal and Mayo. At this stage 378 stage one applications (308 in Donegal and 70 in Mayo) have been submitted and nearly 60% have been approved. The Scheme needs time to work and it is premature to consider making changes at this point. I am keeping progress of the scheme under review and engaging directly with both local authorities and local action groups on the matter.

Local authorities are independent legal entities whose purchasing activities are governed by public procurment rules. It would not be appropriate therefore for my Department to comment on the individual purchasing decisions of local authorities.

Question No. 386 answered with Question No. 385.

An Bord Pleanála

Questions (387)

Alan Kelly

Question:

387. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the implementation status of the organisational review of An Bord Pleanála published in 2016; and the implementation status of each of the 101 recommendations contained in the report in tabular form. [26060/21]

Written answers

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

An Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála was undertaken by an independent expert panel and published in March 2016. An Implementation Group, comprising representation from the Department and An Bord Pleanála, was established to oversee the implementation of the Review recommendations.

The Review contains 101 recommendations relating to legislative provisions, communications and stakeholder engagement, the Board's role and governance along with organisational and operational matters. 

The Implementation Group published its Terms of Reference and Plan for Implementation in 2016.  An Bord Pleanála, supported by the Department, as required, took the lead in the implementation of a large number of the key recommendations, with the Department taking the lead in examining recommendations requiring legislative underpinning.  A small number of recommendations were not accepted.

A review of the implementation of all 101 recommendations is currently being conducted with a view to publishing the final report on implementation by the end 2021.

An update on the implementation status of each of the 101 recommendations contained in the report has been requested by the Deputy in tabular form.  This information is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

Status of the recommendations of the 2016 Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála

Status	Explanation
Complete	Recommendation addressed, no further action necessary
Ongoing	Recommendation in train or yet to be decided upon
TBD	To be determined in a review of legislation

The Government has an extensive planning legislative agenda, which currently includes two planning and development bills, and the opportunity to take on board any legislative changes suggested in the Review is being considered in that context. The updating of legislation and guidelines remains an ongoing process and as specific matters arise, clarifications are issued to Planning Authorities via Circulars.

Theme 1 – Legislation and Governance

No.	Recommendation	Status
No.	Recommendation	Status
1	That a greater emphasis and commitment be made to addressing the complexity of planning law, by codification and consolidation of the legislative framework, with the aim that the planning system operates within a clear comprehensive code. The Government should consider as a matter of priority the setting up of a legislative review with a view to proposing a simplification of the legislation.	TBD
2	That the recommendation of the Environmental Protection Agency Review Group concerning a wider review of environmental governance be implemented as a matter of urgency.	TBD
32	The current legislative provisions need to be reviewed in order, amongst other things, to ensure that An Bord Pleanála may award costs against any party to proceedings before An Bord Pleanála who has acted unreasonably.	Ongoing
36	The legislation should be amended if necessary to enable where appropriate the Board to address objections to its jurisdiction to determine an appeal/application by way of a preliminary ruling. Subject to the necessary legal powers being in place, a practice should be adopted by An Bord Pleanála enabling inspectors, where appropriate, to refer to the Board objections to An Bord Pleanála’s jurisdiction for possible determination by way of a preliminary ruling and An Bord Pleanála should publish guidance to its inspectors as to the circumstances where it considers such a referral to be appropriate.	Ongoing
38	Pre-application discussions should be mandatory for all potential Strategic Infrastructure Development applications including all Local Authority Strategic Infrastructure Development proposals or for proposals to amend Strategic Infrastructure Permissions under Section 146, and legislation should be amended accordingly.	TBD
39	The definition of qualifying Strategic Infrastructure Development developments should be clarified to avoid unnecessary mandatory pre-application consultation on small project types which are known to fall outside the scope of Strategic Infrastructure Development.	TBD
41	To avoid consultations remaining ‘live’ in circumstances where the prospective applicant is not pursuing a proposed development, but has not withdrawn from consultations, it is considered prudent that An Bord Pleanála is provided with the power to close off consultations unilaterally in appropriate circumstances.	Ongoing
44	A scoping request for an Environmental Impact Statement to proceed alongside pre-application consultations should be permitted once the Board has decided that the proposed development constitutes a Strategic Infrastructure Development. Scoping should be kept as a separate process to pre-application consultations but should be allowed to run in parallel with the consultation process.	Ongoing
66	Smaller scale development proposals should generally be determined by a division comprising of a single Board member, unless that Board member disagrees with the inspector’s recommendation, in which case the decision should be made by a three-member Division of the Board.	Ongoing
67	Section 5 Referrals should be determined by a Division comprising of a single Board member, unless that Board member disagrees with the inspector’s recommendation, in which case the decision should be made by a three-member Division of the Board.	Ongoing
70	For reasons of consistency and transparency legislation should be amended and the provisions of section 34(10) of the 2000 Act, which require the Board to indicate the main reasons for not accepting the recommendation to grant or refuse permissions, should apply to Strategic Infrastructure Development cases.	Complete
72	Section 37F(1)(b) of the 2000 Act should be amended to encompass all appeals which would allow the Board to state that it is minded to grant permission but to still seek further information on a specific item, thereby allowing the Board to explore specific technical items that remain unclear to ensure that, for example, conditions to a grant are technically implementable.	TBD
73	It is recommended that cost recovery clauses should be inserted into section 146B of the Planning and Development Act 2000 in the same manner as is applied to ‘parent’ strategic infrastructures cases.	Complete
75	Legislation should be amended to require An Bord Pleanála to give a realistic expectation for particular cases if it is considered at the outset that the timescales may run beyond the statutory objective period or any other revised timeframe provided.	TBD
76	The following statutory objective timeframes should apply to An Bord Pleanála’s work, with a view to their progressive realisation: General cases not requiring oral hearings 12 weeks- General cases requiring oral hearings 14 weeks- Strategic Infrastructure Development cases 22 weeks- Section 5 Referrals, including where an oral hearing is held 8 weeks. The Statutory Objective Period for all other cases, including Compulsory Purchase Orders, Licensing appeals, etc. should remain at 18 weeks.	Ongoing
83	That the Department, in consultation with An Bord Pleanála and the Agency, examines the current legislative framework and takes steps to expand, where appropriate, the range of applications for development consent where the Agency must be consulted formally.	Ongoing
90	When considering departing from a local authority’s development plan, An Bord Pleanála should in the first instance be obliged to consult with the public using an abridged form of public consultation. Should An Bord Pleanála decide to contravene a development plan, a detailed statement of the reasons for the contravention should be published as a matter of course.	Ongoing
93	An Bord Pleanála should be the designated authority for collating and co-ordinating the issuing of all consents and decisions required from all relevant public authorities relating to Strategic Infrastructure Development including monitoring compliance with time limits. This would be similar to the procedures for the permit granting process applicable to Projects of Common Interest and appropriate legislation and procedures would need to be put in place for An Bord Pleanála to fulfil this function.	Ongoing
94	The Review Group considers that a dedicated unit, similar to the UK Planning Inspectorate’s Consents Service Unit, should be established within An Bord Pleanála to facilitate communication with applicants, other consenting bodies, prescribed bodies and local authorities with the goal of improving communication and facilitating interaction.	Ongoing
97	An informal advisory committee(s), representative of stakeholders, should be established to assist An Bord Pleanála in identifying and addressing high-level issues and challenges of common interest, and to act as a conduit for more effective communications between An Bord Pleanála and its stakeholders	TBD

Theme 2 – Role of Board and Appointments

No.	Recommendation	Status
No.	Recommendation	Status
5	Ordinary members of the Board need to engage to a greater extent in governance to ensure effective oversight of the organisation and, where necessary, to be given appropriate further training.	Complete
6	That a formal job specification for ordinary Board members should be made publicly available and should reflect the Review Group’s view that, whilst useful, ordinary members do not need to have prior knowledge of planning and environmental law and policy; the job specification should however make it clear that successful candidates would be prepared to achieve a working knowledge of these matters. A job specification for Board members should also ensure that emphasis on strategic management and governance of the organisation by Board members. A similar formal job specification for the chairperson should also be produced reflecting also the heightened leadership and governance role played by the chairperson. In addition, the Review Group suggests it would be helpful for An Bord Pleanála in consultation with the Department to draw up terms of reference for the roles of chairperson, ordinary member and inspector in the light of the Review Group’s recommendations.	Complete
7	A suitable induction course and other necessary training should be arranged for new ordinary Board members and the chairperson followed as appropriate by continuing training.	Complete
8	The list of prescribed bodies that nominate candidates for appointment by the Minister, as set out in section 106 of the 2000 Act, is outdated and should be reviewed to include representation of society’s wider interests. The system by which prescribed bodies nominate persons for membership of An Bord Pleanála should continue, subject to the following recommendations, but all nominated persons should be subject to a selection process by the Public Appointments Service in a manner broadly consistent with appointments to other public bodies.	Ongoing
9	Two Board members should be recruited through open competition and should be selected for Board membership by the Public Appointments Service in a manner broadly consistent with appointments to other public bodies.	Ongoing
10	To encourage engagement in the appointment process from a wider pool of candidates, the process concerning the selection of Board members should be amended, with a view to greater transparency and public awareness of Board member duties and required qualifications.	Ongoing
11	Consideration should be given to an advisory or more expanded role to the chairperson or deputy chairperson in the recruitment process for all ordinary Board members.	Ongoing
12	Termination of contracts of employment for the Board members should be sequenced to achieve an approximate 20% turnover on an annual basis.	Ongoing
16	Biannual seminars should take place involving inspectors and the Board to disseminate An Bord Pleanála policy and to identify and address consistency issues, clarify approaches and brief on recent and forthcoming policy and legislative changes.	Complete

Theme 3 – Organisational Issues

No.	Recommendation	Status
No.	Recommendation	Status
3	The Review Group is firmly of the view that stronger general managerial oversight and direction of the inspectorate, as described above, at paragraph 3.11, would be wholly beneficial and would not diminish the operational independence of inspectors when making reports and recommendations. In Chapter 4 the Review Group has set out recommendations as to how greater strategic direction can be given by the Board to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the case management process.	Complete
4	The Executive Management Team, which currently operates on an informal basis, should be formally recognised and allotted specific responsibilities and performance obligations. The Team should also engage formally with the Board on a regular basis. The respective roles of the Executive Management Team and Management Committee should be clarified. Formal links between the inspectorate and the Board should be strengthened.	Ongoing
13	Formal, hierarchical links and lines of reporting, oversight and management from assistant director of planning, to senior planning inspector, to planning inspector, should be strengthened considerably.	Complete
14	Regular and detailed briefing sessions are necessary within and between Area Teams to facilitate consistency and provide regular feedback on team performance.	Complete
15	Within the inspectorate, stronger oversight and management is required to ensure consistency of approach and recommendation, including report style and format, the wording of planning conditions and overall recommendations prior to issuing to the Board.	Complete
17	Having regard to the approach already pursued in local authorities where internal expert reports are secured from different sections of the local authority in question, An Bord Pleanála should retain (consistent with any legal procurement and other requirements) a framework panel of professionals with expertise across all relevant areas. Such resources can then be called upon, when and if required, in a timely manner.	Ongoing
18	A section comprising of environmental and other necessary specialists should be established within An Bord Pleanála to advise inspectors and the Board and to provide necessary technical advice.	Complete
19	The Remote Inspectorate Team would appear to add value from a service perspective and its purpose and position within the overall organisation, including the title of non-Dublin based inspectors, must be re-evaluated in order to ensure through innovative approaches to flexible working the members of the Team are a fully integrated part of the inspectorate.	Complete
20	The current organisational structure of An Bord Pleanála should be reviewed in order to meet expanding challenges and public expectations. In particular, a new dedicated unit should be established under the direct supervision of the chief officer (ultimately reporting through the chief officer to the chairperson and the Board) to lead and drive change initiatives, new centralised communications policies and practices, research facilities and to address the range of additional expertise required to support the needs of the whole organization.	Complete
22	In the event that An Bord Pleanála re-introduces the use of fee-per-case inspectors and the use of consultancies, appropriate mechanisms to ensure the highest standards of quality, integrity and consistency should be put in place; An Bord Pleanála should explore the procedures used elsewhere to secure these aims, such as the use of the fee-per-case Ombudsman employed by the UK Financial Services Ombudsman.	Ongoing
23	A revised workforce plan should be prepared by An Bord Pleanála and agreed with the Department, based on the need for additional expertise and the introduction of modernised structures and systems associated with the PLEAN-IT project. Consideration to be given to ensuring that all remuneration packages not only reflect the levels of technical skill, experience required, and the responsibilities associated with a post, but should also ensure that there are relative differentials among staff to reflect and encourage those with leadership responsibilities. The revised workforce plan should also reflect the Review Group’s recommendation concerning in-house legal counsel and greater legal scrutiny of the reasons for Board decisions, as recommended in Chapter Four.	Complete
24	An Bord Pleanála should continually review the skills base of its inspectors and provide appropriate training and development through the Performance Management Development System to its inspectors, including targeting specific disciplines, which complement the planning discipline.	Complete
25	In view of the reaffirmation of the Performance Management Development System under the Civil Service Renewal Plan, the full potential of the System should be pursued in the mutual interests of the organisation and staff.	Complete
26	The approval of An Bord Pleanála’s annual budget by the Department should include an incentive for the introduction of an agreed and measurable change programme, aimed at improving efficiency and performance.	Complete
29	The Executive Management Team should enhance oversight of financial management within An Bord Pleanála and should provide periodic financial performance reports to the Board as a matter of course.	Complete
65	Whilst An Bord Pleanála should continue to retain external solicitors it should also recruit at least one in-house counsel (barrister or solicitor) of suitable specialist expertise with seven years or more post-qualification experience to advise. In-house counsel should also be able to instruct the external lawyers and the Bar directly both in an advisory capacity and in litigation cases, where appropriate.	Ongoing
81	An Bord Pleanála, the local government sector and other relevant bodies should explore options concerning the secondment of staff; the Review Group considers that there is ample scope to put in place secondment arrangements which would not compromise the overriding requirement for operational independence and impartiality. Such arrangements would also benefit An Bord Pleanála, local authority and other staff in terms of their professional development. In addition, the coordination of specialist planning and related training across public authorities, including An Bord Pleanála, would likely result in efficiencies and valuable opportunities to strengthen links among the staff of the various organisations and provide further opportunities to staff for their professional development.	Ongoing

Theme 4 – Operational Issues

No.	Recommendation	Status
No.	Recommendation	Status
31	An Bord Pleanála should publish and adopt policy guidance on the award of costs in respect of each of the powers it has to award costs, to include in addition to any other principle justifying the award of costs, the principle that where a party has behaved unreasonably leading other parties to suffer unnecessary costs they may be liable to pay that other party’s costs.	Complete
37	An Bord Pleanála should review its powers and practice in order to facilitate greater use of limited agenda oral hearings and informal round-table hearings/meetings by the Board and its inspectors. If necessary, the legislation should be amended to enable necessary powers.	Ongoing
40	The pre-application provisions relating to Strategic Infrastructure Development should be formally broken into a two stage process to facilitate constructive and meaningful pre-application discussions such that (i) Stage one includes the issuing of a Notice from the Board stating whether or not the proposal constitutes a Strategic Infrastructure Development; and, (ii) Stage two commences where the project has been deemed to be Strategic Infrastructure Development and detailed pre-application discussion commences on the procedures to be followed and the considerations which might have a bearing on the Board’s decision in determining the application. In the interests of ensuring certainty statutory timelines should be introduced.	Ongoing
42	The role and purpose of pre-application discussions (Stage two as referred to in Recommendation 40) needs to be clarified and expanded, in the context of the establishment of a Consents Service Unit as per Recommendation 94 of Chapter Five. It is recommended that a ‘contact plan’ is agreed between the applicant and the inspectorate setting out a framework for support, with the aim of helping to improve certainty concerning timescales and the level of inputs required, and to minimise risks to the effective operation of the Strategic Infrastructure Development process.	Ongoing
43	Measures to enforce applicant compliance with the pre-planning requirements at planning application stage, such that relevant consultations and necessary surveys have been undertaken, should be strengthened. Only when such compliance is demonstrated through the preparation of a pre-planning technical compliance report should a Strategic Infrastructure Development application be deemed to be valid and of a certain standard to be a planning application.	Ongoing
45	Board members should from time to time observe the conduct of oral hearings in cases in which they are to have no part in the decision-making process in order to assist the Board in the on-going assessment of the adequacy of the hearing process.	Ongoing
46	An Bord Pleanála should expand its current policy so as to set out the types of factors it generally takes into account when deciding whether an appeal warrants an oral hearing.	Complete
47	Longer notice should be given of hearing dates in order that prior hearing directions can be issued.	Ongoing
48	An Bord Pleanála should publish standard hearing directions on its web site and issue the directions in writing to the parties.	Complete
49	Where the appeal or application is complex or complicated an inspector should be sufficiently trained to be able to issue bespoke directions.	Complete
50	Directions should be issued in all oral hearings addressing, amongst other things, the requirement for the production of Statements of Case, Statements of Common Ground and Statements of Evidence, in accordance with a fixed schedule set by the inspector prior to the commencement of the oral hearing.	Ongoing
51	Inspectors should be given further training in pro-active oral hearing management.	Complete
52	An Bord Pleanála should strengthen guidance on oral hearings.	Complete
53	Care should be given to ensure that if overheads and power point slides etc. are used for the presentation of evidence during hearings they are legible from all parts of the venue at which people are seated.	Complete
54	Greater use should be made of the existing practice of discussing possible planning conditions on a ‘without prejudice’ basis at oral hearings. In the case of oral hearings concerning Strategic Infrastructure Development applications it should be the normal practice.	Complete
55	For hearings of less than three days the Review Group would not generally consider it appropriate for senior staff to attend the hearing in order to provide on-site advice or support to inspectors.	Complete
56	For longer cases (more than three days) and/or where there is likely to be a large public presence where administrative support is required it should be in the form of an administrative officer performing the role of a liaison officer between the inspector and the parties and the public and helping to ensure that parties know when to attend the hearing. That person should ideally be generally available (perhaps in a side room or at the back of the hearing venue but not seated next to the inspector).	Complete
58	Subject to seeking appropriate legal advice, before booking a private venue, opportunities should be explored to see if local authority or other public sector offices can be used for oral hearings.	Ongoing
59	All inspectors should be required to follow the template format in drafting their reports	Complete
60	Cases should be presented to Board members by inspectors or suitably qualified staff members. If necessary, the legislation should be amended to provide expressly for this	Complete
61	The Board must make clear in its direction, by reference to paragraph numbers, those parts of the inspector’s report with which it agrees and those parts where it disagrees. Where the Board disagrees, it should give its reasons for so doing supported, if necessary, by relevant evidence. The reasons should not be formulaic	Ongoing
62	Inspectors when reporting should follow An Bord Pleanála guidance on the imposition of planning conditions and in exceptional cases give clear planning reasons for any departure from An Bord Pleanála guidance.	Ongoing
63	An Bord Pleanála should publish a guidance document containing its general view on good practice to be applied when drafting bespoke conditions and also setting a national template for conditions in consultation with the local government sector, as per Recommendation 80 of Chapter Five.	Ongoing
64	Generally, and certainly in the case of all Strategic Infrastructure Development applications, an inspector should draft on a ‘without prejudice’ basis a list of conditions which they would recommend to the Board if the Board decided to grant planning permission against the inspector’s principal recommendation.	Ongoing
68	A validation stage should be introduced to raise the standard and quality of Strategic Infrastructure Development applications generally and to ensure that the pre-consultation stage has been used to full effect. The technical report referred to at paragraph 4.32 (see recommendation 43) and which will demonstrate compliance with pre-application technical requirements and necessary consultations raised should be a significant influencing factor on whether a Strategic Infrastructure Development application is of an appropriate standard.	Ongoing
69	In the interest of consistency and timeliness, the senior reporting inspector on Strategic Infrastructure Development cases should be involved from the outset in the determination of the case, including attendance at pre-consultation meetings and meetings associated with prescribed bodies. Team meetings with the Board can be facilitated by the director of planning and/or the assistant director of planning and necessary information disseminated to the reporting inspector as necessary.	Ongoing
91	An Bord Pleanála should be required to accompany the notification of decision to the relevant planning authority with a full set of plans and particulars in order to facilitate any compliance processing and enforcement undertakings that may arise in a particular case.	Ongoing

Theme 5 – Communications

No.	Recommendation	Status
No.	Recommendation	Status
30	An Bord Pleanála should produce a suite of guidance documents covering the principal areas of its decision-making processes.	Complete
33	An Bord Pleanála should publish and update as necessary its policy on the types of cases which will be ‘priority cases’.	Ongoing
34	An Bord Pleanála should make public whether a particular case is a ‘priority case’	Ongoing
35	An Bord Pleanála should publish guidance on the general approach to be adopted by the Board and inspectors in the exercise of their power to facilitate the provisions of Section 132 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to require further information.	Ongoing
57	As part of the improvement of An Bord Pleanála’s website, the possibility should be considered as to whether daily updates of oral hearing timetables can be posted and accessed by the public.	Complete
71	In the consideration and determination of Strategic Infrastructure Development applications, communication with Local Authorities should be reviewed and enhanced. A Memorandum of Understanding should be developed between An Bord Pleanála and the County and City Management Association to enhance the communication network and pattern.	Ongoing
74	An Bord Pleanála should publish a week-by-week processing and drafting timeframe for the different categories of cases it determines.	Ongoing
77	An Bord Pleanála should agree Memoranda of Understanding with other relevant consent, consultation and prescribed bodies, including with the local government sector.	Ongoing
78	All Memoranda of Understanding agreed by An Bord Pleanála should be published online.	Complete
79	A timetable should be set by An Bord Pleanála for the agreement of Memoranda of Understanding. Memoranda of Understanding should also identify policies and practices which would benefit from the publication of joint guidance documents, a matter which is discussed further below. All Memoranda agreed by An Bord Pleanála with other organisations should be jointly reviewed, as appropriate but within a three-year period and revised as necessary to address issues where they arise.	Ongoing
80	An Bord Pleanála should as a matter of priority agree a publication sequence of detailed guidance documents regarding specific topics, based on an analysis of stakeholder needs, including the development of a national template for conditions as per Recommendation 63 of Chapter Four, and in addition should pursue opportunities for the issuing of joint guidance as per Recommendation 79.	Ongoing
82	Building on the arrangements already in place, contact between senior management of the Department and An Bord Pleanála should be formalised; an annual meeting between the Department’s Secretary General, the Assistant Secretary overseeing the planning function, and the chairperson of the Board should take place to provide a forum to discuss matters including: resourcing, performance fees legislation, MOUS, joint guidance and progress on implementation of review.	Complete
84

Question No. 388 answered with Question No. 362.

Grant Payments

Questions (389)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

389. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if grants are available for a person who wishes to renovate a protected structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26079/21]

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 in 2021 under both schemes were announced recently and are available on my Department’s website. Details of the 2022 schemes, including how and when to apply, will be made available later this year. 

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 works at a protected structure.

Grant Payments

Questions (390)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

390. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Donegal County Council has been allocated funding for the energy efficiency retrofit programme phase 2 for window and doors replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26088/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Energy Efficiency/Retrofitting Programme (EERP) was launched in 2013 with the aim of funding the retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since 2013, over 73,500 units of local authority housing stock have been retrofitted under the programme with a total exchequer spend of €161 million.

The Programme for Government commits to retrofitting 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent (BER) standard by 2030, of which, approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes. This requires local authorities to move to a 'deeper retrofit' programme, thus building on what has been completed in previous years. The revised programme provides for a significant increase in the level of funding available and focuses on ensuring that the fabric of the home is upgraded and an energy efficient heating system is provided. Works eligible under the Programme include attic/cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation where required, windows and doors replacement where required, heat pump installation and ancillary and associated works.

All local authorities have received their full allocation under the newly revised 2021 programme. The budget for 2021 is €45m and Donegal County Council has received an allocation of €1,569,993 for the retrofit of a minimum 58 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal BER standard.

Data Protection

Questions (391)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

391. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of data breaches suffered by his Department in each of the past five years and to date in 2021. [26102/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on 25 May 2018.  My Department appointed a Data Protection Officer (as is required under Article 37 of the GDPR) and set up a dedicated Data Protection Unit that year

The table below sets out the number of data breaches identified by my Department since the introduction of the GDPR. All breaches were dealt with in line with the Department’s Data Breach Management Policy and as required under Articles 33-34 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).  All breaches have been closed/resolved.

Years	Number of Data Breaches
2018	0
2019	12
2020	7
2021	2

Housing Provision

Questions (392)

Patricia Ryan

Question:

392. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes provided in each local authority area under the capital advance leasing facility; the value of these homes in each area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26292/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with Approved Housing Bodie's (AHBs) to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing.

The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) funding is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units.  This loan facility can support up to 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the housing units provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements. A nominal interest rate of 2% fixed per annum is charged by the local authority on the initial capital amount. Repayments on either the capital or interest are not required during the term of the loan (between 10 and 30 years), although where an AHB chooses to, repayments can be made during the term. At the end of the term, the outstanding capital amount plus the interest accrued, is owed and repayable to the local authority. The local authority issues the CALF monies to the AHB and the local authority, in turn, recoups same from the Department. The remainder of the capital cost is sourced by the AHB through other borrowings, to which the local authorities are not party.

The tables attached reflect the number of homes delivered in each Local Authority area, under the Capital Advance Leasing Facility by year and the total associated CALF funding for these units, for 2018-2020, inclusive.

* Please note that these figures do not include PART V units. Owing to the nature of the CALF, delivery of new housing does not always arise in the same year as expenditure and projects delivered under phased programmes may cross a number of payment periods.

 Table

Housing Provision

Questions (393)

Patricia Ryan

Question:

393. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has considered or investigated the use of 3D printed houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26293/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The design and construction of buildings is regulated under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2020. The Act provides for the making of Building Regulations and Building Control Regulations.

The Building Regulations set out the minimum legal performance requirements for the construction of new buildings and certain works to existing buildings. They do not prescribe materials or methods of construction to be used. The purpose of the Building Regulations is primarily to protect the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings. 

Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) are published for Parts A - M of the Second Schedule to the Building Regualtions. Where works are carried out in accordance with the relevant TGD, such works are considered to be, prima facie, in compliance with that Part of the Regulations. However, the adoption of an approach other than that outlined in the guidance is not precluded provided that the relevant requirements of the Regulations are complied with.

Part D of the Building Regulations sets out the legal requirements for materials and workmanship. It requires that all works must be carried out

- using “proper materials” which are fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used, and

- in a workmanlike manner 

to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations.

The process of Agrément certification applies to those products and processes which do not fall within the scope of existing construction standards, either because they are innovative or because they deviate from established norms. NSAI Agrément assesses, specifies testing, and where appropriate, issues Agrément certificates confirming that new building products, materials, techniques and equipment are safe and fit for purpose in accordance with the Irish Building Regulations and with the terms of the certificate. Such certificates may be in addition to, but not conflict with CE marking.

Finally, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform convenes the Construction Sector Group (CSG). The CSG facilitates regular and open dialogue between Government and industry on topics such as productivity, environmental sustainability and skills/capacity and digital innovation. In this context, an Innovation and Digital Adoption Team to improve industry productivity across 7 actions has been established including Research and Modern Methods of Construction. My Department is engaging with these initiatives in the interests of improving efficiency, sustainability and value for money, while maintaining compliance with Building Regulations and other minimum quality standards.

Housing Schemes

Questions (394)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

394. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a planning application is made for a build to rent scheme, if the applicant is required to flag this in their application; if so, the way it is flagged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26424/21]

Written answers

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

A planning application for residential development may be specifically described as ‘build-to-rent’ (BTR) development at the planning application stage. This is set out in Chapter 5.0 of the Apartment Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2020 and defines ‘build to rent’ development as:-

“Purpose-built residential accommodation and associated amenities built specifically for long-term rental that is managed and serviced in an institutional manner by an institutional landlord”.

It is a further requirement of the Apartment Guidelines that any such build-to-rent development remains owned and operated by an institutional entity, and that this status will continue to apply for a minimum period of not less than 15 years.  The Guidelines also specify that no individual residential units may be sold or rented separately, during that period.

Such proposals must be described as specific BTR developments in the public notices associated with the planning application made.  Planning applications for specific Build-to-Rent developments form a relatively small proportion of all planning permissions granted.  As of February 2021, 48,397 residential units in total have been approved under the An Bord Pleanála Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process and a total of 7,782 (or 16%) of this total are specifically described as Build-to-Rent residential units.

Development proposals that have been subject to planning applications for, and permitted as, general housing development, rather than specified as 'build-to-rent' at planning stage, retain flexibility to be developed in full or in part for ‘build-to-sell’ or ‘build-to-rent’ purposes, with the latter also known as private rented sector, or PRS development.

Housing Provision

Questions (395)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

395. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number in each county in receipt of local authority provided special accommodation for older persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26445/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The allocation of local authority dwellings, including for specific groups such as older people,  is, in accordance with relevant regulations, a matter for individual local authorities. As such I have no function relating to such allocations, nor does my Department collate information from local authorities in relation to their allocations. 

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.

The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813 households or 9.9% on the last assessment in June 2019. Since 2016, the numbers have decreased from 91,600 to 61,880, a reduction of 32.4%.

Below is the link to the summary report for 2020 which includes breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories. 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.

2020 Report

www.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 are links to the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) for 2011 and SSHA reports for 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 which contain data broken down by local authority area.  

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

Housing Provision

Questions (396)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

396. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 344 of 11 May 2021, the details of all other forms of social housing included in the figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26446/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (HAP SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord but does not capture further details of closed tenancies that transfer to other forms of social housing. The management of individual HAP tenancy exits is a matter for each individual local authority.

Similarly, my Department does not gather specific detail on RAS tenancies moving to other forms of social housing. The management of individual RAS properties is a matter for each individual local authority, in accordance with the contractual arrangements entered into in respect of each property. Under RAS, local authorities retain the responsibility to source further accommodation for a RAS household should the dwelling that the household is living in become unavailable through no fault of their own. 

Legislation provides that both HAP and RAS are considered to be forms of social housing support. Households in receipt of HAP and RAS are, therefore, not eligible to remain on the main housing waiting list. However, acknowledging that some households on the waiting list, who avail of HAP and RAS, have expectations that they would receive a more traditional form of social housing support, recipients can avail of a move to other forms of social housing through a transfer list. 

RAS and HAP 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 to those who are assessed as being in need of housing support.

Housing Provision

Questions (397)

Réada Cronin

Question:

397. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of long-term leases active in north County Kildare in each year from 2009 to 2020 inclusive and to date in 2021; the annual cost of each lease type for each year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26460/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

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 273 leased properties were supported under SHCEP across all leasing delivery programmes in Kildare County Council. A breakdown of the total number of leased dwellings by lease type for each year 2014 to 2020 is set out in Table 1 below.  A detailed breakdown by lease type is not available for the period 2009 to 2013.

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.  Leasing delivery data for Q1 2021 is currently being collated so the data requested for 2021 is not yet available.

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 may be due to the time lag in the submission of claims to my Department in respect of new claims after delivery.

Table 1: Kildare County Council, Leasing Year End Figures 2014 to 2020 (as part of SHCEP)

Year	AHB MTR	AHB Private   Lease	LA Direct	Private MTR	RLS	Unsold   Affordables	Total
2014	5	83	1			73	162
2015	8	111	1			73	193
2016	9	94	1			73	177
2017	19	165	2			73	259
2018	24	129	19			67	239
2019	37	120	18		1	67	243
2020	44	119	40	2	1	67	273

Table 2: Kildare County Council, Leasing end 2018 to 2020 Spend

Scheme	2018	2019	2020
AHB MTR	€213,891	€354,325	€416,876
AHB Private Lease	€1,092,000	€1,257,571	€1,176,831
LA Direct	€102,296	€184,102	€437,804
Private MTR	€0	€0	€16,213
RLS	€0	€8,159	€5,760
Unsold Affordables	€168,528	€160,964	€160,524
Total	€1,576,715	€1,965,121	€2,214,008

Heritage Sites

Questions (398, 399)

Martin Browne

Question:

398. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the proposal by the Tipperary county councils to obtain UNESCO world heritage site status for the Rock of Cashel; if his Department will provide support for the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26464/21]

Martin Browne

Question:

399. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the structures in place for developing UNESCO heritage status applications for historic sites in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26465/21]

Written answers

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 399 together.

My Department's National Monuments Service co-ordinates and oversees Ireland's role and responsibilities under the World Heritage Convention, including the submission of any nominations for World Heritage status to UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.

My Department is currently engaged in a review of Ireland's Tentative List of World Heritage properties.  In order for a property to proceed to nomination for World Heritage status, it must first be placed on the Tentative List for at least one year. As part of the review, appropriate bodies, such as local authorities, have been asked to apply to my Department with respect to properties within their areas of responsibility that they believe are suitable for inclusion on a revised and updated Tentative List. My Department has been liaising closely with interested parties and has been providing advice and support as they prepare their applications. 

Amongst others, my Department anticipates receiving an application for the Royal Sites of Ireland, of which the Rock of Cashel is a constituent component. The closing date for applications to the Tentative List is 30 June 2021 and, once that deadline has passed, applications will be independently assessed by an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) appointed for this purpose. Following assessment by the EAG of each property's potential to demonstrate Outstanding Universal Value, and the presence of robust local stakeholder support for the project, it will formulate its recommendations to me as the Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage on the future composition of Ireland's Tentative List.

Question No. 399 answered with Question No. 398.

Departmental Bodies

Questions (400)

Pauline Tully

Question:

400. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the fees and expenses paid to each member of the management board of the National Directorate For Fire and Emergency Management in 2019 and 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26522/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) was established within my Department in 2009 to provide central direction and leadership for fire and emergency management services, to develop national policies and national standards and to support and oversee their implementation at local level. 

It is widely recognised that the NDFEM Management Board has been a very successful model of collaboration between central and local government not just for its work in coordinating the response to severe weather and flooding, but also in relation to Traveller Fire Safety after the Carrickmines tragedy and likewise in leading our approach to evaluating safety in tall buildings after the Grenfell Tower fire in London. Its approach to ‘External Validation’ – meeting and reviewing each of our 27 fire services and reporting on their status - is both timely and reassuring. The most recent exercise in 2020 to review the impact of Covid on fire services was undertaken at a difficult time and was particularly welcome.

The NDFEM’s Management Board also leads the community fire safety approach which has been so successful in driving down our fire fatality rates. Ireland is in the league of most fire safe countries with a typical rate of approximately four fire fatalities per million of population, a third of what it was a decade ago.

In the years cited in the attached question, the Management Board has had a membership of 13 persons, made up as follows:

-  An Independent Chairperson

-  The head of the relevant division within my Department

-  The National Director of Fire and Emergency Management in my Department

-  A representative of the Chief Fire Officers (CFOs) Association

-  Representatives from the City and County Management Association

-  An international expert

- A representative from the Department of Defence

- A representative from Insurance Ireland

The Chairperson is the only member of the Management Board who is paid a fee by the Department. This fee, set out in the Table below, is the national rate for chairing of Category IV Boards. Also reflected in the Table are expenses recouped to the Chief Fire Officer representative and International Expert in connection with their attendance at Board meetings.

	2019	2020
Chair
Fee	€9,450	€9,450
International Expert
Expenses	€369.76	€92.44
CFOs Association Representative
Expenses	€1,142.09*	€158.74

It should be noted that the International expert, who is a member of the Board, carries out a range of work for the NDFEM, leading significant projects including the C Trí Fire Services Mobilisation and Communications Project and ensuring appropriate linkage across NDFEM work in the Information and Communication Technology, fire service operations and fire safety areas. In 2020, he was commissioned to lead the Management Board's external validation/ quality assurance process into the impact of Covid on fire services. This study was undertaken over the summer of 2020 was reported upon in the 'Response, Resilience and Recovery' Report published in October 2020. The amounts paid by my Department to the international expert for this work in the period 2019 was €52,340.55 and in 2020 was €64,470.82. Also, in addition to expenses listed in the table above for attending Board meetings of the NDFEM, the Chief Fire Officer representative attended a range of other NDFEM meetings and was recouped €3,888.35*  in 2019 and €569.99 in 2020 for attending those meetings.   

*This total also includes expenses incurred 2018 but paid in 2019.

Social Media

Questions (401)

Holly Cairns

Question:

401. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the housing adaptation grant will be made available to persons in public rented accommodation social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26566/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adapatation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable to their needs.

Separately, the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme (DPGs) is funded by my Department to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability and over crowded household situations. Typical works include adaptations such as stairlifts, level deck showers, ramps and grab rails, widening door opening widths and improving circulation spaces. Extensions to provide for ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms can also be supported.

For 2021 I approved an increased budget under the DPG Scheme which will allow local authorities complete all works submited as part of this years programme. Details relating to this are available at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/press-release/20e02-minister-obrien-minister-burke-approve-over-23m-in-funding-for-the-disabled-persons-grant-scheme-improvement-works-in-lieu-of-local-authority-housing-scheme/.

Question No. 402 answered with Question No. 381.

Grant Payments

Questions (403, 404, 405, 406, 407)

Pauline Tully

Question:

403. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications that have been made in each of the past five years for the housing adaptation grant for persons with a disability in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26612/21]

Pauline Tully

Question:

404. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons that successfully applied for the housing adaptation grant for persons with a disability in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26613/21]

Pauline Tully

Question:

405. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons that unsuccessfully applied for the housing adaptation grant for persons with a disability in each of the past five years categorised by the criteria under which they were turned down in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26614/21]

Pauline Tully

Question:

406. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average waiting time to process an application for the housing adaptation grant for persons with a disability in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26615/21]

Pauline Tully

Question:

407. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average waiting time for payment of the housing adaptation grant for persons with a disability in the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26616/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 403, 404, 405, 406 and 407 together.

My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.  Details on the number of grants paid and the amount spent for the past five years by all local authorities, are available on my Department's website at the following link: 

https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics. 

The detailed administration of the grants including their assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of local authorities. My Department does not hold information in relation to the number of unsuccessful applications or the relevant application/payment processing times for individual local authorities.  This information may be available directly from the local authorities.

Question No. 404 answered with Question No. 403.

Question No. 405 answered with Question No. 403.