Written Answers Nos. 223-247
223. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the planning regulations for wind turbines regarding the setback distances from houses are under review given the considerable increase in the height of the turbines and the length of rotor blades in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34000/21]
View answerMy Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines in line with the “preferred draft approach” which was announced in June 2017 by the then Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, in conjunction with the then Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The review is addressing a number of key aspects including visual amenity setback distances, sound or noise, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.
As part of the overall review process, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is being undertaken on the revised Guidelines before they come into effect, in accordance with the requirements of EU Directive 2001/24/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, otherwise known as the SEA Directive. SEA is a process by which environmental considerations are required to be fully integrated into the preparation of plans and programmes which act as frameworks for development consent, prior to their final adoption, with public consultation as part of that process.
As part of the SEA process, the previous Minister launched a ten-week public consultation on the draft revised Wind Energy Development Guidelines on 12 December 2019. The documents prepared for consultation are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/consultation/8f3c71-public-consultation-on-the-revised-wind-energy-development-guideline/
The consultation closed on 19 February 2020. Almost 500 submissions were received as part of the public consultation, many of which are quite detailed and technical in nature. My Department and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) have analysed the submissions received including those relating to setback distances, in conjunction with the contracted SEA and noise consultants, and are in the process of preparing finalised guidelines having undertaken detailed consideration and analysis of the submissions received.
My Department is currently finalising the technical guidance on the noise aspect in conjunction with DECC (which has primary responsibility for environmental noise matters). However, this piece of work is quite technical in nature and a small number of matters remain to be resolved in this regard.
Once the outstanding issues have been finalised by both Departments, the proposed amendments will need to be reviewed by the SEA consultants in order to conclude the SEA process.
My Department, in consultation with DECC, is endeavouring to finalise and publish the revised Guidelines as quickly as possible.
When finalised, the revised Guidelines will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála, must have regard to guidelines issued under section 28 in the performance of their functions generally under the Planning Acts. In the meantime, the current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines remain in force.
224. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will assist in expediting the construction of all homes at a location (details supplied) in recognition of the defective blocks crisis in County Donegal in that it can provide additional accommodation as soon as possible. [34006/21]
View answer225. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications being processed by his Department for the construction of social housing in County Donegal; and the geographic breakdown of same. [34007/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together.
My Department publishes a Social Housing Construction Status Report each quarter, which contains details of all social housing developments completed, under construction or in planning/design in each local authority area, including in Donegal. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q1 2021 and is available at the following link: www.rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-obrien-publishes-social-housing-construction-status-report-for-q1-2021/ and the information provided includes the location of each project.
I am keen that Donegal County Council progresses all their social housing construction projects as quickly as possible and I have assured them of my support in this regard. This includes a further social housing development at the location referred to in the question, for which my Department looks forward to the Council making a formal proposal as soon as possible. At that point, the process of expediting the planning, design and construction of this project will be a matter for the Council but my Department will assist in all possible regards. I hope also that public representatives with access to the quarterly Construction Status Reports, will support the advancement of this and other new social housing projects advanced by their Council.
226. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has received an analysis of the amount of public housing in County Donegal which is impacted by the construction with defective blocks. [34008/21]
View answer227. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to surveys carried out by Donegal County Council on its housing stock; if so, if a detailed breakdown will be provided of the results of any analysis to date, that is, visual surveys or core testing on each building; and the breakdown by district electoral division of the number of houses affected and the level of deterioration of same. [34009/21]
View answerThe Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme applies to private dwellings in Donegal and Mayo that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks.
An Expert Panel was established in 2016 to investigate the cracking of external walls of dwellings in Donegal and Mayo, due to the crumbling of concrete blockwork, which came to light in 2013.
The report of the expert panel (available on my Department’s website) was published on the 13 June 2017 and it estimated that the scale of the problem in Donegal as being between 1,200 and 4,800 private dwellings and 541 and 1,000 social housing dwellings.
In response to concerns around the scheme which have been raised by homeowners, I am establishing a time bound working group, with representatives from my Department, the local authorities and homeowner representative groups, to review and address any outstanding issues in relation to the operation of the Scheme, including issues such as grant caps, homeowner contributions, engineering and allowable costs etc. I expect that the review to be undertaken by the working group will be completed by the 31 July 2021 and will inform any changes or improvements to the scheme as may be required, which will be brought forward to Government following consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Attorney General.
In respect of local authority housing stock in Donegal, my Department has engaged with the local authority in relation to homes which may be impacted by defective concrete blocks. My Department will give due consideration to any submissions received on the matter from the respective local authorities.
Generally, in respect of local authority housing stock, Section 28 of the Housing Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2009 provides that management and maintenance is a matter for each individual local authority. This includes maintenance programmes and the carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs.
Notwithstanding the legal obligation on local authorities to manage and maintain their own housing stock, my Department provides support to local authorities in terms of various targeted social housing stock upgrade programmes, large-scale urban regeneration programmes, support for voids, the Energy Retrofitting Programme and adaptations and extensions to the local authority housing stock for disabled, elderly or overcrowded households.
228. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the provision given to Cork City Council to reimburse CPOs in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021. [34056/21]
View answerThe funding of sites that local authorities acquire, whether through compulsory purchase or otherwise, is related to the purpose for which the local authority uses the site. For example, my Department provides full funding to local authorities for sites that are used for social housing developments, while other Departments will support sites used for programmes that they support in line with the functions of the local authority. Accordingly, the proportion of the overall annual budget provided by my Department to each local authority which is spent on compulsory acquisition is not available from my Department but may be available from individual local authorities.
Local authorities are empowered under a number of statutes to acquire land, by agreement or compulsorily, for the purposes of performing any of its functions, including the acquisition of derelict sites situated within their functional area under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act 1990. In this connection, the exercise of compulsory purchase powers to acquire land is a matter for local authorities and is subject to confirmation by An Bord Pleanála through the appropriate statutory procedure.
My Department encourages local authorities to be proactive in utilising their legislative powers for compulsory purchase, where necessary, with the aim of bringing the greatest number of recoverable long term vacant dwellings and sites back into use. In many cases, however, the use of compulsory purchase powers is not necessary, as agreement to purchase can be reached between the local authority and the property owner.
229. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to establish a national registry of derelict sites. [34057/21]
View answerUnder the Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act), local authorities are required to maintain a derelict sites register, which includes the name and address of each owner and occupier, where these can be ascertained by reasonable enquiry, of any land which, in the opinion of the local authority, is a derelict site. Under section 8(5) of the Act, a copy of the derelict sites register for any local authority can be inspected at the offices of that authority during office hours. Members of the public can engage with their local authority in relation to addressing individual derelict sites in their local areas.
Every year my Department requests a data return from local authorities on the implementation of the Act. This return includes information on, inter alia, the number of sites on the register at the beginning of the year, the number of sites entered onto, and removed from, the register during that year, and the number of sites on the register at the end of the year. Also included is information on the derelict site levies imposed, paid and outstanding, as well as information on compulsory acquisition.
As this information is already gathered annually by my Department and the registers of each local authority are available for viewing by the public, I have no plans to establish a national register of derelict sites at this point in time.
230. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sites on the vacant sites register by county. [34058/21]
View answerUnder the vacant site levy provisions in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the Act), planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in January 2019. The rate of the levy increased to 7% for sites listed on local authority vacant sites registers from 2019 onwards which site owners became liable to pay in January 2020.
My Department does not maintain a central register of vacant sites as each local authority administers the vacant site levy in respect of its functional area; this includes identifying sites for inclusion on the register and applying the levy to same. I have no role in relation to this matter. As provided for under the Act, the register in respect of each local authority is available for inspection at its offices and online on its website. Therefore, the specific information requested is not available in my Department.
231. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department plans to provide funding to Dublin City Council for the provision of a discovery centre building on the North Bull Island, Clontarf; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34062/21]
View answerI do not have a funding mechanism for such a proposal, nor do I have plans before me in regards to this centre proposal.
It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.
232. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if supports are available without household income means tests for a severely disabled person to install equipment such as a full lift in cases in which the only way in which they can live independently is by being with a member of their wider family and in which a means test on other household income would be unfairly restricting their options. [34067/21]
View answerMy Department provides funding to local authorities so as to enable them adminsiter the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme. These schemes assist eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.
The grants available operate on a sliding scale with the highest percentage grants available to those with the lowest incomes and vice versa. The schemes are means tested. Grant assistance is not available to applicants whose household income, after disregards and deductions, exceeds €60,000 per annum. A review is being undertaken this year by officials of my Department in relation to the means test criteria.
Local authorities, in administering the scheme, should always work with qualifying applicants to ensure they get the most beneficial outcome possible in line with their financial circumstances.
Further detail on these schemes is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/service/6636c-housing-adaptation-grants-for-older-people-and-people-with-a-disability/
233. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the funding provided to the National Women’s Council of Ireland to assist in producing the document Women beyond Dáil Éireann ; More Women in Local Government to the Immigrant Council of Ireland to assist in producing The Experience of Migrant Candidates in the 2019 Local Election and to Women for Election commissioned research More Women – changing the face of politics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34069/21]
View answerMy Department has funded a number of research projects since the 2019 Local Elections, including the National Women’s Council of Ireland ‘Women beyond the Dáil; More Women in Local Government’ (€15,015), the Immigrant Council of Ireland ‘The Experience of Migrant Candidates in the 2019 Local Election’ (€6,750) and, more recently, Women for Election commissioned research ‘More Women – changing the face of politics’ (€10,800).
The research undertaken has highlighted the importance of the role of political parties in increasing female participation and wider diversity in local elections, early intervention to support and coach potential candidates, and supports that need to be provided to ensure a successful and confident election campaign.
My Department also supports these and other organisations to work with women and people of diversity, in a non-partisan way, providing key capacity building services and training for those interested in local government.
In recognition of the need to promote gender equality and diversity in local government, my predecessor introduced a funding scheme in March 2019 to incentivise political parties to increase the number of women candidates in the 2019 local elections. The scheme was open to all political parties and the funding provided was an annual grant to political parties, based on their performance in fielding women candidates in the 2019 local elections. This funding was to be used by the parties specifically for the purposes of promoting gender balance and diversity among the party’s candidates and elected representatives. Following engagement with a number of political parties and key stakeholders, the scheme has been reviewed and I launched a new scheme earlier this year which aims to improve gender balance and diversity among candidates to be fielded by political parties in the 2024 local elections.
At its meeting of 18 May 2021, the Government approved a significant reform of the remuneration of local authority elected members. It also noted the work of local government stakeholders in agreeing an Action Plan to implement a range of non-pay related reforms, including issues such as maternity leave, administrative supports and professional development for councillors. These reforms, taken together with the pay reforms approved, will make the role of councillor more sustainable and manageable, facilitating a cohort of members representative and fully reflective of the diverse communities they are elected to represent.
234. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it will be necessary to invoke emergency housing procedures in order to assure the rapid delivery of direct build local authority houses on public lands in the shortest possible timescale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34178/21]
View answerThe delivery of housing supports is a key priority of Government and this is reflected in the Programme for Government commitment for the delivery of 50,000 new social homes nationally, with a key emphasis on delivering new build homes.
The Government investment for the delivery of all housing programmes this year alone, is €3.3 billion and given the major focus on new build social homes, I have taken a number of measures to facilitate expedited delivery by the local authorities and by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). I have established a High Level Housing Delivery Group which meets regularly and includes key stakeholders from the local authorities, the AHBs, the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Coordination Office. This Group meets regularly to monitor and coordinate delivery of social housing programmes and to identify and address any systemic issues that could block or delay progress. In September 2020, I increased from €2 million to €6 million, the threshold within which local authorities can advance their proposals for new social housing construction projects via a single funding approval from my Department.
I have also enhanced the role of the Housing Delivery Coordination Office to work with all local authorities on accelerating their social housing construction programmes, including the activation of existing sites and the acquisition and development of new sites. The restrictions on construction activity this year - following on from the 2020 restrictions - will have an unavoidable impact on the completion timelines for all housing construction, including public housing, but local authorities and AHBs know that notwithstanding the difficult circumstances, full funding is available to support the maximum possible delivery this year.
The Government will be publishing a new housing strategy in the coming weeks, which will set out details of social housing delivery out to 2025, including social housing targets for 2022 onwards. While local authorities already have social housing construction programmes in train, I am keen that they are proactive in adding to this pipeline and, working with the AHBs, in advancing their existing projects as speedily as possible, with the assurance of the funding being available from my Department.
To provide transparency on the new social housing projects being advanced, my Department publishes a Social Housing Construction Status Report each quarter. These reports provide details of the social housing construction schemes completed and those in the pipeline for all local authority areas. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q1 2021 and is available at the following link: www.rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-obrien-publishes-social-housing-construction-status-report-for-q1-2021/ The publication of this information can also give Councillors and public representatives the opportunity to work with the local authority officials to press the advancement of these social housing delivery projects, in line with the 2021 delivery targets already in place and the multi-annual targets that we will be publishing with the new housing strategy.
235. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he has considered additional measures to address the housing crisis with particular reference to the rapidly escalating house prices, the increasing number of persons seeking to purchase an affordable house and the number of applicants on local authority housing waiting lists; his plans to introduce radical measures to address the situation which is now for many persons an emergency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34179/21]
View answer237. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average price of a house now deemed to be in the affordable category; the number built, acquired or under construction at present throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34181/21]
View answer238. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the precise number of affordable local authority houses he expects to provide by county based on the number of housing applicants in each local authority area over the next two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34182/21]
View answer239. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he can foresee the provision of adequate private sites, affordable housing and Rebuilding Ireland loans in each local authority area nationwide commensurate with their requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34183/21]
View answer246. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of serviced housing sites available with a view to meeting the affordable housing needs of the population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34190/21]
View answer251. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he expects the affordable housing needs to be met by way of a house building programme in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34195/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 237 to 239, inclusive, 246 and 251 together.
This Government is absolutely focused on ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society and this is reflected in the Programme for Government, "Our Shared Future". The Programme commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system through the progression of State-backed affordable housing.
This commitment is reflected in Budget 2021, which provides for an overall investment of €3.3 billion for the delivery of housing programmes. This represents an increase of €641m or 24% on 2020 and the single biggest spend on housing by any Government to fund the largest build programme, in the history of the State.
Importantly, €110 million of this amount will be provided to deliver a new national Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme for first time buyers and a new funding model to accelerate the delivery of cost rental homes through the Approved Housing Body sector.
€75 million was allocated for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme, aimed at first-time buyers buying new-build homes on private land. It will enable first-time buyers to buy a new home at a price they can afford, much sooner than would otherwise have been the case. The equity stake will fill the gap between the mortgage people can get, and the price of a new home. In so doing, it will build confidence in the construction sector to increase housing supply. The proposed price caps for the equity scheme are reflective of the median price of a new home bought by first-time buyers, and are targeted to address the affordability gap in different areas. It is anticipated that the Scheme will be supported and operated in partnership with the retail banks - depending on the final design, this will allow support for approximately 1,500 to 2,000 households to buy new homes in the first year.
The new Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) is the first dedicated funding stream for Cost Rental housing in Ireland. CREL will assist Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in developing or acquiring new homes for Cost Rental, to accelerate implementation of this new housing sector in the immediate term. The scheme harnesses the expertise and capacity of AHBs, amply demonstrated in the provision of social housing, and builds a foundation for further AHB involvement in Cost Rental.
Under the CREL scheme, the Housing Agency will make loans available to AHBs on very favourable terms to cover up to 30% of the development or acquisition costs of new homes for Cost Rental. The Budget allocation of €35 million is intended to assist the delivery and tenanting of c. 350 new homes this year, on top of the 50 new Cost Rental apartments scheduled for delivery later this year at Enniskerry Road, Stepaside.
To date, my Department has issued two broad-based Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) calls for proposals to local authorities. Funding of almost €200 million has been approved in principle in support of 40 infrastructure projects in 14 local authority areas across 9 counties, to assist in the delivery of almost 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or for rent.
Details of 35 SSF projects which received approval in principle under the two SSF calls to date are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website as follows:
Call 1 www.rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-gives-the-go-ahead-for-ten-local-authority-sites-for-affordable-housing-under-the-serviced-sites-fund/ .
Call 2 www.rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-approves-funding-of-e84m-to-support-delivery-of-1770-affordable-homes-under-the-ssf/ .
In addition to these projects, approval in principle has also been given to five further applications for SSF funding, namely, Dublin City Council’s projects in Emmet Road and Oscar Traynor Road, Fingal County Council’s projects in Ballymastone, Donabate, and Hayestown, Rush and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s project in Shanganagh.
In making an application for SSF, each local authority must demonstrate that an affordability issue exists in the area in question and that it is viable to deliver homes, for purchase or rent, with a price reduction of at least 10% below open market values.
In addition, the Land Development Agency (LDA) is tasked with working with Government Departments, Local Authorities, state agencies, and other stakeholders to assemble strategic sites in urban areas and ensure the sustainable development of social and affordable homes for rent and purchase. On its establishment, the LDA had access to an initial portfolio of 8 sites that have near term delivery potential for approximately 3,400 new homes. Whilst the tenure mix for these homes has not been finalised, the LDA will have regard to Government policy, and all appropriate legislation, in considering the appropriate tenure mix for developments on public land, as well as the criteria for the operation of cost rental and affordable housing schemes. All these measures are designed to increase housing supply at a time when needed most.
The Government has also approved the drafting of amending provisions to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, for inclusion in the Affordable Housing Bill 2021 as Committee Stage amendments. This will see an increase in the current 10% social housing requirement related to all new housing developments to a mandatory 20% for social and affordable requirements.
Other affordability measures, such as the Help to Buy Scheme, and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, are also available to eligible purchasers nationally to make home ownership more affordable.
The Help to Buy Scheme may return tax paid in the previous four years to eligible first-time buyers, up to a maximum amount of €30,000, for a new home. Information is available online at: www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx .
The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan enables credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. There are no set minimum income limits; however, applicants do need to have sufficient borrowing and repayment capacity and must be capable of repaying the mortgage. Further information on the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is available at http://rebuildingirelandhomeloan.ie/ .
Finally, I can confirm the Government’s upcoming Housing strategy ‘Housing for All’ will detail an extensive range of measures and ambitious targets to underpin the delivery of affordable housing over the coming years.
236. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of heritage projects currently in hand or listed for attention in terms of projection and restoration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34180/21]
View answerMy Department provides financial support for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF). This year 562 heritage projects across every county in the country were allocated funding from a combined sum of €6m under these schemes, an increase of nearly 40% on 2020.
My Department also provides financial support through the Community Monuments Fund (CMF) for work relating to monuments. This year funding was allocated to 139 projects across all local authorities to a value of just over €4.2m.
Details of the projects have been published on my Department’s website and on local authority websites.
240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses built or bought by each local authority by county excluding the approved housing bodies in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34184/21]
View answerMy Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing delivery activity on a quarterly basis including Build and Acquisitions. This data includes details on the number of social housing units provided by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies from 2015 to Quarter 1 2021. This data is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of Rebuilding Ireland loans approved and drawn down in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34185/21]
View answerThe Housing Agency provides a central support service which assesses applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications. Each local authority must have in place a credit committee and it is a matter for the committee to make the decision on applications for loans, in accordance with the regulations, having regard to the recommendations made by the Housing Agency.
The number of Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans assessed and approved for the last 12 months up to the end of May 2021, as provided by the Housing Agency, are included in the attached spreadsheet.
The next stages in the process are approval and drawdown from the local authority.
My Department regularly publishes information on the number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower (and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount).
Local Authority drawdown for 2020 is available at the following link, which will be updated as updated figures are available:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/42d2f-local-authority-loan-activity/#local-authority-loans-approvedpaid
RIHL Applications Assessed & Approved by the Housing Agency June 2020 - May 2021
|
Local Authority |
Total Applications Assessed June 2020 - May 2021 |
Total Applications Recommended to Approve June 2020 - May 2021 |
|
Carlow County Council |
18 |
8 |
|
Cavan County Council |
7 |
5 |
|
Clare County Council |
29 |
15 |
|
Cork City Council |
126 |
59 |
|
Cork County Council |
172 |
79 |
|
Donegal County Council |
27 |
16 |
|
Dublin City Council |
207 |
141 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
32 |
17 |
|
Fingal County Council |
171 |
102 |
|
Galway City Council |
32 |
21 |
|
Galway County Council |
59 |
23 |
|
Kerry County Council |
107 |
36 |
|
Kildare County Council |
133 |
59 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
56 |
32 |
|
Laois County Council |
42 |
20 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
18 |
6 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
53 |
23 |
|
Longford County Council |
39 |
20 |
|
Louth County Council |
57 |
27 |
|
Mayo County Council |
29 |
12 |
|
Meath County Council |
64 |
44 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
22 |
7 |
|
Offaly County Council |
21 |
8 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
17 |
8 |
|
Sligo County Council |
28 |
8 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
101 |
47 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
46 |
26 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
65 |
29 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
18 |
13 |
|
Wexford County Council |
88 |
37 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
108 |
42 |
|
Total |
1992 |
990 |
242. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to review the efficacy of Rebuilding Ireland loans with a view to extending their capacity to facilitate a dramatically greater number of applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34186/21]
View answerThe Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage which is designed to enable suitable first time buyers who cannot access sufficient mortgage finance from commercial lenders, to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range or to self-build.
The Programme for Government "Our Shared Future" contains a commitment to expand the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan and work to review its operation is in train.
243. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he expects to reform local authority guidelines for eligibility for rehousing with a view to removal of gaps in the system whereby some applicants’ income is too high to qualify for local authority housing and too low to merit consideration for a loan sufficient to purchase a home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34187/21]
View answerApplications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The 2011 Regulations do not provide local authorities with any discretion to exceed the limits that apply to their administrative areas.
Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all local authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Additional Superannuation Contribution. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and local authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature.
A table setting out the details of the three bands and the limits currently applicable in each local authority area is available on the Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/04c69-social-housing-support-table-of-income-limits/
The income bands are expressed in terms of a maximum net income threshold for a single-person household, with an allowance of 5% for each additional adult household member, subject to a maximum allowance under this category of 10%; and separately, an allowance of 2.5% for each child.
The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. It is important to note that the limits introduced in 2011 also reflected a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn, both promoting sustainable communities and also providing a degree of future-proofing.
Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support. The current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this, providing for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households facing the greatest challenge in meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources.
However, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of income eligibility for social housing supports in each local authority area is underway. The review will have regard to current initiatives being brought forward in terms of affordable housing both for purchase and for cost rental.
In relation to affordable measures, the Affordable Housing Bill, currently before the Oireachtas, includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the Government’s commitment to prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes for purchase delivered by local authorities, (2) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme for private homes, and (3) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental.
Budget 2021 allocated €75 million for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme, one of the aforementioned provisions. It will enable first-time buyers to buy a new home, much sooner than would otherwise be the case, by bridging the gap between what people have and the price of the new home they want, while also building confidence in the construction sector to increase much need housing supply.
Extensive engagement has been undertaken with key stakeholders to ensure the optimum design of the Scheme, and significant feedback has been factored in. Work on the final design of the Scheme is ongoing, in advance of its introduction later this year.
In relation to affordable housing supports more generally, measures such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, are available to eligible purchasers nationally to make home ownership more affordable.
An enhanced Help to Buy scheme was announced as part of the €7 billion July stimulus package, which was extended to December 2021 as part of Budget 2021. This allows first-time buyers purchasing a newly-built home – or building one themselves – to claim back up to €30,000 paid in income tax and DIRT on bank deposit interest over the last four years.
The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage which is for first-time-buyers nationwide to purchase a new or second-hand home or to self-build. This scheme offers loans on competitive terms to those who are unable to secure a sufficient commercial bank loan.
As part of Budget 2019, €310 million was made available to service local authority land for the delivery of affordable housing under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). The SSF provides for key enabling infrastructure requirements that will help unlock publicly-owned lands specifically for the provision of affordable homes to buy or rent. This fund sub-vents the cost of facilitating infrastructure, with a current maximum SSF funding amount of €50,000 available per affordable home. This sum is comprised of €44,500 (or 89%) Exchequer contribution and a €5,500 (or 11%) local authority contribution. On this basis, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated by this measure.
To date, funding support of €200 million has been allocated to enable delivery of over 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or rent. €50 million has been allocated to the SSF in 2021.
244. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the number of applicants on local authority housing waiting lists who may now be in rental accommodation paying excessively high rents with view to waiving a mortgage and housing loan deposit given that they are already paying the equivalent of a mortgage or loan in rent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34188/21]
View answerThe Strategy for the Rental Sector identifies high and rapidly rising rents as the key driver of accommodation insecurity for tenants and a factor in the termination of tenancies. To address this situation, a Rent Predictability Measure was introduced to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where the imbalance between demand and supply of rental accommodation was driving rent levels upwards most acutely.
The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 gave effect to, and provided for the immediate implementation of, the Rent Predictability Measure. Areas of the country where rents are high and rising have been designated as Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) and rent increases in those areas are capped at 4% per annum. The total number of RPZ’s designated is 55 since Rent Predictability Measures were introduced in 2016, and encompasses over 74.04% of all registered tenancies.
The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 changed the expiry date of all RPZs to 31 December 2021.
In relation to affordable measures, the Affordable Housing Bill, currently before the Oireachtas, includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the Government’s commitment to prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes for purchase delivered by local authorities, (2) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme for private homes, and (3) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental.
Budget 2021 allocated €75 million for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme, one of the aforementioned provisions. It will enable first-time buyers to buy a new home, much sooner than would otherwise be the case, by bridging the gap between what people have and the price of the new home they want, while also building confidence in the construction sector to increase much need housing supply.
Extensive engagement has been undertaken with key stakeholders to ensure the optimum design of the Scheme, and significant feedback has been factored in. Work on the final design of the Scheme is ongoing, in advance of its introduction later this year.
In relation to affordable housing supports more generally, measures such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, are available to eligible purchasers nationally to make home ownership more affordable.
An enhanced Help to Buy scheme was announced as part of the €7 billion July stimulus package, which was extended to December 2021 as part of Budget 2021. This allows first-time buyers purchasing a newly-built home – or building one themselves – to claim back up to €30,000 paid in income tax and DIRT on bank deposit interest over the last four years.
The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage which is for first-time-buyers nationwide to purchase a new or second-hand home or to self-build. This scheme offers loans on competitive terms to those who are unable to secure a sufficient commercial bank loan.
As part of Budget 2019, €310 million was made available to service local authority land for the delivery of affordable housing under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). The SSF provides for key enabling infrastructure requirements that will help unlock publicly-owned lands specifically for the provision of affordable homes to buy or rent. This fund sub-vents the cost of facilitating infrastructure, with a current maximum SSF funding amount of €50,000 available per affordable home. This sum is comprised of €44,500 (or 89%) Exchequer contribution and a €5,500 (or 11%) local authority contribution. On this basis, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated by this measure.
To date, funding support of €200 million has been allocated to enable delivery of over 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or rent. €50 million has been allocated to the SSF in 2021.
245. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will conduct an urgent evaluation of the housing needs of the younger generation with a view to a crash programme of house building to accommodate their needs by way of local authority rental or purchase as under the Housing Act 1966 given the likely resurgence of the economy as Covid-19 is brought under control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34189/21]
View answer252. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which major construction firms, many of whom are currently engaged overseas, can be encouraged to undertake large-scale building contracts on behalf of local authorities with a view to building affordable properties to purchase and rentable through local authorities as required with a view to making a major impact on the housing needs of a large sector of the population in the shortest possible time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34196/21]
View answerIn terms of the evaluation of housing needs, National Policy Objective 37 of the National Planning Framework (NPF) provides for a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) to be undertaken in each local authority area. The objective is to ensure long-term strategic housing needs are met. The purpose of the HNDA is to: (1) assist local authorities to develop long-term strategic views of housing need across all tenure, (2) provide a robust evidence base to support decisions about new housing supply, wider investment and housing related services, which inform an overall national housing profile, (3) inform policies about the proportion of social and affordable housing required, and (4) provide evidence to inform policies related to the provision of specialist housing and housing related services. Further information on the HNDA is available online at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/eaa99-housing-need-and-demand-assessment-hnda/.
The HNDA will inform the provision of housing, including affordable housing, helping to deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system, while also recognising that a need for affordable housing exists for people of all ages. Delivery on this commitment is evidenced in the measures contained in the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, currently before the Oireachtas, which provides for three schemes that will increase the supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes on local authority lands, (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental, and (3) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme.
The delivery of affordable homes on local authority land is supported by the €310 million Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). In making an application for SSF funding, each local authority must demonstrate that an affordability issue exists in the area in question, and that it is viable to deliver homes with a price reduction of at least 10% below open market values, with the reduction remaining as fully-repayable equity charge against the property. The scheme is targeted at first-time buyers, with some limited exceptions as outlined in the Affordable Housing 2021 Bill.
Currently, 40 SSF projects across 14 local authorities have received approval in principle which, cumulatively, will assist in the delivery of just over 4,200 affordable home to buy or rent. My Department continues to actively engage with local authorities to progress both current and potential projects. The first SSF project to deliver affordable homes for purchase will at the Boherboy project in Cork City, and the first SSF project to deliver Cost Rental homes will be at Enniskerry Road in Dún Laoghaire, both of which will see new homes available later this year.
In addition to the affordable homes to be delivered through the SSF, Budget 2021 allocated €75 million for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme, which is aimed at first-time buyers buying a new-build home on private land. It will help these first-time buyers secure their own home by bridging the gap, by means of an equity stake, between the mortgage available to them and the price of the home they want. Work on the detailed design of the proposed scheme is ongoing and at an advanced stage.
The Affordable Housing Bill 2021 will also place a new form of tenure in Cost Rental on a statutory basis for the first time. Cost Rental directly links rents to the cost of provision, rather than market dynamics. Three initial Cost Rental projects are already underway at Enniskerry Road in Stepaside, Emmet Road in Inchicore, and Shanganagh in Shankill.
The provision of Cost Rental housing is also being implemented through the new Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, which was allocated €35m in Budget 2021. I approved in principle the financing this year of 390 new homes across eight sites, located in Dublin, the Greater Dublin Area, and Cork. CREL support and careful cost management has generated initial rents which are at least 25% below comparable open market prices, delivering significantly improved affordability for renters.
In addition to the measures in the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, the Land Development Agency (LDA) is tasked to work with Government Departments, local authorities, state agencies and other stakeholders to assemble strategic sites in urban areas and ensure the sustainable development of social and affordable homes for rent and purchase. On establishment, the LDA had access to an initial tranche of 8 sites that have near term delivery potential for approximately 3,400 new homes. In partnership with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the LDA has been granted planning permission for the development of 597 homes on a site in Shanganagh, County Dublin. Approximately 34% of the homes will be for social housing, 51% will be cost rental and 15% will be for affordable purchase. Work has commenced on the construction tender process, with construction anticipated to start in the second half of 2021. Information on the work of the LDA is available at: https://lda.ie/.
Another key priority of Government is to increase social housing stock nationally by more than 50,000 units, with a key emphasis on delivering new build homes. This is complemented by our support of local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in working in partnership with developers to deliver new social homes through Turnkeys arrangements, which commonly provides a faster delivery of units
Not only will each of the aforementioned measures increase much needed housing supply, they will also help return confidence, and encourage employment, in the construction sector in general. They also reflect the realisation that we need to increase housing supply, not only from the State, but from the private sector as well.
Finally, I would add that the Government’s upcoming Housing strategy, ‘Housing for All’, will detail an extensive range of measures and ambitious targets to underpin the delivery of social and affordable housing over the coming years.
247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants currently on each local authority housing waiting list by county; the number who are currently accommodated through HAP or rent supplement; if such applicants are eligible to be rehoused or to qualify for local authority or Rebuilding Ireland loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34191/21]
View answer250. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which the numbers on local authority housing waiting lists have fluctuated in the past four years to date excluding those facilitated on HAP or rent support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34194/21]
View answer253. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants on the local authority housing waiting lists; the estimated time to meet their housing requirements on the basis of progress to date in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34197/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 247, 250 and 253 together.
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).
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 are the links to the summary reports for 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 which include the total number of qualified households on the waiting lists nationally and breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories.
In relation to the number of applicants currently on each local authority waiting list who are currently accommodated through HAP, please note that the key figure reported in the SSHA is referred to as ‘net need’. Net need is the total number of households qualified for social housing support whose need for support is not being met. This total excludes the following households:
- Duplicate applications – Where a household has applied to more than one authority for social housing support, only their first application was included in the count.
- Those in receipt of social housing support—for example, households currently living in local authority rented accommodation, approved housing body accommodation, accommodation provided under the HAP scheme, accommodation provided under the RAS, or accommodation provided under the SHCEP schemes.
- Households on a transfer list—any household that has applied for a transfer from an existing form of social housing support including HAP.
However, acknowledging that some households on the waiting list, who avail of HAP, 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.
Details on the number of applicants on each local authority waiting list whose main need for social housing support is that they are dependent on Rent Supplement can be found at tables 2.5 and A1.5 of the report.
In relation to the estimated time to meet applicants housing requirements, information of this type is not held by my Department. 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.
SSHA 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.
SSHA Report 2019
www.gov.ie/en/publication/29da7-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2019-key-findings/
SSHA Report 2018
www.gov.ie/en/publication/6fab90-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2018-key-findings/
SSHA Report 2017
www.gov.ie/en/publication/6205a6-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2017/
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.
In relation to affordable measures, the Affordable Housing Bill, currently before the Oireachtas, includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the Government’s commitment to prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes for purchase delivered by local authorities, (2) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme for private homes, and (3) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental.
Budget 2021 allocated €75 million for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme, one of the aforementioned provisions. It will enable first-time buyers to buy a new home, much sooner than would otherwise be the case, by bridging the gap between what people have and the price of the new home they want, while also building confidence in the construction sector to increase much need housing supply.
Extensive engagement has been undertaken with key stakeholders to ensure the optimum design of the Scheme, and significant feedback has been factored in. Work on the final design of the Scheme is ongoing, in advance of its introduction later this year.
In relation to affordable housing supports more generally, measures such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, are available to eligible purchasers nationally to make home ownership more affordable.
An enhanced Help to Buy scheme was announced as part of the €7 billion July stimulus package, which was extended to December 2021 as part of Budget 2021. This allows first-time buyers purchasing a newly-built home – or building one themselves – to claim back up to €30,000 paid in income tax and DIRT on bank deposit interest over the last four years.
The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage which is for first-time-buyers nationwide to purchase a new or second-hand home or to self-build. This scheme offers loans on competitive terms to those who are unable to secure a sufficient commercial bank loan.
As part of Budget 2019, €310 million was made available to service local authority land for the delivery of affordable housing under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). The SSF provides for key enabling infrastructure requirements that will help unlock publicly-owned lands specifically for the provision of affordable homes to buy or rent. This fund sub-vents the cost of facilitating infrastructure, with a current maximum SSF funding amount of €50,000 available per affordable home. This sum is comprised of €44,500 (or 89%) Exchequer contribution and a €5,500 (or 11%) local authority contribution. On this basis, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated by this measure.
To date, funding support of €200 million has been allocated to enable delivery of over 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or rent. €50 million has been allocated to the SSF in 2021.
