Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021

Written Answers Nos. 250-269

Departmental Policies

Questions (264)

Holly Cairns

Question:

264. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit fulfil their obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34857/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

All public bodies in Ireland have responsibility, under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014 to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity, and protect the human rights of their employees, customers, service users and everyone affected by their policies and plans.

In 2017, my Department's Statement of Strategy, in accordance with section 42 of the Act, first identified the business areas most pertinent to equality and human rights considerations. The areas identified included the provision of housing for people with disabilities and the provision of housing for Travellers.

In April of this year my Department published its most recent Statement of Strategy and building on previous commitments has outlined further areas to which equality considerations apply including accessibility and universal design; accessibility for elections; and the accommodation needs of older people. The Statement also outlines the plans and policies to address these areas and is available at:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/9a047-statement-of-strategy-2021-2025/.

My Department is committed to ensuring that there is a culture of respect for human rights and equality matters. It participates in a number of inter-Departmental implementation groups and has actions or made commitments under national policies and strategies such as the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021; the National Traveller and Roma Integration Strategy 2017-2021; and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021.

My Department does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis. These bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the attached table.

State Body	Contact E-mail Address
An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum)	[e-mail]
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority	[e-mail]
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	[e-mail]
Ervia	[e-mail]
Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Heritage Council	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Irish Water	[e-mail]
Land Development Agency	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
National Oversight and Audit Commission	[e-mail]
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	[e-mail]
Office of the Planning Regulator	[e-mail]
Ordnance Survey Ireland	[e-mail]
Property Registration Authority	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Valuation Office	[e-mail]
Valuation Tribunal	[e-mail]
Water Advisory Body	[e-mail]
Waterways Ireland	[e-mail]

Disabilities Assessments

Questions (265)

Holly Cairns

Question:

265. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit undertake disability impact assessments; the process by which these assessments are monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34874/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department is guided by central guidelines, namely "How to Conduct a Disability Impact Assessment: Guidelines for Government Departments", issued by the Department of Justice in 2012, which set out a step by step process for conducting a disability impact assessment, including the need for consideration for actions in relation to monitoring.

This process also fits within the broader regulatory impact assessment (RIA) framework, and a formal review step is included in "Revised RIA Guidelines: How to conduct a Regulatory Impact Analysis".

These guidelines are available on the Department of Justice website and the Department of the Taoiseach's website respectively, and at the links below:

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/20120305%20DIA%20Guidelines.pdf/Files/20120305%20DIA%20Guidelines.pdf

www.govacc.per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Revised_RIA_Guidelines_June_2009.pdf.

The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each organisation to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email addresses for each body are set out in the table below.

State Body	Contact E-mails
An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum)	[e-mail]
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	[e-mail]
Ervia	[e-mail]
Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Heritage Council	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Irish Water	[e-mail]
Land Development Agency	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
National Oversight and Audit Commission	[e-mail]
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	[e-mail]
Office of the Planning Regulator	[e-mail]
Ordnance Survey Ireland	[e-mail]
Property Registration Authority	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Valuation Office	[e-mail]
Valuation Tribunal	[e-mail]
Water Advisory Body	[e-mail]
Waterways Ireland	[e-mail]

Departmental Properties

Questions (266)

Christopher O'Sullivan

Question:

266. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Clogheen Strand intake at Clonakilty which is currently under the ownership of the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media will be transferred to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34978/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I am informed that the title to the property at Clogheen Strand was first registered in the name of the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht in 1997. By virtue of the various Heritage Transfer of Functions Statutory Instruments the property has since transferred to the Minister of Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I have asked my officials to update the folio in due course.

Housing Provision

Questions (267)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

267. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable houses completed in Dublin since January 2020 to date. [34986/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

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 is 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 shared 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 c.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, in addition to the 50 new Cost Rental apartments scheduled for delivery later this year at Enniskerry Road, Stepaside.

To date, Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) 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.

Furthermore, the Land Development Agency 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. 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.

In addition to these measures, both the Rebuilding Ireland Homeloan and the Help to Buy Scheme are available to eligible households seeking to purchase homes.

The funding secured combined with the strong legislative underpinning I am putting in place will soon yield dividends, in the form of affordable housing delivery, in Dublin. The forthcoming All-of-Government housing strategy ‘Housing for All’ will further detail an extensive range of measures and ambitious targets to underpin the delivery of affordable housing over the coming years.

Diplomatic Representation

Questions (268)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

268. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if any diplomatic action is warranted following reports of Russian military aircraft sightings off the Irish coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34960/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the regulation of foreign military aircraft overflying Irish sovereign airspace. There is no suggestion that Russian or any other military aircraft have entered Irish sovereign airspace without due authorisation.

It may be helpful to clarify that the area where the Irish Aviation Authority provides air traffic management services extends far beyond Irish sovereign airspace. I do not deny the seriousness of non-identified aircraft entering Irish-controlled airspace and I am advised that the Irish Aviation Authority brings all such incidents to the attention of the Minister for Transport.

Foreign Birth Registration

Questions (269, 275)

Brendan Smith

Question:

269. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures he will implement to reduce delays in the registration of foreign births; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34240/21]

Matt Carthy

Question:

275. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has considered allowing retrospective posthumous registration on the foreign birth register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34440/21]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 275 together.

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register. At present, there are nearly 31,000 applications in the Foreign Births Registration (FBR) system that await processing. Prior to COVID-19 it took twelve to eighteen months to process applications. This was due to the complex nature of FBR applications and the very high volume of applications due to Brexit.

The Department is committed to allocating further resources to this service to assist with the high volume of applications when regular processing resumes with a focus on reducing turnaround times to pre Covid-19 levels by the end of 2021.

The Department of Foreign Affairs operates a clear and transparent general policy with regard to the processing of Foreign Birth Registration. In situations where the completion of registrations potentially impact on the rights of a person, it will consider urgent requests to expedite registered applications on a case by case basis. Such applicants are advised on the Department’s website to make contact with the Passport Service through the WebChat service.

Entitlement to Irish citizenship is determined by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (“the 1956 Act”), as amended, under which Irish citizenship may be obtained by birth, by descent, or by naturalisation.The 1956 Act provides, inter alia, that persons born abroad to parents who themselves were born abroad, are eligible for entry into the Foreign Births Register (FBR) if their parents were Irish citizens at the time of the person’s birth. To change this, an amendment of the 1956 Act would be required.The Department of Justice is responsible for citizenship matters. Any amendment to the 1956 Act is a matter for the Minister for Justice.