Written Answers Nos. 685-702
685. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding vacant social housing in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40333/21]
View answerThe level of vacancy in local authority housing stock will fluctuate over time as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process.
Data in relation to the number of vacant local authority units are not collated by my Department, however, statistics in relation to the social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including the level of vacancy broken down by local authority. The most recent report, relating to 2019, is available on the NOAC website at the following link: https://noac.ie/noac_publications/noac-performance-indicators-report-2019/
My Department funded the largest ever voids programme in 2020 with a spend of €56m of which €2.774m was made available to Limerick City and County Council. A hugely significant voids programme is available to local authorities again in 2021 with an allocation of €1.639m having been made available to Limerick City and County Council earlier this year. Responsibility for the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock is the responsibility of the local authority under section 28 of the Housing Act, 2009. My Department will however continue to support local authorities in this regard. It is important though that local authorities budget adequately for housing management and maintenance as part of their annual budgeting process using the available housing rental income to its maximum.
686. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the Arklow wastewater treatment plant project; if he plans to sign the application for consent which was submitted to his Department by Irish Water to allow the project to progress to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40358/21]
View answerSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for determination by Irish Water.
Under section 16 of the Water Services Act 2013 (as amended by section 46 of the Gas Regulation Act 2013), Irish Water is required to seek the consent of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to enter into capital commitments. Irish Water must seek Ministerial consent prior to entering into any individual capital commitment (or a series of individual capital commitments in respect of a project) of a value in excess of €20m. This is a financial control and not a project consent.
In the context of the updated Public Spending Code for evaluating, planning and managing the public investment in the project as it proceeds through its life cycle, the Government recently provided approval for Irish Water to proceed to contract award for the construction of the Arklow Waste Water Treatment Plant.
The capital commitment consent request is now under consideration and a decision will issue shortly.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
687. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the establishment numbers for the retained fire services; the existing number across all fire authorities nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40359/21]
View answer688. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current manning levels for fire authorities in each local authority and station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40360/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 687 and 688 together.
The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing the legislative framework, running a central training programme and issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects. Fire services issues are managed in my Department by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM).
Fire services are provided in Ireland by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. Under this legislation, there are 31 fire authorities which provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures. Local authority fire services are delivered by approximately 3,300 local authority staff engaged at 217 fire stations nationwide, with 16 of these stations being staffed by full-time firefighters, a further 4 are mixed full-time and retained, and 197 are staffed by retained firefighters.
In 2013, my Department published 'Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) - A Framework for Fire Safety in Ireland'. The adoption of KCS as national policy saw national norms/standards being established for fire services in Ireland for the first time, against which local authority fire services could benchmark themselves. In respect of crewing levels, KCS establishes a national norm of 5 personnel on the first pump mobilised from a station to include a designated Incident Commander, with 4 personnel on the second or subsequent pumps mobilised from the same station. The report of the Fire Service Validation Group, ' Fire Services in Ireland, Local Delivery - National Consistency', published in 2016, noted the varied staffing arrangements in place in fire services across Ireland to achieve these standards and that fire services manage staffing levels in fire stations to achieve the national standards of fire service response.
While my Department does not routinely collect the data in the format requested by the Deputy, a breakdown of the number of firefighters in each fire service as of July 2021, based on data supplied by local authorities, is set out in the following table. Information in relation to staffing in individual fire stations is not available at this time.
|
Fire Service |
Total no. of operational staff in stations |
|
Carlow |
45 |
|
Cavan |
93 |
|
Clare |
76 |
|
Cork City |
152 |
|
Cork County |
204 |
|
Donegal |
154 |
|
Dublin |
963 |
|
Galway |
154 |
|
Kerry |
104 |
|
Kildare |
63 |
|
Kilkenny |
64 |
|
Laois |
70 |
|
Leitrim |
36 |
|
Limerick |
140 |
|
Longford |
44 |
|
Louth |
100 |
|
Mayo |
119 |
|
Meath |
72 |
|
Monaghan |
51 |
|
Offaly |
52 |
|
Roscommon |
45 |
|
Sligo |
47 |
|
Tipperary |
127 |
|
Waterford |
124 |
|
Westmeath |
46 |
|
Wexford |
63 |
|
Wicklow |
94 |
|
Total |
3302 |
689. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the hiring of new front-line staff for Killarney National Park; if the numbers of front-line staff being hired and time frames for such hiring will be provided; if the total number of front-line staff employed in Killarney National Park over the past five years will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40404/21]
View answerFront-line services to visitors in Killarney National Park, are provided by the Guide staff, which are made up of a combination of full time and seasonal Guide staff. Over the past number of years, the Guide staff complement in Killarney National Park has comprised of 10 permanent and an average of 16 seasonal Guide staff.
Staffing levels across my Department are kept under regular review in line with emerging business needs and Government policy on public sector pay and staffing as advised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
I am pleased to note that there has been significant recruitment, in recent years, in the National Park and Wildlife Service of my Department, and in particular Killarney National Park. From 2017 to 2021, 11 permanent Industrial staff, such as Guides, General Operatives and Gardeners have been recruited to Killarney National Park. My Department is currently in the process of a number of recruitment campaigns for seasonal staff, across a number of grades, to manage our National Parks including Killarney National Park. In addition, a calibrated portion of the expansion of the Conservation Ranger cohort will be assigned to Killarney National Parks as well as our other national parks and nature reserves in the ownership and care of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
690. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the up-to-date position in relation to the provision of a sewerage scheme for Kilcummin, County Kerry; if the entire village will now be included in the scheme given that there had been concerns in recent months that parts of the village would be excluded from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40408/21]
View answerSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment, and meeting customer requirements. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects and programmes, including the project referred to in the question, is a matter for determination by Irish Water.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
691. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Boolteens Village, County Kerry will be selected as a pilot project for an integrated constructed wetland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40409/21]
View answerMy Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework 2018-2040 and the National Development Plan 2018-2027.
Investment is primarily delivered through Irish Water while my Department operates the Rural Water Programme directly. The Programme for Government supports the uptake of Irish Water's Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme 2020-2024, which will provide water and waste water growth capacity in smaller settlements that would otherwise not be provided for in Irish Water's capital investment plan.
Complementary to Irish Water’s Programme, my Department is currently examining waste water requirements in the context of villages and similar settlements that do not have access to public waste water infrastructure.
I have instructed the relevant officials in my Department to prepare a report on this topic at a national level. This report will include the analysis of a baseline survey of all rural local authorities, to quantify and qualify the number of villages and similar settlements concerned.
This process is at an advanced stage, and I will be in a position to consider the matter further in relation to these villages and similar settlements, as identified in the survey, once I have received the final report.
692. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on requirements by local authorities for new single rural houses to be erected on sites of no less than approximately half an acre; his views on whether this requirement could be revised downward to make the cost of a site more affordable for first time self-builders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40410/21]
View answerIn relation to the issue of a half-acre minimum site size that the Deputy has raised, I understand that some county development plans may include particular physical site requirements for a proposed new house in rural areas. Any such minimum development site size requirements are generally for the purpose of addressing issues that frequently arise where new homes are proposed - for example to ensure that the site is of sufficient size to provide safe access from the public road or to safeguard local water quality by providing adequate septic tank percolation capacity. There may also be a rural density considerations involved in certain overdeveloped areas where pressures for excessive subdivision/ribbon development would impact adversely on landscape quality and local farm access.
Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, which were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, planning authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing. The Guidelines are available on the Government’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/23809-sustainable-rural-housing-development-guidelines/.
Section 3.3 of these Guidelines note the need for planning authorities to take important water quality protection, transport and landscape issues into consideration when devising the policies for rural housing in their development plan. Accordingly, it is a matter for planning authorities to consider a minimum site size for rural houses, if considered appropriate.
The preparation of a statutory development plan is a central function of a planning authority undertaken in accordance with sections 9-13 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). It provides an opportunity for planning authorities to carefully consider the issues related to rural housing and provide planning policies that balance the need for homes in rural areas the important objectives of protecting the agricultural economy and local environmental quality.
693. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the extension dimensions permitted without planning permission on existing structures for first-time buyers by 100% or 400 sq ft to 800 sq ft in rural areas and 50% or 400 sq ft to 600 sq ft in urban areas as a measure to help incentivise the renovation of currently uninhabited or derelict properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40413/21]
View answerClass 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), sets out the planning exemption provisions for house extensions, referred to as "development within the curtilage of a house", as follows:
“The extension of a house, by the construction or erection of an extension (including a conservatory) to the rear of the house or by the conversion for use as part of the house of any garage, store, shed or other similar structure attached to the rear or to the side of the house.” .
The use of the exemption is available to all houses whether occupied, vacant or derelict. However, the exemption is subject to a range of conditions and limitations set out in further detail in Class 1, which include factors such as:
- the size of the proposed extension, subject to specified limits;
- whether the house in question is terraced, semi-detached or detached;
- whether the house has previously availed of the planning exemption;
- how much of the proposed development is at ground level or above ground level;
- impacts on the area of private open space within the curtilage of the house;
- the proximity of the proposed extension, including windows, to adjoining boundaries etc.
Any development of this nature which falls outside of the Class 1 exemption and the conditions and limitations attached to it are subject to planning permission. The exemptions provided for in the Regulations are kept under regular review and I have no plans to amend the Class 1 exemption provisions in this regard at this time.
694. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the short-term rental sector with particular focus on compliance and enforcement in relation to existing regulations; and the number of properties currently available for short-term rental only by county. [40414/21]
View answerNew legislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced by my Department on 1 July 2019. In essence, the legislation requires home-sharers letting rooms in their principal private residence located within a RPZ, or letting the entire property subject to a maximum of 90 days per annum, to register with their local authority. Persons letting properties which are not their principal private residence are required to apply for change of use planning permission unless the property already has a specific planning permission to be used for tourism or short-term letting purposes. The short-term letting planning legislation does not regulate the online platforms which advertise such properties.
Local planning authorities are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the short-term letting planning arrangements. In data returns submitted to my Department to the end of Q1 2021, planning authorities reported that 1,320 properties had been registered as engaging in short-term letting activity in compliance with the legislation. Additionally, planning authorities identified 7,015 instances of properties potentially in breach of the short-term letting legislation since its introduction. Of these, 894 individual cases have been resolved to the satisfaction of planning authorities through registration of properties, obtaining planning permission, or the ceasing of short-term letting operations. The table below provides a breakdown of this information by local authority. It should be noted that the figures for the total number of properties identified as potentially in breach of the short-term letting legislation are cumulative and may include properties that were identified in multiple quarterly returns.
|
Local Authority Area |
No. of properties registered in accordance with STL regulations |
No. of properties identified as potentially in breach of STL regulations |
No. of cases concerning properties potentially in breach of STL regulations satisfactorily resolved |
|
Carlow |
0 |
18 |
0 |
|
Cork County |
65 |
1,057 |
0 |
|
Cork City |
36 |
1,458 |
8 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
138 |
114 |
106 |
|
Dublin City |
700 |
1,905 |
564 |
|
Fingal |
61 |
827 |
0 |
|
Galway City |
31 |
4 |
5 |
|
Galway County |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kerry |
0 |
9 |
4 |
|
Kildare |
12 |
8 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny |
22 |
234 |
134 |
|
Laois |
3 |
123 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
14 |
40 |
0 |
|
Louth |
38 |
768 |
2 |
|
Meath |
30 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
11 |
0 |
|
South Dublin |
62 |
122 |
0 |
|
Waterford |
3 |
69 |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
10 |
112 |
2 |
|
Wicklow |
85 |
136 |
67 |
|
Total |
1,320 |
7,015 |
894 |
My Department does not maintain data regarding the number of properties engaged in short-term letting activity outside of RPZs and/or further to a specific planning permission enabling it to engage in such activity.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future includes the specific action to strengthen the regulatory and enforcement mechanisms with regard to short-term letting, and the ongoing approach in this regard is currently being considered. However, as some elements of potential regulation of the short-term letting market fall outside the remit of my Department, I have been in contact with my colleague the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on this matter. Meetings have taken place at senior official level between the two Departments, which have also involved the participation of Fáilte Ireland, to explore the possibilities of developing new proposals in relation to the regulation of the short-term letting sector.
Further meetings at official level are scheduled in the coming weeks after which it is hoped to submit a Memorandum for Government on this matter in due course.
695. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider a rebate for new water and electricity connection and reconnection fees for a stated window of time for first-time buyers subject to occupancy clause of seven years as a measure to help incentivise the renovation of currently uninhabited or derelict properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40415/21]
View answerGovernment policy in relation to electricity matters is led by the Minister for Environment,
Climate and Communications and electricity connection charges and charging arrangements are subject to independent regulation by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
In relation to charges for connections to the public water services systems, there are no plans at present to introduce a rebate scheme along the lines suggested.
Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning and delivery. Irish Water's charging policies, including in relation to connection charges, are subject to approval by the CRU, in its statutory role as the independent economic regulator of Irish Water.
Part V of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, in particular sets out the CRU's responsibility for the determination of the charges, including connection charges, and charging arrangements, that apply to customers of Irish Water. The CRU determination on the appropriate charges and charging arrangements that apply to new network connections are set out in its detailed decision paper on Connection Charging available on its website at www.cru.ie. My Department has no role in the matter.
On the broader question of incentivising the use of uninhabited or derelict properties, it is worth noting that my Department is committed to ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to the fullest extent. The National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy, as published in 2018, includes a range of measures and supports, including the Repair and Leasing Scheme, the Buy and Renew Scheme, and the Bringing Back Homes Manual for the Reuse of Existing Buildings, designed to assist in bringing vacant housing stock back into use.
696. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider the imposition of a seven year occupancy clause and local tie clause on all homes and derelict properties for sale in rural areas that would be designated to be of special scenic, environmental or linguistic sensitivity as a measure to prevent the death of rural communities along the western seaboard in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40416/21]
View answerThe EU Court of Justice ‘Flemish Decree’ judgement ruled that restrictions on the sale of all property to locals, which had been imposed in the Flanders Region of Belgium, were disproportionate and contrary to the EU principles of freedom of movement.
It is an objective of Government to encourage the proportionate growth of rural communities and we have recently published an updated action plan for rural development. I have no plans to implement measures relating to an occupancy clause as outlined in the question.
697. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the financial supports that are available for a couple who are not first-time buyers but require financial assistance to purchase a home and are being refused credit by banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40453/21]
View answerIn the main, policy and supports to provide access to home ownership and affordable purchase is generally targeted at those who do not already own a home.
The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan enables creditworthy eligible 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 under this scheme, however, applicants do need to have sufficient borrowing and repayment capacity and must be capable of repaying the mortgage. Although the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is primarily targeted at first-time buyers, exceptions are available for second-time buyers that have been legally separated or divorced. Further information on the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is available at http://rebuildingirelandhomeloan.ie/.
The Affordable Housing Act 2021 was enacted by the President on 21 July 2021. This Act is the first ever stand-alone affordable housing legislation, establishing a basis for four new affordable housing measures. These measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) delivering affordable homes on local authority lands, (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental, (3) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme and (4) expanding Part V planning requirements to increase the 10% contribution requirement to 20% and to apply it to cost rental as well as social and affordable housing
Section 10 of the Act sets out the eligibility criteria for the affordable purchase scheme. Section 10(5) provides eligibility to individuals that previously purchased a home but subsequently underwent personal insolvency or bankruptcy (subject to the indivisual(s) meeting the other eligibility criteria). Sections 10(3) and 10(4) provides eligibility in circumstances where individuals that previously purchased or built a home together with a spouse, civil partner or a person with whom he or she was in an intimate and committed relationship, but that relationship has subsequently ended.
In addition to the above measures, the Housing for All strategy, which is currently being finalised, will provide for a suite of measures to improve the affordability of the overall housing market.
698. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of rental inspections that have taken place each year from 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40454/21]
View answerThe Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.
The Strategy for the Rental Sector sets out a series of measures to be introduced to ensure the quality of private rental accommodation by strengthening the applicable standards and improving the inspection and enforcement systems. The Strategy recognises the need for additional resources to be provided to local authorities to aid increased inspections of properties and ensure greater compliance with the Regulations.
Increased funding has been made available to local authorities each year since 2018 to enable them to build inspection capacity incrementally, with payments based on the number of inspections undertaken. Significant progress was made across the sector. The number of inspections more than doubled from 19,645 in 2017 to 40,728 in 2019. A total of €6 million in Exchequer funding was made available to local authorities in 2020 and this was increased to €10 million this year. However, given the need for inspectors to enter tenants’ homes, pandemic restrictions have greatly impacted on inspection activity since March 2020.
In response some local authorities have been piloting virtual inspections. Dublin City Council have led this initiative which entails landlords receiving a checklist for self-assessment and being required to submit photographic/video evidence by email, tenants being invited to raise any non-compliance issues they are aware of and whether or not they can confirm if the landlord’s checklist answers are correct, and the Council reserving the right to conduct a physical on-site inspection when it is safe to do so.
While virtual inspection systems present certain challenges and limitations, they do offer a way of improving the standard of rental accommodation despite the pandemic. I support these initiatives and my Department has been providing Exchequer funding to local authorities participating in the pilot projects.
The number of private rental inspections undertaken by local authorities in each of the years from 2015 to 2020 and in Q1 2021 is set out in the following table. Inspection data in respect of Q2 2021 is being collated and is not yet available.
|
Year |
Total Rental Inspections Carried Out |
Physical on-site Rental Inspections Carried Out |
Virtual Rental Inspections Carried Out |
|
2015 |
20,476 |
20,476 |
- |
|
2016 |
19,092 |
19,092 |
- |
|
2017 |
19,645 |
19,645 |
- |
|
2018 |
28,464 |
28,464 |
- |
|
2019 |
40,728 |
40,728 |
- |
|
2020 |
25,703 |
24,315 |
1,388 |
|
2021 Q1 |
2,480 |
632 |
1,848 |
Annual data in respect of the level of inspections carried out by each local authority is available on my Department's website at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/da3fe-private-housing-market-statistics/
699. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost of units provided under the build and acquisition categories of Rebuilding Ireland from 2016 to 2020, inclusive, and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40455/21]
View answerMy Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing delivery activity on a quarterly basis. Details on the number of social housing units provided by local authorities from 2016 to Quarter 1 2021 is published at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
Cost information on the delivery of social homes through the various construction streams, is collated by my Department at development level rather than at individual housing unit level. Disaggregating such development level information into individual unit costs, across all of the various types of units, would require significant analysis on unit characteristics such as size, type, number of bedrooms, site costs, abnormal costs, fees, etc. to derive an accurate reflection of unit cost across all of the delivery streams.
In October 2020, the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), published an ‘Analysis of Social Housing Build Programme’ which examined the social housing build programme over the years 2016 to 2019 and considered issues such as Use of Build Delivery; Type of Units, Cost & Speed of Delivery and Cost Efficiency and Market Interaction. The IGEES analysis noted the range of average costs which highlighted the diversity of costs for delivery of new build units across different developments and locations. The paper is available at the following link: www.budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2021/Documents/Budget/Spending%20Review%202020%20-%20Analysis%20of%20Social%20Housing%20Build%20Programme.pdf. DPER has also published a Spending Review Paper 'Analysis of Social Housing Acquisitions'. This objective of the paper was to provide an overview of the acquisition delivery mechanisms, and other related mechanisms, including an analysis of the level of expenditure and social housing output in the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The paper is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/5915ad-spending-review/.
My Department has also recently prepared a breakdown of local authority social housing build costs for 2019 and 2020. As Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) funded construction projects by local authorities must, like all publicly-funded construction programmes, comply with the Public Spending Code and Capital Works Management Framework, my Department periodically issues Unit Cost Ceilings (UCCs) for each local authority area, for use as a key benchmark for the development and costing of scheme designs at capital appraisal stage. While not a record of actual delivery costs, UCCs are based on an analysis of returned data from tendered social housing schemes over an extended period and updated based on published tender index information as required.
To monitor tender cost trends and to inform the UCCs levels, my Department analyses the tender data for the construction cost element of new build schemes approved under the SHIP and Capital Assistance Scheme four stage approval processes for each unit type, where sufficient information is available to allow such costs to be extrapolated and where the information available is appropriate for comparison purposes. Outlined in the tables below are average construction costs (incl. VAT) per unit type, recorded as part of the aforementioned analysis for projects tendered in each of the years 2019 to 2020. The tables also set out the range of costs that make up this average for each unit type. The range of costs recorded vary, depending on design, location and on the level of abnormal requirements for each scheme, for instance existing site conditions, demolitions, service diversions and site access requirements. Abnormal costs are also separately identified in the tables below.
|
|
Construction Costs* (incl abnormals) |
Construction Costs* (incl abnormals) |
Abnormal Costs |
Abnormal Costs |
|
|
Average Cost Per Unit |
Range of Costs Per Unit |
Average Cost Per Unit |
Range of Costs Per Unit |
|
|
2020 |
2020 |
2020 |
2020 |
|
1 bed house |
€185,246 |
€139k - €237k |
€25,181 |
€3k - €46k |
|
2 bed house |
€195,392 |
€129k - €263k |
€25,115 |
€6k - €66k |
|
3 bed house |
€214,076 |
€152k - €342k |
€25,121 |
€6k - €66k |
|
4 bed house |
€263,204 |
€205k - €321k |
€41,527 |
€19k - €66k |
|
1 bed apartment |
€197,087 |
€169k - €269k |
€32,919 |
€24k - €54k |
|
2 bed apartment |
€230,300 |
€198k - €306k |
€16,882 |
€7k - €54k |
|
3 bed apartment |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
2019 |
2019 |
2019 |
2019 |
|
1 bed house |
€189,320 |
€144k - €208k |
€26,699 |
€7k - €47k |
|
2 bed house |
€198,174 |
€136k - €255k |
€20,022 |
€4k - €58k |
|
3 bed house |
€226,455 |
€131k - €346k |
€19,227 |
€4k - €58k |
|
4 bed house |
€234,794 |
€192k - €298k |
€19,510 |
€4k - €58k |
|
1 bed apartment |
€291,762 |
€129k - €354k |
€32,609 |
€4k - €43k |
|
2 bed apartment |
€290,902 |
€170k - €373k |
€26,249 |
€4k - €43k |
|
3 bed apartment |
€323,407 |
€232k - €398k |
€27,379 |
€4k - €43k |
* Construction Costs as shown, are derived from unit cost analysis and capture the construction cost element only including abnormals (i.e. not all-in costs)
The above costs relate to the construction element of the all-in delivery cost. Other items that make up the all-in total include:
- Design/technical fees : Design fees vary from project to project, depending on the location, size and complexity of a scheme (and depending on whether design services are provided by a local authority in-house or via external appointment). As a guideline/indicator, design fee are generally expected to range between 7.5% to 12.5% of construction costs.
- Land cost : Land costs will vary significantly from project to project, depending on location and ownership status (i.e. land costs could vary from existing local authority land at no cost to land purchased at market value).
- Utilities : Connection fees for Irish Water, ESB, gas, etc. As a guideline/indicator, utility connection costs are generally in the order of €7k per unit.
- Other Costs : Other items that make up the all-in delivery cost can include site investigations/surveys, archaeological requirements, Percent for Art contributions - and will vary from scheme to scheme.
700. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 197 of 15 July 2021, the target for new housing first tenancies under the national implementation plan 2018-2021; the number of these tenancies that have been provided to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40456/21]
View answerHousing First enables homeless individuals with high levels of complex needs to obtain permanent secure accommodation with the provision of intensive housing and health supports to help them maintain their tenancies.
The National Implementation Plan for Housing First, published in September 2018, which puts the programme on a national footing, is designed to provide this response, by delivering permanent housing solutions and associated supports for rough sleepers and long-term users of emergency accommodation. It extends the delivery of Housing First nationally, with the introduction of targets for each local authority.
The Plan includes an overall target of 663 tenancies in the period 2018-2021. The implementation of the Plan is a joint initiative of my Department, the Department of Health, the HSE and the local authorities.
In line with the National Implementation Plan, Housing First is being delivered on a regional basis by the local authorities and the HSE. Contracts for the delivery of services have been put in place in each of the nine regions responsible for the delivery of homeless services with tenancies now in place in every region. At the end of March 2021, a total of 539 individuals were being housed under the Housing First programme including 438 individuals who have been housed since the publication of the National Implementation Plan. Details on the number of Housing First tenancies are published every three months as part of my Department's Homeless Quarterly Progress Report, with the next report due for publication on 30 July 2021.
702. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of HAP inspections that took place in County Clare in 2020; the number of properties that were found deficient; the number that were subsequently followed up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40472/21]
View answerThe minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these Regulations. Responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. Under section 41 of the 2014 Act, local authorities are required to commence the inspection process within 8 months of HAP support being provided in relation to a particular dwelling, if the dwelling was not already inspected within the previous 12 months. Local authorities carry out HAP inspections as part of their overall private rented inspections programme.
Given the need for inspectors to enter tenants’ homes, Covid-19 pandemic restrictions have impacted on the inspection of all rented dwellings. Clare County Council undertook 158 rental standards inspections of dwellings with HAP-supported tenancies in 2020. An increased budget of €10 million (a rise of 300% since 2018) has been approved to facilitate inspections in 2021.
The information requested in respect of the number of HAP properties inspected found to be non-compliant and the number followed-up subsequently is not reported by local authorities to my Department and is not available.
Annual data in respect of the level of inspections carried out by each local authority is available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/da3fe-private-housing-market-statistics/.
The City and County Management Association’s (CCMA) Local Authority Services Frameworks for Future Covid-19 Pandemic Response did not permit on-site rental inspections from January 2021 until mid-July. This was in order to protect tenants, landlords and inspectors. The CCMA Framework is developed in accordance with Government public health guidance and restrictions and was recently reviewed in line with updated guidance and restrictions. The revised Framework issued on 13 July 2021 permitted the resumption of on-site rental inspections from 14 July 2021. My Department continues to provide Exchequer funding to a number of local authorities participating in virtual inspections pilot projects which were developed in response to the impact of pandemic restrictions.
