Written Answers Nos. 329-352
331. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of Bills prepared by his Department since 27 June 2020; the number and title of those Bills that included a Regulatory Impact Assessments; the title of the Regulatory Impact Assessments that have been published by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43710/21]
View answerMy Department has prepared and published 11 Bills since 27 June 2020, 3 of which included a Regulatory Impact Assessment. The details requested are set out in the attached table.
A twelfth Bill, the Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021, was in preparation at the end of 2019 but work continued on it during 2020 and it was published in August 2021 together with the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill 2019 Regulatory Impact Analysis.
PQ Ref: 43710/21 – Table 1
|
Name of Bill(s) prepared since 27 June 2020 |
Regulatory Impact Assessment(s) included |
Title of Regulatory Impact Assessment(s) which have been published |
|
Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021 |
Yes |
Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021 Regulatory Impact Analysis |
|
Land Development Agency Bill 2021 |
Yes |
Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) in relation to the Land Development Agency Bill 2020 |
|
Water Services Separation Bill 2021 |
Yes |
Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) – Water Services Separation Bill 2021 |
|
Affordable Housing Bill 2020 |
||
|
Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill 2020 |
||
|
Residential Tenancies Bill 2020 |
||
|
Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020 |
||
|
Residential Tenancies Bill 2021 |
||
|
Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021 |
||
|
Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020 |
||
|
Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 |
332. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount in acres of publicly owned development land, including land owned by State agencies and bodies, that has been sold to private developers since the LDA was setup in 2018, by public body, county and year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43873/21]
View answerMy Department has no statutory function to compile such data in relation to land disposals by other State bodies so therefore does not possess this information.
Under Section 9 of the State Property Act, State authorities must seek the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to dispose of state property. The policy on the disposal of state lands is set out in Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 17/2016: Policy for Property Acquisition and for Disposal of Surplus Property.
Additionally, under the Public Spending Code: A Guide to Evaluating, Planning and Managing Public Investment (December 2019), prior to seeking Ministerial approval to dispose of lands and buildings on the open market, all non-commercial State bodies must first consult with the Land Development Agency in relation to the appropriate disposal of those lands having regard to the policy agreed by Government in September 2018. Departments/ Agencies must confirm with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform vote sections that they have consulted with the LDA in the event of requests for Ministerial consent to land disposal (whether under State Property Act, other legislation or the Code of Practice).
Under Section 53 of the LDA Act 2021, a relevant public body shall not dispose of relevant public land without first offering the land for sale to the LDA.
333. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of the social homes and the number of the affordable homes projected for each year and in total in the new Housing for All plan that will be sourced by means (details supplied); the projected annual and total cost for any housing being provided through these means in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43926/21]
View answerHousing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. The table below sets out the annual targets for the delivery of a total of 88,400 new build social homes and 53,800 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2030. These figures include homes delivered through Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, however an annual breakdown is not available at this time.
|
Year |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
2027 |
2028 |
2029 |
2030 |
|
New build social homes |
9,000 |
9,100 |
9,300 |
10,000 |
10,200 |
10,200 |
10,200 |
10,200 |
10,200 |
|
New Build affordable homes |
4,100 |
5,500 |
6,400 |
6,400 |
6,100 |
6,300 |
6,400 |
6,300 |
6,300 |
In addition, a total of 3,500 new social homes will be secured through long-term leasing, a significant number of which relate to schemes initiated before the publication of Housing for All. Long-term leasing will be ended under Housing for All and there will be no new homes delivered through long-term leasing after 2025. There will also be a limited number of social homes delivered through acquisitions, with current projections limiting acquisitions to 200 new social homes per annum. These acquisitions will generally be targeted at specific needs, including for homeless households, age friendly housing and housing for individuals with disabilities.
Specific targets for the Housing Assistance Payment or Rental Accommodation Scheme are not included in Housing for All. However, given the numbers of households in need of housing supports, it will be necessary to continue to provide social housing through the Housing Assistance Payment to ensure households can secure social housing immediately. As the numbers of new build social homes increases under Housing for All, there will be a reduced reliance on the Housing Assistance Payment and the Rental Accommodation Scheme.
Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4b per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency (LDA) and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency. Details of the Exchequer element of funding for social and affordable housing will be published each year as part of the annual estimates process.
334. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current estimated average cost of directly built local authority or AHB public and affordable housing on publicly owned land, providing the estimated cost for one, two, three and four-bed housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43927/21]
View answerThe cost of constructing new homes is dependent on a range of variables, such as the location, the scale of the development and the size and type of the homes involved. My Department assesses, approves and records local authority social housing delivery on a project basis, rather than on the basis of individual unit types.
My Department has developed Unit Cost Ceilings (UCCs) for social housing in determining the cost of homes to be delivered, which are updated periodically. The UCCs are based on the analysis of returned data from tendered social housing schemes over an extended period, and market tender index information. Construction cost is reflective of building costs (including VAT) and also includes normal site works and site development. All-in cost includes cost of construction, land cost, professional fees, utility connections, site investigations/surveys, archaeology where appropriate, VAT and contribution to public art. Abnormal costs are excluded from these figures.
The table below outlines the current range of UCC values across all local authorities for houses and apartments:
|
- |
Construction - Range per Unit |
All-in - Range per Unit |
|
1 - Bed. House |
€137k - €244k |
€174k - €344k |
|
2 - Bed. House |
€156k - €266k |
€194k - €368k |
|
3 - Bed. House |
€167k - €278k |
€206k - €381k |
|
4 - Bed. House |
€182k - €297k |
€223k - €401k |
|
1 - Bed. Apartment |
€158k - €273k |
€198k - €373k |
|
2 - Bed. Apartment |
€172k - €293k |
€215k - €395k |
|
3 - Bed. Apartment |
€193k - €320k |
€238k - €426k |
The Construction Costs outlined above as shown are reflective of building costs, inclusive of normal site works/site development and VAT. All-In Costs are reflective of the above construction costs with the addition of allowances for site purchase costs, design team fees, utilities, site investigations, surveys, local authority in-house fees, public art etc. as appropriate. With regard to the other (i.e. non-construction) items that make up the all-in total, the following should be noted:
- 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% - 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.
The above data excludes Abnormal Costs, which are specific to the requirements of each scheme, for instance demolitions, service diversions, existing site conditions, access requirements.
Approved Housing Body (AHB) social housing delivery is primarily funded by the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) which is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units. This loan facility can support up to 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the housing units provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements.
In relation to affordable homes, it is not possible to provide a universally applicable cost of delivery of a quantum of affordable housing units. Such a costing is centrally dependent upon, and impacted by, a range of site and project specific characteristics. These factors include variables such as unit type, land cost, development and construction costs, costs and source of finance, together with ongoing maintenance and management fees, etc. In most cases affordable homes will be delivered via joint venture arrangements with the development sector with Exchequer funding covering an element of overall delivery cost.
335. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current number of HAP and RAS leasing tenancies across all local authorities including long term leases by AHBs; the projected number of these for each of the years in the lifetime of the Housing for All plan; the annual cost for each year and in total for the lifetime of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43928/21]
View answerThe table below shows the number of active tenancies at the end of Q1 2021, by scheme, by local authority:
|
Local Authority |
HAP |
RAS |
AHB long term leases under SHCEP |
Total |
|
Carlow County Council |
734 |
457 |
0 |
1,191 |
|
Cavan County Council |
448 |
522 |
22 |
992 |
|
Clare County Council |
1,422 |
384 |
39 |
1,845 |
|
Cork City Council |
3,187 |
879 |
29 |
4,095 |
|
Cork County Council |
3,740 |
719 |
1 |
4,460 |
|
Donegal County Council |
1,855 |
504 |
120 |
2,479 |
|
Dublin City Council |
5,120 |
1,684 |
183 |
6,987 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
797 |
521 |
5 |
1,323 |
|
Fingal County Council |
2,188 |
513 |
2 |
2,703 |
|
Galway City Council |
1,989 |
398 |
0 |
2,387 |
|
Galway County Council |
1,477 |
352 |
16 |
1,845 |
|
Kerry County Council |
1,681 |
852 |
69 |
2,602 |
|
Kildare County Council |
2,375 |
427 |
118 |
2,920 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
852 |
946 |
0 |
1,798 |
|
Laois County Council |
986 |
206 |
85 |
1,277 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
305 |
103 |
0 |
408 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
2,488 |
1,263 |
64 |
3,815 |
|
Longford County Council |
379 |
201 |
10 |
590 |
|
Louth County Council |
3,301 |
144 |
11 |
3,456 |
|
Mayo County Council |
1,374 |
800 |
0 |
2,174 |
|
Meath County Council |
2,287 |
376 |
77 |
2,740 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
615 |
161 |
0 |
776 |
|
Offaly County Council |
867 |
135 |
3 |
1,005 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
468 |
383 |
0 |
851 |
|
Sligo County Council |
843 |
503 |
16 |
1,362 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
2,977 |
1,015 |
16 |
4,008 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1,878 |
1,053 |
11 |
2,942 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
2,172 |
674 |
11 |
2,857 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
1,022 |
531 |
16 |
1,569 |
|
Wexford County Council |
1,633 |
526 |
20 |
2,179 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
1,686 |
275 |
8 |
1,970 |
|
Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE)* |
8,166 |
- |
- |
81,66 |
|
TOTAL |
61,312 |
17,507 |
952 |
79,771 |
*DRHE is operating Homeless HAP on behalf of the four Dublin Local Authorities
Specific targets for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) are not included in Housing for All. However, given the numbers of households in need of housing supports, it will be necessary to continue to provide social housing through these schemes to ensure households can secure social housing immediately.
The projected number for new tenancies being set-up for HAP in 2022 is between 10,000 and 15,000. The projected number for new tenancies being set-up for RAS in 2022 is 800. Projections for future years will be agreed on an annual basis as part of the normal Estimates process. However, as the numbers of new build social homes increases under Housing for All, there will be a reduced reliance on HAP and RAS.
Under Housing for All, Long Term Leasing will be phased out by 2025. This phasing out process will begin now, with my officials engaging with every local authority to ensure that the correct processes are put in place to ensure a managed end to leasing. I will shortly be issuing leasing targets across a number of local authorities, but not all local authorities will have leasing targets going forward.
336. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legislation that exists to date to compensate householders whose home property is lost due to coast erosion, climate change; if there is existing legislation in place, his views on whether such legislation is necessary and should be prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43952/21]
View answerMy primary role in such matters is the oversight of forward planning legislation and as the competent authority for Marine Spatial Planning that incorporates and integrates marine policies developed across Government, including coastal erosion.
Responsibility for coastal erosion rests with the Office of Public Works, who has functional responsibility for the operation of the Coast Protection Act 1963 and is the national authority for the implementation of the EU Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks [2007/60/EC]. My colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is responsible for the OPW.
Jointly with the OPW, my Department is chairing the National Coastal Change Management Strategy Steering Group which has been established to prepare an initial scoping exercise to examine how best to approach the development of an integrated, whole of Government coastal change management strategy. This group will report to Government with its initial findings and recommendations as soon as possible.
337. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount paid in late interest payments and penalty payments by his Department in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021 in respect of late payments being made to suppliers, service providers and contractors in tabular form; and the measures he has put in place and or is implementing to reduce late payment interest and penalty payments. [44007/21]
View answerMy Department has robust manual procedures and system controls in place, including the active reporting and monitoring of invoice due dates to keep late interest and penalty payments to a minimum. My Department consistently pays over 98% of all invoices within the due dates.
The information requested is set out in the following table:
|
- |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
Up to June 2021 |
|
Late Interest and Compensation |
€4,174 |
€3,480 |
€3,372 |
€13,385 |
€5,640 |
338. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the name of Ballycroy National Park was changed to Wild Nephin National Park; the name of the person or body that made this decision; if he will restore the name of the park to its original name; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44041/21]
View answerThe decision to retitle this National Park is predicated upon the recent significant expansion in size of the park and the fact that some two-thirds of the area of the park is in fact outside of Ballycroy. The new name provides a clearer indication and reflection of the entire landscape, which fully represents this unique area on an international platform with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognition for Ireland's sixth National Park.
My Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is deeply committed to the development of the National Park in Mayo. As you will be aware from your own time with this portfolio; in December 2017, NPWS announced the expansion of Ballycroy National Park to include the area known as Wild Nephin. This expansion increased the total size of the Park to over 15,000 hectares of the Nephin Beg Mountain range, which included a private acquisition of 1,200 acres at Altnabrockey. This expansion of the National Park was the result of a long-standing collaborative project between Coillte and the NPWS, and consequently some 65% of state owned lands in the Park are now outside of the Ballycroy catchment area.
Of the National Park's 15,000 hectares, circa 33% is in the parish of Ballycroy, 26% in the parish of Kiltane (Bangor Erris, Ballymunnelly, Bellacorick areas) and approximately 20% is in the parish of Burrishoole (Newport, Mulranny, Srahmore), and 20% in the parish of Crossmoline (Derra, Tubrid and Keenagh). Included in the above is the 4,200 hectares leased from Coillte and the acquisition at Altnabrocky, all of which is not within the parish of Ballycroy.
The new name is intended to assist the integration of the original park and the newly acquired land fully into the Nephin Beg mountain range in the North Mayo landscape, to integrate with all the communities in the townlands which make up the park and to provide a clearer indication of the location to tourists, reducing confusion, especially in terms of the Nephin Wilderness area.
In this context, it should be noted that the official state-of-the-art visitors centre for the National Park remains in Ballycroy village, and my Department is currently developing proposals in conjunction with Mayo County Council and Failte Ireland to upgrade and invest in this area, including examining the potential for a Planetarium and Observatory to complement the National Park’s designation as a gold-tier Dark Sky park. The location of the Visitor facility in Ballycroy village and the associated walks and educational facilities, which attract visitors to Ballycroy, will remain on all road signage in the region as we continue to grow the visitor numbers annually into both the parish of Ballycroy and the wider north Mayo region with the support of Mayo County Council.
339. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the independent expert advisory group established by him to evaluate applications for inclusion on Ireland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tentative has completed its evaluation and made recommendations as to which properties should be considered for inclusion on a new list by early September 2021 as anticipated; if he will publish the evaluations and recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44052/21]
View answerThe Expert Advisory Group (EAG) that I appointed earlier this year to assess the six applications to Ireland’s new Tentative List of World Heritage Properties is currently finalising its report and recommendations, and I anticipate receiving these in the coming weeks.
Once I receive these recommendations, they will then be considered further by my Department and myself before any final decision is made as to what properties will be progressed for inclusion on the new Tentative List. We will liaise with all six applicants before any announcement is made.
Inclusion on a Tentative List is the first step on a long and detailed process to be nominated as a World Heritage Site. In addition to the recommendations of the EAG, I must also take cognisance of UNESCO requirements and the completeness of individual nomination dossiers in relation to progressing sites on the World Heritage List.
The EAG’s recommendations will be published when a final decision has been made on what properties to include on the new Tentative List.
This new Tentative List of World Heritage Properties will be submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in 2022.
340. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures which can be taken by an applicant for a grant for housing adaptation that is needed due to the fact the applicant has recently been diagnosed with motor neuron disease and can no longer work (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44070/21]
View answerMy Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People, which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of local authorities.
The framework for the operation of the scheme is laid down in statutory regulations, namely the Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability) Regulations 2007, and the Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.
The regulations define household income for the purposes of the means test as the combined annual gross income in the previous tax year of both the owner of any property the subject of an application pursuant to these Regulations, together with that of his or her spouse and each member of the household in full-time occupation of the house where such a member is aged 18 years or more, or, where he or she is engaged in full-time third level education, is aged 23 years or more.
The regulations do not allow for any discretion on the tax year assessed for the purposes of the means test. Local authorities, in administering the grant schemes, should always work with qualifying applicants to ensure they get the most beneficial outcome possible under the terms of the schemes.
341. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to reform the tenant purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44091/21]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
A review of the first 12 months of the Scheme’s operation has been undertaken. In addition, the Programme for Government commits to maintaining the right of social housing tenants to purchase their own home with some changes to eligibility. The review and the commitments in the Programme for Government are being examined as part of the work on the broader social housing reform agenda. I expect to be in a position to finalise changes to the Scheme once the work on these reform measures is complete.
342. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he plans to introduce a deposit protection scheme for tenants as promised in Housing for All; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44149/21]
View answerHousing for All – a new Housing Plan for Ireland includes an action to examine the creation of a system of holding rental deposits, informed by international experience, by Q2 2023.
Section 7 of the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 inserts a new section 19B into the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 which applies to tenancies created on or after 9 August 2021, to restrict the total amount that a tenant is required to pay to a landlord by way of a deposit or an advance rent payment to secure a tenancy to no more than the equivalent of 2 months’ rent (i.e. any deposit cannot exceed 1 month’s rent and any advance rent payment cannot exceed 1 month’s rent). A restriction of the equivalent of 1 month’s rent is also placed on the amount that a tenant is obliged to pay as a regular advance rent payment to a landlord during a tenancy. These measures are intended to greatly reduce any financial exposure to tenants, on foot of paying such restricted upfront payments.
343. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which his Department continues to examine and address issues arising from Brexit with particular reference to the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44179/21]
View answer344. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he is alert to any and all difficulties caused for the economy in the wake of Brexit and the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44181/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 344 together.
1206 and 1208 together.
The Government has dedicated substantial time and resources into preparing for Brexit since 2016. This intensive effort across departments and agencies included the development of two Brexit Omnibus Acts; three Brexit Action Plans; substantial investment in the State’s infrastructure and IT systems (including provision for 1,500 additional staff to support new checks and controls); and the provision of financial, upskilling and advisory supports for impacted sectors and businesses. Throughout the Brexit process, our readiness work was always underpinned by a strong communications and outreach programme.
The UK’s decision to leave the Customs Union and Single Market produced inevitable and unwelcome consequences for Ireland. Even with the Withdrawal Agreement and Trade and Cooperation Agreement in place, the seamless trade with the UK when we were both members of the Single Market cannot be replicated as was. The Government continues to do whatever it can to ease the burden on businesses trading with our nearest neighbour, including new requirements concerning customs and SPS checks and controls. While some businesses have experienced specific issues, more than 87% of the trucks landing in our ports from the UK are now being “green routed” to leave our ports directly, having correctly completed the required customs formalities prior to arriving.
Government Departments, including my own, continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders, whether business representative groups, retailers and individual businesses or shipping companies, hauliers and logistics companies, to manage the issues arising from the new trading relationship with the UK. A range of financial, upskilling and advisory supports for impacted sectors and businesses remain available and we will continue to monitor developments and engage with all key stakeholders. Information on these supports is set out at gov.ie/brexit.
With new UK checks scheduled to begin on 1 October, the Government’s Brexit response communications are now primarily focused on exporters, particularly those moving food and other agri-products. In addition to a nationwide advertising campaign across all platforms - print, radio and digital advertising - a number of webinars for exporters are taking place allowing Government Departments and Agencies to disseminate the relevant technical information to exporters.
Regarding the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol, we note the UK statement of 6 September regarding the Protocol grace periods. We and our EU partners continue to engage with stakeholders across the island of Ireland, including in relation to the Protocol. The Protocol is designed to protect the Good Friday Agreement and avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, to protect vital all-island supply chains, and to ensure the integrity of the Single Market and Ireland’s place in it. Just last week, Commission Vice President Maroš Šefcovic engaged with a range of stakeholders in Northern Ireland, including local businesses situated on the border.
We remain confident that solutions do exist, within the parameters of the Protocol, for the issues that have arisen to date. The EU has time and again demonstrated a considered, credible, solution-driven approach to these issues. We will continue to encourage the UK Government to be similarly constructive in their approach.
345. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current status of an application (details supplied); the reason documentation was returned given that additional documentation had been sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43209/21]
View answer349. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport is likely to issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43256/21]
View answer351. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43319/21]
View answer355. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43472/21]
View answer360. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will now issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43583/21]
View answer364. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43960/21]
View answer367. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44037/21]
View answer368. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application by a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44048/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 345, 349, 351, 355, 360, 364, 367 and 368 together.
With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has been in contact with the applicants to provide an update on the status of the passport applications.
The current turnaround times are 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals, 40 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online and 8 weeks for Passport Express for applications which have been completed correctly.
346. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the processing of applications received for foreign birth registrations will resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43224/21]
View answerMy Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (“the 1956 Act”), as amended. We take our legal responsibility in relation to Foreign Birth Registration very seriously and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the processing time for these applications stood at 18 months. This is due to the complex nature of Foreign Birth Registration applications and the very high volume of applications we received due to Brexit. At present, there are just over 31,000 applications in the Foreign Births Registration system awaiting processing.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic Foreign Birth Registration application processing was paused to give priority to the provision of other priority services. Notably, we reassigned staff to the HSE for essential contact tracing; to the Department of Social Protection for the processing of essential PUP payments, and to support the Department of Health with quarantine issues.
These emergency pandemic measures did not impact the provision of passports for essential reasons and we also continued to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, or where an applicant required the return of documents. As with many other areas of public service provision, a backlog of applications has inevitably grown due to the COVID 19 disruptions of our normal processes.
My Department is very concerned about this backlog situation and are actively planning to resume processing Foreign Birth Registration applications as soon as possible. We will be making a public announcement on specific dates in the coming weeks. My 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. In the medium term, changes to the FBR process to increase efficiencies and improve the customer experience will be delivered under the next phase of my Departments Passport Reform Programme.
In cases of exceptional urgency applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly using email address: travelemergency@dfat.ie.
347. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans that are in place to assist asylum seekers to exit from Afghanistan, either directly or through a third country; if there will be an agreement of safe passage with the current Afghan government; and the documentation that needs to be provided. [43226/21]
View answerLast month I announced, together with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Minister of State for Law Reform, Youth Justice and Immigration, that places would be allocated to Afghan nationals under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). The IRPP was created in 2015 as part of Ireland’s response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe. It allows a predetermined number of vulnerable people in need of international protection to be granted refugee status in Ireland.
Places on the programme have been allocated to approximately 330 Afghans nationals, over 70 of whom have travelled to Ireland. Priority was given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women and girls, and minorities, as well as those working with NGOs and European and international organisations. The operation of this programme is being led by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Department of Foreign Affairs is, through our diplomatic network, liaising with relevant authorities in the region and countries in Europe in relation to transit routes. The Department of Justice is providing practical support by way of issuing humanitarian visas to facilitate travel to Ireland. That Department is also focused on processing applications for Afghan family members of Irish citizens and Afghan nationals living in Ireland.
The Department of Justice is currently reviewing all international protection applications on hand from Afghan nationals with a view to expediting their progress, in line with updated advice provided by UNHCR in recent weeks. These applications are already prioritised, as agreed with UNHCR. The processing of these applications takes full account of whether a person will be in danger if not provided with a permission to remain here.
In addition, I am aware that Minister Humphreys and Minister Browne have directed officials in their Department to examine, as a matter of urgency, proposals for a humanitarian admission programme whereby persons resident in Ireland could apply for family members in Afghanistan to be granted admission to Ireland. The introduction of any new scheme, which would be along similar lines to previous ones, would require a Government decision and I understand that they intend to bring proposals to Government in relation to this matter in the near future.
Ireland remains fully engaged with the situation in Afghanistan at both EU and UN level. As a Member of the Security Council we are working to address a range of issues, including focusing on the fulfilment of the Taliban commitment to allow the safe, secure, orderly and unhindered departure of foreign nationals and Afghans at-risk who wish to leave the country in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2593 (2021).
348. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has utilised the services of organisations (details supplied) at any time from 1 January 2015 to date; if so, the expenditure costs related to same; the purpose of any such engagements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43239/21]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs paid Common Purpose Ireland for one place on a leadership development course at a cost of €3,000 during 2021.
350. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when passport offices will reopen for the issuing of emergency passports (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43274/21]
View answer356. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he plans to take to ensure the efficient turnaround of online passport applications especially first-time applications which is targeted as 40 working days (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some applicants who apply for such passports in order to travel abroad for essential reasons are not even receiving passports in that timeframe; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that in cases in which there are queries on such passports that there can be a delay of over 40 days before queries are raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43473/21]
View answer357. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the Passport Office will return to regular processing times for all types of passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43500/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 350, 356 and 357 together.
The Passport Service maintained operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, notwithstanding the fact that the processing of passports requires physical attendance on site to deliver this service. As a result of well implemented safety protocols our staff were able to assist citizens who required passports for a range of emergency and urgent personal, business or legal reasons, or who had compelling humanitarian needs to travel. To assist with the wider State response to COVID-19, Passport Service personnel were also redeployed, at the request of different Departments, into other, essential public service roles, such as contact tracing for the HSE, assisting the Department of Social Protection to facilitate the processing of COVID-19 related benefits, providing consular assistance to Irish citizens overseas and assisting the Public Appointments Service.
The Passport Service began scaling up to more normal operational levels on 4 May 2021, in line with the phased easing of restrictions set out in “COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – The Plan Ahead” while continuing to operate the emergency service for priority cases for which customers are encouraged to contact our Customer Service Hub if they require assistance.
The Passport Service has received nearly 500,000 applications in 2021 to date, with approximately 110,000 under process. These applications comprise of 43,000 valid applications which are with the Passport Service and 67,000 incomplete applications that require action by the applicant.
The current turnaround times are
- 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals,
- 15 working days for Complex renewals,;
- 40 working days for First Time applications on Passport Online and
- 8 weeks for Passport Express .
These turnaround times for Passport Online applications begins when all required supporting documentation is received by the Passport Service. For reasons of integrity, the Passport Service is not in a position to process applications that are incomplete as these are not valid applications. Such applications will inevitably encounter longer processing times.
First time applications for adults and children are complex applications involving measures to assure the true identity of the applicant, their entitlement to Irish citizenship and, in the case of children, that all guardians have consented to the issuing of the passport. Particular complexity relates to the process of application from children born in Ireland after 2004 due to the need to verify entitlement for Irish citizenship.
The Passport Service continually examines how to improve processing times, including examining the processes around the verification and processing of the supporting documentation for first time applicants, and any delays that have been experienced by our customers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the high demand seen in recent months as international travel resumed. However, the Passport Service has a great deal of experience in dealing with peaks in demand is a strong basis for confidence, taking into account measures to ensure a safe workplace, that we will return to more normal turnaround times for the processing of first time applications soon.
In line with our continued scaling up of services My Department are actively planning for the opening of our Public Offices for the processing of urgent applications for those renewing their passport. We will be making a public announcement on specific dates in the coming weeks.
The Passport Service will continue to review its processes in order to identify further efficiencies that can be made to improve the efficiency of our services and improve customer experience while continuing to protect the integrity of the Irish Passport.
352. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the informal and formal communications between his senior officials and those of the Department of An Taoiseach in a matter (details supplied) at all stages; if he will publish those communications and contacts and their dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43335/21]
View answerMy Department recognised the public interest in the matter raised, namely the appointment of a Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. For this reason, it was decided to publish records related to the matter on our website, in a transparent and comprehensive manner, within all the applicable deadlines under the FOI Act. Each individual person who had lodged an FOI request was notified of our decision, which is fully in accordance with section 15 (1) (f) of the FOI Act.
The entire set of records relating to the matter from January 2020 to 6 August 2021 have been catalogued and published on our website at:
www.dfa.ie/about-us/accountability/how-we-are-accountable/foi-requests/.
As regards the particular records within the set that are of interest to the Deputy, I would refer her to records 60_77, 65_73, 66_74 and 115_100. Record 66_74 was listed on the schedule of records identified but was not published on the grounds that its disclosure was exempt under section 28(1)(a) of the Freedom of information Act 2014. It is a Memorandum to Government in relation to Ambassadorial & Special Envoy appointments. There are no records of communications between officials of my Department and the Department of An Taoiseach after 6 August in relation to the matter raised.
