Patrick Costello
Question:26. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of staff employed in the OPW with training or experience in universal design. [48494/21]
View answerOffice of Public Works
Questions (26)
Written answers
I can confirm that there are currently 89 staff members employed in the OPW with training in universal design. In addition a significant number of staff have relevant experience in this area.
Departmental Reports
Questions (27)
Imelda Munster
Question:27. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she expects to receive the report of the Future of Media Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48409/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Future of Media Commission, chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, which commenced its work in October 2020, was tasked with considering the future of print, broadcast, and online media in a platform agnostic fashion.
The commission engaged comprehensively with stakeholders, including broadcasters, journalists, publishers, regional media and the wider public. The first phase of the Future of Media Commission public consultation, which ran from December 12th 2020 to January 8th 2021, resulted in over 800 written submissions from stakeholder groups and the general public on a wide range of themes.
At the end of January 2021, the Commission began a series of thematic dialogues through online webinars in which panels of experts explored key themes in more depth and answered follow-up questions from the virtual audience and the Commission members. The webinars and the public consultations mentioned earlier are all available on the Future of Media Commission’s website.
The work of the Future of Media Commission has now been completed. The Report of the Commission has been submitted to An Taoiseach and myself and we are currently considering its contents. The Report will be brought to Government for consideration in due course.
National Cultural Institutions
Questions (28)
Joe O'Brien
Question:28. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the planned transition of the National Symphony Orchestra to the National Concert Hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48551/21]
View answerWritten answers
Following the publication of the report by RTÉ that it commissioned from independent consultants Helen Boaden and Mediatique on the RTÉ Orchestras entitled RTÉ Orchestras Ensuring a Sustainable Future, the Government agreed in principle that the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (RTÉ NSO) should come within the remit of the National Concert Hall (NCH).
Work is continuing in my Department with all stakeholders from RTÉ, NSO and the NCH to ensure a successful transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall.
My intention is that the transfer of the NSO to the NCH will be completed this year.
Tourism Industry
Questions (29)
Brendan Smith
Question:29. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if detailed consideration will be given to the issues outlined in a submission (details supplied) with a view to ensuring that this sector gets adequate Government financial support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48606/21]
View answerWritten answers
I met with the Coach Tourism and Transport Council (CTTC) today to discuss their Pre-Budget submission. In the context of Budget 2022, discussions are ongoing to establish what further supports can be put in place to continue to support the tourism sector as we begin to emerge from the pandemic and it therefore would not be appropriate for me to comment further at the present time.
Údarás na Gaeltachta
Questions (30, 34)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:30. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an gcuirfidh sí cúrsa pleanála faoi chúram Údarás na Gaeltachta ar fáil sa Ghaeltacht. [48608/21]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:34. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cathain a bheidh dlí pleanála nua maidir le tithíocht sa Ghaeltacht curtha i bhfeidhm chun an Ghaeilge a chosaint sa Ghaeltacht. [48676/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 34 together.
Mar is eol don Teachta, is ag an Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta atá an fhreagracht maidir leis an Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt 2000 - faoina dtagann gnóthaí i ndáil le cúrsaí pleanála agus tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht.
Faoi réir alt 10(2)m den Acht Um Pleanáil agus Forbairt, 2000 is gá go ndéanfadh plean forbartha cúram do chosaint oidhreacht teanga agus cultúrtha na Gaeltachta lena n-áirítear an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar theanga an phobail, i gcás ina mbeidh limistéar Gaeltachta i limistéar an phlean forbartha.
Luaitear in alt 28(1) de na Rialacháin um Pleanáil agus Forbairt 2001, go bhfuil sé de dhualgas ag údaráis phleanála dul i dteagmháil le mo Roinn agus le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta le tuairimí a lorg i gcás iarratais ar chead pleanála a d'fhéadfadh tionchar a imirt - i dtuairim an údaráis phleanála, ar chur chun cinn na Gaeilge mar theanga phobail sa Ghaeltacht.
Níor mhiste dom a lua go bhfuil mo Roinn agus Údarás na Gaeltachta i mbun plé leis an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta le roinnt míonna anuas maidir leis an gcóras pleanála mar a bhaineann sé le feidhmiú na bhforálacha thuasluaite ach go háirithe. Is é aidhm lárnach an phlé sin breathnú ar chonas a d'fhéadfaí na cleachtais reatha maidir le feidhmiú na forálacha a threisiú.
Craoltóirí Seirbhíse Poiblí
Questions (31)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:31. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cén fáth a bhfuil maoiniú TG4 chomh híseal is a tá sé. [48609/21]
View answerWritten answers
Tá ról reachtúil ag Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann maidir le hathbhreithniú agus moladh a dhéanamh ar an leibhéal cuí maoinithe a theastaíonn ó Chraoltóirí Seirbhíse Poiblí chun a spriocanna seirbhíse poiblí mar atá siad leagtha amach san Acht Craolacháin 2009 a bhaint amach. Ina n-athbhreithniú 5 bliana ar mhaoiniú do Chraoltóirí Seirbhíse Poiblí mhol an tÚdarás €6m breise in aghaidh na bliana do TG4 thar leithdháileadh €34.24m a fuair siad in 2017. Maidir leis sin, fuair mé €3.5m breise i maoiniú státchiste do TG4 in 2021, rud a thug a leithdháileadh bliantúil suas go €40.733m, níos mó ná moladh an BAI. Cuimsíonn an maoiniú €36.733m i maoiniú reatha agus €4m i maoiniú caipitil.
In 2020, fuair mé €1.9m i maoiniú breise státchiste do TG4 chun tacú lena bhfreagra ar phaindéim Covid-19, maoiniú a mhaoinigh cláir cosúil le Cula4 ar Scoil. Cuirfidh mé €100,000 in aghaidh na bliana ar fáil i mbliana agus don dá bhliain atá romhainn do TG4 mar chuid de chomhaontú Dheich mBliana Nua, Cur Chuige Nua chun craoltóireacht na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn i dTuaisceart Éireann.
Tourism Policy
Questions (32)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:32. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to sustainably develop tourism on Tara Hill and Loughcrew, Oldcastle, County Meath. [48610/21]
View answerWritten answers
The matter raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I have referred the matter to Fáilte Ireland for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
Tourism Policy
Questions (33)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:33. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her tourism plans for north County Westmeath. [48611/21]
View answerWritten answers
The issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. I have asked the tourism agencies to provide the Deputy with further information. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
Question No. 34 answered with Question No. 30.
Tourism Funding
Questions (35)
Marian Harkin
Question:35. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on increasing funding to support overseas tourism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48717/21]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, the inbound tourism market has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While our domestic tourism market has helped sustain the industry, it now needs international visitors to return in significant numbers in order to facilitate a meaningful recovery. Since the easing of restrictions on the 19th of July overseas visitors have started to return to our shores but at a much lower level than prior to the pandemic.
The competition globally to attract tourism will be more challenging than ever. To this end Tourism Ireland have started to ‘roll out the green carpet’ and welcome back our international visitors as they work to encourage as many overseas holidaymakers as possible to book Ireland for their next holiday destination. The concept revolves around creating a commitment to travel, by ‘pressing the Green Button’ – green being the universal colour of ‘go’ and instinctively connected with the island of Ireland. I was happy to help Tourism Ireland launch this new campaign in both the UK and the United States recently when I travelled to both markets to engage with our industry partners to reassure them that Ireland was open and waiting to welcome back visitors.
Last year, a Tourism Recovery Taskforce was put in place to prepare a Tourism Recovery Plan with recommendations on how best the Irish Tourism sector can adapt and recover in a changed tourism environment as a result of the crisis. One of its recommendations was an increase in the overseas Tourism Marketing Fund to help protect Ireland's existing brand position and kick-start the recovery in inbound tourism. Whilst I am satisfied that Tourism Ireland is sufficiently resourced to roll out its new campaign, I am conscious that we are in a very competitive marketplace at this time. Any additional requirements for the agency will be considered in this context as part of the ongoing budget negotiations.
Tourism Industry
Questions (36)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:36. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the tourism aspect of the Moore Street State investment will be open to the public. [48607/21]
View answerWritten answers
In March 2021, €121,285,388 was allocated to Dublin City Council in respect of the North Inner City Concept Area 1 under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund. The North Inner City project involves the regeneration and redevelopment of several areas of the north inner city that have experienced a degree of decline and dereliction over a number of years resulting in poor perception issues and a depiction of an area that the ‘market’ has forgotten.
The main objective of this project is to achieve long-term sustainable regeneration around the redevelopment of various areas centred around the Fruit and Vegetable Market, Parnell Square and Mountjoy Square. Complementary projects include Moore Street Public Realm Renewal works with the intention of reactivating one of the most important trading streets in the city along with structural and restoration works to the national monument at 14-17 Moore Street which will facilitate the protection and reuse of these historic buildings as an iconic heritage/visitor attraction (1916 Commemorative Centre) alongside the rejuvenation of the historic street.
There is a degree of design work yet to be completed with regard to the Moore Street national monument before OPW bring a contractor on-site. This work is the current priority and it would not be possible at this point to give a timeline for the provision of the accompanying interpretive facility which will facilitate visitors to the national monument.
Housing Provision
Questions (37)
Eoin Ó Broin
Question:37. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has met with representatives from a group (details supplied), Dublin City Council, NAMA and others to ensure that the requirement for up to 600 affordable homes in the Poolbeg SDZ will be achieved; if he will provide details of when the meeting and or meetings occurred; and the outcome of the meeting and or meetings. [48473/21]
View answerWritten answers
The regeneration of Poolbeg West is the next important step in transforming the Docklands area, given its strategic location east of Grand Canal Dock, with close proximity to important bridge connections to Dublin Port and North Lotts. The residential potential within the available lands is for a maximum of 3,500 additional residential units.
The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) being the responsible agency for the progression of this site in line with the requirements of the NAMA Act, in July 2020, named a consortium of Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE) and Colony Capital (Colony) as the Preferred Bidder to acquire the 80% shareholding with NAMA retaining a 20% shareholding.
A condition of the planning scheme, as modified by An Bord Pleanála on 9 April 2019 is the provision of 15% social and affordable homes on this site in addition to the 10% statutory under Part V arrangements.
While I have not met with representatives of the named group on this matter, I can confirm that representatives of the consortium have previously met officials of Dublin City Council (DCC) in its role as the responsible planning authority. On 21 July 2021 the consortium submitted a planning application to DCC for Phase 1 to construct 600 apartment units including 90 affordable housing apartments and 62 social housing apartments. The social and affordable housing is provided in accordance with Objective H7 of the Planning Scheme. DCC issued a decision on 16 September 2021 requiring the applicant to revert to the planning authority with further information on nine matters outstanding.
My Department remains committed to working with DCC, any relevant Approved Housing Bodies and the receiver and/or developers of the SDZ area to progress this site, subject to agreement on all the normal and relevant terms, including value for money aspects.
Citizens' Assembly
Questions (38)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:38. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the biodiversity citizens' assembly will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48543/21]
View answerWritten answers
The convening of a Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity is under discussion at a senior level between the Department of the Taoiseach and my Department. The timing and scheduling of the Assembly will depend on the outcome of these discussions and on a number of external factors which need to be considered before the scope and terms of the Assembly are framed.
Housing Schemes
Questions (39)
Noel Grealish
Question:39. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to increase the basic income qualifying limits for applicants for social housing which have not increased since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48577/21]
View answerWritten answers
Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The 2011 Regulations do not provide local authorities with any discretion to exceed the limits that apply to their administrative areas.Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all local authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Additional Superannuation Contribution. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and local authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature.The income bands are expressed in terms of a maximum net income threshold for a single-person household, with an allowance of 5% for each additional adult household member, subject to a maximum allowance under this category of 10% and separately a 2.5% allowance for each child.The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. It is important to note that the limits introduced in 2011 also reflected a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn, both promoting sustainable communities and also providing a degree of future-proofing.Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support. The current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this, providing for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households facing the greatest challenge in meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources.However, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of income eligibility for social housing supports in each local authority area is underway. As set out in "Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland", the efficiency of the banding model and its application to local authorities will be considered. Equivalisation as between singles and families will also be considered. The review will also have regard to new initiatives being brought forward in terms of affordability and Cost Rental housing and will be completed when the impacts of these parallel initiatives have been considered.
Departmental Data
Questions (40)
Noel Grealish
Question:40. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of qualified households for social housing now and in each of the past five years by local authority area; the number in each area on a waiting for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48578/21]
View answerWritten answers
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The SSHA has been conducted on an annual basis since 2016, prior to which it was carried out once every three years, with the last Summary under this approach having taken place in 2013.
The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813 households or 9.9% on the last assessment in June 2019. Since 2016, the numbers have decreased from 91,600 to 61,880, a reduction of 32.4%.
Below is the link to the summary reports for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 which includes breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-assessments/
It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time snapshot of the demand for social housing support in each local authority area and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the housing waiting lists.
Departmental Reports
Questions (41, 42)
Thomas Pringle
Question:41. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to previous Parliamentary Questions querying the four year delay in publication of the report A Review into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council, if he will provide a headline descriptor for each of the specific issues that he is considering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48580/21]
View answerThomas Pringle
Question:42. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a definitive timeline for the publication of the report A Review into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48581/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together.
I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course.
In this regard, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner (OIC-59426-Q8D7T8) of 27 February 2020 in relation to requests to publish this report will also be taken into account.Both decisions are publicly available on those bodies' websites.
It should be noted that in each of these cases, both the Commissioner for Environmental Information and the Information Commissioner decided not to grant access to the report. The Office of the Information Commissioner decision stated "placing the details concerned in the public domain would significantly breach the rights to privacy of identifiable individuals." Therefore, this is a matter that requires careful consideration.
Question No. 42 answered with Question No. 41.
Housing Schemes
Questions (43)
Róisín Shortall
Question:43. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports in place for a family whose family home has been sold on by their mortgage provider to a vulture fund and in cases in which that same mortgage provider had blocked the family from taking up the mortgage to rent scheme; if an appeal mechanism is in place for the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48592/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process. In order for a borrower to qualify for the MTR scheme, the mortgage, property and household must meet detailed eligibility criteria. In addition, the MTR process has to be carefully implemented with so many parties involved, including the homeowner, the lender, the relevant local authority and the Approved Housing Body or Private Company willing to acquire the property to enable the borrower to remain in their home as a social housing tenant.
The MTR scheme relies on the lender making the scheme available to the borrower where the lender has deemed the mortgage to be unsustainable and assesses the borrower as being eligible for the MTR scheme. If a borrower has not been offered an alternative repayment arrangement, or where a borrower is unwilling to enter into an alternative repayment arrangement, and requests the lender to consider them for the MTR scheme and the lender assesses the borrower as being ineligible for the MTR, the lender is required to notify the borrower in writing of the reason(s) for ineligibility in a timely manner. Should it transpire that MTR is not an option in a particular case, it will be a matter for the borrower to discuss with their lender if there are other options available to resolve their mortgage arrears situation.
It is important also to highlight that there are no changes to the rights or obligations of a customer whose loan is sold by a bank. The Government introduced the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015 to ensure that borrowers whose loans are sold retain the same protections which they had prior to the sale. In addition, as credit servicing firms servicing loans on behalf of unregulated entities are required to comply with the statutory Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears (CCMA), all protections under the CCMA are unchanged.
My focus, and that of the Government, is to ensure that as many households as possible remain in their homes and I would encourage borrowers to engage with the Abhaile Service, the national mortgage arrears resolution service, which is available free of charge to the borrower. The unique element of Abhaile is that it brings together the full range of supports and services required by borrowers in home mortgage arrears. A dedicated adviser will work with the borrower and their lender to find the best solution for their particular situation. The Money Advice & Budgeting Service acts as the gateway for the service and can be contacted by telephoning (076)1072000 or by accessing their website at: www.mabs.ie/abhaile.
For those borrowers in danger of losing their home who are ineligible for the MTR scheme but qualify for social housing support, it is recommended that they engage as early as possible with their local authority regarding their long-term housing needs.
Fire Service
Questions (44)
Róisín Shortall
Question:44. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to address staff shortages in Dublin Fire Brigade given the seriousness of the situation in respect of emergency response coverage; if he is engaging with union representatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48594/21]
View answerWritten answers
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 Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
Dublin City Council provides fire prevention and fire and rescue services for the four Dublin local authorities: Dublin City, South Dublin, Fingal and Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Councils. It also provides an emergency ambulance service by arrangement with the National Ambulance Service of the HSE.
The prioritisation of work and effective management of all resources is, in the first instance, a matter for the fire authority, based on its assessment of risk, needs and resources. In relation to the staffing requirements in each local authority, under the Local Government Act 2001, it is the responsibility of each Chief Executive to employ such staff and to make such staffing, funding, recruitment and organisational arrangements as may be deemed necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions of their local authority.
In relation to staffing in Dublin Fire Brigade, I am aware that the most recent fire-fighter recruitment campaign began in September 2019; all recent fire brigade recruit training has taken place in the shadow of the pandemic, which has placed considerable additional challenges on the process. The first class of recruits from that campaign began training in April 2020 and have taken up positions across the brigade. A second recruit class began training in June 2021 and will finish this December to take up positions across the brigade in January 2022. A further third recruit class will begin training early in February 2022 with a start date for a fourth and final class of the remaining panelled recruit’s currently under review.
The provision of fire services by local authorities is based on a statutory risk management approach which involves an analysis of the nature of the fire hazards and the incidence and extent of fires which occur, as well as the fire protection measures in place. There has been a welcome downward trend in the incidence of fire, with the fire fatality rate per million of population, using a three year average, currently at 4.3 deaths per million of population. While each death is one too many, this figure is a third of what it was twenty years ago when it stood at 12.9 deaths per million of population. That level of fire fatalities positions Ireland among countries with very low fire fatality rates. As this is Fire Safety Week 2021, I remind everybody of the importance of testing their smoke alarms regularly and I commend the kind of community fire safety initiatives aimed at protecting the most vulnerable in our society, which are undertaken by fire services and are seen a key driver of the welcome downward trends.
Local Authority fire services in Ireland is staffed by over three thousand professional, competent and highly committed personnel in the full-time and retained fire services. Local authorities, as the funders and the employers of fire service personnel, have demonstrated their commitment to this service over the past number of years. The number of frontline fire service staff have been maintained at a consistent high level throughout the economic challenges of the past number of years, even at a time when staffing numbers were of necessity reduced in other areas of the local authorities.
With regard to staffing in Dublin Fire Brigade, I understand that Dublin City Council, as the employer, has engaged in an extended process with firefighter representative bodies, Fórsa and SIPTU at the Workplace Relations Commission. Unfortunately, the parties were not able to reach agreement on all the issues at this time, some of which are intended to alleviate pressures caused by current staffing arrangements. I encourage all parties involved to re-engage and to continue to use the State's established statutory industrial relations machinery to resolve the issues concerned.
Planning Issues
Questions (45)
Róisín Shortall
Question:45. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he remains committed to terminating the Strategic Housing Development planning process in February 2022, in view of the recently announced planning legislation review; if he plans to implement a new planning arrangement for large-scale residential proposals before this review is completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48595/21]
View answerWritten answers
My colleague, Minister O'Brien, submitted a Memorandum to Government on 13 July 2021, accompanied by a General Scheme of a Planning and Development (Amendment) (LSRD) Bill 2021 (the General Scheme), outlining proposals for the replacement of the current planning arrangements in respect of Strategic Housing Developments (SHDs) with new streamlined arrangements for large-scale residential developments (LSRDs). The proposed new arrangements will effectively restore decision-making on such large scale housing developments to local authorities in the first instance.
The proposed new LSRD arrangements will comprise 3 pillars: pre-application consultation stage, planning application stage and appeal stage, summarised as follows -
- planning authorities will be required to complete the “final consultation meeting” element of the pre-application consultation stage, involving a bilateral meeting between the planning authority and the developer, within 8 weeks of the receipt of a request for such meeting;
- subsequent LSRD planning applications will be generally required to be determined by planning authorities within 8 weeks of receipt of an application;
- the determination of appeals against planning decisions by planning authorities will be generally required to be determined by An Bord Pleanála within 16 weeks of receipt of an appeal.
The application of these new arrangements is intended to streamline the decision making process for LSRDs, thereby providing greater certainty and clarity to developers regarding the timelines for decisions in respect of such development proposals.
Further details in relation to the proposals are set out in the General Scheme which is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/a10f2-general-scheme-of-planning-and-development-amendment-lsrd-bill-2021/.
Pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme has already been undertaken by the Joint Oireachtas Committee (JOC) on Housing, Local Government and Heritage in September 2021. The report of the JOC on the General Scheme has just been received this week by my Department and drafting of the Bill is well advanced.
Once approved by Government and published, it is intended that the Bill will be progressed through the Oireachtas and enacted as soon as possible with the new LSRD arrangements commencing on enactment of the Bill. The LSRD and SHD planning consent schemes will both operate concurrently for a limited period of time with developers being able to choose which process to engage with during this interim period. Once the final SHD planning applications have worked their way through the system, the LSRD arrangements will be the sole planning consent system for housing applications of this scale.