Written Answers Nos. 78-94
79. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the finances allocated to a project (details supplied); the value of the proposed loan from the EIB; and the other ways it is proposed to subsidise this project in order to ensure that the rents are realistic and truly affordable based on an affordable income related scheme while not comprising on the quality of design. [56194/21]
View answer80. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a project (details supplied) is based on the apartment standards of Dublin City Council or the build to rent standards; and if the details of the standards will be provided. [56196/21]
View answer82. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department in conjunction with Dublin City Council is factoring in a fair rent scheme for the cost rental apartments in a project (details supplied) based on an affordable fair and equitable rent income related scheme and not market related; and if the concept of 15% of the principal earners income plus €21 per week per subsidiary earner which would constitute a benchmark for affordable rent is being investigated as an option. [56249/21]
View answerAlong with O’Devaney Gardens and Oscar Traynor Road, Emmet Road (4.9 hectare brownfield site, formerly St Michael’s Estate) is one of three significant sites, which is currently being brought forward for development by Dublin City Council (DCC). I have confirmed support for the proposed development, as being a project of strategic importance in its own right, as a Cost Rental ‘pathfinder’ project.
Although the design of the Emmet Road development has not been finalised, current plans propose 484 units in total, of which circa 375 units will be designated for Cost Rental homes and the remainder for social housing.
In terms of financial support, in addition to value the Council may be able to leverage via its own land, my Department gave funding approval to a Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) application totalling €18,750,000 from DCC for the Emmet Road project in Q1 2021. Subject to the standard processes, my Department will also fully fund the cost of the social homes in the development.
In line with the publication of the Government’s Housing for All plan, a number of significant improvements to the SSF scheme, now named the Affordable Housing Funding (AHF) scheme, have been agreed and communicated to local authorities. These changes include expanding the scope of costs covered to sub vent the all-in development cost of delivering the housing; accepting applications as they are developed on a rolling basis as opposed to time constrained funding calls; and, allowing funding support to now exceed the current maximum of €50,000 per affordable dwelling on a stepped scale to €100,000, based on location and density.
Discussions have been undertaken with the European Investment Bank (EIB) about potential loan funding from the EIB for the development and the EIB has confirmed support in principle for the project. The presence of an EIB representative in an advisory capacity will allow the Board for this project to draw on the EIB’s extensive experience of funding affordable housing. The input of the EIB is also relevant in ensuring that there is a full understanding of the banks’ strategic lending needs and priorities, which in turn, will help to inform a wider national model for Cost Rental.
The principle of Cost Rental is that the rent for the homes made available will be a function of the costs incurred in financing, building, managing and maintaining the homes. As such, it is essential for costs to be managed carefully, in order to deliver rents that are as low as possible. In determining viability, there is a clear need ensure that the design and specifications of Cost Rental homes is balanced appropriately with cost.
Cost rental is not social housing. It is targetted at those on moderate incomes who are above the eligibility threshold for social housing. A net household income limit of €53,000 has applied to the first Cost Rental projects, so that a household could not spend any less than 25% of net income on a ‘reference rent’ of €1,100 per month, which is reflective of the rents for Enniskerry Road and the first Cost Rental homes funded by the Government’s Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme. Cost Rental projects can benefit from State supports, such as grants for infrastructure works, the provision of public land at no or low cost and State assistance with financing. All three of these methods are being used by the Department to support initial Cost Rental projects.
As the design and other key metrics for the Emmet Road development have not yet been finalised by DCC, it would not be prudent at this juncture to comment on exact finances to be allocated to it nor on the ultimate Cost Rents that may emerge. However, as previously stated, my Department fully supports this development as a 'pathfinder' project and DCC will be able to avail of State supports to achieve its realisation.
81. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address the concerns raised in correspondence by a local fire fighter (details supplied); the assistance and advice that will be provided in this circumstance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56246/21]
View answerIt is the responsibility of the human resource function of the employing local authority to identify, at recruitment, who is a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, pursuant to Section 10 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.
An employee who is dissatisfied with a decision in this regard should, in the first instance, avail of the internal dispute resolution process within the employing local authority. Thereafter, should the employee remain dissatisfied, s/he may wish to refer the matter to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman.
My Department is not an appeals body in respect of such decisions by local authorities.
83. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of properties on each of the derelict sites registers by local authority when reports were submitted for 2020, in tabular form. [56327/21]
View answerThe requested information is provided in the table below.
|
Local Authority |
No. of Derelict Sites on Register at 31 December 2020 |
|
Carlow |
22 |
|
Cavan |
23 |
|
Clare |
39 |
|
Cork County |
180 |
|
Cork City |
95 |
|
Donegal |
18 |
|
Dublin City |
73 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
10 |
|
Fingal |
3 |
|
Galway City |
16 |
|
Galway County |
1 |
|
Kerry |
57 |
|
Kildare |
16 |
|
Kilkenny |
15 |
|
Laois |
92 |
|
Leitrim |
36 |
|
Limerick City & County |
215 |
|
Longford |
36 |
|
Louth |
1 |
|
Mayo |
268 |
|
Meath |
20 |
|
Monaghan |
36 |
|
Offaly |
19 |
|
Roscommon |
8 |
|
Sligo |
19 |
|
South Dublin |
10 |
|
Tipperary |
39 |
|
Waterford City & County |
33 |
|
Westmeath |
99 |
|
Wexford |
45 |
|
Wicklow |
4 |
|
Total |
1548 |
84. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding his Department will give to the role of vacant homes officer by local authority for 2021, in tabular form. [56328/21]
View answer85. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role of the vacant homes officer; and if they have a responsibility for dereliction. [56329/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 85 together.
Since 2018, my Department has provided funding to each local authority of €50,000 per annum to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes Officer.
As part of Housing for All, the Government has committed to a range of actions as part of the pathway to address vacancy ensuring the efficient use of housing stock. Addressing vacancy and maximising the use of existing housing stock is a primary concern of this Government and the new Housing for All Strategy outlines a multi-faceted approach to addressing this matter, including:
- A new local authority-led programme to help Local Authorities buy or compulsory purchase 2,500 vacant homes in their areas which can then be sold on the open market will ensure homes don’t lie vacant.
- Reform of the Fair Deal Scheme to remove disincentives to selling or renting unused homes.
- The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund will be delivered by local authorities for the provision of serviced sites for housing, to attract people to build their own homes and to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, enabling people to live in small towns and villages, in a sustainable way.
- A new Town Centre First policy, which will include approaches to utilising existing stock and new financial incentive mechanisms.
These measures are in addition to the vacant property tax and vacant site tax being pursued by the Department of Finance.
The Derelict Sites Act 1990 (revised March 2020) is a key tool utilised to tackle dereliction. My Department continues to liaise with local authorities on the implementation of the Derelict Sites Act with a view to improving its effectiveness, and continues to keep the relevant provisions under review.
An important action under Housing for All is ensuring that the Vacant Homes Officers based in local authorities are all full-time posts, and this will include providing clarity in relation to their role in the light of the actions under Housing for All.
86. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement he has had with Cork City Council in view of its upcoming budget deficit. [56330/21]
View answerThe elected members of local authorities have statutory responsibility for adopting the annual budget. Cork City Council did not contact my Department regarding its 2022 budget, which, I understand, has now been adopted.
87. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role his Department plays in the public participation networks; the number of full-time staff in each by local authority; and the statutory consultation obligations on local authorities in respect of their relationship with the networks. [56334/21]
View answerResponsibility for Public Participation Networks (PPNs) at central level lies with the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD). DRCD is the majority funder and has overall responsibility for the development and oversight of the PPNs.
Specific staffing matters are a matter for each local authority to address.
88. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority homes by local authority area in which asbestos is present in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56338/21]
View answer89. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he has taken to address the presence of low-risk asbestos containing materials in local authority homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56339/21]
View answer90. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the presence of asbestos-containing materials at local authority homes in Mullaghmatt, County Monaghan; if so, if his Department has engaged with the local authority to ensure that these asbestos containing materials do not pose a danger to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56340/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 89 and 90 together.
Local authorities are responsible for the maintenance, repair or refurbishment of their own housing stock, in line with Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. It is important in that context, that local authorities ensure that their housing stocks comply with relevant standards.
My Department is not directly involved in the situation of ‘Asbestos Containing Materials’ in social homes at Mullaghmatt Estate but I understand that Monaghan County Council has been dealing with this matter as per their responsibilities in this regard. Similarly my Department does not have data on the presence, if any, of such materials in the housing stock owned by other local authority authorities. Further information in relation to Monaghan County Council's housing stock should be available from the Council itself, as should information on other social housing stock from the relevant local authorities.
Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities, my Department is committed to supporting them in the optimum management and maintenance of their housing stock and in line with commitments set out in Housing for All, is working with them to transition from a largely response-based approach, to a strategic planned maintenance approach based on stock condition surveys. A national standardised stock condition survey template has been agreed with the local authority sector and as part of such surveys, the presence of asbestos would be identified.
91. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on public private partnership social housing developments that have photovoltaic panels installed but are not connected to battery storage; if this is common practice; and his further views on whether it is a waste of energy. [56365/21]
View answerThe European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2019 requires that all new social housing is built to Nearly Zero Energy Building requirements. These regulations also require that, the nearly zero or very low amount of energy required is covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby.
It is matter for the designer/specifier to specify the renewables to meet this requirement.
Renewables should be installed in accordance with relevant NSAI EN and IS standards.
The use of electricity from microgeneration is a matter for the Minister of Environment Climate and Communications. Typically surplus electricity which is generated by residential photovolatic (PV) panels can be exported back onto the electricity grid and is therefore not wasted.
All homes constructed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) social housing developments have been designed to be NZEB compliant in accordance with the European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2019. As part of this design some of these homes have PV panels installed which are connected to an inverter and provide electricity, supplemented by mains supply. The PPP schemes developed to date were designed/tendered in 2017/2018 using the renewable technologies available at that time. Battery storage was not typically provided for in the design of housing schemes at that time. Energy is not wasted as any PV generated electricity not used within the home is exported to the national electricity grid.
92. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of NPWS staff by county; the vacancies the NPWS has in each county; and the reason for these vacancies. [56412/21]
View answer415 staff in my Department work in the area of natural heritage through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Given the enforcement roles discharged by certain staff in the NPWS, for reasons of operational security, the Department does not provide details of staffing in the manner requested.
My Department’s workforce planning process does not focus on perceived vacancies arising from roles that may have existed in the past but rather seeks to strategically assess gaps in service delivery that can be addressed on a priority basis in light of the available resources. Staffing levels across the Department, including the NPWS, 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.
In line with this approach, my Department is currently creating panels through open competitions for a number of posts in NPWS and I am pleased to note that there has been significant recruitment, including a national recruitment campaign for Conservation Rangers which is being managed by the Public Appointments Service. In addition, 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.
93. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will amend the Electoral Acts to repeal the prohibition on a person of unsound mind from standing for election to the national Parliament and the European Parliament. [56526/21]
View answerElectoral law provides that a person of unsound mind is disqualified from seeking election to the Dáil or European Parliament and from membership of Seanad Éireann. This provision was to have been repealed by the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016. However, that Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the last Dáil.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill, which is being progressed by my colleague Minister Roderic O’Gorman T.D., Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, is being used to advance a number of legislative provisions necessary to ensure compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) that were previously included in the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016, including the repeal of the unsound mind provision in electoral law.
Work is actively taking place on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill by Minister O'Gorman, which is expected to be published and enacted in the New Year.
94. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of staff that have returned to the offices of the Passport Office since August 2021; the exact number of persons who are actually working in the offices as of 11 November 2021; the number of persons who work from home as of 11 November 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56209/21]
View answerThe number of staff working in the Passport Service as of 11 November 2021 is 557.
All Passport Service processing and operations teams are working on site to produce passports. This represents 99% of total staff, allocated to core functions such as customer service; validation and checking; production and dispatch of passports. So far this year, the production and operations teams have delivered over 500,000 passports. On site work began to scale up in earnest from May 4 when Government sanctioned the phased easing of COVID-19 restrictions. A small number of Passport Service staff across administrative, policy or the Passport Reform project may work from home, in line with my Department's current policy that staff attend the office at least one day per week.
My Department attaches the highest priority to ensuring that the Passport Service is resourced to respond to current and anticipated. My Department is actively working with the Public Appointments Service to recruit and assign additional staff to meet the current and forecasted high demand for passports. We are planning for the recruitment and assignment of additional permanent and temporary staff between now and the end of January 2022, bringing total staff numbers to 920 and effectively doubling the number of staff at the Passport Service since June of this year.
The Passport Service is working with relevant divisions within my Department to ensure the health and safety of all staff is prioritised alongside the business need to serve our citizens. Plans are at finalisation stage thanks to excellent co-operation from the Office of Public Works to ensure that additional staff will be accommodated to meet the anticipated unprecedented demand for passports in 2022.
