Written Answers Nos. 594-613
594. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of a request by Tallaght Fire Station for the provision of an aerial platform at the station; if his attention has been drawn to the importance of having a permanent aerial platform in place at Tallaght Fire Station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2168/22]
View answerThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding 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.
In December 2020, I announced a new Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021-2025, with a funding allocation of €61m. This new Programme will see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments as well as the allocation of 35 new fire appliances (engines).
Dublin City Council was allocated four new “Class B” fire appliances in the latest Appliance Procurement Programme at an approximate cost of €1.9m. Dublin City Council was also grant-aided to procure three new “Class B” fire appliances in each of the 2015 and 2017 Programmes. Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet is one of the key national priorities for the Fire Services Capital Programme.
In July 2019, the Council was approved to purchase a new turntable ladder/ aerial appliance at a cost of €800,000 plus VAT. In September 2021, Dublin City Council requested approval for the purchase of a new turntable ladder at a cost of €850,000. This application was approved by my Department in November 2021.
All requests for funding from my Department’s Fire Services Capital Programme have regard to local authorities’ own priorities, consistency with national policy, the value for money offered by proposals and the totality of requests from fire authorities.
595. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the economic analysis that takes place in determining rent pressure zones; if his Department is monitoring the number of private landlords selling their properties in rent pressure zones; if so, the number in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2180/22]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced the Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 introduced measures in July 2021 to extend the operation of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) until the end of 2024. The Act also provides that rent reviews outside of RPZs can, until 2025, occur no more frequently than bi-annually. This provides rent certainty for tenants outside of RPZs for a minimum 2 year period at a time.
Section 24A of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004, as amended, provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ).
The criteria to be satisfied by an area under section 24A(4) of the Residential Tenancies Act for designation as an RPZ are as follows:
- the information relating to the area, as determined by reference to the information used to compile each RTB Rent Index quarterly report, shows that the annual rate of increase in the average amount of rent for that area is more than 7% in each of at least 4 of the 6 quarters preceding the period immediately prior to the date of the Housing Agency's proposal, and
- the average rent for the area in the last quarter, as determined by reference to the information used to compile each RTB Rent Index quarterly report, is –
- in the case of counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow or an LEA in any one of those counties, above the average rent in the State, excluding rents in the 4 Dublin Local Authority areas, or
- in the case of any LEA outside of the Greater Dublin Area (i.e. Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow), above the average rent in the State, excluding rents in the Greater Dublin Area.
Each RTB quarterly Rent Index Report includes a table of the data used to establish whether each Local Electoral Area fulfils the criteria for designation as a Rent Pressure Zone. This ensures transparency in relation to the position of individual areas in terms of average rent levels and increases.
The Housing Agency and the RTB will continue to monitor national rents and if any LEA meets the designation criteria it will be designated as a RPZ.
With regard to the number of private landlords selling their properties in RPZs, my Department does not collect the data sought, however the Clerk of the Dáil requested that arrangements be put in place to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies to members of the Oireachtas. Following the issue of Circular LG (P)05/16 on 20 September 2016 from my Department, the RTB set up a dedicated email address for this purpose. The RTB may be contacted at OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie to establish the extent to which it may hold the information sought.
596. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made to date with implementing the reports of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Moore Street recommendations as far as they pertain to matters under his control and of other Departments, with particular reference to the national monument on Moore Street; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2244/22]
View answerIn 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 city that have experienced a degree of decline and dereliction over a number of years.
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. Works to the national monument, which is in my ownership, will facilitate the protection and reuse of these historic buildings as an iconic heritage and visitor attraction in the form of a 1916 Commemorative Centre alongside the rejuvenation of the historic street. The regeneration of the Moore Street Market and street is a matter for Dublin City Council and I am assured that an expert advisory group was appointed in this regard.
The Moore Street Advisory Group, recommended in its report to me last this year that the process embarked on by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and the National Monuments Service of my Department to restore the national monument and open it up to the public as soon as possible should continue. Officials from both my Department and the OPW have been liaising to progress this. I understand that the OPW are in the process of appointing a team to carry out phase 1 essential works to the monument, which will ensure stability and provide a pathway for the phase 2 completion works themselves at the monument. The Deputy will, I am sure, appreciate that Minister O’Brien and I are keen that these essential works commence as soon as possible.
I can assure the Deputy that plans are under way for the sensitive and respectful restoration of the monument along with a visitor centre to the rear.
598. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options available in the immediate term for persons living in homeless accommodation whose income goes slightly above the income limit for social housing; which is currently resulting in these homeless persons being asked to leave their homeless accommodation but they have no capability on their low incomes to provide a home for themselves and their family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2257/22]
View answerIn respect of homeless accommodation supports, determining whether a person is homeless is a matter for the relevant local authority under the Housing Act 1988. The Act allows local authorities to provide an immediate response to ensure households are provided with the accommodation and supports required - the ultimate aim being to work with households to exit homelessness in the shortest timeframe possible.
Section 10(8) of the Act provides that where, in the opinion of the local authority, a person’s circumstances change to the extent that the person is now able to provide accommodation from their own resources, the authority may cease to provide homeless accommodation.
While this is a function and responsibility of the local authority, my understanding is that in practice, when a local authority becomes aware of households residing in emergency accommodation exceeding income limits for social housing support, it actively engages and offers supports to households to exit homeless services within a reasonable timeframe. Given the complexities involved, I understand that each situation is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and all available supports are provided to reasonably support households. It would also be open to households to reapply for social housing support should their circumstances change.
599. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of strategic housing development applications awaiting a decision by An Bord Pleanála by local authority; the number of strategic housing development applications that have already received a pre-planning opinion from An Bord Pleanála by the deadline of 17 December 2021, by local authority; the number that had applied to An Bord Pleanála by the deadline of 17 December 2021 for a pre-planning meeting by local authority in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2259/22]
View answer600. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of strategic housing development applications in the lifetime of the legislation by local authority; the number of these applications that were refused, granted permission and withdrawn, respectively by local authority; the number that were the subject of a judicial review by local authority; the number of these reviews that were successful by local authority; the number of the applications that were granted that have been completed by local authority; the number of the developments that are being actively built by local authority; the number that have one or more commencement notices on the site by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2260/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 600 together.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future committed to not extending the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) arrangements beyond their legislative expiry date of end December 2021, which was extended to 25 February 2022 arising from the Covid-related extension of statutory deadlines within the planning system by 8 weeks in respect of the period March to May 2020.
The Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Act 2021 (Act of 2021) was signed into law by the President on 14 December 2021. Furthermore, the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Act 2021 (Commencement) Order 2021 which brings the provisions of the Act into effect was signed with an effective date of 17 December 2021.
The main purpose of the Act of 2021 is to restore the two-stage planning process, with decision making for Large-scale Residential Development (LRD) type applications returning to the local planning authority in the first instance, with the subsequent right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála (the Board), thereby delivering on the commitments in the Programme for Government as well as Housing for All.
The Act of 2021 also includes a number of transitional arrangements in relation to the expiry of the SHD arrangements and their replacement by the new LRD arrangements. Under the Act:
- SHD prospective applicants/ developers already in receipt of an SHD opinion under the SHD arrangements on the commencement of the Act (17 December 2021) will have 16 weeks to submit an SHD application to the Board from the 17 December 2021.
- SHD prospective applicants/ developers who have formally commenced consultations with the Board and are awaiting an SHD opinion on the commencement of the Act (17 December 2021) will have 16 weeks to submit an SHD application to the Board from the date of receipt of the SHD opinion.
From the commencement of the SHD arrangements in 2017 up until end December 2021, the Board has received 594 pre-application requests. Opinions have issued on 523 of these and 2 were subsequently withdrawn. The Board has also received 401 SHD applications and had decided 350 cases with 9 applications subsequently withdrawn. The specific information requested is set out in the tables below:
Table 1
|
Local Authority |
Total Pre-Application Consultation Requests with opinion issued |
Total Pre-application Requests to be Decided (TBD) |
Total Applications TBD |
|
Clare County Council |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Cork City & County Council |
2 |
||
|
Cork City Council |
29 |
6 |
3 |
|
Cork County Council |
20 |
4 |
1 |
|
Dublin City Council |
107 |
13 |
12 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
97 |
17 |
11 |
|
Fingal County Council |
53 |
6 |
5 |
|
Galway City & County Council |
3 |
||
|
Galway City Council |
14 |
2 |
|
|
Galway County Council |
10 |
2 |
2 |
|
Kerry County Council |
1 |
||
|
Kildare County Council |
45 |
4 |
|
|
Kilkenny County Council |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Laois County Council |
2 |
||
|
Limerick City and County Council |
11 |
1 |
|
|
Longford County Council |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Louth County Council |
13 |
||
|
Meath County Council |
28 |
4 |
|
|
Offaly County Council |
2 |
1 |
|
|
South Dublin County Council |
43 |
8 |
1 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
4 |
||
|
Waterford City and County Council |
3 |
||
|
Waterford County Council |
1 |
||
|
Westmeath County Council |
4 |
1 |
|
|
Wexford County Council |
6 |
1 |
|
|
Wicklow County Council |
19 |
1 |
2 |
|
Wicklow County Council & DLR County Council |
1 |
||
|
Totals |
523 |
69 |
42 |
Table 2
|
Local Authority |
No. of Apps |
Granted |
Refused |
With-drawn |
No. of develop-ments subject to JR |
No. of decisions quashed by JR |
No. of dev.s with JR TBD |
No of dev.s with a Commence Notice lodged |
|
Cork City Council |
25 |
18 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
|
Cork County Council |
11 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
||||
|
Dublin City Council |
96 |
59 |
13 |
1 |
25 |
11 |
12 |
20 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
76 |
50 |
12 |
1 |
12 |
2 |
9 |
19 |
|
Fingal County Council |
37 |
19 |
7 |
1 |
11 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
|
Galway City Council |
13 |
11 |
2 |
4 |
||||
|
Galway County Council |
9 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Kildare County Council |
32 |
21 |
10 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
12 |
|
|
Kilkenny County Council |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
Laois County Council |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||
|
Limerick City and County Council |
7 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Louth County Council |
9 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Meath County Council |
19 |
10 |
6 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
|
Offaly County Council |
2 |
1 |
||||||
|
South Dublin County Council |
33 |
24 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
|
|
Tipperary County Council |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|||||
|
Waterford City and County Council |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Westmeath County Council |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|||||
|
Wexford County Council |
5 |
2 |
2 |
|||||
|
Wicklow County Council |
13 |
8 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
||
|
Wicklow County Council & Kildare County Council |
1 |
1 |
||||||
|
Totals |
401 |
249 |
77 |
9 |
74 |
24 |
42 |
92 |
In relation to the Judicial Review statistics, there have been 89 Judicial Reviews (JRs) taken in respect of 74 permissions.
- Active- 46 cases (42 developments)
- Lost or Conceded- 30 cases (24 developments)
- Withdrawn- 8 cases (7 developments)
- Won- 5 cases (3 developments)
A number of developments have been involved in multiple JRs. In this connection, with regard to the data set out in Table 2, one of the developments on which a JR case was lost is also currently the subject of an active JR case. Furthermore, one of the JR cases that was lost was also the subject of a successful JR challenge in respect of the same development.
In relation to the completions and commencement statistics, the specific information sought by the Deputy is not available. The status of individual developments which have been granted permission under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, is not routinely maintained by my Department given that some 30,000 planning permissions are granted nationally on an annual basis. My Department has conducted periodic research on the activation rate of SHD permissions and details of the number of SHDs where a commencement notice has been lodged, by local authority area, is included in Table 2.
601. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeframe for the introduction of the amendment to the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 in order to alter the tenant purchase scheme to allow pensioners purchase their local authority home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2309/22]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme. Applicants must meet certain minimum criteria, including minimum reckonable income and minimum time in receipt of social housing supports, to be eligible.
The scheme was reviewed in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments in 2021, with amendments to these criteria subsequently approved by Government.
The minimum reckonable income required has been reduced from €15,000 to €12,500. This means older tenants, whose only income might be the contributory or non-contributory State pension, will be eligible to buy their homes if they have the financial means to do so. The time an applicant is required to be in receipt of social housing supports to be able to apply under the scheme has also been revised, from one to ten years.
These changes come into effect from 1st February 2022.
602. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of engineers employed in the offshore licensing unit in his Department; if he is satisfied that this is an appropriate amount given the demand on the unit from renewable energy companies; if he will commit to hiring additional personnel to expediate applications given the urgency of the climate crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2322/22]
View answerIreland’s ambitions for the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) sector require an up-to-date regulatory regime to provide certainty to project promoters and deliver a pathway to realising the necessary investment. The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 recently signed into law enables the realisation of these ambitions for ORE by providing the necessary legislative toolset for forward planning, well-regulated development, streamlined consenting, and comprehensive environmental assessment of proposals. The Act also provides for the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, or MARA, a new state agency under the aegis of my Department which will be responsible for consenting and enforcement functions in the maritime area.
I am hopeful the agency will be established and operational within twelve months at which point anyone wishing to undertake development in the maritime area will have to apply for a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) from MARA and, if granted, then apply for development permission from the relevant coastal local authority or An Bord Pleanála. MARA will also be responsible for granting licences for certain activities in the maritime area (including environmental surveys), for ensuring robust compliance through enforcement measures, and for managing the existing State Foreshore portfolio of leases and licences.
The Act also includes specific provisions to enable certain ORE projects (Phase 1 Projects) proceed through the new consenting regime ahead of the establishment of MARA. Recognising that it will take time to establish the new agency, it was decided by Government that the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications should be granted limited powers to invite MAC applications for specific ORE projects for a specified period in advance of establishment. This will ensure the progression of a pipeline of projects under the new regime in order to meet our 2030 climate and energy targets. I understand that work is well advanced within the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications to develop robust processes and guidance for these MAC applications. That Department is expecting to open the MAC application window for these projects in April 2022, with decisions on applications taken by Q3 allowing successful projects to be eligble to apply for development permission.
Until such time as MARA is operational my Department will continue to manage the existing maritime planning system in accordance with the Foreshore Act 1933 and applications for leases and licenses made in accordance with that Act will be accepted and assessed under that legislative structure.
There has been a significant increase in the number and complexity of foreshore licence and lease applications made in recent years as is set out in the table below. The majority of this increased application activity is related to ORE infrastructural development, including potential development site investigation activity, Eirgrid cabling development, and port infrastructure improvement. In addition, power and data cable application activity has increased from both commercial and state-led projects. In parallel, emerging case law and enhanced requirements arising from various environmental assessment Directives have added to the complexity of the appraisal process.
My Department has more than doubled the staffing resources available within the relevant Unit in my Department over the last eighteen months. In addition, a panel of external specialist environmental consultants established to assist in the technical assessment of applications is in operation. While I am satisfied that the appropriate resources are in place, I am keen to keep the arrangements under review.
Foreshore application activity - 2018-2021 to end quarter 3)
|
Activity |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 (to end Q3) |
|
Pre-application consultations |
17 |
87 |
119 |
43 |
|
New applications received |
30 |
32 |
59 |
47 |
|
Cases decided by Minsiter |
15 |
21 |
20 |
18 |
603. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he or his Department has taken to ensure that the 34 units of social housing and eight units of co-operative housing planned for Loughlinstown Drive, Dublin can proceed; if he has engaged with organisations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2329/22]
View answerApproved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery, as envisaged under current Government policy. My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with AHBs to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that AHBs progress construction projects through is the Capital Advance Loan Facility (CALF).
CALF funding is capital support provided to Approved Housing Bodies (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. A nominal interest rate of 2% fixed per annum is charged by the local authority on the initial capital amount. Repayments on either the capital or interest are not required during the term of the loan (between 10 and 30 years), although where an AHB chooses to, repayments can be made during the term. At the end of the term, the outstanding capital amount plus the interest accrued, is owed and repayable to the local authority. The local authority issues the CALF monies to the AHB and the local authority, in turn, recoups same from the Department.
With regard to the specific project mentioned by the Deputy, I can confirm that the project did receive conditional CALF funding approval in 2019 for 34 social housing homes. While my Department has not had any direct engagement with the Loughlinstown Housing Co-Operative, it actively engages with the local authority and Co-Operative Housing Ireland. The most recent update from Co-Operative Housing Ireland is that they are currently working to progress the project to Tender stage, with expected final delivery in 2023. This project is being progressed with the support of the local authority.
My Department publishes a quarterly Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report, which sets out the continuing progress being made in advancing the national local authority and AHB new-build pipeline. The latest report, setting out the position at end Q3 2021, can be accessed at the following weblink:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
604. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of public sector workers under his remit by sectors (details supplied) in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2351/22]
View answer605. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of public sector workers under his remit in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form under headings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2371/22]
View answer606. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of public sector workers under his remit in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form under headings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2389/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 604, 605 and 606 together.
Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.
My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff numbers in each local authority on a whole time equivalent basis.
Staffing numbers for the local authority sector are available on the Public Service Numbers databank, which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is available at the following link:
http://databank.per.gov.ie/Public_Service_Numbers.aspx?rep=LA
However granular data, in terms of the number of local government employees in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department.
Staff numbers for non-commercial State bodies under the aegis of my Department are also available on the aforementioned Public Service Numbers databank. However, granular data in terms of the number of non-commercial State body employees in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare are similarly not collected and, consequently, are not available in my Department.
607. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the publication of the report of the review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2403/22]
View answerI refer to the reply to Parliamentary Question 59 of the 2nd of December 2021. The Review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is ongoing. The first phase is almost closed, following the extensive research, consultation, orientation and feedback work. This punctuates that part of the Review process and creates the conjunction to the next phases. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Review process is proceeding apace.
The next phases of the review process are in train. Firstly, the Reflect Phase as I and my Department consider the outcomes of this work and then synthesize the resourcing gains of the past 18 months with a detailed, expert analysis of governance, organisational structures, communications, data systems and future resourcing, and outline the NPWS’ specific requirements across those areas. The final, Renew Phase will detail the objectives and prioritised actions required to equip the NPWS to continue to deliver on the ambitious goals, objectives and targets emerging from our Programme for Government – Our Shared Future , the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, Heritage Ireland 2030 and the new National Biodiversity Action Plan.
608. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to recent reports in relation to Dublin Fire Brigade (details supplied); the engagements his Department has had with Dublin Fire Brigade and Dublin City Council in relation to ongoing staffing and funding issues; his plans to ensure all necessary resources are provided to Dublin Fire Brigade and to Dublin City Council to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2408/22]
View answerThe 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.
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 section 159 of 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 deemed necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions of their local authority.
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.
In relation to staffing in Dublin Fire Brigade, the current COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges in respect of delivery of services to the public. These challenges have included recruitment and training of new staff, resulting in staffing shortages in recent times. However, recruitment, training and deployment of new recruits have continued in Dublin Fire Brigade, albeit with the additional difficulties imposed by control and safety measures. I am aware that the most recent fire-fighter recruitment campaign began in September 2019:
- 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, with recruits recently taking up positions in January 2022.
- A further third recruit class of 45 will begin training early in February 2022, with provision within the Dublin City Council budget for a fourth and final class of the remaining panelled recruit’s later in 2022.
In recent weeks, in line with trends among the general population, all public and emergency services have experienced heightened disruptions due to the transmissibility of the COVID-19 Omicron variant and close contact related staff absences. Following a Government mandate in late December 2021, authorising the use of a voluntary derogation exempting Fire services staff from COVID-19 close contact isolation requirements under strict conditions, my Department built the derogation into a broader suite of updated guidance and contingency measures for Fire service management. This was to ensure the ongoing provision of Fire services amid the highest rates of COVID-19 infection since the onset of the pandemic. Thankfully, to date Dublin Fire Brigade management has not needed to implement the derogation owing to careful management of resources and the ongoing commitment and professionalism of Dublin Fire Brigade staff.
The broader issue of staff shortages is not simply a funding one. There is an extensive recruitment and training process to follow before suitable candidates are appointed, and this takes time; Dublin Fire Brigade management are following this process and is actively managing staffing in the brigade, on a day-to-day basis, to minimise the effect of the pandemic on delivery of services.
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.
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. There has been some progress in a number of areas, some of which would alleviate pressures caused by current staffing arrangements, but no final agreement has been reached. I encourage the parties to re-engage with the established statutory industrial relations machinery in place, to achieve a resolution without delay. The issues and concerns raised can only be addressed if all sides are speaking to each other. I strongly urge all parties to re-enter the consultative process and find a common ground, so that we can again focus on the service, and its development.
609. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the marks awarded under the urban regeneration and development fund assessment process to an organisation (details supplied) in its application in 2020-2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2427/22]
View answerTo date there have been two calls for proposals under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF), the first in July 2018 and the second in January 2020. Galway City Council submitted five applications under Call 2 of the URDF, three of which were successful, attracting a combined total €53,239,000 in URDF support. This Call 2 URDF funding is in addition to €6,311,500 already approved for five projects under Call 1 bringing total URDF support for projects in Galway City Council area to €59,550,500 over both URDF calls.
All applications for URDF support were assessed in terms of their alignment with the intended purpose of the URDF call and also their viability before being considered for approval.
Galway City Council’s proposal in respect of the Newcastle Community Centre was one of thirty unsuccessful proposals which did not adequately meet the criteria for URDF support under Call 2.
A copy of the detailed assessment of this proposal has been provided to Galway City Council and a feedback meeting on the matter has taken place between officials of the Council and officials of my Department.
Any plan for the further advancement of this proposal is a matter for Galway City Council.
611. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on developing a publicly financed student accommodation building strategy and charter for student tenant rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2611/22]
View answerI am committed to working collaboratively with my colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to improve student accommodation provision through a dedicated working group set up for that purpose.
I believe that Housing for All : A New Housing Plan for Ireland will transform every aspect of our housing including the area of student accommodation. The Plan is backed by historic levels of investment with in excess of €20bn through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency (LDA) and the Housing Finance Agency over the next 5 years. Crucially Housing for All takes a genuine whole of Government approach to creating a long-term, sustainable housing system for Ireland. Housing For All contains a commitment to support technological universities to develop purpose-built student accommodation where such a requirement exists, through access to appropriate financing, and a specific action in relation to legislating to allow for Technological Universities (TU) to borrow from the Housing Finance Agency.
My Department has reviewed the legislation currently in place regarding The Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 (as amended) and is satisfied that it is robust enough to allow any such lending to take place without any further legislative changes. The Technological Universities Act 2018 amended the Higher Education Authority Act 1971 to include TUs in the definition of "Institutes of Higher Education". As such, the current text of the 1981 Act will allow HFA loans to be advanced to TUs once of course they have gone through the appropriate application procedures etc.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, is also engaging with all the universities, including the technological universities, to explore further options which may be available to increase the availability of student accommodation, and they are being supported where necessary by officials in my department.
Much progress has been made in recent years in reforming protections for tenants in student specific accommodation. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 provides for relevant obligations and rights under residential tenancies legislation to apply to tenancy and licence agreements in student-specific accommodation, provided by public educational institutions or by private accommodation providers. The operation of the rental market and the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 are kept under constant review and any necessary legislation will be introduced.
612. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the establishment of a wildlife crime unit in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2612/22]
View answerWhile the National Parks and Wildlife service (NPWS) of my Department has and continues to work to address wildlife crime, additional resources and personnel are being made available across the NPWS to support this work. Additional rangers, who are at the forefront of this work, are now operating in locations across the country. A dedicated unit has been established – the Wildlife Crime Unit - to further coordinate and support these efforts. The Unit’s role is to support the law enforcement work being done by the rangers and other colleagues throughout the country.
This will be done through delivery of training and disseminating best-practice guidance, and the provision of direct support to regional investigators. The Unit is and will continue to work closely with both An Garda Síochána and the Revenue Commissioners, who work to defend against international wildlife trafficking offences.
The nucleus of the new Wildlife Crime Unit has been put in place and work on securing additional staff is ongoing.
613. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to ensure that Toon Wood, Macroom, County Cork is designated as a natural heritage area immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2613/22]
View answerMy Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service has commissioned a project to survey and assess a suite of woodland sites, including Toon Wood, with a view to informing decisions on whether or not NHA designation would be appropriate for these sites.
This work is underway and once the results of the project have been carefully considered a decision can be made on the designation of the site in question.
