Written Answers Nos. 330-349
330. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if grant funding is available through her Department that would assist in the purchase of replica uniforms for a community-based historical re-enactment society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7803/22]
View answerMy role as Minister with responsibility for leading the coordination of the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 Programme is to help ensure that the challenging events of this important and formative period in our history and related themes, are meaningfully, proportionately and sensitively remembered.
On 5th January, I announced a funding package of €2 million for local authorities in 2022 under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme, to support their leading role in developing community-led commemorative activities.
The first point of contact for inquiries of the nature mentioned by the Deputy would be the Decade of Centenaries Co-ordinator in the relevant local authority.
I must advise, however that, in accordance with the comprehensive guidance provided by my Department to local authorities, generally the hiring or purchase of replica weapons or uniforms and military re-enactments are not supported under my Department's funding allocation.
However, it is, of course, within the discretion of individual local authorities to provide support from within their own resources to local communities who wish to purchase or hire replica uniforms, where this is deemed the appropriate approach.
It is anticipated that local authorities may receive a number of requests from commemorative committees and community groups seeking similar support for specific events as we navigate through the sensitive forthcoming period of commemorations. While we recognise that these incidents and actions are undoubtedly of great local significance in the narrative of the part played by individual counties during the Struggle for Independence and Civil War, this is just one element within the Community Strand of the overall Decade of Centenaries Programme. The guidance of the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on Centenary Commemorations advises that local commemorative endeavours could helpfully focus on acknowledging the significance of the event or action, rather than on the individual personalities involved, which would be a matter for personal commemoration and personal remembrance.
There is scope for a rich diversity of interesting and engaging commemorative initiatives to be curated from within the annual funding allocation from my Department to each of the local authorities. The hiring or purchase of replica weapons or uniforms and military re-enactments, are not, however, eligible for funding under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme from my Department.
331. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will ensure that the basic income for artists pilot will not negatively impact on disabled artists that receive means-tested payments. [8037/22]
View answerAs Minister with responsibility for Arts and Culture, I am very conscious of the value that this sector brings to all Irish citizens. The importance of Irish culture, Irish art and Irish productions as a whole cannot be overstated - it contributes to individual and societal well-being, as well as contributing to Ireland's reputation as a country with a rich cultural history and output.
The intention of the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme is to research the impact a basic income grant scheme would have on artists and creatives work patterns by providing the opportunity to focus on their practice, and to minimise the loss of skills from the arts as a result of the pandemic and to contribute to the sectors gradual regrowth post pandemic.
Like all income the grant payment will be reckonable for both income tax and social welfare means test purposes. However, the level of tax paid and-or the impact on a social welfare payment will depend on each person's individual circumstances.
The means testing of social welfare payments is a statutory function of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD and I have no statutory role in that regard. Engagement on the pilot scheme has been ongoing between my Department and the Department of Social Protection.
It is important to note that the Basic Income for the Arts scheme is not a social welfare payment, it is a grant payment and is a pilot scheme to research the impact of a basic income for the arts.
I believe that the Basic Income Guarantee pilot scheme will bring new life and support to the Arts and Cultural Sector post pandemic and it will provide an important legacy for our artists and creatives.
332. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of persons currently employed in the film and television industry in the State. [8117/22]
View answer333. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of persons that are actively working in the film and television industry currently. [8155/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 333 together.
An Economic Analysis of the Audiovisual Sector in the Republic of Ireland by Olsberg SPI with Nordicity Report in 2017 showed that there were a total of 11,960 employed in the category of Film, TV and animation.
Screen Ireland is the national development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise with a mission to support and promote Irish film, television and animation through fostering Irish artistic vision and our diverse creative and production talent, growing audiences, and attracting film-makers and investment into the country.
Screen Ireland compiles statistics on the numbers of cast, crew, trainees and extras employed on Screen Ireland funded projects. These data are available at www.screenireland.ie/industry-insights/screenireland-data
My Department is engaging with the Central Statistics Office to deepen the statistical information collected on employment and activity in the arts and culture sectors and this has the potential to add to research and statistical analysis about the levels of employment and unemployment in the audiovisual, sector and the various occupational categories within the industry.
334. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the actions that are being taken to address the high levels of unemployment, low levels of job security and low levels of pay within the film and television industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8156/22]
View answerFigures for the levels of production of animation, film and TV will shortly be announced by Screen Ireland, the national development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry, and it is anticipated that this will show that 2021 was a record year for production in Ireland. Production continued throughout 2021 despite the very great challenges of COVID-19. Levels of employment across the industry have been particularly high.
The Government has a range of measures to encourage activity in the audiovisual industry including the Section 481 tax relief and direct grant to projects from Screen Ireland and the Sound and Vision fund.
The Government's Audiovisual Action Plan aims to provide the necessary environment for Ireland to become a global hub for the production of Film, TV drama and animation. The Plan recognises Section 481 as a vital part of the financial infrastructure of the audio-visual industry in Ireland and underlines the need to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and achieves its objectives. My Department is in ongoing collaboration with the Department of Finance to ensure that the tax relief is kept up to date and in line with international incentives.
Screen Ireland's mission is to support and promote Irish film, television and animation through fostering Irish artistic vision and our diverse creative and production talent, growing audiences, and attracting filmmakers and investment into the country. The funding allocation for screen Ireland will increase in 2022 by €6.65m compared to 2021. The total allocation for 2022 will be €36.743 million - an increase of 22.1%. Screen Ireland’s 3-year strategic Plan ‘Building for a Creative Future 2024’ sets out how it plans to support this important sector including championing development that is national and sustainable, supporting Irish companies and an expanded workforce. Screen Ireland also wants to ensure large-scale mobile productions are enabled to complete their full project in Ireland, including valuable animation, post-production and Visual Effects (VFX) work.
In addition, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) continues to develop and implement the broadcasting funding schemes that support an increase in the production and availability of diverse, innovative and culturally relevant Irish audio-visual content. In 2020, €15,769m was allocated by BAI to Sound and Vision projects. In 2021, the equivalent figure was approximately €16m.
In December 2020, the trade union SIPTU and Screen Producers Ireland (SPI) announced a new Shooting Crew agreement. The agreement covers pay rates for live-action films and TV production as well as working conditions. The new agreement, came into effect on 1 January 2021 and is reported to be working well and being observed by all parties.
My Department is engaging with the Central Statistics Office to deepen the statistical information collected on employment and activity in the Arts & Culture sectors and this has the potential to add to research and statistical analysis about the levels of employment and unemployment in the audiovisual sector and the various occupational categories within the industry.
335. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the areas in which the funding that her Department provided to Galway 2020 was spent in tabular form. [8323/22]
View answer336. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 66 and 67 of 9 February 2022, if she was in attendance at all of the meetings between Galway 2020 and her Department; and if minutes were taken at the meetings. [8324/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 336 together.
The meetings referred to in my reply to Question Nos. 66 and 67 of 9 February last were attended by officials from my Department and there are minutes of all these meetings.
The breakdown of spend by Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture from my Department funding is set out in the table below:
|
Allocation of Spend |
Amount €m |
|
Cultural Programme |
11.6 |
|
Cultural Programme Creative Direction and Production |
1.1 |
|
Operations, Volunteering and Monitoring and Evaluation |
1.3 |
|
Total |
14 |
337. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she has made provision for the recovery of the tourism sector in the course of 2022 notwithstanding the damage done by Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8435/22]
View answerIn Budget 2022 the Government allocated €67.6m in additional funding for tourism, thereby bringing the overall tourism services budget to €288m. This funding will enable the tourism agencies to assist in the recovery of the sector as we reopen to international tourism and transition to a more sustainable future.
The funding allocated to the tourism agencies in 2022 includes €50 million for further business continuity support for strategic tourism businesses and a €35m increase in the Tourism Marketing Fund as well as €36.5 in capital funding for tourism product development.
I have asked the tourism agencies, Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, to provide the Deputy with further details of their plans for 2022. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
338. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the way that her media portfolio responsibilities can best be used to confront the activities of various media channels or other outlets involved in the portrayal and glorification of violence including gender and sexual violence deemed to be influential in conditioning or encouraging such behaviour; if she will enter dialogue with her European Union counterparts in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8437/22]
View answerIn regard to the portrayal of violence through the medium of film that may be broadcast in Ireland, under section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), as an independent regulator, is required to make codes governing the standards and practice to be observed by broadcasters. The Code of Programme Standards developed by the BAI pursuant to section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 sets out that broadcasters should exercise due care in broadcasting depictions and-or descriptions of violence in programme material. The Code also sets out that broadcasters shall have due regard to the appropriateness of and-or justification for, the inclusion of violent content in programme material.
In regard to the portrayal of violence through social media, the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill will establish a multi-person Coimisiún na Meán, including an Online Safety Commissioner, dissolve the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, establish regulatory frameworks for online safety and the regulation of audiovisual media services, and transpose the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
It will be the role of the Online Safety Commissioner to oversee the regulatory framework for online safety. As part of the framework, the Commissioner will devise binding online safety codes that will set out how designated online services, including social media services, are expected to deal with certain defined categories of harmful online content on their platforms.
In particular, online safety codes will ensure that designated online services take appropriate measures to reduce the availability of illegal content on their services. Such illegal content includes, for example, relevant offences under Coco’s Law (The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020). It is intended that this will have the effect of reducing the availability, on designated online services, of intimate images which have been shared without consent and of threatening or grossly offensive communications about, or to, another person.
Under the Bill, in the event of a failure to comply with a relevant online safety code, and subject to Court approval, Coimisiún na Meán will have the power to sanction non-compliant online services, including through financial sanctions of up to €20 million or 10% of turnover.
Finally, the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill will also allow Coimisiún na Meán to create guidance materials for providers of relevant online services. Such guidance materials may seek to protect children in particular, but also the general public, from harmful online content and age-inappropriate online content. The Bill provides for a definition of age-inappropriate online content, and references in particular, content which consists of realistic representations of gross or gratuitous violence or acts of cruelty.
339. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will consider providing extra financial support to help with the running of Bantry tourist office which is run at present by the community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8445/22]
View answerThe matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred this question to them for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
340. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he will put in place to ensure the new schemes under the National Retrofit Plan do not result in tenants being evicted by landlords citing said retrofitting schemes as an excuse for eviction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8165/22]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2021 provide that where a landlord terminates a tenancy because he/she needs vacant possession to substantially refurbish/renovate the rented property, that property must be offered back to the former tenant upon completion of such works, where the tenant provides their contact details for such an offer to be made.
Such a notice of termination must contain or be accompanied by a written certificate of a registered professional under the Building Control Act 2007, such as an architect or surveyor, stating that the proposed substantial refurbishment/renovation works would pose a health and safety risk necessitating vacation by the tenants and that such a risk would be likely to exist for at least 3 weeks.
The notice of termination also must include a statement specifying the nature of the intended works and providing a copy of any related planning permission. Where planning permission is not required, the notice or statement must specify the name of the contractor and the proposed dates for the works.
The tenancy protections in place are not impacted by the funding stream used by landlords for such works.
A tenant may refer a dispute with regard to the validity of a notice of termination of a tenancy to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for resolution.
Since 2019, the Residential Tenancies Acts provide enhanced powers for the RTB to investigate and sanction landlords who engage in improper conduct, including non-compliance with the tenancy termination provisions. A sanction imposed can comprise a written caution, a financial penalty of up to €15,000 and/or RTB investigation costs up to €15,000.
341. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a provision for a situation in which a perpetrator against whom a safety order limits proximity to a person (details supplied) is forced to reside under the set distance prescribed by the safety order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8287/22]
View answerAll social housing support recipients can submit an application for a transfer, including from one form of support to another, for example from RAS to social housing, or from one local authority dwelling to another.
Requests for housing transfers are considered solely by the relevant local authority concerned in accordance with that authority’s allocation scheme, which is made by the elected members under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and in compliance with Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011.
It is the local authority which assesses housing applicants, taking into account factors such as the condition and affordability of existing accommodation, medical and compassionate grounds, etc. The authority then prioritises the needs of approved applicants in accordance with its allocation scheme. Allocation schemes may also contain provisions for exceptional or emergency cases, allowing immediate housing outside of normal waiting list priorities, should circumstances warrant it.
Ultimately, it is a matter for the local authority to decide the conditions to be met in relation to transfer applications. Each application must be considered on its own merits and the individual circumstances taken into account. As Minister I am precluded by housing legislation from intervening in relation to the procedures followed, or decisions made, by local authorities in the provision of social housing support in individual cases.
342. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Town Centres First policy applies to towns in urban settings. [7446/22]
View answerThe Publication of a Town Centres First (TCF) policy is a commitment of the Programme for Government. It coordinates with established national policy objectives (in National Planning Framework and Our Rural Future) to address the decline in the health of our towns and sets out actions to regenerate and revitalise them.
The TCF policy was launched in Moate, Co. Westmeath on 4th February last and provides a co-ordinated whole-of-government approach to Town Centre Regeneration. The policy is primarily aimed at towns that have a population of more than 400 people, of which there are over 500 nationally of varying size and characteristics. Approximately 200 of these towns are regarded as 'urban' in line with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) definition of having a population of over 1,500 people in 2016.
There are also 5 cities in Ireland, defined as having an urban population of more than 50,000 people in 2016. The principles incorporated in the Town Centre First policy may also apply in the context of smaller villages and to parts of the five cities.
The policy specifically contains 33 Actions to progress the regeneration of towns and can be viewed at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/473d3-town-centre-first-policy/
343. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to encourage or incentivise medium-size builders who wish to build and who are facing obstacles from the banks and other difficulties to make developments financially feasible to construct in the first place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7460/22]
View answerHome Building Finance Ireland (HBFI), was established in 2018 to address a shortfall of finance available for the construction of residential housing, including by medium-size builders.
HBFI, which comes under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Finance, was designed to increase access to residential development finance generally and, in particular, for projects that hadn't been the focus of traditional or alternative lenders at that time. It has €730m available for funding from the Irish Strategic Investment Fund and a further €750m can be raised in the market if required.
Some €835 million has been approved by HBFI to end December 2021. This constitutes approved funding for 3,729 new homes, consisting of 71 loan facilities, across 18 counties. To date, 519 HBFI-funded units have already been completed and sold, with a further 1,359 contracted for sale or with sale agreed.
Following the outbreak of Covid-19, HBFI temporarily widened its remit to allow it provide finance for larger prime residential projects finding it difficult to access development finance through the introduction of a new prime lending facility, the Momentum Fund. The Momentum Fund has provided €274 million to fund five loan facilities and 1,018 homes. The end date for Momentum Fund approvals was 31 December 2021.
HBFI currently offers five products including for developments under 10 units, for 10 units or above, Apartment Development, Social Housing and the Green Funding Project. The Department of Finance completed a strategic review of HBFI in May 2021. It concluded HBFI is impacting positively on the availability of development finance and should continue to operate at this time.
344. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider opening up the repair and lease scheme to the private market and not just to local authorities for a pilot period to increase the supply of housing and residential stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7462/22]
View answerThe Repair and Leasing Scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding required to bring them up to the standard for rental property. The Local Authority, or approved housing body, pays for the repairs upfront and the home is taken into social housing stock by way of lease for between 5 and 25 years. The cost of repairs is offset against reduced lease payments to the property owner and therefore has a neutral cost to the Exchequer.
As the cost of repairs is recouped from the property owner through reduced lease payments, the model is not appropriate to the private rental market.
345. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Dublin City Council has submitted a housing delivery action plan to his Department for the delivery of social and affordable housing between 2022-2026; if this action plan is available to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas; when Dublin City Council expects to seek applications for the new affordable housing schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7464/22]
View answerHousing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of an average of 10,000 new social homes each year and 6,000 affordable homes. Under Housing for All, each local authority, including Dublin City Council were required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan, setting out details of social and affordable housing delivery in the period 2022-2026. I received a plan from Dublin City Council in December 2021 and my Department is working with the Housing Delivery Coordination Office to review it, having regard to Housing for All targets and policy objectives. Housing Delivery Action Plans will be published in Quarter 2, following the conclusion of the review process.
Affordable purchase and Cost Rental schemes can be delivered by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency. As and when individual housing projects come on stream, the applications process for homes being made available will be managed by the body delivering the homes. As such, any queries in relation to affordable projects being delivered by Dublin City Council will be a matter for the Council.
346. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of a matter regarding the defective block scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7536/22]
View answerI brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme on the 30 November 2021. It included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. The comprehensive changes include:
- The current 90% maximum grant will be increased to a 100% grant for all remediation options 1-5.
- The maximum grant cap for option 1 (demolition and rebuild) will be increased from €247,500 to €420,000.
- The grant calculation methodology in respect of option 1 remediation will be based on a cost per square foot with grant costings to be set by my Department following receipt of information on up to date construction costs from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). In the case of remediation options 2-5 a similar but necessarily different approach will be taken to inform the appropriate grant rate for blockwork removal and replacement following receipt of advice from SCSI. The SCSI will be completely independent in their engagement with my Department on construction costs.
- A revised application process will be introduced which will only require the homeowner to submit an initial ‘Building Condition Assessment’ at minimal cost recoupable on entry to the Scheme. The Housing Agency will take over testing, sampling and categorisation of homes on behalf of homeowners and local authorities and will thereafter recommend the appropriate remediation option and grant amount for each home.
- Alternative accommodation and storage costs are to be included, subject to a maximum of €20,000.
- In relation to works carried out under remediation options 2-5, a second grant option, will be available for such a home in the future if blockwork which was not removed as part of the initial remediation work subsequently proves defective in accordance with the IS;465 standard.
- A new independent appeals process will be introduced.
- €5,000 will be available for essential immediate repair works recommended by a building professional as part of the Building Condition Assessment process.
- The Scheme will be extended beyond the current scope of Principal Private Residences only, to also cover Residential Tenancies Board registered rental properties, subject to the introduction of a clawback mechanism upon re-sale within a set time period depending on the remediation option used. Opportunities for the State to acquire such rental properties for social housing purposes will also be examined.
Full details in relation to the changes announced are available at the following link;
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/e365e-minister-obrien-announces-enhancements-to-the-defective-concrete-block-scheme/
I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to the enhanced scheme before the Oireachtas as soon as possible with Spring 2022 being the indicative target timeline.
In the immediate term I am making amendments to the Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 which will allow for the recoupment of Engineer fees to homeowners who have applied for entry into the scheme. As part of these amended regulations, up to €5,000 will be recoupable as an allowable cost under the scheme for essential immediate repair works which are deemed necessary by a homeowners engineer under a Building Condition Assessment report. In addition I am making provision for an increase in the value of stage payments which can be claimed by homeowners prior to the final grant payment being drawn down.
347. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing and affordable housing projects under construction across the four Dublin local authorities by the location address, the number of units, project status and the expected completion date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7586/22]
View answerMy Department publishes a detailed Social Housing Construction Status Report each quarter, which provides scheme level detail on social housing new build activity in each local authority, including those delivered by Approved Housing Bodies. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Quarter 3 2021 and can be accessed at the following weblink: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
The most recent report for Quarter 3 2021, shows that within the four Dublin local authorities, there were 2,479 social homes onsite at the end of Quarter 3, with an additional 2,438 homes at various stages of design and procurement processes.
There are currently seven confirmed affordable housing projects within the four Dublin local authorities which will be completed, or partially completed in 2022, providing 55 Affordable Purchase homes and 156 Cost Rental dwellings through the Affordable Housing Fund and the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL). An additional 141 Cost Rental units have received approval in principle for funding under the CREL and are scheduled to be completed in 2022, subject to the completion of contract agreements. The details for these developments are outlined in the tables below:
Fingal County Council
|
Scheme |
Location |
Totals |
|
Affordable Purchase |
Dun Emer |
39 |
|
Cost Rental |
Mariner's Cove, Rush |
7 |
|
Cost Rental |
Hansfield |
31 |
|
Cost Rental |
TBC |
84 |
|
Totals |
161 |
Dún Laoghaire –Rathdown County Council
|
Scheme |
Location |
Totals |
|
Cost Rental |
Enniskerry Road |
50 |
|
Cost Rental |
TBC |
24 |
|
Totals |
74 |
South Dublin County Council
|
Scheme |
Location |
Totals |
|
Cost Rental |
Kilcarbery Grange, Clondalkin |
74 |
|
Cost Rental |
Parklands, Citywest |
44 |
|
Cost Rental |
TBC |
33 |
|
Affordable Purchase |
Kilcarbery Grange, Clondalkin |
16 |
|
Totals |
167 |
In addition to these projects, the First Home scheme is scheduled to begin providing equity support to buyers with an affordability constraint by the second half of this year. This scheme has a national target of 1,750 for 2022.
Furthermore, the Land Development Agency (LDA) has a delivery target of 830 Cost Rental homes and 300 Affordable Purchase homes for 2022. This delivery is intended to be secured through the market engagement exercise "Project Tosaigh" and not from strategic/State land sites. The LDA is engaged in discussions with a number of parties regarding potential 2022 delivery and will be in a position to indicate expected numbers and tenure breakdown before the end of Quarter 1.
348. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an eircode is required before well water grants can be considered by a local authority; if his attention has been further drawn to the delays in allocating eircodes; the steps he plans to take to ensure that well water grant allocations are not stalled as a result of delays in the issuing of eircodes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7612/22]
View answerUnder the Housing (Private Water Supply Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020, I approved the revised grant scheme to support improvement works for a private water supply. This grant is administered by local authorities on behalf of my Department. The purpose of the grant is to assist householders dependent on a private water supply (individual well) for their household use, by financially assisting them where they incur capital expenditure, to carry out improvements to the supply to ensure that the water supply is wholesome and clean, or to ensure that the quantity supplied is sufficient to meet the domestic needs of the house.
Under the Terms and Conditions of the grant, an Eircode of the dwelling is required to determine grant eligibility. I am not aware of any negative impact on grant payments resulting from possible delays with Eircodes.
Matters relating to Eircodes are dealt with by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
349. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of homeless persons who died in Dublin by month, age and cause of death in 2021, in tabular form (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7617/22]
View answer350. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress of an investigation (details supplied) by his Department; if the investigation produced a report; and if so, if a copy of the report will be provided to this Deputy. [7618/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 349 and 350 together.
There have been a number of deaths of people who had been sleeping rough or accessing homeless services over the last number of years. Each of these deaths is a tragedy and I extend my sympathies to the families concerned. The deaths of people availing of homeless services are a concern and are being taken very seriously. It is important that we establish the facts concerning the circumstances involved, and that we base our response on the best knowledge and evidence available.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level.
My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data
While the information requested in respect of the number of deaths of homeless service users is not compiled in my Department, a pilot study on data collection of homeless deaths nationally is being undertaken by the Health Research Board on behalf of the Department of Health. This study is due to be completed shortly. The research is applying the methodology used to compile the National Drug Related Deaths Index, which is a census of drug-related deaths and deaths among drug users and those who are alcohol dependent in Ireland. The data collection for 2019 deaths, including deaths among people who were homeless, involves the review of approximately 17,000 files from all Coroner districts.
It is vital that we continue to deliver the appropriate measures to support all individuals experiencing homelessness. My Department is working closely with the Department of Health, the HSE and local authorities in doing this.
