Written Answers Nos. 355-375
355. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has ever issued a circular in relation to section 50B of the Planning and Development Act 2000. [9398/22]
View answerMy Department issued Circular Letter PL 09-2018 on 9 November 2018 advising planning authorities of the commencement of various provisions contained in the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018 further to the signing of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018 (Commencement) Order 2018 (S.I. No. 436/2018).
Amongst the provisions commenced was an amendment to Section 50B of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, which extended the section 50B special legal cost rules to judicial reviews of decisions, actions or omissions made under national law implementing the Appropriate Assessment provisions of the Habitats Directive. This supplemented the pre-existing section 50B provisions applying the special legal cost rules to judicial reviews of decisions, actions or omissions made under national law implementing the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (the SEA Directive) and those elements of the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (the EIA Directive) and the EU Integrated Pollution Protection and Control Directive (the IPPC Directive) providing for the challenging of decisions, acts or omissions subject to public participation.
356. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current regulations in relation to planning permission to install solar panels on the roof of a school. [9409/22]
View answerUnder the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Section 4 of the Act and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), set out various exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission. Any such exemptions are subject to compliance with any general restrictions on exemptions set out in the Act or the Regulations and to the specific conditions set out in each class of exempted development in Schedule 2 of the Regulations. Included in the planning exemptions set out in the Regulations are those applying to the installation of solar infrastructure on a variety of building types, including houses, businesses, industrial and agricultural, to which specific conditions are attached. There is currently no planning exemption set out in the Regulations for the installation of solar panels on the roof of a school.
My Department, in the context of the Climate Action Plan and in consultation with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, has undertaken a review of the solar panel planning exemptions set out in the Regulations, with a particular focus on facilitating increased self-generation of electricity. This review is now complete. Substantial changes to the current planning exemption thresholds for solar panels are proposed, as well as the introduction of new classes of solar panel planning exemptions for apartments and educational/community/religious buildings.
In light of the need to appropriately address aviation safety concerns arising from the “glint and glare” impacts of solar panels and the easing of the solar panel planning exemption thresholds, the regulations will cover the vast majority of the land area of the country with limited restriction zones around airports.
The draft regulations have been reviewed under the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive 2001/42/EC and it has been determined that they are likely to have significant effects on the environment, necessitating the undertaking of a full SEA on the draft proposals. It is anticipated that the formal SEA process will commence, with consultation with the statutory environmental authorities to inform the content of the Environmental Report, following the completion of the screening for Appropriate Assessment by my Department’s Ecological Assessment Unit. The SEA Environmental Report will be published alongside the draft regulations for a period of public consultation of not less than 4 weeks. This public consultation is expected to commence shortly. A copy of the draft regulations and the Environmental Report will be made available for inspection over this period. Written submissions or observations will be taken into consideration before the finalisation of the draft regulations.
As required under planning legislation, the proposed exempted development regulations must be laid in draft form before the Houses of the Oireachtas and receive a positive resolution from both Houses before they can be made and the SEA process concluded. It is intended that the process for finalising the solar panel planning exemptions will be completed in the coming months.
While these regulations are being advanced, my Department is concurrently examining the scope to draft supplementary regulations to further expand the exemptions by way of reducing the proposed restriction zones around airports.
357. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to extend the rates waiver to dry cleaners that are struggling financially as a result of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9430/22]
View answer€729m was recouped to local authorities to fund the cost of a 9 month rates waiver in 2020. A further €424m was recouped in respect of the 2021 Q1-Q3 rates waiver. These were unprecedented measures, which offered support to businesses and financial certainty to local authorities.
The Government, in Budget 2022, announced a more targeted commercial rates waiver than had previously applied. For quarter 4 of 2021 and quarter 1 of 2022, a limited waiver scheme, applying primarily to hospitality, leisure and entertainment, has been put in place, supported by an allocation of €62.3m per quarter from Government.
Government has the challenge of balancing competing demands for finite resources. The Q4 2021 and Q1 2022 targeted rates waivers are separate, stand-alone schemes and in recognition of the resources available and the unwinding of public health restrictions, many businesses that benefited from previous waivers are no longer eligible. There are no current plans to revisit or extend the scope of the waiver.
358. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the youth biodiversity assembly organised through various networks of Comhairlí na nÓg; if the outcome of the youth biodiversity assembly will lead into the wider Citizen’s Assembly on Biodiversity which is due to take place in March 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9499/22]
View answerThe Government recently agreed to the establishment of a Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity, the inaugural meetings of which are planned for April 2022.
The terms of reference for the Citizens' Assembly on biodiversity derive from, and are consistent with, the resolution passed by Dáil Éireann in May 2019 which declared a climate and biodiversity emergency and called for a citizens' assembly to examine how the State can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss.
Concurrently, work is underway in my Department on establishing a young peoples' assembly on biodiversity. I consider it crucial that the views of our young people are properly and carefully considered in determining how we approach the biodiversity crisis in the coming years.
In this context, I am examining ways to best facilitate a mutually constructive dialogue between the Citizens' Assembly and the young peoples' assembly, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.
359. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total value of investment in property in Cork by foreign direct investment in 2020 and 2021. [9565/22]
View answer360. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of units purchased by institutional investment funds and foreign direct investment in Cork in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form. [9567/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together.
My Department does not collect data in relation to the ownership or construction of individual housing units purchased and sold in the housing market.
The Government is cognisant of the potential impact of institutional investment on the housing market but recognises there is an important role for such investors in financing the much needed increase in supply of housing in the coming years. Increasing supply is at the heart of Housing for All and without appropriate institutional investment, activity in the housing market would be much reduced and the significant pressure already facing renters and prospective home-owners would increase further.
That said, the Government took action last year to ensure institutional investors do not inappropriately purchase homes better suited for individual buyers. It did so through a significant stamp duty increase, which has now been fully legislated for, and planning permission changes. This combination of measures is a balanced approach, which supports home ownership in lower density type developments, while maintaining and supporting finance for additional supply in high density projects where viability is an issue.
361. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount his Department has paid for advertising, features and so on in a magazine (details supplied). [9578/22]
View answerAs clarified by the Deputy, during the period 2013 to present, my Department has not placed any advertising in this magazine.
362. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress that has been made in respect of the future funding and Government commitments to co-develop the Narrow Water Bridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9587/22]
View answerThe Narrow Water Bridge is a cross-border project led by Louth County Council and supported by the Shared Island Fund, which as the Deputy will know is designed to fund strategic north-south projects that implement the commitments and objectives on Shared Island set out in the Programme for Government. The bridge will connect Cornamucklagh near Omeath, Co Louth with Narrow Water near Warrenpoint, Co Down.
Following a Government decision in June 2021, An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin announced the approval of an initial €3m in funding from the Shared Island Fund to take the project forward to tender stage. Work is underway in this regard, led by Louth County Council and overseen by my Department in this jurisdiction, and the Department of Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The Government is committed in its support for this important project, with funding for future years to be determined once firm costings are available and the tender development process has been completed.
363. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the grants that are available for renovating houses in towns or in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9609/22]
View answer382. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the grants that are available from his Department to maintain and repair a rural domestic dwelling which has fallen into disrepair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9988/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 382 together.
Housing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of measures to achieve its policy objectives together with a financial commitment of in excess of €4 billion per annum.
The suite of measures under the pathway to addressing vacancy and efficient use of existing stock includes the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund which 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.
The approach to the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund, which includes a proposal for a refurbishment grant for vacant properties in towns and villages other than rural areas, is currently under consideration and it is expected that a call for proposals will issue to local authorities later this quarter.
364. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a heritage grant is available for renovating ruins next to a house or on the home property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9610/22]
View answerMy Department provides financial support for eligible conservation works towards heritage buildings, historic structures and archaeological monuments through three grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Community Monuments Fund (CMF).
The HSF is for conservation and enhancement to heritage structures and historic buildings, in both private and public ownership, for the benefit of communities and the public. Included in the HSF is a stream for vernacular structures, under which conservation works to ‘informal’ traditional buildings may be funded. The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS). It is designed to leverage private capital for investment in small-scale conservation projects across the country and to support the employment of skilled conservation professionals. The CMF is for investment in archaeological heritage and helps owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.
On 5 November 2021 I launched the 2022 BHIS and HSF schemes which will have funding of €8m - an increase of €2 million from 2021. Full details of both schemes are available on my Department’s website as well as on the websites of the local authorities; it should be noted, however, that the deadline for applications to the local authorities for the 2022 schemes has now passed. On 17 November 2021 I launched the 2022 CMF scheme with funding of €5m – an increase of almost €1m from that awarded in 2021. The deadline for applications to my Department from the local authorities for this scheme is 1 March 2022.
It is intended to run all three schemes again in 2023 and full details will be available on my Department's website, and from the local authorities, from November onwards. You may wish to ascertain the eligibility of the structure you have in mind in the meantime. In the context of a particular building or historic structure, the best advice is generally to contact the Architectural Conservation Officer or Heritage Officer in the local authority who is very well placed to advise on the various types of funding available.
365. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the up-to-date position regarding the drawdown of funding from his Department granted under The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund in respect of Killarney County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9624/22]
View answer366. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the up-to-date position regarding the drawdown of funding from his Department granted under The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund in respect of Tralee, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9625/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 365 and 366 together.
In 2018, a total of €3,719,011 was allocated to Kerry County Council under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) in respect of the projects submited for Tralee and Killarney. To date, Kerry County Council have drawn down a total of €2,136,735 in respect of these projects.
In 2021, I announced provisional funding support of €32,005,146 for Kerry County Council’s successful Call 2 projects – Destination Killarney (€16,068,429) and Positioning Tralee as a Regional Economic Driver & Destination Town (€15,936,717). These projects are at an early stage of development and therefore there has been no drawdown in respect of either project to date.
While my Department works closely and communicates regularly with Kerry County Council in respect of project funding, responsibility for the advancement of these URDF supported projects through the various stages of planning, development and completion is, in the first instance, a matter for the Sponsoring Agency, Kerry County Council.
In this regard it should be noted that all URDF supported projects must be carefully developed and managed by the Sponsoring Agency in accordance with the normal conditions and arrangements that apply to public sector managed projects including, exercising appropriate cost control and delivering projects as approved, and in full compliance with the Public Spending Code.
367. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new staff provided to each local authority to deliver affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9716/22]
View answerUnder 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. In this regard, the assignment of local authority staff to a particular function, such as the delivery of affordable housing, is a matter for the Chief Executive.
However, as part of the measures to support institutional capacity, Housing for All commits to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to initiate, design, plan, develop and manage housing projects and recognises that this requires the resourcing of the housing services of local authorities. Last year, my Department worked closely with local authorities, through the CCMA and the Housing Delivery Coordination Office, to identify capacity constraints and additional staffing resources required to deliver the social housing targets set out in Housing for All. Following this analysis, I approved over 200 new posts for local authorities.
My Department, with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office, is now undertaking a review of affordable housing staff resources similar to the recent review of social housing delivery of local authority capacity.
Key considerations in this review include the number of local authorities with identified affordability constraints, the type of structure (administrative/professional staff) necessary to deliver affordable housing and the degree of overlap/synergy there might be with the additional support being provided for social housing delivery.
The review of affordable housing staffing needs is dependent on finalisation of Housing Delivery Actions Plans which are currently being prepared by local authorities.
368. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of actions from the National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy that have been fully completed; the number that have been partially completed; the number of actions that are outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9718/22]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.
|
Action No. |
TABLE OF VACANCY ACTIONS |
TIMELINE |
UPDATES @ SEPTEMBER 2021 |
|
1: ESTABLISH ROBUST, ACCURATE, CONSISTENT AND UP-TO-DATE DATA SETS ON VACANCY |
|||
|
1A |
Establishment of a Vacant Homes Unit within the Department and appointment of Vacant Homes Officers in local authorities to drive and co-ordinate actions at a national and local level, including data collection and analysis. |
Complete |
VHU Established August 2017. Continued funding to support Vacant Homes Officers in LAs 2021/2022 - €50,000 p.a. Under Housing For All the Government has committed to ensuring that these are full-time posts increasing funding to support Vacant Homes Officers 2022/2023 - €60,000 p.a. |
|
1B |
Establish a vacancy sub-group (under the Department’s Housing Data Analytics Group), including representatives of the Department, CSO, local government sector and the Housing Agency and task the Vacancy sub-group with developing a standardised methodology of data collection that is accurate and consistent for utilisation across the local government sector. |
Commenced |
Vacancy Sub-Group established. |
|
1C |
Conduct a Pilot Survey to ensure methodology development is robust and produces reliable output and consider whether to roll out as a national survey. |
Completed March 2019 |
Pilot Survey concluded. Full roll out at national level is being considered, in the context of the wider data gathering as part of Housing for All. |
|
2: BRING FORWARD MEASURES TO ENSURE, TO THE GREATEST DEGREE POSSIBLE, THAT VACANT AND UNDERUSED PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTIES ARE BROUGHT BACK TO USE |
|||
|
2A |
Gain a better understanding as to the barriers that exist to the reuse of privately owned vacant properties. |
Ongoing |
Mail shot issued to Licenced Property Service Providers to identify & assist with vacant properties, especially access to apartments. Specific consideration given to vacancy as part of the development of Housing for All, and a specific pathway included to address vacancy in the housing stock. |
|
2B |
Continuously review and evaluate existing schemes to ensure they are effective in bringing homes back to viable use. |
Ongoing |
273 homes delivered back into use under Repair & Lease (End Q3 2021). Since the Buy and Renew Scheme was introduced, local authorities have used it to acquire and renew approximately 700 homes for social housing use. |
|
2C |
Address vacancy in commercial/over the shop properties – reducing where possible regulatory barriers and providing guidance to bring clarity on what regulatory requirements apply to such properties. |
Ongoing |
Bringing Back Homes - Manual for the reuse of existing buildings was published in December 2018. The appointment of Vacant Homes Officer to act as a central point of contact in each LA was also to address this action point. |
|
2D |
Examine the potential for the greater use of legislative powers available to local authorities to reactivate vacant dwellings. |
Ongoing |
The planning regulations, introduced by SI 30 of 2018, which exempted certain vacant commercial premises from requiring planning permission to change to residential have been extended until 2025. The extension of the 2018 legislation provides an immediate and seamless continuance of the previous exemption regulations. In addition, the scope of the exemption was also extended to include an extra class of use, that of public houses. While a number of authorities have been successful in using their CPO powers, Housing for All launches a new nationwide programme with specific targets for activation of vacant homes through the use of CPO. |
|
3: BRING FORWARD MEASURES TO MINIMISE VACANCY ARISING IN SOCIAL HOUSING STOCK |
|||
|
3A |
Review funding mechanisms on an on-going basis with appropriate adjustments made to ensure that the sector has the capacity to prioritise bringing vacant properties back into use. |
Ongoing |
Funding of €2.99m made available to Vacant Homes Unit for 2022 to support the work of the unit as well as the Vacant Homes Offices in local authorities including the funding of posts of Vacant Homes Officers. The Vacant Homes Unit ran an advertising campaign in October 2020. The VHU also placed advertisements overseas newspapers and ran an online social media advertising campaign in March 2020 to publicise vacant homes initiatives. Housing for All now contains a number of measures to expand existing schemes to tackle vacancy, including using the Better Energy Homes Grant to support retrofit for vacancy properties and the establishment of a new Fund, Croí Cónaithe to support bringing properties back into use in towns and villages, where the vacancy/dereliction is high. |
|
3B |
Continue working with local authorities to introduce preventative maintenance approach of housing stock. |
Ongoing |
These measures are ongoing and specific commitments in this regard are set out in Housing for All (Section 4.2 and Action 20.6). |
|
3C |
Continue to liaise with local authorities with a view to ensuring that Choice Based Letting is implemented as widely as possible across the country. |
Ongoing |
Choice Based Letting (CBL) is a method whereby available social housing stock is let by being openly advertised by Local Authorities to persons on the social housing waiting list. This allows qualified applicants to 'register an interest' in available homes. While many housing authorities have adopted CBL, it is not yet in operation in all Local Authorities. The DHLGH is working with the Local Authority sector, through the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) and the County and City Managers Association (CCMA) to progress this and funding has been made available in 2022 to encourage Local Authorities to adopt this method of letting. The Department will continue to work with Local Authorities who do not yet have CBL to progress the standardisation of the CBL systems in place across Local Authorities. |
|
3D |
Engage with the Housing Agency and the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector to identify, support and enter agreements with AHBs best suited to playing a significant role in bringing vacant properties back into use. |
Ongoing |
The Housing Agency is engaging with local authorities in bringing vacant properties back into use. |
|
4: CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT WITH, AND PROVISION OF SUPPORT TO, KEY STAKEHOLDERS, TO ENSURE SUITABLE VACANT PROPERTIES HELD BY BANKS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND INVESTORS ARE ACQUIRED FOR SOCIAL HOUSING USE |
|||
|
4A |
Ensure adequate capital funding is in place for Housing Agency to purchase and acquire vacant properties. Housing Agency to continue to engage with banks, financial institutions and investment companies to purchase suitable units, selling ultimately to AHBs to tenant. |
Annually |
|
|
4B |
Ensure suitable portfolios of vacant properties are acquired from financial institutions and investors. |
Ongoing |
|
|
4C |
Continued engagement of Housing Agency with NAMA and other relevant stakeholders to deliver homes to the social housing sector. |
Ongoing |
Through the revolving acquisitions fund of €70 million managed by the Housing Agency since January 2017 to end of Q2 2021, a total of 839 properties have been made available to Approved Housing Bodies and a further 51 properties are in the process of being secured. The Housing Agency has also supported local authorities to acquire a further 550 vacant properties from financial institution for social housing purposes with a further 103 proceeding through to sale. Under Housing for All, the operations of this Fund will be reviewed. |
|
4D |
Department to engage further with local authorities and stakeholders, in respect of unfinished housing estates, to explore the range of strategic acquisition options available to local authorities to take up remaining, suitable and required vacant units. |
Ongoing |
Local Authorities are responsible for the management and administration of unfinished housing developments. The latest data from a 2020 survey shows that 123 developments remain on the ‘unfinished’ list. Within the remaining cohort of 123 developments, 58 developments are unoccupied. These developments mainly contain partial shells and units at foundation level, are securely fenced off and are located in low demand areas. The remaining 65 developments containing residents will be the focus for Local Authorities to work towards a satisfactory resolution. In total, at the time of survey, there were 326 houses vacant and 13 apartments. Housing for All reflects the commitment for Local Authorities to work with appropriate stakeholders towards minimising that vacancy level. |
|
5: FOSTER AND DEVELOP CROSS-SECTOR RELATIONSHIPS, COLLABORATING IN PARTNERSHIP TO TACKLE VACANT HOUSING MATTERS |
|||
|
5A |
Draw from the overall National Planning Framework Strategy, having particular regard to its objectives addressing vacancy. |
Ongoing |
Work has been advancing on the implementation of the National Planning Framework - National Policy Objective 16, National Policy Objective 25 and National Policy Objective 35. The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) have been game-changers in providing substantial resourcing to support more development, through the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities, large towns and villages. Housing for All, commits to the incorporation of activation of vacant properties in the key criteria for future funding from both funds. In addition, the pathway on addressing vacancy and the efficient use of housing stock, has many actions, in line with the NPF objectives, and the Town Centre First policy (launched on 4 February 2022) to address vacancy. |
|
5B |
Development, rollout and monitoring of dedicated Urban Regeneration Scheme. |
Ongoing |
The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is a flagship element of Project Ireland 2040. Under the stewardship of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government the Fund was established in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development, through the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and National Development Plan (NDP). Under the NDP 2021-2030 the URDF has been extended to 2030 with a total allocation in excess of €2 billion, including €159 million available to fund URDF-supported projects in 2022. To date there have been two calls for proposals under the URDF, the first in July 2018 and the second in January 2020. So far almost €312m has been allocated in respect of the 87 projects approved under Call 1, while in March 2021 funding support of €1.3 billion was announced in respect of a further 45 proposals approved under Call 2. Almost €100m has been recouped by the URDF to successful applicants since 2019. The important role of the URDF is outlined in Housing for All, particularly, in relation to the tackling vacancy, and encouraging residential development in brownfield areas of towns and cities. It is intended that there will be a third call for proposals for the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) in the second half of 2022. This will include a particular emphasis on proposals that focus on implementation of the Town Centre First Policy that include measures to tackle vacancy and dereliction through greater occupancy for residential purposes. |
|
5C |
Consider utilisation of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund as a mechanism for addressing vacancy in urban areas and support the submission of proposals to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund with a view to reducing the level of vacancy in rural areas. |
Commenced |
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development and seeks to support ambitious and strategic projects which have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. The fund focuses on all settlements and rural areas with fewer than 10,000 people which are located outside the five city metropolitan areas. The Government has committed €1 billion over 10 years to the Fund and €315 million is allocated to the Fund for the period 2019-2022. Housing for All, commits to the incorporation of activation of vacant properties in the key criteria for future funding. |
|
5D |
Work in close partnership with other relevant Government Departments on addressing such issues as rural vacancy, examining possible measures to address vacant homes when an owner moves to nursing home care under the Nursing Home Support Scheme and exploration of possible taxation measures and providing additional legislative powers to increase capacity of local authorities to bring vacant properties back to use. |
Ongoing |
The Department has been working intensively with the Department of Health who are the lead department on the Nursing Home Support Scheme and, as a result, the Government has introduced amendments to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme to cap the payment on sale of an applicant’s principal private residence to three years. Up to now the sale of a principal private residence by a Fair Deal applicant could have led to uncapped contributions to the scheme. The amendments brought forward will cap this contribution to three years at 7.5% of the value of the property per annum, as is the case where the property remains unsold. In line with the commitment in Housing for All, further amendments are expected to be made to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme in order to exempt rental income from a principal private residence when calculating the income of an applicant. |
369. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the local authorities that have a full-time vacant homes officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9719/22]
View answerIn January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities outlining that it is increasing the funding made available since 2018 from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum from mid-2022 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a vacant homes officer to support the commitment in Housing for All to ensuring that vacant homes officers are full-time officers. Local authorities have been requested to arrange for the vacant homes officer position to become full-time by the end of Q2 2022 and to notify my Department accordingly. My Department understands that there are currently 3 full-time vacant homes officers in Clare and Kerry County Councils, and Dublin City Council, respectively.
The provision of central funding reinforces the capacity of local authorities to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction with a view to increasing the opportunities for residential development.
370. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his definition of an affordable home in financial terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9720/22]
View answerThe Affordable Housing Act 2021, the first ever standalone affordable housing legislation, established a basis for four new affordable housing measures. These measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) delivering affordable homes on local authority lands, (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental, (3) a First Home shared equity scheme and (4) expanding Part V planning requirements to increase the 10% contribution requirement to 20% and to apply it to cost rental as well as social and affordable housing.
This Act, supported by the unprecedented levels of funding committed to in the Housing for All strategy, averaging over €4 billion annually, will underpin the delivery of affordable housing targets. Specifically, 54,000 affordable homes will be delivered between now and 2030 by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.
There is no single or universally applicable definition denoting housing affordability. Typically, benchmark figures of between 30% and 40% spending of net household income on housing can be used by policy makers and commentators as ‘rule of thumb’ measures of affordability. However, the limitations of such indicators is also frequently referenced given they do not consider household circumstance and expenditure that may, or may not, arise such as childcare and education costs or tenure type.
Therefore defining affordability is not simply a question of ‘how much is too much?’, and may be better answered by asking ‘how much is too much for whom and in what circumstance?’ This is why our affordable purchase schemes will provide for a household specific assessment of affordability. This strives to contribute to a more developed, responsive and appropriate housing system that offers people real choice for affordable housing when they need it.
Under the provisions of the Affordable Housing Act, each household's capacity to purchase or rent a home in the required location will be considered. Where households are deemed not to be able purchase a home in the private market, or secure a tenancy at the prevailing market rates, affordable housing supports will be made available. These assessments will be informed by the Central Bank of Ireland’s macro prudential rules which have been designed specifically to prevent house buyers from borrowing more than they can afford and to increase the financial resilience of borrowers.
The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme will support purchasers of Local Authority-delivered new homes by bridging the gap between the value of the home and the combined value of the buyer's available mortgage and deposit. Regulations to set out the detailed criteria are at an advanced stage and will be issued in the coming weeks. The first homes delivered through the scheme will be located in Cork City. Cork City Council indicated the purchase prices to be €218,000 for a 2-bedroom and €243,000 for a 3-bedroom dwelling. This will be followed by a Fingal County Council supported affordable purchase development (Dun Emer). Fingal County Council have indicated these will cost €166,000 for a 2-bed apartment and between €206,000 and €258,000 for 3-bed dwellings. A scale up of Local Authority-delivered affordable homes will be implemented under the Housing for All targets.
The First Home shared equity scheme, under Part 4 of the Affordable Housing Act, will primarily support first-time buyers purchasing newly constructed homes on the private market. This scheme will be available at a national level and will incorporate regional price caps reflecting median house price sales. Confirmation of the final details of this scheme is ongoing in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders and it is anticipated that the First Home scheme will be available for applications in Q2 of this year. This initiative is being designed to ensure support is provided to those that, because of the current income levels, cannot secure a sufficient mortgage to meet the cost of a modest newly constructed home in their preferred location.
Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act provided for the establishment of a Cost Rental sector in Ireland. The introduction of Cost Rental tenancies helps improve affordability and security in the rental market. Cost Rental tenancies rent levels are based on the cost of the provision of homes, rather than being subject to the pressures of the open market. Once tenanted, rents will increase only in line with consumer inflation, remaining stable in real terms, while continuing to cover management and maintenance costs on the properties.
Over 1,500 Cost Rental homes are expected to be developed and tenanted through three delivery strands in 2022: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), supported by Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding; Local Authorities through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), and the Land Development Agency (LDA), either on their portfolio of sites, or through Project Tosaigh. All Cost Rental homes will deliver rent prices at least 25% below market rates.
The first 65 Cost Rental homes, delivered through CREL funding, were tenanted in 2021, with 25 at Taylor Hill in Balbriggan and a further 40 at Barnhall Meadows in Leixlip. Both developments delivered cost-covering rents at least 40% below comparable open-market prices within their respective local areas.
Additionally the Help-to-Buy incentive supports first-time buyers in meeting the deposit requirements for newly-built houses or apartments, as well as self-build homes. Subject to the level of income tax and DIRT paid over the previous 4 years, the Help-to-Buy scheme provides a maximum benefit to first-time buyers of €30,000 or 10% of the cost of the newly constructed home. The Help-to-Buy scheme has already helped over 30,000 first-time buyers achieve the deposit required for a new home.
The Local Authority Home Loan scheme commenced on 4 January 2022 and incorporates a lower interest rate, higher income eligibility thresholds for single applicants in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow (increasing from €50,000 to €65,000), and more flexibility on house size. The loan can be used for new and second-hand properties, or for self-builds with a maximum value of 90% of market value of a residential property. The maximum market values are €320,000 in the counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, and €250,000 in the rest of the country.
The Help-to-Buy scheme, the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme and the First Home scheme are designed to assist first-time buyers in meeting the higher costs of newly constructed homes and, in doing so, will increase the volume of new homes being developed. Importantly the CSO reported that housing completions amounted to 20,433 in 2021, a welcome increase over the 2015 reported levels of 7,219. The CSO also report that Commencement Notices for 30,724 new homes were issued in 2021, representing a 42% increase compared with 2020, or roughly the same as the combined reported totals from 2016 & 2017. While these reported figures represent a significant step forward in the Government’s ambition to support the supply of new housing, it remains short of the 33,000 new dwellings annual target under Housing for All. This is why the Government has committed unprecedented levels of funding, averaging €4 billion per year to improve affordability for all families or individuals across society wishing to secure a home.
371. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social homes that were retrofitted in 2021; the target that was set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9721/22]
View answerThe Energy Efficiency Programme for 2021 was the first year of a newly revised ten year programme designed to help deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to retrofitting 500,000 homes by 2030 to a B2/cost optimal BER standard. It is expected that approximately 36,500 of those will be local authority owned homes.
€65 million of Exchequer funding was made available to support this work in 2021, with €20 million allocated under the Midlands Retrofit Pilot as part of the 'Just Transition' programme, and the balance of €45 million under the 2021 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme. A breakdown of the latter allocation along with the minimum target number of homes each local authority was required to retrofit is outlined in the table below.
|
Local Authority: |
Min no of target units: |
Allocation €45m |
|
Carlow |
22 |
€595,514 |
|
Cavan |
24 |
€649,652 |
|
Clare |
31 |
€839,134 |
|
Cork City |
123 |
€3,329,467 |
|
Cork County |
85 |
€2,300,851 |
|
Donegal |
58 |
€1,569,993 |
|
DCC - M&E & Voids |
347 |
€7,699,139 |
|
DLR |
54 |
€1,461,717 |
|
Fingal |
65 |
€1,759,475 |
|
Galway City |
29 |
€784,996 |
|
Galway County |
47 |
€1,272,235 |
|
Kerry |
51 |
€1,380,511 |
|
Kildare |
55 |
€1,488,786 |
|
Kilkenny |
29 |
€784,996 |
|
Laois |
31 |
€839,134 |
|
Leitrim |
10 |
€270,688 |
|
Limerick |
60 |
€1,624,130 |
|
Longford |
20 |
€541,377 |
|
Louth |
52 |
€1,407,580 |
|
Mayo |
21 |
€568,446 |
|
Meath |
41 |
€1,109,822 |
|
Monaghan |
22 |
€595,514 |
|
Offaly |
21 |
€568,446 |
|
Roscommon |
26 |
€703,790 |
|
SDCC |
117 |
€3,167,054 |
|
Sligo |
28 |
€757,928 |
|
Tipperary |
60 |
€1,624,130 |
|
Waterford |
62 |
€1,678,268 |
|
Westmeath |
25 |
€676,721 |
|
Wexford |
54 |
€1,461,717 |
|
Wicklow |
55 |
€1,488,786 |
|
Totals: |
1725 |
€45,000,000 |
The revised 2021 programme was designed to move local authorities from a 'shallow' to a 'deeper retrofit' programme, with the target of approximately 2,400 homes being upgraded, including 750 homes under the Midlands Retrofit Programme.
An annualised breakdown of the units retrofitted under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit programme for the years 2013-2021, is available on my Department's website at the following links.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/.
372. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the analysis his Department has carried out into the reintroduction of a non-principal private residence tax on second homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9726/22]
View answerThe Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended by the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011, provides the legislative basis for the non-principal private residence (NPPR) charge. The NPPR charge, which has since been discontinued, applied from 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. The self-assessed charge was set at €200 per annum.
2013 was the last year in which a NPPR liability could be incurred. However, outstanding NPPR liabilities and payments remain payable to the relevant local authority.
NPPR charges, including late payment fees, expire 12 years from the date of liability. This means that NPPR liabilities incurred from 2009 to 2013 and remaining unpaid, the portion of the liability and charge on a property which related to 2009 expired in 2021, the 2010 portion will expire in 2022 and so on until the liability and charge on a property relating to the final year of NPPR in 2013, expires after 31 March 2025.
There is no intention to re-introduce the NPPR charge. It was discontinued in 2013 in parallel with the introduction of the Local Property Tax, which has a much broader applicability.
373. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the local authorities that have a domestic violence officer. [9794/22]
View answerUnder 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.
However, granular data, in terms of individual roles in local authorities is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information should be available from each local authority.
Local authorities do assist victims of domestic violence in meeting their emergency and long-term housing needs. My Department has issued policy and procedural guidance to local authorities on the role they can play to assist victims of domestic violence which is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/7e168-guidance-for-housing-authorities-for-assisting-victims-of-domestic-violence-with-emergency-and-long-term-accommodation-needs/.
The guidance is also a useful reference for service providers, highlighting where they can be of greatest assistance to their clients, covering a range of scenarios that may arise for victims of domestic violence currently in receipt of social housing support and those seeking social housing supports.
374. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 386 of 15 February 2022, the way that suitability is determined regarding accommodation; the way that bed space numbers are determined in a dwelling; if there are any guidelines or regulations on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9824/22]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) do not have guidelines specifically on this issue. The RTB Dispute Resolution process gives parties two options to resolve a tenancy dispute. The first option is Mediation which aims to resolve disputes with an independent Mediator in a mutually agreeable way or the second option is Adjudication where an independent decision is made based on the facts and evidence presented before an independent Adjudicator. If case parties are not satisfied with the outcome of either of these options, then the case can go to a second stage Tribunal process which will rehear the matter and make a binding decision based on the facts and evidence presented. Both Adjudicators and Tribunal Members roles are similar and are referred to as Decision Makers, with independent decisions made.
The RTB provides a range of information on its website on www.rtb.ie/ending-a-tenancy with regard to lawfully terminating tenancies.
When determining a case for the validity of a Notice of termination where the dwelling is no longer suitable for the tenants’ accommodation needs, a Decision Maker may assess several areas to make his or her determination. For example, the decision maker may
- assess how many bed spaces are contained in the dwelling and what is the size and composition of the household to see if the dwelling is suitable for the household. The Decision Maker can note the actual number of beds in the dwelling but also assess the appropriate number of bed spaces that would be suitable for the dwelling;
- review and consider the statement that the landlord provides to the tenants (along with the Notice of Termination) which outlines why the landlord believes the dwelling is no longer suitable, having regard to the above factors; and
- assess a range of evidence including dimensions of the room or photographs of the dwelling.
A Decision Maker considers all matters that he or she considers would impact on the current suitability of the rented dwelling for the sitting tenants.
From 2019 to 2021, the RTB received copies of 94 Notices of Termination (representing 2% of all such notices received) where the landlord has indicated that the dwelling is no longer suitable to accommodate the needs of the tenant.
375. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has won any award from a publication (details supplied); if so, when this award was won; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9836/22]
View answerMy Department has not won any award from this publication.
