Written Answers Nos. 203-215
203. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the up-to-date position with the provision of social housing on the Dominican site in Athy, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22085/22]
View answerThe advancement of social housing on sites owned by Kildare County Council is a matter in the first place for the Council; it is a matter for the Council to determine what housing delivery is initiated, including the nature, scale and timing of the housing.
At the request of Kildare County Council, my Department has recently confirmed funding approval for the Council to work with Cluid Housing Association to advance 34 age-friendly social homes on the site. With this funding approval, I expect the Council will advance the project for planning permission as soon as possible.
I’m pleased to see this site being developed and I can confirm that under Housing for All, funding is in place to support its earliest possible delivery. Further information on the project will be available directly from Kildare County Council.
204. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider the inclusion of self-build homes under the first home scheme and the reintroduction of the local authority rural cottage scheme minus the value of the site to alleviate long waiting lists for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22127/22]
View answerThe First Home Scheme will support eligible applicants to purchase new homes in the private market through an equity share model, similar to that used in the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The Scheme will be restricted to new homes within regional price ceilings, in order for resources to be generally targeted at supporting purchases in the lower region (sub-median) of the first-time buyer market for new homes in each area. The Scheme is aimed at encouraging new supply to address the realisable demand that currently exists in this section of the first-time buyer market, through supporting the viability of such projects.
Although self-build homes will not be eligible under the First Home Scheme at launch, scheduled for the end of Q2 2022, it is intended that all aspects of the Scheme will be reviewed after the first year of operation. Both the Help to Buy incentive and the Local Authority Home Loan are already available and can be availed of by eligible applicants for the purpose of constructing a self-build home.
Information on the Help to Buy scheme can be found at the following link: www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx
Information on the Local Authority Home Loan can be found at the following link: localauthorityhomeloan.ie/
In relation to social housing, my Department is supporting Local Authorities in the delivery of a range of social housing schemes from small to larger scale developments. This includes single rural dwellings where the Authorities concerned have prioritised such projects as part of their overall work to meet their social housing targets and respond to local housing need. It is open to any person who is qualified for social housing support to apply to the relevant Local Authority in connection with the provision of a home or site. However, the actual operation of such an approach to social housing provision continues to be a matter for the Local Authority concerned.
In terms of new housing provision in rural towns, the Government's Housing For All strategy includes the ‘Croí Cónaithe’ (Towns) Fund. This will be delivered by Local Authorities for the provision of serviced sites for housing, in order to attract people to build their own homes and to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, enabling people to live in small towns in a sustainable way. This reflects the priorities of the National Planning Framework by activating the potential for the renewal and development of small towns and villages by focusing on compact urban growth. The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is currently under development, including the scope and appropriate timeframes, and it is expected that a call for proposals will issue to Local Authorities shortly.
205. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can elaborate further on the review of the income eligibility for social housing submitted to his Department by the Housing Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22173/22]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 343 of 22 March 2022. The position has not changed.
206. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will identify for each month in the year from April 2021 to April 2022 inclusive the number of applications for foreshore licences for site investigations that were received by his Department; the number in each month which related to site investigations for the development of offshore wind energy, the number of those applications which have been validated by his Department’s Marine Advisory Team; the number of those applications which have been submitted for external environmental assessment; the expected time for processing those applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22222/22]
View answer207. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the time which elapsed for each foreshore survey licence issued by his Department over the past 24 months between receipt of the application for each licence and the issuing of that licence to a successful applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22223/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together.
Details of foreshore licence applications for site investigation activities that have commenced the statutory assessment process following validation by my Department and details of applications determined during the period referred to in the Question are available to view on my Department's website at www.housing.gov.ie.
The expected time for processing and determining these applications can vary considerably and is influenced by the quality of the application and supporting documents received, the nature and complexity of the application, the level of public engagement during the consultation process and up until recently, impacts from restrictions imposed as a result of Covid-19, among other matters.
Each application must be assessed appropriately in accordance with the applicable requirements of domestic and EU law including the EIA Directive, Birds and Habitats Regulations and the Foreshore Act. Several of the foreshore licences issued over the past 24 months linked to the proposed development of offshore renewable energy projects have been the subject of judicial review proceedings and the process for assessing such applications has been amended as a result, taking into account legal advices received. Over the last eighteen months, my Department has more than doubled the staffing resources available within the Foreshore Section to address this increasing workload. This should reduce the average time taken to assess an application. In addition, a panel of external specialist environmental consultants is in operation to assist in the technical assessment of applications. Recognising the increasing complexity and volume of applications being received; the importance of expediting the advancement of activities to assist in achieving our Climate Action Plan targets, as well as the competition for what is a limited pool of technical expertise in this area, my Department is exploring how it can further expand the technical expertise available to it to meet these demands. I believe that these changes will combine to make the assessment process more robust, will reduce the number of stages required as part of the assessment process and as a result should reduce the time required to assess an application, while noting the variables which can influence the time taken to assess and determine a foreshore licence application.
In relation to the validation process and tendering for independent consultants referred to in the Question, both are part of the internal administrative procedures operated by my Department as part of the preparation for the various statutory assessments that must be conducted in accordance with the range of relevant legislation. The Foreshore Section of my Department will continue to engage with applicants on an individual basis in respect of progress with their own applications and the timing of the commencement of the statutory assessment process in each case.
I am satisfied that my Department is taking a proportionate and responsible approach to processing foreshore licence applications for site investigation licences linked to the proposed development of offshore renewable energy projects pending the update to policy in relation to the management of the Phase 2 for offshore renewable energy as well as progress with the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority. I will continue to keep the situation under review.
208. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount allocated and drawn down in each of the years 2018 to 2021 to date in 2022 to Wexford County Council for council property retrofitting works in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22235/22]
View answer209. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of council owned units that were retrofitted in County Wexford in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022. [22236/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together.
Since 2013, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 75,000 homes have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €184 million under the scheme.
In response to the Programme for Government commitment, my Department launched a newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Programme in 2021 for local authority owned housing. This new programme set a BER performance requirement of “B2” or cost optimal level. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding being made available for insulation, windows and doors and heating upgrades, specifically the installation of a Heat Pump and associated works. The installation of gas/oil boilers are no longer supported under the energy efficiency programme funded by my Department.
An annualised breakdown of the funding provided and the number of properties upgraded under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit programme for the years 2013-2021 is available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/
My Department announced earlier this year that funding will be provided for the upgrade of approximately 2,400 social homes this year. Each local authority has been allocated a number of properties and work in this regard is underway but it will be later this year before significant recoupment claims are lodged with my Department. Full details in relation to the 2022 EERP will be available early in 2023.
210. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of secondments from his Department to the university third level sector over the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22254/22]
View answerThere have been no secondments from my Department to the university third level sector in the past two years.
My Department is guided by the advice issued to all Government Departments by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to secondments which is available at the following link - hr.per.gov.ie/en/corporate-pages/career/mobility/secondment/.
211. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of conservation rangers by county; the number of rangers who are authorised to carry out prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22275/22]
View answer212. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role of a conservation ranger; if a probationary period applies to that role and what restrictions are in place for their role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22276/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.
Conservation Rangers work as part of the team of regional National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff and are responsible for implementing nature policies throughout the country. Very often, they are the public face of my Department on conservation management, monitoring species and habitats and compliance. The principal duties of the Conservation Ranger include
- Assisting in the management of the National Parks, Nature Reserves and other State lands for nature conservation and public amenity purposes
- Management and oversight of public access and use in National Parks, Nature Reserves and other State lands
- Monitoring habitats, species and designated conservation areas
- Liaising with landowners and local community interests on nature conservation matters
- Promoting knowledge of nature conservation including arranging and participating in field trips and indoor and outdoor talks
- Assisting in the assessment of development applications and wildlife licensing issues
- Oversight, implementation, compliance and enforcement of the Wildlife Acts, Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species, and the Birds and Habitats Directives.
A probation period is a mandatory requirement for all new Civil Servants including at Conservation Ranger grade. Whilst new entrants are on probation they are not eligible to apply for internal promotional competitions.
Conservation Rangers are deployed through a regional structure and assignments are determined in light of Departmental business needs and priorities. As well as more senior regionally based officers of the NPWS, there are 83 NPWS Conservation Rangers stationed around the country at present, all of whom deal with enforcement matters under the Wildlife Acts. I am pleased to say that my Department is liaising with the Public Appointments Service to increase this number through the appointment of additional Rangers. Their assignments do not necessarily coincide with individual county boundaries. In any case, given the enforcement roles discharged by certain staff in the NPWS, for reasons of operational security, my Department does not provide details of staffing in the manner requested.
Staffing levels across my Department are kept under regular review in line with emerging business needs and Government policy on public sector pay and staffing as advised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
213. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to extend the boundaries of national parks; if such a process can be imitated by local authorities or other bodies; the method or legislation needed to be amended to extend current boundaries; if mineral exploration licences can be issued for areas covered by national parks; the environmental protections that are specific to national parks areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22278/22]
View answerThrough the National Parks and Wildlife Service, my Department manages an extensive network of natural heritage sites of some 87,000 hectares. The six National Parks of Ireland account for circa 65,000 hectares of this network. I am ever mindful of the need to focus on the core responsibilities relating to the management of our National Parks which are managed from a conservation perspective and attract in excess of 4 million visitors annually. While my Department has no specific plans to expand the park network at present we are actively ensuring the preservation, protection and presentation of the assets we already own.
With regard to statutory protection of National Parks, the principal national legislation, providing for the protection of wildlife and the control of some activities that may adversely affect wildlife, is the Wildlife Act 1976, and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. Conservation of biodiversity within our National Parks network has been strengthened and expanding by EU law, most notably, EU Directives 92/43/EEC 1992 (Habitats Directive), 2009/147/EC (Birds Directive), 2011/92/EU (EIA Directive) and 2001/43/EC (SEA Directive). The State Property Act 1954 and the National Monuments Act 1930 make provisions for the vesting and management of state owned property and the protection and preservation of national monuments respectively. It is the policy of my Department to abide by the criteria and standards for the National Parks laid down by the IUCN, which can be found at www.iucn.org/theme/protected-areas/about/protected-areas-categories/category-ii-national-park.
Regarding mineral exploration in Ireland, the matter is regulated by the Exploration and Mining Division of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment.
214. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the report from the housing defects working group; when he anticipates the report of the housing defects working group to be completed; if its recommendations will be published in advance of Budget 2023; when he anticipates the proposed redress scheme to be open for applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22288/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. It commits to an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report "Safe as Houses?". Housing for All, the Government’s national plan on housing to 2030, reiterates this commitment.
In this regard, I established a working group to examine defects in housing. This working group has been meeting monthly since March 2021 (except for August). In addition, regular subgroup meetings take place to advance elements of the work.
The group’s terms of reference, adopted in May 2021, are focused on fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The full terms of reference of the Working Group are to:
1. Examine defects in housing having regard to the recommendations in Item 4 “Addressing the legacy of bad building and poor regulation” in Chapter 4 of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government report - ‘Safe as Houses? A Report on Building Standards, Building Controls and Consumer Protection’.
2. Establish the nature of significant, wide-spread fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 – 2013 in Ireland through consultation with affected homeowners, homeowner representative organisations, owners’ management companies, relevant managing agents, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, industry stakeholders, insurance providers, mortgage providers and other relevant parties. Including such matters as:
- Identification and description of defect,
- Nature of defect – design, product, workmanship,
- Non-compliance with building regulations or actual damage,
- Severity/risk to life or serviceability of dwelling,
- Period of construction affected,
- Type of dwelling affected,
- Location of dwellings affected.
1. Establish the scale of the issue – estimate number of dwellings affected by the defects identified including those already remediated.
2. Consider a methodology for the categorisation of defects and the prioritisation of remedial action.
- In the case of defects with fire safety implications, consider how the framework for enhancing fire safety in dwellings can be applied to mitigate the risks arising from fire safety defects pending the remediation of defects and the Code of Practice for Fire Safety Assessment of Premises and Buildings, which is currently being developed by National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management.
1. Suggest mechanisms for resolving defects, in the context of the legal rights, duties and obligations of developers, builders, building professionals, insurers, mortgage providers, building control authorities, fire authorities, owners’ management companies, owner occupiers, renters and landlords, including:
- Technical options for the remediation of dwellings,
- Efficient means of carrying out work,
- individual dwellings or whole building approach,
- routine maintenance/refurbishment or remediation,
- Structures or delivery channels needed to facilitate resolution – advice and support.
1. Evaluate the potential cost of technical remediation options.
2. Pursue options on possible financial solutions to effect a resolution, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to identify options for those impacted by defects to access low-cost, long-term finance.
3. Report to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the Examination of Defects in Housing.
As part of its deliberations, the working group is consulting with a wide range of relevant stakeholders. As part of this stakeholder engagement, the Working Group conducted a series of online surveys between 31 January and 14 March 2022 seeking the experiences of homeowners, landlords, Directors of Owners’ Management Companies and Property Management Agents. These submissions are currently being analysed.
The insights gained through engagement with stakeholders as well as the outcome of the online consultation are informing the ongoing deliberations of the Working Group and are supporting the delivery on its extensive terms of reference and finalisation of its report.
I am satisfied that the Working Group is working effectively and efficiently on this complex matter, and will require sufficient time to complete its work. In that context, I look forward to a report later this year following completion of their consultations and deliberations. Once I receive the report I will give full consideration to its contents.
215. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he or his officials informed the chairperson of a group (details supplied) of his Department’s participation in and funding of a compensation package offer to street traders prior to the group submitting its final report to him in May 2021. [22298/22]
View answerThe May 2021 report of the Moore Street Advisory Group (MSAG) recommended that an adequate and appropriately structured compensation package should be put in place for the Moore Street traders as soon as possible. The topic of compensation for the traders was raised at various meetings of the MSAG and my Department was represented on the group and therefore aware of this. My Department was at no time directly engaged in talks with the traders. My Department had engaged in some limited preliminary talks, led by Dublin City Council, regarding compensation for the traders for a range of separate schemes of works to be carried out by different parties in the area, each of which would disrupt the traders’ business.
While the report of the MSAG did not explicitly mention the State participating in any compensation package for traders, the State itself will be carrying out very substantial development works on the National Monument at No’s. 14-17 Moore Street. In that context, and against that background, it is axiomatic that the recommendation of the MSAG report for a compensation scheme for street traders for disruption and disturbance also contemplated the work by the State.
It should be stressed that any compensation that might be provided by the Department would be solely in respect of works at the national monument which fronts fully on to Moore Street and the area where the street traders do their business. No compensation package has been agreed by my Department.
The Chairperson referred to was made aware by the Department that preliminary talks were being engaged in as referenced earlier.
