Written Answers Nos. 244-263
244. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that the Mulcahy Report completed in June 2017 has not been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27450/22]
View answerI am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course.
With regard to the question of the publication of the Mulcahy Report, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner (OIC-59426-Q8D7T8) of 27 February 2020 in relation to requests to publish this report will also be taken into account. Both decisions are publicly available on those bodies' websites.
It should be noted that in each of these cases, both the Commissioner for Environmental Information and the Information Commissioner decided not to grant access to the report. The Office of the Information Commissioner decision stated "placing the details concerned in the public domain would significantly breach the rights to privacy of identifiable individuals." Therefore, this is a matter that requires careful consideration given that the report details unproven allegations against named individuals.
245. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of meetings that he has held with local authority chief executives or relevant staff members to discuss collection of the derelict sites levy. [27451/22]
View answer247. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that he believes that local authorities are not collecting the derelict sites levy. [27453/22]
View answer249. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration has been given to the transfer of responsibility for collection of the derelict sites levy to the Revenue Commissioners or another State body. [27455/22]
View answer251. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions that he is considering to improve collection of the derelict sites levy. [27457/22]
View answer252. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, as supported by the findings of the Local Government Audit Service, local authorities are postponing collection of the derelict sites levy until the sale of sites, despite no provision within legislation allowing this. [27458/22]
View answer254. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to any other state claim on individual finances that is not collected to the same extent as the derelict sites levy. [27460/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 245, 247, 249, 251, 252 and 254 together.
My Department does not hold the requested information regarding state claims under statutory schemes operated by other Government Departments or agencies. However, within my own Department and by way of comparison, derelict site levy due nationally to local authorities in 2020 (the most recent year for which data is available) was €5,448,642 of which €378,763 was collected, indicating a national collection rate of just under 7%. In the case of the vacant site levy, the demands issued nationally in 2020 totalled €21,429,540 of which €1,976,090 was collected, indicating a collection rate of just over 9%.
The foregoing data does not compare favourably with the data for the collection of commercial rates by local authorities, as collated by my Department, which for 2020 stood at 89%. However, where monies are owed under the derelict site levy, they become a charge on the land concerned under section 24 of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act) until they are paid.
The Act imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site.
Local authority powers include requiring owners or occupiers to take appropriate measures on derelict sites; acquiring derelict sites by agreement, or compulsorily; and applying a derelict sites levy on derelict sites. It is a matter for local authorities to determine the most appropriate use of the legislation within their respective functional areas.
The only circumstances under the Act where the derelict sites levy may be waived is on hardship grounds. The waiving of the derelict sites levy under section 26 of the Act is at the discretion of the local authority concerned. Section 23(6) of the Act further provides that a local authority may allow for payment of any levies due by instalments.
Where land entered on a local authority derelict site register, or an interest in such land, is transferred from one person to another, such as on foot of being sold, both persons involved in the transaction are required under section 29 of the Act to notify the local authority concerned of the transfer within 4 weeks of the date of transfer. When a local authority is so notified, it shall cause the appropriate entry in the register to be amended. As outlined, the levy remains a charge on the land until it is paid and is payable by the registered owner. It is an offence not to comply with this requirement.
I have not specifically met with local authority Chief Executives collectively regarding the operation of the derelict site levy but it has come up in individual engagements I have had with some of them. However, officials of my Department continue to liaise with local authorities on the implementation of the Act with a view to improving its effectiveness. In this regard, my Department initiated a review of the Act in November 2021 and has sought initial submissions from local authorities on potential improvements to the legislative provisions and the way they are applied. My Department is now in the process of establishing a focused working group to speedily progress this matter further and has been in contact with the Local Government Management Agency in relation to the nomination of relevant local authority officials to participate in this review. It would be premature to speculate on possible legislative changes and improvements in the levy collection mechanisms in advance of the completion of this review.
There is currently no proposal to replace the derelict site levy with a tax. However, action 15.2 of Housing for All commits to the introduction of a new tax to activate vacant land for residential purposes, to replace the current Vacant Site Levy. In this connection, the new Residential Zoned Land Tax was introduced by the Minister for Finance in the Finance Act 2021. The purpose of the proposed measure is to incentivise the activation of land which is zoned and serviced for residential development, but remains undeveloped, thereby assisting in increasing housing output, rather than to raise revenue.
The Department of Finance is also giving consideration to a vacant property tax and is assessing the current Local Property Tax returns to ascertain the present vacancy situation. Once collated and analysed, this will provide a new data set on vacant homes.
My Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities to ensure that all derelict site levies due are paid and that the measure can achieve its full potential.
246. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sites on each derelict sites register by local authority in tabular form. [27452/22]
View answerLocal Authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the operation of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 in their functional areas. The derelict sites returns are collected in Q2 of the following year.
The table below contains the information requested regarding the operation of the derelict sites levy, as per the most recent returns from local authorities relating to the year 2020.
|
Local Authority |
No. of sites in respect of which a notice/demand under the Act issued |
No. of Derelict Sites on Register at 1 January 2020 |
No. of Derelict Sites entered onto Register during the year |
No. of Derelict Sites removed from Register during the year |
No. of Derelict Sites on Register at 31 December 2020 |
|
Carlow |
38 |
37 |
3 |
18 |
22 |
|
Cavan |
52 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
23 |
|
Clare |
0 |
44 |
0 |
5 |
39 |
|
Cork County |
13 |
180 |
0 |
0 |
180 |
|
Cork City |
90 |
100 |
3 |
8 |
95 |
|
Donegal |
0 |
18 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Dublin City |
83 |
85 |
2 |
14 |
73 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
35 |
22 |
2 |
14 |
10 |
|
Fingal |
12 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Galway City |
21 |
12 |
4 |
0 |
16 |
|
Galway County |
17 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Kerry |
57 |
68 |
12 |
23 |
57 |
|
Kildare |
12 |
14 |
2 |
0 |
16 |
|
Kilkenny |
7 |
17 |
0 |
2 |
15 |
|
Laois |
0 |
88 |
11 |
7 |
92 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
36 |
0 |
0 |
36 |
|
Limerick City & County |
287 |
90 |
125 |
13 |
215 |
|
Longford |
4 |
34 |
2 |
0 |
36 |
|
Louth |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Mayo |
265 |
156 |
166 |
54 |
268 |
|
Meath |
40 |
12 |
8 |
0 |
20 |
|
Monaghan |
3 |
35 |
1 |
0 |
36 |
|
Offaly |
19 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
20 |
1 |
2 |
19 |
|
South Dublin |
8 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
|
Tipperary |
39 |
46 |
4 |
11 |
39 |
|
Waterford City & County |
6 |
33 |
0 |
0 |
33 |
|
Westmeath |
73 |
101 |
3 |
5 |
99 |
|
Wexford |
84 |
52 |
5 |
12 |
45 |
|
Wicklow |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Total |
1274 |
1369 |
355 |
189 |
1548 |
248. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that his Department has had no engagement with the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Finance concerning the collection of vacant homes data given recent conflicting media reports. [27454/22]
View answerHousing 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.
Housing for All commits to a range of measures to address vacancy and maximise the use of existing housing stock including work underway by the Department of Finance through the current Local Property Tax returns to assess the present vacancy situation. Once collated and analysed this data will provide a new data set on vacant homes including for my Department and local authorities. In addition, the vacant property tax consideration is being pursued by the Department of Finance and I understand that my colleague the Minister for Finance will consider the vacant property tax in consultation with colleagues, including myself as Minister, before reverting to Government with proposals.
250. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of compulsory purchase orders by local authority in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. [27456/22]
View answerThe information requested is not collected by my Department, as the approval or confirmation of proposals for the compulsory purchase of land or property by statutory authorities is a matter for An Bord Pleanála.
In this connection, arrangements have been put in place by each Agency under the remit of my Department, including An Bord Pleanála, to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
253. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the potential revenue in 2021, by local authority, of sites on the derelict sites register. [27459/22]
View answerLocal Authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the operation of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 in their functional areas. The derelict sites returns are collected in Q2 of the following year.
The table below contains the information requested regarding the operation of the derelict sites levy, as per the most recent returns from local authorities relating to the year 2020.
|
Local Authority |
Amount levied during the year € |
Amount received in respect of sites levied during 2020 |
|
Carlow |
64,364.00 |
3,500.00 |
|
Cavan |
- |
- |
|
Clare |
- |
- |
|
Cork County |
44,700.00 |
900.00 |
|
Cork City |
1,739,640.00 |
163,231.00 |
|
Donegal |
- |
- |
|
Dublin City |
1,648,150.00 |
142,165.00 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
301,000.00 |
25,800.00 |
|
Fingal |
- |
- |
|
Galway City |
298,900.00 |
21,000.00 |
|
Galway County |
- |
- |
|
Kerry |
150,162.00 |
- |
|
Kildare |
93,450.00 |
- |
|
Kilkenny |
3,150.00 |
120.00 |
|
Laois |
- |
- |
|
Leitrim |
- |
- |
|
Limerick City & County |
280,265 |
15,545.00 |
|
Longford |
- |
- |
|
Louth |
13,500.00 |
- |
|
Mayo |
- |
- |
|
Meath |
116,654.00 |
- |
|
Monaghan |
- |
- |
|
Offaly |
- |
- |
|
Roscommon |
- |
- |
|
Sligo |
- |
- |
|
South Dublin |
37,417.00 |
- |
|
Tipperary |
45,150.00 |
- |
|
Waterford City & County |
- |
- |
|
Westmeath |
370,500.00 |
6,502.00 |
|
Wexford |
199,640.00 |
- |
|
Wicklow |
42,000.00 |
- |
|
Total |
5,448,642.00 |
378,763.00 |
255. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement that his Department has had with representatives of construction industry regarding the expected delays to building projects due to the increase in building and fuel costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27493/22]
View answerConstruction costs have risen considerably over recent years. This is due to a combination of the increased cost of regulatory compliance, general increases in labour and material costs, and increases in energy costs. The CSO Wholesale Price Index (WPI) shows the annual increase for building and construction materials to be 18.2% to the end of April 2022.
My Department continues to diligently monitor this trend, and has implemented extensive mitigation measures under its own its own remit, whilst also collaborating expansively with other Government Departments and Agencies in addressing the increasing cost issue
Given the importance of technology to the maximisation of construction efficiencies, and accordingly, cost-reduction, the Government is enhancing the role of the new Construction Technology Centre (CTC) which is under development by Enterprise Ireland. The CTC’s role will be enhanced beyond the standard remit of Technology Centres in general for its first three years of operation in order to prioritise residential construction. It will incorporate:
- Structures to enable innovation in residential construction;
- A proactive role in strengthening the residential construction value chain;
- Promotion, development and support for innovation / modern methods of construction (MMCs) using digital and manufacturing technology;
- Support for SMEs to develop scale and to adopt MMCs and Building Innovation Modelling (BIM) techniques; and
- Support for digitisation in the manufacturing sector for residential construction.
This will be complemented by an increased focus for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform-led Construction Sector Group (CSG) on the residential construction sector. This will include the introduction and full implementation of a pipeline of cost reducing innovations and productivity measures, in line with its established remit to improve productivity and efficiency, and to control price inflation.
To further support innovation the development of MMC will be broadened, and will include the establishment of a national Centre of Excellence Demonstration Park for MMC. Construction industry representatives have expressed robust support for these measures, and collaboration between stakeholders will be overseen by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
My Department is also in the process of preparing a study to carry out an analysis for each component of cost of construction (including cost of compliance) of house and apartment development, with a view to reducing cost and increasing standardisation. It will also identify opportunities for cost reduction for consideration by relevant Government departments and industry. It is proposed that this study will also include workshops to engage with industry on construction costs.
Additionally, in January 2022, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) introduced the following interim measures to address the impact that the recent price increases in construction materials is having on public works tenders:
- Reduced fixed price period duration to 24 months (previously 30 months minimum).
- Permit mutual cost recovery within the fixed price period for material price changes in excess of 15% (previously 50%).
- Introduction of a new mechanism to address the period between tender submission and award through limited indexation of the tender price.
The above measures related to new Public Works Contracts going forward (contracts with a version date earlier than 7 January 2022). More recently, in the interest of safeguarding public projects that are already under construction and to mitigate the risks of significant losses being sustained by contractors, the OGP has introduced an ‘Inflation/Supply Chain Delay Co-operation Framework’ for parties engaged under a public works contract. This framework will operate on an ex-gratia basis and includes measures to:
- address delay to the Substantial Completion of the Works, or a Section of the Works, that has occurred since 1 January 2022 where the delay is caused by supply chain disruption;
- address recent inflation in the prices of fuel and energy;
- address inflation in materials, from 1 January 2022 onwards for those Public Works contracts with a version date earlier than 7 January 2022; and
- proactively, and collaboratively, manage the on-going impact of these external factors insofar as is possible within the project’s original delivery parameters.
My Department meets with the Construction Sector Group on a quarterly basis and the Construction Sector Group Digital and Innovation sub group on a monthly basis to ensure regular and open dialogue between government and industry on how best to achieve and maintain a sustainable and innovative construction sector positioned to successfully deliver on the commitments in Project Ireland 2040. My Department also meets regularly with Industry Representative bodies and participates in Industry conferences met where increases in building and fuel costs and their impact on the delivery of housing is discussed. My Department has both enacted and collaborated in a host of cost saving measures to facilitate both the necessary growth in and the speeding up of residential construction, and engagement with the construction industry has been and remains central to this.
256. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of staff employed in his Department by gender and by civil service salary scale in tabular form. [27600/22]
View answerThere were 1467.06 staff serving in my Department at the end of April 2022, as calculated on a fulltime equivalent basis. The information requested is set out in the table below.
|
Grade |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER |
20.80 |
25.75 |
46.55 |
|
ADVISORY COUNSEL GRADE 2 |
1.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
ADVISORY COUNSEL GRADE 3 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
3.00 |
|
ARCHAEOLOGIST |
14.33 |
14.00 |
28.33 |
|
ARCHITECT |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
ARCHITECTURAL ADVISOR |
4.00 |
3.00 |
7.00 |
|
ARCHITECTURAL ASSISTANT GR 1 |
2.00 |
2.00 |
4.00 |
|
ARCHITECTURAL/ENG INSPECTOR |
6.00 |
9.00 |
15.00 |
|
ARCHIVIST |
0.73 |
|
0.73 |
|
ASSISTANT AUDITOR ENVIRONMENT |
2.50 |
5.00 |
7.50 |
|
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MET SERVICE |
1.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
ASSISTANT FIRE ADVISOR |
|
3.00 |
3.00 |
|
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL |
86.36 |
74.00 |
160.36 |
|
ASSISTANT SECRETARY |
3.00 |
3.00 |
6.00 |
|
ASSISTANT STAFF ENGINEER |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
AUDITOR ENVIRONMENT |
9.13 |
14.00 |
23.13 |
|
CHIEF ARCHAEOLOGIST |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
CIVILIAN DRIVER |
2.00 |
4.00 |
6.00 |
|
CLEANER |
1.00 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
|
CLERICAL OFF TEMPORARY |
2.00 |
4.00 |
6.00 |
|
CLERICAL OFFICER |
97.84 |
46.40 |
144.24 |
|
CONSERVATION RANGER |
36.53 |
44.00 |
80.53 |
|
CRAFT CHARGEHAND |
|
2.00 |
2.00 |
|
CRAFT FOREPERSON |
|
6.00 |
6.00 |
|
CRAFT WORKER |
2.40 |
6.00 |
8.40 |
|
DIRECTOR METEORLOGICAL SERVICE |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
DIRECTOR OF AUDIT |
1.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
DISTRICT CONSERVATION OFFICER |
3.00 |
16.00 |
19.00 |
|
ENGINEER GRADE 1 CIVIL |
1.00 |
3.19 |
4.19 |
|
ENGINEER GRADE 2 CIVIL |
|
2.00 |
2.00 |
|
ENGINEER GRADE 2 MECH/HEATING/ |
|
2.00 |
2.00 |
|
ENGINEER GRADE 3 CIVIL |
1.66 |
1.00 |
2.66 |
|
EXECUTIVE OFFICER |
125.95 |
82.51 |
208.46 |
|
FOREPERSON GRADE 1 |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
FOREPERSON GRADE 3 |
1.00 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
|
FORESTRY INSPECTOR GRADE 2 |
|
0.50 |
0.50 |
|
GENERAL OPERATIVE GRADE 1 |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
GENERAL OPERATIVE GRADE 2 |
|
27.80 |
27.80 |
|
GENERAL OPERATIVE GRADE 3 |
0.55 |
21.47 |
22.03 |
|
GUIDE |
31.60 |
18.00 |
49.60 |
|
GUIDE SUPERVISOR |
4.00 |
1.00 |
5.00 |
|
HEAD SERVICES OFFICER |
|
0.80 |
0.80 |
|
HIGHER EXECUTIVE OFFICER |
84.66 |
76.80 |
161.46 |
|
INSPECTOR PLANNING |
1.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
INSPECTOR GRADE 1 |
5.00 |
11.00 |
16.00 |
|
METEOROLOGICAL OFFICER |
12.75 |
26.00 |
38.75 |
|
METEOROLOGIST |
28.00 |
31.00 |
59.00 |
|
POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHER |
1.00 |
2.00 |
3.00 |
|
PRINCIPAL |
29.20 |
28.80 |
58.00 |
|
PRINCIPAL ADVISOR HIGHER LEVEL |
1.00 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
|
PRINCIPAL AUDITOR |
1.00 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
|
PRINCIPAL CLERK |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
PRINCIPAL METEOROLOGICAL OFF |
2.00 |
15.00 |
17.00 |
|
PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT GR 2 |
1.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
QUANTITY SURVEYOR GRADE 1 |
|
5.00 |
5.00 |
|
SECRETARY GENERAL* |
|
2.00 |
2.00 |
|
SENIOR ADVISER |
2.80 |
8.00 |
10.80 |
|
SENIOR ARCHAEOLOGIST |
3.00 |
2.00 |
5.00 |
|
SENIOR ARCHITECT |
4.00 |
|
4.00 |
|
SENIOR ASSISTANT FIRE ADVISOR |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
SENIOR METEOROLOGICAL OFFICER |
16.25 |
28.85 |
45.10 |
|
SENIOR METEOROLOGIST |
3.00 |
4.00 |
7.00 |
|
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
SERVICES ATTENDANT |
|
1.23 |
1.23 |
|
SERVICES OFFICER |
5.00 |
15.00 |
20.00 |
|
SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE MIN. OF STATE |
1.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE MINISTER |
1.00 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
|
STATISTICIAN |
1.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
STOREKEEPER CLERK GRADE 1 |
3.00 |
1.00 |
4.00 |
|
STOREKEEPER CLERK IN CHARGE |
4.00 |
|
4.00 |
|
STORES/OFFICE SUPERVISOR |
|
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
SUPERVISING HOUSING INSPECTOR |
0.80 |
1.00 |
1.80 |
|
SURVEY CONTROLLER |
1.00 |
3.00 |
4.00 |
|
VISUALLY IMPAIRED TELEPHONIST |
0.60 |
|
0.60 |
|
WILDLIFE INSPECTOR GRADE 1 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
9.00 |
|
WILDLIFE INSPECTOR GRADE 2 |
5.00 |
16.00 |
21.00 |
|
WILDLIFE INSPECTOR GRADE 3 |
15.70 |
15.80 |
31.50 |
|
Total |
702.16 |
764.90 |
1467.06 |
* Note - Figures above show two Secretaries General in my Department, one of which is included in our numbers until such time as the Electoral Commission is established in legislation.
257. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to ensure that there is a greater supply of long-term rental accommodation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27737/22]
View answerLegislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 which came into effect on 1 July 2019.
Notwithstanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work on the implementation and enforcement of the Regulations has been undertaken by planning authorities since they came into effect.
Further to a review of the current provisions as operated by local authorities under the planning code, the Government has already agreed a specific action in Housing for All (action 20.4) to “develop new regulatory controls requiring short-term and holiday lets to register with Fáilte Ireland with a view to ensuring that houses are used to best effect in areas of housing need”.
I have engaged with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media to progress this action, and a number of meetings have been held between officials of the two Departments and with Fáilte Ireland, and further engagement is expected to take place in the near future.
Funding was allocated in Budget 2022 to Fáilte Ireland which has been tasked with the design and implementation of a new short-term lettings registration system. The agency is currently recruiting staff to work on this project, with the project lead in place. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is also presently scoping out the legislative provisions that will be required to underpin the new registration system with a view to these provisions being enacted in 2022.
The final details of the operational arrangements in relation to the new registration system - including its linkages to the online short-term letting platforms - are still being worked out. However, an underlying objective of the new system will be to ensure that an adequate level of private rental accommodation can be provided, particularly in urban areas of high housing demand, and that such accommodation is not overly diverted to the short term letting sector at the expense of local people seeking long-term rental accommodation.
258. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 19 May 2022, the nomination date of all members and the nomination forms for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27853/22]
View answerThe appointment of Board members to An Bord Pleanála is governed by section 106 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), and Part 7 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. It provides that appointments to the Board by the Minister for Housing,Local Government and Heritage are generally made from candidates nominated by panels of prescribed bodies. There is no nomination form prescribed for this purpose.
The information sought regarding the nomination date of all current Board members is being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
|
Name |
Relevant Section of Act |
Nominated By |
Nomination Date |
|
Mr. David Walsh (Chairperson) |
Appointed by the Government under Section 105 |
Appointed by Government |
Appointed by Government |
|
Mr. Paul Hyde (Deputy Chairperson) |
106(1)(d) |
Irish Rural Dwellers Association (IRDA) |
20/11/2013 |
|
Mr Chris McGarry |
106(1)(a) |
Royal Town Planning Institute Ireland (RTPI) and Irish Planning Institute (IPI) |
RTPI: 12/10/2018 IPI: 10/10/2018 |
|
Mr John Connolly |
106(1)(b) |
Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) |
16/02/2017 |
|
Ms. Michelle Fagan |
106(1)(b) |
Construction Industry Federation (CIF) |
20/10/2017 |
|
Mr. Stephen Bohan |
106(1)(b) - Additional Board member appointed under Section 104(2) of the Act from Panel B nominations |
Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers (IPAV) |
17/10/2017 |
|
Ms. Patricia Calleary |
106(1)(c) |
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) |
06/08/2020 |
|
Mr Terry O'Niadh |
106(1)(c) |
County and City Management Association (CCMA) |
16/02/2017 |
|
Dr. Maria Fitzgerald |
106(1)(d) |
Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI) |
14/02/2017 |
259. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if support will be given to those who started renovations on a derelict property prior to the new funding stream announcement due to be finalised in 2022 through the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27880/22]
View answerHousing 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.
Details in relation to the operation of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is at an advanced stage, including the scope and appropriate timeframes, and it will be launched shortly.
260. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the shared equity scheme will open for applications in July; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27897/22]
View answerPart 4 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 provides for the establishment of the ‘First Home’ affordable purchase shared equity scheme to support purchases in the private market. The Scheme aims to support c. 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market in the years 2022 to 2026.
First Home will help applicants to afford new homes in the private market through the use of an equity share model, similar to that employed in the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The Scheme will primarily support First Time Buyers in the purchase of new homes within designated regional price ceilings, set with reference to the median prices for new homes purchased by first-time buyers in the area.
Subject to the necessary final approvals process of all founders to the scheme, which will see the State operate the scheme in a strategic partnership with participating banks, it is anticipated that First Home will become operational from July 2022.
261. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant social houses voids for periods of 1 to 12 months or more in each local authority area in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27904/22]
View answerLocal authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Therefore, ongoing data in relation to the location and date of vacancy of local authority units are not collated by my Department.
However, statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point in time, are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including the number of vacant local authority owned properties. The most recent report, relating to 2020, is available on the NOAC website at the following link:
noac.ie/2020-performance-indicator-report/
262. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement that has taken place between a development company and his Department and or IPAS on an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27915/22]
View answerThe Government has recently established a dedicated Cabinet Committee, chaired by An Taoiseach, to oversee and coordinate the Ukraine humanitarian response, including accommodation and supports for persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (D/CEDIY) is leading the initial humanitarian response, including providing emergency and longer-term accommodation and related supports.
My Department is supporting this work, focusing on solutions to the longer-term accommodation challenges, and is leading cross-government efforts through a Housing Taskforce established by the Government for this purpose. The Taskforce is examining options under three headings: rapid delivery volumetric accommodation; use of vacant public and private buildings as multi-occupancy accommodation; and measures to stimulate and accelerate construction of new permanent build homes.
The Office of Public Works is leading on the modular or volumetric accommodation solutions.
Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. As a result, I cannot comment in relation to any particular case. This is a matter for the relevant planning authority.
263. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost of implementing a review of local authority participation structures, excluding the strategic review of the Public Participation Networks which was undertaken by the Department of Rural and Community Development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27944/22]
View answerIn light of the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future commitment to establish a climate action strategic policy committee (SPC) in each local authority, my Department will commence a review of SPCs during 2022. Draft terms of reference for the review are currently being prepared for consideration with stakeholders. A budget for the review has not yet been defined.
The Department of Rural and Community Development carried out and published a review of Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in 2019. The review sought to assess the strategic and operational development of LCDCs since their establishment in 2014 for the purpose of identifying opportunities to strengthen and support them in the coming years. The review determined that LCDCs had made solid progress since 2014 and identified some challenges. The review made a number of recommendations. The Department of Community and Rural Development continues to work with relevant stakeholders to implement the objectives and actions identified in the review.
There are no current plans to review Joint Policing Committees (JPCs). It is, however, intended to replace JPCs with Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs), following the enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, which is being worked on presently in the Department of Justice. LCSPs are currently being piloted in three locations: North Inner City Dublin, Waterford and Longford.
