Tuesday, 12 Jul 2022

Ukraine War

Questions (439)

Pa Daly

Question:

439. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the responsibilities of the Director of Services for Ukrainian refugees (details supplied) within local authorities; and if he will provide a breakdown in tabular form of the local authorities who have appointed someone to this role. [37730/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Darragh O'Brien)

Supporting the response to the Ukrainian Humanitarian Crisis is being treated as a key priority for local authorities. In April, I wrote to each Chief Executive to ask them to identify a lead Director of Service or equivalent level who could be dedicated to co-ordinating the local response on a full-time basis supported by a temporary support team to:

- work as part of the Community Response Forum reporting to the Chief Executive;

- lead the co-ordination of the provision of supports and services to Ukrainians at a local level by the range of public and not-profit bodies involved;

- identify gaps or any inefficiencies in service delivery and seek to address them locally with the bodies involved and, where necessary, escalate issues that cannot be resolved locally to national level for resolution;

- provide support on related issues that may arise including any matters specific to supporting the State’s response to the Ukraine crisis.

It is envisaged that the team will be required initially for 6 months and this duration will be kept under review.

The nature of the response required by local authorities in meeting the Ukrainian crisis means that local authorities are operating in a constantly evolving environment. It is a matter for each Chief Executive to decide the appropriate grade composition of the temporary support team.

Where a local authority identifies the need for an additional Director of Service to deal with the Ukrainian crisis, a staff sanction request needs to be submitted to my Department. Following the approval of a staffing sanction request it is then a matter for the Chief Executive, who is responsible under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001 for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible, to progress the appointment as appropriate.

My Department has currently received and approved sanction requests for an additional temporary seven Directors of Service, the local authorities are detailed in the table below.

Local Authority

Galway County Council

Kilkenny County Council

Laois County Council

Longford County Council

Louth County Council

Roscommon County Council

Westmeath County Council

In some cases, it is not always the most efficient approach to seek to recruit, given the process involved and the challenge of finding the specific skills set required. Other local authorities have, therefore, assigned the role to existing Directors of Service, based on where those appropriate skill sets and experience are available, acknowledging the complexity of the issues involved.

Departmental Licences

Questions (440)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

440. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of encroachment licences that have been issued for new moorings in Lough Ree (details supplied) in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [37743/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Waterways Ireland have not issued any encroachment licenses for new moorings in the areas referred to by the Deputy, from 2018 to date. This is because there have been no applications for new moorings in these areas during the period in question.

Waterways Ireland

Questions (441, 442)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

441. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of the property portfolio of Waterways Ireland that is registered. [37745/22]

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Sorca Clarke

Question:

442. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when it is anticipated that the complete property portfolio of Waterways Ireland will be registered. [37746/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 441 and 442 together.

Waterways Ireland established a dedicated land recovery and first registration team in 2021 to research, lodge and register its property portfolio. This work is ongoing and it is anticipated that registration of the complete property portfolio will take three to five years. Currently, 52% of the property is registered or at an advanced stage of registration.

Question No. 442 answered with Question No. 441.

Wildlife Regulations

Questions (443)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

443. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update in relation to the wild bird declarations general and air safety given that the current declarations will expire on 31 July 2022. [37770/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The current Wild Bird Declarations, one general and one relating to air safety allowing for the control of certain wild bird species, were extended by me in April 2022 and are due to expire on 31 July 2022.

I have now signed two new Declarations, one general and one relating to air safety, that reflect Article 9 of the Birds Directive. These new Declarations will cover the period from 1st August 2022 to 30th April 2023 and are available on the NPWS website: www.npws.ie/legislation/eu-directives/birds-directive/eu-birds-directive-article-9-derogations.

Housing Policy

Questions (444, 445)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

444. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants that have been removed from the social housing list as a result of changes to the household means policy issued on 26 March 2021, per county in tabular form. [37846/22]

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Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

445. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants that have had a social housing offer revoked as a result of changes to the household means policy issued on 26 March 2021, per county in tabular form. [37847/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together.

The information requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department.

Question No. 445 answered with Question No. 444.

Housing Provision

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 446 to 453, inclusive, together.

Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recent summary for all counties, conducted in November 2021, is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6119-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2021-key-findings/

Details on the length of time spent on the record of qualified households (waiting lists) for each local authority can be found at tables A1.8 of the report.

Information on the exact time periods requested is not contained in the SSHA report or held by my Department.

Question No. 447 answered with Question No. 446.

Question No. 448 answered with Question No. 446.

Question No. 449 answered with Question No. 446.

Question No. 450 answered with Question No. 446.

Question No. 451 answered with Question No. 446.

Question No. 452 answered with Question No. 446.

Question No. 453 answered with Question No. 446.

Departmental Data

Questions (454, 455)

Johnny Mythen

Question:

454. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of times that the discretionary top-up for housing assistance payments was used in 2021 as at the end of the fourth quarter, 2021 and to date in 2022 in County Wexford by municipal district; the average percentage amount of this top-up per district; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37955/22]

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Johnny Mythen

Question:

455. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons from each municipal district in County Wexford who are currently in receipt of a HAP payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37956/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 455 together.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2021, over 100,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were nearly 62,000 households actively in receipt of HAP support.

At the end of Q1 2022, over 102,500 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were nearly 61,500 households actively in receipt of HAP support, including 1,495 households in Wexford. Local authorities have had discretion, because of local rental market conditions, to exceed the maximum rent limit by up to 20%, or up to 50% in the Dublin region for those households either in, or at immediate risk of homelessness. It is a matter for each local authority to determine whether the application of a discretionary increase is warranted, and the level of such an increase, on a case-by-case basis.

I have now introduced an increase in the HAP discretion rate to 35% and for new tenancies, expanded the couple’s rate to single persons. This will secure more tenancies and prevent new entries to homelessness.

I have signed the Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 342 of 2022) providing for these changes, which took effect from Monday, 11 July 2022.

A breakdown of the number of HAP tenancies at end Q4 2021 and Q1 2022 with the average discretionary increase paid for each of the municipal districts in Wexford is detailed in the table below:-

Wexford Q4 2021 Discretion Rate

Municipal Area	Active Tenancies @ end Q4 2021	No. of tenancies that received discretion	Average Discretion Rate
Enniscorthy	314	146	17%
Gorey/Kilmuckridge	338	231	21%
New Ross	294	149	17%
Rosslare	100	52	18%
Wexford Borough	422	263	20%
Other*	53	26	19%

Wexford Q1 2022 Discretion Rate

Municipal Area	Active Tenancies @ end Q1 2022	No. of tenancies that received discretion	Average Discretion Rate
Enniscorthy	319	162	18%
Gorey/Kilmuckridge	326	228	21%
New Ross	298	152	17%
Rosslare	102	53	18%
Wexford Borough	399	260	20%
Other*	51	25	19%

*Inter-authority movements, whilst the tenant is registered with Wexford County Council, the tenancy is located outside of the county.

Section 43 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, gives the Minister the power to determine the appropriate amount of rent for qualified households, where the household class is not already prescribed for in the HAP regulations. This is mainly used for larger families. The figure for Gorey/ Kilmuckridge municipal district is above the 20% discretion available to local authorities, as there was a number of Section 43 determinations included in the calculation.

I am committed to decreasing our reliance on the HAP scheme and we will only do that through significantly scaling up our social housing supply. ‘Housing for all’ sets us on a pathway to delivering 90,000 social homes between now and the end of 2030 including 9,000 this year.

Question No. 455 answered with Question No. 454.

Local Authorities

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 456 to 458, inclusive, together.

My Department introduced an Energy Efficiency Programme that commenced in 2013, with the ambition to fund retrofit on all social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. This programme has seen improved energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 75,000 Local Authority homes over the period 2013 to the end of 2021 at a total cost to the exchequer of some €183 million.

For the period 2013 – 2020 Energy Efficiency Works were carried out in two phases:

Phase 1 aimed to ensure that the entire social housing stock would have, as a minimum, wall insulation and attic insulation (300mm). To this end, funding was initially targeted at the less intrusive cavity wall insulation as well as attic/roof insulation.

Phase 2 focused on the fabric upgrade works to those remaining dwellings with solid/hollow block wall construction and includes the provision of heating upgrades.

This previous programme was withdrawn in 2021 with the introduction of a new holistic Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme that focuses on ensuring that the fabric of the home is upgraded and an energy efficient heating system is provided. The programme will see a significant upscaling on what has been completed by local authorities in previous years.

This new enhanced ten year energy efficiency programme was launched in response to a commitment made under the Programme for Government, which called for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent BER standard by 2030, of which approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes.

The 2022 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting programme has seen a significant increase in funding support to local authorities to €85 million, allowing approximately 2,400 homes nationally to be upgraded to a B2 or Cost Optimal Equivalent Standard.

A breakdown of the funding provided and the output per local authority since 2013 can be found on the Department website below:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/.

Work in relation to the 2022 programme 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 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme will be available early in 2023.

Separately details in relation to those properties that fall below the B2 BER rating should be available directly upon request from the local authority themselves.

Question No. 457 answered with Question No. 456.

Question No. 458 answered with Question No. 457.