Written Answers Nos. 771-790
771. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide funding for the employment of a domestic violence officer in Kildare County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41564/22]
View answer772. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will fund the employment of a community energy advisor in Kildare County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41565/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 771 and 772 together.
Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. Under 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.
I do not have functional responsibility for matters concerning domestic violence or energy. The locus of responsibility or accountability at central level is determined by the nature of the particular issue or activity involved, not by the fact that it involves a local authority role per se.
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 the information sought is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information would be available from individual local authorities.
773. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish the Mulcahy Report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41566/22]
View answer774. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action that he has taken in view of the Mulcahy Report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41567/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 773 and 774 together.
I 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.
775. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant homes broken down by each local authority over the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41581/22]
View answerThe preliminary findings of Census 2022 provided a figure of 166,752 vacant homes nationwide. This represents 7.8% of the housing stock. Studies suggest a properly functioning housing market will have a base vacancy rate and it is suggested that this rate is around 6%. The Census 2022 figures represent a 9% reduction overall on the Census 2016 vacant homes figure of approximately 183,000. The figure should not be used as a proxy for the number of long-term vacant dwellings. The figure is a point-in-time indicator of whether a property was inhabited or not on Census night.
My Department does not currently have a record of vacant homes in each county. The preliminary analysis of the Local Property Tax (LPT) 2022 indicates that levels of vacancy amongst liable properties are low across all counties and lie within the range that is considered to be in line with a functioning housing market. The data also indicates that many of the reasons given for vacancy are genuine and acceptable reasons for temporary vacancy, for example, where a property is for sale, between lettings, undergoing refurbishment, where the property is subject to a probate application or other legal proceedings, holiday homes, or in cases where the owner is in long-term care.
A pilot field-based survey across 6 local authorities indicated an average vacancy rate of 2.9%. My Department is currently considering extending this pilot in partnership with all local authorities in order to better understand levels of long term vacancy in each area.
776. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of expressions of interest that were received for the Croí Cónaithe cities by Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford; the total number of apartments that were applied for; the average viability gap; the average total cost per apartment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41593/22]
View answerThe Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme supports the building of apartments for sale to owner-occupiers. The Scheme aims to bridge the current “Viability Gap” between the cost of building apartments and the market sale price (where the cost of building is greater). The scheme is targeted principally at activating planning permissions already in place for such homes.
The scheme launched on the 10th May with an Expressions of Interest process and will be managed and administered by the Housing Agency on behalf of my Department. The closing date for receipt of proposals was 21st June 2022.
The Housing Agency has now started the first of the three pre-contract stages:
1. Reviewing eligible proposals,
2. Ranking of suitable proposals,
3. A detailed due diligence process leading to eligibility.
I expect that the full assessment of proposals received will take a number of months and agreements to deliver apartments to be put in place in the Autumn.
777. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a vacancy will be tracked using energy usage; and if his Department is engaged in developing this system [41595/22]
View answerIn addition to the recent data provided through the preliminary analysis of the Local Property Tax (LPT) 2022 and Census 2022, my Department is currently reviewing additional opportunities to harness vacancy data. This will include working with the Vacant Homes Officer in each local authority to monitor and assess vacancy data locally, including potentially through field based surveys.
My Department does not have access to data on energy usage by individual homes. It should be noted that the Statistics Act restricts the use of individual data collected for statistical compilation only. This data is strictly confidential and used exclusively for statistical purposes.
On the 14 July, my Department launched the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The fund is initially focused on supporting refurbishment of vacant homes in regional towns and villages. The Fund is being delivered by local authorities, and will provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages in Ireland, initially through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, with priority given to areas where the level of vacancy or dereliction is high.
For the purposes of this scheme, a property is deemed to be vacant if it has been vacant and unoccupied for a period of two years or more. Confirmation of vacancy can be validated and verified by the use of, for example, utility bills which may be submitted by the homeowner and which can help determine vacancy periods (e.g. pattern of usage or disconnection) or such other proofs as are available to the satisfaction of the local authority. Confirmation of vacancy must be validated and verified by the local authority prior to grant approval.
778. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of whole-time equivalent staff in the vacant homes unit by grade. [41596/22]
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. Addressing vacancy is a key part of the strategy, as set out in Pathway Four on addressing vacancy and efficient use of existing stock.
In light of these priorities, my Department decided that work on this pathway merits a dedicated Principal Officer-led Vacant Homes Unit. At present, the Unit contains a full time Principal Officer, Assistant Principal Officer and Executive Officer with further staffing planned as work advances. The Unit will play a key part in delivering on the Government commitments under Housing for All, Pathway four designed to tackle vacancy and ensure the more efficient use of our existing housing stock.
780. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there will be caps on specific work carried out under the proposed grant for renewing vacant homes for example carpets. [41610/22]
View answerOn the 14 July, my Department launched the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The fund is initially focused on supporting refurbishment of vacant homes in regional towns and villages. The Fund is being delivered by local authorities, and will provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages in Ireland, initially through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, with priority given to areas where the level of vacancy or dereliction is high.
A grant of up to a maximum of €30,000 will be available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore. Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €30,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 will be available where the property is confirmed derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €50,000.
Applications are to be made to the relevant local authority prior to works commencing. They will arrange for suitable technical staff to visit the property to assess the projected costs of the work proposed. The grant will be paid based on vouched expenditure following a final inspection by the local authority. The scheme outline contains a list of works which are eligible for grant assistance, subject to a reasonable cost assessment by the local authority and to any limits for specific works as may be set out in guidance from my Department.
781. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider increasing the amounts proposed under the vacant homes grant given construction inflation. [41611/22]
View answerOn the 14 July, my Department launched the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The fund is initially focused on supporting refurbishment of vacant homes in regional towns and villages. The Fund is being delivered by local authorities, and will provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages in Ireland, initially through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, with priority given to areas where the level of vacancy or dereliction is high.
A grant of up to a maximum of €30,000 will be available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore. Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €30,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 will be available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €50,000.
Applications are to be made to the relevant local authority prior to works commencing. They will arrange for suitable technical staff to visit the property to assess the projected costs of the work proposed. The grant will be paid based on vouched expenditure following a final inspection by the local authority. The scheme will be kept under ongoing review by my Department.
783. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider publishing the review into housing assistance payments [41613/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to ensuring that Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) levels are adequate to support vulnerable households, while the supply of social housing increases.
Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with undertaking an analytical exercise to examine whether an increase in the level of discretion available to Local Authorities under HAP is required. The Housing Agency undertook to carry out this analytical exercise on behalf of my Department to better understand what level of discretion should be made available to Local Authorities under HAP to maintain adequate levels of support.
Following receipt and analysis of this review, I, in cooperation with Government colleagues and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, have now approved an increase in the HAP discretion rate from 20% to 35% and for new tenancies to extend the couple’s rate to single person households. This will secure more tenancies and prevent new entries to homelessness. Both these measures came into effect from 11 July 2022.
A separate review of the discretion available to Homeless HAP tenancies in Dublin, which is up to 50% above the prescribed maximum rent limits, is currently being undertaken by my Department, in conjunction with the Housing Agency.
While the analysis of the homeless HAP discretion limits is underway, it would not be appropriate to consider the publication of the HAP discretion report, as it is continuing to form part of the ongoing deliberative process.
784. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount to be spent, by local authority on housing assistance payments in 2022 [41614/22]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q2 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.
Budget 2022 increased the Exchequer funding for the HAP scheme to €585 million. This will allow for the continued support of existing HAP households and also enable a projected additional 14,000 households to be supported by HAP in 2022. The outturn for HAP in 2021 was €541.7m
Up to the end of Q1 2022, €135.6m was spent on the HAP Scheme.
Data in relation to funding provided by the State for HAP tenancies in 2019?2021, broken down by local authority area, can be found on my Department’s website at this link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#housing-assistance-payment
This funding represents the portion paid by my Department after receipt of the differential rent which is paid by the tenant to the local authority. It does not include administration costs related to the Scheme.
HAP is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. Limerick City and County Council provides a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. This HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord.
Details of the number of active HAP tenancies and the average monthly landlord payment by local authority area at the end of Q1 2022 are set out in the table below.
|
Local authority |
Active HAP tenancies at end of Q1 2022 |
Average HAP monthly landlord payment Q1 2022 |
|
Carlow County Council |
653 |
€578.57 |
|
Cavan County Council |
450 |
€492.52 |
|
Clare County Council |
1,322 |
€508.63 |
|
Cork City Council |
3,119 |
€820.20 |
|
Cork County Council |
3,603 |
€763.28 |
|
Donegal County Council |
1,791 |
€409.89 |
|
Dublin City Council |
5,460 |
€1,335.38 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
927 |
€1,373.68 |
|
Fingal County Council |
2,604 |
€1,379.43 |
|
Galway City Council |
1,919 |
€836.95 |
|
Galway County Council |
1,464 |
€781.37 |
|
Kerry County Council |
1,729 |
€533.50 |
|
Kildare County Council |
2,235 |
€949.40 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
768 |
€616.75 |
|
Laois County Council |
928 |
€627.20 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
274 |
€423.00 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
2,391 |
€624.83 |
|
Longford County Council |
369 |
€445.81 |
|
Louth County Council |
3,227 |
€921.36 |
|
Mayo County Council |
1,306 |
€527.74 |
|
Meath County Council |
2,139 |
€984.23 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
561 |
€527.97 |
|
Offaly County Council |
777 |
€543.95 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
432 |
€504.05 |
|
Sligo County Council |
824 |
€525.56 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
2,930 |
€1,359.19 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1,784 |
€509.10 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
1,969 |
€542.83 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
968 |
€586.26 |
|
Wexford County Council |
1,495 |
€560.09 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
1,694 |
€1,042.27 |
|
Dublin Region Homeless Executive* |
9,320 |
N/A |
|
Total |
61,432 |
€927.35 ** |
* Average monthly landlord payments for tenancies set up by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities are recorded against the individual local authority.
** Overall average landlord payment.
785. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of long-term leases each local authority has entered into in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form [41615/22]
View answerThe Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the leasing of houses and apartments.
Long term lease arrangements can be entered into by either local authorities or approved housing bodies (AHBs) for periods of between 10 and 25 years.
A breakdown by local authority of the total number of long-term leases delivered in 2021 and Q1 2022 can be found in Table 1 below:
Table 1: Total Long-term Leasing Delivery* by Local Authority – 2021 & Q1 2022
|
LA |
2021 |
Q1 2022 |
|
Carlow |
30 |
|
|
Cavan |
6 |
|
|
Clare |
20 |
|
|
Cork City |
112 |
3 |
|
Cork County |
12 |
1 |
|
DLR |
93 |
1 |
|
Donegal |
38 |
|
|
Dublin City |
489 |
68 |
|
Fingal |
145 |
13 |
|
Galway City |
9 |
3 |
|
Galway County |
3 |
11 |
|
Kerry |
||
|
Kildare |
287 |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
5 |
|
|
Laois |
7 |
3 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
|
|
Limerick |
71 |
3 |
|
Longford |
||
|
Louth |
63 |
10 |
|
Mayo |
4 |
14 |
|
Meath |
27 |
3 |
|
Monaghan |
||
|
Offaly |
4 |
6 |
|
Roscommon |
3 |
|
|
Sligo |
||
|
South Dublin |
158 |
11 |
|
Tipperary |
10 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
145 |
|
|
Westmeath |
26 |
1 |
|
Wexford |
24 |
|
|
Wicklow |
6 |
64 |
|
Total |
1798 |
218 |
*This data includes LA direct leasing, enhanced leasing, and AHB private leasing.
Delivery data for Q2 2022 is being collated at present and will be published as soon as that process is finalised.
788. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage understanding of the timeline for the review by National Standards Authority of Ireland of IS 465 in terms of commencement and completion of the review; the public consultation that will be involved in the process; and when he expects his Department to be in a position to consider amendments to the regulations underpinning the defective concrete block remediation scheme on foot of the review. [41622/22]
View answerFollowing on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme, the Government approved the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President.
The purpose of this Act is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the scheme as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. Full details can be found at www.gov.ie/en/press-release/328d7-minister-obrien-welcomes-progress-on-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.
Arising from the Government Decision in November 2021, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) was tasked with delivering a programme of work to address the following technical items:
- A review of I.S. 465:2018+A1:2020 - Assessment, testing and categorisation of damaged buildings incorporating concrete blocks containing certain deleterious materials and its application.
- A review by NSAI Masonry Committee of the Irish Standard for Concrete Blocks (including aggregates).
- A review of the impact of pumped cavity wall insulation on cavity wall construction and within homes susceptible to or impacted by defective concrete blocks.
NSAI does not operate under the auspices of my Department. It is an autonomous body under the aegis of the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, and as such detail on its programme of work is a matter for the NSAI.
However, an interagency Defective Concrete Blocks – Technical Matters Steering Group has been established to support and inform the NSAI Standardisation Program in relation to technical issues. The steering group includes representatives from NSAI, Geological Survey Ireland, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and representatives from my Department.
The NSAI have been asked to review I.S. 465 and carry out all necessary research as a matter of priority.
Section 51 (2) of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Block Bill, 2022 commits to the commencement of a review of the operation of the Act within 3 months of any review of I.S.465:2018 by NSAI.
789. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of European Commission enforcement against the State for breaches of the Urban Wastewater Directive; the number of agglomerations still in breach of the directive; the number of households affected in each agglomerations; and the timeline for bringing the wastewater treatment plans in each of these area into compliance. [41623/22]
View answerFollowing a judgment in March 2019 by the Court of Justice of the European Union on Ireland's non-compliance with the urban wastewater treatment directive, my Department, accompanied by Irish Water, met with European Commission officials in June 2019 and proposed a programme of measures to ensure that the findings in the judgment were addressed. My Department is maintaining regular contact with the Commission as the work set out in the programme of measures is progressed and has submitted its fifth report of progress. Works have been completed at 18 of the 28 agglomerations identified in the judgment to bring them into compliance with the Directive.
My Department does not have details on the numbers of households in each agglomeration, that is an issue for Irish Water.
Irish Water continues to develop and implement a long-term investment perspective in order to strategically address the deficiencies in the public water and waste water system. Building water and waste water treatment plants, as well as upgrading or building new water and waste water networks, requires significant and sustained investment. The National Development Plan 2021-2030 provides for significant investment in public water and wastewater infrastructure over the course of the plan to ensure the continued operation, repair and upgrading of Ireland’s water and waste water infrastructure to support social and economic development across the State and ensure compliance with EU Directives.
790. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the 90 vacant buildings intended for multi-family emergency accommodation for Ukrainian refugees; the timeline for bringing each of these properties into active use as emergency accommodation; and the counties in which these buildings are located [41624/22]
View answerThe vacant buildings referred to in the question were identified by local authorities a number of months ago and referred to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEIDY) as the Department with primary responsibility for providing accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. I am advised that the buildings in question are being used by DCEIDY to provide accommodation for over 5,000 people. Further information may be available from that Department.
