Written Answers Nos. 81-100
81. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the survey conducted by an organisation (details supplied) of quarries in County Donegal. [59802/22]
View answerIn October of last year I requested National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office, in partnership with Donegal County Council and Geological Survey Ireland, to carry out an audit of all quarries in Donegal to evaluate relevant economic operators’ compliance with the Construction Products Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 when placing relevant construction products (aggregate concrete blocks and/or aggregates for use in concrete products) on the market.
I received the final report of this audit on 30 November and am currently considering its contents.
82. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide cost rental accommodation in Dublin 9 and 11; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59833/22]
View answerThe Housing for All strategy commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030 and significant funding is made available to support delivery of Cost Rental by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities and by the Land Development Agency (LDA).
Delivery will increase incrementally, to an average of 2,000 Cost Rental homes per year. 10,000 Cost Rental homes will be delivered from 2021 to 2026. AHBs will be supported by Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding and Local Authorities will be able to avail of funding for Cost Rental delivery through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF). The LDA will also deliver Cost Rental on its own portfolio of sites, or through acquisitions under Project Tosaigh.
In terms of Dublin City Council’s delivery of affordable housing, the local authority has published its 5 year Housing Delivery Action Plan to 2026 which can be found on the Council website.
To date, AHBs have utilised Departmental CREL funding to deliver the majority of the Cost Rental homes tenanted since the legislation was passed last year. In responding to the rising interest rate environment and construction cost inflation, which directly impact on the viability of schemes, the Government has recently improved the terms and conditions for CREL funding. The CREL funding ceilings have increased, with the 30% flat rate being replaced and applications being assessed on a sliding scale basis, up to a ceiling of 45% of the total capital costs of delivering the homes. Budget 2023 also saw the funding allocation for CREL increase from €70m in 2022 to €75m for next year.
Furthermore, local authorities have been encouraged to deliver Cost Rental homes directly, by taking advantage of recent increase to the level of grant funding available under the AHF to fund the delivery of Cost Rental homes in key urban areas to €150,000 per unit. Funding for the AHF also rose in Budget 2023 from €60m in 2022 to €90m for next year. This will help facilitate the delivery of Cost Rental homes on State lands by local authorities, and it will be particularly important in areas with high land costs such as Dublin City Council, where the significant work done to progress the delivery of Cost Rental homes directly at the Emmet Road site in Dublin 8 can provide a model to deliver further homes elsewhere in the city. The use of State lands by the LDA, such as at Dundrum, will also help deliver a critical mass of Cost Rental homes in central locations.
83. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the new initiatives that he can take to assist those seeking to acquire a home; if modular or other system-built housing can be considered, with a view to making a further and serious contribution to the provision of attainable housing in the short to medium-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59780/22]
View answerUnder pathway 1 of Housing For All, “Pathways to Home Ownership and Increasing Affordability”, I have introduced the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme to assist first-time buyers purchasing Local Authority-delivered new homes by bridging the gap between the market value of the home and the combined value of the buyer's mortgage and deposit. Affordable Purchase homes will be advertised on the relevant Local Authority’s website in advance of their sale, as well as eligibility requirements such as household income limits. This delivery of affordable housing is supported by the Affordable Housing Fund, with €60 million being made available in 2022, increasing to €90 million in 2023.
The First Home shared equity scheme, launched on 7 July this year, acts in a similar way to the Local Authority-led scheme, though it applies to homes purchased through the private market through the use of an equity share model. Subject to eligibility criteria, it can provide funds up to 30% of the value of a newly constructed home (or 20% if you use the Help to Buy Scheme). Overall, this Scheme is intended to support up to 8,000 affordable purchases in the period out to 2026. The State has committed an overall funding envelope of €200m over the lifetime of the scheme to be matched by the participating lenders. Full details of the Scheme, including eligibility criteria, are available on the website:
www.firsthomescheme.ie.
Other measures, such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Local Authority Home loan are also nationally available to eligible first-time purchasers to make home ownership more affordable.
The Help-to-Buy incentive supports First-time Buyers in meeting the deposit requirements for newly-built houses or apartments, as well as self-build homes. Subject to the level of income tax and DIRT paid over the previous 4 years, the Help-to-Buy scheme provides a maximum benefit to First-Time Buyers of €30,000 or 10% of the cost of the newly constructed home. As of the end of September 2022, over 35,000 first-time buyers have been supported by the incentive. As part of Budget 2023, the Minister for Finance confirmed the continuation of the scheme until the end of 2024. More details are available on the following link: (www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx).
The new Local Authority Home Loan commenced on 4 January 2022 and is a Government backed mortgage scheme for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. The loan can be used by first-time buyers for both for new and second-hand properties, or for self-builds. €250 million will be available in 2023 for lending under the expanded scheme. More details on the Local Authority Home Loan scheme are available on the following link:
localauthorityhomeloan.ie.
In relation to Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), Pathway 5 of the Housing for All strategy identifies MMC as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland. The development of MMC, which will improve productivity and increase efficiency in construction, and the coordination of activities to promote the its development, is being led by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE). DETE has recently established a MMC Leadership and Integration Group.
The Group’s leadership aim to ensure a coordinated approach, and that those emerging innovations and new technologies being developed and deployed by the industry in Ireland and abroad, and promoted by the public sector, can be showcased and demonstrated in a coordinated and timely manner, particularly (but not exclusively) by the Demonstration Park for MMC, and could also inform the design of construction training modules.
Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is a key initiative which underpins these policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All.
Schemes under the Fund, which are delivered by local authorities, provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages in Ireland, through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties and by providing serviced sites in towns and villages to people in order to build their own homes.
In July, I launched the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The grant benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence. The grant was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages but I am pleased to say that as of the 15 November, the expanded grant also includes eligible vacant properties in both cities and rural areas (in addition to those in towns and villages, which have been eligible since July). Further details are available on the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/969fb-vacant-property-refurbishment-grant-expanded-to-cities-and-remote-rural-areas/.
A grant of up to a maximum of €30,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which has not previously been used as residential. 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 is 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.
In September, I launched the Ready to Build Scheme, also funded by the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. Under the Ready to Build Scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available to potential individual purchasers to build their homes. These sites will be available at a discount on the market value of the site for the building of a property for occupation as the principal private residence of the purchaser.
85. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to change planning objections to ensure that each person who lodges an objection proves their identity before submitting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59869/22]
View answerIn making a decision on a planning application or appeal, a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned while having regard to the provisions of the relevant development plan, relevant Ministerial or Government policies and guidelines, as well as the views of members of the public on the proposed development.
It is open to any member of the public to make an observation or submission on a planning application or appeal and the planning authority, or the Board, is statutorily obliged to consider such submissions before making a decision.
Under Article 29 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), any person making an observation or submission to a planning authority, or under section 130 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), to the Board, shall state the name of the person or body making the submission or observation and the address to which any correspondence relating to the application should be sent. In addition, a fee is required to be paid to planning authorities when making a submission in accordance with Schedule 10 of the Regulations, or the fees as determined by the Board in accordance with Section 144 of the Act.
Where the requirements of the Act and Regulations are not complied with, the observation or submission is not valid. Furthermore, where a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála has suspicions that specific submissions on planning applications or appeals may not be genuine, it is a matter for them to refer the submissions to the Garda Síochána for investigation.
Public participation is a crucial element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Act, and is also a requirement under the UN Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention) and the European Union Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 2011/92/EU, as amended, in relation to specific types of developments.
I am satisfied that the current arrangements in relation to public participation in decision-making contribute significantly to the openness and transparency of the planning process. However, the review of the planning legislation currently being undertaken by the Attorney General will consider any further changes that may be appropriate in this regard.
86. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider expanding the repair-and-lease scheme to include properties renovated for affordable private rental; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56892/22]
View answerUnder the Repair and Leasing Scheme, the local authority, or approved housing body, pays for the repairs to a vacant property upfront and the home is taken into social housing stock by way of lease for between 5 and 25 years. The cost of repairs is offset against reduced lease payments to the property owner and therefore has a neutral cost to the Exchequer.
As the cost of repairs is recouped from the property owner through reduced lease payments, the model is not appropriate to the private rental market.
Separately, the Government is committed to the development of a Cost Rental sector in Ireland. Cost Rental has been set out in Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 and aims to provide a more affordable form of rental tenure for moderate income households, where the rent charged is set to cover only the cost of provision, financing, management and maintenance. Cost Rental is being rolled out primarily by approved housing bodies, local authorities and the Land Development Agency, with the aim of building up this new sector to avail of economies of scale in the provision and maintenance of properties. Upfront capital funding is available to assist in the provision of Cost Rental homes, but as a core principle of this policy is to facilitate a self-financing form of tenure, the provision of ongoing lease payments in line with those used in the Repair and Leasing Scheme would be incompatible with the Cost Rental model as set out in legislation.
87. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue a circular to all local authorities to ensure that they will buy homes if tenants are in receipt of notices to quit where the tenants would be eligible for social housing or cost-rental housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59786/22]
View answerHousing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHB) and, with this, to reduce the numbers of social homes delivered through acquisition programmes. However, acquisitions of second hand properties for social housing fall under a number of local authority and AHB acquisitions programmes. On 19 January my Department issued a circular letter to local authorities advising that social housing acquisitions by local authorities and AHB CALF acquisitions in 2022 would be focused on a number of priority areas, as follows:- One-bedroom units to deliver on Housing First and meet the short supply in this category;- Other properties that allow persons/families to exit homelessness; and- Specific housing required for/suitable for individuals with a disability or other particular priority needs.
Local authorities were also advised that limited acquisitions through the Capital Assistance Scheme will also be approved, subject to the available budget for specific vulnerable cohorts, such as housing for older people, accommodation for individuals and families who are homeless and for people with a disability. On 20 April, a further circular letter issued to local authorities in relation to social housing acquisitions. The key purpose of this circular was to advise local authorities that I had reinstated the delegated sanction to local authorities in respect of social housing acquisitions which are:(i) in one of the priority categories set out in the January circular letter;(ii) in line with acquisition cost guidelines; and(iii) can be completed during 2022.In November, I wrote to all local authorities in relation to the delegated sanction given to local authorities to purchase homes where the tenant is at risk of homelessness. The purpose of this letter was to inform local authorities that the delegated sanction will continue for the whole duration of the emergency winter eviction ban and up to the end of the transition period in June 2023.
I have requested local authorities to be proactive in acquiring properties which can prevent homelessness, including properties where a notice of termination has been issued to the tenant. The delegated sanction will allow local authorities to respond more flexibility to secure acquisitions which support a household to exit or to prevent homelessness.
In relation to Cost Rental, the Government is committed to the development of this new sector in Ireland. Cost Rental provides a more affordable form of rental tenure for moderate income households, where the rent charged is set to cover only the cost of provision, financing, management and maintenance. Upfront capital funding is available to AHBs and local authorities to assist in the provision of Cost Rental homes. However, this is structured to deliver development of homes, with the associated property management structures required and subsequent economies of scale. The acquisition of individual homes and the calculation of management and maintenance costs for single dwellings would be incompatible with the Cost Rental model as set out in legislation, and would result in higher cost rents for the tenants of these homes that would be otherwise achievable.
92. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update regarding the HEA call for expressions of interest to create more places for student vets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59397/22]
View answerThe Higher Education Authority recently sought expressions of interest from higher education institutions interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary.
This process has been designed to respond swiftly to national skills needs, and Expressions of Interest were sought from institutions with capability to expand existing courses or create new courses in these areas from academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26. The closing date for submissions to the HEA was last Friday, 18th November 2022.
The HEA has informed my department that 39 expressions of interest have been received. Of these, 20 have proposed the delivery of new courses, and 19 are proposing to expand on existing courses in the selected disciplines. Overall, responses represent a rapid, nationwide engagement with the call, with expressions of interest in developing new courses in Pharmacy and Veterinary from all four provinces.
The HEA is currently reviewing applications with a view to moving to the second stage of the assessment process, which will involve review by an expert panel. I understand that the HEA has been in contact with institutions to advise them of the next steps. The HEA may use a similar Expression of Interest process to build capacity in these and other areas in the future, in line with its statutory remit for planning the provision of higher education, as set out in the new HEA legislation.
97. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will retain the €1,000 reduction in fees for the 2023-2024 college year given the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59850/22]
View answerI am acutely conscious of the cost of living challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education.
As part of the 2022 cost of living response in the recent Budget, I prioritised the introduction of a significant package of measures to directly support students and their families.
These measures include, for the 2022/23 academic year, a reduction in the student contribution payable by free fees eligible students. Eligible full time students will benefit from a once off reduction in the student contribution rate of €1,000. Students eligible for a 50% student contribution grant support as paid by SUSI will benefit proportionally and will see the amount they pay to their institution reduce from €1,500 to €1,000.
In addition to the once off cost-of-living measures, I was also very pleased to secure Government's agreement to the introduction of a permanent new rate of student contribution support through SUSI from September 2023.
For students whose families have incomes between €62,000 and €100,000, there will be a new grant of €500 towards the undergraduate student contribution. I am also increasing the income limit for students to avail of the 50% student contribution grant. These measures mean that up to 50,000 extra students may be eligible for help towards paying the undergraduate student contribution.
The changes I am implementing will see a real, tangible and permanent reduction in costs for eligible students and clearly demonstrate the Government’s commitment to sustainably address cost as a barrier to education.
98. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding an engagement that he has had with the offshore renewable sector; if he is conscious of the need to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified graduates for this sector; if he will consider establishing a training centre of excellence in a college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59452/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to the achievement of ambitious targets for offshore wind generation capacity by 2030.
In that context, my Department is participating on a cross-Departmental Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce established under the Department of Energy, Climate and Communications to drive delivery and capture wider and longer term economic and business opportunities associated with the development of offshore renewables in Ireland. This encompasses the workforce and skills requirements to underpin the development of Ireland’s offshore wind industry.
It is important that projected workforce requirements are informed by the expertise of the relevant sectoral, Departmental and industry experts, with my Department contributing based upon its responsibility to align the future output at third level education with such current and emerging workforce plans.
Important skills and workforce responses are already in place to meet the needs of the off-shore wind sector. These include, for example, the Green Tech Skillnet, promoted by Wind Energy Ireland, the representative body for the Irish wind industry. The Skillnet delivers training to support the optimisation of renewables on the Irish grid in the short, medium, and long term through upskilling and management development in wind, solar and hydrogen technologies, from planning, construction, and maintenance training as well as business supports in human resources, marketing and finance. Training supports are also being rolled out on the recently adopted Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021.
Skillnet Ireland - a Government of Ireland agency funded by my Department - invested over €1m in grant funding to Green Tech Skillnet during 2020 and 2021.
I understand that no proposal has been received by my Department relating to the college referenced in the Deputy's question, but it is clear that the success of the Government's plans for the development of off-shore wind energy in Ireland will require the mobilisation of the whole of the network of technological universities (including the South East Technological University), institutes of technology, and further education and training providers.
99. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if SUSI criteria of full-time in attendance course could be expanded to include blended courses, for example online and in-person training, given the current student accommodation difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59863/22]
View answerAt present, the student grant scheme is targeted at full-time students. Courses that are part-time, less than two years in duration, conducted online or as distance courses or which lead to a special purpose or distance award are not currently approved for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme.
However, I have been consistent in my position that we need to develop our student support system over time to ensure that it supports more flexible forms of learning. This will particularly benefit more disadvantaged learners, as recognised in the National Access Plan.
With this in mind, the review of the Student Grant Scheme, which I published earlier this year contains a recommendation that the Government, over the long term, should consider extending supports to more flexible forms of learning including blended/online and part-time. The Review, however, noted the complexity of the issue at national and institutional level, as well as the potential for increased costs to arise, and identified the need for careful planning to take place.
Implementation of the review of the Student Grant scheme is being undertaken within the context of Funding the Future, which is the Government's overall response to future funding of higher education and student support.
I have established a steering group which I chair alongside Professor Anne Looney and Professor Tom Collins, which is supported by two working groups comprising representatives of institutions, students, trade unions and employers.
The working group focused on skills, participation and cost is currently examining the potential to support students to avail of more flexible learning opportunities.
I would expect that this working group will provide their consideration of these issues in the coming months. Having regard to this initial assessment, my Department will then examine whether there are priority areas that can form part of the consideration of Budget 2024, particularly with respect to supporting disadvantaged and under-represented learners.
