Written Answers Nos. 299-320
299. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of successful and total applications for the vacant property refurbishment grant through the Croí Cónaithe fund, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2945/23]
View answer300. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if prospective applicants for Croí Cónaithe funding can seek additional advice about their specific circumstance and application prior to submitting the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2946/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 300 together.
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. In July 2022, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched 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, which was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages, was expanded to include eligible vacant properties in both cities and rural areas from November 15 2022. On 21 September 2022, the Ready to Build Scheme was launched, 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. When the Fund was launched, a commitment was given that the schemes funded by it would be kept under ongoing review. Feedback on the Vacant Property Refurbishment Scheme has been very positive, with 716 applications reported to 31 December 2022. In order for applications to be assessed and a decision made, specified supporting documentation must be submitted with the application and a site visit carried out by the local authority to assess the works being applied for. In some cases this may involve the local authority reverting to the applicant for additional information. Drawdown of the grant occurs on completion of the works applied for and a second site visit by the local authority. It is intended that in future, data including a breakdown by local authority of grants received and approved, will be published on the Department's website on a quarterly basis. Information of the nature requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be published shortly.
In January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities outlining that funding, made available since 2018 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes Officer (VHO), would be increased from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum, from mid-2022. This supports the commitment in Housing for All to ensure that VHOs are full-time. The provision of central funding reinforces the capacity of local authorities, including through the important role of VHOs, to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction with a view to increasing the opportunities for residential development.
Individuals with interest in schemes under the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund are advised on the Department's website and the grant application form that contact can be made with the dedicated VHO in their local authority who will be able to provide information and advice concerning the application process.
301. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm that the Public Appointments Service was used in the appointment of members to the interim Land Development Agency board in 2019 and the full LDA board in 2021; and, if not, if he will outline the process that was used to generate the list of names from which Ministers selected the members of the interim and full board of the LDA. [3001/23]
View answerThe Land Development Agency (LDA) was established under the Land Development Agency (Establishment) Order 2018 as amended by the Land Development Agency (Amendment) Order 2018. In December 2018, the Government gave a derogation to the Guidelines on the Appointment to State Boards, to allow for the appointment of an interim LDA Board outside of the Stateboards.ie process until the LDA’s primary legislation was passed to establish it as a commercial state agency. An interim Board was appointed in January 2019 in line with Article 6 of the Establishment Order which provided that the Minister could appoint between 6 and 10 persons to the Board, including representatives of certain Government Departments, agencies and the local government sector.
The Land Development Agency Act 2021, which was signed into law in July 2021, provides for the establishment of a new commercial LDA Designated Activity Company (DAC). In December 2021, the Government gave a derogation to the Guidelines on the Appointment to State Boards, to allow for the appointment of three board members from the interim LDA Board to the new commercial LDA DAC Board to aid the transition from the interim LDA body to the new LDA DAC from a corporate governance continuity perspective. The remaining ordinary board member positions, as well as the Chairperson position, on the commercial LDA DAC Board were filled following open competitions through the State Boards process.
302. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the tenant purchase scheme will be reviewed as a matter of urgency (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3030/23]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme.
The scheme was amended in February 2022 to include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme from €15,000 to €12,500. This ensured older tenants, whose only income might be the contributory or non-contributory State pension, could qualify to buy their homes if they had the financial means to do so. At the same, the time an applicant had to be in receipt of social housing supports to qualify under the scheme was also revised, increasing from one to ten years.
These changes strike an appropriate balance between facilitating home ownership and allowing tenants to purchase their homes on one hand, and ensuring, at a time of unprecedented demand, that an adequate supply of social housing stock remained available to local authorities on the other.
Further changes to the scheme are currently being examined as part of the work on the broader social housing reform agenda.
303. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm the specific date of publication of the regulations for the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme. [3032/23]
View answer304. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm the specific date when the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme will be operational.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3033/23]
View answer305. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify whether he has scientific evidence that all of the existing foundations of defective concrete homes are fit for purpose and can be rebuilt upon without fearing deterioration as a result of deleterious materials; and if he will confirm that if preliminary scientific research results demonstrate damage and or risk of damage to foundations, if he will act with urgency to ensure all future defective concrete homes are rebuilt are on fit-for-purpose foundations. [3034/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 303 to 305, inclusive, together.
The purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current grant scheme, as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. The administrative areas of the following counties have been designated by the Act for the purposes of the enhanced grant scheme: Clare County Council; Donegal County Council; Limerick City and County Council; Mayo County Council.
The 2022 Act will be commenced once the related Regulations have been finalised. Draft Regulations have been prepared, which will be the subject of consultation with key stakeholders before the Regulation are finalised and adopted in early 2023. It is intended that the consultation with key stakeholders, which will be conducted by the appointed Homeowners’ Liaison Officer, will commence before the end January 2023.
The Regulations will provide for detailed matters within the 2022 Act which are to be prescribed, for example the grant rates, the damage threshold, and the form and content of various reports, certificates, forms, and declarations. Grant rates, to be included in the final Regulations, will be based upon updated regional construction costs for 2023 to be provided by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
Guidelines to facilitate, promote and support a consistent approach to the operation and administration of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme by designated local authorities are also being drafted by my Department. Ensuring that the regulations and guidance are comprehensive and that all relevant stakeholders have been consulted and that the enhanced scheme will work for everyone, is the main priority.
Pending the opening of the enhanced grant scheme, applications can continue to be made to relevant local authorities (comprising Donegal County Council and Mayo County Council) and processed under the current Defective Concrete Block grant scheme. The current scheme is underpinned by the Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations, 2020, as amended by the Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 and Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2022.
Foundations can be left in situ and built upon and this is the approach recommended. The issue of foundations is under review by the National Standards Authority of Ireland and, should the current position change, provision will be made to in respect of foundations within the Enhanced Grant Scheme.
Once the necessary review has been concluded and any revised standard published I can confirm that the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme will be reviewed at that point having regard to any amended standard.
My Department has published a comprehensive “Your Questions Answered” to ensure homeowners have the most up to date information available to them. It can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/775c0-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme-your-questions-answered/
306. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of meetings he had with Dublin City Council and with organisations (details supplied) in 2022 regarding the delivery of affordable housing on the Poolbeg SDZ site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3036/23]
View answerThe regeneration of Poolbeg West is an important step in the transformation of the Dublin Docklands area, with the potential to provide for 3,500 homes. In June 2021 following a comprehensive international open market campaign, a consortium of Ronan Group Real Estate, Oaktree Capital Management, and Lioncor Developments (“the Consortium”) acquired a controlling 80% shareholding in the company which owns the glass bottle site. NAMA maintains a 20% minority interest. The development of the site will be undertaken by the Consortium.
A condition of the planning scheme, as modified by An Bord Pleanála on 9 April 2019, is the provision of 15% social and affordable homes on this site in addition to the 10% statutory requirement under Part V arrangements.
On the 24 of March 2022, Dublin City Council approved an application for the first 570 residential homes at the former glass bottle site.
During 2022 I attended one meeting with Dublin City Council on 9 June in respect of the site, and also met with the Irish Glass Bottle Housing Action Group on 22 June.
My Department remains committed to working with Dublin City Council, and the developers of the Poolbeg SDZ area to progress this site, subject to agreement on all the normal and relevant terms, including value for money aspects. Despite the various challenges posed to delivery of social and affordable housing on this site, my Department have held a series of meetings with Dublin City Council officials and representatives of the Consortium, seeking to reach an agreement for consideration by Government.
307. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the publication of the rural planning guidelines; and the reason for the ongoing delay in the publication of same. [3039/23]
View answerUpdated Rural Housing Planning Guidelines are currently being prepared by my Department. The updated guidelines will expand on the high level spatial planning policy of the National Planning Framework (NPF), in particular on National Policy Objective (NPO) 19 which relates to rural housing. This objective makes a clear policy distinction between rural areas under urban influence (i.e. areas within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment) on the one hand, and structurally weaker rural areas where population levels may be low or declining, on the other. NPO 19 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need are to be applied by planning authorities in rural areas under urban influence.
The proposed Draft Rural Housing Guidelines will set out relevant planning criteria to be applied in local authority development plans for rural housing, based on the high level policy framework set by the NPF. The guidelines will continue to allow county development plans to provide for housing in the countryside based on the considerations detailed in NPO 19 of the NPF, and will also highlight the need to manage development in certain areas, such as the areas around cities and larger towns and environmentally sensitive areas, in order to avoid over-development.
Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably our obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment and our climate have become more central to the operation of the planning system. The draft guidelines need to address all of these complex environmental issues, while also providing a framework for the sustainable management of housing in rural areas.
The guidelines are at an advanced stage of drafting and environmental assessments relating to the impact of the proposed guidelines on the environment are nearing completion.
The draft guidelines will be published for a period of public consultation in Q1 2023.
308. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the publication of the housing density guidelines currently being developed by his Department. [3040/23]
View answerMy Department is in the process of developing Section 28 guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable and Compact Settlement Guidance (SCSG). When finalised, the SCSG’s will supersede current Section 28 ministerial guidelines for planning authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (the ‘Sustainable Residential Development Guidelines’) last issued in 2009. The SCSG will also supplement other relevant Guidelines such as the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities and the Urban Development and Building Heights Guidelines for Planning Authorities.
A preliminary draft of the Guidelines has been prepared. However, recent legal judgements in relation to Strategic Housing Development decisions have had implications for the preliminary draft and the draft is being further reviewed as a result. A working group was also convened with representation from the construction industry, private built environment practitioners, professional bodies and the public sector. The group, via a series of three workshops in June, August and September 2022 discussed key issues in relation to density and viability, land use and transportation and place-making and quality design. This also included discussions related to the design and application of compact ‘own door’ housing typologies both internationally and within Ireland.
Following completion, the Draft Guidelines will be placed on display for a focused period of public consultation. This is targeted for Q1 2023. All interested parties will have an opportunity to make submissions on the guidelines at that stage. Submissions made during the public consultation period will be reviewed and where appropriate and necessary, amendments will be made to the published Draft. The guidelines will then be finalised and published. Once issued, Planning Authorities and An Bord Pleanála will be required to have regard to the Guidelines in carrying out their functions.
309. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm that houses as well as apartments and duplexes will be included in the forthcoming building defects redress scheme where the owners of such houses can demonstrate there are structural building defects similar to those in apartments and duplexes. [3043/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. These include a commitment to examine defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report Safe as Houses? Housing for All, the Government’s national plan on housing to 2030, reiterates these commitments.
In this regard, in advance of the establishment of the working group to examine defects in housing, my Department actively engaged with key stakeholders on the proposed remit of the group. In this regard, submissions from homeowner representative groups focused on multi-unit developments.
The working group to examine defects in housing held its first meeting in March 2021. The group’s terms of reference, which were agreed and adopted in May 2021, focused on fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The report of the working group Defects in Apartments was published at the end of July 2022.
I received Government approval on 18 January 2023 to draft legislation to support the remediation of such apartments and duplexes. This legislation will provide a statutory basis for the establishment of a remediation scheme aimed at protecting the safety and welfare of those living in apartments or duplexes with such defects that occurred during construction.
Separately, in response to the difficulties that homeowners are facing due to the presence of deleterious material in their houses, my Department has put a number of measures in place to support homeowners including providing considerable financial assistance to remediate their homes. These include the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme, both of which are underpinned by legislation.
310. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has the authority under the Planning and Development Act 2000 to make regulations providing that the installation of solar photovoltaic or solar thermal collector panels be a condition for planning permission to be granted for car parks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3159/23]
View answerI wish to explain at the outset that my role as Minister in relation to the planning system is primarily, to provide a policy and legislative framework under which the planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála (the Board) and the Office of the Planning Regulator (the OPR) perform their statutory planning functions. The legislative framework chiefly comprises the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act), and the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001, as amended (the 2001 Regulations). My Department has also issued Planning guidelines (available on my Department’s website www.housing.gov.ie) under section 28 of the 2000 Act, which planning authorities and the Board are obliged to have regard to in the exercise of their planning functions.
The day-to-day operation of the planning system is, however, a matter for the planning authorities and for the Board in relation to planning appeals and Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID). Under the 2000 Act, the decision as to whether to grant permission on a planning application, with or without conditions, is a matter for the relevant planning authority or the Board.
In making decisions on a planning application, a planning authority, or the Board as appropriate, must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area having regard to the provisions of the development plan, any submissions or observations received from the public and the statutory consultees, and any relevant Ministerial or Government policies as well as any guidelines issued by my Department.
My Department is the lead on the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The EPBD is currently under review and a proposal for the deployment of solar energy installations on buildings is included. I am supportive of this proposal and will work with all stakeholders on its development and implementation when adopted.
311. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether the development of log cabins should form part of the overall housing stock to assist with the housing crisis; his plans to remove the planning barriers to the development of this type of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3188/23]
View answerUnder the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), there is no specific preclusion to the development of log cabins as a housing type. All development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission.
Any person may lodge an application for permission to a planning authority in accordance with section 34 of the Act for the construction of a house (which may be a log cabin). It is a matter for the relevant planning authority to consider each application on a case by case basis and to decide to whether to grant the permission, subject to or without conditions, or to refuse permission.
In making their decision, planning authorities shall have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, the policies of Government, Ministerial Guidelines and any submissions or observations received on the application during the public participation process in accordance with section 34 of the Act.
Where an applicant wishes to question the decision of the planning authority made under section 34 of the Act, they may appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála under section 37 of the Act within four weeks of the decision of the planning authority.
In addition, the decision of the Board may be subject to judicial review within 8 weeks of the decision of the Board under sections 50 and 50A of the Act.
Under section 30 of the Act, as Minister with responsibility for planning I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case in which a planning authority or the Board is or may be concerned.
312. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the voids programme; the number of properties that have been returned to use in 2022; the estimated number that will follow in 2023; the estimated number of properties nationwide that could qualify for the programme; if it is possible to accelerate the programme without any adverse consequences for other related activity in the construction sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3205/23]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.
Since 2014, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting. This funding was initially introduced to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted at ensuring minimal turnaround and re-let times for local authority vacant stock.
An annualised breakdown by local authority of the funding provided and the number of properties remediated under the Voids programme for the years 2014-2021 is available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#voids-programme
Details of the 2022 Voids Programme, in relation to the funding provided and number of units remediated, will be made available on my Department's website shortly.
My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work in this area. Funding allocations under the 2023 Programme will be announced early in 2023. Notwithstanding the voids funding being provided by my Department, local authorities have a responsibility to provide adequate housing maintenance budgets for 2023 and this parallel work by local authorities is essential for the development of the planned maintenance approach, which is an objective of Housing for All.
313. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the discussions his Department has had with the banking sector in relation the treatment of homeowners affected by mica by the banks, and the way they will be dealt with in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3221/23]
View answer316. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what efforts he has made recently to ensure banks and financial institutions provide reasonable support and assistance to their mortgage-holders who will have to have their homes remediated due to defective concrete blocks. [3243/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 316 together.
Oversight of financial institutions is outside the scope and remit of my Department but I confirm that I have engaged with my colleague, the Minister for Finance on these matters.
The Minister for Finance advised that neither he nor his Department have any role in relation to the commercial decisions of individual regulated entities, such as decisions they may make on applications for credit, or in respect of individual actions they may take to assist households with a mortgage which is secured on a residence affected by mica or pyrite.
Notwithstanding this, engagement is on-going with the Banking and Payments Federation (BPFI) on specific issues raised by Defective Concrete Block homeowners to see what can be done to address their concerns. In this regard I am due to have a further meeting with BPFI in the coming month to further discuss these matters with them.
314. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of a query raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3222/23]
View answerThe query referred to relates to the operation of the building control system and my Department is in the process of replying to the individual concerned.
In the context of the issues raised, the July 2022 report, Defects in Apartments, Report of the Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing, the Working Group, which I established, concluded that there is no single cause of the defects in apartments. The Working Group found that they tend to arise due to a variety of design, product, supervision, inspection and workmanship issues, occurring either in isolation or in various combinations.
In recognition of the defects and issues that have arisen, a range of building control reforms which focus on ensuring strong and effective regulation in the building control system and of the construction industry and on improving compliance with Building Regulations have been implemented over the last decade. These include:
a. implementation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014. These Regulations empower competence and professionalism in construction projects and establish a chain of responsibility that begins with the owner. With certain limited exceptions, the owner must assign competent persons to design, build, inspect and certify the building works who, in turn, must account for their role through the lodgement of compliance documentation, inspection plans and statutory certificates. The roles and responsibilities of owners, designers, builders, assigned certifiers, etc. during building works are set out in the Code of Practice for Inspecting and Certifying Buildings and Works. The Code of Practice also provides guidance on use of proper materials and the need to check supporting documentation under the Construction Products Regulation (e.g Declaration of Performance) and additional national guidance (e.g. Standard Recommendations produced by National Standards Authority of Ireland).
b. the creation of the National Building Control Management Project and the establishment of the National Building Control & Market Surveillance Office to provide oversight, support and direction for the development, standardisation and implementation of Building Control as an effective shared service in the 31 Building Control Authorities.
c. The enactment in July 2022 of the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022. This Act develops and promotes a culture of competence, good practice and compliance with the Building Regulations in the construction sector. The Act will put the Construction Industry Register Ireland on a statutory footing and aims to benefit consumers and the general public by giving those who engage a registered builder the assurance that they are dealing with a competent and compliant operator. The Act also allows for complaints against registered builders to be made on a number of grounds – in particular an entity providing building services in a category in which they are not registered. It provides for a range of proportionate sanctions to be imposed after investigation. Complaints in relation to building regulations will continue to be dealt with under the Building Control Act.
In addition, work has commenced on considering the policy options around the establishment of an independent Building Standards Regulator. My objective is to ensure that an independent Building Standards Regulator has sufficient breadth of scope, effective powers of inspection and enforcement and an appropriate suite of sanctions.
Other significant pieces of legislation in relation to redress and producers’ liability which may apply to construction products are the Sale of Goods Act 1893 and the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980; and the Liability for Defective Products Act 1991 which fall under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
315. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the implementation plan for the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People will be published. [3236/23]
View answerI launched a new joint National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027 on 14 January 2022, together with my colleagues Peter Burke, TD Minister of State for Planning and Local Government and Anne Rabbitte, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Disability (available at www.gov.ie/en/press-release/1c6c5-new-national-housing-strategy-for-disabled-people-2022-2027-launched).
The new Strategy sets out the vision for the cooperation and collaboration of Government Departments, state agencies and others in delivering housing and the related supports for disabled people over the next five years. The Strategy operates within the framework of Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland which is committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing with an appropriate mix of housing design types provided within social housing, including universally designed units, is available to everyone in Irish society, including those with disabilities and older people.
Work has been advanced on the Implementation Plan for the Strategy which has been submitted for consideration. I expect to make a decision on finalisation of the Implementation Plan shortly, following which my Department will engage further with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, for publication as soon as possible thereafter.
317. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way the enhanced pyrite remediation scheme will be administered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3260/23]
View answerI understand that the Question refers to the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act'). The purpose of the 2022 Act is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current defective concrete blocks (DCB) grant scheme, as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. The administrative areas of the following counties have been designated by the Act for the purposes of the enhanced grant scheme: Clare County Council; Donegal County Council; Limerick City and County Council; Mayo County Council.
Upon commencement of the enhanced grant scheme, local authorities will have responsibility for its administration. This includes the initial validation of applications, notifying homeowners of the Housing Agency's technical determinations, determination of the grant payable for alternative accommodation and storage costs and immediate repair works and the subsequent payment of grants to successful applicants. The Housing Agency will act as agents on behalf of the local authorities under the enhanced grant scheme and will make the technical determinations regarding the appropriate remediation option and grant amount. The Local Authority will notify homeowners of all The Housing Agency’s determinations.
The 2022 Act will be commenced once the related Regulations have been finalised. Draft Regulations have been prepared, which will be the subject of consultation with key stakeholders before the Regulation are finalised and adopted in early 2023. It is intended that the consultation with key stakeholders, which will be conducted by the appointed Homeowners’ Liaison Officer, will commence before the end January 2023.
The Regulations will provide for detailed matters within the 2022 Act which are to be prescribed, for example the grant rates, the damage threshold, and the form and content of various reports, certificates, forms, and declarations. Grant rates, to be included in the final Regulations, will be based upon updated regional construction costs for 2023 to be provided by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
Guidelines to facilitate, promote and support a consistent approach to the operation and administration of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme by designated local authorities are also being drafted by my Department. Ensuring that the regulations and guidance are comprehensive and that all relevant stakeholders have been consulted and that the enhanced scheme will work for everyone, is the main priority.
318. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has any plans to build modular homes to house homeless individuals or families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3265/23]
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 an average of 10,000 new build social homes each year in the period to 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.
Eradicating homelessness is a key priority for this Government and Pathway 2 of the Housing for All plan commits to comprehensive measures to support this priority.
Modern methods of construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address increased housing delivery and methods to support increased use of MMC are set out in Pathway 5 of Housing for All. Modern Methods of Construction is used to describe a range of offsite manufacturing and innovative onsite techniques that provide alternatives to traditional house building. Modern Methods of Construction can be completed dwelling units manufactured in a factory setting and transported to site, or panelised components manufactured in a factory and assembled on site. All Modern Methods of Construction systems must be of a high quality, comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations and have a 60-year durability.
The Housing for All Action Plan Update and Quarter 3 2022 Progress Report, which was published on 2 November, includes a new action to develop a roadmap with targets for increased use of MMC in public housing. My Department is now working closely with the local authorities to increase the use of MMC in the delivery of social housing projects.
319. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has any plans to develop social housing in County Clare in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3269/23]
View answerThe delivery of new social housing is planned and implemented by local authorities, working in partnership with housing associations and the construction sector, with funding support from my Department. Following the publication of Housing for All, the Government's housing plan for Ireland, I issued social housing delivery targets to all local authority Chief Executives for the 5 year period 2022 to 2026. For Clare County Council the target is for the delivery of 834 new social homes over this period. 149 of this target is for delivery in 2023 and I look forward to the successful delivery by the Council this year against this target.
I want to acknowledge that Clare County Council, with the support of their public representatives, has delivered well against their social housing targets to date and have a good pipeline of further projects in place. Under Housing for All, the funding is in place to support Clare County Council and all other Councils, to deliver these new social homes.
My Department publishes statistics on all social housing delivery activity which are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/
In addition, a detailed Social Housing Construction Status Report is published quarterly and provides scheme level detail on new build social housing activity for the local authorities, including projects that are on site, in planning or design and completed projects. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q3 2022, includes the projects being advanced by or on behalf of Clare County Council, and is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/2b4cd-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q3-2022/
Clare County Council has also recently developed their own 5-year Housing Delivery Action Plan which will contain further information on their future delivery plans and more specific information on their social housing projects will be available from the local authority itself.
320. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the complications with the new Residential Tenancies Board tenancy registration system; what assistance will be provided to the RTB to address this matter, particularly in light of the new requirement for landlords to register their tenancies annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3272/23]
View answer322. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of complaints lodged regarding the Residential Tenancies Board in each of the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3277/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 320 and 322 together.
The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. Accordingly, the implementation of the new tenancy management system that registers tenancies annually is an operational matter for the RTB.
Since 4 April 2022, landlords are required under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 to register their tenancies with the RTB every year, within one month of the anniversary of when the tenancy began. This applies to both new and existing tenancies. As before, landlords continue to be required to register a tenancy within one month of its commencement.
Although many landlords and agents have successfully registered their tenancies on the new RTB tenancy registration system, I have been made aware that some landlord and agent customers are encountering issues with the system. The RTB has assured my Department that it is working collaboratively and constructively with the sector to assist anyone experiencing difficulties.
The RTB has recently almost doubled the staffing in its outsourced call centre to deal with these issues and has been working hard to find the right balance between ensuring that contracted staff are adequately trained and capable of assisting customers with their queries, ranging from linking tenancies, verifying accounts, and data-inputting paper applications.
Following recommendations in the RTB Workforce Plan (2018 – 2021) and engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the RTB received sanction for significant additional staff over the past three years and my Department will continue to work with the RTB to ensure it is sufficiently resourced to deliver on its expanded mandate, including any specific requests with regard to annual registration. To this end, additional funding of €2.352M will be provided to the RTB for 2023, bringing its total allocation to €13.370M.
In relation to the data sought, arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies to members of the Oireachtas. Following the issue of Circular LG (P) 05/16 on 20 September 2016 from my Department, the RTB set up a dedicated email address for this purpose. The RTB may be contacted at OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie to establish the extent to which it may hold the additional information sought.
