Written Answers Nos. 809-828
809. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he agrees that it is not satisfactory for one semi-detached home with defective concrete blocks to be demolished while the adjoining semi-detached home remains standing due to the eligibility criteria of the Government remediation schemes; and if he and his Department are seeking to prevent this approach. [17400/23]
View answerThe purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act'), as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021, is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current grant scheme.
The 2022 Act which contains the enhanced grant scheme will be commenced as soon as related Regulations are completed, which Regulations provide details for the enhanced scheme not included in the 2022 Act such as application forms and templates, per square metre grant rates and the definition of damage. Draft Regulations have been prepared, which are the subject of ongoing consultation with key stakeholders, including with homeowners’ action groups, which consultation must be concluded before the Regulations will be finalised and adopted in early 2023. I extended the consultation period on the draft Regulations by an additional two weeks, to 14 March 2023, following receipt of requests for time extensions from Donegal County Council and Mayo County Council. The submissions received are now being reviewed and when that review is completed I will engage further with the homeowners' action groups before finalising the Regulations.
Both the current, and the Enhanced Scheme upon commencement of the 2022 Act, do not allow for relevant owners of more than one property to apply with a single application and each application must be submitted individually. However, owners of dwellings that are conjoined may, at their own discretion, consider hiring the same building professionals as well as commencing works on conjoined properties at the same time, if approved for grant assistance for their dwellings.
With respect to individual cases, the relevant designated local authority has responsibility for the detailed administration of the current DCB Grant scheme and the Enhanced DCB Grant scheme upon its commencement. This includes the assessment of applications and payment of grants to successful applicants under the specific remediation option approved.
810. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the latest available data on the number of vacant properties by county, in tabular form. [17403/23]
View answerThere are a number of sources of data on vacancy in Ireland, including Central Statistics Office (CSO) data based on the Census, GeoDirectory data and Revenue data based on an analysis of Local Property Tax returns.
The preliminary findings of Census 2022 provide a figure of 166,752 vacant homes nationwide or 7.8% of the housing stock. This represents a 9% reduction on the Census 2016 figure. The CSO notes that their Census figure of vacant homes contains many dwellings that may be unoccupied for a relatively short period of time (e.g. properties for sale, rental properties, new builds and houses being renovated) and that a home deemed vacant does not necessarily mean a home is available for re-use or to house other people. Census 2022 provides data on the number of vacant properties in each county.
GeoDirectory is an electronic register of addresses matched to their geographical locations that has been jointly developed by An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland. Data on vacant dwellings is gathered initially by postal operatives in An Post. The GeoDirectory Database (Q4 2022) classified 83,662 dwellings as vacant, a 0.4% drop when compared to the previous year, with a vacancy rate nationally of 4.%. GeoDirectory provides data on the number of vacant properties in each county.
The Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2021 facilitated the collection of data on vacant property through Local Property Tax (LPT) returns. The Revenue Commissioners analysed the data on vacancy from these returns and published a report detailing its findings in July 2022. In total, 57,206 (3.2%) properties were indicated by their owners as being vacant on 1 November 2021. The analysis indicated that levels of vacancy in LPT liable properties are low across all counties and in line with rates considered normal in a properly functioning housing market. LPT returns provide data on the number of vacant properties in each local authority area.
In January, the CSO released a new vacancy indicator based on low or zero electricity consumption over a year. This indicates that national vacancy rates have fallen from 4.9% at the start of 2016, to 4.3% at the end of 2021. This energy consumption indicator provides data on the number of vacant properties in each county.
While varying levels of vacancy are indicated in the different data sources, the overall trend is downwards and vacancy levels are reducing.
A Vacancy Survey project, supported by my Department, commenced in three local authorities in December 2022. The objective is to capture data, granular and high level, on the number of vacant dwellings in each local authority. This will facilitate direct engagement with property owners at local authority level in order to bring the properties identified back into use. This will be rolled out across all local authorities in 2023.
811. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options for families in real terms as they are faced with eviction (details supplied). [17454/23]
View answerOn 7 March last the Government decided that the “Winter Emergency Period”, under the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022, would cease on the 31 March 2023. This will see deferred tenancy terminations taking effect over a staggered period from 1 April to 18 June 2023. In addition to the on-going measures taken to put in place increased options, to mitigate the impact of the end of the emergency period, Government agreed on a number of new measures.
These include developing a legislative provision which may require a landlord selling a property to offer “First Right of Refusal” to a tenant. In order that tenants would have as full an opportunity as possible to purchase the home, the First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company has also expanded its eligibility so that in instances where tenants have received a notice of termination they may be eligible for support under that scheme to buy the home.
Tenants seeking to purchase the home may be eligible for the Help-to-Buy Scheme. My colleague, Mr. Michael McGrath, T.D., Minister for Finance is responsible for the Help-to-Buy scheme, and any development or expansion of said scheme comes under the remit of his Department. More information on the scheme is available at the following link: www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx.
Matters such as mortgage deposit requirements come under the remit of the Central Bank of Ireland, which is an independent body. Relevant information is available at the following Central Bank links: www.centralbank.ie/financial-system/financial-stability/macro-prudential-policy/mortgage-measures.
Where a family facing the termination of a tenancy is eligible for social housing, the relevant Local Authority will be able to offer assistance using the range of social housing support options. For those in receipt of Housing Assistance Payment, this may include the Tenant in Situ scheme for social housing.
My Department has also developed ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme for tenants who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord intends to sell the property, but who are not in receipt of social housing supports and are above social housing eligibility thresholds.
812. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether officials in his Department contacted Cork City Council with preliminary RTB data prior to its publication. [17456/23]
View answer813. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether officials in his Department contacted any local authority with preliminary RTB data prior to its publication. [17457/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 812 and 813 together.
I am not aware of any such communication. If the Deputy has any further information, my Department would be happy to follow up on it.
814. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the process for allocating cost-rental properties managed by approved housing associations, in particular given concerns raised by the general public in Donabate regarding a number of cost-rental properties managed by a company (details supplied), which have already been allocated without any local people being afforded an opportunity to apply for same; how he proposes to ensure fairness and transparency in any future cost-rental applications process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17467/23]
View answerThe Government’s Housing for All plan targets the delivery of 18,000 Cost Rental homes by 2030, primarily through delivery by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities and the Land Development Agency (LDA). Funding has been allocated to AHBs through the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, and to Local Authorities through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF).
The policy intent of developing a Cost Rental sector in Ireland is to support the housing needs of those on moderate incomes for whom high open market rents are unaffordable and who do not qualify for social housing supports.
All Cost Rental providers are legally obliged to make Cost Rental homes available in line with the provisions of Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021. The process of allocating a tenancy under Cost Rental is set out both within Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, along with the associated Ministerial regulations, and the same process was followed for allocation of Cost Rental tenancies at the development in question.
Eligibility and income parameters are a key tool in targeting limited State resources at those who fall within the moderate income cohort and are considered most in need of affordable housing interventions. The primary eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing is a maximum net household income (less income tax, PRSI, USC and superannuation contributions) of €53,000.
All Cost Rental properties must be leased to a tenant whose household falls within prescribed eligibility conditions. Under the Cost Rental Letting and Eligibility Regulations, vacancies in all Cost Rental properties must be advertised openly for a period of at least 7 days, during which households can express their interest in leasing the properties. In the event that the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of homes available, the provider must select an application at random, using an automated and auditable lottery system, in order to provide an equitable opportunity for all eligible applicants. This scheme’s eligibility criteria remains under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose in targeting support at those who cannot affordably access homes for rental on the private market.
815. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline in detail the new vacant property legislation; the amount payable for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17488/23]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins the 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 15 November, 2022.
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 top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or if the property is on the Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €50,000.
Properties considered for inclusion must be vacant for two years or more and built before 1993. Proof of both vacancy and ownership are required to support the grant payment.
The scheme has been kept under ongoing review since its launch and Government has decided to further expand the grant eligibility to increase the number of vacant and derelict properties being brought back into use. This includes changing the eligibility date for properties to include properties built prior to 2007, and expanding the grant to include properties which are made available for rent and not solely for owner occupation. My Department is currently working on details of this expansion and I will make a further announcement on the changes to the scheme when this work has concluded.
The grant is administered on behalf of my Department by the Vacant Homes Officer in each local authority. While my Department issues guidance on the scheme, it has no direct role in deciding on individual applications.
818. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given that, on 31 March 2023 Galway City Council issued an alert regarding the potential spread of the invasive quagga mussel to the Corrib system, what management plans, public notifications and risk mitigations the National Parks and Wildlife Service has put in place to prevent the spread of quagga mussel to Lough Corrib SAC and the potential ecological impact on native species/habitats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17533/23]
View answerThe National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the implementation of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, both of which prohibit the spreading of invasive species. The Quagga mussel is listed as an invasive alien species of national concern on the Third Schedule to the 2011 Regulations.
While my Department leads on the implementation of the legislative framework around invasive alien species in general, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has statutory responsibility for the protection and management of Ireland’s rivers, streams and lakes. This includes Lough Corrib where IFI carries out extensive work to tackle the outbreak of Lagarosiphon major.
The NPWS has recently published Priority Pathway Action Plans for recreational boating and angling. The aim of these Plans is to prevent or minimise the risk posed by priority pathways of introduction, for invasive alien species, using measures such as raising public awareness and setting out actions to prevent unintentional introductions by minimizing the contamination of goods, commodities, vehicles, and equipment such species, and ensuring appropriate border checks.
In 2022, the NPWS Local Biodiversity Action Fund supported nine local authorities to undertake a project on the Quagga mussel to help understand the extent and distribution of this species as well as its current and potential future impacts in the Shannon system. The project aimed to identify biosecurity/management measures required to contain and limit its spread to other sites including protected sites like Lough Corrib SAC. Awareness materials have been produced as an output of these project which have been distributed to key stakeholders.
The fund is again supporting projects on the Quagga mussel across 10 local authorities in 2023 with a view to furthering our understanding of this species in Irish freshwater environments and the steps that can be taken to contain and limit its spread and impacts.
819. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify if houses in complexes with apartments are exempt from paying management company fees due to legislation passed in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17545/23]
View answerI presume the Deputy is referring to the legislation in relation to management companies and Multi-Unit Developments. This is a matter for the Minister for Justice.
821. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will respond to concerns regarding the energy efficiency retrofit programme being carried out by a local authority (details supplied); if he will liaise with the local authority to explore ways in which individual homes that are in urgent need of insulation works can be prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17590/23]
View answerMy Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 to the end of 2022, over 77,500 local authority social housing dwellings have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of over €251 million.
In 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the programme, designed around the Programme for Government's commitment led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications that calls for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent (BER) standard by 2030, of which, approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes, with grant funding provided by my Department for those local authority housing retrofits.
The programme has been devised in a way to give local authorities a level of flexibility when selecting properties to retrofit, ranging from those requiring minor levels of works to properties needing the maximum level of retrofitting required to bring them to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent standard. Works eligible under my Department's revised EERP include attic/cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation where required, windows and doors replacement, heat pump installation and ancillary and associated works. Works are typically carried out in this order. The installation of gas/oil boilers or solid fuel/inset stoves including wood pellet stoves are not supported by the Department under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme.
My Department issues a full year allocation and target to local authorities with the selection of properties for inclusion in the programme and the eligible measures to achieve the B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent a matter for each individual local authority.
The 2023 EERP budget provides an increase in funding support from €85 million allocated in 2022 to €87 million in 2023, and the details of this year’s programme including target allocations are presently being finalised.
822. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Department funding could be increased for a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17591/23]
View answerI can confirm that under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2022, my Department allocated €45,636 of funding for capital works to Mayo County Council for the project in question.
In 2022, my Department made a payment to Mayo County Council of a portion of the allocated funding to the value of €8,600.
The current position is, my Department awaits a further submission from Mayo County Council on the matter.
823. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when assessing income from earnings for access to a local authority social housing waiting list, if local authorities have the discretion to disregard one-off overtime earnings in any given year; if not, if such thresholds have no flexibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17648/23]
View answer824. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify current income thresholds from earnings in relation to social housing waiting lists; when these thresholds became operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17649/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 823 and 824 together.
The 2011 Social Housing Assessment Regulations, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Regulations do not provide local authorities with any discretion to exceed the limits that apply to their administrative areas.
That said, the Household Means Policy does provide for a range of income disregards. In this context, when assessing income eligibility for social housing, local authorities will disregard overtime paid in the relevant 12-month assessment period up to a maximum of 10% of the applicant household's annual basic income.
My Department increased the baseline social housing income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
Households deemed not to qualify upon assessment under the previous thresholds, but which would have qualified if the new thresholds had been in place, will be allowed retain time previously spent on the list. Accordingly, any application assessed and deemed ineligible between 18 November 2021 and 31 December 2022, and which would have met the new income thresholds, can be resubmitted. Any household removed from the local authority waiting list since 18 November 2021, but which now qualifies under the new thresholds, can retain the time already accrued on the list as well as any time that they would have accrued if they had remained on the waiting list.
825. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amounts in grant aid or funding awarded by his Department, or through schemes administered by it, to an organisation (details supplied) in each year from 2010 to 2022; and the projected funding for 2023. [17693/23]
View answer842. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out in detail the funding granted to each voluntary housing organisation for the erection or acquisition of residential units for each of the past five years; the number of units erected or acquired, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17857/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 825 and 842 together.
There are a broad range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social housing and related supports in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). The funding is primarily provided by my Department directly to local authorities, who in turn, advance the funding to the AHBs, as appropriate.
Details on the funding provided to each individual AHB is not readily available within my Department. However, overall, for the last five years, over €2.7 billion was provided by my Department to the local authorities in respect of a range of AHB funded schemes as follows:
|
Year |
Funding €m |
|
2018 |
348 |
|
2019 |
430 |
|
2020 |
515 |
|
2021 |
633 |
|
2022 |
797 |
|
Total |
2,72 |
Additionally, in respect of homeless expenditure, financial reports from each of the homeless regions, setting out expenditure on homeless services are published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/#local-authority-regional-financial-reports/.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and AHBs in each local authority, including data on social housing acquisitions and new build delivery. This data is available to the end of 2022, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
827. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide his response to the report from the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity and Loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17703/23]
View answerFollowing the declaration by the Dáil of a Biodiversity Emergency in 2019 and in recognition of the vital role that biodiversity plays in the continued health of our society, economy, species and planet, the Programme for Government included a commitment to hold a Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. I strongly welcome the publication of the report of this Assembly and am grateful to members of the Assembly for their dedication and commitment to the process.
Healthy nature provides food and food security, clean water, carbon sinks and protection against natural disasters caused by climate change, such as flooding and coastal inundation. Efforts to date to halt the loss of nature and biodiversity in Ireland have had limited success, however, and we need to take action to ensure a healthy environment for future generations. Biodiversity is a core element of our natural heritage, and the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss recognised that the response to conserving and restoring biodiversity should take into account the integral heritage and cultural values of our natural world. A whole of Government, whole of society approach is required to address the crisis.
The Assembly agreed 159 recommendations, including 73 high level and 86 sectoral specific recommendations, reflecting the depth and breadth of the topics discussed. The recommendations of the Assembly will now be deliberated by the relevant committee in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
828. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide his response to calls for a public body (details supplied) to establish a dedicated investigation unit to identify unregistered, privately rented properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17704/23]
View answer835. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration will be given to providing additional funding to the RTB in order to fund an active investigations unit, in order that the organisation may strengthen investigations into non-compliant landlords in the private market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17761/23]
View answer857. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to ensure that all landlords are registered with the Residential Tenancies Board. [18177/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 828, 835 and 857 together.
The Residential Tenancies Board, or RTB, was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 to regulate the rental sector; provide information to tenants and landlords; maintain a national register of tenancies; resolve disputes between tenants and landlords; and conduct research and provide information to inform policy. Registered landlords and all tenants can apply to the RTB for dispute resolution.
Section 134 of the Acts requires a landlord to apply to the RTB to register a tenancy of a dwelling within one month of its commencement. All private landlords, Approved Housing Bodies and providers of Student Specific Accommodation are required to register their tenancies with the RTB. Managing the registration of tenancies is a core function of the RTB. This allows the RTB to collect and provide definitive data on the rental sector and for transparency across the rental sector through the public register of tenancies; thus, enabling a better understanding of the sector.
Non-compliance with the requirement to register a tenancy is dealt with by two processes in the RTB, the Registration Enforcement Process or the Investigations and Sanctions Process.
The RTB has registration enforcement powers to pursue landlords who have not complied with their obligation to register their tenancies. Failure to register is an offence which may result in a criminal conviction, a fine of up to €4,000 and/or up to six months imprisonment. The RTB makes every effort to inform landlords of their obligations to register and legal action is taken as a last resort. The RTB, receives information from different sources regarding whether a tenancy is registered or not, including local authorities, members of the public, RTB checks and follow-ups and the Department of Social Protection.
Since 2019, the RTB also has an Investigations and Sanctions unit dedicated to investigating certain potential breaches of rental law by a landlord referred to as improper conduct under Schedule 2 to the Acts. One of the breaches that can be investigated is a failure to register a tenancy with the RTB within one month of the tenancy commencing. The Investigations and Sanctions Unit can start an investigation either as a result of information received from members of the public or as a result of information gathered from records that the RTB has access to under the Residential Tenancies Acts. If a landlord is found to have engaged in improper conduct, a sanction may be imposed on them by an independent Decision maker which may comprise one or all of the following: a written caution, a monetary sanction of €15,000 and €15,000 in costs.
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 continues to work with the RTB to ensure it is sufficiently resourced to deliver on its mandate. To this end, additional funding of €2.352M is being provided to the RTB for 2023, bringing its total allocation to €13.370M
My Department will continue to work with the RTB to ensure it is sufficiently resourced to deliver on its mandate, including the registration of tenancies.
