Written Answers Nos. 416-438
416. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of a campaign in Drogheda (details supplied); if he will outline the legislative process or current arrangements in place to obtain city status in Irish law; if he is considering making the necessary administrative and-or legislative arrangements to have Drogheda designated as a city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26243/23]
View answerThe question of city status for Drogheda is not being considered at the moment. The National Planning Framework published in 2018 sets out a vision and strategy for the spatial development of Ireland to 2040. The Framework recognises the strategic importance of Drogheda and aims to support its development and its economic potential as part of the Dublin-Belfast Corridor and in particular the core Drogheda-Dundalk-Newry network. Drogheda’s role is reflected at a regional level in the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly area. The RSES targets significant growth into the regional growth centres, including Drogheda, to enable them to act as regional drivers. In 2021 both Meath and Louth County Councils adopted new Development Plans which further underline the importance of Drogheda as a key urban centre in both counties.
There is also a Programme for Government commitment to the statutory mandate to update the NPF in 2024. In that context, initial preparatory work for the first revision to the NPF is currently underway. An in-house team has been established within my Department who are tasked with developing a proposed roadmap, determining the scope of the potential revision and examining all of the related governance and operational requirements, should Government make a decision to revise the NPF.
Local government areas are specified in primary legislation. The Local Government Act 2001 currently provides for three cities, namely Cork, Dublin and Galway, and for each of these to have a city council.
If an additional city council was to be established, it would have significant implications for the county in which the area concerned is situated, particularly around loss of functions of the relevant county council. Creation of a “Drogheda city” local authority would have a major impact on Co Louth, leaving the county council with much reduced territorial jurisdiction, population, and resources. This would be further complicated by the fact that the area being proposed for Drogheda to qualify as a city includes part of Co Meath.
For a city council to be established, provision would have to be made for this and other consequential matters in the relevant legislation. There are no plans for legislation in this regard.
417. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the up-to-date position with the provision of social housing at a site (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26253/23]
View answerThe properties raised in this question were delivered by an Approved Housing Body (AHB) and their ongoing management and maintenance is a matter in the first place, for the AHB in conjunction with the relevant local authority. I understand from Kildare County Council that their intention is for the ownership of the homes referred to in the question, to be transferred to a new AHB, which will take over the management of the homes, since the AHB which developed the units in the 1990s is no longer active.
The new AHB is currently undertaking an assessment of the properties to understand the refurbishment works required and costings for these works with a view to making them available for re-tenanting. It is critical that local authorities take an active oversight role on the condition and tenanting of all AHB properties in their area, as it is they who manage the allocations for such properties with the AHBs, including responding to situations where properties are vacant.
My Department is continuing to work with Kildare County Council to advance this project and we look forward to the completion of the preparatory work and moving the project forward as soon as possible. Further specific information on this project will be available directly from Kildare County Council.
418. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the up-to-date position with the provision of social housing at a location (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26254/23]
View answerKildare County Council has made a proposal to my Department for the development of further social housing at the site in question in conjunction with an AHB. 34 new apartments are proposed and my Department confirmed pre-planning funding approval to the Council for the project in April 2022. I understand contacts are currently underway between the AHB and the Council planners and further information on the project's advancement will be available from the Council itself.
419. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the up-to-date position with the provision of infrastructure (details supplied) in County Kildare; the current status of it; the scheduled finish date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26255/23]
View answerThe Barrow Blueway Project is a significant initiative, which will support communities and create exciting opportunities for recreation and ways to experience interesting places from new perspectives.
Waterways Ireland obtained planning permission for the entire Barrow Blueway Project including the canal side works and the roadside works from Lowtown to Athy, a distance of approximately 46km. Kildare County Council is the Project Manager for the Barrow Blueway Project and is responsible for the overall project delivery.
The project objectives are to:
Provide upgraded and new physical infrastructure in accordance with planning permission:
The provision of infrastructure to achieve ‘Accredited Blueway’ status for the route: and
Co-ordinate marketing activity to maximise the potential of the Blueway.
Waterways Ireland is responsible for the delivery of the canal side works elements only. To date they have completed 32.9km of towpath, a further 3.5km canal side works is currently under construction with an expected completion date of the mid-2023.
Kildare County Council publishes project updates regularly on its website www.kildarecoco.ie.
421. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the rate of fees payable for persons who wish to submit planning observations; and his views on whether the rate is consistent with the aims of the Aarhus Convention, in particular. [26285/23]
View answerPublic participation is an important element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), and is also a requirement under the UN Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation on Decision Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention) and the European Union Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 2011/92/EU in relation to specific types of developments.
In Ireland, it is open to any member of the public to make an observation or submission on a planning application and the planning authority is statutorily obliged to consider such submissions before making a decision on the application.
Section 33 of the Act, provides that the Minister may make regulations in relation to the planning fees applied by planning authorities, including in relation to the making of a submission or observation on a planning application. The current planning related fees payable to planning authorities have been in place since 2002
Persons who make submissions are also entitled to be notified of any significant further information provided to the planning authority by the applicant and to be notified of the authority’s decision on the application. Furthermore, any person who made a submission on a planning application may appeal the planning authority’s decision on the application to An Bord Pleanála or may make a submission to the Board in relation to an appeal of that decision.
Under section 144 of the Act 2000, An Bord Pleanála may determine fees that may be charged, subject to Ministerial approval, in relation to any case that is within its jurisdiction. The relevant statutory provisions also provide that the Board shall review the approved fees from time to time but must undertake a review, based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), at least every three years and can adjust fees up or down within CPI change limits without the necessity for Ministerial approval.
The fees payable by members of the public to participate in the planning decision-making process are set at a level that, as well as contributing towards the cost of processing applications and appeals, discourages frivolous or vexatious submissions without hindering genuine public participation. In addition, the Board has discretion to dismiss an appeal where it is satisfied that the appeal is vexatious, frivolous or without substance or foundation, or where the appeal is made with the sole intention of delaying development or of securing the payment of money, gifts, considerations or other inducement by any person.
It should be noted that in November 2006 the European Court of Justice (case number c-216/05) ruled in Ireland’s favour that fees charged for local authority submissions and procedures before An Bord Pleanála were compatible with the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU, as they were not set at a level too high to discourage public participation and were not an obstacle to the effectiveness of the Directive.
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 and I have no proposals to amend the legislation in this regard.
422. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the modelling his Department maintains on future building capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26286/23]
View answer
Housing for All Policy Objective 17 is to "deliver the labour force required to build an average of 33,000 homes per year".
To achieve this objective, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has published the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction & Retrofitting, 2023 to 2030, a copy of which can be accessed on that Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/10ae6-report-on-the-analysis-of-skills-for-residential-construction-retrofitting-2023-to-2030/#:~:text=work%20permit%20scheme.-,Conclusions,over%20the%20period%202023%2D2030 .
My Department maintains modelling on future building capacity through, for example, the quarterly tracking and publication of residential commencements, permissions and completions, in collaboration with local authorities and Government agencies. This process provides a clear indication of future residential construction capacity trends.
My Department recently published the Residential Construction Cost Study Report, which carried out in-depth analysis on residential construction costs under Housing for All. The Report identified a host of subsequent Actions to drive down construction costs and maximise future building capacity through greater standardisation and the adoption of more efficient residential construction processes across tenures. A copy of the Report can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/2bf87-residential-construction-cost-study-report/
The promotion of Modern Methods of Construction across Government, which is central to Housing for All, has resulted in a number of new policy initiatives (including Construct Innovate, Build Digital, and the forthcoming MMC Demonstration Park). The Modern Methods of Construction Leadership and Integration Group brings these entities together to ensure businesses face a holistic offering from the Government, and this Group is further developing a MMC Public Procurement Roadmap.
In addition, my Department, through the housing economics research programme which is operated jointly with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI) has also funded the development of a construction sector extension of the Institute’s COSMO macro-economic model, which allows for scenario analysis with a focus on impacts on home prices, residential output, construction-sector employment and other important aspects of the sector. This model is in place.
Finally, my Department remains in regular contact with other Government bodies and industry with regard to modelling future capacity in residential construction.
423. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the shortage of beach lifeguards in Fingal; if he will raise the rate of pay for beach lifeguards; if his Department will invest in full-time professional year-round core lifeguard services for Dublin and other local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26290/23]
View answerUnder Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible.
My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector and it is a requirement that approval is sought for any additional post outside of agreed workforce plan numbers. It is open to the local authorities to submit staff sanction requests and each is examined on a case by case basis.
Most local authorities have a delegated sanction to employ lifeguards on an annual/seasonal basis. Where sanction is required, I understand that any such request from a local authority is processed without delay. I am not aware of any plans to revise the hourly rate of pay for lifeguards.
424. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the 17 local authority housing units approved for construction at a location (details supplied) have finished construction; if so, their completion date; the final number of units delivered; the total cost of the project; if the development was officially opened by a Minister; if so, when that happened; if not, the reasons for the project not proceeding; the current status of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26291/23]
View answerMy Department publishes quarterly Social Housing Construction Status Reports (CSR), which provide details of social housing developments that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of design and tender processes.
The full set of published CSRs, can be found on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
The project, comprising 13 units, was completed in 2020 at a cost of €3.9m, and was opened by the Lord Mayor in 2022.
425. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the 60 local authority housing units approved for construction in a location (details supplied) have finished construction; if so, their completion date; the final number of units delivered; the total cost of the project; if the development was officially opened by a Minister; if so, when that happened; if not, the reasons for the project not proceeding; the current status of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26292/23]
View answerMy Department publishes quarterly Social Housing Construction Status Reports (CSR), which provide details of social housing developments that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of design and tender processes.
The full set of published CSRs, can be found on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
The project, comprising 65 units, was completed on 30 September 2019 at a total cost of €18.5m.
This development was renamed Shournagh Grove and was officially opened by the Lord Mayor in 2022.
426. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the 60 local authority housing units approved for construction in a location (details supplied) have finished construction; if so, their completion date; the final number of units delivered; the total cost of the project; if the development was officially opened by a Minister; if so, when that happened; if not, the reasons for the project not proceeding; the current status of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26293/23]
View answerMy Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority, including Cork County Council. 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/
The project referred to by the Deputy was delivered on a phased basis under two separate projects, as detailed in the table below. A budget allocation of €16.8M has been approved for both projects. I understand that the development was not officially opened by a Minister.
Project 1 (49 units)
|
Phase |
No. of Units |
Completed |
|
1/4 |
10 |
December 2018 |
|
2/4 |
5 |
December 2018 |
|
3/4 |
16 |
March 2019 |
|
4/4 |
18 |
March 2019 |
Project 2 (15 units)
|
Phase |
No. of Units |
Completed |
|
1/1 |
15 |
December 2022 |
427. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the staffing levels in the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority; the appointments to date and their salaries, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26329/23]
View answerThe Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 provides for a new dedicated agency to regulate our maritime area. The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) will be responsible for granting consents which will be required before a development can apply for planning permission in the maritime area; granting licenses for specified activity; ensuring robust compliance through enforcement measures and managing the existing State Foreshore consent portfolio.
With such wide-ranging remit extensive preparatory work is underway in advance of its formal establishment. A dedicated business unit is in place within my Department leading the critical work to enable the timely establishment of MARA. A breakdown of the current staffing complement of this unit is below. All staff of this unit are civil servants and as such are paid under the civil servants payscales which can be viewed on the Civil Service Payscales website at the following link - civilservicepayscales.per.gov.ie .
|
Grade |
Headcount |
|
Principal Officer |
1 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
3 |
|
Engineer Grade 1 Civil |
1 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
4 |
|
Executive Officer |
3 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1 |
|
Total |
13 |
An additional 8 staff are expected to join the unit in the coming weeks. All staff of the Establishment Unit will transfer to MARA under a secondment arrangement when MARA is formally established, to ensure there is continuity in respect of the work. MARA's Chief Executive will take up duty in advance of its formal establishment.
Informed by a Strategic Workforce Plan and Skills Needs Assessment, it is expected that MARA will need to expand to a workforce to at least 30 as soon as possible to allow it to undertake its statutory functions. Staffing resources will be required across administrative, legal, financial, technical and environmental areas. MARA has been allocated a budget of €4.3m for 2023, including €2.4m for payroll related costs. A staff complement of approximately 60 is envisaged as being required in the medium term. MARA will be formally established on 17 July 2023.
428. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the staffing levels in the An Bord Pleanála and their salaries, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26330/23]
View answerAn Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
There are now more people working at An Bord Pleanála than at any time previously. Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in An Bord Pleanála, as detailed below.
• In October 2021, my Department approved an additional 24 posts across a range of technical and administrative grades including the setting up of a new Marine and Climate Unit.
• In December 2022, 34 additional posts were sanctioned, and the Board is in the process of filling these positions.
• In April 2023, An Bord Pleanála sought agreement for a total of 59 new posts, all of which were agreed by the Department. An Bord Pleanála submitted sanction approval requests for these positions and my Department has provided sanction approval for all 59 posts.
Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie .
In order to be of assistance, my Department obtained the information requested from An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála have provided the staffing information requested in the tables below.
Table 1: Board Membership at An Bord Pleanála at 30 th April 2023
|
Board Member Grade ABP |
FTE |
PPC rate |
Non-PPC rate |
|
Chairperson |
1 |
€227,369 |
€216,000 |
|
Deputy Chairperson |
1 |
€155, 384 |
€147,614 |
|
Board Member |
13 |
€135,478 |
€128,706 |
|
Estimated Current Total Salary (Board Membership @ PPC Rate) |
15 |
€2,143,967 |
Table 2: Staffing at An Bord Pleanála as of 30 th April 2023
|
Staffing Grade ABP |
FTE |
Average Cost Per Grade |
Grade Category |
|
Chief Officer |
1 |
€111,256 (non-PPC) |
Principal Officer Higher |
|
Director of Corporate Affairs |
1 |
€103,605 (non-PPC) |
Principal Officer |
|
Director of Planning |
2 |
€108,593 |
Senior Advisor |
|
Assistant Director of Planning |
4 |
€87,375 |
Engineer Grade I plus allowance |
|
Senior Planning Inspector |
40 |
€87,375 |
Engineer Grade I |
|
Ecologist |
1 |
€87,375 |
Engineer Grade I |
|
Planning Inspector |
24 |
€74,700 |
Engineer Grade II |
|
Senior Administrative Officer |
10 |
€83,625 |
Assistant Principal |
|
Senior Executive Officer |
19 |
€59,888 |
Higher Executive Officer |
|
Executive Officer |
54 |
€44,500 |
Executive Officer |
|
Administrative Assistant |
48 |
€35,458 |
Clerical Officer |
|
Total |
204 |
€12,235,828 |
|
|
Cumulative total of Table 1 and Table 2 |
219 |
€14,379,795 |
429. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the local authority biodiversity officer programme. [26331/23]
View answer430. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the local authority biodiversity officer programme; the number of officers who are in position to date and in which local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26334/23]
View answer431. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the staffing levels of the local authority biodiversity officer programme, their salaries, and in which local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26335/23]
View answer432. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the local authority biodiversity officer programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26336/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 429 to 432, inclusive, together.
The local authority biodiversity officer programme is coordinated by the Heritage Council, utilising funding provided by my Department. My Department also sanctions the recruitment for new posts as requested by individual local authorities. The Heritage Council manage this programme centrally and so hold the detailed information regarding the filling of these positions and the individual circumstances of each post.
Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department, which includes the Heritage Council, to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The relevant contact email address for the Heritage Council is oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie.
433. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the terms of access to any or all grants for the provision for private wells for private housing who have a connection to public supply, but the supply is continually being interrupted or disconnected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26337/23]
View answerMy Department provides a grant for the improvement of a private water supply to a house. The purpose of the grant scheme is to assist households in rural areas that are dependent on an existing private water supply (individual well) for their household use, by financially assisting them where they incur capital expenditure, to carry out improvements to the supply to ensure that it is wholesome and clean, or to ensure that the quantity supplied is sufficient to meet the domestic needs of the household. The grant is not available where the house is connected to the Uisce Éireann or a Group Water Scheme network.
Uisce Éireann and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) have identified Security of Supply as a key metric for the provision of a reliable water supply. The objective outlined by Uisce Éireann in their National Water Resource Plan is to ultimately achieve a level of service of 1 in 50 as a minimum. That is a customer should only expect to experience an outage of severe limitations in their supply once in every 50 years. The CRU’s Performance Assessment of Uisce Eireann published in December 2021 highlights Security of Water Supply along with associated metrics including leakage as key to achieving a sustainable, secure, and reliable drinking water supply whilst safeguarding the environment.
434. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he or the Government have plans or intentions, given our increasing ageing population, to establish a distinct unit to operate together across both his Department and the Department of Health to provide for a joint plan to ensure the provision of age-friendly independent and supported-living environments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26359/23]
View answerHousing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of measures to achieve its policy objectives together with a financial commitment of in excess of €4 billion per annum.
Under Housing for All, there is a policy objective to increase and improve housing options for older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence. Housing for All builds on and takes forward the ongoing actions in "Housing Options for Our Ageing Population" policy statement from 2019, published jointly by my Department and the Department of Health, which provides policy options in support of a range of housing and accommodation alternatives for older people. The actions include the development of a catalogue of housing options that provide a range of choices that meet the diverse need of an ageing population, spanning owner occupier, private rental and social housing, whilst providing accessible care and the associated support needs. My Department, together with the local authorities and the Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), is successfully guiding and delivering age-friendly housing within this framework.
My Department established a new Business Unit in the latter part of 2021, namely, Social Inclusion Business Unit, which includes having responsibility for housing policy for older people. This Unit liaises with key Departments such as the Department of Health in the development and delivery of housing policy for older people.
My Department continues to collaborate with the Department of Health on the implementation of relevant ongoing actions, together with engagement on advancing the most appropriate framework, under the strategic framework of Housing for All, to ensure the effective integration of health and housing policies at national and local level.
435. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable homes that have been delivered, per county, in the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26361/23]
View answerUnder Housing for All, the Government will deliver 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.
With 2022 representing the first full year of affordable housing delivery under the schemes introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021, local authorities are now submitting data returns and information on delivery of affordable homes in their area to my Department, in the same manner as is done for social housing. The 2022 process is now complete and statistical data on delivery across all delivery streams has been validated and published on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery .
2022 represented the commencement of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. This momentum will continue with delivery increasing significantly this year. A strong pipeline of affordable housing delivery is in place and under continuous development by local authorities, by Approved Housing Bodies using the Cost Rental Equity Loan and by the Land Development Agency.
Data in respect of 2023 delivery will be published in due course.
In addition, the First Home Scheme, which was launched in July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. The Scheme aims to support in the region of 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market in the years 2022 to 2026 with an overall budget of €400 million. The scheme is available nationwide. Full information on the scheme, including the Q1 2023 Update Report, is available on the First Home Scheme dedicated 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.
Finally, the new Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is also available nationwide and it provides for grants for refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties. I also announced last year, a new Ready to Build serviced sites scheme under the Fund where local authorities will provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. Information on both of these schemes is available directly from local authorities.
436. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures, if any, in place, to assist persons to purchase houses which were previously owned, that is, not new builds, and not deemed to be vacant or derelict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26365/23]
View answerAffordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed in the Housing for All strategy, the Government has introduced a number of measures to support households and individuals wishing to purchase a home, or those who wish to securely rent a home, as well as increasing the overall supply of new homes, with an ambitious target of 300,000 new homes up to 2030.
Under Pathway 1 of this strategy, “Pathways to Home Ownership and Increasing Affordability”, two new Affordable Purchase schemes have been established (the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme and the First Home shared equity scheme), an improved Local Authority Home Loan scheme, and the introduction of a new form of rental tenure in Cost Rental tenancies.
These schemes are primarily aimed at supporting affordability constrained first-time buyers to meet the higher costs associated with buying new build homes, whilst also encouraging additional housing development to increase overall supply. The eligibility of an applicant for these schemes will be determined based on scheme specific selection criteria, application assessment, and terms and conditions as deemed appropriate by the respective scheme provider.
For those looking to purchase a second hand home, the Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for those who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build.
Further information on the scheme is available on the dedicated website localauthorityhomeloan.ie/
437. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social and affordable homes delivered in Cork in 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26367/23]
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 the delivery of 90,000 social homes and 54,000 affordable 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.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority, including Cork City Council and Cork County Council. With 2022 representing the first full year of affordable housing delivery under the schemes introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021, local authorities have submitted data returns detailing information on delivery of affordable homes in their area to my Department, in the same manner as is done for social housing. 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/ . Data for Quarter 1 2023 is currently being collated and will be published shortly.
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 4 2022. All Construction Status Reports are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis at the link below: data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q4-2022?package_type=dataset
A key action of Housing for All required local authorities to develop Housing Delivery Action Plans to include details of social and affordable housing delivery. The Plans set out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. Housing Delivery Action Plans are published on the websites of the relevant local authorities.
In addition, the First Home Scheme, which was launched in July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. The Scheme aims to support in the region of 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market in the years 2022 to 2026 with an overall budget of €400 million. The scheme is available nationwide. Full information on the scheme, including Q1 2023 Update Report, is available on the First Home Scheme dedicated 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.
438. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details on the planned economic impact assessment around the proposed nature restoration law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26373/23]
View answerThe proposed Nature Restoration Regulation provides an opportunity for transformative change in relation to achieving nature restoration in Ireland and the EU as a whole. While much of the recent focus has been on rewetting and agricultural impacts, the proposed regulation covers a huge range of land and marine options - urban, agricultural, river, marine and forest environments.
The impact assessment underpinning the NRL proposal estimated the total financing needs for nature restoration in the EU at €6 to €8 billion per year. This assessment points to the fact that the economic benefits of nature restoration far outweigh its costs. Every euro invested in nature restoration is estimated to result in at least €8 in benefits.
How this benefit translates to an Irish context is difficult to calculate due to the unknown variables relating to current available data, quantification of areas affected/to be restored, monitoring of data and impact of the overall restoration obligations on areas beyond the Natura network remit.
Under the nature restoration proposal, Member States are required to estimate in their national restoration plans the financing needs for implementing restoration measures. This shall include a description of the support to stakeholders affected by restoration measures and the means of intended financing, public or private, including co-financing with EU funding instruments.
A high level assessment of the cost of compliance will be undertaken over the summer, once clarity on the proposal emerges, to accurately calculate the investment needed to support the transformative changes required to meet the proposed targets. This assessment will form a key part of the overal stakeholder engagement to be undertaken.
An assessment of how allocations under existing programmes can be maximised to support achievement of the objectives under the proposed Regulation will be required and budgets additional to existing funding instruments will need to be considered. New funding mechanisms may also need to be examined, such as models that leverage private finance, and those that incentivise nature restoration actions to be delivered by non-governmental sectors.
