Written Answers Nos. 371-388
371. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the provision of emergency funding for interim measures in buildings with construction defects; and when he will publish the code of conduct on remediating fire safety defects. [29304/23]
View answer380. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the defective apartments and duplexes redress scheme will be enacted; if retrospective applications for redress will be included in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29324/23]
View answer381. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the defective apartments and duplexes redress scheme; the stage of the establishment of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29325/23]
View answer394. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an apartment owner carries out remediation work on their apartment to correct a building defect, if that hinders them subsequently accessing financial assistance for these works under the upcoming defective builds scheme for apartments, considering they have a builder ready to carry out these works to prevent water getting into the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29740/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 371, 380, 381 and 394 together.
Since the receipt of Government approval in January of this year, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013 on a statutory footing.
A key aspect of this work is developing a Code of Practice in the context of the Fire Services Acts, to provide guidance to relevant professionals, including guidance on interim safety measures. The development of this Code of Practice was a key recommendation of the Working Group I established to examine defects in Housing.
The Group working on this Code includes industry professionals, local authority fire services, the Housing Agency and my Department. The work of this Group is nearing completion and I expect to be in a position to publish this Code of Practice for public consultation in the coming weeks.
This Code of Practice will be a key feature on which the operation of the statutory scheme will be based. It will support the development of a reasonable and practicable approach to resolving fire safety defects, and to ensure a consistent approach nationwide to remediation. While the Code of Practice will apply to the remediation of fire-safety defects, it could be built upon in regard to the remediation of structural and water-ingress defects in due course.
The scheme will incorporate a means or methodology, based on the Code of Practice, for prioritising the allocation and nature of support and funding, including the funding of interim measures, to ensure that the highest risk buildings will be the first to be supported.
I have listened to calls from homeowner representative bodies and Government has agreed that remediation costs already incurred or levied prior to the introduction of the scheme will be covered under the scheme once such costs fall within the scope and defined parameters of the scheme. The details and mechanics of this will be worked out as the legislation is drafted.
The scheme will be administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis and interaction and interdependency with local authority fire services and others is being considered, with the remediation of fire safety defects carried out to the satisfaction of the local authority fire services. An advice and information service and portal within the Housing Agency is in the process of being established.
In addition, work is also underway to draft the required legislation, which will include the scope, eligibility and conditions of the remediation scheme. While I am working on the development of the scheme as a matter of priority, sufficient time is required to draft the legislation to ensure that the scheme is fit for purpose, provides value for tax payer’s money and contains appropriate oversight and governance measures.
372. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Q1 2023 social housing output report will be published. [29305/23]
View answerMy Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. This data is available to the end of Quarter 4 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 Quarter 1 2023 Social Housing Delivery statistics are being collated and will be published shortly, in conjunction with the Quarter 1 Construction Status Report.
373. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will set out, in tabular form, the targets for affordable delivery for 2023 and 2024 under the affordable housing fund; the cost rental equity loan; project Tosaigh and the LDA direct delivery. [29306/23]
View answerHousing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing to the required 33,000 homes, on average, per year over the next decade. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered 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.
Under Housing for All, 2023 has a delivery target of 5,500 affordable homes for affordable purchase and cost rental across various delivery streams, while 2024 has a delivery target of 6,400 such homes.
In implementing the key objectives under Housing for All, each local authority has prepared and published a Housing Delivery Action Plan in respect of local authority supported or overseen delivery from 2022 to 2026. 18 local authorities with a strong and identified affordable housing need were set affordable housing delivery targets and asked to include their planned affordable housing delivery in their Housing Delivery Action Plans. Each local authority published its plan on its website in July 2022.
2022 represented the first year of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. It is anticipated that the momentum created by this initial delivery will be maintained in 2023, and continue to ramp up in 2024. A pipeline of affordable housing delivery is in place and is under continuous development by both the local authorities, AHBs and the LDA.
374. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of part 8 derogation planning applications that have been initiated since the derogation was introduced; and if he will provide a list of the derogations, broken down by local authority, location of scheme and number of units in each scheme. [29307/23]
View answerThe data requested in the question is not currently available in my Department. The use of the exemption for local authorities to provide housing on zoned State land is set out under Section 179A of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. This provision and it associated regulations commenced in March 2023.
Article 39A(1) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), requires that planning authorities provide to me, the Minister, information on a quarterly basis on the number of proposed housing developments, the number of commenced housing developments and the number of completed housing developments under section 179A(5)(a) to (f) of the Act, which information shall include the number of houses under each category. The first quarter for reporting purposes under article 39A(1) of the Regulations will end on 30 June 2023.
As part of this request I, in my role as Minister under article 39A(2) of the Regulations, may request planning authorities to provide information on the number of sites available within their functional area for the provision of houses under Section 179A(5)(a) to (f) of the Act, the location of the sites available and the number of houses that can be accommodated at each site.
My Department will issue the request for information on the use of the provision under section 179A of the Act to local authorities shortly, as part of the Q2 2023 data return.
375. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on plans to deliver 1,500 social homes using modular building technology, including a list of projects proposed to date, by local authority, with information on location and number of units involved. [29308/23]
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.
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. MMC is used to describe a range of off-site manufacturing and innovative on-site techniques that provide alternatives to traditional house building. All MMC systems must be of a high quality, comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations and have a 60-year durability.
Last December funding of €94m was provided to local authorities to address legacy land debts. The provision of this funding was linked to the immediate development of a housing proposal, a commitment to use Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and for construction to start in 2023 or no later than 2024. A total of 26 sites received funding as part of an accelerated delivery programme, and with some additional sites since added, my Department is overseeing a project to progress delivery of MMC projects on 35 sites which will deliver over 1,500 new social homes.
The table below shows the breakdown of the sites in the programme by local authority.
|
Local authority |
No of Projects |
No. of Homes (approx) |
|
Cork City |
1 |
222 |
|
Cork County |
4 |
66 |
|
DLR |
3 |
300 |
|
Fingal |
5 |
300 |
|
Galway City |
1 |
84 |
|
Kerry |
4 |
177 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
65 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
19 |
|
Louth |
5 |
280 |
|
Meath |
1 |
47 |
376. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown of tenant-in-situ applications and purchases, by local authority. [29309/23]
View answerUnder Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).
For 2023, the Government has agreed that there will be increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department will fund local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes. The additional acquisitions will be focused on properties where a tenant in receipt of social housing supports and has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. My Department issued a circular letter to all local authorities in March, setting out details of these arrangements and each local authority was provided with a provisional target for social housing acquisitions in 2023 and these allocations are being kept under review.
Details of social housing acquisitions will be published as part of the comprehensive programme level statistics published by my Department on a quarterly basis. This data is available for all local authorities to the end of Quarter 4 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/.
While data published to date does not include a breakdown of properties acquired where a tenant has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property, from Q1 2023 an amendment has been made to my Department's statistical returns to collect information in this regard. This data is currently being collated and will be published in due course.
377. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a list of all legislation including non-consequential amendments he intends to bring forward before the summer recess. [29315/23]
View answerI refer to the Government’s Summer Legislation Programme 2023, a copy of which can be accessed at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/904e2-government-legislation-programme-2023/, which sets out the legislation I intend to bring forward before the summer recess.
379. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many people have applied for the cost rental tenant-in-situ scheme in County Donegal; what stage the applications are at; how many applications have been successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29322/23]
View answerThe Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) Scheme was introduced, initially on an administrative basis, to address the immediate circumstances of the ending of the 'Winter Emergency Period' on 31 March 2023. This scheme is available where a tenant faces the termination of a tenancy due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. The scheme is available if the tenant household:
• is not able to or intending to purchase the property from the landlord,
• does not own other residential property,
• is assessed by the Local Authority to be at risk of homelessness,
• is not in receipt of social housing supports (i.e. the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or the Residential Accommodation Scheme (RAS)), and
• has an annual net household income of no more than €53,000.
The CRTiS Scheme launched in April is in the initial stages of its establishment. I expect that my Department will be in a position to give a report on the scheme later in the year.
382. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will investigate claims that the landlord was asking tenants for their HAP pin number - as per the email your office received on 25 May 2023 (details supplied); and if he will consider that this a serious breach of data protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29357/23]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support available for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. When registering for HAP the tenant is issued with a unique customer number and a pin number. The combination of the customer number and pin number allows payment of differential rent over the phone. The customer number and pin can also be used to complete registration on the HAP app. Once the tenant has registered they can set their own password instead of using the pin that was provided.
Under data protection legislation, any unauthorised access of stored personal data would ordinarily be considered a data breach. If a member of the public has concerns regarding unauthorised access of their personal data they may wish to raise their concerns with the Data Protection Commission - www.dataprotection.ie/.
Under the HAP scheme, eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented sector. The tenancy agreement is between the HAP recipient and the private landlord.
384. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if signs will be erected at Torc waterfall, Killarney (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29376/23]
View answerThe National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has significantly invested in the car parking infrastructure as well as footpaths and trails in Killarney National Park in recent years. Torc waterfall is, of course, one of the most iconic sites on the Ring of Kerry. The number of visitors to the site is in excess of 30,000 people per year, with the busiest months being July and August. The NPWS are reviewing signage and road markings in the Torc car parking order to address some of the issues raised.
385. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can confirm the specific funding scheme, under the auspices of his Department, that facilitated the allocation of capital funding for the commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the 1798 Rebellion; if he can provide information on which counties applied and received funding through this scheme; when this scheme was advertised; when applications closed; if he will confirm whether an application for such funding would be considered from County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29410/23]
View answerMy Department received a request from Wexford County Council for financial support for heritage related capital works at 1798 Battle of Vinegar Hill commemorative properties. My Department is currently awaiting further information from Wexford County Council in this regard.
There is a specific Scheme however, the Community Monuments Fund administered by the National Monuments Service in my Department, for works at archaeological monuments.
There was a total award of €8 million to 140 projects under the 2023 Community Monuments Fund. The scheme for 2024 is expected to be announced in November this year.
The Community Monuments Fund provides funding for projects in relation to:
(i) Archaeological Monuments that are included in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) under the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended); and
(ii) Archaeological Monuments that are identified in the Sites and Monuments Record compiled by the National Monuments Service.
386. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the implementation of circular 25/2016 by each State body under the aegis of his Department; and if he will provide, in tabular form, by State agency, the compliance with each of the standards and timelines set out in responding to Oireachtas Members’ queries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29478/23]
View answerMy Department has robust processes and procedures in place to support State bodies under the aegis of the Department in respect of compliance with corporate governance requirements.
Written Performance Delivery Agreements are in place with all the State bodies for which the Department has oversight, and these agreements clearly define the terms of the Department's relationship with that body, including outputs for delivery, corporate governance compliance requirements and arrangements for oversight. Formal meetings between senior Department officials and representatives of the Board and senior management of each of the State bodies are also held, at least annually, to review Performance Delivery Agreements and address any issues arising.
A dedicated unit, the State Body Oversight and Governance Unit, has responsibility for overseeing my Department’s governance of State Bodies and, in particular, for monitoring compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and with associated Circulars. The Head of Business Unit reports directly to a member of the Department’s Management Board on all matters relating to corporate governance compliance.
My Department is also currently preparing to undertake a comprehensive ‘compliance review’ of each of the State bodies to verify adherence to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and to other corporate governance requirements, including those referenced in Circular 25/2016. It is intended that a survey addressing these matters will issue to all the State bodies under the aegis of my Department in the coming weeks.
In relation to the ‘Protocol for the Provision of Information to Members of the Oireachtas by State Bodies under the aegis of Government Departments/Offices’, my Department ensures that all State bodies are made aware of the requirement to put arrangements in place to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. Adherence to the requirements, as set out in the circular, is a matter for the Head of each individual entity.
A full list of the State bodies under the aegis of my Department, including the required dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, is set out in the table below.
|
An Bord Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce |
info@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority |
oireachtasqueries@ahbregulator.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Electoral Commission |
info@electoralcommission.ie |
|
Ervia |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
info@noac.ie |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Tailte Éireann |
reps@tailte.ie |
|
Uisce Éireann |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
info@valuationtribunal.ie |
|
Waterways Ireland |
ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org |
387. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the procedure to be followed by a person (details supplied); the status of the remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29499/23]
View answerThe purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act') 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 2022 Act for the purposes of the enhanced grant scheme: Clare County Council; Donegal County Council; Limerick City and County Council; Mayo County Council.
Under the Enhanced Grant Scheme the Housing Agency will act as agents on behalf of the local authorities. Applications received by a local authority will be referred to the Housing Agency to review the ‘Building Condition Assessment Report’ and determine if the home has met the ‘damage threshold’ for entry to the scheme. Once a home has met the damage threshold for entry to the scheme, the Housing Agency will arrange for the assessment, sampling testing and categorisation of dwellings on a priority basis in accordance with the national standard IS 465 and thereafter determine the appropriate remediation option and grant amount.
The 2022 Act which contains the enhanced grant scheme will be commenced as soon as related Regulations are completed. The Regulations will 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.
I aim to commence the 2022 Act and adopt the Regulations shortly. Comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme will be made available online for all existing and potential applicants once commenced.
388. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of delays in land ownership that has seen successful applicants draw down and begin the process of repaying mortgages for the Newton Heights Affordable Housing Scheme in Cork city without receipt of keys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29615/23]
View answerThe closing of the sale of each affordable home on its completion and delivery is a matter between parties to the transaction, who include the individual purchaser, their mortgage provider, and the relevant local authority, in this case Cork City Council, together with their respective legal representatives.
I have been advised by Cork City Council that the parties in this instance have identified an appropriate solution to a conveyancing challenge that has arisen in relation to 8 of the affordable housing units in this affordable housing scheme.
The drawdown of loans is a matter for the purchaser, their advisers and the relevant financial institution.
It may be helpful to note more generally that the Department has issued pro forma legal and conveyancing material to all local authorities, following engagement with key stakeholders including the Law Society, all participating banks, local authorities, the Property Registration Authority and others, which concluded in December 2022. Standardised arrangements and procedures now in place in this way will greatly assist the efficient completion of the legal and conveyancing process as the Affordable Homes delivery programme in place is scaled up in line with the Housing for All commitment to deliver 54,000 affordable homes across a range of measures by 2030.
