Written Answers Nos. 250-265
250. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on his further engagement with the AHB sector, outlined in his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 844 of 18 April 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33357/23]
View answerMy Department has engaged with key AHB sector representatives to evaluate a range of potential proposals, including the proposals on reform of the Fair Deal scheme, as a possible means to develop and enhance the AHB sector.
Initial feedback from the sector indicates that there would be limited appeal among AHBs to take part as the proposal is currently structured. The current focus is to seek input from regional and specialist housing providers, to ascertain the feasibility of further developing the proposal.
As stated in my previous reply, the proposals submitted to my Department are complex as they cut across a wide range of social housing and healthcare policy issues and require extensive analysis and consideration.
251. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he expects to meet future housing demand at all levels notwithstanding the existence of many challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33359/23]
View answer256. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what further steps can be taken to dramatically increase the housing output to meet the requirements of both the public and private housing programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33364/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 256 together.
Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland, published on 2 September 2021, is the Government’s housing plan to 2030. The first annual update of the plan's actions was published on 2 November 2022. Under Housing for All, the supply of new homes is increasing:
• Almost 30,000 homes were delivered in 2022. This is the highest annual total since the CSO series began in 2011, and an increase of more than 45% on 2021 delivery. A further 6,716 new homes were added to the national housing stock in Q1 2023, an increase of 19% on Q1 2022. The target for 2022 was exceeded and I am confident that we are on track to meet the 2023 target.
• The strong uptick in commencements in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 has continued into Q2 2023. 12,987 homes were commenced in the first five months of this year, a record when compared to similar periods since the data series began in 2014.
• These record commencement notices follow a recent publication by the CSO showing an increase of 37.8% in planning permissions granted in Q1 2023 to 11,659 homes.
• There is a strong pipeline of social and affordable housing, with over 19,000 new-build social homes in the pipeline and over 2,500 more local authority affordable homes already approved for funding, along with further affordable housing being planned by the LDA and Approved Housing Bodies.
The Government recognises that challenges remain. Price inflation, rising interest rates and other inter-related factors arising from the war in Ukraine have increased the cost of construction, leading to a very uncertain and unstable environment. The first annual update of Housing for All sets out how the Government is responding to these changed circumstances, ensuring focus remains on delivery.
Additional measures such as the 12-month time limited exemption from Development Levies and Water Connection Fees; an increase in the grants available as part of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant; a new Cost Rental Viability Measure to activate existent planning permissions; the extension of the LDA’s Project Tosaigh; and the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) initiative; will further improve viability, and get sites activated that might not otherwise be developed.
In parallel, we continue to deliver on the fundamental reforms set out in the Plan, such as reviewing the rental market; addressing the cost of construction; accelerating the adoption of Modern Methods of Construction, particularly in the delivery of public housing; and reforming the planning system to ensure a simpler, more streamlined process for all stakeholders.
A record €4.5 billion in State housing investment has been made available for 2023. This will underpin the ambitious Housing for All plan and deliver the largest state home building programme ever with 9,100 direct build social homes, and 5,500 affordable homes. Over €1 billion will be spent on affordability measures, supporting homeownership in 2023.
The challenges arising in the housing market are under constant review right across Government. The Government and I continue to explore options to ensure that housing policy can and is being modified to deliver at an accelerated pace. A copy of Housing for All and the Housing for All Action Plan Update can be accessed at the following respective links:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/ef5ec-housing-for-all-a-new-housing-plan-for-ireland/.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/da0d1-action-plan-update-and-q3-2022-progress-report/.
252. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his proposals to continue to address the issue of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33360/23]
View answerThe continued rise in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation is a serious concern to myself and to the Government. I am working with the National Homelessness Action Committee to ensure that we address both prevention and exits from homelessness as a matter of urgency.
My Department is prioritising measures which focus on accelerating social and affordable housing supply through a combination of new build, targeted acquisitions and leasing.
Record state investment of €4.5bn is being made available this year to support the largest State home building programme ever, including 9,100 direct build social homes and 5,500 affordable homes.
There will be increased provision for social housing acquisitions for local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes. This is 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. Initial feedback from local authorities indicates that the target of 1,500 will be surpassed.
For households who are ineligible for social housing, I have introduced the Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ Scheme.
The Targeted Leasing initiative, which has been set up specifically to target those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, is set to deliver over 400 additional social homes for 2023.
Policy is being developed to help a tenant to buy their rented home on the basis of a landlord offering their tenant first right of refusal.
These measures are all aimed at preventing households from becoming homeless or to help people exit from homelessness in order to reduce the numbers of adults and children in emergency accommodation. As the implementation of these measures gathers pace we will see their impact on the current homelessness situation become apparent.
My Department will continue to work with local authorities to ensure sufficient funding is made available to support all those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
253. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the degree to which he expects to be in a position to meet rural housing requirements in all counties where there is an obvious need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33361/23]
View answerThe Government fully recognises the need to provide new housing in rural areas and this objective is supported in the National Planning Framework (NPF). National Policy Objectives 15 and 19 of the NPF recognises the strong connection to rural Ireland as places to live, work and visit. There continues to be strong delivery of new dwellings in all rural areas nationally with c.4,000-5,000 new rural dwellings being built annually. In this regard, Planning permissions continue to be granted nationally including permission for 7,499 once-off homes in 2021 and 6,924 in 2022 – the vast majority of which are located in rural areas indicating strong provision of new housing in our rural areas. Planning data for various counties can be accessed from each planning authority.
Updated Rural Housing Guidelines are currently being prepared by my Department. The updated guidelines will expand on NPO19 of the NPF, which makes a clear policy distinction between rural areas under urban influence (i.e. areas within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment) on the one hand, and structurally weaker rural areas where population levels may be low or declining, on the other.
NPO 19 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need are to be applied by planning authorities in rural areas under urban influence.
The draft Rural Housing Guidelines will set out relevant planning criteria to be applied in local authority development plans for rural housing, based on the high level policy framework set by the NPF. The guidelines will continue to allow county development plans to provide for housing in the countryside based on the considerations detailed in NPO 19 of the NPF, and will also highlight the need to manage development in certain areas, such as the areas around cities and larger towns and environmentally sensitive areas, in order to avoid over-development.
Due care is being taken to ensure the updated guidelines will not operate to conflict with fundamental EU freedoms, will comply with EU environmental legislative requirements and have due regard to decisions of the European Court of Justice. The draft planning guidelines will address these complex environmental and legal issues, while also providing a framework for the sustainable management of housing in rural areas.
The draft guidelines are subject to legal review and Ministerial approval, following which it is intended that the draft guidelines will be published for a period of public consultation.
254. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which housing developments are in hand in each local authority throughout the country, as well as in County Kildare, with a view to alleviating the waiting list for local authority and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33362/23]
View answer262. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new housing schemes currently in hand or proposed in 2023 by each local authority, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33370/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 262 together.
Housing 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, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. 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 Kildare. 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 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/. Data for Q1 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 of completions, locations, approvals stage etc. at the link below: data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q4-2022?package_type=dataset.
The Construction Status Report shows that there were 15 schemes of 196 homes on site in Kildare at the end of Quarter 4 2022, with a further 20 schemes of 531 homes at various stages of design and procurement. Additional social housing delivery will come from local authority Part V delivery.
A key action of Housing for All required local authorities to develop a 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. In preparing the Plans, local authorities were required to include details of land available to deliver housing and details of land acquisition requirements. The Plans have been published on local authority's own websites and Kildare County Council's Plan can be found at kildarecoco.ie/YourCouncil/Publications/Housing/Kildare%20County%20Council%20Housing%20Delivery%20Action%20Plan.pdf.
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.
255. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps, if any, that can be taken to improve the planning process in terms of a more rapid determination of applications and appeals to An Bord Pleanála, having regard to the situation in respect of backlogs and waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33363/23]
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.Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, I as Minister am specifically precluded from exercising power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is or may be concerned.
Section 126 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that it shall be the duty and objective of the Board to decide appeals as expeditiously as may be and, for that purpose, to take all such steps as are open to it to ensure that, insofar as is practicable, there are no avoidable delays at any stage in the determination of appeals.
It is important to acknowledge that a certain percentage of cases, due to particular circumstance such as complexity, requests for further information from applicants for permission, or further submissions from other participants including third parties, may not meet the 18 week target.
The Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022, which was signed into law in December 2022, addressed certain initial matters which required immediate action on foot of the Action Plan for An Bord Pleanála, Phase 1 of the Office of the Planning Regulator Review of An Bord Pleanála, and other matters relating to addressing board vacancies and addressing the Board’s caseload, including:
• Increasing the limit on the maximum number of members of the Board from 10 to 15, so as to ensure that the increasing caseload can be managed, and the appropriate quorums and suitable allocation of casefiles can be assured, and
• Expanding the provision to appoint temporary ordinary board members to allow for the appointment of serving or former civil servants, public servants, or employees of the Board for a term of up to a year.
The total number of Board members in An Bord Pleanála is now 14, and a further temporary appointment is expected in the coming weeks to bring the total to 15, the maximum provided for under the legislation and the greatest number of serving Board members ever.
In November 2022, following an updated assessment by the Board of resourcing issues likely to emerge as a result of planning applications for the National Development Plan and other infrastructure projects, the Board's new marine functions, as well as a number of senior positions approved under the Action Plan for An Bord Pleanála, and in accordance with the An Bord Pleanála 2022-2023 Workforce Plan, the Board sought sanction for 34 additional posts. My Department provided sanction for these additional 34 posts in December 2022 and An Bord Pleanála is in the process of filling these positions.
On 27 March 2023, An Bord Pleanála sought agreement for a total of 59 new posts under Phase 2 of the An Bord Pleanála Workforce Plan 2022-2023. The Board submitted sanction requests for all of these posts and sanction was granted by my Department for all 59 posts.
There are currently more people working at An Bord Pleanála than at any time previously with 221 staff at the end of June 2023. This number will be increased to over 300 people when all the approved posts are filled. Together with the upcoming appointment of the 15th board member, this will further support the decision making of cases at the Board.
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 sought the information requested from the Board, who advised that an updated statement on the matter can be found on the Board's website via the following link: www.pleanala.ie/en-IE/BacklogInformation.
257. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which it is proposed to upgrade income qualification levels for local authority housing loans, with a view to making such loans more readily available to suitably qualified applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33365/23]
View answerThe 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.
Supporting home ownership is a key objective for this Government and as part of achieving this I recently announced significant changes to the house price and income limits, with effect from 1 March 2023, which apply in the Local Authority Home Loan, which will result in more people being eligible to apply.
Increased income limits for all applicants in each local authority area are:
• €70,000 annual gross income for all single applicants nationwide
• €85,000 annual combined gross income for all joint applicants nationwide.
I will continue to keep the Local Authority Home Loan under review to ensure it remains a relevant support for people who want to own their own home.
258. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which his Department has identified issues deemed to impede the provision of much-needed affordable housing on State lands throughout the country; if he expects to be in a position to address the issue in due course; if the issues that currently impede a speedy and efficient public authority response to the affordable housing crisis will be resolved at an early date in order to ensure delivery of the Housing For All Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33366/23]
View answerGovernment places a high priority on the use of appropriate state-owned lands to support social and affordable housing delivery. In Housing for All, the Government agreed the transfer of twenty strategic sites in public ownership to the Land Development Agency (LDA) in addition to the initial set of sites agreed for transfer on the establishment of the LDA. Significant progress has been made in advancing housing delivery on many of these sites.
The LDA is progressing its work developing housing on state-owned lands and is actively advancing twelve sites, capable of delivering about 6,000 homes. Planning applications have now been approved on several sites that include the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, Castlelands in Balbriggan and Hackettstown in Skerries and Devoy Barracks, Kildare. Construction work is underway on the site of the former St Kevin's Hospital in Cork where 265 homes will be delivered.
The LDA is also working with local authorities to deliver homes in partnership on other key sites. Construction has started on the Shanganagh Castle site, the largest public housing scheme in the State in recent years, which the LDA is delivering with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, expected to yield delivery of 597 homes beginning in 2024. The LDA are also working in partnership with Dublin City Council on the Donore Project/St Teresa’s, Cherry Orchard and Cromcastle sites, which are projected to yield delivery of c.1,700 homes.
Some sites are suitable to progress to design and planning and early transfer, subject to achieving statutory consents and agreement. Others are large, complex and/or in operational use. These require further inputs, such as master planning, enabling works, relocation of existing operations, before the LDA can make applications for statutory consents or development.
Work is ongoing to identify further state-owned lands that may be available or under-utilised and suitable for social and affordable housing. In the recent statutory Report on Relevant Lands, a total of eighty three sites were identified by the LDA in ten main urban locations (cities and key growth towns). The lands were classified under three broad categories based on the level of constraint identified to development. Subject to further assessment, the Class 1 land has the potential to deliver between 7,270 - 9,760 new homes. My Department is engaged with all site owners identified in the Report and I expect that further site recommendations for possible transfer will arise from this process.
Robust structures are in place to secure the delivery of affordable housing in line with targets, supporting sustainable development and the efficient delivery of well-planned homes in vibrant communities.
Engagement with stakeholders takes place across Government Departments and Agencies as well as with relevant industry and representative bodies. Collaboration with key delivery partners, namely the Land Development Agency (LDA), Approved Housing Bodies, and local authorities is critical to ensuring delivery of affordable homes targets.
The High Level Affordable Housing Delivery Group brings together these key stakeholders and monitors progress under Housing for All affordable housing delivery streams, identifying and monitoring risks and impediments to delivery and developing mitigation measures as appropriate, with the overarching objective of accelerating the delivery of affordable homes.
259. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the degree to which the various forms of assistance available for first-time house buyers is upgrading satisfactorily without contributing to house price inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33367/23]
View answerMy Department has oversight of a number of supports under Pathway 1 of Housing For All, “Pathways to Home Ownership and Increasing Affordability”.
I have introduced the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme to assist first-time buyers purchasing Local Authority-delivered new homes. Affordable Purchase homes are advertised on the relevant Local Authority’s website in advance of their sale, together with eligibility requirements such as household income limits. This scheme uses an equity share model to give eligible purchasers the opportunity of home ownership at a significant discount. The assessment of eligibility and the level of support available is household-specific, so purchasers are only supported when they need this assistance to afford the home.
The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, employs a similar equity share model in order to support the purchase of new homes in the private market. Subject to eligibility criteria, it can provide equity up to 30% of the value of a newly constructed home. This scheme is intended to support up to 8,000 affordable purchases in the period out to 2026, and the State has committed funding of €200m, to be matched by the participating mortgage lenders. There are regional price ceilings, aligned to median prices for new homes purchased by first-time buyers, which restrict purchases. First Home provides only as much support as is necessary, on top of a standard mortgage, to purchase a home within these limits. The price ceilings were recently revised on 30 June 2023 in line with updated market data. The First Home DAC has confirmed that a review of price ceilings will take place every 6 months to ensure they remain fit for purpose. These measures, together with the time and budget-limited nature of the scheme, minimise any influence on house price inflation.
The new Local Authority Home Loan, commenced on 4 January 2022, is a Government backed mortgage scheme for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. The loan can be used by first-time buyers for both new and second-hand properties, or for self-builds. In March, I announced significant changes to the house price and income limits which apply to the Local Authority Home Loan, which have resulted in more people being eligible to apply. More information on the Local Authority Home Loan can be found on the new, improved website localauthorityhomeloan.ie/.
In all these schemes, my Department is mindful of the environment of increased delivery costs and house price inflation. At a global level, construction costs have increased substantially over the past 18 months, primarily driven by international factors such as the war in Ukraine, post-COVID supply chain issues, and Brexit. Both the First Home Scheme and the Local Authority Home Loan incorporate regional price ceilings based on market prices. This ensures the supports are targeted at purchases in the lower part of the price distribution of the first-time buyer market, delivering support where it is needed most and encouraging new supply at these price points.
260. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of planning permissions applied for and refused, by county, in each of the past three years to date; the way such figures will inform housing policy going forward, with particular reference to giving the local population a chance to live in their local area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33368/23]
View answerPlanning statistics are compiled by each planning authority on an annual basis for collation and publication on my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/9e4ee-get-planning-statistics/.
The data collected relates to the total number of applications and decisions for all developments that require planning permission, broken down by year and planning authority. In 2022 less than 12% of planning applications made resulted in a refusal.
In addition, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical office, compiles and makes available detailed quarterly data on planning permissions for new housing granted by development type and county, which can be accessed on the CSO website via the following link: www.cso.ie/en/statistics/buildingandconstruction/planningpermissions/
The planning system in Ireland continues to deliver substantial planning permissions for new homes every year in Ireland - including 42,991 permitted homes in 2021 and 34,177 in 2022. This includes permission for 7,499 once-off homes in 2021 and 6,924 in 2022 – the vast majority of which are located in rural areas indicating strong provision of new housing in rural areas.
It is noteworthy that there has been strong construction of single new homes in rural areas nationally in recent years, comprising around one in three of all houses (i.e. excluding apartments), completed between Q4 2017 and Q4 2022. In 2022, 29,851 new dwellings were completed nationally with 4,743 or 16.9% of these being single, one-off dwellings in rural areas. New dwellings completions in rural areas were up 16.6% in 2022 when compared to the 4,069 built in 2021.
Since 2018, the National Planning Framework (NPF) is the national planning policy document providing overall strategic policy for the future development of Ireland through specific National Policy Objectives (NPOs), including specific NPOs to the guide the overall pattern of development rural areas and small towns in Ireland.
In policy terms, NPO 19 of the NPF aims to ensure that a distinction is made between areas experiencing significant overspill development pressure from urban areas, particularly within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment, on the one hand, and other more remote and structurally weaker rural areas where population levels may be low and or declining, on the other. NPO 19 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need may be applied by planning authorities when considering applications for houses in rural areas under urban influence.
Updated Rural Housing Guidelines are currently being prepared to ensure consistency with current requirements and legislation at national and EU level in respect of areas related to rural housing such as environmental protection, the Gaeltacht and climate action. Following completion of the drafting and approval by the Minister, the draft guidelines will be published for a focused period of public consultation.
In the meantime, NPF objectives together with the 2005 Guidelines, enable planning authorities to continue to prepare and adopt development plan policies for housing in rural areas.
261. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding moneys approved by his Department to LIHAF or other instruments to deal with urgently required infrastructures such as roads, bridges and traffic realignments in Maynooth, County Kildare; the extent to which works have commenced or have been completed or remain outstanding; the level of expenditure to date; the extent of progress on the works involved; the extent of works still outstanding; the costs associated therewith; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33369/23]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 234 of 19 January 2023 and Question No. 287 of 20 April 2023 which set out the position on this matter.
263. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to what extent he and his Department have investigated the possibility of providing a number of serviced sites throughout the country for sale at an affordable price to certain qualified applicants for housing in an effort to meet the ever-increasing housing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33405/23]
View answer264. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent of investigation undertaken by his Department into the possibility of providing subsidised serviced sites throughout the country at an affordable cost in an effort to meet the escalating housing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33406/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together.
Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins these policy objectives set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All.
Last September, I launched the Ready to Build Scheme. Under this scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available at a discounted rate to individual purchasers who will self-build their own home and live in it as their principal private residence.
It is intended that the local authority will either supply existing sites in their control or purchase sites and make them available for development by providing services and access to the sites concerned.The level of discount to the individual will depend on the level of servicing cost incurred by the local authority before the sale of the site but will not exceed €30,000. The amount of such discount will be reflected in the sale price of the site to the purchaser.
All available sites will be advertised on the relevant local authority’s website and / or in relevant local publications along with a closing date for receipt of applications.
Applications for the Ready to Build Scheme are to be made to the Vacant Homes Officer in each local authority. They can provide further advice and information in respect of the fund and the application process.
My Department is currently engaging with local authorities in respect of the identification of potential sites to determine their suitability under the Ready to Build scheme.
Where local authorities own land and wish to provide cost rental or affordable purchase homes, they can submit an application under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) for funding to support these types of tenures. Local Authorities can seek further assistance with developing schemes on local authority owned land or on private land for affordable housing from my Department, the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office within the Local Government Management Agency.
265. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she can confirm the duration it takes to receive a decision from the Appeals Office regarding applications for carer's allowance and disability allowance that are refused and subsequently appealed; if she is aware of the hardship and stress experienced by individuals during the lengthy waiting period for an appeal decision (details supplied); the additional resources she will provide to the Appeals Office to reduce the waiting times for an appeal decision; if she will review the current issues with supplementary welfare allowance refusals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33211/23]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that significant efforts and resources have been devoted to improvements in the appeal process in recent years. As a result, average appeal processing times have generally improved between 2018 and 2022 from 30.0 weeks for an oral hearing in 2018 to 26.0 weeks in 2022, and from 24.8 weeks for a summary decision in 2018 to 15.0 weeks in 2022. The average time for all appeals finalised in 2022 was 14.9 weeks.
There is active engagement between the Appeals Office and the Department to ensure that the appeals process operates efficiently and that where the Deciding Officer's decision is not revised in favour of the appellant that the appeal file papers are provided as quickly as possible to the Appeals Office for consideration by an Appeals Officer. There are currently 44 Appeals Officers assigned to the Appeals Office. Further improvements in appeals processing times are a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants.
All of the relevant circumstances of the case are taken into consideration by an officer of the community welfare service when deciding the level of support required. The decision process involves consideration of the nature of the need presented and the ability of the person and their household to meet that need. This entails an assessment of an applicant’s weekly household income, their savings and investments, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed.
The average processing times in 2022 for Disability Allowance and Carers Allowance appeals are set out in the table below.
|
Disability Allowance |
Average processing time 2022 |
|
Oral Hearing |
21.9 weeks |
|
Summary Decision |
12.1 weeks |
|
Carers Allowance |
Average Processing times 2022 |
|
Oral Hearing |
18.5 weeks |
|
Summary Decision |
12.2 weeks |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
