Written Answers Nos. 626-645
629. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if actively farmed farmland will be exempted from the residential zoned land tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36548/23]
View answerThe Finance Act 2021 introduced Part 22A Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) into the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The RZLT is designed to prompt residential development by landowners, including farmers, of land that is zoned for residential or mixed-use (including residential) purposes and that is serviced.
It is important to note that, to come within the scope of RZLT, farmland must be both zoned for residential use and serviced. Farmland that is zoned for residential use, but which is not currently serviced, is not within the scope of the tax and will only come within the scope of the tax should the land become serviced at some point in the future.
Agricultural land which is zoned solely or primarily for residential use meets the criteria set out within the legislation and therefore falls within the scope of the tax. Agricultural land that is zoned for a mixture of uses including residential and is in active farming use is not in scope as farming is a trade or profession benefitting from an exemption in the legislation.
Draft and supplemental RZLT maps have been was published by local authorities to identify the lands in scope, with the ability for landowners to make submissions to the local authority and appeals to An Bord Pleanála where they considered that the land did not meet the criteria for being in scope. Landowners could seek to have their land rezoned to remove it from scope.
The zoning of land for particular purposes such as residential or mixed uses within a development plan is solely a matter for each local authority. Decisions on whether to amend zonings as a result of submissions made under Section 653I of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 or at any other time in order to remove land from the scope of the tax are a matter for each relevant planning authority, taking into account the need to ensure that housing supply targets across the city or county can be met.
My Department and the Department of Finance continue to engage with various representative bodies, in relation to the RZLT measure and its implementation.
630. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends on publishing guidelines for the development of solar farms so they can be developed in a sustainable way and which ensures community input. [36562/23]
View answerAs is the case with the large majority of development types, there are currently no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar farms. Proposals for individual solar farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments, with planning applications made to the relevant local planning authority and with a right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála.
Within the wider national and local planning context, planning authorities must make their decisions based on the specific merits or otherwise of individual planning applications. In making decisions on a planning application, a planning authority, or the Board as appropriate, must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the development plan including any zoning objectives, any submissions or observations received from the public and the statutory consultees, and any relevant Ministerial or Government policies, including any guidelines issued by my Department.
While my Department is satisfied that the planning code is sufficiently robust to facilitate the assessment of individual planning applications for solar farm developments, the matter is being kept under review. Where the need for specific planning guidance for solar farms is identified, my Department will develop such guidance as appropriate.
631. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a register for derelict properties on a county-on-county basis; and if so, if he will provide the number of registered derelict properties, by county. [36563/23]
View answerUnder the Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act), local authorities are required to maintain a derelict sites register, which includes the name and address of each owner and occupier, where these can be ascertained by reasonable enquiry, of any land which, in the opinion of the local authority, is a derelict site. Under section 8(5) of the Act, a copy of the derelict sites register for any local authority can be inspected at the offices of that authority during office hours. Members of the public can engage with their local authority in relation to addressing individual derelict sites in their local areas.
Every year my Department requests a data return from local authorities on the implementation of the Act. This return includes information on, inter alia, the number of sites on the register at the beginning of the year, the number of sites entered onto, and removed from, the register during that year, and the number of sites on the register at the end of the year.
The table below contains the information requested based on the most recent returns from local authorities relating to the year 2022.
|
Local Authority |
No. of Derelict Sites on Register at 1 January 2022 |
No. of Derelict Sites entered onto Register during the year |
No. of Derelict Sites removed from Register during the year |
No. of Derelict Sites on Register at 31 December 2022 |
|
Carlow |
25 |
5 |
6 |
24 |
|
Cavan |
11 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
|
Clare |
39 |
18 |
16 |
41 |
|
Cork County |
67 |
74 |
82 |
59 |
|
Cork City |
95 |
29 |
15 |
109 |
|
Donegal |
18 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Dublin City |
76 |
11 |
9 |
78 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
10 |
4 |
3 |
11 |
|
Fingal |
5 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
|
Galway City |
9 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
|
Galway County |
1 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
|
Kerry |
65 |
11 |
26 |
50 |
|
Kildare |
26 |
6 |
5 |
27 |
|
Kilkenny |
13 |
8 |
1 |
20 |
|
Laois |
11 |
8 |
3 |
16 |
|
Leitrim |
36 |
0 |
15 |
21 |
|
Limerick City & County |
288 |
153 |
55 |
386 |
|
Longford |
36 |
0 |
0 |
36 |
|
Louth |
6 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Mayo |
281 |
32 |
29 |
284 |
|
Meath |
30 |
11 |
4 |
37 |
|
Monaghan |
30 |
8 |
0 |
38 |
|
Offaly |
17 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
Roscommon |
3 |
11 |
0 |
14 |
|
Sligo |
26 |
6 |
2 |
30 |
|
South Dublin |
12 |
0 |
1 |
11 |
|
Tipperary |
42 |
4 |
5 |
41 |
|
Waterford City & County |
33 |
0 |
3 |
30 |
|
Westmeath |
87 |
0 |
2 |
85 |
|
Wexford |
64 |
9 |
9 |
64 |
|
Wicklow |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Total |
1465 |
417 |
299 |
1583 |
632. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing properties that have been retrofitted with energy upgrades, by county, in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023. [36564/23]
View answer649. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of retrofits delivered in local authority homes in each retrofitting scheme for each county in each month to date in 2023, in tabular form. [36825/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 632 and 649 together.
In 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the Energy Efficient Retrofit Programme (EERP), designed around the Programme for Government's commitment led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications that calls for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2 (BER)/Cost Optimal Equivalent standard by 2030, of which, approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes, with grant funding provided by my Department for those local authority housing retrofits.
Works eligible under my Department's revised EERP include attic/cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation where required, windows and doors replacement, heat pump installation and ancillary and associated works.
An annualised breakdown of the funding and number of properties completed by each local authority since 2013 is available at the following link:
gov.ie - Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme - Expenditure & Output (www.gov.ie)
My Department also introduced a pilot Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme in 2020, the details of which are found below. A further 481 properties were retrofitted to a BER of B2/ Cost Optimal Equivalent and these figures are in addition to the National Retrofit Programme.
gov.ie - Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme - Expenditure and Units (www.gov.ie)
The 2023 EERP budget provides an increase in funding support to €87 million in 2023 which will allow approximately 2,400 local authority owned social homes to be upgraded to a B2 or cost optimal equivalent (BER). Local authorities have been notified of their targets and funding available but it will be later this year before significant claims have been received. Full details on 2023 will be available early in 2024.
634. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends providing assistance for a large number of tenants who are paying up to 50% of their weekly income in the current cost rental model; his plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36594/23]
View answerCost Rental is a new tenure type which was introduced through the Affordable Housing Act 2021.
Cost Rental provides tenants with secure tenancies in sustainable, long-term homes. Under the Cost Rental model, rents for homes are set to cover only the cost of financing, building, managing and maintaining the homes. It is targeted to deliver starting rents of at least 25% below comparable market level.
Importantly, one of the conditions of this scheme is that households must have net income (i.e. the level of income after tax) of less than €53,000. This limit will be revised from the 1 August to €66,000 in Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere.
The range of discount to market rent on delivered cost rental homes to date vary from 25% to 50%. For example, a recent cost rental development at Lancaster Gate Cork provided by Clúid AHB, offered rents for a 1 bed apartment at €990 and a 2 bed apartment at €1,100, both representing a significant discount on comparable market rent.
The benefits of Cost Rental allow for a long-term, secure rental option that will contribute to the development of a sustainable housing market in Ireland which provides choice across all tenures. It also offers a reduced and more affordable rent of least 25% below comparable market rent.
The Government’s Housing for All plan targets the delivery of 18,000 Cost Rental homes by 2030, primarily through delivery by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities, and the Land Development Agency (LDA). Funding has been allocated by my Department to AHBs through the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, and to Local Authorities through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF).
636. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of cost rental homes provided for in County Kildare over the past two years; the location of each; the number of cost rental homes for Kildare in planning or under construction; the location of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36596/23]
View answerThe Housing for All strategy commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030, and significant funding is being made available to support provision by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities, and by the Land Development Agency (LDA).
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. This includes planned delivery of affordable and cost rental homes. Local authorities with a strong and identified affordable housing need, including Kildare County Council, were asked to include assessed affordable housing need and planned affordable housing delivery in their Action Plans. I have set individual five-year Affordable Housing delivery targets for those local authorities. The Kildare plan is available at the following link kildarecoco.ie/YourCouncil/Publications/Housing/Kildare%20County%20Council%20Housing%20Delivery%20Action%20Plan.pdf
Delivery will increase incrementally to an average of 2,000 Cost Rental homes per year, with 10,000 Cost Rental homes targeted for delivery by 2026. AHBs are supported by Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding, and Local Authorities are able to avail of funding through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF). The LDA is also delivering Cost Rental on its own portfolio of sites, or through acquisitions under Project Tosaigh.
The very first Cost Rental homes in Ireland, a total of 65 units, were delivered in Kildare and Dublin in late 2021, including 40 homes in Leixlip. We then saw significant acceleration of delivery in 2022, when a further 684 new Cost Rental homes were delivered, including 202 across sites in Leixlip, Kildare Town, and Newbridge. In total 242 Cost Rental homes were delivered in County Kildare in 2021 and 2022.
Cost Rental Delivery is continuing this year, with a pipeline of housing delivery which is being progressively developed by Local Authorities, AHBs, and the LDA. Local authorities have begun systematically collating information on delivery of affordable homes in their area, including delivery by AHBs and the LDA, in the same manner as is currently done for social housing delivery. Informed by returns of this data, the 2022 process is 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 .
639. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether his Department should hold figures in relation to the number of pregnant hares that are released; if he will not issue any licences for the upcoming coursing season, given the concerns about the welfare of pregnant hares (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36604/23]
View answerThe licences issued to the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) contain a number of different conditions that must be adhered to and that are monitored by NPWS staff when they attend any coursing meetings. Two of those conditions relate to pregnant hares. Data that is gathered in relation to hare coursing comes from the ICC reports.
Although hares may be pregnant throughout the year, the season is closed for netting hares during their main breeding season in order to minimise the numbers of pregnant hares that may be caught.
Hare coursing is administered by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) which is a body set up under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958. Statutory responsibility for the Act resides with the Minster for Agriculture, Food and the Marine as does responsibility for the Animal Health & Welfare Act.
640. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the Government feasibility study into a co-housing model; what further steps will be taken in relation to the co-housing model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36625/23]
View answer641. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has engaged in discussions with financial institutions in relation to providing a funding model for co-housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36626/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 640 and 641 together.
My Department regularly engages with different stakeholders involved in the housing sector, including community-led and co-operative housing groups.
My Department is aware of the research referred to, which was undertaken by Self Organised Architecture (SOA) Research in 2021 and culminated in the publication of a series of handbooks on Community-Led Housing at that time. This research project was initiated and coordinated by SOA Research.
Under Housing for All, housing affordability is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy and my Department welcomes all research that can positively contribute to supporting evidence based policy development in this area.
642. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the review by his Department of the operation of the caravan loan scheme pilot; the timeline for the publication of the final review report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36670/23]
View answerThe Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas
My Department completed a review of the operation of the Nationwide Pilot Caravan Loan Scheme with input from local authorities and other stakeholders. The purpose of the review was to inform the continued operation of the pilot scheme and is not intended for publication. A Circular on the ‘Continuation of Nationwide Pilot Caravan Loan Scheme’ issued on the 4 July 2023.
643. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department, and all agencies under the remit of his Department, have their telephone contact details on their websites and on other media platforms; if all stationery and headed notepaper used in correspondence with the public contain relevant phone contact details, taking into account that everybody is not in a position to correspond by e-mail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36699/23]
View answerMinisterial letters to the general public from my Department do contain contact telephone numbers. Our stationery templates contain phone numbers – they have been developed within my Department for use by staff to champion the use of phone numbers as well as email addresses when contacting the public. In addition, a list of contact numbers for my Department is published on our website. www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/. Our social media accounts – LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Instagram all contain links to this page.
The information requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is set out in the following table:
|
State Body |
Contact E-mails |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie cc: communications@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum) |
info@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Ervia |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie cc: cosec@hfa.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie cc: info@housingagency.ie |
|
Uisce Eireann |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie Compliance@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
Maritime Area Regulatory Authority- MARA |
info@mara.gov.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 |
|
Tailte Éireann (formerly: OSI, VALOFF, PRAI) |
reps@tailte.ie cc: oireachtas@osi.ie; reps@valoff.ie; reps@prai.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
info@valuationtribunal.ie |
|
Waterways Ireland |
ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org |
644. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people on social housing waiting lists by each of the four Dublin local authorities, on 1 June during the years 2016-2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36803/23]
View answerDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).
The SSHA is a point in time snapshot of the demand for social housing support in each local authority area and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the housing waiting lists.
The SSHA "count date" has varied over the years requested. As such, my Department does not have information on the number on the social housing list as of 1 June during the years 2016-2023.
However, the published summaries for all counties, conducted annually since 2016, are available at:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-assessments/
645. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the current pipeline of public housing being supported by his Department in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, by location; including the site, lead agency, number of units planned, expected tenure type (cost rental, affordable purchase, social housing), and expected completion date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36804/23]
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 and will deliver 54,000 affordable homes in the period up 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.
In relation to social housing, my Department 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 17 schemes of 680 homes on site in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown at the end of Quarter 4 2022, with a further 14 schemes of 417 homes at various stages of design and procurement. Additional social housing delivery will come from local authority Part V delivery. The Q1 2023 CSR is currently being collated and will be published in due course.
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. The Plans have been published on local authority's own websites and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's Plan can be found at www.dlrcoco.ie/en/policies-and-initiatives/housing-delivery-action-plan-2022-2026
In relation to affordable housing, 2022 represented the first full year of delivery under the schemes introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021, and local authorities have completed and submitted to my Department data returns on delivery of affordable homes in their area, in the same manner as is done for social housing. The full 2022 statistical data is published on the Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery.
The data on the affordable housing delivery for Q1 2023 is currently being validated and I expect that my Department will be in a position to report on this soon.
This momentum will continue with delivery increasing 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. An example of this is that construction is well underway of the development of 597 new homes at Shanganagh, Co. Dublin. This project is being delivered by the LDA, in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and will be devoted completely to affordable and social homes with the first units expected to be completed in 2024. In addition, permission has been granted for 852 new homes on the former Central Mental Hospital Site in Dundrum, Co. Dublin.
In addition, the First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, continues to support first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model and is available nationwide. Full details of the First Home Scheme are available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie
