Written Answers Nos. 202-211
202. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the actions he will take in relation to the Mulcahy report, its publication and its recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2128/24]
View answerI am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course.
The review is a scoping report and as such it does not make findings as to the truth or otherwise of allegations that have been made by an individual against named persons. The Attorney General's office has been consulted on both the content of the report and also on the issue of its potential publication and dissemination
Further, regarding the publication of the Mulcahy Report, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (OCE-103174-W9G4J2 (Legacy Reference CEI-18-0019)) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner (OIC-59426-Q8D7T8) of 27 February 2020 in relation to requests to publish this report will also be taken into account. Both decisions are publicly available on those bodies' websites.
It should be noted that in each of these cases, both the Commissioner for Environmental Information and the Information Commissioner decided not to grant access to the report. The Office of the Information Commissioner decision stated "placing the details concerned in the public domain would significantly breach the rights to privacy of identifiable individuals." Therefore, this is a matter that requires careful consideration given that the report details unproven allegations against named persons.
203. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider ensuring a simpler approach to first home provisional approval, in order that developers would know that there is a strong pipeline of eligible affordable purchasers for such properties (details supplied). [2143/24]
View answerThe First Home Scheme, which launched on 7th July 2022, supports first-time buyers and other eligible homebuyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market, and now self-builders, through the use of an equity share model. Details, including in relation to the application process, are available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie.
In addition, the First Home Scheme Executive engages with various stakeholders such as customers and estate agents on a regular basis in order to ensure and maximise awareness of the scheme.
The First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company (DAC) is fully responsible for the operation of the First Home Scheme on behalf of all shareholders (the State, Allied Irish Banks, Bank of Ireland, and PTSB) and, as such, any changes to the operations of the Scheme are a matter for the Board of First Home Scheme DAC.
204. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes which have received planning permission, to which the new requirement of 10% affordable applies; the number of homes in developments where the council has exercised its right to specify a minimum proportion of homes for owner occupancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2144/24]
View answerPart V provides for the State to capture a portion of the increase in land value resulting from the granting of planning permission for residential development and refers to Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2021. The Affordable Housing Act 2021 made a number of changes to Part V. These changes came into operation on 3 September 2021. Any planning applications processed after that time must comply with the new requirements under Part V of the Planning and Development Act. The specific information in relation to the number of planning permissions and individual units subject to an additional 10% requirement arising from the change to Part V sought is not collated by my Department at national level to date but my Department is working with the Housing Agency, the Local Government Management Agency and the local authority sector to put in place a method for collection of this data.
Section 28 Guidelines for Planning Authorities 'Regulation of Commercial Institutional Investment in Housing', issued in 2021, effectively introduced an ‘owner-occupier’ guarantee by ensuring new ‘own-door’ houses and duplex units in housing developments could no longer be bulk-purchased by institutional investors in a manner that displaces individual purchasers or social and affordable housing.
The guidelines provide for a form of condition to be inserted in applicable new planning permissions requiring all houses to be made available for sale and first occupation by separate, individual households for a period of years after completion (only applicable to houses and duplex units in mixed developments and not apartments).
Complementary measures were also introduced via the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Act 2021, which provides that local authorities must ensure home ownership as a tenure type is provided for and estimated in their respective housing strategies. To this end, the Act introduces the principle of home ownership as a specific tenure type in a local authority housing strategy, with particular regard to developments of houses and duplexes, and gives further legislative effect to the Section 28 Guidelines issued in 2021.
The planning measures introduced in 2021 have been effective, with some 39,900 homes granted planning permission with conditions prohibiting the bulk purchase by, or multiple sale to, a single purchaser between May 2021 and December 2023.
205. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details on the application received from Mayo County Council (details supplied); the date the application was received; the number of housing and what they comprised off; the cost associated with the application; the timeline attached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2162/24]
View answer206. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a detailed rationale for approval of Mayo County Council’s affordable housing scheme application and the assessment conducted to demonstrate substantial housing need with affordability constraints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2163/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together.
Under Housing for All, the Government has targeted the delivery of 28,500 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2026, 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.
Mayo County Council has prepared and published its own 5-year Housing Delivery Action Plan. While Mayo does not have a specific affordability target, it has identified localised affordability need in key urban locations where new households being formed would not be able to access housing for purchase or rent at prices/rents affordable to them.
The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is open and available to support all local authorities to address any affordability needs identified in their area. Circular 23/2021 issued to all local authorities on 25 June 2021 and provides guidance on preparing an application for Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) assistance, including an overview of the marking matrix used to assess applications. Circular 06/2023 issued to all local authorities on 21 February 2023 and provides further guidance for local authorities such as Mayo where localised need with affordability constraint has been identified.
In this context, my Department has been liaising with Mayo in the development of its affordable housing delivery programme to respond appropriately to identified need in its area. To date it has received funding approval from the AHF to assist in the delivery of 13 affordable homes at Springfield, Westport, where Mayo County Council made an application which demonstrated a sufficient new housing need with affordability constraint and which met the criteria for the AHF scheme.
Applications for two further proposed affordable purchase schemes located in Castlebar and Westport were made to the Department on 2 October 2023 and are being considered and further developed in conjunction with Mayo County Council. The Department, along with the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Coordination Office of the Local Government Management Agency will continue to advise and support Mayo in respect of its planned response to affordable housing needs in its area.
207. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the National Parks and Wildlife Service has undertaken any studies on the grouse habitat at Gortacullin Bog in County Clare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2165/24]
View answerGortacullin Bog is designated as a Natural Heritage Area (NHA) under Section 18 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, by Order S.I. 434/2005. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has not undertaken a targeted study of habitat for grouse in this NHA. The 2021/22 National Red Grouse Survey adopted a landscape-level sampling approach that included a sample site in Gortacullin Bog. The survey indicated that red grouse were present at the site sampled at that time.
Certain listed works in Schedule 2 of S.I. 434/2005 require Ministerial consent before they are undertaken. Some of these listed works do not require my permission, if the said works are licensed by or subject to the permission of another Minister or Public Body.
Wind farm developments are regulated and consented under the Planning and Development Act and where the development might have significant effects in relation to nature conservation (including Natural Heritage Areas) the application is referred to the Minister for observations before consent.
208. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if applicants to the defective concrete block grant scheme with profound health issues can be assisted to cover remedial costs while awaiting the scheme funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2187/24]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 provides for grants of up to €420,000 to remediate homes under the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme. This includes ancillary grants for approved applicants in the amount of €25,000 to assist homeowners at remediation stage to meet costs relating to temporary accommodation, storage and essential immediate repairs.
Local authorities are encouraged to be as flexible as possible, within the terms of the scheme, when dealing with vulnerable applicants and my Department has emphasised this point at recent Implementation Group meetings with the relevant local authorities.
Separately, my Department is having ongoing engagement with the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) on specific issues raised by DCB homeowners to see what can be done to address their financial concerns.
My Department received an interim funding proposal from the BPFI. This proposal looks at releasing a percentage of the approved grant to homeowners upfront. This proposal was reviewed at a sub group meeting of the Implementation Steering Group held on 11 January, 2024 which included reps from Engineers Ireland, Insurance Ireland, BPFI, Department of Finance, local authorities and Homeowner Action Group Reps. However, it is a matter which falls in the first instance under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Finance who is currently considering the matter.
209. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how the defective concrete block grant scheme payments will be managed and issued, that is, if they will be staged payments. [2188/24]
View answerThe enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks grant scheme provides that a homeowner may apply to the designated local authority for a payment of a remediation option grant approved either in whole or by way of stage payments as works progress. The form and content of interim valuation certificates is prescribed in the Regulations and must be furnished by the homeowners competent building professional when they are seeking stage payments for the remediation work. The number of stage payments which can be applied for will depend upon the scale and cost of the approved remediation works.
Local authorities have responsibility for the detailed administration of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, including processing eligible payments of applicants on the Scheme and the number of staged payments that can be made.
210. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to further review the social housing income thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2218/24]
View answerFollowing a review conducted by my Department in 2022, the Government agreed to my recommendation to increase the baseline social housing income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
Notwithstanding these recent changes, my Department is awaiting detailed research examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and population conditions. This has been commissioned by the Housing Agency and I understand this work is near completion. When it is available, my Department will undertake a further review, including consultation with stakeholders. This will facilitate the preparation of options for my consideration and likewise, Government in Q4 2024, as set out in the Housing for All Action Plan update.
211. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a decision will be made on a submission by a voluntary housing body (details supplied) for funding to employ two people over a two year period; and if he will make a decision on the matter. [2221/24]
View answerMy Department is engaging with the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector, including Cena, on its capacity to deliver Traveller-specific accommodation as part of the ongoing work of the Programme Board, established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Expert Group Review report.
My Department has been engaging with the AHB Cena in this context and a decision on this funding application will be made in due course.
