Written Answers Nos. 239-248
239. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position in regard to the introduction of by-laws/regulations which impact against the interest of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7313/24]
View answer240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position in regard to the introduction of by-laws/regulations which impact against the interest of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7314/24]
View answer241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position in regard to the introduction of by-laws/regulations which impact against the interest of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7315/24]
View answer242. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position in regard to the introduction of by-laws/regulations which impact against the interest of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7317/24]
View answer247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position in regard to the introduction of by-laws/regulations which impact against the interest of a person (details supplied); if direct negotiations can be entered into with a view to addressing the housing and mooring concerns which should be possible to resolve in an amicable fashion without unnecessary financial impact on their living costs; if account is being taken of ability to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7368/24]
View answer248. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position in regard to the introduction of by-laws/regulations which impact against the interest of a person (details supplied); if direct negotiations can be entered into with a view to addressing the housing and mooring concerns which should be possible to resolve in an amicable fashion without unnecessary financial impact on their living costs; if account is being taken of ability to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7369/24]
View answer249. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position in regard to the introduction of by-laws/regulations which impact against the interest of a person (details supplied); if direct negotiations can be entered into with a view to addressing the housing and mooring concerns which should be possible to resolve in an amicable fashion without unnecessary financial impact on their living costs; if account is being taken of ability to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7370/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 239 to 242, inclusive, and 247 to 249, inclusive, together.
Waterways Ireland proposes to update the Shannon Bye-laws and Canal Bye-laws which are more than 30 years old and no longer fit for purpose. The needs of users have changed, environmental landscape and health and safety considerations have developed significantly and the waterways themselves have been transformed over the past thirty years. The purpose of updating the Bye-laws is to make the waterways safer for those using the waterways, blueways and greenways, and continue to provide a valuable recreational experience for everyone to enjoy.
More than 900 submissions were received during the initial consultation period, which concluded on 27 October 2023. Waterways Ireland has considered those submissions carefully and has made changes to the proposed Byelaws to endeavour to deal equitably with legitimate matters of concern raised, while maintaining a balanced focus on the needs of all users of the waterways and the public. Some of those changes include:
- Introduction and extension of a five-day rule on Canal harbours
- Re-instatement of winter moorings on the Shannon Navigation
- Removal of a proposed three-day rule at harbours
- Removal of speed limit proposals on Greenways
- Reducing the proposed houseboat permit fees in suburban areas
Waterways Ireland opened the second phase of the public consultation on January 15, 2024, inviting members of the public and interested parties to have their say on the new, revised version of the Shannon Navigation and Canal Byelaws. This second phase of the public consultation remains open until 26 February 2024 and offers an opportunity to consider the revisions to the proposed Byelaws as well as an additional opportunity for the public and all users of the waterways to have their say.
Further submissions received during the second phase of consultation will be considered by Waterways Ireland to best address the views of all stakeholders. The draft Byelaws can be found on www.waterwaysireland.org and in local libraries along the waterways corridors. Submissions to the public consultation can be made through the online survey on the website, or by email to corporate@waterwaysireland.org, as well as by post to Waterways Ireland Inspectorate, The Docks, Athlone, County Westmeath.
The Principles and Guidelines as devised by the Department of Public Enterprise and Reform in 2016 and the Guide for the Inclusive Community Engagement published by the Department of Rural and Community Development in February 2023, have been followed by Waterways Ireland in respect of the Public Consultation process for the review of the Byelaws.
Individual users of the waterways who have specific concerns relating to their particular circumstances are welcome to contact Waterways Ireland directly, or through the public consultation channels. A facility has also been put in place for members of the Oireachtas to obtain information directly from Waterways Ireland. The email address for Oireachtas members is ceooffice@waterwaysireland.org.
It is important to note that no changes can be made to the existing Byelaws, permits, or charges and fees until the legislative process associated with the formal adoption and signing of the Byelaws has been completed.
243. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 269 of 25 January 2024, the total amount of the significant investment referenced in addressing defects in housing to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7329/24]
View answerI commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023, which provides for the enhanced grant scheme, and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The enhanced scheme provides very considerable enhancements over the old scheme for eligible homeowners.
The overall cost of the enhanced scheme is estimated at €2.2bn (excluding inflation). Both the previous and enhanced DCB grant schemes are demand led. The Scheme is managed by the four designed local authorities on behalf of my Department, and thus far since June 2020, almost €41.8m has been paid out under both schemes.
244. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 269 of 25 January 2024, if he will provide an update on the establishment of a national steering group set up under the new governance structure within CCMA; if he will outline the list of the full membership of the steering group; when the group is scheduled to meet next; to provide an update on the work programme agreed; what resources and funding have been deemed adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7330/24]
View answerA National Steering Group has been established to ensure that the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office is properly positioned and supported to provide an optimal shared service to the local authorities. This National Steering Group met for the first time on 11 January and is due to meet again on 11 April.
While my Department is a member of the Steering Group, the Group operates under the auspices of the County and City Management Association who can be contacted at: ccma@lgma.ie.
Each Local Authority Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which they are responsible. This applies to both the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office within Dublin City Council, and all local building control authorities.
245. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how his Department supports local authorities to complete maintenance works on council-owned homes in a timely fashion. [7335/24]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.
Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019. Local authority officials and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by making adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities to manage and maintain their housing stock, my Department does provide annual funding to local authorities to support their work in this area across various programmes.
Under the Planned Maintenance/Voids, funding is available to support local authorities in refurbishing vacant social homes and returning them to productive use. Furthermore funding from my Department under this programme is also available for stock condition surveys and the introduction of an ICT asset management system to support the planned maintenance approach. Budget 2024 has provided €31 million to the programme this year.
Under the Energy Efficiency, my Department funds the carrying out of retrofitting works to local authority dwellings. Works eligible under the programme include attic insulation, wall insulation, the replacement of windows and doors and an efficient renewable heat pump. The measures aim to achieve a BER of B2 or Cost Optimal post works with €90 million available to the programme this year.
Under the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme the Department funds local authorities in carrying out necessary adaptation works to local authority properties to cater for the needs of elderly and disabled tenants and families living in overcrowded conditions. Budget 2024 has provided €25 million to the programme this year.
Under the Regeneration Scheme, the Department funds programmes of estate regeneration in a number of targeted areas around the country. This programme focuses on the remediation and upgrade of existing local authority homes within defined areas of disadvantage and can also provide for some new homes as part of the overall regeneration plan for the area. €50 million is available to this programme in 2024.
Given the very significant investment into the Programmes over recent year’s local authorities are now in a strong position to continue the transition to a strategic and informed planned maintenance approach to stock management and maintenance.
To that end, my Department and local authorities are continuing to progress from a largely response and voids based approach to housing stock management and maintenance, to a planned maintenance approach as referenced in Housing for All, policy objective 20.6. This will require the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes in response.
246. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of improvement letters, improvement notices and prohibition notices issued by Galway City Council and Galway County Council, respectively in 2023; and if he will provide additional resources to local authorities to ensure properties in private rental market meet minimum standards. [7336/24]
View answerThe standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the standards set down in the Regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority.
If a property has been found to be non-compliant with the Regulations, it is a matter for the local authority to determine what action is necessary and appropriate. Under sections 18A and 18B of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, a housing authority may serve an Improvement Notice or Prohibition Notice, respectively, where a property is found to be non-compliant.
The Government is committed to ensuring that a stock of high quality accommodation is available for those who live in the private rented sector. Housing for All sets a target of 25% for the inspection of all private residential tenancies from 2021. A total of €9 million in Exchequer funding is being made available by my Department to local authorities this year to help them meet their private rental inspection targets.
Local authorities conducted over 49,000 inspections of private rented dwellings in 2022, up from circa 25,000 in 2020 and 20,000 in 2021, when pandemic restrictions had impacted on inspections. Provisional data indicates that all-time high of over 63,000 inspections were conducted last year.
Annual data in respect of the level of inspections carried out by each local authority is available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/da3fe-private-housing-market-statistics/. Full-year data in respect of 2023 is currently being collated and will be uploaded in due course.
The preliminary data in respect of the number of improvement letters issued and improvement and prohibition notices served by Galway City Council and Galway County Council in 2023 are set out in the table below:
|
Local Authority |
Improvement Letter 2023 |
Improvement Notices 2023 |
Prohibition Notices 2023 |
|
Galway City Council |
317 |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway County Council |
1715 |
63 |
0 |
