Written Answers Nos. 64-79
65. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many new social homes were delivered in 2023 and how this compares to 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15669/24]
View answerMy 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. This data is available for 2022 and 2023 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/
In 2023, 11,939 new social homes were delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies, including 8,110 new-build homes, 1,830 acquisitions and 1,999 homes through leasing programmes.
This is an increase of 16.33% on 2022 when 10,263 social homes were delivered. At the time that was the highest annual output of social homes in decades and the highest level of delivery of new-build housing since 1975.
66. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he agrees that inadequate HAP rates and social housing income limits and the lack of three and four-bed social housing are contributing to long-term homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15659/24]
View answerSupporting individuals and families facing homelessness is priority for the Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. 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 levels of investment are being provided under Housing for All to support the delivery of housing. In 2024, over €5bn in investment is available to support the delivery of housing.
A key action of Housing for All required local authorities to develop 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 developing their Plans local authorities were asked to make adequate provision for 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes in line with local need.
Budget 2024 allocated funding of over €242 million for the delivery of homeless services. This funding will support the provision of emergency accommodation and related supports, including increased prevention activity. Local authorities and their service delivery partners will work closely with all households in emergency accommodation to support them to secure an exit to a tenancy.
My Department continues to keep income limits and eligibility model for social housing under review. Following 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 effective from 1 January 2023. The thresholds increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
In addition, my Department recently received detailed research, commissioned by The Housing Agency, the scope of which included examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and population conditions and the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced.
My Department will now undertake a detailed examination of the report, including consultation with stakeholders. This detailed examination will look at, inter alia, how the social housing income limits system interacts with other housing supports and ensure that they continue to target households correctly.
In regards to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), since July 2022, each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit and for new tenancies to extend the couple’s rate to single persons’ households. Discretion can be increased up to 50% above the prescribed maximum rent limits for Homeless HAP tenancies in Dublin. It should be noted that it is a matter for the local authority to determine whether the application of the flexibility is warranted on a case-by-case basis and also the level of discretion applied in each case.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review and closely monitors the level of discretion being used by local authorities, taking into account other sources of data, including Residential Tenancies Board rent data published on a quarterly basis.
Additional supports are available under HAP for homeless households or households at risk of homelessness nationwide. While eligible households or individuals may source accommodation for themselves under the Homeless HAP scheme, a dedicated resource, the Place Finder Service, has been established nationwide to provide assistance. The Place Finder service assists households in, or at immediate risk of, homelessness primarily by providing access to deposits and advance rental payments. These elements are the core financial supports and are available to prospective tenants in all local authority areas.
67. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what immediate and urgent actions will be taken to address the high levels of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15624/24]
View answerSupporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. 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 levels of investment are being provided under Housing for All to support the delivery of housing. In 2024, over €5bn in investment is available to support the delivery of housing. This funding will also support the Tenant in Situ scheme, with provision to acquire 1,500 homes where a social housing tenant has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. This scheme delivered 1,830 acquisitions in 2023 and was a key prevention measure. For private tenants at risk of homelessness who are not in receipt of social housing supports, the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme has also been introduced. The effectiveness of these measures has been demonstrated in the significant increases in homelessness prevention reported in Quarter 4 2023.
Budget 2024 allocated funding of over €242 million for the delivery of homeless services. This funding will support the provision of emergency accommodation and related supports, including increased prevention activity. Local authorities and their service delivery partners will work closely with all households in emergency accommodation to support them to secure an exit to a tenancy.
Housing for All includes measures to enhance family support and prevention and early intervention services for children and their families through a multi-agency and coordinated response. There is also a measure to identify and provide enhanced tenancy sustainment supports to families experiencing long-term homelessness to help them exit from homelessness and maintain their homes. These actions are being delivered in conjunction with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
I continue to work with the National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC). The overarching objective of the Committee is to ensure that a renewed emphasis is brought to collaborating across Government to implement actions in Housing for All, along with bringing better coherence and coordination of homeless-related services in delivering policy measures and actions to address homelessness.
68. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage why the second meeting of the subgroup set up to examining issues relating the enhanced DCB scheme, which met on 11 January 2024, did not meet as planned on 21 February; why a meeting did not take place in March; if there has been further communication with homeowner representatives attending the sub-group since its first and only meeting; and if he will commit to convene a second meeting in a timely manner with meetings then scheduled on a monthly basis. [15704/24]
View answerI refer to the reply to Dáil Question No. 670 of 9 April 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.
69. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he believes that considering the rapid increase in homelessness and the widespread unaffordability of rental and purchase property that the current Part V requirement for 10% social and 10% affordable are wholly inadequate and should be substantially increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15658/24]
View answerPart V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 relates to applicable developments of houses on any land that is zoned as residential (either exclusively or mixed use), or is granted planning permission for houses as a material contravention of the development plan.
In line with the commitments made in the Programme for Government and Housing for All, my Department introduced changes to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 under Part 6 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, which was enacted on 3 September 2021. The contribution required for social and affordable housing, including cost rental housing, under Part V of the Planning and Development 2000 is now a mandatory 20% for planning permissions granted in respect of land purchased before September 2015 and since 1 August 2021. Previous to this the Part V contribution was 10% for social housing only. On foot of these changes a minimum of 10% of the overall contribution must be for social housing and in areas where there is no affordable housing requirement, the entire net monetary value may be applied to social housing. These changes are now in effect for land bought pre-September 2015 or post July 2021.
Local authorities are free to decide how the 20% Part V contribution is broken down in terms of social and affordable housing (with a minimum 10% social housing) and by dwelling type, including provision for people with disabilities. This is done in line with the local authorities housing need as identified in its Housing Strategy made as part of its Development Plan. Local authorities negotiate Part V agreements with developers as part of the planning process where they can ensure that any dwellings procured as part of these agreements meet with local need. I have no plans to further review Part V at this time.
It is important to note that Part V is only one delivery stream. Record levels of funding are being provided to support the delivery of social homes by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies. Under Housing for All, there is a target to deliver an average of 10,000 new build social homes between 2022 and 2030. Record levels of investment are being provided under Housing for All to support the delivery of housing. In 2024, over €5bn in investment is available to support the delivery of housing.
70. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will comment on the success or otherwise of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15724/24]
View answerI commencement the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.
The enhanced scheme provided for the extension of the scheme to include dwellings impacted in the administrative area of Clare County Council and my Department has been actively working together with Clare County Council and the Housing Agency on its implementation. Representatives from the Council participate in the Implementation Steering Group I established to monitor the operation of the Scheme.
The Housing Agency act as agents on behalf of the local authorities under the scheme and have confirmed to my Department that twenty five applications submitted to Clare County Council across Q3 and Q4 of 2023 were inspected by the Housing Agency. The Housing Agency informed Clare County Council that all twenty five applications met the damage threshold and were therefore approved for entry into the scheme. The Housing Agency estimate appropriate remediation option and grant amount determinations will issue to Clare County Council on all twenty five applications across Q1 and Q2 of 2024.
A further 15 applications were referred to the Housing Agency by the council in January and February 2024 and of these 12 determinations of damage threshold were determined by the Housing Agency and issued to the council.
The grant scheme is demand led and I am satisfied that it is being administered in line with the Act as set down by the Oireachtas.
75. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many affordable purchase homes were delivered in 2023 via the local authority affordable purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15664/24]
View answerData for affordable housing delivery is published on a quarterly basis by my Department at the following weblink: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery.
Data relevant to the final quarter of 2023, and setting out activity by local authority and by delivery stream for all of 2023, has been published in recent weeks and shows that 499 affordable homes were delivered via the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme during 2023.
Overall, affordable housing delivery has more than doubled since 2022 with over 4,000 affordable housing supports having been delivered during 2023 via Approved Housing Bodies, Local Authorities, the Land Development Agency (LDA), the Cost Rental Tenant-in-Situ (CRTiS) scheme, the First Home Scheme, and through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
Affordable housing schemes are now operating at scale and this momentum will continue as the pipeline of affordable housing delivery is further developed and expanded in line with the Government’s Housing For All plan to deliver 54,000 affordable homes by 2030.
76. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses purchased by Fingal County Council under the tenant-in-situ-scheme since it was established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15028/24]
View answerUnder Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).
Social Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) delivery programmes across the build acquisition and lease delivery streams.
For 2023, the Government agreed that there would be increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department provided funding local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes. The additional acquisitions have primarily focused on properties where a tenant is in receipt of social housing supports and has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. My Department issued a circular letter in March 2023, setting out details of these arrangements and each local authority was provided with a provisional allocation for social housing acquisitions in 2023. For 2023 Fingal County Council purchased a total of 221 homes exceeding the allocation of 125 that they had been provided with.
For 2024, Government has again agreed to an increased provision to acquire 1,500 social homes with the primary focus on properties where a tenant is in receipt of social housing supports and has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property.
Local authorities have delegated sanction in relation to these acquisitions, subject to those acquisitions being within Acquisition Cost Guidelines (ACGs) issued by the Department. Local authorities regularly acquire properties that require repairs, however the cost of acquiring the property and relevant refurbishment costs must fall within the ACGs. An independent valuation must also be obtained for each acquisition, in line with established practice for local authorities for social housing acquisitions. The current Acquisition Cost Guidelines were updated and issued to local authorities in April 2023. These guidelines are reviewed and updated as appropriate by my Department usually on a periodic basis.
Local authorities will work with all social housing supported tenants who receive a Notice of Termination and offer the available supports, which may include a tenant in situ acquisition or support to obtain an alternative tenancy, including a HAP-supported tenancy or an allocation to local authority stock.
It is a matter for individual local authorities to identify suitable acquisitions in line with local circumstances and their social housing allocations policy. Local authorities take appropriate steps to ensure that their first response will be to support households to try to prevent homelessness in cases where tenants have been served with a notice of termination by their landlord. It is important to acknowledge that the Tenant in Situ scheme has been a key measure in preventing homelessness and as such has mitigated such impacts for many households in 2023.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority, including completed acquisitions. From 2023, this data includes a breakdown of acquisitions completed by each local authority where a Notice of Termination issued to a tenant and is available, for all local authorities, to the end of Quarter 4 2023 on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
78. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if some consideration can be given to the development of a subsidised sites scheme on public or private lands with a view to making affordable or local authority housing more readily accessible; if any consideration has already been given to such a proposal and how it might meet current demands and as housing continues to be a most pressing issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15396/24]
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 nine year period of the plan to 2030. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes to be facilitated by Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through First Home, a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.
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 and includes the Ready to Build Scheme whereby local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available at a discounted rate to individual purchasers to self-build their own home.
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 publicly by the relevant local authority and applications will be made to the Vacant Homes Officer in each local authority.
My Department is currently engaging with local authorities in respect of the identification of sites suitable for the Ready to Build scheme.
Separate to this, the Affordable Housing Fund is available to assist local authorities towards meeting the development costs of making homes available for affordable purchase or cost rental purposes, whether local authorities own land suitable for developing schemes or are in a position to enter into affordable housing delivery arrangements with private developers. I have also made funding available to local authorities to buy suitable land for early delivery of social and affordable housing through a Land Acquisition Fund administered by the Housing Agency.
79. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the ongoing schemes his Department are currently considering to provide additional housing supply to a location (details supplied); the current construction of housing schemes in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15760/24]
View answerHousing for All, has now entered its fourth year of implementation. Under the Plan, the Government is aiming to deliver an average of at least 33,000 new homes annually, including an average of 10,000 social homes and 6,000 affordable homes for purchase or for rent. 2024 will see over €5bn of capital investment in housing. This funding will ensure the Government can continue to build on the momentum achieved since the publication of the Plan in September 2021.
A number of new measures have been introduced to expedite supply, including the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental (STAR) scheme, the temporary waiving of development levies, and the expansion of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. Alongside these, Government recently approved additional interim funding for the Land Development Agency (LDA) to support the delivery 12,900, primarily affordable cost rental, homes out to 2028. Other reforms and activation measures designed to increase supply such as the Croí Cónaithe Cities scheme and Project Tosaigh have also been introduced under Housing for All.
Supply, which is key to addressing our housing needs, is increasing. The latest Housing for All Progress Report, published on 25 January, showed that the number of new homes delivered in 2023 was the highest in fifteen years, with 32,695 new homes completed. Momentum has continued into this year. In the first two months of 2024, building commenced on 7,056 new homes. This figure has increased by 72% when compared to the same period in 2023, with the rolling 12-month commencements now above 35,750. Furthermore, nationally, planning permission was granted for 41,225 new homes in 2023, an increase of 21% on 2022.
My Department publishes comprehensive social and affordable housing statistics on a quarterly basis in all local authority areas, including Cork County Council. This data 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
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which provides details of social housing developments that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent CSR (for Quarter 4 2023) is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/a8e0d-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q4-2023/
Data in relation to housing commencements, broken down by local authority area, is published by my Department on a monthly basis and can be accessed via the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/a5cb1-construction-activity-starts/
Data in relation to new dwelling completions is published by the CSO on a quarterly basis and can be accessed via the following link:
www.cso.ie/en/statistics/buildingandconstruction/newdwellingcompletions/
Government and I are fully committed to the successful implementation of Housing for All, which contains the comprehensive suite of timed actions that are required to ensure that sustainable housing supply is delivered. We continue to keep measures in Housing for All under review to ensure we are agile and responsive in addressing the challenges in housing. Housing for All and the second Housing for All Action Plan Update, published on 14 November 2023, outlines all of the various measures which are currently available through the Plan. This can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/dfc50-housing-for-all/
