Written Answers Nos. 67-75
67. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the 25,000 new social housing units detailed in Pillar 2 of Rebuilding Ireland by unit type, that is local authority new build, local authority Part V acquisition, approved housing bodies new build, approved housing bodies Part V acquisition and other. [28706/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraRebuilding Ireland; An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness signals a significant increase to 47,000 in the number of social housing units to be provided by end-2021.
Of these 47,000 social housing units, it is estimated at this stage that approximately 26,000 will be constructed, while 11,000 will be acquired by local authorities and AHBs directly from the market or the Housing Agency, with a portion of these being newly built units. 10,000 units will be leased by local authorities and AHBs, which includes an estimated 5,000 units to be sourced from the NTMA Special Purpose Vehicle and a further 5,000 properties to be secured from a combination of the Repair and Leasing Initiative that will be piloted shortly and under long-term lease arrangements by local authorities and AHBs from a range of different sources, not including Part V. This therefore includes a mix of units from the existing housing stock and newly built units. Overall, it is estimated that around 4,700 units could be secured for social housing from Part V agreements.
The table shows a breakdown of the projected delivery of the 47,000 units. The final delivery will ultimately depend on many factors, including activity in the private sector, capacity of local authorities and AHBs and readiness of projects.
|
- |
Build |
Acquire |
Leasing |
Totals |
|
LA |
18,718 |
2,276 |
3,500 |
24,494 |
|
AHB |
4,698 |
8,652 |
- |
13,350 |
|
LA/AHB |
2,620 |
- |
6,536 |
9,156 |
|
Totals |
26,036 |
10,928 |
10,036 |
47,000 |
69. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has carried out, or plans to carry out, a cost-benefit analysis of the promised rapid-build housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28640/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll social housing construction proposals, whether traditional or rapid-build housing proposals, are evaluated by my Department in terms of need, value for money, design quality and other key criteria in line with the Capital Works Management Framework.
In relation to the Deputy’s specific query, a cost benefit analysis is required under the Public Spending Code only for those capital projects with a projected total cost of €20m or over. The individual rapid-build construction projects submitted to date to my Department, have projected costs that are considerably below this €20m threshold.
71. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the phase-in schedule for the housing assistance payments scheme, HAP; the number of councils which currently have the HAP scheme; the current expenditure on the HAP scheme; the way in which the rates of the HAP scheme have been effective in succeeding in allowing persons to secure accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29006/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSome 13,600 households are currently being supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme across the 19 local authority areas where the scheme is operational, including eligible homeless households under the Homeless HAP Pilot scheme managed by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) for all four local authorities in the Dublin region. Some 9,500 separate landlords and agents are providing accommodation to those households supported by HAP.
The phased nature of the HAP roll out has allowed for significant learning in the operation of the scheme. In this way, new HAP authorities have benefitted from the experience of those authorities where the scheme has been operational longest. The HAP Practitioners Group, which is made up of local authority staff and was established following a review of HAP governance structures earlier this year, meets regularly to discuss issues or opportunities they see to improve the operation of the scheme. My Department continues to work with key stakeholders, like the HAP Practitioners Group, who are also represented at the HAP Project Board, to ensure that the scheme's operation is as effective and efficient as possible. The table details when and where the scheme has been introduced to date:
|
HAP Wave 1 |
Introduced |
|
Limerick City & County |
12-Sep-14 |
|
Waterford City & County |
|
|
Cork County |
|
|
Kilkenny |
01-Oct-14 |
|
Louth |
|
|
Monaghan |
|
|
South Dublin |
|
|
South Dublin |
18 Dec 2014 (Homeless HAP) |
|
Dublin City |
|
|
Fingal |
|
|
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown |
|
|
HAP Wave 2 |
Introduced |
|
Donegal |
25-May-15 |
|
Offaly |
15-Jun-15 |
|
Carlow |
29-Jun-15 |
|
Clare |
|
|
Cork City |
|
|
Tipperary |
|
|
Kildare |
02-Nov-15 |
|
Meath |
|
|
Mayo |
16-Nov-15 |
|
Meath |
|
|
Sligo |
|
|
Galway City |
01-Feb-16 |
HAP will be rolled out in nine more local authority areas (Cavan, Kerry, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow) before the end of 2016 with the remaining three Dublin authorities coming on stream in Quarter 1 2017. This will complete the full roll out of the scheme.
Funding for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme has increased year on year, since it commenced in September 2014, in order to meet the continuing costs of existing HAP households, and the costs of additional households being supported. In 2016 Exchequer funding allocated to HAP was €47.7m; 62% of this funding has been utilised to date and will be fully expended this year. The majority of this funding is to support ongoing rental payments to landlords in respect of existing HAP households and the cost of additional HAP tenancies as households find accommodation through the scheme during the year. Funding also includes the operational costs of the HAP Shared Service Centre, which provides a central transactional service for all local authorities where HAP is operational, and the costs of the HAP administrative payment made to local authorities operating the scheme.
The Programme for a Partnership Government committed to extending the capacity of local authorities to make discretionary payments, while providing a framework for the review of both Rent Supplement and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) rent limits taking account of geographic variations in market rents. The Government delivered on this commitment with the introduction of revised HAP and Rent Supplement rent limits with effect from 1 July 2016. Furthermore, additional flexibility above the existing HAP rent limits was made available to all HAP local authorities from the same date. Since the introduction of the increased HAP rent limits in July 2016 more than 2,500 pre-existing HAP households have received an increase in their level of support.
In general, I am very satisfied with how the HAP scheme is operating and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme under Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness. Having said that, my Department will of course, continue to keep the operation of the scheme under ongoing review.
72. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach the number of persons outside the payroll shared service centre, in increments of €5,000, in receipt of lump sums on retirement from the public service; and the corresponding amount of the lump sum in each of the years 2013 to 2015 granted by his Department. [28774/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo lump sum on retirement was granted by my Department to persons outside the Payroll Shared Service Centre during the period 2013 to 2015.
73. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position on the implementation of Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 in relation to a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28867/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 provides for a public sector employment quota of 3%. The Act also allows each Minister to expand the range of positive actions which public bodies can take for the employment of people with disabilities, and gives the National Disability Authority a special role in monitoring compliance and ensuring implementation. However the Act does not prescribe how the quota is to be achieved, and this is therefore a matter for each employer.
I have no responsibility for recruitment by the civil and public service generally, or by any particular organisation. In this regard, I would suggest that the Deputy contact the Public Appointments Service, who may be able to offer advice.
It may be of interest to know that my Department co-ordinates the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities. This is a cross-government approach that brings together actions by different Departments and State agencies in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on employment of people with disabilities. Over the lifetime of the Strategy the public service employment target of people with disabilities will be increased on a phased basis from 3% to 6%. Furthermore, special public service competitions for people with disabilities will be arranged, as will the opening up of alternative recruitment channels for people with disabilities. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has a key role in relation to this, as does the Public Appointments Service, and work is underway.
74. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons outside the payroll shared service centre, in increments of €5,000, in receipt of lump sums on retirement from the public service; and the corresponding amount of the lump sum in each of the years 2013 to 2015 granted by her Department. [28771/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy is set out in the table and is in respect of retirement lump sums administered by my Department in respect of An Garda Síochána and the National Disability Authority.
|
€ |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
0 - 5,000 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
5,000 - 10,000 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
10,000 - 15,000 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
15,000 - 20,000 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
|
20,000 - 25,000 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
|
25,000 - 30,000 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
30,000 - 35,000 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
35,000 - 40,000 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
40,000 - 45,000 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
|
45,000 - 50,000 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
|
50,000 - 55,000 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
|
55,000 - 60,000 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
60,000 - 65,000 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
65,000 - 70,000 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
|
70,000 - 75,000 |
5 |
7 |
7 |
|
75,000 - 80,000 |
48 |
41 |
20 |
|
80,000 - 85,000 |
97 |
100 |
82 |
|
85,000 - 90,000 |
40 |
28 |
38 |
|
90,000 - 95,000 |
54 |
44 |
45 |
|
95,000 - 100,000 |
14 |
13 |
15 |
|
Over 100,000 |
19 |
32 |
24 |
|
Over 200,000 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
75. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28803/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is under consideration and has not yet reached a conclusion.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. While most cases are now generally processed within six months, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been established specifically for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
