Written Answers Nos. 217 - 241
217. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date by his Department in providing a suitable site for a school (details supplied) which is scheduled to be built in Mullingar; the steps that can be taken to accelerate the construction of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7375/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, my Department has identified a suitable site as a permanent location for the school to which he refers and the acquisition process is underway.
Discussions are ongoing in relation to the provision of access to the site and officials in my Department are working with officials from Westmeath County Council in this regard.
218. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of the terms of the proposed rural rates alleviation scheme recently announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6708/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation pursuant to the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.
Commercial rates form an important element of the funding of all local authorities. However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century. Many of the provisions are outdated and not suitable for business trends in the modern era. I have asked my Department to develop proposals for the preparation of a consolidated Rates Bill to modernise and consolidate the legislation in this area. Among the measures being considered for the General Scheme of the Bill are provisions to allow a local authority to introduce rates alleviation schemes to support, inter alia, urban regeneration and rural development.
The Government recently launched Realising Our Rural Potential: The Action Plan for Rural Development, lead responsibility for which rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The Plan is aimed at delivering real change for people living and working in rural Ireland and includes a specific action to determine the feasibility of enabling local authorities to introduce rates alleviation schemes to support rural development policy objectives. I have asked my Department to develop proposals in this regard for inclusion in the General Scheme of the Rates Bill. I hope to bring proposals in this regard to Government in the coming weeks.
219. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the new community development schemes for rural areas that have been launched since the Government was formed, in tabular form; the funding allocations in 2016 and 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6816/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLead responsibility in relation to rural development matters rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
Insofar as my Department is concerned, the Programme for Partnership Government gave a commitment to develop a new Community Development Scheme in 2017. The new Communities Facilities Scheme will provide for small scale capital grants to support community projects and to support community cohesion. The overall allocation for 2017 is €2 million. It is anticipated that the Scheme will be launched later in Q1 2017.
220. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the local community development committee in each local authority territory will be accorded the role promised to it of playing a key role in decision making on EU and national funded programmes and interventions as promised in the Government’s White Paper, Putting People First, in terms of delivering the action plan for rural development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7148/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe role of Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs ) is to secure a more joined-up delivery of public-funded local development and community development programmes in both urban and rural areas. This will be achieved primarily through the community elements of the 6-year Local Economic and Community Plans prepared by each LCDC. It will also be progressed through the LCDCs’ oversight and management of public-funded local and community development programmes.
In this regard, LCDCs have assumed oversight and management responsibility for a number of programmes since 2015. This includes, for example, LEADER and the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, significant interventions that contribute to the delivery of key objectives in the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development.
The aim is to expand the LCDC’s role over time, bringing a gr eater number of interventions within the Local Economic and Community Plan framework and securing unity of purpose across those interventions. My Department continues to work towards this aim with other Government Departments and agencies through bilateral engagements, as well as through the Inter-Departmental Group on Local and Community Development.
221. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason a reply has not issued regarding a council loan query which had been marked as urgent (details supplied). [6691/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA response to this query issued on 13 February 2017.
The standard annuity mortgage available from local authorities is targeted at lower income first time buyers who are unable to get a loan from a building society or a bank. The relevant terms and conditions applying to local authority housing loans are as set out in the following regulations - the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2012- available at: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2012/si/408/made/en/print.
The credit policy which sets out the terms and conditions for the making of loans under these regulations stipulates that the primary earner on the application must have at least two years continuous employment (this can be self-employment). This requirement does not mean that the employment must be with the same employer but rather that there should be no break in employment for at least two years.
I would advise prospective house purchase loan applicants to contact their relevant local authority for further information in relation to the loan products available and the terms and conditions that prevail.
222. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of urban regeneration schemes and the projected cost of these for 2017. [6692/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe schemes in operation, or which are shortly expected to come into operation, with an urban regeneration aspect under the auspices of my Department include the:
- Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP),
- Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID),
- Community Facilities Fund,
- Repair and Leasing Scheme,
- Buy and Renew Initiative, and
- Regeneration under the Social Housing Capital Investment Programme (SHCIP).
The SICAP budget for 2017 is €37.5 million. This includes an allocation of €3 million under the European Structural Funds Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020. Funding under this Programme is for current projects only.
The Programme for a Partnership Government gave a commitment to reactivate the RAPID Programme in 2017, the previous programme having been wound down in 2012. The funding being provided under the new RAPID scheme will be targeted solely at small scale capital projects in disadvantaged urban areas. The total budget for the new scheme for 2017 is €4.5 million. Proposals relating to the structure and delivery of the new programme are currently being finalised.
The Programme for Partnership Government also gave a commitment to develop a new Community Development Scheme in 2017, which has evolved into the Communities Facilities Scheme. Similar to the RAPID scheme, the funding is for small scale capital projects only but in addition to targeting disadvantaged urban areas, it also covers disadvantaged rural areas. The total budget for the new scheme for 2017 is €2 million.
The new Repair and Leasing Scheme was launched in Waterford and Carlow on a pilot basis in October 2016. The purpose of the pilot is to ensure that the scheme is workable from the perspectives of local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies ((AHBs) respectively prior to the scheme being rolled out nationally. It is anticipated that approximately 3,500 units will be secured for social housing through the scheme over the period 2017-2021. A budget of €6m has been provided for 2017 to cover the refurbishment costs of 150 units, with a total budget of €140m being provided over the lifetime of the scheme. I am currently considering the scope to accelerate further the rollout of this scheme.
The Buy and Renew Initiative is aimed at facilitating local authorities to purchase and renew housing units in need of remediation and make them available for social housing use. €25m funding has been provided for the scheme for 2017. The details of the scheme are expected to be announced shortly.
The Social Housing Capital Investment Programme spans a range of Exchequer funded and local authority funded programmes and initiatives designed to maintain and improve the existing local authority housing stock of over 130,000 units. This programme includes an ambitious regeneration programme, funding for remedial works projects as well as for the provision of extensions, improvement works in lieu of local authority housing and improvements to accommodate tenants with disabilities.
The regeneration projects being funded by my Department under this Programme target the country’s most disadvantaged communities, including those defined by the most extreme social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behaviour. The Department currently supports a programme of large-scale regeneration projects in Dublin, Cork and Limerick and smaller-scale projects in Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk. These projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration. The total budgetary provision for the estates regeneration programme for 2017 is €97.787m.
223. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the legislation in place which allows a local authority to remove persons from the register of electors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6696/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe preparation of the register of electors is a matter for each local authority, as a registration authority, under the Electoral Act 1992. The removal of persons from the register arises in cases where a person is deceased or where the registration authority cannot establish to their satisfaction that the registered person is still resident at the address.
Under section 20 of the Electoral Act 1992 it is the duty of each registration authority to prepare and publish the register of electors in accordance with the provisions of the Second Schedule to that Act. Rule 5 of the Second Schedule to that Act sets out requirements in relation to the preparation of the draft register and provides that the registration authority shall make sufficient inquiries for the purpose of preparing the register. The registration authority may also obtain information from the superintendent register of births and deaths in connection with deaths of persons. Rule 5(6) requires registration authorities to prepare and publish a draft register on the basis of the information obtained under rule 5 of the Second Schedule.
Under section 18 of the Electoral Act 1992 the Minister may, whenever he thinks proper to do so, issue instructions to registration authorities in relation to the registration of electors in order to ensure the smooth and efficient registration of electors and to secure uniformity of procedure in all registration areas.
On 1 September 1997 the Minister instructed that, before deleting an elector’s name, registration authorities should issue a notice to that person indicating that the normal procedures have failed to establish that the person is still resident at the address. The notice should inform the person that, unless information to the effect that the person is still resident at the address is received within 10 days, it is proposed to remove the person’s name from the draft Register.
These requirements are further elaborated in sections 8.2 and 8.3 of my Department’s May 2006 Guidance for Registration Authorities – Preparing and Maintaining the Register of Electors.
In circumstances where, for example, an eligible voter has not responded to such correspondence and is subsequently removed from the register, he or she can apply to their registration authority for inclusion in the supplement to the register that will apply at any forthcoming elections or referendums.
224. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if an environmental impact assessment for a foreshore lease application (details supplied) on Galway Bay was carried out and lodged with his Department; and if his attention has been drawn to the large number of submissions that have been lodged with the foreshore applications unit of his Department opposing the application. [6701/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of the application in question, including relevant environmental reports and other supporting documentation submitted by the applicant, can be viewed on my Department’s website at: www.housing.gov.ie/planning/foreshore/applications/marine-institute-spiddal.
The next stage in the processing of this application is that all aspects of the application and its supporting documentation together with any issues raised by the public, other interests or prescribed bodies will be carefully considered by the Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC ) within the context of the applicable legislative framework (including Environmental impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment legislation). Subject to the completion of that process, the matter will be referred for Ministerial consideration.
225. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide funding for a group water scheme at Coosan, Athlone, County Westmeath; if he will arrange for an extension of the sewerage scheme to incorporate this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6712/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s new Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2016-2018 was developed through a working group of key stakeholders involving local authorities, the Water Services Transition Office, Irish Water, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes as well as my Department.
The programme provides for the funding of demonstration Group Sewerage Schemes, through Measure 4(d), where clustering of households on individual septic tanks is not a viable option, particularly from an environmental perspective.
Local authorities were invited in January 2016 to submit bids under the programme. The invitation envisaged no more than two demonstration group sewerage projects being brought forward under the measure in any one year of the three year programme. The demonstrations will allow my Department, over the course of the programme, to determine the appropriate enduring funding levels and relationship with the current grant scheme. A Group Sewerage Scheme, for the area in question, was not included by Westmeath County Council in its bids under Measure 4(d) of the Programme.
I understand from Westmeath County Council that there is a public mains (Irish Water) water supply in the area. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie. or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
226. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 2 February 2017, if he has requested that the Housing Agency undertake a review of the rental market in electoral divisions, as distinct from electoral areas or municipal districts, in order to rectify anomalies existing in Carrigaline, County Cork, or other areas; if not, his plans for consider such an action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6792/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to provide that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. For the purpose of the Act, ‘area’ is defined as either the administrative area of a housing authority or a local electoral area within the meaning of section 2 of the Local Government Act 2001. There is no provision for any other type of area to be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone.
Following the enactment of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, the Housing Agency reviewed the rental markets in certain counties nationally and identified nine housing authorities containing electoral areas that could potentially be Rent Pressure Zones. The Housing Agency consulted with the relevant housing authorities regarding their views on the rental markets, including housing demand and supply, and their experiences in relation to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), trends in relation to both general housing needs and homelessness and other relevant issues.
On 24 January 2017 the Housing Agency proposed that 15 Local Electoral Areas in the following five housing authority areas should be considered for designation: Cork County, Galway City, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. On foot of the proposal from the Housing Agency, and in accordance with section 24A(2) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended), I requested the Director of the RTB to make a report to me as to whether these areas met the criteria for designation as Rent Pressure Zones.
On 26 January 2017, I received a report from the RTB confirming that 12 out of the 15 Local Electoral Areas examined met the criteria. As required by section 24A(5) of the Act, I made Orders designating the 12 Rent Pressure Zones on 26 January 2017. The Orders came into effect on 27 January 2017. Details of the areas that met the criteria and have been designated as Rent Pressure Zones are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/private-rented-housing/coveney-designates-new-rent-pressure-zones.
The Local Electoral Areas of Cobh, Maynooth and Greystones were found not to meet the criteria. The reports received from the RTB in relation to the designation of rent pressure zones, including a table showing the results of the analysis carried out on the 15 proposed areas for designation, are available on the website of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) at www.rtb.ie/rentzones.
Under the Act, I have no further role or discretion in proposing areas for designation as Rent Pressure Zones or in deciding whether they should be designated. The designation process is independent and based on clear objective criteria and quantifiable evidence.
The Housing Agency will continue to monitor the rental market and may recommend further areas for designation. Where, following the procedures set out in the Act, it is found at a future date that additional areas meet the criteria, they will be designated as Rent Pressure Zones.
227. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the operation of the repair and leasing scheme in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6832/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant properties across Ireland. The scheme was launched in Waterford and Carlow in early October 2016 on a pilot basis and my Department is currently working with local authorities to prepare for the wider national rollout of the scheme.
The scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental property. Subject to the suitability of the property for social housing, and the agreement of the property owner, the cost of the necessary repairs will be met upfront by the local authority or an Approved Housing Body (AHB). This allows for the property owner to sign-up to a lease arrangement for a length that is linked to the value of the repairs, subject to a minimum of 10 years. The value of the repairs will then be offset incrementally against the agreed rental payment over a defined period within the lease.
A property owner can either choose to arrange for a contractor to carry out the repairs themselves, or the local authority or AHB can arrange this instead. Property owners will not be required to take on landlord responsibilities and the local authority or AHB will have on-going management and maintenance responsibilities in respect of the properties.
A scheme of this nature will require both significant capital and current exchequer investment expenditure over the next 5 years and therefore must be properly analysed and assessed to ensure the best use of public money. The purpose of the pilot is to ensure that the scheme is appropriately modelled from a financial perspective but also, and critically, that it is workable from local authorities’ and AHBs’ perspectives and delivers high quality social housing effectively.
My Department and the Housing Agency, who are assisting with implementation of the scheme, are in regular contact with the two pilot local authorities and I understand that the pilot is progressing well at a local level. In parallel, my Department is working with local authorities to prepare for the rollout of the scheme. This includes assisting with access to public sources of data relating to vacant property, as well as facilitating local cooperation between AHBs and LAs on how the scheme will operate on the ground for interested property owners.
Several AHBs are working together with the Waterford and Carlow local authorities to manage the scheme in those particular areas and, as the scheme becomes available nationally, I expect that more AHBs will become involved in the roll out of the scheme. AHBs have a proven record in managing the refurbishment of properties and being good landlords puts them in an excellent position to play a key role in the success of the scheme.
Over the period 2016 to 2021, it is anticipated that up to 3,500 units will be secured for social housing under this scheme and I have committed to making €140m available over that period. While the current target for 2017 is 150 units, the interest expressed by property owners and stakeholders so far indicates that the 2017 targets will be achieved and could potentially be exceeded following national rollout. Taking account of this, the capacity of local authorities and AHBs to deliver under the scheme, as well as the necessary agreement on the financial considerations arising, I am exploring how delivery under the new scheme might be accelerated.
I would encourage any local authority that is eager to engage early with the scheme to liaise with the pilot local authorities and my Department, in order to be familiar with the requirements around participation and also the practical implementation issues that are being worked through with the pilot scheme.
228. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the operation of the buy and renew scheme in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6833/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe initiative to support the purchase and renewal of private houses for social housing use will be available in all local authority areas, including Tipperary during 2017. I have made an initial €25 million available for this initiative this year and propose to increase this to as much as €50 million in 2018, depending on the uptake. I expect this investment to deliver between 400 and 500 renewed houses for social housing use.
The full details of this initiative are being finalised and will be communicated to all local authorities shortly. The initiative may present opportunities for local authorities and approved housing bodies to tackle dereliction in towns and urban areas, but prospective housing units will always need to be suitable for social housing use, in an area of need and to represent reasonable value for money.
I know that Tipperary County Council is commencing a process of identifying properties to which this initiative might apply and I look forward to receiving their proposals in the near future.
229. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of the €9 million allocated in 2016 under the national taking-in-charge initiative to assist in the process of taking 356 housing developments in charge which has been utilised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6834/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Taking-in- Charge Initiative (NTICI) for residential estates, with funding of €9 million, was launched in April 2016 to explore enhanced systems and procedures and new methods of working to accelerate the taking-in-charge process of housing estates.
Of the funding allocated, €7.7 million was paid out to local authorities and almost 330 developments containing 13,400 units have either been taken in charge or works have taken place and the development will now proceed to be taken in charge by the relevant local authority at an early date.
Under the terms of the NTICI, only those developments subject to valid taking-in-charge applications were eligible for inclusion in the call for proposals. It is important to note that the NTICI was not intended to establish a rolling annual funding programme to take in charge all estates not yet taken in charge, but was instead intended to develop better knowledge and systems to support the taking-in-charge of further estates over time.
Further information on the NTICI can be found on my Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/search/archived/current?query=Taking%20in%20Charge.
230. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of households that had their social housing needs met in County Wicklow in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6835/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra231. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of households that had their social housing needs met in County Tipperary in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6836/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together.
The provision of social housing support to qualified households is a matter for individual housing authorities in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and regulations made thereunder. The Act provides for a range of social housing supports which qualified households may avail of in order to meet their housing needs. In addition to traditional social housing, support also is also provided via the private rental sector through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and through the voluntary sector via approved housing bodies.
My Department does not hold information on the allocation of dwellings to households on the waiting list which are owned or leased by a local authority or provided via an approved housing body. However, data on the number of households whose housing need is being met through HAP and RAS is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
232. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the location of the 5,280 homes built, refurbished or acquired under Pillar 2 of the Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6837/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has set out ambitious targets for the delivery of social housing supports over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland. Last year, over 18,300 social housing supports were provided across a range of delivery programmes. Within this, preliminary data shows that around 5,280 new social houses were either purchased, leased, remediated or built by local authorities and approved housing bodies across the country using a range of funding mechanisms and delivery programmes.
The information on social housing delivery referenced above is provisional and full year statistics are collated by my Department based on returns from all the local authorities. These are published as part of a wide range of statistical information on housing, which is available on the Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. The information on the website is up to date as of the end of quarter 3 of 2016; information for the full year of 2016 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.
233. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will request that empty houses in County Kildare owned by Waterways Ireland will be either taken out of dereliction or given to the local authority. [6853/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Derelict Sites Act 1990 requires every owner and occupier of land, including a statutory body and a State authority, to take all reasonable steps to ensure that land does not become or does not continue to be a derelict site. It also requires that local authorities take reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. To this end, local authorities have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to such sites, including to:
- establish and maintain a register of derelict sites in their functional area,
- require specified measures to be taken in relation to a derelict site,
- impose a levy on sites which are included in their derelict sites register, and
- acquire derelict site s by agreement or compulsorily.
I am informed that Kildare County Council does not have property owned by Waterways Ireland included in its Derelict Sites Register. Accordingly, the utilisation of powers under the Act, including Ministerial powers, does not arise.
It is a matter for local authorities to determine the most appropriate use of the legislation within their respective functional areas.
Under section 8(5) of the Act, a copy of the derelict sites register compiled by a local authority can be inspected at the offices of the authority in question during office hours. This facilitates members of the public to engage, if they so wish, with their local authority in relation to addressing individual derelict sites.
234. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the detail of the report of the Residential Tenancies Board relating to rent inflation in Maynooth in the past six quarters; if the position will be reviewed after 31 March 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6863/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra235. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will inquire from the Housing Agency the reason the towns of Clane, Kilcock and Kill, County Kildare, were not recommended by it for possible designation by the Residential Tenancies Board as rent pressure zones; if they can be reviewed now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6864/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together.
The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to provide that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone.
For an area to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone, it must satisfy the following criteria set out in section 24A(4) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended by section 36 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016):
(i) The annual rate of rent inflation in the area must have been 7% or more in four of the last six quarters; and
(ii) The average rent for tenancies registered in the area with the RTB in the last quarter must be above the average national rent (the National Indicative Rent in the RTB’s Rent Index Report) in the last quarter.
Following the enactment of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 , the Housing Agency reviewed the rental markets in certain counties nationally and identified nine housing authorities containing electoral areas that could potentially be Rent Pressure Zones. The Housing Agency consulted with the relevant housing authorities regarding their views on the rental markets, including housing demand and supply, and their experiences in relation to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), trends in relation to both general housing needs and homelessness and other relevant issues.
On 24 January 2017 the Housing Agency proposed that 15 Local Electoral Areas in the following five housing authority areas should be considered for designation: Cork County, Galway City, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. On foot of the proposal from the Housing Agency, and in accordance with section 24A(2) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended), I requested the Director of the RTB to make a report to me as to whether these areas met the criteria for designation as Rent Pressure Zones.
On 26 January 2017, I received a report from the RTB confirming that 12 out of the 15 Local Electoral Areas examined met the criteria. As required by section 24A(5) of the Act, I made Orders designating the 12 Rent Pressure Zones on 26 January 2017. The Orders came into effect on 27 January 2017. Details of the areas that met the criteria and have been designated as Rent Pressure Zones are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/private-rented-housing/coveney-designates-new-rent-pressure-zones.
The Local Electoral Are as of Cobh, Maynooth and Greystones were found not to meet the criteria. Clane and Kilcock are part of the electoral area of Maynooth and therefore do not meet the criteria to be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. Kill, however, is part of the electoral area of Naas, which has been designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. The reports received from the RTB in relation to the designation of rent pressure zones, including a table showing the results of the analysis carried out on the 15 proposed areas for designation, are available on the website of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) at the following link:
www.rtb.ie/docs/default-source/rent-pressure-zones/summary-results-table.pdf?sfvrsn=2.
Under the Act, I have no further role or discretion in proposing areas for designation as Rent Pressure Zones or in deciding whether they should be designated. The designation process is independent and based on clear objective criteria and quantifiable evidence.
The Housing Agency will continue to monitor the rental market and may recommend further areas for designation. Where, following the procedures set out in the Act, it is found at a future date that additional areas meet the criteria, they will be designated as Rent Pressure Zones.
236. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the expected timeline regarding the review of the tenant purchase scheme following the public consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6868/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the commitment given in Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a review of all aspects of the first 12 months of operation of the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 is currently being undertaken by my Department. To inform the review, a public consultation was undertaken, with a closing date for submissions of 10 February 2017.
The submissions received under the public consultation process are now being considered along with the scheme data collected from the local authorities. I expect the review to be completed on schedule by the end of Quarter 1 2017.
237. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the actions his Department is taking to strengthen against cyber attacks after the NTMA website was temporarily down for several hours after a suspected hacking attack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6880/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Information and Communications Technology Unit provides services to safeguard the Department’s computer and data networks. For security reasons, details of the measures used to strengthen our system against cyber attacks are not published.
238. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the estimated completion date of the national plan for septic tanks based on the current rate of inspection. [6890/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 assigns responsibility to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make a National Inspection Plan (NIP) for domestic wastewater treatment systems and neither I, nor my Department, have any direct role in monitoring the implementation of the plan by the local authorities.
The EPA was the supervisory body for the purposes of the National Inspection Plan 2013: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems, which was adopted and published by the EPA in February 2013. The EPA has conducted a review of the implementation of the Plan for the period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014. The report contains a breakdown by county of inspections that have taken place and includes details relating to non-compliant treatment systems and advisory notices. It is available on the Agency’s website at the following link:
www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/wastewater/Report%20National%20Inspection%20Plan%20Web.pdf.
A further NIP Inspection Data Report 1st July 2013 - 31st December 2014 provided an update to the previous review and included data from inspections carried out in the period 1st July 2013 to 31st December 2014. This is available at: www.epa.ie/water/wastewater/nip/nip2013inspectiondatareport/.
The National Inspection Plan 2015 to 2017: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems was adopted and published by the EPA in 2015. The Plan provides for a minimum of 1,000 inspections to be carried out by the water services authorities (which are the 31 county, city, and county and city councils) on an annual basis up to December 2017. Details of the minimum number of inspections to be carried out in each county are included in the Plan. This plan is also available on the Agency’s website at: www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/wastewater/nationalinspectionplan2015-2017.html.
239. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that most local authorities do not publish or make the monthly chief executive report publicly available online; his views on whether it would facilitate the monitoring of service performance in each local authority if they did so; and if he will issue guidance to each executive to publish these reports in order to enhance transparency. [6914/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 136 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, provides for the preparation of a monthly management report by the Chief Executive of a local authority in relation to the performance of his or her executive functions during the preceding calendar month, and its circulation to elected members of that local authority.
My Department, pursuant to section 136(4) of the Local Government Act 2001, as inserted by section 51 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, issued guidelines in this regard to local authorities in July 2014, which are available at: www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/lg_18_-_2014_guidelines_on_preparation_of_monthly_management_reports.pdf.
While publication of the monthly management report is a matter for individual local authorities, I am mindful of the importance of transparency and I will have the issue of the publication of such reports considered in consultation with the local government sector.
240. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of applications that have been made for the mortgage to rent scheme since its inception; the number of applications that have been accepted or rejected respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6922/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra241. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the main reasons applications for the mortgage to rent scheme are rejected; if any studies have taken place to quantify the reasons why applications are rejected. [6923/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together.
Up to 31 December 2016, a total of 3,575 cases have been submitted under the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme, which was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions. Of these, 2,723 were ineligible or terminated during the process, 217 have been completed with 635 being actively progressed. The reasons why a case has not progressed are varied and can depend on the lender, the property, the household and the ability of the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector to increase their involvement in the scheme.
Statistical information relating to the MTR scheme since its inception, including statistics on cases that have been terminated and the reasons for same, is available on the Housing Agency’s website at the following web link: https://www.housingagency.ie/Our-Services/Housing-Supply-Services/Mortgage-to-Rent.aspx.
A number of amendments were made to the MTR scheme in July 2015 to enable more properties to qualify and to make the scheme more flexible and accessible to borrowers.
Notwithstanding the amendments already made, the Government is committed to supporting households in long-term mortgage arrears to remain in their homes. A Review of the Mortgage to Rent Scheme was published on 8 February 2017 and represents the completion of an early action in the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. The Review is available from the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/changes-in-mortgage-to-rent-scheme/.
The Review has explored the avenues and impediments to participation in the scheme and recommends a number of actions to make the scheme work better for borrowers. Key actions include:
- Lenders will be required to formally communicate with borrowers as to why they are not suitable for the scheme.
- The property price threshold for a house in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow is being increased to €365,000 (from €350,000) while the threshold for an apartment/townhouse in these areas is being increased to €310,000 (from €300,000). For the rest of the country, the threshold for a house is being increased to €280,000 (from €250,000) and for an apartment / townhouse to €210,000 (€190,000).
- Flexibility will be provided in relation to the size of properties which qualify for the scheme. In practical terms, this means that an assessment of the property size suitable to a particular household will allow for a maximum of two additional bedrooms in the property above the actual needs of the household, with the property still being considered eligible.
- There are a number of actions to improve knowledge and understanding of the scheme. A range of state agencies will be facilitated to assist and guide borrowers who could benefit from the scheme. A Step by Step Guide for Borrowers will be produced alongside a range of other targeted information supports.
I am confident that the implementation of the actions put forward in the Review will make the MTR process quicker, more transparent, easier to navigate for borrowers and ultimately, more accessible to more households in mortgages distress.
In addition, the Review concludes that the current financial model of the scheme may not be capable of delivering the scale of successful cases that could benefit from the scheme over time. Currently, the MTR scheme relies on AHBs to purchase from lenders properties that have been voluntarily surrendered by eligible borrowers. A number of private equity firms have expressed an interest in purchasing mortgage debt portfolios from commercial banks with a view to exploring the potential for them to access the MTR scheme model for the borrowers in occupation of the mortgaged property. They are seeking an alternative arrangement that would see the mortgaged property staying in the funding firm’s ownership and the property itself leased back to the local authority in circumstances where the borrower is eligible for MTR and the borrower would therefore remain in their own home.
One of the outcomes of the Review is that in order to test the operability of alternative funding models for the scheme, the Housing Agency will work with a number of financial entities who have come forward with an interest in working with the MTR scheme to progress a number of pilot alternative lease arrangements. The objective is to explore what is available within the current market and to determine if this alternative model will benefit a greater number of households.
A detailed financial assessment of the structure of the funding of the MTR scheme will be undertaken in advance of the budgetary process for 2018. The assessment will be informed by the early impact of the other actions proposed by the review, as well as the outcome of the experience with the pilot lease arrangements, and the availability of financial resources overall.
