Tuesday, 4 Apr 2017

Written Answers Nos. 300-312

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme Funding

Ceisteanna (301)

Eamon Scanlon

Ceist:

301. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if national lottery funding is available at present through his Department to support the work of community groups; if so, if there are specific programmes eligible for grant assistance; the details of same; the funding available through his Department that a local group (details supplied) can make an application for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16662/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), which is part-funded by the National Lottery, was rolled out on 1 April 2015, following a public procurement process. SICAP’s aim is to reduce poverty, promote social inclusion and equality through local, regional and national engagement and collaboration. SICAP is a key priority of Government and its vision is to improve the life chances and opportunities of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty or in unemployment through community development approaches, targeted supports and inter-agency collaboration, where the values of equality and inclusion are promoted and human rights are respected.

While SICAP provides supports to disadvantaged communities, funding is  allocated to Programme Implementers based on the terms and conditions of the SICAP contract. The particular case (the provision of two electric delivery vans) would not be eligible for SICAP, which relates to current funding only.  

My Department also has responsibility for the Communities Facilities Scheme which was officially launched on 10 March 2017. The Scheme is targeted at disadvantaged urban and rural areas, but not exclusively so, and will fund projects that seek to enhance communities, address disadvantage and improve social cohesion at a local level. The total scheme allocation is €2 million for 2017 with each Local Authority getting an allocation of €64,500. The funding relates to capital projects only.

The Scheme is being administered by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) under the remit of the Local Authorities on behalf of my Department. The Scheme will include capital funding for projects falling under the following (non-exhaustive list) of areas:

- Development/renovation of community centres

- Community amenities

- Youth clubs

- Sports/recreation facilities

- Improvements to town parks and common areas and spaces.

In line with the ethos of the Scheme, applications for funding for projects targeting the following (non-exhaustive) indicative list of groups or issues should receive priority:

- Youth

- Older people

- Immigrants

- Refugees

- Ex-prisoners and families of prisoners/ex-prisoners

- Projects promoting cultural activity

- Projects promoting equality

- Community Development projects

- Projects promoting Integration

- Projects under the Creative Ireland 2017-2022 initiative.

Further details, including contact details for each LCDC, can be found on my Department’s website, at the following link:

www.housing.gov.ie/community/local-and-community-development/communities-facilities-scheme.

Land Ownership

Ceisteanna (302)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

302. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of the ownership of land (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16039/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

As I previously indicated in the reply to Question No. 249 of 21 June 2016, the area in question appears to be reclaimed foreshore and all of Ireland's foreshore is considered to be owned by the State, unless valid alternative title is provided.

Correspondence from Solicitors for the persons named, replying to a letter from my Department that issued in May 2016, was received on 27 March 2017. My Department will respond directly to that correspondence in the very near future again seeking details on how the area came to be reclaimed.

Questions Nos. 303 and 304 answered with question No. 297.

Freedom of Information Remit

Ceisteanna (305, 308, 329, 332)

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

305. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if business improvement districts established under the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 will be brought in under the Freedom of Information Acts in the interest of openness, accountability and transparency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16063/17]

Seán Barrett

Ceist:

308. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if business improvement districts established under the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 will be brought in under the Freedom of Information Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16081/17]

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

329. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if business improvement districts established under the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 will be brought in under the Freedom of Information Acts in the interest of openness, accountability and transparency. [16577/17]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

332. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if business improvement districts established under the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 will be brought in under the Freedom of Information Acts in the interest of openness, accountability and transparency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16663/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 305, 308, 329 and 332 together.

I refer to the reply to Question No 166 of 30 March 2017. The position is unchanged.

Local Authority Housing

Ceisteanna (306)

Denise Mitchell

Ceist:

306. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when phase 2 of the insulation programme for Dublin City Council tenants will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16065/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

With the support of my Department, local authorities are currently undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting on the least energy efficient social housing homes. 

The programme has two components:

- Phase 1 of the programme commenced in June 2013, with the aim of eventually ensuring that the entire social housing stock will have, as a minimum, wall insulation and attic insulation (300mm). To this end, the programme was initially targeted at the less intrusive cavity wall insulation, as well as attic insulation.

- Phase 2 of the programme will focus on the fabric upgrade works to those remaining dwellings with solid/hollow block wall construction. Two local authorities, namely Fingal and Westmeath County Councils, have completed Phase 2 pilot projects, while other local authorities including Cork & Dublin City Councils have already begun Phase 2 works.

It is proposed to roll out Phase 2 of the programme to all local authorities in 2017. It should be noted that funding of some €107 million has already been provided from 2013 to 2016 to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 57,000 local authority homes.

Local Authority Services

Ceisteanna (307)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

307. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied with the operation of the business improvement district initiatives to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16067/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 provided for the establishment of Business Improvement Districts within the functional areas of local authorities.

A Business Improvement District (BID) scheme is an organisational and financing mechanism with a legal basis, through which businesses can, on a self-help basis, develop and implement initiatives in defined areas to improve those areas for the betterment of the trading environment in which they operate. In a BID, a group of businesses are empowered, where a majority of those businesses agree, to raise a special levy payable by all the businesses in the defined area to pay for complementary local services and improvements, within that defined area.

The establishment of a business improvement district scheme in an individual area is a matter for the relevant local authority. I have no plans to amend the legislation in relation to BIDS but I will arrange for the operation of the initiative to be considered in the context of a possible broader engagement with ratepayers which is currently under consideration.

Question No. 308 answered with Question No. 305.

Departmental Investigations

Ceisteanna (309)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

309. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the report of the panel established to investigate the problems that have emerged in concrete block work in dwellings in counties Donegal and Mayo will be published; if he is considering establishing a redress scheme for property owners affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16105/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

An expert panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in April 2016 to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. The panel have the following terms of reference:

(i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo;

(ii) To carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, testing laboratories, industry stakeholders and other relevant parties, to establish the nature of the problem in the affected dwellings;

(iii) To outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and

(iv) To submit a report within six months.

The expert panel on concrete blocks met on twelve occasions since it was first established and a similar number of meetings have taken place with key stakeholders, including affected homeowners, the elected members of Donegal and Mayo County Councils, local authority officials, industry bodies, academics, public representatives and other interested parties. A substantial volume of information has been provided by affected homeowners in both counties, as well as from Donegal and Mayo County Councils; additional information was also provided through the consultation process.

The panel has now concluded its meetings and is in the process of finalising its draft report which is undergoing legal proofing, which I anticipate will be completed shortly. In this regard, I will await the outcome of the panel’s report before considering what further actions may be required to assist the parties directly involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to the problems that have emerged in the two counties.

Commercial Rates

Ceisteanna (310)

Kevin O'Keeffe

Ceist:

310. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if local authorities will be requested to suspend all further charges, that is, levy for street furniture and billboards, in lieu of bringing proposals to Cabinet for the review of commercial rates. [16132/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Local 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. The principle of local authorities levying rates based on an independent valuation is well established and I have no plans to change this. However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century. I have asked my Department to develop proposals for the preparation of a Rates Bill to modernise and consolidate the legislation in this area. I will be bringing proposals to Government on this matter shortly.

Other charges levied by local authorities are not affected by these proposals. 

Planning Issues

Ceisteanna (311)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

311. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will consider a revision of planning laws to shorten or restrict the time allowed for unfinished building sites that are not being actively worked on in view of the disruption and unsightliness this can bring to an area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16133/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

I have no proposals to make substantive changes to current legislation relating to the duration of planning permissions, which provides for a limit of 5 years on the duration of a planning permission, unless otherwise specified in the permission, and for extension of the duration of a planning permission in certain circumstances.

The majority of unfinished developments that are currently inactive are experiencing legal issues involving a number of stakeholders, such as the developer, receiver and financial institutions. Planning authorities have initiated 123 enforcement proceedings on 'unfinished' developments within the last year and the recently published annual progress report on unfinished housing developments shows that there has been an 85% decrease in the number of unfinished developments since 2010, with 248 developments resolved in 2016 alone and 420 developments remaining to be finalised. The report is available on my Department's website at the following link: Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments - 2016 Annual Progress Report.

It is intended to explore all options with the relevant stakeholders in progressing the resolution of unfinished developments, such as developer/funder-led resolution and investigation into options for strategic acquisition. In this connection and in line with Action 5.13 of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, published in July 2016, my Department intends to engage with relevant local authorities and the Housing Agency for the purpose of targeting opportunities in relation to the acquisition of vacant or nearly complete units in appropriate developments for social housing purposes.

Local Authority Housing Rents

Ceisteanna (312)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

312. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the nationwide harmonisation of rents for local authority tenants; the studies his Department has conducted on this; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16140/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Considerable work has been carried out by my Department over recent years in developing a draft framework for a harmonisation of the approach to be taken by local authorities in regard to various aspects of rent schemes. This includes providing for a common set of income disregards to be applied by all housing authorities in determining a household’s assessable income for rent calculation purposes.

These proposals are now being examined further in the light of the broader commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness to review the disparate systems of differential rents for social housing in place across local authorities. The objective is to ensure that housing supports are fair and sustainable, prioritise those on lowest incomes and avoid creating social welfare traps that may prevent people from either returning to work or to the private housing market.

I expect this review to be completed by the end of Quarter 2 2017.