Written Answers Nos. 46-65
46. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to increase the income limits for the mortgage to rent scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24973/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Mortgage to Rent Scheme is a social housing option and is therefore targeted at borrowers in mortgage arrears, who qualify for social housing support as prescribed by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011.
A review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda set out in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, is scheduled to commence later this year.
47. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of developments that have been approved by his Department under which local authorities built 15, or fewer, homes using only one approval stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24786/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo date, two social housing capital construction projects have been advanced by local authorities via the single stage approval process for projects with a maximum all-in budget of less than €2m and no more than 15 units. The uptake under the single-stage approval option was considered in a process and procedures review that was recently completed on ‘Social Housing Design, Approval and Delivery’ and which is available at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/install/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Social-Housing_Approval-Processes-Procedures-Review-1.pdf.
This review looked at the use of the single stage process, noted its poor take-up to date by local authorities and identified the need to undertake further work with individual local authorities with a view to improving take-up. This work is now happening via quarterly on-site meetings that my Department is now having with each individual local authority.
Given the process improvements overall in relation to social housing approvals, under which the overall pipeline of social housing construction projects has been expanded significantly to encompass over 10,000 units, it will be a matter for each local authority to decide as to how to advance each individual project. However, the regular technical meetings with the local authorities mean that the option to use the single-stage process can be actively examined on a project-by-project basis.
48. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the planned timeframe for the existence of homeless hubs for homeless persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25033/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the response to the commitment contained in Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness that, by mid-2017, hotels will only be used as emergency accommodation in limited circumstances, housing authorities are delivering a number of family-focused, supported temporary accommodation facilities. These custom-developed facilities will offer family living arrangements with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotel accommodation while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Furthermore, such arrangements will facilitate more coordinated needs assessment and support planning including on-site access to required services, such as welfare, health, housing services, cooking and laundry facilities and appropriate family supports.
Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, while my Department’s role involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. It will therefore be a matter for the relevant housing authorities to consider the ongoing need for such facilities in their areas within the overall context of their social housing delivery programmes.
49. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of recipients of the housing assistance payment, HAP, who are 18 to 24 years of age by county, in 2016 and to date in 2017; the steps he is taking with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to address recent reports of a 78% increase in homelessness in the 18 to 24 year old age group since 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24798/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is now available to all eligible households throughout the State. There are currently more than 22,000 households in receipt of HAP, including 7,000 households that were previously supported by Rent Supplement. There are currently more than 17,000 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the HAP scheme. Approximately 315 to 350 new households are being supported by HAP each week.
My Department does not hold information on the age demographic of HAP recipients. However, a summary of the household classes supported by the HAP scheme at 31 March 2017 is set out below:
- Single / Single Sharing - 31%
- Couple / Couple Sharing - 4%
- Lone Parent with Children - 39%
- Couple with Children - 26%
The Homeless Pilot of the HAP scheme has been operational since February 2015, across the four housing authorities in the Dublin Region, and is being implemented through the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). The focus of this pilot remains the transitioning of qualified households from emergency accommodation, including hotels, into private rented tenancies. To qualify for HAP under the homeless pilot scheme, a household must generally be accepted as homeless within the meaning of section 2 of the Housing Act 1988 by one of the four Dublin local authorities. The Homeless HAP support has also been used to prevent households from entering homelessness and homeless services.
While eligible homeless households may source accommodation for themselves, a dedicated placement team, the Dublin Place-Finder Service, has also been established to engage directly with property owners and support qualified households to find suitable tenancies and to ensure that any additional supports that may be needed are put in place. This is a particularly important service for households currently residing in emergency accommodation in the Dublin region.
The implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness is being advanced across a number of Departments and agencies, including the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, under the oversight of the Cabinet Committee on Housing, chaired by An Taoiseach. The long-term solution to the current homelessness issue is to increase the supply of homes. Accordingly, Rebuilding Ireland is designed to accelerate all types of housing supply – social, private and rental. During the lifetime of the Plan some 47,000 new social houses will be provided, supported by Exchequer investment of over €5 billion, and housing output generally will be progressively increased towards the target of producing 25,000 houses per year through all channels.
It is intended that housing needs of those currently homeless, including young people, will be met through housing supports such as HAP, the homeless HAP scheme, and general social housing allocations. Significant outputs are being achieved in this regard, with over 3,000 sustainable exits from homeless accommodation into independent tenancies delivered during 2016, a record level of exits in a calendar year. This includes more than 800 homeless households supported by HAP during 2016. A target of 1,200 additional households to be supported through the Homeless HAP pilot scheme has been set for 2017, and more than 600 such households have already been supported by the scheme this year.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. In general, I am satisfied with its operation and I consider HAP to be a key support in providing sustainable exits from homeless accommodation, meeting housing need and contributing to the delivery on the ambitious programme outlined in Rebuilding Ireland.
50. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of publicly owned land in each local authority area that is under consideration to offer to developers for housing construction in tabular form; the way in which a fair return to the State will be ensured in these proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24783/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 27 April 2017, I published the first phase of the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, as committed to under Action 3.5 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan. This a vital initial step in the new State Housing Land Management Strategy being developed within the context of the National Planning Framework, to be titled "Ireland 2040: Our Plan".
The map is the result of a significant amount of work carried out by my Department, local authorities, the Housing Agency and other State and semi-State bodies. The datasets published on the map include details of over 700 local authority and Housing Agency-owned sites, totalling some 1,700 hectares, including location and size, as well as 30 sites (comprising some 200 hectares) owned by State or semi-State Bodies, situated in major urban centres. The map also shows the locations of 144 active private construction sites, encompassing some 5,200 new dwellings, which are under construction in the Dublin region.
The map is freely accessible on an interactive portal at http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/ and data on sites can be extracted in a number of forms, including on a local authority basis.
The opening up of State-owned lands for the development of mixed tenure housing is a key objective under Rebuilding Ireland . I want to see the supply of high quality social and affordable homes, to buy or rent, delivered as quickly as possible from key sites, particularly in the major urban areas where demand is greatest. I have asked all local authorities to be innovative and pro-active in developing these sites.
In the first instance, the specific approach to housing delivery on each site, including the optimum tenure mix, is a matter for the local authority concerned, including the elected members, who best understand the housing needs in their area. Already, South Dublin County Council and Dublin City Council are well advanced in bringing large-scale sites forward for mixed tenure housing, with projects advertised that can deliver around 3,000 mixed tenure homes on 4 key sites, located in Kilcarbery (South Dublin) and Infirmary Road, Emmet Road, and Oscar Traynor Road (Dublin City). I expect other local authorities to follow suit.
Mixed tenure development on State-owned land provides a strong opportunity to provide social and affordable housing quickly in a fully integrated and sustainable community. Importantly, it allows for risk-sharing and far quicker delivery of social housing and housing more generally as part of the full development of each site. For example, in relation to a major site in Dublin City at O’Devaney Gardens, I have already announced Stage 1 funding approval of almost €18 million for 56 social homes on the site. Only building social houses on the rest of the site would mean slower delivery, over a 10- or 15-year period, as capital funding becomes available.
I am committed to ensuring that the State extracts the most beneficial use of its currently under-utilised assets for much needed housing in the shortest possible timeframe, and maximises the social dividend, in particular by increased and speedier delivery of high-quality social and affordable homes, to buy or rent. My Department will continue to work with local authorities and other State agencies to this end.
51. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if further legislative provisions are required in order to ensure a more rapid response to the housing crisis including the immediate provision of modular housing as and when required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25019/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra123. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the extent to which the construction and provision of modular housing of a high quality has been perfected with a view to early impact on homelessness and local authority waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25144/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 123 together.
The publication of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness has seen a new level of ambition in respect of tackling the challenges in the housing sector and I am confident it represents a well-judged and comprehensive response to the urgent need to increase housing supply generally and to accelerate the delivery of social housing.
To support the ambitious target of 47,000 new social housing units, I have secured €5.35 billion in exchequer investment over the period to 2021. This comprises some €4.5 billion in capital funding and €844 million in support of programmes funded from current expenditure. Under Pillar 2 of Rebuilding Ireland, my Department is working closely with all local authorities in relation to increasing and accelerating the delivery of a range of social housing programmes and supports, including rapid build homes.
Over 500 rapid build homes are currently advancing through various stages of delivery, including construction, and a further 500 rapid build homes will be advanced in 2017, with another 500 units to be delivered in 2018. Sites for rapid build schemes are currently being identified in Louth, Wicklow, Kildare, Meath, Cork, Waterford, Galway and Limerick.
Local authorities have been responding positively to the need for a ramp-up in rapid build delivery. The establishment of a framework of rapid build contractors by the Office of Government Procurement means that local authorities across the country will be able to run quicker procurement competitions and advance rapid build projects to site more efficiently and effectively. In addition, the Part 8 planning procedures have been revised to facilitate the acceleration and delivery of local authority own development proposals, including social housing projects and infrastructure servicing housing development.
Other actions are underway by local authorities to respond to housing need and meet the needs of homeless people within their areas. These include targeted acquisitions, the new Repair and Leasing initiative and the range of current-funded programmes, such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme, Housing Assistance Payment and various leasing arrangements under my Department’s Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme. Again, properties sourced under these programmes are used to accommodate persons on the local authority housing waiting lists, including those in emergency accommodations or at risk of homelessness.
Building on the early actions taken to make affordable housing more viable through re-affirming apartment guidelines and reforming the development contribution regime, a number of other actions are underway to make residential property delivery viable, at a far greater scale, and at more generally affordable prices and rents. For example, the announcement, on 28 March 2017, of €226 million funding for housing infrastructure on 34 high-impact sites, through the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF), will act at the catalyst for the delivery of some 23,000 homes by 2021 and an overall figure of up to 70,000 homes in the longer term in areas of greatest supply constraints. Details of the projects approved under LIHAF can be accessed at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/local-infrastructure-housing-activation-fund-announced/.
Through the range of actions currently being progressed under Rebuilding Ireland to increase the supply of homes across all tenures, the Government will create the conditions required for the restoration of a more sustainable and normally functioning housing market, capable of providing homes, to buy or rent, at more affordable price points, where and when they are required.
52. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if new policy responses are likely to be forthcoming in the short to medium term for persons who purchased houses and or apartments that are no longer suitable for their needs and that cannot for financial reasons move on; his plans for new loan options; his further plans to relax the clawback on homes purchased on the affordable loan scheme or in circumstances in which shared ownership schemes are an impediment to overcoming such issues as overcrowding; if no policy responses are planned, if he will consider developing a new policy in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24796/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Affordable Housing Schemes helped qualifying applicants, who would not have otherwise been in a position to purchase a home, to become home owners through the purchase of designated affordable units. Houses sold to first time buyers under the various affordable housing schemes were priced at a significant discount from their market value. Buyers were free to sell their properties at any time. However, in order to prevent short-term profit-taking on the resale of the houses to the detriment of the objectives of the schemes, the schemes contained a clawback provision.
Under the clawback provisions, as set out in the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002, as amended, where the purchaser proposes to sell the unit within 20 years of the date of purchase, he/she must refund to the local authority a percentage of the proceeds of the sale of the unit. The percentage of the proceeds to be repaid will be related to the proportion of discount from the market value originally received from the local authority. A full refund must be paid if the unit is sold within the first 10 years of occupancy. A reduction of 10% per annum is given for each full year of occupancy between 10 and 20 years and after 20 years of full occupancy no refund would be due to the local authority.
However, where a person is selling an affordable home and the clawback amount payable would reduce the proceeds of resale below the initial price actually paid, the legislation provides for the amount of the clawback payable to be reduced to the extent necessary to avoid that result.
I have no plans to amend these provisions, which I consider to be equitable and reasonable.
In relation to local authority loans, these are for first-time buyers only, and I have no plans to amend the position.
53. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to raise the limits for costs associated with the pyrite remediation scheme such as alternative accommodation to reflect current market values. [24799/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and while the Act provides that the scheme can be amended, replaced or revoked, this can only be done in accordance with the scope of the Act. In this regard, any proposal to revise the pyrite remediation scheme is ultimately a matter for the Pyrite Resolution Board and would require detailed consideration of the evidence to support the case for an amendment to the scheme.
The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The scheme is applicable to dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. In addition, applicants under the scheme must be able to demonstrate to the Pyrite Resolution Board that they have no practicable options, other than under the scheme, to secure the remediation of their homes.
The scheme provides for the recoupment of the vouched cost of alternative accommodation, furniture removal and storage subject to limits of €3,000 and €2,500 (inclusive of VAT) respectively. However, where a scheme participant can satisfy the Housing Agency, who will be making the payments, in advance that suitable rental accommodation cannot be obtained for €3,000 or less the expenses for the accommodation and furniture removal can be combined, subject to the overall limit of €5,500. In addition, earlier payment in part or in whole may be made where a scheme participant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Housing Agency that payment of these costs only on completion of the works would cause financial hardship.
My Department is in regular contact with the Pyrite Resolution Board and the Housing Agency with regard to the implementation of the scheme and is satisfied that the arrangements that are currently in place provide the necessary flexibility to enable scheme participants to meet their alternative accommodation needs while their homes are under remediation.
54. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the arrangements and additional staff that have been put in place in An Bord Pleanála in view of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 for planning applications in excess of 100 housing units; the date on which new arrangements will be in place; the fees that have been decided for applications and objections; the guidance that has been given to local authorities regarding engagement with the new process; the guidance that will be available to the public; the way in which they may interact with the process; the way in which developments that are subject to masterplans or in circumstances in which phasing is required will be dealt with; if An Bord Pleanála has to be in compliance with city, county and local area plans respectively; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24794/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraChapter 1 of Part 2 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the Act of 2016) provides for new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments, of 100 housing units or more or student accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála for determination.
The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) (No. 2) Order 2017 brought section 19 of the Act into operation on 2 February 2017, for the purpose of enabling the Board to fulfil the requirements of section 144 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (the Act of 2000), as amended, in relation to setting the fees payable to the Board in respect of applications for, and other matters relating to, proposed strategic housing developments. It also brought section 3 of the Act into operation on the same date to the extent required to enable the partial commencement of section 19 to have effect.
Section 144 of the Act of 2000 enables the Board to determine such fees, subject to Ministerial approval, and once approved, requires that the Board to give public notice of new fees for a period of at least 8 weeks prior to coming into effect. On foot of the commencement of these provisions, I approved the Board’s proposed fee schedule for strategic housing developments on 8 March 2017 and the Board undertook the necessary public notice arrangements on 15 March 2017. A copy of the fee schedule is available on the Board’s website at the following link: http://www.pleanala.ie/about/Fees/SHDFeesNotice.pdf.
The Act of 2016 also provides for the establishment of a dedicated Strategic Housing Division in the Board to make determinations on planning applications in respect of strategic housing developments, assisted by additional dedicated technical and administrative support resources which the Board has been given approval to engage with the necessary arrangements now being progressed in this regard.
A separate Commencement Order will be required to bring the substantive strategic housing development provisions in Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Act into operation. In conjunction with this, section 12 of the Act of 2016 enables me as Minister to make regulations to provide for matters of procedure and administration to support the operation of the strategic housing development provisions. The drafting of the supporting Regulations and Commencement Order is at an advanced stage and I expect to be in a position to approve and sign these shortly. My Department will then issue a Circular letter to the Board and planning authorities advising of the commencement of the provisions and providing any additional guidance required with regard to the operation of the new arrangements. Once commenced, applications for large-scale housing developments as defined in the Act of 2016, including qualifying residential development that forms part of a larger development scheme but is capable being carried out on its own, will be made to the Board.
The Board already has powers, in limited and specific circumstances, to grant planning permission on appeal for a proposed development in the case where a planning authority has refused permission on the grounds that the proposed development materially contravenes the development plan. Where it grants planning permission in these circumstances, the Board must indicate the main reasons and consideration for its decision.
Under the new arrangements, planning applications in respect of strategic housing developments may be made to the Board only in respect of lands that have already been zoned for such purposes by the local elected members in the development plan or local area plan for the area. The Act of 2016 empowers the Board to grant planning permission for a strategic housing development that materially contravenes the development or local area plan and requires the Board to set out the main reasons and considerations for doing this. However, the Board cannot grant permission where the proposed development would materially contravene the zoning objective of the relevant plan.
Importantly, members of the public will continue to be able to make submissions and observations to the Board about applications for strategic housing developments in the same manner as currently applies in respect of planning applications submitted to the local planning authority or appealed to the Board. Applications will be notified to the public by way of site and newspaper notices in the normal manner and a copy of the application will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board and the planning authority for the area concerned.
55. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will extend the terms and conditions of the mortgage-to-rent scheme to include local authorities as part of the review process of the scheme as an action in the rebuilding Ireland action plan for housing and homelessness in view of the very low level of engagement from housing agencies with the scheme in its current form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24976/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe review of the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme for borrowers of commercial private lending institutions, published on 8 February 2017, introduced a range of amendments to the eligibility criteria and administration of the scheme in order for it to work better for borrowers. It also concluded that the current financial model of the scheme may not be capable of delivering the scale of cases that could benefit from the scheme over time.
In parallel, Rebuilding Ireland acknowledges the scale of the current pressures in terms of new social housing supply and proposes more direct intervention by local authorities to expand and accelerate overall social housing supply particularly in the short term. An expansion of the MTR scheme whereby the local authority, as opposed to an Approved Housing Body, would acquire the property would impact on the capacity of local authorities to meet the ambitious targets around social housing supply.
The Government has been actively exploring potential mechanisms that would facilitate investment in social housing, including the off-balance sheet potential of private institutional investment. 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. In advance of these pilots, a targeted market testing exercise has been undertaken by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), on behalf of my Department, to test the suitability of the proposed enhanced leasing arrangements to ascertain if they would be viable for a mortgage to rent cohort. 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.
56. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the dog breeding establishment guideline review; his views on the submissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24787/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn late 2015, my Department agreed to begin a process of review of the current Dog Breeding Establishment Guidelines, under the auspices of the County and City Management Association Dogs Working Group. The work undertaken to date has been to produce a first draft revision of the Guidelines.
It was considered essential to broaden the review of the Guidelines to a more formal public consultation, both for quality assurance and to address the need for openness and inclusiveness. A wide-scale formal public consultative process commenced on 1 December 2016 and closed on 28 February 2017.
My Department is currently reviewing the feedback and data received through the process before submitting the findings to me.
58. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the steps he will take to ensure allocated funding is spent in order that quality accommodation is available to Traveller families in all local authority areas in view of the lack of spending of allocated funds to local authorities for traveller accommodation; [25032/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
Local authorities adopted the fourth and current round of TAPs in April 2014, with the five-year rolling programmes running from 2014 to 2018. These programmes provide a road map for local authority investment priorities over the period. They also form the basis for the allocation of funding from my Department for Traveller accommodation.
Local authorities submit proposals for individual Traveller specific projects and developments which are assessed on a case-by-case basis in my Department, in advance of allocations being made. The allocations and recoupment profiles for capital Traveller accommodation projects can vary across local authorities given the local priorities, circumstances and project timelines as set out in the TAPs. Funding is recouped to local authorities on eligible expenditure incurred and, where it is likely that an allocation to a local authority may be unspent or under-spent, my Department engages with local authorities to reallocate the funding to another scheme in order to ensure that drawdown is maximised before year-end. I am anxious that local authorities make full use of the increased levels of capital funding available for traveller accommodation in 2017 and my Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities in that regard.
In addition, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to establishing a special working group to audit the current delivery and implementation of local authorities' TAPs and consult with stakeholders on key areas of concern. This commitment has been underpinned in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which provides for the commissioning by the Housing Agency of an expert, independent review of expenditure on, and delivery of, Traveller accommodation to underpin the work of the special working group.
The review, which has regard to the targets in the local authorities' TAPs, is due to be completed very shortly. It will provide factual information and this will provide a key platform for the special working group to progress its work effectively. The working group will be established by the statutorily appointed National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (NTACC) immediately after completion of the review. I expect the working group to complete its work in an expeditious manner and, as provided for in the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, the NTACC may then advise me in relation to any appropriate measures for improving the provision and management of accommodation at local level.
59. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the actions he will take to assist persons following a fire at a development (details supplied); his plans for assistance to be put in place for future fires resulting in homelessness for significant numbers of persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25031/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe inter-Agency response to support families affected by the fire at Verdemont, Blanchardstown, is being led by Fingal County Council.
I understand from the Council that a range of accommodation arrangements are in place to meet the immediate housing needs all households affected by the fire, and there is on-going contact between the Council, the insurance agent and the management company in this regard. Also, the Council has allocated a temporary tenancy to a number of households pending their assessment for long-term social housing support, and Threshold has provided housing advice and support clinics.
I understand that the Department of Social Protection's Community Welfare Service, in tandem with the Council and Citizen's Information, have put in place an emergency multi-Agency clinic offering advice and support to affected households, and that the Community Welfare Service has been offering financial assistance, where appropriate based on each household's needs, through the Exceptional Needs Payments and Urgent Needs Payment schemes.
The response to any major fire, and managing consequences arising therefrom, is provided in accordance with the Framework for Major emergency Management (2006). This was put in place to support effective response by the Principal Response Agencies, including inter-agency coordination, to major emergencies resulting from events such as fires, transport accidents, hazardous substance incidents and severe weather.
60. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to review the Dublin and mid-east regional planning guidelines in advance of the new national spatial strategy in view of the recent publication of the 2016 census of population and the stated desire to achieve a balanced regional development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24795/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new National Planning Framework (NPF), titled Ireland 2040 - Our Plan, will act as the successor to the National Spatial Strategy 2002 (NSS) and will serve as the Government’s strategic 20+ year strategic planning and development framework for the co-ordination of a range of national, regional and local authority policies and activities, planning and investment. On foot of the finalised Census 2016 results, my Department will review and analyse all of the statistical data provided and ensure the most recent and accurate data is considered and reflected in any evidence-based proposals that may form part of the draft NPF and subsequent Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs).
The NPF will form the top-level plan which, in turn, will inform the new RSESs which are to be prepared by the three Regional Assemblies established under the Local Government Act 2014. Their regional strategies, which will replace the current Regional Planning Guidelines, will be prepared to reflect the new Regional Assembly structures. The RSESs will support the implementation of the NPF and the economic policies and objectives of the Government by providing a long-term planning and economic development framework to guide action at local government level, such as the statutory development plan process and the Local Economic and Community Plans also provided for under the Local Government Act 2014.
Until such time as both the NPF and the RSESs are adopted later in 2017 and 2018, respectively, the existing NSS and existing Regional Planning Guidelines will remain in place.
61. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to reintroduce affordable housing schemes of the type suspended in 2012 for owner-occupiers and or renters rather than providing public land subsidies to developers in the hope that they will provide cheaper housing to home buyers as appears to be the model proposed in the land bank initiative. [25036/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to the reply to Questions Nos 1,4 and 5 on today's Order Paper.
62. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding the plan to move homeless persons from hotels to industrial premises; the reason these buildings are being exempted from planning permission rules; if he is satisfied that the decision to exempt them is in compliance with building control legislation; if these buildings will be converted in compliance with BCAR regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25020/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness includes the objective that, by mid-2017, hotels will only be used in exceptional circumstances as emergency accommodation for families. The long-term solution to the current homeless issue is to increase the supply of homes; accordingly, Rebuilding Ireland is designed to accelerate all types of housing supply. During the lifetime of the Plan some 47,000 new social houses will be provided.
It is intended that the long-term housing needs of homeless households, including those families currently accommodated in hotels, will be met through housing supports such as the enhanced Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme and general social housing allocations. Significant outputs are being achieved in this regard; housing authorities achieved over 3,000 sustainable exits from homeless accommodation into independent tenancies during 2016, a record level of delivery in a calendar year.
Housing authorities, working with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, are also pursuing a range of supported temporary accommodation initiatives to provide accommodation for homeless families with a greater level of stability than is possible in hotels, while move-on options to long-term independent living are identified and secured. Such arrangements will facilitate more coordinated needs assessment and support, including on-site access to required services, such as welfare, health, housing services and appropriate family supports.
It is the responsibility of the relevant local authority to comply with all legislative requirements in relation to building works, including the provision of accommodation for homeless families and individuals and related services. Planning permission is required for certain alterations and material changes of use of existing buildings. However, the Chief Executive of a local authority may exercise emergency planning powers under Section 179 (6)(b) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.
Building Regulations apply to a wide range of works to existing buildings, including material alterations, changes of use etc. A Building Control Authority may, if it considers it reasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case, grant a dispensation from, or a relaxation of, any requirement of building regulations in respect of buildings or works which are situated within the authority's functional area.
A Fire Certificate is required for certain works to existing buildings to which the requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations apply. This triggers the provisions set out in the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (SI 9/2014) for certificates of compliance and an assigned certifier.
64. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of residential zoned land in the ownership of Galway City Council and Galway County Council and/or transferred under the land aggregation scheme by either, or both, local authorities; the location of these lands; the quantity of this land which cannot be used pending the proposed new road under the N6 project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24801/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 27 April 2017, I published the first phase of the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, as committed to under Action 3.5 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan. This a vital initial step in the new State Housing Land Management Strategy being developed within the context of the National Planning Framework, to be titled "Ireland 2040: Our Plan".
The map is the result of a significant amount of work carried out by my Department, local authorities, the Housing Agency and other State and Semi-State bodies. The datasets published on the map include details of over 700 local authority and Housing Agency owned sites, totalling some 1,700 hectares, including location and size, as well as 30 sites (comprising around 200 hectares) owned by State or semi-State Bodies, in major urban centres, including Galway city. The map also shows the locations of 144 active private construction sites, encompassing some 5,200 new dwellings, which are under construction in the Dublin region.
The map is freely accessible on an interactive portal at http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/ and data on sites can be extracted in a number of forms, including on a local authority basis.
With regard to lands held by the Housing Agency under the Land Aggregation Scheme, this is only one such site in Galway, details of which are set out in the following table.
|
Local Authority |
Location |
Value of Loan accepted in LAGS (capital and interest) |
Size of site (hectares) |
|
Galway City Council |
Ballymoneen Road, Ballyburke |
€7,006,412 |
2.5 |
As committed to under Rebuilding Ireland, the Housing Agency is developing a Strategic Management Plan for each Land Aggregation Scheme site, in order to advance housing development from these sites at the earliest opportunity.
In addition local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and my own Department have been advancing a suite of social housing projects, through a range of delivery mechanisms and programmes. A strong construction pipeline of over 10,000 new social houses is now in place, some of which have already been completed in 2016 and in the first quarter of this year. Progress on the status of these social housing projects, including those in Galway City and County, can be found at http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/social-housing-construction-projects-report-2017/.
The issue of land being assigned to the N6 project is not a matter for my Department.
65. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the recent figures released by the CSO with regard to housing in the context of the Rebuilding Ireland targets. [20060/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraRebuilding Ireland is a multi-stranded, action-oriented approach to achieving the Government’s housing objectives, as set down in the Programme for a Partnership Government. At its heart it aims to increase housing supply, across all tenures, to 25,000 homes per year by 2021. The 25,000 target was the ESRI estimate of the housing requirement based on demographic change, household formation and a level of obsolescence of existing stock.
An additional 47,000 social housing units will be delivered by 2021, from a budget of €5.35 billion. In this context, the recent publication by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of Census 2016 data relating to Housing in Ireland is a very useful information resource that will inform the ongoing implementation of Rebuilding Ireland, while also assisting with the further development of housing and planning policy in a variety of ways, including in the context of better understanding household formation patterns generally and responding to specific needs such as, for example, those of an ageing population or of persons with disabilities, etc.
New data added to Census 2016 in respect of vacant units is particularly useful as my Department finalises the draft National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy, which I will bring to Government in the coming weeks, in order to advance the work on bringing vacant homes back into use, as envisaged under Pillar 5 of Rebuilding Ireland.
