Written Answers Nos. 2162-2183
2162. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that landlords and letting agencies are discriminating against persons in receipt of the housing assistance payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26815/17]
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. In excess of 17,000 separate agents and landlords are providing accommodation to HAP supported households.
To date in 2017, an average of 329 additional households a week are having their housing need met by finding private rental accommodation and landlords willing to enter into a tenancy agreement on the basis of HAP support. In order to provide access to information on the scheme to interested parties, a new HAP website, www.hap.ie, was recently launched and provides prospective HAP tenants and landlords with the information that they need to understand how the HAP scheme works. Local authorities are also promoting the scheme locally, and engaging with letting agents and landlords who might be interested in entering into a HAP tenancy. HAP provides landlords with many advantages including that the landlord does not have to collect the rent; payments are made electronically directly to the landlord on the tenant's behalf; landlords who rent to tenants in receipt of HAP may avail of increased tax relief; and changes in a tenant's employment circumstances do not affect the rental payments made to the landlord.
A landlord or an agent acting on behalf of a landlord is not legally obliged to enter into a tenancy agreement with a HAP recipient. However, since 1 January 2016, a person cannot be discriminated against when renting because they are in receipt of certain payments, including HAP, so landlords can no longer state when advertising accommodation that HAP is not accepted. If a person feels that they have been discriminated against by a landlord or their agent, they can make a complaint under the Equal Status Acts to the Workplace Relations Commission. Further information is available on the Commission's website, https://www.workplacerelations.ie.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. In general, I am satisfied with the operation of HAP and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme outlined under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.
2163. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the report on mica will be published before the summer recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26867/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2209. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding the situation of persons in counties Mayo and Donegal whose houses have been affected by pyrite; and the timeframe for dealing with this issue. [27618/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2254. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to establish a redress scheme for homeowners affected by mica in the north west in view of the recent publication of the expert panel report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28860/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2163, 2209 and 2254 together.
The 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 Counties Donegal and Mayo. The panel had 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 with many 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 was provided by affected homeowners in both counties, as well as from Donegal and Mayo County Councils, while additional information was also provided through the deliberative process of the Panel.
The panel concluded its meetings on 3 February 2017. The draft final report was sent for legal proofing. The Chair of the expert panel submitted the final report, to my Department on 6 June 2017 and it was published on the 13 June 2017. The report is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/report_of_the_expert_panel_on_concrete_blocks.pdf.
In relation to the scale of the problem, based upon the information received, the Panel estimates that the minimum number of private homes affected in County Donegal is likely to be approximately 1,200 dwellings although there may be as many as 4,800 dwellings potentially affected. In addition, a total of 541 social housing units are considered to be affected by Donegal County Council. This figure may rise as the Council continue to investigate the emergence of the problem within their housing stock.
In the case of County Mayo, the Panel estimates that the minimum number of private dwellings likely to be affected is approximately 345 dwellings. Based upon the available information, the Panel cannot be more definitive than this in their estimation. A total of 17 social housing units across 3 estates are known to be affected by Mayo County Council.
The Panel's report concludes that the nature of the problem is manifested primarily by the disintegration of the concrete blocks used in the construction of the affected dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo. This in turn has resulted in the appearance of a particular pattern of cracking in the external render of these dwellings. The dwellings are single storey, dormer and two-storey with both housing estates and one-off rural types constructed by contract and by self-build affected. On the basis of the information received, the Panel is of the view that the reason for the widespread pattern cracking in the affected dwellings is primarily due to excessive amounts of materials in the aggregate used to manufacture the concrete blocks which gave rise to deleterious effects. The material in County Donegal was primarily muscovite mica while in County Mayo it was primarily reactive pyrite.
In many of the affected dwellings, the problems appear to have been exacerbated by their location in geographic areas of severe exposure and the ingress of moisture into the concrete blocks; the problems were possibly accelerated by the extreme weather conditions arising in the severe winters of 2009 and 2010 in particular.
A total of 5 engineering solutions have been proposed by the panel as remedial solutions to address the problems in the two counties ranging from removal and replacement of the outer leaf of affected walls only to complete rebuild of the dwelling.
There are eight recommendations contained in this report and my Department is taking action to implement recommendations, and will be in contact with relevant bodies shortly.
In addition and in light of the information contained in the report, I am currently 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.
2164. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the threats identified by his Department with regard to the responsibilities of his Department as a result of no deal being reached in Brexit negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26902/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 2nd May, the Government published a comprehensive document on Ireland and the negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. This document sets out the approach of the Government to the forthcoming negotiations, following the successful campaign to have key Irish issues recognised in the EU negotiation position.
Following on from this publication, work is underway to prepare a further paper on economic implications of the Brexit challenge. This will draw on the work to date across Departments, which will be developed to mitigate emerging sectoral challenges. These plans will build on ongoing cross-Government research, analysis and consultations with stakeholders, and will reflect the core economic themes of the Taoiseach's speech to the Institute of International and European Affairs on 15 February last.
Ireland’s economic interests lie firmly in a strong and well-functioning EU with continued and unfettered access to the single market, with considerable negotiation required around trading arrangements. Contingency work at national level is examining all scenarios and we cannot pre-empt the outcome at this stage. The complexity of these negotiations is well recognised and detailed planning to prepare for these is underway.
My Department has established structures to manage its input to the cross-Government work underway. While no immediate, large-scale issues arising from a situation of no Brexit deal being reached have been identified within the specific remit of my Department at this point in time, it is inputting to all discussions and deliberations taking place centrally. The Brexit negotiations will be a dynamic process unfolding over the course of the next two years and we will address any threats that may emerge.
2165. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the insurance premiums paid by each local authority in each of the years 2015 and 2016 and to date in 2017 in respect of public liability insurance, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26940/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of the insurance premiums paid by each local authority in respect of public liability insurance are a matter for the local authorities concerned. Local authorities are independent in the execution of their powers and the directly elected members are democratically accountable for all expenditure of the authority. The information requested is not available in my Department.
2166. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the working group comprising representatives of his Department and of planning authorities tasked to undertake a review of the 2005 planning guidelines for sustainable rural housing has had its first meeting; if its work is now underway; the reason it has taken until 2017 to act on the judgment of the European Court of Justice in 2013 in the Flemish decree case; the reason he has not rescinded the 2005 guidelines in view of this European ruling rather than holding them in place pending the outcome of the review; if he has received advice on same; his views on whether persons could have a case for compensation for the refusal of their application to provide a home for themselves and their families under the restrictions contained in the rural housing guidelines over the period since the 2013 European Court Judgment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26941/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2175. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government further to the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in a case (details supplied) which found insufficient support for measures giving residents of an area preference in acquiring housing in that area, his views on the impact that this will have on similar restrictions imposed by county councils here. [27147/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2263. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the implications for local authorities and planning regulations here of a European Court of Justice ruling against the Flemish authorities in relation to restrictions on non locals living in certain areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28965/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2166, 2175 and 2263 together.
The Working Group that is reviewing the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing has been established in light of ongoing engagement between the European Commission and my Department on the matter, arising from the European Court of Justice ruling in the Flemish decree case referred to. The Working Group held its first meeting on 18 May and a further meeting on 13 June. It would be inappropriate to rescind any part of the 2005 Guidelines until the nature of the action required on foot of the Court’s ruling is decided upon, in consultation with the European Commission.
It is intended that the revisions to the Guidelines will be finalised in the second half of 2017. When finalised, the revised Guidelines will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, which requires planning authorities, and where appropriate An Bord Pleanála, to have regard to any such planning guidelines in the performance of their statutory functions under the Planning Acts.
2167. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of projects which have been submitted by local authorities under the one stage approval process for local authority social housing construction projects under €2 million in value or under 15 units as set out by his Department in early 2016; and the number of units being delivered by these projects in each local authority area, in tabular form. [26964/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo date, three social housing capital construction projects have been advanced by local authorities via the single stage approval process for projects of up to 15 houses or with a maximum all-in budget up to €2m. These schemes are for the delivery of 3 social homes in Drogheda, Co. Louth, 8 in Athy, Co. Kildare and 4 at Proudstown Road, Navan, Co. Meath.
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 being progressed in the context of quarterly meetings between my Department and 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 new social homes, 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.
2168. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 378 of 23 May 2017, if he will provide the figures for all pension contributions made by public sector workers in each body under the aegis of his Department, excluding those in the Civil Service, including the pension levy, in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [26971/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is as below:
|
Agency |
Email address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Irish Water Safety |
oireachtas@iws.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie. |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Pobal |
oireachtasqueries@pobal.ie |
2169. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if adequate funding is in place to meet the remediation costs for all successful applications to the pyrite remediation scheme during 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27017/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out in the scheme which is available on the Board’s website, www.pyriteboard.ie.
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 this regard, it is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2. Dwellings which do not have a Damage Condition Rating of 2 are not eligible to apply under the scheme. This ensures that, having regard to the available resources, the focus of the scheme is on dwellings which are most severely damaged by pyritic heave. I have no proposals to amend this eligibility criterion.
A sum of €22 million was announced under Budget 2017 to fund the operation of the pyrite remediation scheme in 2017. This allocation will facilitate the remediation of some 400 additional dwellings this year and is a clear signal of the continuing importance attached by Government to addressing the issue of significant pyritic damage in private dwellings. As at end May 2017 an aggregate total of 749 dwellings were completed since the scheme was first introduced. My Department keeps the funding situation under review and in the event of additional funding being required in 2017, the potential for re-allocation of savings arising elsewhere within my Department's budget is open to consideration.
2170. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of permanent positions that remain unfilled in Kildare County Council in each of the years 2012 to 2016 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27046/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department gathers quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities. The data gathered do not provide details in respect of the number of permanent positions that remain unfilled in Kildare County Council in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and accordingly the information requested is not available in my Department. Broad staffing numbers for the local authority sector are available on the Public Service Numbers Databank which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is available at the following link: http://databank.per.gov.ie/. The Databank provides access to information from 1980 onwards.
Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual Chief Executive to recruit and assign staff to specific functional areas.
2171. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will change the tendering process used by Irish Water which is excluding smaller contractors from tendering for projects; his views on whether local contractors should be in a position to tender for works that they would have carried out prior to the establishment of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27090/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Contracts entered into by Irish Water are a matter for the utility and I have no function in the matter.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
2173. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when infrastructural funding will be available to open up the proposed development road on the Ardmore Road, Mullingar in order to allow for future construction works. [27125/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to relieve critical infrastructural blockages in order to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas with high demand for housing.
A call for proposals was issued to all local authorities in August 2016. It was open to all local authorities to apply for funding towards the capital cost of the public infrastructure, which when provided, would secure the early delivery of additional affordable housing at considerable scale, with developments in excess of 500 units in the Dublin area, or in excess of 200 units in areas outside Dublin.
21 local authorities submitted a total of 74 proposals in October 2016. The overall funding sought by Local Authorities was far in excess of the funding available. Westmeath County Council submitted two proposals in respect of Mullingar and Athlone.
On 28 March 2017, I announced funding for 34 projects under the LIHAF. The cost of these projects is €226.46 million, of which €169.65 million would be funded under LIHAF with local authorities funding the remaining €56.81 million. These public infrastructure projects will be key to the delivery of 23,000 housing units over the next four years, with a longer term projection of up to 70,000 units as the selected sites are fully built out.
Westmeath County Council received approval for its project at Athlone, with an allocation of €1.83m. However, due to the substantial oversubscription of proposals, it was not possible to approve other valid and worthy proposals, including the Mullingar proposal, within the funding available.
I am seeking additional funding for LIHAF under the review of the Capital Plan 2016-2021, but it will be a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to consider in the context of other demands for the available funds. In the event that more funds are secured, proposals that did not receive funding will be reconsidered and Local Authorities will also have an opportunity to advance new proposals that would meet LIHAF objectives.
2174. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the policy regarding the employment of persons with disabilities in his Department and in each State and semi State body under the aegis of his Department; if there is a responsibility to employ persons with disabilities to a quota of 3% of its workforce; if this quota has now been exceeded; if there has been an advertised competition in relation to this quota; if not, the reason therefor; the dates and details of such competitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27136/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2005 Disability Act puts in place obligations on all Public Body employers in relation to the employment of people with disabilities. One of these obligations is a target that at least 3% of the workforce should be persons with disabilities; at the end of 2016 my Department had achieved a rate of 4.6%.
While my Department does not hold specific competitions for persons with disabilities, they are eligible to apply for all of our competitions provided that they have the appropriate qualifications. The Department also hires staff through open competitions run by the Public Appointments Service.
The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency under the aegis of my Department is set out below:
|
Agency |
Email address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Irish Water Safety |
oireachtas@iws.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie. |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Pobal |
oireachtasqueries@pobal.ie |
2176. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has conducted a review of planning personnel capacity in each local authority; if his attention has been drawn to the shortages of specialist staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27183/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual Chief Executive to review organisational staffing needs and to recruit and assign staff to specific functional areas.
While my Department has not conducted a review of planning personnel capacity in local authorities, since January 2015, 107 sanction applications have been received from local authorities for specialist planner posts. Of these 107, 4 applications were withdrawn and 103 were approved by my Department.
In 2016, sanction was delegated from my Department to almost all local authority Chief Executives to fill vacancies at Executive Planner level and below, in line with their agreed workforce plan, without seeking approval from my Department. Local authorities must apply to my Department for planners additional to their agreed staffing numbers and currently there are no applications pending.
2177. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to meet with the Minister for Health to discuss a memorandum of understanding between the Health Service Executive and local authorities in addition to the financial resources that would be required to implement these supports across the State in respect of utilising the services of firefighters, employed full time or on a part time retainer in their capacity as trained emergency first responders as a back up to the ambulance service. [27214/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the provision of emergency medical services, including pre-hospital emergency care, rests with the Health Service Executive (HSE) which operates the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and emergency departments in hospitals in accordance with health sector legislation and national policy. The HSE operates under the remit of my colleague, the Minster for Health.
As Minister with policy and legislative responsibility for fire safety and the provision of fire services by local authorities, my primarily concern is that local authority-provided fire services are meeting their statutory obligations in respect of the provision of fire services and fire safety. These responsibilities include the important activity of community and other fire safety initiatives as well as response to 999/112 calls. In 2013, the policy document Keeping Communities Safe was published and, for the first time, set out standards and norms against which local authorities can benchmark their fire services. In April 2016, the first report of the External Validation Group, titled Local Delivery – National Consistency, was published. This report assessed the review process undertaken in each of the 27 local authority fire services, and provided an appraisal of the current state of our local authority fire services.
In general, there is a high degree of collaboration and co-ordination of emergency activity among the Principal Emergency Services. As well as being able to call on Community First Responders, the NAS is aware that many fire services are equipped with automatic external defibrillators and have trained their fire-fighters in Cardiac First Responder and Emergency First Responder to Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council standards. Fire services are so equipped and trained in the first instance for ensuring the health and safety of their own staff, but can use their skills and equipment where they encounter casualties at emergency incidents.
Fire services generally respond to calls for assistance from external bodies in accordance with protocols operated within the three fire services Regional Communications Centres. In some circumstances, the HSE’s NAS calls for assistance from fire services in certain situations or for responding to certain categories of 999/112 emergency calls. However, there is no national framework or agreement for cross-mobilisation between the Principal Emergency Services.
The feasibility of fire services being commissioned by the HSE to provide a response in support of the NAS for ECHO - immediately life-threatening cardiac or respiratory arrest - emergency calls is currently being discussed by a Joint Working Committee of the Fire Services National Oversight & Implementation Group (FSNOIG), which consists of fire service management and staff representatives, with a working brief to consider “the possibility and development of a proposal for fire services collaboration with the National Ambulance Service in responding to appropriate Clinical Status 1 999 emergency Calls”.
Any proposal emerging from these discussions will be considered in the first instance by the Management Board of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management and could be used as the basis for discussions with the Health sector on this matter, if appropriate, including engagement at Ministerial level, if necessary.
Experience has shown that any proposal for formalising such assistance needs to be subject to appropriate governance and cost reimbursement arrangements and to be set in the context of a service agreement which will not impact on or adversely affect fire services' primary roles. It is important in such circumstances to ensure that local authority and fire services resources are not diverted from their statutory fire service and fire safety responsibilities where they are providing assistance for another public body. The potential impact on the current HSE's Community First Responders schemes would also have to be assessed by that sector.
2178. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the percentage of pipes used in the water system servicing the Moylagh and Oldcastle area of County Meath which are made of asbestos. [27303/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 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 is responsible for water services infrastructure including water supply pipes and I have no function in these matters.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
2179. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason his Department makes the assumption that 400 new housing units are converted each year when estimating annual completion statistics; and his views on whether this is a wholly outdated statistical practice in view of the fact that there are a number of more accurate measures for counting or estimating the number of conversions each year. [27304/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy. Data on number of private house completions, which are based on the use of ESB connections, are available on my Department’s website at - http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/construction-activity-completions.
Methodological changes to the way this data is collected or presented are made from time to time. My Department included an estimate for the number of conversions for a number of years to reflect a concern that the data was not fully reflective of total activity. Conversions were added to the figures collected from the ESB to account for the fact that self-contained dwellings, provided by way of the conversion of existing buildings were no longer being included in the ESB data at that time. An annual estimate of 400 such units were added on the basis of an analysis of planning permissions which was carried out at the time of this change of methodology. This practice ceased at the end of 2008 and no completions estimates since that date include these adjustments.
2180. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if it is a statutory requirement for all design certifiers and assigned certifiers to have professional indemnity insurance. [27305/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2181. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department or a body under its aegis or professional bodies retain or have access to statistics on the number or percentage of assigned certifiers that have professional indemnity insurance and on the number or percentage of assigned certifiers that have latent defects insurance; and if so, if he will supply same. [27306/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2180 and 2181 together.
The Code of Practice for Inspecting and Certifying Building Works, published by the Minister in accordance with Regulation 20G of the Building Control Regulations 1997 – 2015, specifies that the following persons may act as the Assigned Certifier, provided they are competent in relation to the particular works involved:
- (a) Architects that are on the register maintained by the RIAI under Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007; or
- (b) Building Surveyors that are on the register maintained by the SCSI under Part 5 of the Building Control Act 2007; or
- (c) Chartered Engineers on the register maintained by Engineers Ireland under section 7 of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland (Charter Amendment) Act 1969.
Similarly, the Design Certifier must be one of the above registered professionals and must be competent to carry out their design and to co-ordinate the design activities of others for the works concerned.
The requirements for the members of each of the above professions to obtain insurance cover is a matter for each individual professional body. My Department has no function in relation to this matter nor does it collect, or have access to, any statistics in relation to the types of insurance cover subscribed to.
Owners, and homeowners in particular, who commission works should generally satisfy themselves as to the adequacy of the insurances held by contractors or professionals they may wish to consider engaging.
2182. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will clarify household eligibility for affordable housing that local authorities are to provide under the land bank plan in view of his decision not to reinstate affordable housing schemes; and the way in which local authorities are to define eligibility criteria for affordable housing. [27307/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2183. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the eligibility criteria for affordable rental housing to be provided by local authorities under the land bank plan; and the income levels, housing need and other criteria households will have to meet in order to be considered eligible for affordable rental housing in these new schemes. [27308/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2182 and 2183 together.
As set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, the commitment to develop an affordable rental model contained in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan is now to be progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones. Lands held by local authorities in such zones are to be brought to market on a competitive tendering basis, with a view to leveraging the value of the land to deliver the optimum number of units for rent, and in particular targeting middle-income households, in mixed-tenure developments.
In this regard, an important policy intervention in the delivery of new housing supply under Pillar 3 of Rebuilding Ireland is the development of State-owned lands for mixed-tenure housing, particularly in the major urban areas, where demand is greatest. On 27 April 2017, details of some 2,000 hectares of land in public ownership were published, with the potential to deliver up to 50,000 homes nationally.
I have asked all local authorities to be innovative and proactive in developing these sites. The final model for each site, including the affordable rental element, will be the subject of careful consideration by the local authority concerned, the elected members included, who are best placed to know and provide for the housing need in their area. Indeed, the Dublin local authorities are well advanced in bringing large-scale sites forward for mixed-tenure housing, with projects advertised that can deliver circa 3,000 homes in mixed-tenure developments in the Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council areas alone. My Department is considering, in conjunction with local authorities, what national and /or local requirements should be specified in relation to eligibility.
