Written Answers Nos. 2184-2206
2184. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to revise the guidelines for planning authorities on sustainable residential development in urban areas in view of the severity of the social housing crisis and very slow pace of delivery of local authority housing. [27309/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department routinely monitors the planning process and acts to ensure it facilitates appropriate developments to meet the broader housing requirements of society.
My Department’s 2009 Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas encourage local authorities to bring about high quality and sustainable urban development, using their development planning and management functions to deliver quality homes and neighbourhoods where people want to live, work and raise families. In particular, the Guidelines outline a range of densities appropriate to different location types, from lower densities at the edges of smaller towns through to densities in the range of a minimum of 50 dwellings per hectare in larger urban areas along public transport corridors. The Guidelines can be accessed through my Department's website at: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Planning/FileDownLoad%2C19164%2Cen.pdf.
Government policy, as set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, is to deliver sustainable communities with an appropriate tenure mix for all our citizens, irrespective of the method of housing provision. Under Rebuilding Ireland, the target set out for social housing is to deliver 47,000 social housing units through build, refurbishment, acquisition and leasing over the period 2016 to 2021. This is supported through a significantly increased investment programme of €5.35 billion. A further €200 million is provided for the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund for investment in key enabling infrastructure to open up lands for early development.
While still at an early stage of implementation, there is already strong evidence that the focus on increasing and accelerating housing supply in Rebuilding Ireland is succeeding. In 2016, the housing needs of over 19,000 households were met through a range of housing programmes, supported by expenditure of over €935 million. A further €1.3 billion has been provided for 2017 to support the accelerated delivery of social housing and the achievement of the 2017 target to meet the housing needs of over 21,000 households.
I have recently published the latest Status Report on Social Housing Construction Projects, which is available at the following link: <http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/social-housing-construction-projects-report-2017/ >. The report provides details of over 600 social housing projects, involving the construction of over 10,000 new social homes across the 31 local authority areas. The scale of the construction pipeline, as at end-Quarter 1 2017, represents a major escalation in the social housing build programme and more projects are being added on an ongoing basis, to ensure full delivery on the Rebuilding Ireland targets.
I am confident that the Guidelines referred to support all of these projects and ensure that planning authorities have the necessary tools to support sustainable residential development in urban areas, while at the same time ensuring the level of delivery necessary to deliver the targets set out under Rebuilding Ireland.
2185. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether an over-rigid application of planning principles is impeding delivery of much needed social housing (details supplied); and his plans to implement a review of the reasons local authorities used for rejecting properties offered by NAMA. [27310/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo end Quarter 1 2017, the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) had identified 6,947 units, associated with the security for loans that NAMA has acquired, that could be made available for social housing. Many of these units were in unfinished housing developments or developments that required significant remediation work. All of the units identified by NAMA, regardless of their condition, location or circumstance were offered to local authorities in the first instance.
To date, demand has been confirmed by local authorities for 2,780 of the properties that NAMA has identified as potentially available. Local authorities have confirmed that 2,423 of the properties are considered unsuitable by reference to sustainable planning and housing policy, or are located in areas with no social housing demand. A further 1,744 properties have been sold or privately let by the owners or receivers since the initial offer was made to the local authority.
General information in relation to NAMA delivery for social housing is available on the website of the Housing Agency at the following link:
https://www.housingagency.ie/Our-Services/Housing-Supply-Services/NAMA-(1).aspx.
In consultation with my Department, the Housing Agency and local authorities, NAMA continues to work through its portfolio with a view to identifying units that could be made available. The local authorities and the Housing Agency have been working systematically through the units with NAMA to determine if there is a social housing demand for the properties identified as potentially suitable for social housing. However, many of these units may be in private rented use and it is not appropriate or desirable that such private tenancies would be displaced.
Where a demand is identified by a local authority, this information is provided to NAMA and efforts are made to secure as many of the suitable properties as possible for social housing.
2186. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will issue a circular that reverses the decision to stand down all affordable housing provision made in 2011; and if not, the way in which he expects local authorities to provide affordable housing. [27311/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile there are no plans at this stage to introduce a new affordable housing purchase scheme of the kind that existed up to 2011, the Government recognises the housing affordability pressures in certain areas and is determined to see increases in the supply of high quality social and affordable homes, to buy or rent, as quickly as possible, particularly in the major urban areas where demand is greatest.
At a strategic level, under the new 20-year National Planning Framework, there will be an emphasis on managing and utilising State lands to deliver housing and to ensure an active and healthy market for development land. The opening up of State owned lands for the development of mixed-tenure housing is also a key objective under Rebuilding Ireland.
Rebuilding Ireland also commits to the introduction of an affordable rental scheme to enhance the provision of affordable accommodation for households currently paying a disproportionate amount of disposable income on rent. As set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector, this commitment is being progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones, leveraging the value of State-owned sites to deliver units for rental targeting middle income households.
On 27 April 2017, I published the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, a vital initial step in the new strategic approach to State land management. The datasets published on the map include details of over 700 local authority and Housing Agency-owned sites, totalling some 1,700 hectares, as well 30 sites (covering about 200 hectares) owned by State or semi-State bodies. The map is available to view on the Rebuilding Ireland website.
It is crucial that much needed housing for families and individuals on the social housing waiting list, and for those on low to middle incomes, is delivered from local authority and State-owned sites as soon as possible. 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, the elected members included, who best understand the housing needs in their area. In this regard, I welcome the fact that two of the Dublin local authorities have brought forward four key large-scale sites, capable of delivering 3,000 of these new homes, and I expect other local authorities to follow suit.
Mixed-tenure development on publicly-owned land provides the best way forward to deliver 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 badly needed housing more generally, as part of the full development of individual sites, as a whole. Opening up the supply of State land in this way, for mixed-tenure housing, is a critically important intervention in addressing a situation where the pace of recovery in the house development sector is slower than we would like it to be. In practical terms, the development of these sites will mean accelerating social housing delivery and securing more homes for sale and rent at lower and more affordable price points.
I am committed to ensuring that the State secures the most beneficial use of its currently under-utilised assets for much needed housing in the shortest possible timeframe, and maximises the "public good" dividend through increased and speedier delivery of high-quality social and affordable homes. My Department is working closely with local authorities and other State agencies to ensure that the optimum mix of social and affordable housing is delivered from public land banks in the shortest possible time-frame and in a manner which achieves value for money and the best possible housing outcomes. The approach to be adopted in relation to individual sites will be decided on a case by case basis, taking account of the specific aspects of each site and the particular local housing considerations arising.
2187. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether the decision made in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 to reduce the Part V obligation to 10% and remove the ability of developers to provide 10% affordable and 10% social housing in new developments will by definition make all new housing developments less mixed in terms of tenure and more polarised in terms of household income. [27312/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn independent review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 which concluded in 2014 recommended that the provision of social housing through Part V should be retained and that the overall requirement should be up to 10% of units in residential developments. It was considered that this would copper fasten the original objective of Part V in the legislation - that is, the delivery of social housing, combined with integration and sustainable mixed-tenure communities across the country.
Following this, a number of changes to Part V were made in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the relevant sections were commenced with effect from 1 September 2015). A principal change was the reduction in the requirement from 20% to 10%. This reduction needs to be considered together with other amendments which reduced the options contained in section 96 for the delivery of units within a Part V agreement. The payment of cash in lieu of units or the transfer of sites or parts of sites was removed, and instead the remaining options are focused on the delivery of completed units.
I have no plans to amend the Part V arrangements. However, my Department will keep the position under review, through closely monitoring the supply of housing generally and the options housing providers use for delivering on their Part V obligations.
2188. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether the reliance on HAP for the majority of social housing provision rather than on new builds is having an impact on inflating rents in the private rental sector; and if he has commissioned research on the effects of reliance on HAP for social housing provision. [27313/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2203. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of homeless households that were offered participation on the homeless HAP; and the number of households that refused to participate on the scheme. [27505/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2204. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government further to the ministerial direction to local authorities on HAP recipients which instructs local authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefitting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support via a transfer list, his views on whether there is a perception amongst households, particularly homeless households, that they will lose their place on the social housing waiting list if they agree to take up HAP and that this is exacerbating homelessness; and his further views on the fact that in many local authorities being placed on a transfer list ensures that a household is not prioritised in the allocation of longer term and more secure social housing. [27506/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2205. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason HAP or homeless HAP recipients should be placed on transfer social housing waiting lists as opposed to the general social housing waiting list; and his views on whether this is done to make statistical reports of social housing waiting lists appear less severe rather than for substantive policy reason. [27507/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2206. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of households that have participated on the homeless HAP scheme that have transferred from the HAP scheme to other forms of social housing support. [27508/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2188 and 2203 to 2206, inclusive, together.
Under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is one of the suite of social housing options available to local authorities to meet housing need. During the lifetime of the Plan, some 47,000 new social houses will be provided through mechanisms other than HAP (including build purchase, refurbishment and leasing), 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 recognised that the level of supply in some rental markets can make the sourcing of suitable accommodation challenging. The pressures in this regard are borne out by the latest data published by Daft.ie, showing that rent asking prices rose nationwide by an average 13.4% in the year to March 2017. However, the report also shows that rent inflation in Dublin has slowed over the last quarter. This is an early indication that the Rent Predictability Measures introduced under the Government's Strategy for the Rental Sector are having the desired effect.
The long-term solution to the current homelessness issue is to increase the supply of homes. In this context, the fourth edition of Rebuilding Ireland's Monthly Housing Activity Report shows that housing construction activity continues to gather momentum, with an appreciable rise in the level of housing commencements notified to local authorities during March 2017.
Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of support for that household. There are currently more than 22,000 households in receipt of HAP across the State, including some 7,000 households that were previously supported by Rent Supplement and some 1,500 eligible homeless households in the Dublin Region. HAP is a flexible and immediate form of social housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. A summary of the household classes supported by the HAP scheme at the end of Q1 2017 is as follows:
- 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.
My Department does not collate data regarding the number of homeless households that were offered participation in the homeless HAP scheme and the number of households that have refused to participate in the scheme.
Following the commencement of the provisions in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, HAP is considered to be a social housing support and consequently households are not eligible to remain on the main housing waiting list. Acknowledging that households on the waiting list who avail of HAP might have expectations that they would receive an allocated form of social housing support, Ministerial Directions issued during the pilot phase of the scheme to ensure that, should they so choose, HAP tenants could avail of a move to other forms of social housing support through a transfer list. With the completion of the HAP roll-out nationally, I recently signed a Ministerial Direction, instructing local authorities to continue to offer HAP tenants access to other forms of social housing through the transfer list. This refreshed direction ensures that following completion of the HAP pilot phase, HAP tenants still get all the benefits of HAP and are no less likely to get a different form of social housing support. The information on the dedicated HAP website, www.hap.ie, reflects the legislation and states that any HAP tenant who wants to access other social housing supports, may do so through the transfer system as operated by their respective local authority.
The practical operation of transfer lists is a matter for each local authority to manage, on the basis of their scheme of letting priorities. The setting of such schemes is a reserved function of the local authority and as such is a matter for the elected members. I understand that the majority of HAP households do avail of the option to be placed on a transfer list. Since its statutory commencement in September 2014, some 356 households (at the end of Q1 2017) had transferred from the HAP scheme to other forms of social housing support; 3 of these transferred from the Homeless HAP scheme.
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.
2189. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the review of the methodology for rent pressure zone designation will take place; and if public submissions will be sought by his Department on same. [27315/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has initiated a review of the Rent Predictability Measure. At this stage, the measure has been in place for 6 months and data from the Residential Tenancies Board’s Rent Index Report for Quarter 1 2017 is also available. Using this latest data, it will be possible to ascertain the effectiveness of the Rent Predictability Measure and whether any changes need to be made.
On 15 June, my Department also announced the launch of a public consultation on the review of the Rent Predictability Measure and the system of Rent Pressure Zones introduced last December. The consultation will allow members of the public and interested parties to provide their opinions and suggestions on the functioning of the measure. A consultation guideline is available on my Department's website and submissions can be made until Friday, 30 June. The submissions received from the consultation process will feed into the review of the measure.
2191. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has examined proposals to introduce tiered development levies with the intent of stimulating residential construction activity in the short term such as to allow local authorities to give preferential development levy rates to builders that build on a site quickly; and if local authorities are allowed to give preferential development levy rates to different developers as an incentive to develop a site quickly. [27318/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraStimulating residential construction activity through interventions on development contributions has already been examined by my Department. A development contribution rebate scheme featured as part of the Department's housing package, "Stabilising Rents, Boosting Supply" announced by the previous Government in November 2015. The primary objective of the scheme was to enhance the viability of the construction and sale of residential housing units at affordable prices in the locations of greatest need.
The scheme was subsequently launched in December 2015 and applies to the metropolitan areas of Cork City and County Councils, and all of Fingal, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils, as well as Dublin City Council. Eligibility was confined to residential developments of at least 50 housing units, where the units must be completed and sold by 31 December 2017 at a price not greater than €300,000 in Dublin and €250,000 in Cork. The rebate is payable in full for dwellings in the Dublin area with a confirmed sale price of up to €275,000, with an 80% rebate payable for units with a sale price between €275,000 and €300,000. In the Cork area, a 100% rebate will apply for dwellings with a sale price of up to €225,000, with an 80% rebate for units with sale prices between €225,000 and €250,000. The rebate will be paid solely in respect of development contributions paid to the relevant local authority for local authority infrastructure and services.
Further details of the scheme are available in the Circular letter launching the scheme which issued from my Department to the relevant local authorities, and which is available at the following link - http://housing.gov.ie/search/archived/current/sub-type/circular?query=circulars. Returns to date from the local authorities concerned indicate that there has been limited up-take in relation to the scheme.
The launch of the Help-To-Buy incentive in Budget 2016 has somewhat superseded the scheme, providing immediate and targeted support for first-time buyers of new homes in meeting their deposit requirements, creating greater certainty for the house building sector regarding the pool of available purchasers, and thereby encouraging and facilitating the construction of new housing units.
2192. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of the €300 million social housing PPP project that is currently progressing; and the estimated unitary payments that will be incurred, location of sites, number of units, ownership, maintenance structure and so on. [27381/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Housing PPP programme provides for an investment with a capital value of €300 million and is expected to deliver 1,500 social housing units in total, via three bundles.
Each PPP site is being developed in co-operation with the local authorities concerned. The first bundle comprises six sites in the Greater Dublin Area, with provision for over 500 units. Two of the sites are located in Dublin City, with one each in South Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth. Dublin City Council has been appointed to act as the lead local authority for the delivery of this first bundle.
The second bundle comprises eight PPP sites which are to provide over 450 units. Three of the sites are located in County Cork, with one each in the cities of Galway and Waterford. There is a further one site in each of counties Clare, Kildare and Roscommon. Cork County Council is the lead local authority for this bundle.
Sites for the third bundle are currently being identified and are to be announced in the coming months.
The process of seeking planning approval for the first bundle has commenced. The procurement process is being led by the National Development Finance Agency. The tender notice for the first bundle was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 12 May 2017. Planning and tendering for the second bundle are expected to progress later in 2017, with arrangements for the third bundle to follow in 2018.
The payments made by the State are referred to as ‘availability’ or 'unitary' payments. The payments commence once construction is complete and the units are ready to house tenants. The amount of the payment is a bid item in the selection of the preferred tender. When a bidder tenders for the PPP project, the level of unitary payment is considered in assessing the competing tenders. This is to ensure that the State receives value for money. The payment mechanism included in the contract incentivises the construction, maintenance, operation and return of quality public-sector assets to the State.
Land for the PPP projects is provided by the relevant local authority by way of a licence. Ownership of State land is not transferred to the private partner PPP company.
Tenants allocated to social housing PPP units will be nominated by the local authority, in the normal manner, from the local authority social housing waiting list in accordance with that local authority’s allocation scheme.
2193. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the level of compliance with dog control legislation is very low; his plans to address the non-compliance in view of the fact that it covers the rules relating to certain breeds of dangerous dogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27383/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overall thrust of dog control legislation is to place the onus for compliance on dog owners and those in control of dogs to act responsively by keeping their dogs under effectual control, irrespective of breed. Such responsible dog ownership is the key to reducing incidences of dog biting and other problem behaviours.
It is important to note that the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 set out a range of requirements that apply to all dog owners or any other person in charge of a dog. In particular, section 9 of the 1986 Act requires the owner or any other person in charge of a dog to accompany it and keep it under effectual control in any place other than the premises of the owner, the premises of the person in control of the dog, or other premises with the consent of the owner of the premises. Section 21 of the 1986 Act provides that the owner of a dog shall be liable for damage caused in an attack on any person by the dog; it is not necessary for the person seeking damages to show a previous mischievous propensity in the dog, or the owner's knowledge of such previous propensity, or to show that such injury or damage was attributable to neglect on the part of the owner.
In addition to the foregoing, the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 (as amended) set out further requirements that owners of specific breeds of dogs have to follow, namely that such dogs must be muzzled and led, on a sufficiently strong leash or chain not exceeding 2m in length, by a competent person over 16 years of age when in a public place.
2194. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of €100 on-the-spot fines issued to persons in the past three years for not holding a dog licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27390/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities are solely responsible for operating and managing dog control and licensing services in their administrative areas and my Department has no direct role in this regard.
Each year my Department publishes statistics in respect of a range of dog control responsibilities of local authorities, including fines and prosecutions taken for breaches of the licensing, control and muzzling provisions of the Control of Dogs Acts.
Information up to 2015 is available on my Department's website at the following weblink:http://www.housing.gov.ie/search/archived/current/sub-type/dog-control/type/statistics?query =.
My Department is currently collating and validating the annual statistics in respect of 2016 and once validated, they will be published on my Department's website.
2195. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of dog wardens broken down by local authority. [27393/17]
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, including the Dog Warden service, of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.
Statistical information of the number of dog wardens, broken down by local authority, is available on my Department's website at the following link
http://www.housing.gov.ie/search/archived/current/sub-type/dog-control/type/statistics?query =.
My Department is currently collating and validating the annual statistics in respect of 2016 and once validated, they will be published on my Department's website.
2196. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding recent correspondence by his Department to South Dublin County Council, Fingal and Kildare County Councils regarding the possible extension of the Liffey valley special amenity area order; if there has been correspondence since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27400/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is not in receipt of any recent correspondence in relation to this issue.
In 2009, the then Minister requested the relevant authorities (South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council and Kildare County Council) to consider the evaluation of lands to be the subject of a further Special Amenity Area Order for the purpose of extending the existing area to possibly include the Guinness/Farmleigh Bridge. Responses were received from these authorities and considered by my Department.
In general, the responses received in 2009 indicated that there were insufficient grounds or funds for extending the Order beyond its existing area. I have not received any additional information since that time in relation to this matter.
2197. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the procedures for a local authority to change the name of a street in its authority; and the legislation that governs this issue. [27407/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe relevant statutory provisions relating to changing of place names are contained in section 79 of the Local Government Act 1946, as amended, under which the changing of the name of a locality is a reserved function of the council of the relevant local authority. Certain procedural matters relating to changing of placenames are provided for in the Local Government (Changing of Placenames) Regulations 1956.
2198. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he has considered allowing local authorities to add additional rooms to local authority houses under their remit on the grounds of overcrowding only and where no alternative accommodation is available or suitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27433/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides capital funding to Local Authorities to undertake adaptations and extensions to their existing social housing stock. The scheme applies to extensions that are needed to address over-crowding.
Local Authorities are also encouraged to use Internal Capital Receipts to provide adaptations and extensions where required. It is a matter for the Local Authorities to prioritise the works according to local need.
2199. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) per annum since March 2011, in tabular form by his Department or any agency or body under the aegis of his Department; the cost per contract; the basis for each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27451/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not awarded any contracts to the company in question since March 2011.
Information in relation to contracts awarded by agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency. 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 follows:
|
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 |
2200. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if Louth County Council has made an application for funding in 2017 to develop Traveller accommodation; if so, the amount of funding that has been sought; the development projects which Louth County Council plans to support with this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27502/17]
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.
As part of the annual capital allocation process, 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. As part of the capital allocations process for 2017, a request was received from Louth County Council for funding of €402,574 towards the continued refurbishment of Woodlands Park Halting Site, Dundalk. The Council has received an allocation of €237,087 from my Department towards the costs, while there is on-going communications between my Department and the Council regarding the finalised budget for the refurbishment.
Further proposals for projects and developments from local authorities, including Louth County Council, will be considered by my Department throughout the year as proposals are received, on a case by case basis.
2201. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if officials of State organisations such as local authorities or fire services are authorised or empowered to enter a dwelling and direct or impose fire safety provisions on the persons living in a premises occupied as a single dwelling if the dwelling is attached to another dwelling such as, for example, terraced houses, attached houses, duplexes and-or multi-unit apartments; and if not, his views on whether this is a serious public safety risk as demonstrated in a case (details supplied) in which there was no firewall present between attached houses. [27503/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPremises consisting of a dwelling house occupied as a single dwelling are specifically excluded from the general obligations with regard to fire safety, as well as the inspection and enforcement provisions, in Part III of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. However, the provisions of this legislation are generally taken as applicable in dwellings within multi-unit developments or mixed-use buildings.
The Acts do not define a single dwelling and, while single dwellings are self-evident in most cases, consideration may be required on a case by case basis, and may ultimately require interpretation by the Courts.
A single dwelling is generally taken as either a dwelling house, a flat (separate and self-contained premises constructed or adapted for residential use and forming part of a building from some other part of which it is divided horizontally) or a maisonette (a dwelling forming part of a larger building, which has its rooms divided between two or more levels which are more than half a storey height apart).
Considerable progress has been made on enhancing the safety of occupants of dwellings through Community Fire Safety programmes and fire safety promotion over recent years, focused, in particular, on the domestic smoke alarm campaign. While each fire death is one too many, the annual fire death rate per million people in Ireland has been almost halved over the past 15 years, from 11.9 fire fatalities per million population on average for the years 2001 to 2003, to 6.9 on average for 2014 to 2016.
The construction standards for dwellings are covered by the Building Regulations. Part B (Fire safety) of the Regulations sets down the statutory minimum standards of fire safety provision which must be achieved when a new building, including a dwelling, is designed and constructed or when an existing building is subject to works involving an extension, a material alteration or a material change of use. This includes a requirement for adequate resistance to the spread of fire to and from neighbouring buildings.
Technical Guidance Document B – Fire Safety provides specific guidance on construction methods to comply with this requirement. Where works are carried out in accordance with this document this will, prima facie, indicate compliance with the fire safety requirements of the Building Regulations. Compliance with the Building Regulations is the responsibility of the owners, designers and builders of the buildings or dwellings concerned.
Part B/ TGD B has recently been revised under Part B/Technical Guidance Document B - Fire Safety - Volume 2 Dwelling Houses 2017, which comes into effect on 1 July 2017.
Local authorities have extensive powers of inspection and enforcement under the Building Control Act 1990 and the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, all of which may be relevant in relation to fire safety arrangements in residential buildings, other than those specifically excluded.
In the interests of supporting owners and residents living in developments such as the one referred to, where concerns regarding non-compliance with fire safety requirements arise, an independent fire safety expert has completed a review and a report on the matter has been received by my Department. The report remains under consideration pending clarification of a number of issues. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on this case at this juncture.
In response to the recent tragedy at Grenfell Tower in London, I have requested that each local authority be asked, as a matter of urgency, to review their multi-storey social housing units to ensure that all early warning systems, including alarm and detection systems and means of escape including corridors, stairways and emergency exits are fully functional and in place. Life safety must be our first concern.
In terms of raising awareness across landlords, including landlords of households in receipt of social housing supports and rental assistance, I have requested that the Residential Tenancies Board be asked to notify all landlords of their responsibilities and obligations as landlords in terms of ensuring that their properties fully comply with fire safety requirements.
In order to remind builders, assigned certifiers, designers and owners of their obligations in relation to compliance with the Building Regulations, I have also requested that a notification be issued to all registered users (approx. 52,000) through the Building Control Management System (BCMS).
Although there are no apartment blocks in Ireland comparable to Grenfell Tower, all householders, regardless of the type of accommodation they live in, are urged to take the basic but most effective fire safety precaution of ensuring that their family’s home is protected with working smoke alarms. I have also, last week, emphasised the fire safety responsibilities of management companies more generally in control of multi-occupancy buildings and urged them to satisfy themselves that the arrangements in place are appropriate and safe.
2202. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has undertaken a regulatory impact analysis of the proposals to require all active builders to be on the construction industry register; and his views on the potential impacts this could have on restricting market entry and reducing competition. [27504/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has completed a Regulatory Impact Analysis in relation to the General Scheme of the proposed Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill 2017, which is available on my Department's website at: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/building-standards/other/regulatory-impact-analysis-building-control-construction-industry-register-ireland-bill-2017.
The proposed Bill will establish a mandatory statutory register of builders in Ireland with a view to ensuring quality, competence and good practice in the construction sector. It is also an essential consumer protection measure which will provide consumers who engage a registered builder the assurance that they are dealing with a competent and compliant operator.
In drafting the General Scheme of the Bill, a critical priority has been to ensure that the proposal does not create a barrier to entry, reduce competition or discriminate between builders depending on their place of establishment. In this regard, the intention is to achieve the objective of ensuring quality, competence and good practice in the construction sector in the most proportionate and least restrictive manner possible.
