Written Answers Nos. 2223-2243
2223. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the outstanding recommendations of the Mahon tribunal yet to be implemented, in tabular form. [28027/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments - otherwise known as the Mahon Tribunal - was established by Order of the then Minister for the Environment and Local Government in 1997 to inquire into, and report on, various planning matters, as set out in resolutions passed by the Dáil and Seanad in relation to the establishment of the Tribunal.
The Tribunal made in total 64 recommendations in its Final Report in 2012, of which 10 are planning-related and fall to my Department to implement. Some of these planning related recommendations have already been implemented, such as:
- the development of Regional, Spatial and Economic Strategies by the Regional Assemblies, and
- prohibiting the use of powers available to elected members under Section 140 of the Local Government Act 2001 in relation to planning matters.
Implementation of the majority of the remaining Mahon Tribunal planning-related recommendations is provided for in the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016 which is presently at Dáil Report Stage. Specifically, the Bill proposes to provide legislative underpinning in respect of the following Tribunal recommendations:
- the establishment of a new independent Office of the Planning Regulator,
- placing on a statutory footing the proposed new National Planning Framework – to be titled Ireland 2040: Our Plan – as a successor to the 2002 National Spatial Strategy,
- the introduction of measures to provide enhanced transparency in the planning process, including requirements for the publication of submissions on local area plans and development plans, as well as the Chief Executive’s Report on such submissions, on the planning authority’s website,
- the forwarding of any proposed grants of planning permission, which would materially contravene a development plan or a local area plan, to the relevant Regional Assembly for observations, and
- the payment of reduced or no fees by elected members, when making submissions on planning applications, as well as the noting of such representations on the relevant planning file.
There are two planning-related recommendations of the final report of the Mahon Tribunal which have not been progressed. The first recommendation relates to the proposal that members of the Regional Assemblies should be directly elected. The Government decided not to create directly elected regional entities in the context of its approval of the Action Programme for Effective Local Government, Putting People First, in October 2012, which set out the Government’s decisions on local government reform measures.
The other planning-related recommendation that remains outstanding relates to the introduction of a requirement that planning applicants be required to disclose if they have made a political donation to an elected member of a local authority, when making a planning application and also to indicate the identity of the donation’s recipient. In relation to political donations generally, the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012, which was enacted on 28 July 2012, significantly enhanced the openness and transparency of political funding in Ireland and addressed many of the issues that were central to the recommendations made on political finance in the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal. The Act brought into force restrictions on corporate donations and considerable reductions in the maximum amount that a political party (€2,500) or an individual (€1,000) can accept as a political donation. A new limit was also established for donations in cash (€200). The donation threshold amount that gives rise to the requirement to open a political donations account was reduced to €100. The thresholds at which donation statements must be reported and published were reduced while the Act also provided that political parties be required to submit audited annual accounts to the Standards in Public Office Commission for review and publication.
In relation to non-planning related recommendations identified in the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal which fall within the remit of my Department, and specifically in relation to political finance, I enclose further details in tabular form as requested.
Political Finance Recommendations
|
Recommendation |
Summary Response |
Lead Dept |
|
24. Amend the definition of the term ‘donation’ to cover all donations given, received or used for political purposes. |
Not implemented but will be kept under consideration in the context of future reviews of the Electoral Acts. |
D/HPCLG |
|
25. Introduce prohibitions on certain types of donations. |
Implemented by the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012). |
D/HPCLG |
|
26. Lower the thresholds permitted for political donations. |
Implemented by the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012). |
D/HPCLG |
|
27. Place an overall limit on the aggregate amount which can be donated by an individual. |
Not implemented but will be kept under consideration in the context of future reviews of the Electoral Acts. |
D/HPCLG |
|
28. Amend the existing expenditure restrictions to cover all political expenditure, etc. |
Not implemented but will be kept under consideration in the context of future reviews of the Electoral Acts. |
D/HPCLG |
|
29. Introduce a requirement to disclose annual audited accounts by political parties, elected representatives and electoral candidates. |
Implemented for political parties by the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012). |
D/HPCLG |
|
30. Lower the level at which donations must be disclosed. |
Implemented by the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012) but not to the level proposed by the Mahon Tribunal. |
D/HPCLG |
|
31. Introduce a requirement to provide more detailed information regarding the source and nature of received donations. |
Implemented in part by the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012). |
D/HPCLG |
|
32. Introduce a requirement to disclose donations received prior to elections. |
Not implemented but will be kept under consideration in the context of future reviews of the Electoral Acts. |
D/HPCLG |
|
33. Introduce a requirement on political parties to supply details of their organisational structure as a condition of registration. |
Implemented by the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012). |
D/HPCLG |
|
34. Introduce restrictions on persons entitled to receive donations on behalf of a political party, etc. |
Not implemented on the grounds of the transparency and reporting provisions introduced in the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2012 (No. 36 of 2012). |
D/HPCLG |
|
36. Entrust the enforcement of the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations) Act 1999 to an external, independent body. |
Not implemented but will be considered in the context of the Government commitment to establish an independent Electoral Commission. |
D/HPCLG |
|
37. Include administrative sanctions in sanctions for breaching the political finance acts. |
Implemented in part by the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012). |
D/HPCLG |
|
38. Sanction certain acts or omissions in relation to donations. |
Not implemented but will be kept under consideration in the context of future reviews of the Electoral Acts. |
D/HPCLG |
In response to other recommendations, the previous Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform published the Public Sector Standards Bill 2015 to replace Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001 which provides for the ethical framework for the Local Government system. The purpose of the Bill is to significantly enhance the existing framework for identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interest and minimising corruption risks, while also achieving a shift towards a more dynamic and risk-based system of compliance and ensuring that the institutional framework for oversight, investigation and enforcement is robust and effective. This approach is considered to be integral to the quality and efficacy of public governance and the addressing of corruption risks. The Bill is presently at Committee Stage in the Dáil.
All other recommendations are the responsibility of a number of other Government Departments and it is a matter for them to report on their implementation in the first instance.
2224. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the dog breeding establishments guidelines will be published following the closure of consultation on the matter on 28 February 2017. [28058/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is in the process of reviewing the current Dog Breeding Establishment Guidelines, in collaboration with the County and City Management Association Dogs Working Group. Following the production of a first draft revision of the Guidelines, it was considered important 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. I expect the findings to be submitted to me very shortly, which I will consider carefully and without delay.
2225. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if employees of his Department, including Met Éireann employees, have attended the meetings of a group (details supplied); and if so, if they have reported back to his department on the proceedings of the meetings of the group. [28061/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that no employees of my Department attended meetings of the group referred to in the course of their official duties.
2226. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the occasions on which his Department was deemed to be in breach of EU legislation; the issues involved in each case; if sanctions were imposed by the EU; the type of sanctions imposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28105/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraHistorically, over many years, infringement cases would have been initiated by the European Commission in relation to infringements of relevant EU legislation. In the period since May 2016, when the Government was formed following Election 2016, my Department has received notifications from the European Commission in respect of four cases in which Ireland has been deemed to be in breach of EU legislation. The information concerned is set out in the following table.
|
Issues involved |
Stage of EU Infringement Proceedings |
Sanctions imposed |
Type of sanction |
Status |
|
Non-compliance with some provisions of Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings |
Letter of Formal Notice issued (July 2016) |
None |
Nil |
Department has met with and is in correspondence with the Commission in relation to plans to address this infringement. |
|
Failure to correctly apply Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste water |
Case referred to ECJ (Feb 2017) |
None |
Nil |
Department is working with Irish Water and the EPA on a plan to achieve compliance. |
|
Failure to submit 2nd cycle River Basin Management Plans |
Letter of Formal Notice issued (April 2017) |
None |
Nil |
A response will issue to the Commission prior to the end of June 2017. |
|
Failure to fulfil reporting obligations under INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC |
Letter of Formal Notice issued (May 2017) |
None |
Nil |
Outstanding reports are being finalised. |
My Department is monitoring each of the above cases carefully and is working with other Departments and agencies and liaising directly with the European Commission with a view to resolution of each of the cases at the earliest possible juncture.
If the Deputy is interested in the historical position pre-May 2016 and wishes to indicate the period of interest, I will endeavor to have the relevant information compiled .
2227. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount spent by his Department on designing, implementing and supporting the Eircode system in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [28138/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011 made provision for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to enter into a contract for the development, implementation and maintenance of a national postcode system. Responsibility for the Eircode system rests with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
In terms of the impact on my Department, none of its applications were considered for any data loading to be carried out as part of the Eircode project and no expenditure was incurred developing business systems for it.
Certain datasets related to the Department's areas of responsibility, including the register of electors, were identified for uploading. However, the compilation and maintenance of these datasets is the statutory responsibility of local authorities and they are managed on their behalf by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). The LGMA work programme is funded by way of agreed levies on local authorities.
Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency under the aegis of my Department, including the LGMA, to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for the LGMA is: corporate@lgma.ie .
2228. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of funding that is available from his Department to local authorities to purchase social houses in situations in which the accommodation is considered for one person, two persons, three persons, four persons, five persons or six persons respectively; the funding that can be made available in situations in which there are serious medical cases involved in a particular application; the range of funding that is available; the way in which this varies from county to county; the particular funding for various categories of applications for the council to buy social housing in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28173/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, funding is available to all local authorities, including Laois County Council, for the construction and acquisition of suitable houses and apartments for social housing use. Local authorities have delegated sanction for the majority of acquisitions they undertake and my Department does not specify the different categories or sizes of social houses. These are matters for the local authorities themselves to determine, based on the nature and priority of their housing lists, including the range of family sizes, or other situations such as particular medical situations for which they are catering.
2229. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will address concerns regarding new proposals on spreading slurry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28227/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Nitrates Directive, Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme is due for review this year. Negotiations with the European Commission with a view to having a revised Nitrates Action Programme in place by the end of 2017 have commenced.
As part of the review, a full public consultation process was initiated and closed on 28 April 2017. All submissions received on foot of this consultation are being given full consideration by an expert group comprising officials from my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and the Environmental Protection Agency.
It would be inappropriate to anticipate any outcomes of the review process in advance of its conclusion.
2231. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his policy in relation to family hubs; if there is a model of best practice for the operation and management of family hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28243/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the response to the commitment contained in the 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.
These new family focused 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 is therefore a matter for the relevant housing authorities to consider the precise operational and management arrangements for the various facilities.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive is currently coordinating the development of a comprehensive National Quality Standards Framework for homeless services on behalf of all housing authorities. Consultation with service users and key stakeholders has been undertaken and the draft standards have been piloted in selected services. These standards, which will provide providers with a framework for continuous quality improvement in their services, will be implemented nationally during the course of 2017.
2232. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of units to date in 2017 acquired per annum under the housing agency's vacant housing fund by local authority and area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28266/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Actions 1.1, 2.5 and 5.6 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Housing Agency is actively and positively engaged with banks and investment companies in relation to its acquisitions programme. €70m is being provided in 2017 to the Housing Agency to establish a revolving fund to acquire some 1,600 units over the period to 2020 for social housing use. The Fund will be replenished by the Agency through the sale of units to the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector.
As of 31st May 2017, the Housing Agency has had bids accepted on 489 dwellings from a range of vendors with a total value of €86.92m. Of these, the Agency has signed contracts for 379 dwellings and 225 of these purchases have closed. The process of selling properties on to Approved Housing Bodies is underway. The table below sets out the breakdown of the 225 units acquired by local authority (as of 31/05/17).
|
Local Authority |
Units Acquired |
|
Carlow County Council |
2 |
|
Cavan County Council |
4 |
|
Clare County Council |
3 |
|
Cork City Council |
2 |
|
Cork County Council |
8 |
|
Donegal County Council |
6 |
|
Dublin City Council |
17 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
2 |
|
Fingal County Council |
33 |
|
Galway City Council |
4 |
|
Galway County Council |
7 |
|
Kerry County Council |
14 |
|
Kildare County Council |
18 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
4 |
|
Laois County Council |
9 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
3 |
|
Limerick County Council |
4 |
|
Longford County Council |
2 |
|
Louth County Council |
5 |
|
Mayo County Council |
3 |
|
Meath County Council |
13 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
3 |
|
Offaly County Council |
5 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
1 |
|
Sligo County Council |
2 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
22 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
2 |
|
Waterford County Council |
7 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
5 |
|
Wexford County Council |
10 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
5 |
|
Total |
225 |
2233. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department or a body under its aegis, including local authorities, has undertaken surveys of vacant spaces above commercial properties in Dublin or Cork, which could be suitable for residential use; if so, the results of these surveys; and, if not, his views on whether a comprehensive survey should be undertaken to get a better grasp of building vacancy and potential residential vacancies above commercial properties in these cities. [28268/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for a Partnership Government, published in May 2016, includes a commitment to examine reclassifying and incentivising the use of underutilised or vacant areas over ground floor premises in urban areas, for both residential and commercial use.
Similarly, a key objective of Pillar 5 of the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness – Rebuilding Ireland, launched in July 2016, is to ensure that existing housing stock is used to the maximum degree possible and focuses on measures to use existing vacant stock to renew urban and rural areas.
Specifically, Action 5.9 of Rebuilding Ireland commits to reviewing planning legislation to allow the change of use of vacant commercial units in urban areas, including vacant or under-utilised areas over ground-floor premises, into residential units without having to go through the planning process. This proposal is also incorporated in Action 6 of the Action Plan for Rural Development, launched in January 2017. My Department is presently progressing the drafting of the necessary revisions to the planning regulations to give effect to this action and it is intended that the new regulations, which will require the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas, will be made as soon as possible.
My Department is also working with Dublin City Council in the context of the Living City Initiative (LCI), to explore the potential for further streamlining of the approach to redeveloping and re-utilising vacant properties. The aim of the LCI is to bring life back into designated historic areas of our main cities by offering tax relief for qualifying expenditure incurred on the refurbishment or conversion of certain buildings where qualifying conditions are met. In this context, the City Council has examined approximately 11,000 rateable units in its functional area. From a visual analysis in a sample number of streets, the City Council has estimated that there may be approximately 4,000 vacant units above commercial premises that could potentially be converted into residential use in its functional area. Despite amendments introduced to the LCI in Budget 2016 by the then Minister for Finance to make the Initiative more attractive, uptake remains limited. Dublin City Council therefore intends to re-launch it shortly to a wider target group in the hope of wider participation by property owners.
I also understand that Cork City Council carried out an employment and land use survey in 2011 which recorded vacancy above commercial premises in Cork City Centre but did not assess its suitability for residential purposes. The Council is currently preparing an Action Plan for the medieval core of the city in 2017 which will include a pilot survey of the potential of for utilising vacant upper floor spaces for residential purposes.
The Heritage Council has also been working with a number of local authorities on a Town Centre Health Check programme which includes the undertaking of assessments of the level of vacancy of residential, commercial and retail premises in town centres with a view to revitalising them and enhancing their economic sustainability. I am fully supportive of this approach to obtain accurate data on property vacancy and the subsequent development of Action Plans by the local authorities involved.
2234. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of staff in the housing delivery office; the respective grades of the staff working in the office; the details of professionally qualified staff working in the office, for example, planning, housing economists, architecture, construction, surveying and so on; the key outputs of the office since its inception; the targets the office is currently working to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28269/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the commitment under Action 2.9 of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a dedicated Housing Delivery Office (HDO) was established within my Department, in August 2016, to support the accelerated delivery of housing across the social and private sectors, and tenure spectrum, in an integrated and timely manner.
The Housing Delivery Office comprises a team of 4 people directly, let by Mr David O' Connor, former County Architect and Chief Executive in Fingal County Council. Other members of the team have extensive expertise in project management, finance, planning and local government, including people seconded from the local government sector and the National Development Finance Agency. The HDO works with the range of highly experienced technical officers within my Department across key disciplines such as architecture, planning, engineering and building control, project and construction management, quantity surveying, capital programme delivery and administration.
Working with the broader Housing and Planning Divisions in my Department, other key agencies, local authorities and the construction sector, the HDO supports the roll-out of complex projects, including identifying and resolving barriers to delivery, and monitors progress across key sites as they progress. Among the key outputs coordinated and delivered through the HDO since its establishment are:
- A review of the social housing design, approval, and delivery process, which was published in February 2017 and is available at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/install/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Social-Housing_Approval-Processes-Procedures-Review-1.pdf.
- A Programme Management and Review Framework to drive and track the development of the 23 Major Urban Housing Delivery Sites (MUHDS) which have the potential to deliver up to 30,000 homes in the medium term across 8 local authority areas, to monitor and manage progress through regular reports from Project Teams, ensuring that any impediments to progress are resolved in a timely manner.
- A database of suitable housing-zoned land in the ownership of State and semi-State bodies, which has been published on the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, and can be accessed here: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/, and working with those State and semi-State bodies, and local authorities, to drive the development of these sites.
The HDO will continue to play an important role in supporting my Department, local authorities and the housing development sector in the roll-out of the multi-faceted actions under Rebuilding Ireland and in accelerating the supply of new homes across all tenures.
2235. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the steps he is taking to assist councils with lengthy social housing waiting lists in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28273/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra2236. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to allocate or build additional housing for county councils in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28274/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2235 and 2236 together.
Rebuilding Ireland has put in place both the targets and the funding resources to accelerate the delivery of social housing for all local authorities, including Cavan and Monaghan County Councils. There are currently over 600 social housing construction projects included in the Status Report on Social Housing Construction Projects, which is now published on a quarterly basis and includes projects that are recently completed, on site, or undergoing planning and design. This list is being added to on an ongoing basis and the most recent version, covering the period to end Quarter 1 of 2017, is available at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/social-housing-construction-projects-report-2017/.
The Status Report includes 16 construction projects of various scale in Counties Cavan and Monaghan, involving 226 new social homes, one of which was completed in Quarter 4 of 2016 and four others that are currently on site.
In tandem with the construction programme, all local authorities have been undertaking the targeted acquisition of properties and since January 2016, my Department has provided almost €10 million to Cavan and Monaghan County Councils for this purpose, through which the two Councils have secured over 70 new properties for social housing use. The Councils have also availed of funding from my Department to return vacant social housing to use. In the period 2014-16, the Councils refurbished 157 social homes with an exchequer investment of nearly €1.5 million and a further 25 social homes are to be refurbished in 2017.
Other social housing supports available to local authorities to meet the needs of households include the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), with both schemes operating well in Monaghan and Cavan. Monaghan was one of the first local authorities to commence HAP; since 1 October 2014, a total of 451 households have been supported. In Cavan, HAP commenced on 1 December 2016; to date, 56 households have been supported to find accommodation to meet their needs through this scheme.
Under my Department’s Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme, currently Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are managing 39 leased social homes in Cavan and 9 in Monaghan. There are also approvals in place with 3 AHBs, for 71 new social homes in Monaghan. As with all local authorities, I would encourage both Cavan and Monaghan County Councils to work constructively with the range of local and national AHBs that operate in their counties.
I am keen that both local authorities bring forward and advance projects as speedily as possible and they have been assured that funding is in place to support their activity in this regard.
2237. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of persons waiting for local authority social housing in County Waterford; the number of families waiting for housing; the length of time; and the number of persons waiting for housing and the length of time, in tabular form. [28291/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each housing authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments. The most recent figures available are the results of the 2016 Summary which can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/summary_of_social_housing_assessments_2016.pdf.
The 2016 results show that there were 1,596 households on Waterford City & County Council’s record of qualified households as at 21 September 2016. Based on the results from the 2016 Summary, the length of time by households on the record of qualified households as at 21 September 2016 is as follows:
|
Less than 6 months |
6-12 months |
1-2 years |
2-3 years |
3-4 years |
4-5 years |
5-7 years |
More than 7 years |
Total |
|
174 |
143 |
197 |
266 |
252 |
163 |
231 |
170 |
1,596 |
2238. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding vehicle payload classification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28293/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegarding the vehicle in question, while it appears that two differing weights have been recorded on the National Vehicle and Driver File in respect of the technically permissible laden mass of the vehicle, following roadworthiness testing, there is a single motor caravan motor tax rate of €102 annually, regardless of the weight of the vehicle. Vehicle testing is a matter for the Road Safety Authority.
2239. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of mortgage to rent transactions that have been completed since 1 January 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28350/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the introduction of the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme in 2012, a total of 3,679 cases have been submitted under the scheme to the end of May 2017. Of the 3,679 cases submitted, 2,870 were ineligible or terminated during the process. Of the remaining cases submitted, 256 have been completed with 39 of these cases completed during the period January to May 2017 and the remaining 552 cases are being actively progressed.
The Housing Agency publishes, on a quarterly basis, detailed statistical information on the operation of the MTR scheme. This information is available on the Agency's website at the following link:
https://www.housingagency.ie/our-services/housing-supply-services/mortgage-to-rent.aspx.
Recent amendments made to the scheme, arising from the Review of the Mortgage to Rent Scheme for borrowers of commercial private lending institutions published on 8 February 2017, have meant that more borrowers in mortgage arrears have access to the scheme. However, it will be some time before an increase in the number of successful cases will be apparent given that the optimum timeframe for processing a case should reduce to 9 months following the implementation of the Review’s actions.
My Department and the Housing Agency are in the process of implementing each of the actions set out in the Review and I am confident that these changes will make a significant impact to those households who can benefit from access to the scheme.
2240. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason some local authorities tax work vehicles commercially and others do not; and if he will clarify the situation regarding a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [28358/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMotor tax is based on the construction and use of a vehicle. In order to qualify for the commercial rate of motor tax, a vehicle must be constructed or adapted for use as a goods vehicle and used solely for the conveyance of goods in the course of trade or business.
Licensing authorities have an obligation under Article 3 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing)(Amendment) Regulations 1992 to be satisfied that a vehicle is correctly taxed and it is thus open to a motor tax office to seek supporting documentation when commercial motor tax is being applied for. Such documentation may include a certificate of commercial insurance or evidence of registration for VAT purposes or, at the discretion of the licensing authority concerned, any other appropriate documentation that would indicate that the applicant is in trade or business. It is up to the individual concerned to provide whatever evidence is required by the licensing authority in order for it to be satisfied that the applicant is entitled to the commercial rate of motor tax, which effectively is a concessionary rate.
2241. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding the establishment of the electoral commission as outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28410/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2015, on the basis of a consultation paper prepared by my Department, and at the invitation of the then Minister, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht undertook a public consultation process on the establishment of an electoral commission. The Committee published a report on the consultation in January 2016. This report contains a series of recommendations regarding the establishment of an electoral commission, including functions which should be assigned to it; independence, membership and accountability mechanisms; and the establishment process. The report is informing the implementation of the commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government on establishing an electoral commission and it is informing the preparation of an Electoral Commission Bill to give effect to that. My Department is in the first instance preparing a Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Bill.
2242. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the aims and objectives of the local property tax; if local services have improved since the introduction of this tax; if County Dublin receives its fair share of proceeds from this tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28472/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal Property Tax (LPT) was introduced to provide an alternative, stable and sustainable funding base for the local authority sector, providing greater levels of connection between local revenue raising and associated expenditure decisions and making the taxation system less dependent on other taxes.
It is a positive outcome from the policy of local retention of LPT that local authorities use LPT proceeds to pay for local services which were funded by Central Government in the past; this supports the overall objective of the local government reform programme, which is greater devolution to the local government sector, through supporting enhanced local decision making on spending priorities.
Local retention of LPT began in 2015. LPT allocations to every local authority were made in accordance with the Government’s decision that 80% of the estimated LPT liability in each local authority area for a given year is retained in that area, notwithstanding any local variation decisions. The remaining 20% of LPT is re-distributed to provide equalisation funding to those local authorities that have lower property tax bases, due to the variance in property values and density across the State. This principle applies to every local authority.
The elected members of each of the four Dublin local authorities have taken decisions over the past three years to vary the LPT rate downwards by the maximum 15%. The full cost of that reduction is reflected accordingly in reduced LPT allocations to those local authorities.
2243. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to extend the rent control provisions to Limerick city in view of the fact that rents are increasing rapidly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28558/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 sets out the process through which Rent Pressure Zones can be designated. It provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone.
For an area to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone, it must satisfy the following criteria set out in section 24A(4) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended by section 36 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016):
- (i) The annual rate of rent inflation in the area must have been 7% or more in four of the last six quarters; and
- (ii) The average rent for tenancies registered in the area with the RTB in the last quarter must be above the average national rent (the National Standardised Rent in the RTB’s Rent Index Report) in the last quarter (€987 per month).
On 15 June, the RTB published the Rent Index Report in relation to Quarter 1 2017, which includes a summary of the data used as the criteria for designating Rent Pressure Zones in relation to all Local Electoral Areas in the country. This allows all interested parties to see exactly where their area stands in relation to average rent levels and increases and possible designation. The data from the Rent Index Report relating to Limerick City are detailed in the table below:
|
Local Electoral Area |
Quarters > 7% |
Average 2017 Q1 (€) |
|
Limerick City East |
5 |
884.39 |
|
Limerick City West |
5 |
913.68 |
|
Limerick City North |
5 |
882.44 |
The latest available data for Local Electoral Areas in Limerick City indicate that these areas do not meet the criteria for designation at this time.
Under the Act, I have no further role or discretion in proposing areas for designation as Rent Pressure Zones or in deciding whether they should be designated. The designation process is independent and based on clear objective criteria and quantifiable evidence.
The Housing Agency will continue to monitor the rental market and may recommend further areas for designation. Where, following the procedures set out in the Act, it is found at a future date that additional areas meet the criteria, they will be designated as Rent Pressure Zones.
My Department has initiated a review of the Rent Predictability Measure. At this stage, the measures have 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.
