Written Answers Nos. 647-671
647. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if an application for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme by a person (details supplied) will be examined; if there is an appeal mechanism for unsuccessful applicants; the options open to the applicants in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11142/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, was introduced on 1 February 2018.
Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 specifically provides that the Minister's power to issue policy directions and guidelines to housing authorities in relation to their housing functions should not be construed as enabling the Minister to exercise any power or control in relation to any individual case with which a housing authority is or may be concerned. The Minister is, therefore, precluded from intervening in relation to individual cases.
It continues to be the case under the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, as with the previous local authority House Purchase Loan, that single applicants applying for the loan must not be earning greater than €50,000 gross per annum and the combined income of joint applicants must not be greater than €75,000 gross per annum. This is to ensure the effective targeting of limited resources.
The final decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants. Loan applicants who are dissatisfied with a loan application decision of a local authority Credit Committee may appeal that decision to the local authority. Details of the appeals process can be obtained from the relevant local authority.
The option for borrowers with incomes in excess of the income limits set for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is to seek housing finance from a commercial lender.
648. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of local authorities that are compliant with his Department's local area plan guidelines in respect of a specific part of section 3.2 (details supplied); if his Department monitors compliance; if not, the reason therefore; the number of local authorities that have a policy on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11171/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra649. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the work being done within his Department in respect of the national obesity plan, specifically regarding developing guidelines and support materials for those working in developing the built environment of urban development and planning in relation to reducing the obesogenic environment; the status of this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11172/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 648 and 649 together.
The recently published National Planning Framework recognises the strong link between our health and environment and includes a National Policy Objective to support the objectives of public health policy, including Healthy Ireland and the National Physical Activity Plan, through integrating such policies, where appropriate and at the applicable scale, with planning policy.
In addition, my Department published statutory guidelines for planning authorities in June 2013 on Local Area Plans (LAPs) under Section 28 of the Planning Act 2000 (as amended). Section 5 of these Guidelines offers advice as regards the structure and content of local area plans and sets out a range of policies that can be put in place to promote and facilitate active and healthy living patterns for local communities.
These include
- promoting walking and cycling as modes of transport,
- accessibility to public open spaces, recreational and sports facilities,
- proximity of new development to sustainable travel modes,
- provision of play areas, and
- careful consideration of the appropriateness of the location of fast-food outlets in the vicinity of schools and parks.
A practical effect of these Guidelines with regard to fast-food outlets is that consideration can be given to the appropriateness of their location in the vicinity of schools and parks, for example in newly developing areas, while at the same time taking into account wider land use considerations.
However, with regard to the many schools located in or near town centres, restriction of fast-food outlets in these kinds of situations needs to be carefully considered on a case by case basis, in view of the mix of existing uses typically found in such central urban areas.
In addition, planning policy with regard to the location of fast-food outlets needs to be considered also within the wider policy context of practical steps that can be taken to more widely promote and facilitate active and healthy living patterns, by enhancing the scope for activities such as walking, cycling and sports and active leisure pursuits and their associated facilities.
In relation to the number of local authorities that have a policy as referenced in the question, the relevant section of the Guidelines sets out a methodology to be considered and applied at local level rather than a pre-determined policy position. Therefore, tracking and collation of specific data in relation to the existence and nature of the policies adopted in LAPs by individual local authorities in line with the Guidelines is not undertaken by my Department.
It should also be noted that senior officials from my Department participate in the cross-Departmental working group, established by the Minister for Health, to oversee implementation of the National Obesity Policy and Action Plan.
650. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the funding provided for capital projects for scouting organisations by his Department in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11186/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo payments of this nature have been made by my Department in the period referred to in the Question.
651. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the number of empty local authority housing units in Galway city; the length of time these units have been vacant; the reason which has been given in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11213/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra652. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the funding which has been made available to Galway City Council for repairs to local authority housing units; the amount drawn down by the city council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11214/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 651 and 652 together.
Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock is a matter for each individual local authority in the first instance. This includes the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive and pre-letting repairs.
My Department does provide exchequer support to local authorities, through the Voids Programme introduced in 2014, to assist them in returning vacant and derelict social housing units to productive use. The programme allows local authorities to actively target vacant units and minimise their turnaround and re-let times. Between 2014 and 2017, funding of some €1.16m has been provided to Galway City Council, which brought 91 vacant houses back into productive use. Without substantial refurbishment under construction contracts, these social homes could have been left vacant and not part of the active social housing stock.
My Department does not keep data on the length of time a local authority dwelling is vacant. Statistics in relation to social housing are compiled by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in its annual reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These statistics are set out by local authority and include the percentage of such dwellings that were vacant at the end of the year, with the most recent report relating to 2016. This report is available at the following link
http://noac.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2016-PI-Report.pdf.
The availability of exchequer funding from my Department provides key support to the local authorities, including Galway City Council, for their work in turning vacant units around as swiftly as possible.
653. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department is currently formulating a rural resettlement scheme; and if so, the details of same. [11225/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's Action Plan for Rural Development: Realising our Potential, has a clear objective of working across Government Departments to deliver a co-ordinated group of strategies and actions to ensure the success of vibrant rural communities across Ireland.
My Department works closely with the Department of Rural and Community Development on rural housing issues. In relation to social housing, it is already possible for households to move and relocate between local authority areas, including relocating from an urban to a rural location, under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme.
My Department is also currently examining additional ways to facilitate households, who are qualified for social housing, and who may wish to relocate to rural areas.
654. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of registered homeless persons in the western areas of County Cork; the number in emergency accommodation in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11245/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing authorities report to my Department on a monthly basis regarding the number of individuals utilising emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. This data is compiled into official homeless reports which are published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These reports include a breakdown of homeless adults accommodated in emergency arrangements on a regional and county basis. A breakdown of the homeless population at a more detailed geographical level is not available from my Department and is a matter for the relevant housing authority.
655. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the funding which has been set aside in each of the past five years to address the issue of loneliness and social isolation; if his Department or agencies under the remit of his Department have funded research on the topic of loneliness and social isolation; if his Department or agencies under the remit of his Department have projects planned which would address the issues of loneliness or social isolation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11252/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra656. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if funding has been provided to local authorities to deal specifically with the issue of loneliness and social isolation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11253/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 655 and 656 together.
While my Department’s mission includes strategic goals that are cornerstones of daily life, such as ensuring that the planning and development of our regions is sustainable, providing for the efficient delivery of well-planned homes and effective local government, my Department has no prescribed role in relation to loneliness or social isolation. Neither does my Department provide any funding to local authorities to specifically deal with this issue.
The Government's Action Plan for Rural Development includes a range of measures which will contribute significantly to addressing isolation and social inclusion in rural areas and I understand that six-monthly progress reports on the implementation of the Plan are available from the Department of Rural and Community Development.
657. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason a person (details supplied) is unable to purchase their home under the tenant purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11342/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra677. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the new tenant purchase scheme will be launched; the mortgage approval process regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11617/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 657 and 677 together.
The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
The minimum reckonable income for eligibility under the scheme is determined by the relevant local authority in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the 2014 Act. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, local authorities include income from a number of different sources and classes, such as from employment, private pensions, maintenance payments and certain social welfare payments, including pensions, where the social welfare payment is secondary to employment income.
In determining reckonable income, the income of all tenants of the house, including adult children that are joint tenants, is included, as is the income of the spouse, civil partner or other partner / co-habitant of a tenant who lives in the house with them, thus ensuring the appropriate level of discount is applied to the purchase price.
The minimum income criterion was introduced in order to ensure the sustainability of the scheme. Applicants must demonstrate that they have an income that is long-term and sustainable in nature. This ensures that the tenant purchasing the house is in a financial position, as the owner, to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, in compliance with the conditions of the order transferring the ownership of, and responsibility for, the house from the local authority to the tenant.
The financing of any house sold under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is a separate matter from the eligibility criteria for the scheme. If the tenant is deemed eligible under the scheme, he or she may fund the purchase of a house from one, or a combination, of his / her own resources or a mortgage provided by a financial institution or a local authority house purchase loan.
In line with the commitment given in Rebuilding Ireland, a review of the first 12 months of the Tenant Purchase Scheme’s operation has been undertaken. The review has incorporated analysis of comprehensive data received from local authorities regarding the operation of the scheme during 2016 and a wide-ranging public consultation process which took place in 2017 and saw submissions received from individuals, elected representatives and organisations.The review is now complete and a full report has been prepared setting out findings and recommendations. In finalising the report some further inter-Departmental consultation was necessary and due consideration had to be given to possible implementation arrangements. These matters are now almost completed and I expect to be in a position to publish the outcome of the review shortly.
658. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons in receipt of the housing assistance payment in County Cork by local electoral area in tabular form at 31 December 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11354/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is now available in all 31 local authority areas. At the end of Q4 2017, some 31,200 tenancies were being supported by the HAP scheme. This includes, 1,625 HAP tenancies in Cork City Council and 2,647 in Cork County Council.
A breakdown by local electoral area is not available.
659. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons who have been transferred from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's rent supplement scheme to the housing assistance payment scheme in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11355/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is now available in all 31 local authority areas. At the end of Q4 2017, some 31,200 tenancies were being supported by the HAP scheme; 17,900 additional households were set up in 2017 and 3,185 of these were Rent Supplement transfers.
660. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons on the social housing list for County Cork by local electoral area at 31 December 2016 and 31 December 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11360/18]
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 (SSHA). The most recent SSHA carried out in 2017, details the number of households on all local authority waiting lists as at 28 June 2017.
The results of the SSHA include breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories. The results do not provide a breakdown of the numbers by electoral area and my Department does not hold such data.
The 2017 report also includes the results of the 2016 summary for comparative purpose. Full details in relation to the 2017 assessment are available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/sha_summary_2017.pdf.
The SSHA is now being carried out an annual basis and I expect the results of the 2018 summary to be available for publication later in the year.
662. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the 28 largest towns that will be granted borough and district status under legislation proposed by his Department; the details of the next seven towns in order of size of population that will not be granted borough and district status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11431/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra674. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the timeframe for his proposed changes to the municipal district system; the towns involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11612/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 674 together.
The Programme for a Partnership Government (PPG) sets out a number of requirements in relation to local government reform. In particular, the PPG envisages the submission of a report to Government and the Oireachtas on potential measures to boost local government leadership and accountability, and to ensure that local government funding, structures and responsibilities strengthen local democracy.
Proposals to address a number of the PPG requirements have been the subject of consideration by Government, in light of which it is envisaged that the matters involved will be referred to the Oireachtas for consideration. Among the issues being addressed in this context is municipal governance, including the questions of town or borough status and local electoral areas, as referenced in the PPG. Pending referral of the matters involved to the Oireachtas, I am not in a position to provide further details.
The review of local electoral areas, which is currently in progress, is relevant in this context. The terms of reference of the review provide for the designation of distinct urban-focused local electoral areas for towns of 15,000 or more population and other county towns. Full details in that regard will become available when the reports on the review are submitted in June 2018.
Information regarding the population of towns is provided in the census of population reports which are available at www.cso.ie.
663. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if third parties can apply to for funding from the local infrastructure housing activation fund towards private housing developments. [11449/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) provides funding to local authorities for the provision of public infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages in order to accelerate the delivery of housing on both state-owned and private development sites in Dublin and in other urban areas of high demand for housing.
As part of Budget 2018, I announced that an additional €50 million Exchequer funding will be available for a second LIHAF call. This will, as was the case in the original LIHAF call, be subject to matching funding by local authorities, where the Department will provide 75% Exchequer funding, with the Local Authorities themselves providing 25% matching funding. This will bring overall LIHAF funding under both calls to €266 million.
My Department is currently finalising a call for proposals under phase 2 of LIHAF. All applications for funding must be made by local authorities and the funding will be provided to successful local authorities who will build the infrastructure themselves. However, as in the first phase of LIHAF, it is expected that local authorities will engage with third parties prior to application to make agreements regarding the delivery of housing on the development sites that the infrastructure is intended to activate.
664. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress county councils (details supplied) have made in purchasing industrial land for housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11467/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal Authorities are independent in the execution of their powers and the directly elected members are democratically accountable for all expenditure of the authority, including expenditure on land.
In terms of lands owned by local authorities, all local authorities are required to record assets, including all land assets, in the Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet), in accordance with the Local Authority Accounting in Ireland Code of Practice and Accounting Regulations, which is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/accounting_code_of_practice_january_2017_final.pdf.
The active management of the publicly owned housing land bank is part of a range of complementary actions being progressed under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, designed to accelerate and increase housing output. To this end, details of some 1,700 hectares of land in local authority and Housing Agency ownership were published on the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, with the potential to deliver some 42,500 homes nationally. These mapped sites can be viewed at the following link:
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/.
Local authorities are also required to confirm and update the data on a quarterly basis to ensure that the information held on this mapping database is fully up to date.
In addition to this mapping exercise, all local authorities have been requested to prepare Strategic Development and Management Plans for housing lands in their ownership, with particular emphasis on prioritising those sites with the greatest potential to deliver housing at scale, in the short to medium term. The plans received to date are currently being reviewed by my Department and, when finalised, they will be made available publicly, both on the dedicated Rebuilding Ireland website, as well as on the website of the relevant local authority.
Moreover, it is proposed to establish a National Regeneration and Development Agency to assist in ensuring a more effective approach to strategic land management, particularly in terms of publicly owned land. The Agency will act as a national centre of expertise, working with and supporting local authorities, public bodies and other interests, to harness public lands as catalysts to stimulate regeneration and wider investment and to achieve compact, sustainable growth, with a particular emphasis on complex regeneration projects.
No submissions have been received by my Department with regard to the issue of purchasing industrial land for housing.
665. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of expressions of interest his Department has received for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11469/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering, known as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, was introduced on 1 February 2018.
As with the previous local authority home loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a local authority product and loan applications are made directly to the local authority in whose area the property proposed for purchase is situated. My Department does not collect information on the number of enquiries to local authorities regarding the loan or on the number of complete loan applications received by local authorities.
As is currently the case, my Department will continue to publish information on the overall number and value of (1) local authority loan approvals and (2) local authority loan drawdowns on its website at the following link
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-prices-loans-and-profile-borrowers/local-authority-loan-activity.
This information is currently updated to end Q3 2017; Q4 data will be published shortly.
666. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the working group being set up by him to examine the investment needs of rural water and wastewater services will examine the disparity of State investment in the capital and maintenance costs of wastewater systems for those rural dwellers who provide their own wastewater services as compared to those that are connected to an Irish Water system; his plans to publish the terms of reference of the working group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11522/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn late 2017, my Department conducted a review of the subsidies paid towards the operational and management costs of group water schemes providing water to their domestic members. The review involved discussions with the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, the representative body of the group water sector. Discussions concluded in December, when I approved revised subsidy levels. The new subsidy arrangements, endorsed by a special delegate conference of the Federation on 13 December 2017, came into effect on 1 January 2018.
The increase in the level of subsidies is one of a number of actions taken to implement the recommendation contained in the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services (JOCFFDWS), endorsed by both Houses of the Oireachtas in April 2017, that there be equity of treatment and equivalent financial support between households using public water services and those availing of private water services.
Separate to the initial review of group water scheme subsidy levels and also in fulfilment of the JOCFFDWS recommendations, I will shortly be establishing a working group to conduct a wider review of investment needs and rural water services.
It is intended that the review will focus on improving and sustaining rural water services and will consider issues such as governance, supervision and monitoring of the sector, in addition to capital investment priorities and requirements across the Sector.
In keeping with the Committee’s recommendations the working group will consider all elements and aspects of rural water services including Group Water Schemes, Group Sewerage Schemes, those using Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (more commonly known as septic tanks) and Individual Domestic Water Supplies (more commonly known as private or individual wells) and with specific emphasis on the actions and investment required, "to equalise treatment between those availing of domestic water services and those availing of private services", as recommended in the JOCFFDWS report.
My Department is currently considering the Terms of Reference for the Working Group, and I expect that these will be published shortly.
667. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a further circular letter has issued on section 3.2.3 of the rural housing guidelines; if not, the reason therefore; the timeframe to issue the circular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11523/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra679. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the findings of the working group on rural housing will be published; the timeframe for the publication of new guidelines on rural housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11619/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 667 and 679 together.
Following engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the 2013 European Court of Justice ruling in the Flemish Decree case, a working group, comprising senior representatives from my Department and planning authorities, was established in May 2017 to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, with a view to ensuring that rural housing policies and objectives contained in county development plans comply with the relevant provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The Working Group concluded its deliberations in September 2017 and my Department is now engaging with the Commission on the matter, with a view to issuing a further circular letter to planning authorities as soon as possible, setting out revisions to the 2005 Guidelines that take account of the ECJ judgment in the Flemish Decree case.
Planning authorities were previously advised by circular letter in May 2017 that they should not amend rural housing policies in their development plans until the Guidelines have been revised. This circular is available to view on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/pl_02-2017_sustainable_rural_housing_guidelines_for_planning_authorities_2005_-_local_need.pdf
668. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the report on the amalgamation of Galway City Council and Galway County Council will be published; the process that will follow the publishing of the report on making a final decision on the matter; when it is planned to proceed with the re-organisation of the electoral areas of the city and county for the local elections in view of the fact that these elections are due in May 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11528/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe final report of the Galway Expert Advisory Group on Local Government Arrangements in Galway is expected to be submitted in the coming weeks, following which arrangements for the review of local electoral areas will be put in place without delay.
669. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the targets and timeframes that are being worked to in terms of the proportion of new builds that have a heating generator that uses renewable energy sources as the principal source of heating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11552/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra670. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the specific article and paragraphs of building regulations that require or otherwise provide an incentive for developers of new build residential and non-residential units to install heating generators that use renewable energy sources as the principal heating source; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11553/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 669 and 670 together.
The Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997 to 2017 (which are made under the Building Control Act 1990, as amended) set out the minimum legal requirements applicable to the construction of all new buildings, extensions to existing buildings, as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. These requirements are set out in 12 parts, classified as Parts A to M. The accompanying Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) provide guidance on how owners, builders, developers and designers can achieve compliance in practice.
Part L of the regulations deals with Conservation of Fuel and Energy. Since 2008, Part L has required a reasonable proportion of the energy consumption of a new dwelling to be provided by renewable energy with section 1.2 providing guidance on Renewable Energy Technology.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2010/31/EU) sets requirements for Member States to ensure that by 31 December 2020, all new buildings are nearly zero energy buildings, while new buildings owned and occupied by Public Authorities, must achieve this standard by 31st December 2018.
The Directive defines a Nearly Zero Energy Building or NZEB as a building that has a very high energy performance, where the nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby. In 2017, this definition was incorporated into the Building Regulations 1997-2017.
In 2017, Part L was also amended to establish the NZEB standard for buildings other than dwellings, thus requiring a proportion of the energy consumption of the building to be provided by renewable energy. This applies to works commencing on or after 1 January 2019 subject to transition arrangements. TGD L - Conservation of Fuel and Energy - Buildings other than dwellings provides guidance on how to meet these requirements.
A further review of Part L is currently underway to establish the NZEB standard for dwellings and draft documents will issue for public consultation shortly.
671. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if specific funding will be allocated to Cavan County Council for the provision of services due to the additional costs on the local authority as a result of the recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11558/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra672. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if specific funding will be allocated to Monaghan County Council for the provision of services due to the additional costs on the local authority as a result of the recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11559/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 671 and 672 together.
Since 2009, my Department has made financial support available to assist local authorities in meeting the costs of clean-up and necessary immediate works associated with significant severe weather emergency events. This is in recognition of the exceptional nature of activities carried out by local authorities in responding to these types of emergencies and the fact that the costs of these un-programmed activities cannot be met from within existing resources.
In relation to the recent severe cold weather and snow that has caused widespread disruption in many parts of the country, my Department intends, when the response phase is concluded, to write to local authorities, including Cavan and Monaghan County Councils, inviting them to submit claims for recoupment of the exceptional costs involved in the response and clean-up.
Funding for repair of public infrastructure is undertaken by the relevant Departments in line with their sectorial responsibility. It is a matter for each Government Department to liaise directly with local authorities in relation to funding of repairs and restoration being carried out through the local government system.
