Written Answers Nos. 1585-1602
1585. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 22 March 2018, the work being undertaken by his Department to encourage those availing of the nursing homes support scheme to make their vacant homes available for sale or rental; his plans to address the issue of financial disincentives as part of this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16043/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), also known as the Fair Deal Scheme, was published by the Minister for Health in July 2015. A Working Group is overseeing the implementation of its recommendations, including any legislative changes that may be required.
Action 17 of the Strategy for the Rental Sector undertakes to examine the treatment under the NHSS’s financial assessment of income from the rental of a person’s principal private residence (PPR), where they move into long-term residential care. This examination aims to explore the potential to encourage vacant accommodation to be brought into active use.
My Department is currently engaging with the Department of Health in relation to this action. The Department of Health has received legal advice that changes to the treatment of rental income in the Fair Deal Scheme would require primary legislation. Both Departments are exploring proposals to enable vacant properties owned by patients in long-term nursing home care to be brought back into early use, through adjustments to the treatment of rental income and house sale proceeds derived from a PPR in the financial assessment of income for the purposes of the Fair Deal Scheme.
It will remain a personal choice for any individual as to whether or not they wish to sell or rent out their home upon taking up residence in a nursing home.
1586. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans for a water fountain scheme for towns and cities here similar to the one established in London; the amount such a scheme would cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16048/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the scheme referred to is one initiated by the Mayor of London aimed at reducing the use of plastic bottles. My Department is not currently involved in the development of plans for such a scheme in Ireland.
There are comprehensive existing arrangements in place for the public provision of water services, which are supportive of the use of tap water. Each household on the public water supply provided by Irish Water can use up to a threshold amount of 213,000 litres of water per annum without charge. Households with more than four occupants can apply for an additional allowance amount of 25,000 litres per additional person per annum. The manner in which these threshold and allowance amounts are set is prescribed in Section 9 of the Water Services Act 2017. The costs associated with the delivery of public water services by Irish Water are met by Exchequer funding provided through the vote of my Department.
It should be noted that proposals to encourage consumers to use tap water and the question of free public access points to drinking water are among the initiatives contained in the European Commission proposals for a recast of Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption, published on 1 February 2018. My Department provided the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government with an Information Note on the proposed directive and attended a meeting of the Committee on 21 March 2018 as part of its scrutiny process on the proposals. I understand that the Committee has communicated views on the proposals contained within the draft directive to the European Commission. My Department expects that there are a number of issues contained in the current draft which will be the subject of debate before finalisation. My Department looks forward to engaging further with the European Commission and Member States on this matter as part of the process leading to the agreement of a final text, and has undertaken to update the Joint Oireachtas Committee as this process evolves.
1587. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the national quality standards framework and inspection regime for homeless services. [16083/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. This includes operational issues such as ensuring that contracted services are delivered in a professional manner, that inspections take place and that homeless families/individuals can report issues to the relevant authority.
In this regard, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) has been overseeing the development of a quality standards framework, coordinating this work in consultation with an advisory group, which includes representation from various housing authorities, service providers, Tusla, clients and other stakeholders, with a view to having the finalised standards adopted on a national basis by individual housing authorities. The draft standards have been piloted in a number of selected services across the country and positive feedback has been received.
I understand that the DRHE is preparing a final draft quality standards framework for formal submission to my Department. On receipt of this, along with any recommendations with regard to implementation from the DRHE and the advisory group, I will give consideration to how such standards could be applied on a national basis by housing authorities.
1588. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of adults, families and children who spent time in emergency homeless accommodation in 2017; and the average length of time spent in emergency accommodation for individuals and families, respectively. [16084/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. Official homeless reports are published on my Department's website on a monthly basis and can be accessed using the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These monthly reports include a breakdown based on accommodation type. Commercial hotels are included within the private emergency accommodation (PEA) category as are other commercially provided emergency accommodation arrangements. The specific data requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.
1589. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of homeless families living in commercial hotels in each month from January 2017 to March 2018, in tabular form. [16086/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficial homeless reports are published on my Department's website on a monthly basis and can be accessed using the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These monthly reports include a breakdown based on accommodation type. Commercial hotels are included within the private emergency accommodation (PEA) category as are other commercially provided emergency accommodation arrangements. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive publishes specific information on the numbers of families in hotels in the Dublin region on its website, at www.homelessdublin.ie/reports.
1590. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the work of the short-term letting working group; the number of meetings held by the group; the number of meetings held with third parties; the organisations and individuals in this regard; and when he will bring forward regulations or legislation on the issue of short-term lets. [16087/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Action 18 of the Strategy for the Rental Sector, my Department established a Working Group in June 2017, with representatives of all major public stakeholders with a policy interest in short-term lettings, to develop guidance in relation to planning applications, changes of use relating to short-term lettings and to examine the need for new regulatory arrangements.
The proposals under consideration by the Working Group, which has met on six occasions to date, are aimed at facilitating short-term letting of accommodation within permanent residences, known as home-sharing, while protecting existing stock of residential property in areas of high demand, safeguarding neighbourhood amenity and consumer protection, and generating revenue to address any negative externalities of short-term letting.
The Working Group completed guidance for local authorities on planning applications relating to short-term lettings and my Department issued a circular on the matter last October.
The Group is now focused on developing proposals for an appropriate comprehensive regulatory approach for short-term tourism-related lettings as well as identification of amendments to relevant legislation that may be necessary to give effect to such a regulatory regime.
The report of the Working Group has been submitted to my Department and, following completing my consideration of its recommendations shortly, I will be initiating a targeted public consultation on the proposals.
1591. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if homeless families with young children are being allocated access to emergency accommodation after 8 p.m.; the number of times this happened in 2018; his plans to address this issue with particular reference to the risk to children who have no place of safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16130/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1592. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if homeless families in Dublin have been referred to Garda stations late at night due to an inadequate supply of housing and emergency accommodation; his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16131/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1593. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the plans in place to provide a place of safety for homeless families who are not allocated emergency accommodation until late at night and who have nowhere safe to stay while they await emergency accommodation placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16132/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1594. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the measures in place to provide for the protection and welfare of homeless children whose families are not allocated emergency accommodation until late in the evening and who have nowhere safe to stay while they await emergency accommodation placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16133/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1595. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the large number of families who are allocated emergency accommodation on a one-night-only basis (details supplied); his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16134/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1591 to 1595, inclusive, together.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. The matter raised by the Deputy is an operational issue in the day-to-day delivery of services and is a matter for the relevant housing authorities.
1596. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of homeless families in emergency accommodation that do not have an allocated support worker; his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16135/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. The matter raised by the Deputy is an operational issue in the day-to-day delivery of services and is a matter for the relevant housing authority.
1597. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that An Bord Pleanála is using threats of legal costs to force a community to drop its request for appeal of judicial review in an environmental case; his views on whether this is acceptable as a policy for the board; the other remedy that exists for persons concerned regarding a planning matter in their area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16148/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am not aware of any case where An Bord Pleanála has acted inappropriately in the manner alleged in the Question. However, before parties incur substantial costs in a judicial review of a decision made by the Board, it would seem reasonable for the Board to make its position clear in relation to seeking its costs, within the law, in the event that the Court does not grant the reliefs sought.
In this connection, pursuant to the UNECE Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters, and also pursuant to relevant EU Directives, section 50B of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that, subject to stated exceptions, each party to specified judicial review proceedings relating to the environment shall bear its own costs.
1598. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to alter the conditions of the housing aid for older persons to include persons under 66 years of age who medically need heating in their home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16257/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Aid for Older People Scheme provides support for people aged over 66 in certain circumstances where the household has no current heating system. The scheme is focused on people over 66 and, therefore, I have no plans to alter the conditions of the scheme.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability provides support where heating needs to be extended to cover adaptations or extensions to homes that have been made under the scheme to improve the living conditions of the applicant.
1599. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the outcome of the review for fire safety in the multi-storey social housing sector which was requested from local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16295/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1600. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress being made by the fire safety task force established after the Grenfell fire disaster; if the task force has completed its review of buildings over 18 m in height; if it has it published its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16296/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1599 and 1600 together.
On 27 June 2017, in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and in recognition of fears expressed for fire safety, I tasked my Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management with coordinating a high-level Task Force to lead a reappraisal of fire safety in Ireland. The Task Force was requested to oversee and report on a number of initial steps, and to urgently consider any potential life safety issues and appropriate responses.
In addition to establishing the Task Force, I requested that a number of immediate initial actions be taken. Local authorities were directed to undertake a review of fire safety in multi-storey social housing buildings and to also review fire safety in medium to high rise buildings in their functional areas. The Task Force was mandated to oversee and report on these initial actions as well as reviewing existing arrangements and systems for fire safety and related issues which impact on fire safety in Ireland.
This initial work in relation to both multi-storey social housing buildings and medium to high rise buildings has been carried out and all local authorities have reported back to my Department as requested. The Fire Safety Task Force established two sub-groups to review the returns received from local authorities. The returns indicate that multi-storey social housing buildings in Ireland are generally designed, built and equipped appropriately for domestic fire risk, although a number of fire safety issues were identified and followed up.
With regard to the review of medium to high rise buildings (greater than 6 stories or 18m high), more than 800 buildings were identified through the national survey undertaken. A number of these were identified as having external cladding which gave rise to concerns and in these cases building owners have been required by local authorities, using their powers under the Fire Services Acts, to undertake fire safety assessments. National guidance on further actions in light of the results of these fire safety assessments, taking account of emerging information on the cladding issue from international sources, was prepared by the Task Force sub-group and a guidance note – "Fire safety Guidance Note 01 of 2017 Assessing Existing Cladding Systems in Buildings of More than Six Storeys, or More than 18m in Height" – was published by my Department in December 2017. The guidance note was circulated to fire authorities and placed on my Department’s website as a support for those undertaking assessments of cladding in medium to high rise buildings. The assessment process in individual buildings, and remediation work where deemed necessary in a small number of buildings, is on-going and in some cases is expected to take a number of months to complete.
As it carries out its work, the Task Force is considering information and developments arising from inquiries and reviews in the UK in relation to the Grenfell Tower fire. However, the initial indications are that the specific conditions which appear to have existed in Grenfell Tower do not exist in buildings in this country.
The work of the Task Force is advanced significantly and I expect to be provided with its report by the end of April 2018. I will consider its conclusions and recommendations without delay.
1601. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to develop guidelines for planning authorities with respect to solar farm projects; the criteria used in the absence of guidelines to determine planning applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16327/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1602. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the chairperson of An Bord Pleanála formally requested that national guidelines for solar farm projects should be provided to planning authorities; if so, his views on same; the nature of the response; if not, his plans to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16328/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1601 and 1602 together.
There are no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar farms. Proposals for individual solar farm developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Planning applications are made to the relevant local planning authority with a right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála.
Under the Planning and Development Act, each planning authority's development plan must set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned. Section 10 of the Act requires a development plan to include, inter alia, objectives for the provision or facilitation of the provision of infrastructure, including energy facilities, and many local authorities have developed renewable energy strategies for their areas in this context.
In making decisions on planning applications, planning authorities and the Board must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the local development plan, any submissions or observations received and relevant Ministerial or Government policies, including any relevant guidelines issued by my Department. Planning authorities must then make their own decisions based on the specific merits or otherwise of individual planning applications.
My Department has not received a formal request from the Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála to provide solar farm planning guidelines for planning authorities.
I am satisfied that the planning code is sufficiently robust to facilitate the assessment of individual planning permission applications for solar farm developments. However, the matter is being kept under review, in consultation with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, and his Department - which leads on renewable energy policy - in the context of the Government's White Paper on Energy Policy published in December 2015, is working on the development of a Renewable Electricity Policy and Development Framework, as well as the finalisation of a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme.
On foot of engagement between our two Departments, where the need for specific planning guidance for solar farms, in the context of developing renewable energy policy, is identified, my Department will develop such guidance as deemed appropriate.
