Written Answers Nos. 473-487
474. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding received by organisations (details supplied) from his Department and housing authorities in relation to the provision of homeless services in each of the years from 2013 to 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19885/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraStatutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. My Department does not fund any service directly but provides funding to housing authorities on a regional basis as a contribution towards costs incurred. The purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are prescribed in Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988.
Details of the funding provided by housing authorities for the years 2013 to 2017 to the main non-governmental organisations towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services are set out in the table. These service providers may also receive other funding from other Government departments and agencies.
Section 10 Funding 2013-2017
|
* |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Focus Ireland |
€5,023,026 |
€5,550,205 |
€8,652,047 |
€7,923,020 |
€13,887,021 |
|
Simon |
€5,498,498 |
€5,255,553 |
€5,753,690 |
€6,861,249 |
€10,010,032 |
|
Peter McVerry Trust |
€2,780,092 |
€3,368,583 |
€4,427,450 |
€6,072,778 |
€9,636,252 |
|
Crosscare |
€3,825,715 |
€4,438,286 |
€5,842,969 |
€7,100,364 |
€7,097,802 |
|
DePaul |
€2,590,597 |
€3,278,890 |
€3,603,390 |
€3,863,851 |
€5,508,966 |
475. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of houses acquired and purchased by Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council in each of the years from 2013 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19832/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra476. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of houses that have been built by local authorities in counties Cavan and Monaghan in each of the years from 2013 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19833/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 together.
Details of the number of houses that have been built and acquired by local authorities, including in counties Cavan and Monaghan, in each of the years 2013 to 2017 are published and available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision Details relating to delivery in 2018 will be published on a quarterly basis as soon as they are validated.
477. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason a house which is valued within the mortgage to rent thresholds must be discounted to take account of essential repairs and maintenance despite the fact that repairs and maintenance are not required and this is preventing the mortgage broker accepting the sale price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19907/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012, where an Approved Housing Body (AHB) indicates an interest in acquiring a property, the AHB will make an offer to purchase the property based on the market value determined by an independent valuation less any known essential repairs that were not taken account of in the valuation process. This means that while the market value will reflect the condition of the property where the repairs are of a cosmetic nature, the valuation does not take account of structural or health and safety issues.
Essential repairs are those repairs necessary to bring the property up to private rental standards as required under the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 17 of 2017) which is a requirement of all properties being provided to social housing tenants.
The condition of the property and the cost of repairs to bring the property up to statutory standards is a factor that may impact on the viability of an AHB purchasing a property. As the households applying for MTR will have been in a position of acute financial hardship, possibly for a number of years, prior to applying for the scheme, they may not have had the means to carry out the necessary repairs on the property. Accordingly, the scheme has to provide a mechanism by which repairs to the property can be funded to bring the property up to the private rental standards and this is done by deducting the costs of repairs from the market value of the property.
I can neither compel an AHB to purchase a particular property nor a lender to sell a particular property. The Housing Agency who administers the scheme on behalf of my Department works closely with AHBs and lenders at all stages of the MTR process and seeks to ensure that MTR cases are dealt with in a fair and efficient manner.
478. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of new housing commencements anticipated by the end of 2018; the number of such houses for families on local authority housing waiting lists; the extent to which he expects the lists to improve over the next 12 months; the extent to which the problem of homelessness can be dealt with within the period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20078/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra480. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which he expects extra local authority houses to become available in the course of the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20080/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra481. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress to date regarding his ongoing dialogue with all local authorities with a view to ensuring the immediate implementation of a local authority housing programme sufficient to address the problem of homelessness as well as reducing the existing local authority housing waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20081/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra485. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which the construction and provision of modular housing of a high quality is being utilised with a view to early impact on homelessness and local authority waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20085/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 478, 480, 481 and 485 together.
My Department publishes a range of datasets relating to housing market activity on the statistics section of its website. Details of commencement notices received by each of the 31 local authorities are published as a monthly series, which can be accessed through the following weblink:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/construction-activity-starts.
The latest Monthly Housing Activity Report (March 2018), which is available on www.rebuildingireland.ie, shows that targeted interventions under Rebuilding Ireland are working. The next Monthly Housing Activity Report will be published shortly.
As regards the outlook for the coming years, the Central Bank in its Quarterly Bulletin (Q2 2018), which is available at the following weblink, https://www.centralbank.ie/docs/default-source/publications/quarterly-bulletins/qb-archive/2018/quarterly-bulletin---qb2-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=4, forecasts that both housing and non-residential building should continue to recover strongly. The Bank has forecast growth for the construction sector as a whole of 14.8% and 11.7% for 2018 and 2019 respectively.
While it is not possible to directly match the commencement information to social housing provision, as social housing may be delivered in a number of ways, it is expected that over 4,400 new build social homes will be delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) either directly, through turnkey arrangements or under Part V arrangements, the latter reflecting the growth in private sector housing activity.
Looking overall at social housing delivery in 2018, it is expected that more than 25,000 additional households will have their housing need met, including just under 8,000 units to be built, acquired or leased by local authorities and AHBs, and in excess of 17,000 additional flexible housing solutions through the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme and the Rental Accommodation Scheme.
This will have a direct impact on social housing waiting lists. The 85,799 households assessed as being qualified for social housing support nationally in 2017 saw a decrease of 6.3% on the comparable figure for 2016. The resources provided through Rebuilding Ireland are allowing us to respond in a significant manner. Over €1.4 billion was provided for investment in housing in 2017 and this is being increased significantly to €1.9 billion this year. This investment will yield substantial delivery activity and ensure that we make further significant progress towards meeting the overall target of delivering 137,000 social housing tenancies in the period to 2021, supported by an overall Exchequer commitment of over €6 billion.
One of the key outcomes of the second Housing Summit with local authority Chief Executives held earlier this year was a commitment to drive greater transparency and accountability at individual local authority level on the delivery of the targets under Rebuilding Ireland. On foot of a detailed process of engagement since then between my Department and individual local authorities, I have now advised local authorities of the social housing targets for 2018 and also for the multi-annual period to 2021. In setting local authority targets for 2018, I have been explicitly clear with local authorities that these are minimum targets, and that where additional capacity to deliver arises, we will work in partnership with local authorities to drive that accelerated delivery. The targets for each local authority have been published and are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-delivery-targets-for-local-authorities-2018-2021/.
In direct response to the housing challenge and in order to support housing authorities deliver on their responsibilities and obligations, a number of dedicated structures have been put in place to support Approved Housing Bodies and local authorities to maximise their delivery potential and to harness the best that is available in their functional areas.
New rapid delivery construction is a vital part of the overall social housing delivery programme and 208 new homes have already been delivered through this scheme. An additional 24 rapid projects, involving over 650 new homes, are now being advanced, 283 of which are scheduled for delivery in 2018. New social housing construction schemes are being added to the pipeline on a continuous basis, both through the local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies.
Of particular note has been the establishment of a framework of rapid build contractors by the Office of Government Procurement, which means that local authorities across the country can now run quicker procurement competitions and advance rapid build projects to site more effectively and efficiently. While the rapid build housing programme is being implemented to expedite social housing supply, it should be noted that these homes are being built to the highest construction standards.
All stakeholders are acutely aware of the challenge around homelessness and are highly focussed on delivering long-term sustainable solutions for those individuals and families experiencing homelessness. For families on the waiting lists who are experiencing homelessness, we will continue to work on further solutions to give them the support they need. During 2017, over 4,700 adults that were homeless, or at risk of homelessness, entered into independent sustainable tenancies.
The actions, targets and resources available under Rebuilding Ireland provide a strong platform for meeting our challenges in the housing sector. I am satisfied that delivery of the Plan remains firmly on track and I and my Department will continue to work with all delivery partners to ensure that targets continue to be met.
479. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent by which the local authority housing stock has increased by way of purchase of extra houses or new builds in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20079/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraData in relation to social housing delivery by local authorities is available on my Department's website. While data for 2018 to date is not yet available, detailed data in relation to 2017 is available at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/attachments/1b1-la-bld-by-area_10.xlsx.
In 2017, over 7,000 additional units were brought into the active social housing stock under Build, Acquisition and Leasing Programmes. This included 2,297 New build units, 2,214 acquired units, 827 leased units and 1,757 voids. In addition to this, over 18,800 flexible housing solutions were delivered under the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).
In 2018, it is expected that more than 25,000 additional households will have their housing need met, including through HAP and RAS. In this regard, I recently wrote to all local authorities setting out their individual social housing targets across build, acquisition and leasing for 2018 and also for 2018-2021. Details of these are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link:
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-delivery-targets-for-local-authorities-2018-2021/.
Rebuilding Ireland, together with initiatives announced on foot of the targeted review of progress which was undertaken last year, as well as additional measures announced under Budget 2018, provides a robust framework for addressing the housing and homelessness challenges we face. My Department's focus, and that of all delivery agents, will remain on implementation and delivery to ensure that the range of objectives and targets set are achieved. A wide range of delivery mechanisms and a funding commitment of €6 billion over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland have been put in place to support the achievement of these targets.
482. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of families rehoused by Kildare County Council in each of the last three years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20082/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraKildare County Council, along with all other local authorities, is being funded to increase significantly its delivery of social housing as part of Rebuilding Ireland.
Details on the number of social houses constructed, purchased, leased or supported through the Housing Assistance Payment or Rental Accommodation Scheme by all local authorities over the past 3 years, including Kildare County Council is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision .
In accordance with Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations, the allocation of such additional social homes in Kildare and the normal reletting of properties otherwise becoming available are a matter for the Council. Accordingly, my Department does not hold information regarding their precise allocation.
483. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which facilities are available to meet the housing needs of the indigenous rural population throughout rural Ireland by way of ensuring an adequate number of houses in keeping with good planning principles to facilitate insofar as is possible the indigenous needs of those living in rural areas thereby reducing the impact on housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20083/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Planning Framework (NPF), published together with the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 in February 2018, sets out an ambitious high-level national vision for Ireland for 2040, and provides the framework and principles to manage future population and economic growth over the next 20 years, catering for around 1 million extra people, 660,000 extra jobs and 550,000 extra homes.
Project Ireland 2040 will ensure that we maintain the fabric of our rural communities, support the growth of rural towns while recognising the need for the open countryside to continue to be a living and lived-in landscape, and invest to support job creation. The NPF is a national plan, with a high-level ambition of creating a single vision, a shared set of goals for every community across the country, and to deliver on these in a way that makes sense for our communities, rural and urban alike.
The Framework recognises the need for sustainable and coordinated development of our towns, villages and rural communities. The policy objectives under the NPF will be progressed further at the regional level through the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) which will link strategic national planning and investment with regional-scale physical planning and the local economic and community development functions of local authorities. Preparation of the RSESs by the three Regional Assemblies is underway, with completion envisaged by end 2018. The RSESs will subsequently be further elaborated upon at local authority city and county development plan levels.
In addition, the Deputy will be aware that the Action Plan for Rural Development, published in January 2017, takes a whole-of-Government approach, led by my colleague, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, to the economic and social development of rural Ireland and will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of rural initiatives across Government Departments and other public bodies.
A high proportion of overall national house-building taking place in rural areas points to the degree to which indigenous communities in rural areas are being facilitated in meeting their housing needs locally, with a degree of overspill development from cities and towns as well.
In addition, my Department’s 2005 Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing are designed to ensure that planning authorities strike a balance between managing the future of rural areas from a development perspective and at the same time enabling housing requirements of rural communities to be met. The Guidelines set out how planning authorities should frame their development plan policies for the different types of rural areas which may exist within the development plan area. These types of areas range from rural areas close to cities and towns at risk of overspill development and more remote areas with low levels of development pressure and consistent patterns of population decline. The Guidelines also set out policy advice on issues such as access to appropriate wastewater treatment facilities, potential impacts of the development on groundwater, landscape, natural and cultural heritage and addressing road safety issues (e.g. frontage onto national roads).
I am satisfied that we have a sufficiently flexible and robust national policy framework to ensure that rural communities can meet their housing needs.
484. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of houses and new housing starts in each of the counties immediately adjacent to Dublin city and county over the past 12 months; the expectation in the next six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20084/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes a range of datasets relating to housing market activity on the statistics area of its website. Details of commencement notices received by each of the 31 local authorities are published as a monthly series which can be accessed through the following weblink: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/construction-activity-starts.
The latest Monthly Housing Activity Report (March 2018), which is available on www.rebuildingireland.ie, is showing continued positive trends in residential construction activity and is evidence that the targeted supply-side interventions under Rebuilding Ireland are beginning to work. The report includes, where available, sub-totals for the Mid-East area which comprises the counties of Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. The most recent headline figures show that:
- In the year to end February 2018, commencement notices for over 18,500 new homes were submitted nationally, an annual increase of 41%. 3,172 of these were in the Mid-East Area, representing an annual increase of 45% in that region.
- Planning permissions for 20,776 homes were granted to end-December 2017, up 27% year on year. 4,530 of these were in the Mid-East Area, representing an annual increase of 72% in that region.
- In the year to end February 2018, Registrations for Homebond, an insurance scheme that relates primarily to multiple unit housing schemes, totalled 9,521, an annual increase of 46%. 2,279 of these were in the Mid-East Area, representing an annual increase of 40% in that region.
The next Monthly Housing Activity Report is expected to be published shortly.
Finally, as regards the outlook for the coming years, all indicators and estimates point towards a continued increase in output. For example, the Central Bank in its Quarterly Bulletin (Q2 2018), which is available at the following weblink: https://www.centralbank.ie/docs/default-source/publications/quarterly-bulletins/qb-archive/2018/quarterly-bulletin---qb2-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=4, forecasts that both housing and non-residential building should continue to recover strongly. The Bank has forecast growth for the construction sector as a whole of 14.8% and 11.7% for 2018 and 2019, respectively.
486. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the need to install a robust local authority housing loan system similar to that available in the 1980s will be examined with the objective of ensuring that families that do not qualify for local authority housing on income grounds can apply for a loan to buy or construct their own houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20086/18]
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 made available on 1 February 2018.
The new loan enables credit-worthy first-time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. The low rate of fixed interest associated with the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan provides first-time buyers with access to mortgage finance that they may not otherwise have been able to afford at a higher interest rate.
As with the previous local authority loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is available to first-time buyers only. This is to ensure the effective targeting of limited resources. Full details of the loan’s eligibility criteria and other information is available from the dedicated Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan website, http://rebuildingirelandhomeloan.ie/.
487. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of local authority houses directly under construction by the local authorities at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20087/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Housing Construction Status Report covering the period up to Quarter 4 of 2017 was published on 19 April 2018 and is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-construction-status-report-q4-2017/. It provides project and stage details of the social housing construction pipeline in place at end of 2017 for all local authorities, including those construction projects being delivered in partnership with approved housing bodies.
The report shows a pipeline to deliver over 13,400 social homes, a very substantial increase on the 8,430 homes in the pipeline a year earlier. At end 2017, almost 2,600 social homes were completed, with another 3,650 homes under construction, 1,900 homes about to go on site and the remaining 5,300 homes progressing through the various stages of planning, design and procurement.
If we exclude new social homes being delivered by approved housing bodies, this shows local authority led activity at 8,000 homes, with 1,330 homes completed, a further 1,900 homes under construction and a further 380 homes about to go on site, with the remaining 4,400 progressing through the various stages of planning, design and procurement.
My Department will continue to work with local authorities to maximise delivery and also harness appropriate opportunities to deliver on additional build units in 2018, including through turnkey schemes.
