Written Answers Nos. 297-306
297. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his policy on the way in which approved housing bodies allocate housing units, set rents and make available units to tenants that are not on the social housing waiting list of the local authority and whose rents are not differentially set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3561/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra298. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if approved housing bodies that receive State funding can allocate housing units on criteria other than that set by the local authority housing waiting list. [3562/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra299. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the proposal of an approved housing body to allocate housing units to couples that will pay €1,500 per month in rent that are not on the social housing waiting lists and that will have some of the rent set aside as a savings scheme to purchase a home in the future; if this scheme has his approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3563/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 297 to 299, inclusive, together.
The manner in which Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) allocate dwellings and set rent is dependent on the way in which the building/acquisition of the dwellings was funded.
Where AHB homes are acquired with funding under the Capital Advanced Loan Facility/Payment and Availability Agreement, or are leased with assistance under the Long-Term Leasing Scheme, it is a condition of such funding that tenancies may only be allocated to households nominated by the relevant housing authority from their social housing waiting list. Such tenants pay the differential rent set out in the relevant housing authority differential rent scheme.
In the case of homes funded historically under the now closed Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme, social housing tenants, that is, households nominated by the housing authority, pay a rent to be determined by the AHB, subject to a minimum set out by my Department, as a condition of the provision of funding under the scheme. Where the development was partly - at least 5% - funded by the AHB itself, however, up to 25% of the tenancies could be allocated to households/persons not on a social housing waiting list, and in such cases the rent to be paid is a matter for the AHB itself.
In the case of AHB units funded under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), it also the case that up to 25% of tenancies may be allocated to persons not on the housing authority’s social housing waiting list in cases where the units are at least 5% funded by the AHB. In such cases the rent will be determined by the AHB. Social housing tenants in CAS units pay, as a condition of funding under the scheme, an economic rent; if this rent is unaffordable, tenants may avail of support under Rent Supplement from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Occasionally AHBs acquire units without funding from my Department (e.g. bequests, gifts). In such cases, the allocation of tenancies and the rent to be paid is a matter for the individual AHB concerned.
Discussions on affordable housing are ongoing between my Department, local authorities and AHBs. However, no proposal of the nature referred to by the Deputy has been received by my Department at this time.
300. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the discussions to date which have taken place between his Department and Fingal County Council regarding the planned Broadmeadows Way cycle and pedestrian route in County Dublin; his plans to ensure assistance is provided to progress this regional greenway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3586/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraA request was received in September 2018 from Fingal County Council to meet with my Department to discuss the proposal concerned in advance of submitting an application under the Foreshore Act 1933, as amended. My Department has since been engaging with the local authority in relation to the information that is required to progress the matter.
As the foreshore application is likely to come before me for decision at some point in the future, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the matter at this time.
301. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of meetings he has attended since the beginning of September 2018 with his officials to discuss and prepare for Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3600/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government’s contingency planning for Brexit was initiated well in advance of the UK referendum in June 2016 and has intensified in recent months.
To this end, co-ordination of the whole-of-Government response to Brexit is being taken forward through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These include meetings of various groups on a weekly and fortnightly basis as well as a range of ongoing meetings with individual Departments across the range of sectors.
In my own Department, I have multiple engagements with the Secretary General every week to discuss Government business and the main business priorities of the Department, which would include regular discussions on Brexit.
In addition, a working group of senior officials within the Department is in place to coordinate the Department’s Brexit planning. Brexit is a standing agenda item at the monthly Ministerial Management Board meetings and at weekly meetings of the Department's Management Board.
Preparation and planning is ongoing across Government to address a range of Brexit scenarios, including a ‘no deal’ scenario, and Departments and agencies continue to develop and implement, as appropriate, Brexit preparedness and contingency planning in their areas of responsibility.
302. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the staffing numbers by local authority in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3641/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department gathers quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities.
Staffing numbers for the local authority sector, as well as the broader public sector, are available on the Public Service Numbers databank which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is available at the following link: http://databank.per.gov.ie/, providing access to information from 1980 onwards.
The staffing levels for the end of Quarter 4, 2018 are currently being collated and will be published on the PER databank when finalised.
303. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of grants and subsidies provided to local authorities in 2017 and 2018, by local authority. [3642/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraCentral Government funding of local authorities presents a complex picture, with transfers, both current and capital, coming from a range of Departments and Offices for a variety of purposes. Some streams of funding are delivered directly from funding departments to local authorities, while others are routed through departmental agencies.
Most of the funding sourced from Central Government and provided to local authorities must be used for specified services. These can be grouped into five broad programme categories: recreational, education, environment, housing and transport. My Department does not collate specific information on the number of grants and subsidies provided to local authorities; this information may be available at individual local authority level. However, the table below sets out the figures included in the audited annual financial statements of local authorities for 2017 for both revenue (current) and capital income received from grants and subsidies.
These figures relate to 2017 only and include LPT self funding in the case of those local authorites where this obligation arises. They do not include other LPT allocations. Unaudited financial statements for 2018 are not due for submission to my Department until 31 March 2019, after which the audit of those statements will begin.
Table of Grants and Subsidies income for both Revenue and Capital to all local authorities in 2017 extracted from their audited annual financial statements
|
|
Grants & Subsidies Revenue |
Grants & Subsidies Capital |
|
Carlow |
13,697,401 |
14,862,324 |
|
Cavan |
21,899,870 |
13,854,773 |
|
Clare |
32,179,863 |
26,617,722 |
|
Cork City |
26,080,693 |
40,079,820 |
|
Cork County |
76,579,306 |
93,183,779 |
|
Donegal |
39,637,699 |
34,210,001 |
|
Dublin City |
218,709,943 |
225,808,039 |
|
Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown |
31,582,461 |
44,505,798 |
|
Fingal |
42,254,638 |
60,827,656 |
|
Galway City |
15,387,699 |
8,587,479 |
|
Galway County |
38,248,800 |
32,408,432 |
|
Kerry |
34,071,453 |
41,090,821 |
|
Kildare |
38,696,800 |
72,980,723 |
|
Kilkenny |
24,201,589 |
26,381,003 |
|
Laois |
17,274,479 |
15,617,612 |
|
Leitrim |
12,057,534 |
6,423,446 |
|
Limerick City and County |
182,956,027 * |
78,596,434 |
|
Longford |
11,139,631 |
9,106,010 |
|
Louth |
25,084,015 |
21,644,185 |
|
Mayo |
41,873,633 |
38,189,175 |
|
Meath |
26,433,914 |
32,129,575 |
|
Monaghan |
18,896,478 |
22,953,736 |
|
Offaly |
19,211,939 |
6,267,313 |
|
Roscommon |
18,736,697 |
16,605,728 |
|
Sligo |
18,240,463 |
19,708,301 |
|
South Dublin |
53,672,244 |
47,930,657 |
|
Tipperary |
44,507,049 |
21,351,571 |
|
Waterford City and County |
36,347,309 |
12,809,581 |
|
Westmeath |
20,369,762 |
17,461,530 |
|
Wexford |
26,781,273 |
35,379,657 |
|
Wicklow |
24,090,943 |
12,564,498 |
|
Total |
1,250,901,607 |
1,150,137,378 |
* This includes funding provided to Limerick City and County Council in its role as the shared service provider for the Housing Assistance Payment scheme.
304. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the baseline figure in the context of the local property tax for each local authority for 2019. [3643/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with Government decisions on Local Property Tax (LPT) distribution, every local authority has a minimum level of funding available, known as the baseline. There are variances in LPT levels across the country, but all local authorities receive at least this baseline funding to support the delivery of services. The total LPT baseline figure for 2019 is €355 million. The individual baselines for local authorities are set out in the table below.
The final LPT allocations to local authorities for 2019, amounting to €503 million, along with details of the amounts retained locally in each area, local variation decisions, baselines, equalisation amounts etc., are published on my Department’s website at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/chargestaxes/local-property-tax/local-property-tax-final-allocations-local-authorities-2019.
Table 1- 2019 LPT Baselines
|
Local Authority |
2019 Baseline € |
|
Carlow County Council |
6,138,657 |
|
Cavan County Council |
9,480,501 |
|
Cork City Council |
11,927,355 |
|
Donegal County Council |
25,119,850 |
|
Galway County Council |
14,517,890 |
|
Kerry County Council |
13,776,761 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
10,673,913 |
|
Laois County Council |
8,558,877 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
8,956,315 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
17,554,464 |
|
Longford County Council |
8,906,648 |
|
Louth County Council |
9,866,198 |
|
Mayo County Council |
19,812,344 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
11,238,572 |
|
Offaly County Council |
7,656,288 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
10,216,232 |
|
Sligo County Council |
10,202,627 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
25,951,602 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
18,678,971 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
11,205,507 |
|
Wexford County Council |
13,547,516 |
|
Meath County Council |
10,535,969 |
|
Clare County Council |
4,435,383 |
|
Cork County Council |
8,402,758 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
8,270,919 |
|
Dublin City Council |
19,095,592 |
|
Fingal County Council |
3,699,275 |
|
Galway City Council |
2,599,723 |
|
Kildare County Council |
11,755,790 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
3,856,262 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
8,547,247 |
|
Total |
355,186,005 |
305. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons on a waiting list for social housing in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, by local authority area and length of time on the list by single, couple, family applications and so on; the number of persons on local authority housing transfer lists in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, by local authority area and length of time on the list, by single, couple, family applications and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3679/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area are set out in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). Since 2016, the summary process has been carried out on an annual basis.
The SSHA report includes breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories. Details in relation to household composition can be found at tables 2.4 and A1.4. Details on the length of time spent on the record of qualified households (waiting lists) can be found at tables 2.8 and A1.8. It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time exercise and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the list.
The most recent summary, which was carried out in 2018, details the number of households on all local authority waiting lists as at 11 June 2018. The SSHAs for 2018, 2017 and 2016 can be found on my Department's website at the links below.
Report 2018
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/summary_of_social_housing_assessments_2018_-_key_findings.pdf .
Report 2017
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/sha_summary_2017.pdf .
Report 2016
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/summary_of_social_housing_assessments_2016.pdf .
My Department is currently working with the Housing Agency on the proposed 2019 summary. I expect the results of that summary to be available early in the final quarter of this year.
My Department does not hold information on the number of households on local authorities' housing transfer lists. The management of these lists is a matter for individual local authorities and the numbers fluctuate continually as, for example, households are granted transfers, in accordance with an authority’s allocation scheme, to take up other accommodation options.
306. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons in emergency homeless accommodation by local authority area and by length of time in such accommodation; the number of children and adults in each case in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the cost of providing such accommodation in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3680/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes a monthly report on homelessness. The monthly report is based on data provided by housing authorities and produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The report captures details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities.
The most recent report is for November 2018 which showed that there were 6,157 adults and 3,811 dependants in emergency accommodation in that month. Monthly reports for 2016, 2017 and 2018 are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
Quarterly performance reports prepared by the local authorities on a regional basis provide information on the duration of time spent by persons in emergency accommodation. The most recently published report is for Quarter 3 2018 and shows that 43% of the adults recorded were in emergency accommodation for less than 6 months, and 57% for more than 6 months. The regional breakdown at the end of Quarter 3 2018 is shown in the table.
Q3 Duration in Emergency Accommodation - Regional Breakdown
|
|
< 6 months |
|
> 6 Months |
|
Regional Total |
|
|
Amount |
% |
Amount |
% |
|
|
Dublin |
1,196 |
31% |
2,683 |
69% |
3,879 |
|
Mid-East |
282 |
75% |
92 |
25% |
374 |
|
Midland |
78 |
70% |
34 |
30% |
112 |
|
Mid West |
226 |
68% |
107 |
32% |
333 |
|
North East |
76 |
64% |
42 |
36% |
118 |
|
North West |
35 |
78% |
10 |
22% |
45 |
|
South East |
175 |
53% |
153 |
47% |
328 |
|
South West |
266 |
73% |
99 |
27% |
365 |
|
West |
188 |
57% |
142 |
43% |
330 |
|
Totals |
2,522 |
43% |
3,362 |
57% |
5,884 |
In relation to the costs of providing emergency accommodation, my Department provides funding to housing authorities on a regional basis towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services. Under the funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless related services outside of these funding arrangements with my Department. Therefore, the exact amounts spent by housing authorities on homeless services, as well as the types of accommodation and the service providers engaged, are a matter for those authorities.
Performance and Financial reports from each of the regions, setting out expenditure on homeless services, including emergency accommodation, in each region are published on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/node/5498.
