Written Answers Nos, 302-314
302. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the correct level of one-parent family allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18266/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is receiving the correct rate of One Parent Family Payment based on their current circumstances.
A means assessment was recently finalised for the person concerned on 21st March 2019. The weekly means figure was calculated based on the person concerned's part-time earnings and maintenance payments received at that time.
A means review form will issue again to the person concerned on 1st July 2019. Should there be any change in their circumstances prior to this date, they should contact my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
303. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the processing of the reviews for persons on reduced contributory pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18301/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince late September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners, born on or after 1 September 1946, who have a reduced rate State pension contributory entitlement based on post Budget 2012 rate-bands. These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pension calculation which includes provision for homecaring periods.
Wherever possible, reviews will be processed based on information already held by the Department. Where additional information is required about gap periods in a person's social insurance record, a written request will issue. Almost 41,000 requests for information have been issued.
Reviews commenced from 13 February 2019, the day after I signed the necessary Regulations which, together with provisions in the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registrations Act 2018, allows the increased payments to be made. As at 12th April 2019, 20,337 reviews have been completed. Of these, 13,951 received an increase in their rate of pension, with 6,386 continuing to receive their existing rate of payment. The remaining review outcomes will issue as individual reviews are completed.
Regardless of when a review is conducted, where an increase in payment is due, the person's rate of payment will be adjusted without delay and arrears issued backdated to 30 March 2018, or the person's 66th birthday if later. Where a person's rate does not increase following review, the person will continue to receive their existing rate of payment.
It will take a number of months to complete the reviews due to the numbers involved and the individual nature of social insurance records. This work will continue until all identified pensioners receive their review outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
304. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons employed at each level of the Civil Service from Secretary General to cleaner each year since 2016; the number of those at each level that are female in each year since 2016, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18350/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government are implementing transformational reforms under the Civil Service Renewal agenda. A key commitment in the Civil Service Renewal Plan is to maximise the contribution of all staff, by nurturing and rewarding talent and by encouraging civil servants to develop their potential in a workplace committed to equality and diversity. The gender balance policy measures have been endorsed by the Government and are framed around practical HR and organisational considerations. Measures such as a target of 50/50 gender balance in appointments at senior levels are now in place.
The following tables provide the number of male and female officers (full time equivalents) across all grades in my Department at year end for 2016, 2017, 2018 and end March for 2019.
DEASP End 2016
|
Grade |
Female FTE |
Male FTE |
|
Secretary General |
1.00 |
0.00 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
1.00 |
0.00 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
5.00 |
6.00 |
|
Principal Officer |
19.80 |
42.00 |
|
Medical Assessor |
21.00 |
10.00 |
|
Assistant Principal |
110.73 |
163.15 |
|
Administrative Officer |
7.60 |
15.76 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
973.77 |
544.70 |
|
Executive Officer |
582.12 |
339.70 |
|
Staff Officer |
451.47 |
123.60 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1992.54 |
583.33 |
|
Services Officer |
10.00 |
122.60 |
|
Cleaner |
9.50 |
1.00 |
|
Total |
4185.53 |
1951.84 |
DEASP End 2017
|
Grade |
Female FTE |
Male FTE |
|
Secretary General |
0.00 |
1.00 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
1.00 |
0.00 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
5.00 |
4.00 |
|
Principal Officer |
17.80 |
41.80 |
|
Medical Assessor |
21.30 |
9.00 |
|
Assistant Principal |
115.03 |
156.15 |
|
Administrative Officer |
7.60 |
18.80 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
956.27 |
541.40 |
|
Executive Officer |
986.11 |
448.13 |
|
Staff Officer |
36.53 |
10.00 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1941.93 |
581.63 |
|
Services Officer |
8.00 |
125.30 |
|
Cleaner |
11.94 |
1.00 |
|
Total |
4108.51 |
1938.21 |
DEASP End 2018
|
Grade |
Female FTE |
Male FTE |
|
Secretary General |
0.00 |
1.00 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
1.00 |
0.00 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
4.00 |
6.00 |
|
Principal Officer |
18.80 |
37.60 |
|
Medical Assessor |
19.10 |
9.00 |
|
Assistant Principal |
121.83 |
153.55 |
|
Administrative Officer |
8.55 |
16.00 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
961.11 |
540.94 |
|
Executive Officer * |
952.52 |
456.00 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1948.24 |
569.60 |
|
Services Officer |
7.00 |
127.10 |
|
Cleaner |
10.65 |
1.00 |
|
Total |
4052.80 |
1917.79 |
* Staff Officer grade amalgamated with Executive Officer grade
DEASP March 2019
|
Grade |
Female FTE |
Male FTE |
|
Secretary General |
0.00 |
1.00 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
1.00 |
0.00 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
3.00 |
6.00 |
|
Principal Officer |
23.60 |
41.60 |
|
Medical Assessor |
19.10 |
8.00 |
|
Assistant Principal |
118.03 |
148.55 |
|
Administrative Officer |
9.55 |
15.00 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
968.30 |
537.88 |
|
Executive Officer |
952.26 |
464.00 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1911.90 |
560.75 |
|
Services Officer |
8.00 |
122.10 |
|
Cleaner |
10.65 |
1.00 |
|
Total |
4025.39 |
1905.88 |
305. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of housing assistance payment, HAP, or rental accommodation scheme, RAS, tenancies nationwide that are former county council owned properties sold through the tenant purchase schemes; the cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18104/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. At the end of Quarter 4, 2018, there were more than 43,400 households in receipt of HAP and over 25,000 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme.
The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) has been an important contributor to social housing supply since its introduction on a pilot basis in 2005. From its commencement to 31 December 2018, some 35,248 households have been transferred from Rent Supplement to RAS. As of the 31st December 2018, 14,092 private RAS tenancies are supported by local housing authorities, in addition to a further 4,823 RAS tenancies jointly supported by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and local housing authorities.
My Department does not hold or collect information in relation to the number of HAP or RAS tenancies in former council owned properties.
HAP and RAS continue to be key vehicles in meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme outlined under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.
306. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the avenues open to a person who employed a registered architect who did not carry out their role of assigned certifier leaving their client living in a house which has not been certified since 2015; the number of formal complaints made to an organisation (details supplied) in the past 15 years; the number of architects sanctioned and or struck off following these complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18109/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Building Control Act 2007 provides for the registration of persons entitled to use the professional title of Architect. Neither I nor my Department has any direct role in the operation of this register. This is a matter for the professional body designated as the relevant competent registration authority for the purposes of European and National law, namely the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) in respect of the architectural profession.
A person wishing to make a complaint about the professional performance of a registered architect may make a complaint to the Professional Conduct Committee of the RIAI. The complaints procedure is set out in the Rules of the Professional Conduct Committee which are available on the RIAI website at the following link and at Part 6 of the Building Control Act 2007.
Each year, the RIAI publishes an Annual Report, which includes information about the previous year’s activity. Included in that Annual Report is a Registration Report which gives information about the activity of the four statutory boards/committees: the Professional Conduct Committee, the Admissions Board, the Technical Assessment Board and the Appeals Board. Statistics about the number of complaints and the outcomes of those complaints is included in the information about the Professional Conduct Committee. These Annual Reports are available to view or download on the website of the RIAI at
https://www.riai.ie/about/riai_annual_reports/ .
307. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason only a portion of Limerick city has been designated a rent pressure zone; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons renting across Limerick city are struggling with escalating rental costs; if this decision will be reviewed and all of Limerick city included as a rent pressure zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18124/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 24A of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered for designation as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. For the purpose of the Act, ‘area’ is defined as either the administrative area of a housing authority or a local electoral area within the meaning of section 2 of the Local Government Act 2001.
For an area to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone, it must satisfy the following criteria set out in section 24A(4) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as inserted by section 36 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016):
(i) the annual rate of rent inflation in the area must have been 7% or more in four of the last six quarters; and
(ii) the average rent for tenancies registered in the area with the RTB in the last quarter must be above the average national rent (the National Standardised Rent in the RTB’s Rent Index Report) in the last quarter (€1,134 per month in Q4 2018).
The RTB Rent Index Report includes a summary in Table 9 of the data used to establish whether each Local Electoral Area fulfils the criteria for designation as a Rent Pressure Zone. This ensures transparency in relation to the position of individual areas in terms of average rent levels and increases.
Further information on Rent Pressure Zones and designations is available on my Department's website at this link and by searching 'rent pressure zones - information'.
The most recent average national rent available for this purpose is taken from the Q4 2018 RTB Rent Index Report which records an average national rent of €1,134.
Five of the six Local Electoral Areas (LEA’s) in Limerick do not currently fulfil the RPZ designation criteria under the legislation as the average rent in each is below the National Standardised Rent of €1,134. The sixth LEA, Limerick City East, did fulfil the criteria on the basis of the Q4 2018 Rent index Report and, accordingly, on 27 March 2019, I announced the designation of Limerick City East as a Rent Pressure Zone with effect from 28 March 2019.
The data from the Q4 2018 Rent Index Report relating to the six Limerick LEAs is set out in the following table.
|
Local Electoral Area |
Quarters > 7% |
Average 2018 Q4 (€) |
|
Newcastle West |
4 |
546.25 |
|
Adare – Rathkeale |
* |
* |
|
Cappamore – Killmallock |
3 |
723.50 |
|
Limerick City West |
4 |
1054.14 |
|
Limerick City North |
4 |
961.11 |
|
Limerick City East |
6 |
1134.45 |
Notes: * indicates that rents in areas with less than 30 observations are not published for statistical reasons.
The Housing Agency continues to monitor the market with a view to making recommendations for further areas to be considered for designation as rent pressure zones, as required. Following the recent designation of Limerick City East and Navan as rent pressure zones; over 55% of tenancies nationally are now located in rent pressure zones.
The Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2018 was published on 19 December 2018 to deliver on a number of commitments flowing from Rebuilding Ireland and commitments made subsequently to provide powers to the RTB to investigate and sanction landlords who engage in improper conduct, including non-compliance with the rent increase restriction in Rent Pressure Zones. Key measures in relation to rent increases passed through Committee Stage on 11 April, including the extension of the designation of existing RPZs to the end of 2021.
For fairness across the country, revisions are proposed in respect of the average rent qualifying criterion for RPZ designation. Following enactment of the Bill, using RTB data, (i) the rent of a dwelling in the Greater Dublin Area (Kildare, Wicklow and Meath) will be compared to the average rent across the country, excluding Dublin rents; and (ii) the rent of a dwelling outside of the Greater Dublin Area will be compared to the average rent across the country, excluding the Greater Dublin Area rents.
308. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the estimated first and full year cost of establishing town councils; the number of town councils that will be needed; the number of town councils that existed previously; the cost of running those town councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18139/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Government Reform Act 2014 saw the dissolution of 80 town councils and the Government has no plans for their reintroduction. Instead, the focus of current policy is to strengthen the operation of the 95 municipal districts established in 2014 and which cover the entirety of the State’s population as opposed to the 14% of the population previously represented by town councils.
A report by my Department entitled “Municipal Governance – Districts, Towns and Local Electoral Areas”, which is with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government for consideration, contained an outline assessment of the potential cost of reintroducing town councils, along similar lines as previously existed, suggesting that the costs could be in the order of €28 million to €38 million per annum. Any detailed calculation of the full cost of reverting to town councils should also, in addition to the cost of re-establishing structures, take account of the potential financial impact of unwinding reforms introduced since 2014 in areas such as rate-setting.
It should be noted that engagement with local authority members, as represented by the Association of Irish Local Government, has focused on strengthening the roles of municipal districts and achieving a clearer focus on towns within that context.
309. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the estimated first and full year cost of setting up directly elected mayors; the estimated annual cost thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18140/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 24 May 2019, the electors of the administrative areas of Cork City, Limerick City and County and Waterford City and County Councils will be asked to vote in a plebiscite on the Government’s proposal for a Mayor with executive functions to be directly elected by the people.
An independent Committee, chaired by Henry Abbott, a retired judge of the High Court, and including representatives from the three local authorities, my Department and the Local Government Management Agency, as well as an independent legal adviser, was established to facilitate and oversee the provision of impartial and factual information to the electorates in the three areas regarding the plebiscites. Following its consideration of the issue of the costs involved, the Committee has stated in its guide to voters that "while the full costs are unknown, the additional costs of the Government's proposals to establish an office of directly elected Mayor with executive functions could range from around €313,000 to €450,000".
The Local Government Act 2019 provides for the holding of the plebiscites. Under the Act, if the proposal is approved by a majority of voters in any of the three areas, the Minister will submit a report to the Oireachtas with legislative proposals for an election of a Mayor by the people of that area. The Oireachtas will then consider the legislation. If the law is passed, a direct election for Mayor with executive functions will take place for the area concerned.
310. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the revenue received by each local authority from the development levy or variations of the levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18141/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraDevelopment contributions are levied as conditions attached to planning permissions and are payable prior to commencement of development or as otherwise agreed by the local authority. Commencement notices are issued by the developer to the local authority and these generally trigger the raising of the charge. Local authorities may facilitate the phased payment of contributions, such as when units are completed or when a stage is reached in the development.
In order to avoid inconsistencies in recognising income and the raising of invoices that would be unlikely to be collected in the near future, a pragmatic approach to accounting for income has been adopted. When a commencement notice is received, contributions collectable within the next 12 months are usually treated as income and a short-term debtor is raised. Those contributions not deemed collectable in the next 12 months are treated as deferred income, with potential debtors not collectable in the next 12 months being treated as long-term debtors. Deferred income is treated as a long-term creditor and is matched against Long-term development contribution debtors in the Annual Financial Statement (AFS). This accounting treatment acknowledges that long-term debtors are not income in the current period, and they may or may not become due depending on the progress of the development and are thus deferred to future periods.
Local Authorities operate on an accrual accounting basis and recognise income and expenditure as incurred, regardless of the cash transactions. The AFS do not separately show the amount of cash on hand in relation to development contributions but instead show the amount of development contributions due to local authorities.
Appendix 5 of the amalgamated AFS shows a total income of €211.5m for Development Contributions for the financial year ending 31/12/2017, which is the most recent year for which audited figures are available. The development contribution income for each local authority for 2017 is set out in the following table. Note 5 of the AFS shows short term current debtors of €293.2 m, gross of any bad debt provisions.
The reporting of long term development contribution debtors and deferred income in respect of development contributions was amended with effect from AFS 2016, meaning they are no longer shown separately (although the information continues to be recorded within the Local Authorities Financial Management Systems). The AFS does not separately report long-term debtors and deferred income but effectively nets these off. The rationale for this change was to address the misinterpretation of the data. Long-term development contribution debtors and deferred income were not being viewed together, leading to a misleading perception that significant long-term development contributions were due to local authorities.
|
Local Authority |
2017 € |
|
Carlow County Council |
911,007 |
|
Cavan County Council |
730,685 |
|
Clare County Council |
1,398,498 |
|
Cork City Council |
1,580,595 |
|
Cork County Council |
13,141,201 |
|
Donegal County Council |
1,304,931 |
|
Dublin City Council |
55,631,274 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
25,522,953 |
|
Fingal County Council |
41,071,965 |
|
Galway City Council |
(889,267) |
|
Galway County Council |
1,252,929 |
|
Kerry County Council |
1,681,055 |
|
Kildare County Council |
812,756 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
1,211,561 |
|
Laois County Council |
2,053,226 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
458,584 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
3,102,386 |
|
Longford County Council |
(375,693) |
|
Louth County Council |
4,739,599 |
|
Mayo County Council |
1,014,385 |
|
Meath County Council |
11,812,633 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
309,912 |
|
Offaly County Council |
922,514 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
827,106 |
|
Sligo County Council |
550,945 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
25,170,780 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
2,132,744 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
2,339,566 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
674,929 |
|
Wexford County Council |
3,008,844 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
7,463,736 |
|
Total income |
211,568,609 |
311. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the cost of the deep retrofit pilot programme; the number of properties retrofitted; the average cost by house of retrofitting under the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18143/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Energy Efficiency/Retrofitting Programme was launched in 2013 to improve the insulation standards and overall energy performance of local authority social housing stock. The programme is being implemented in two phases: Phase 1 provides funding targeted at the less intrusive cavity wall/attic insulation, while Phase 2 focuses on the fabric upgrade works to dwellings with solid/hollow block wall construction and includes the provision of heating upgrades.
Since the programme commenced, 68,296 social homes have been insulation retrofitted, with a total exchequer spend of €128.7 million. This equates to an average cost of €1,885 per home retrofitted under the measure. The Programme has a budget of €25 million for 2019.
312. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of his plans for the issue of estates that residents wish to be taken in charge by a local authority (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18157/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra313. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding available for Cork city and council councils to take in charge estates; if funding is also available to cover works required by Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18158/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 313 together.
Residential developments consisting of two or more dwellings that have been granted planning permission under Section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) may be eligible (depending on the grant of planning condition) for taking in charge. The taking in charge of residential estates by local authorities is provided for under Section 180 of the 2000 Act and is a reserved function of the elected members.
Under Section 180 (1) of the Act, the planning authority is obliged to initiate taking in charge procedures where requested by either the developer or by the majority of owners of the dwellings. However, this is subject to the development being completed to the satisfaction of the authority and in accordance with the permission and any conditions.
My Department launched the National Taking-in-Charge Initiative (NTICI) in April 2016 to trial new approaches and working methods in supporting and accelerating overall national and local action on the taking-in-charge process of housing estates, including estates with developer-provided water services infrastructure (DPI). Under the terms of the NTICI, which was underpinned by €10 million in funding, developments subject to valid taking-in-charge applications were eligible for inclusion in the associated call for funding proposals. Ultimately, €7.5 million of the allocated funding was paid to local authorities in respect of 330 developments, containing some 14,930 homes. Of this €7.5 million, a total of approximately €510,000 was paid to Cork City and Cork County Councils, assisting 18 estates containing 855 homes.
Findings and recommendations from the NTICI process were included in a report on the initiative that was published by my Department in December 2018. The report is available at the following link.
While the NTICI was not intended as a rolling funding programme for taking estates in charge but provided instead a focused examination of the issues involved, the publication of the NTICI report is of value to local authorities and other stakeholders in applying the lessons from the pilot authorities, in a more general roll-out of a streamlined approach to taking-in-charge, including through coordination with capital works by Irish Water. In this regard, my Department is liaising with Irish Water in relation to the report.
Ultimately, however, progression of individual developments through the taking-in-charge process is a matter for the relevant housing developer, the residents in such developments and the relevant local authorities, following the procedures laid out in Section 180 of the Act.
314. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of applications by category A and B projects made under the urban regeneration and development fund by county, to date, in tabular form; the number of successful and unsuccessful project applications by category that applied for funding by county; the successful projects, by county, that have been approved for funding by category; the value of funding approved for each such project; when successful applicants will receive funding in 2019; the amount allocated to the fund in 2019; the number of payments that have issued to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18223/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched as part of Project Ireland 2040, to support the compact growth and sustainable development of Ireland’s five cities, regional drivers and other large urban centres.
A total of 189 applications were received by my Department under the first call for proposals. The full list of those applications, including details of counties and categories, is available on my Department's website at the following link.
On 26 November 2018, I announced a provisional allocation of €100m URDF funding to support 88 successful proposals, details of which are published on my Department's website at the following link.
There are two types of project: Category A - projects that are 'ready to go' - and Category B - projects that are at an earlier stage (Master-planning/Feasibility etc.) and which will assist in forming a future pipeline of projects, as the URDF is a rolling fund, with €2 billion available to 2027. Of this, €58 m is available in 2019 to provide initial support for these approved projects while €550 million is included in the NDP to provide further support for these and other similar projects up to 2022.
The advancement of these projects through their various stages of development is, in the first instance, a matter for the applicants concerned. Since last November’s announcement, my Department has engaged with a large number of the successful applicants to further clarify the details of their proposals, the proposed composition and progression of projects, and to establish the level of related URDF funding demands expected to arise for 2019 and beyond.
The Department has now concluded this process and further correspondence outlining the terms and conditions attached to URDF support, together with the arrangements for management and disbursement of the associated Exchequer funding, will issue shortly. As yet, there have been no payments under the Fund.
