Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2019
180. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of houses in County Donegal affected by mica; if this includes council houses, State buildings, retaining walls, extensions, conservatories and so on; the estimated amount it will cost to resolve; and if the scheme will be open ended. [21277/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra181. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if families that have had remedial work carried out on their houses receive a certificate of being clear of mica in view of the fact that persons do not want to register with a group (details supplied) for fear their houses will be devalued or they will not be able to obtain insurance for their property. [21278/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra182. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if families affected by mica will have to continue to pay the local property tax; if families have to pay mortgages and rent if they are forced to move out; if the funding covers compensation to families; the effect the crisis will have on the provision of local authority houses in County Donegal; and the number of local authority houses set aside for families from mica houses. [21279/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra183. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when he plans to put in place a redress scheme or grant scheme for residents in County Donegal affected by problems in concrete blocks affected by Muscovite mica; the steps taken to put in place such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21202/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 183, inclusive, together.
An Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks was established by my Department in 2016 and its terms of reference were limited to the investigation of the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo. The report of the Expert Panel was published in 2017 and included eight recommendations, which my Department is actively progressing with the relevant stakeholders.
In October 2018, the Government approved in principle the development of a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the two counties to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to defective concrete blocks. Earlier this week, agreement was reached with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to allocate €20 million to a scheme for this purpose from within the €2.4 billion housing budget for 2019. Funding for future years will be agreed on an annual basis.
The extent of damage arising from mica varies significantly from house to house. It is intended that the maximum rate of grant will be 90%, with the full terms and conditions of the scheme being finalised over the coming weeks, in consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. This will take account also of the further engagement that my Department will now be having with Donegal and Mayo County Councils in relation to the arrangements for the scheme. On completion of this work, it is intended to revert to Government for a further decision.
While initial work has been carried out on the range of potential costs arising, the ultimate costs involved will be determined by the final terms and conditions of the scheme and will, of course, also depend on the number of applications made under the scheme and the extent of the damage to be remediated in each individual house ultimately approved for grant assistance.
In relation to the issue of certification for families who have already had remedial work carried out on their dwellings, the issuing of such certification is a matter entirely for the homeowner and the professionals they have engaged. Similarly, the payment of mortgages and rent is a matter for individual property owners.
As regards Local Property Tax (LPT), taxation policy, including matters relevant to LPT, falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Finance. The Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 (as amended) provides for the administration of LPT and allows for only a limited number of exemptions from that tax. There is no specific exemption for properties affected by mica or pyrite in the concrete blockwork However, as LPT operates on a self-assessment basis, it is a matter for the property owner, in the first instance, to calculate the tax due based on his or her assessment of the market value of their property. When making an assessment of the value of a property, issues such as the presence of mica (or any other defects, which may adversely affect the value of the property) should be taken into account by the property owner.
In relation to the issues referred to concerning social housing, the relevant legislation provides that a household is not eligible for long-term social housing support if a household member owns alternative accommodation that the household could reasonably be expected to use to meet its housing need, either by occupying it or by selling it, and using the proceeds to secure suitable accommodation. However, in determining a household’s need for social housing support, local authorities are required to have regard to, inter alia, the household’s current accommodation, specifically its fitness for human habitation, having regard to the matters set out in Housing Act 1966, which include the stability of the structure. Decisions on the eligibility of individual households for social housing support are a matter for the local authority concerned.
