Written Answers Nos. 290-309
290. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when recommendations made in the review of the tenant purchase scheme will be progressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16702/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra291. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to amend the tenant (incremental) purchase scheme 2016, in particular, the minimum reckonable income requirement which discriminates against many tenants over 66 years of age (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16704/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 290 and 291 together.
The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme, which came into operation on 1 January 2016, is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
The minimum reckonable income for eligibility under the scheme is determined by the relevant local authority in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the 2014 Act. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, local authorities include income from a number of different sources and classes, such as from employment, private pensions, maintenance payments and certain social welfare payments, including pensions, where the social welfare payment is secondary to employment income.
In determining reckonable income, the income of all tenants of the house, including adult children that are joint tenants, is included, as is the income of the spouse, civil partner or other partner / co-habitant of a tenant who lives in the house with them, thus ensuring the appropriate level of discount is applied to the purchase price.
The minimum income criterion was introduced in order to ensure the sustainability of the scheme. Applicants must demonstrate that they have an income that is long-term and sustainable in nature. This ensures that the tenant purchasing the house is in a financial position, as the owner, to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, in compliance with the conditions of the order transferring the ownership of, and responsibility for, the house from the local authority to the tenant.
The financing of any house sold under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is a separate matter from the eligibility criteria for the scheme. If the tenant is deemed eligible under the scheme, he or she may fund the purchase of a house from one, or a combination, of his/her own resources or a mortgage provided by a financial institution or a local authority house purchase loan.
A review of the operation of the first 12 months of the Tenant Purchase (Incremental) Scheme has been recently finalised and a full report has been prepared setting out findings and recommendations.
The Programme for Government commits to maintaining the right of social housing tenants to purchase their own home with some changes to eligibility. The review and the commitments in the Programme for Government are being examined as part of the work on the broader social housing reform agenda. I expect that the review will be published once all the work on these reform measures is completed.
Question No. 292 answered with Question No. 285.
293. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding allocated each year via grant aid for lead pipe replacement for domestic use since grant funding was introduced; the number of households that have accessed grant aid each year; and the amount of funding drawn down each year, in tabular form. [16715/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below sets out the amount of funding allocated by my Department each year since the introduction of the Lead Remediation Grant in 2016. It also shows the number of households that have benefited from the grant and the amount of funding recouped by my Department to local authorities each year. The Lead Remediation Grant is a demand-led scheme.
|
Year |
Funding allocated |
Number ofHouseholds Benefiting Grants Recouped by the Department |
Total Amount Recouped by Department |
|
2016 |
€5,000,000 |
3 |
€7,680.00 |
|
2017 |
€1,000,000 |
52 |
€131,647.73 |
|
2018 |
€1,000,000 |
16 |
€47,116.14 |
|
2019 |
€1,000,000 |
32 |
€74,849.45 |
|
2020 (16 July 2020) |
€1,000,000 |
2 |
€3,000.34 |
294. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he is examining the possibility of leasing privately-owned properties for up to 100 years for the purpose of social housing delivery; and the analysis being used in assessing such a scheme whether produced by his Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Finance or the National Development Finance Agency. [16717/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of Government is to focus strongly on new build, and in particular local authority-led new build activity. Delivering the necessary supply of social homes, however, requires a multi-faceted approach, harnessing capacity and delivery from all available channels including leasing. A traditional construction programme obviously requires significant year-on-year capital expenditure. Leasing is flexible, adaptable and can secure homes where local authorities do not have lands available. Leasing contributes to maximising delivery of all social housing.
My Department will use the leasing schemes currently in operation, in conjunction with our partners in local authorities and the Approved Housing Body sector, to continue to deliver homes through this mechanism, in addition to prioritising their build programmes. The terms of the leases are kept under review. There are currently no private leases in operation with terms in excess of 25 years.
295. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the affordable housing projects being funded with the serviced sites fund; the anticipated sale price of the properties in each scheme; the shared equity stake held by the State in the properties in each scheme; if the shared equity stake is in addition to the sale price of the home; and the repayment mechanisms available to the purchaser to repay the shared equity portion, in tabular form. [16718/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), €310 million is available to provide infrastructure to support the delivery of more affordable homes on local authority lands. With a maximum SSF funding amount of €50,000 available per home, at least 6,200 affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated. To date, SSF funding of €127 million has been allocated in support of 35 projects in 14 local authority areas which will assist in the delivery of almost 3,200 affordable homes.
Details of all projects that have received funding approval in principle are available at the following location;
https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-gives-the-go-ahead-for-ten-local-authority-sites-for-affordable-housing-under-the-serviced-sites-fund/
https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-approves-funding-of-e84m-to-support-delivery-of-1770-affordable-homes-under-the-ssf/.
The ultimate selling prices of affordable homes will obviously be influenced by a number of factors which will vary significantly from development to development. This includes the overall development cost of each particular project, the housing type/tenure mix involved, and the local housing market. Given that the detailed design, planning and procurement process have yet to be completed and as the open market value of homes cannot be ascertained until the homes are made available at the time of sale, it is not possible to confirm in advance the local authority equity stake in the homes or the ultimate final sales price in advance. However, I can confirm that applications for SSF funding were made by local authorities on the basis of being able to deliver homes for sale at discounts of between 10% and a maximum of 40% below open market prices.
Under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009 (under which affordable homes for purchase supported by the SSF are to be sold) a charge will be placed on the property equal to the percentage discount from open market value, giving the housing authority an equity stake in the property. The amount charged must be repaid at the end of the charged period (which must be at least 25 years) but may be paid off in installments at any time after the first 5 years of the charged period. This will ensure the sustainability of the funding model so more people can be helped meet their housing needs in the future.
296. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of the recently announced homelessness taskforce; the membership and terms of reference; the number of meetings that have taken place to date; and the frequency of meetings anticipated in July and August 2020. [16720/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have established a High Level Homelessness Taskforce, to provide a forum for engagement with key organisations working to address homelessness. The Taskforce will input on the implementation of the commitments on homelessness in the Programme for Government. The membership of the taskforce consists of the Chief Executives of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, Crosscare, Depaul, Focus Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, Dublin Simon Community and Threshold.
The Taskforce met for the first time on 13 July 2020 and again on 20 July 2020 and is meeting weekly.
297. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of the recently announced housing commission; the membership and terms of reference; the number of meetings that have taken place to date; and the frequency of meetings anticipated in July and August 2020. [16721/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government provides that:
the Government will establish a Commission on Housing to examine issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality of life issues in the provision of housing.
Further scoping is necessary as to the most appropriate type of structure for the Commission and to flesh out the issues that it will be tasked with examining. The establishment of the Commission will occur when these issues have been appropriately considered.
298. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he or his officials have met with groups (details supplied) or other industry lobby groups to discuss the introduction of a State-backed shared equity scheme for private sector homes; if so, when the meetings took place; the persons and bodies that attended the meetings; the specific proposals discussed; and if his Department is considering such schemes. [16722/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that neither I, nor officials from my Department, have met with Property Industry Ireland or Irish Institutional Property to discuss the introduction of a Government-backed shared equity scheme for private sector homes.
I will outline my detailed plans for affordable housing in the Autumn. In doing so I will take account of the measures already underway, such as: the Serviced Site Fund; the Help to Buy Scheme and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. I will also consider, measures in development, such as the Affordable Home Purchase and Cost Rental Schemes.
Finally, in this context, I am consulting with key stakeholders and delivery partners, to examine and identify potential options for the acceleration and expansion of the delivery of the affordable housing programme.
299. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if planning is required for all types of awnings outside and onto shopfronts, restaurants and businesses; if there are instances in which planning can be exempted on awnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16726/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Section 4 of the Act and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, set out various exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission. There are no specific exemptions for awnings outside and onto shopfronts, restaurants and businesses.
Exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for when they are considered to be consistent with proper planning and sustainable development.
If someone wishes to establish whether or not planning permission is required for a particular development proposal they can seek a declaration from their local authority under Section 5 of the Act.
The exemptions provided for in the Planning and Development Regulations are kept under regular review.
301. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the value of contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) and its subsidiaries by his Department and each body and local authority under his remit from 1 January 2016 to 14 July 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16832/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not undertaken any contracts with company in question from 1 January 2016 to 14 July 2020. It has however used its services on three individual occasions to provide refreshments at events. The total payments between July 2017 and February 2020 is €1,240.29.
Local Authorities are independent statutory bodies, with democratically elected councils and their own management system. I have no role in relation to individual decisions made by local authorities except in respect of matters where there may be specific statutory provision for a Ministerial role within my Department’s particular areas of responsibility.
The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are also a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each agency to facilitate the provision of information by State bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The relevant contact email address for each agency, to which members may address queries, are set out in the following table:
|
Agency |
Email address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland |
Oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
Oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
Oireachtas@osi.ie |
|
Property Registration Authority |
reps@prai.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Office |
reps@valoff.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
Oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
Oireachtas@opr.ie |
302. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when it is expected that house construction work will commence at the glass bottle site, Ringsend, Dublin 4 [16849/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is supporting Dublin City Council in building the Dodder Bridge through the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund. This project will assist Dublin City Council in its plans to secure social and affordable housing, optimum land utilisation and activation, and wider housing development on the Poolbeg peninsula.
The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) had invited expressions of interest regarding lands located within the designated Poolbeg West Strategic Development Zone. I understand that NAMA is currently undertaking a process to select a preferred bidder to develop these lands.
Questions regarding the NAMA are more appropriate to my colleague the Minister for Finance.
303. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if steps are being taken to restrict the availability of rental properties via a company (details supplied) [16850/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraLegislative changes (the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019) were introduced last year in relation to the regulation of the short-term letting sector through the planning code to help address its impact on the supply of private rented accommodation, particularly in urban centres of high housing demand i.e. rent pressure zones (RPZs). The planning system facilitates the regulation of such short-term letting uses undertaken by the individual carrying out the activity, i.e. the owner/occupier of the house or apartment, rather than the online platforms.
Under this Short-Term Letting legislation applicable in RPZs:
- Short term letting is defined as the letting of a house or apartment, or part of a house or apartment, for any period not exceeding 14 days.
- Homesharing (the letting of a room or rooms in a person’s principal private residence) continues to be permissible on an unrestricted basis and is exempted from the new planning requirements.
- Homesharers are allowed to sub-let their entire principle private residence (house or apartment) on a short term basis for a cumulative period of 90 days where they are temporarily absent from their home.
- Where the 90 day threshold is exceeded, change of use planning permission is required.
If a person homeshares their principal private residence in a RPZ and wishes to avail of the new planning exemptions, they need to register this with their local planning authority and fulfil specified reporting obligations.
However, where a person owns a property in a RPZ which is not their principal private residence and intends to let it for short term letting purposes, s/he is required to apply for a change of use planning permission unless the property already has a specific planning permission to be used for tourism or short-term letting purposes.
The broader regulation of tourism activity, including the possible development of a new regulatory or licensing/registration system for commercial platforms and short-term letting agents, was recommended in the final Working Group report on the regulation of short-term letting. The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future includes the specific action to strengthen the regulatory and enforcement mechanisms with regard to short-term lettings, and the approach in this regard will be considered over the coming months.
304. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the pyrite resolution scheme has been made available to secondary homeowners in addition to primary homeowners; and if so, the reason the scheme does not also apply to the defective concrete blocks scheme being administered by Donegal County Council. [16913/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board (PRB) and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the PRB with support from the Housing Agency. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out in the scheme which is available on the PRB's website, www.pyriteboard.ie. A person who is the owner or joint owner of a dwelling that complies with the eligibility criteria, may apply to the PRB for only one dwelling to be included in the scheme.
In relation to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, Regulations under sections 2 and 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1979 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to defective concrete blocks, entitled Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 25 of 2020).
The Regulations, which provide the legal framework for the grant scheme of financial assistance, came into operation on 31 January 2020. The scheme is targeted at assisting a restricted group of homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo, who have no other practicable options to access redress for their home. The dwelling must be a homeowner’s principal private residence, that is, a house or apartment which an individual owns and occupies as his or her only or main residence.
305. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the efforts being made to assist home owners with the 10% cost of making their homes safe and the relocation and with storage costs during refurbishment and reconstruction under the defective concrete blocks scheme being administered by Donegal and Mayo county councils. [16914/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Defective Concrete Blocks Grants scheme is targeted at assisting a restricted group of homeowners who have no other practicable options to access redress. It is not a compensation scheme and the regulations apply only in respect of qualifying works that have not commenced prior to confirmation of grant approval being issued in respect of a dwelling by the relevant local authority.
Homeowners cannot seek the recoupment of costs relating to temporary accommodation, service connections or utilities. However, temporary removal and storage of furniture and contents will be an allowable cost.
306. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the financial supports that will be made available to Donegal County Council to assist with making the hundreds of homes in its housing stock affected by mica defective blocks safe in view of the fact that the defective concrete blocks scheme being administered by Donegal County Council does not apply to public housing [16915/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme applies to private dwellings in Donegal and Mayo that have been damaged due to defective concrete blocks. In respect of local authority housing stock, Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that management and maintenance is a matter for each individual local authority. This includes maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs.
My Department provides support to local authorities in terms of various targeted stock upgrade programmes, large-scale urban regeneration programmes, support for the return of vacant units to productive use, the Energy Retrofitting Programme and adaptations and extensions for people with disability in social housing.
In the context of defective concrete blocks within the social housing stock in Donegal, my Department is currently in communication with Donegal County Council regarding the extent of the issues and potential solutions.
I intend to meet with the Chief Executive of Donegal County Council and his officials in early August and I will discuss the matter then also.
307. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to introduce leases of indefinite duration for the private rented sector including the removal of section 34(b) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. [16996/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2019 provide that where a tenant has been in occupation of a dwelling for a continuous period of 6 months, with no valid notice of termination having been served during that time, a 'Part 4 tenancy' is established to cover the next 5 years and 6 months.
Section 34 of the 2004 Act provides that a landlord must state a reason for the termination in any tenancy termination notice served, in accordance with the grounds for terminations set out in the table to that section. A Part 4 tenancy may be terminated by a landlord or tenant, without reason, at the end of its term.
A number of measures have been introduced in recent years with the objective of improving security of tenure for tenants. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 extended the term of Part 4 tenancies from 4 to 6 years, for tenancies commencing on or after 24 December 2016 as part of a transition to tenancies of indefinite duration.
The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 enhances further the security of tenure for tenants by significantly extending the duration of tenancy termination notice periods; for example, a minimum of 180 days (approx. 6 months) notice must be provided by landlords who terminate a tenancy of between 3 and 7 years’ duration. In addition, further measures have been introduced to enhance and enforce tenancy termination provisions, including the application of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB)'s new investigation and sanctioning regime to improper conduct by a landlord who contravenes the tenancy termination provisions.
The Programme for Government - 'Our Shared Future', commits to improve the security of tenure for tenants, through legislating for tenancies of indefinite duration, increasing RTB enforcement and examining incentives for long-term leasing.
308. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of his commitment to review the co-living planning regulations. [16997/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new Programme for Government, identifies the need to avoid over-concentration of particular housing types in areas, by requiring local authorities to complete housing need and demand assessments to inform delivery of an appropriate mix of housing typologies to cater for the needs of disparate household types and sizes.
As I have indicated publically, I intend to review the Sustainable Urban Housing Guidance with regard to co-living.
309. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to tackle the underspend and time lags for the delivery of residential units under the local infrastructure housing activation fund. [16998/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra327. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on the local infrastructure housing activation fund; if the fund has met its targets since it was launched; if the fund has failed to meet its targets or objectives, the reason therefor; the changes he will make to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17150/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 327 together.
As one initiative of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was primarily designed to fund the provision of public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages and enable housing developments to be built on key sites at scale.
LIHAF projects involve complex, large scale public infrastructure developments which pave the way for associated housing development. This requires extensive design, planning, public consultation and procurement processes in advance of the projects moving to construction.
In 2018, 30 projects received final LIHAF approval with an overall budget of €195.7m, of which €146.8m will be Exchequer funded, with the remainder funded via local authorities. Of the 30 projects, Kildare County Council has confirmed that its project on the Naas Inner Relief Road will not now progress, although an element of the housing that was associated with the project has taken place.
Details of the approvals by local authority area, budget allocation, project description and projected housing delivery are available at www.rebuildingireland.ie/LIHAF.
Currently, 3 LIHAF projects have completed infrastructure construction. Of the remaining 26, up to the end of June 2020 (and excluding the Naas project), 14 projects have been approved to go to, or are already at, infrastructure construction stage and one is expected to have tender approval and go to construction before the end of Q4 2020. Local authorities have indicated that work is progressing on the remaining projects. My Department continues to support local authorities to progress projects to conclusion.
