Written Answers Nos. 818-836
818. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a full update on the proposed provision of a new fire station in Dunleer, County Louth since €1.6million was awarded for the design and site purchase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20680/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
I recently announced a new Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021-2025, with a funding allocation of €61m. Following extensive engagement with fire authorities, a number of proposals for station works etc. were received. The proposals were evaluated and prioritised on the basis of the:
- Area Risk Categorisation of the fire station (population, fire risks, etc.);
- established Health and Safety needs;
- state of development of the project (is site acquired, etc.?); and
- value for money offered by the proposal.
This new Programme will see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments as well as the allocation of 35 new fire engines. In order to maximise the available Capital Programme funding, my Department re-assesses the status of projects in the Programme on an annual basis, and some flexibility is normally available to advance projects that are ready and that offer best value-for-money taking account of the state of readiness of projects more generally.
Louth County Council has indicated that Dunleer is their number one fire station priority project and a new fire station at Dunleer is provided for in this Capital Programme. The Council submitted a preliminary appraisal to my Department in January 2021 which is currently under review. I understand that a potential site has been identified by the Council. My Department will continue to work with Louth County Council to progress the Dunleer fire station project.
819. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding mechanism that was provided by his Department to deliver social housing at an address (details supplied) in County Kildare; the amount of funding that was provided; if the funding provided was 100% of the cost of delivering the units; if not, if it was additional financing provided from another source that is, the Housing Finance Agency, a private bank, and so on; to whom this funding was provided; the repayment terms of the funding; when is it due to be paid; and the restrictions on the sale of these properties to the tenants were included as part of the conditions of the funding. [20684/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe social housing scheme referred to in the question was funded under my Department's Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and delivered 18 new homes at a cost of €973,191.
The CLSS funding model involved local authorities accessing loan finance from the Housing Finance Agency to support approved housing bodies to deliver new social homes. The loan provided by the Housing Finance Agency to Kildare County Council for the development referred to, is over a 30 year period and is due to expire in February 2026.
Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, allows local authorities to sell local authority owned dwellings to existing social housing tenants. The Scheme only provides for the purchase of houses owned by the relevant local authorities and does not extend to houses owned by approved housing bodies as the ownership of these properties remains with them.
820. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant residential properties in Ireland; and the amount of revenue that was generated by the vacant site levy in each of the past two years. [20691/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not hold data on the number of empty or unoccupied domestic dwellings in the State. In this connection, the Department is focused on ensuring that the existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent involving a targeted and coordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. In support of this, there are a number of schemes available to incentivise the reactivation of suitable dwellings into the liveable housing stock including the Repair and Lease Scheme and the Buy and Renew Scheme.
In relation to the vacant site levy, under the provisions in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in January 2019. The rate of the levy increased to 7% for sites listed on local authority vacant sites register from 2019 onwards which site owners became liable to pay in January 2020.
My Department proactively engages with local authorities with a view to ensuring that the vacant site levy achieves its full potential in terms of bringing concerned sites into productive use. In this connection, the Department issued Circular Letter PL 08/2020 on 9 June 2020 requesting the submission of a further progress report on the implementation of the levy by each local authority.
The Department received a return from each of the 31 local authorities which indicated that, as of 31 May 2020, there were 352 vacant sites listed on local authority registers.
The below table sets out the information available in relation to the specific request on the amount of levy collected in respect of the period to 31 May 2020:
|
Planning Authority |
No. of Sites with Payments Collected 2019 |
Payments Collected 2019 € |
No. of Sites with Payments Collected 2020 |
Payments Collected 2020 € |
|
Dublin City Council |
6 |
604,950 |
1 |
227,500 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
2 |
72,900 |
0 |
0 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
0 |
0 |
4 |
17,150 |
|
Waterford County Council |
Unknown |
3,645 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
3 |
165,000 |
0 |
0 |
Some local authorities noted delays in issuing demands for payments in 2020 due to COVID-19.
All levies due on an individual site will remain a charge on the land concerned until all outstanding levies due are paid. Accordingly, under the vacant site levy provisions, there will be a cumulative effect associated with not activating a site for development purposes for each year that a site remains vacant or idle and in respect of which levy liability is not paid.
The levy is not intended to be a revenue generating measure with the proceeds accruing to the relevant local authority rather than the Exchequer. The levy proceeds generated are specifically intended to be used by local authorities for the provision of housing and regeneration development in the local area in which vacant sites are located. No more than 10% of the levy monies received by planning authorities may be used on their administration costs in collecting the levy.
My Department issued a further Circular Letter PL 03/2021 on 8 March 2021 requesting the submission of a progress report on the actual collection of the levy by each local authority in respect of registered sites. The Department is currently following up on any outstanding returns and will collate the responses and identify issues requiring further action. The Department will proactively engage with individual local authorities who could potentially be performing better and identify issues to be addressed.
821. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made on strengthening the enforcement of the vacant site levy; if he has considered or is considering the introduction of a site value tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20717/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the vacant site levy provisions in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in January 2019. The rate of the levy increased to 7% for sites listed on local authority vacant sites register from 2019 onwards which site owners became liable to pay in January 2020.
My Department proactively engages with local authorities with a view to ensuring that the vacant site levy achieves its full potential in terms of bringing concerned sites into productive use. In this regard, my Department issued Circular Letter PL 03/2021 on 8 March 2021 requesting the submission of a progress report on the collection of the levy by each local authority. My Department is currently following up on any outstanding responses and will collate the responses and identify issues requiring further action. My Department will proactively engage with individual planning authorities whom it feels could be performing better and identify issues to be addressed. This is in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future to strengthen enforcement of the vacant site levy while also keeping the legislation under review.
In relation to a site value tax, taxation issues are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
822. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the efforts his Department is making to achieve gender balance on all State boards and agencies under the remit of his Department; if he will set out the changes achieved to date on each; if 50% of the membership of all boards, policy groups or agencies that provide advice to Government on matters of policy will be reserved for appropriately qualified individuals from the private sector in order to achieve a balance between the public and private sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20729/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn September 2020, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform published an Annex on Gender Balance, Diversity and Inclusion to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. This Annex seeks to promote the attainment of the long-standing target to achieve 40 per cent representation of women and of men on State Boards.
The Annex was circulated to all the State bodies under the aegis of my Department, and it is now expected that all these bodies will implement the updated provisions of the Code of Practice so as to underpin the progress made to date in relation to gender-balanced leadership and to accelerate progress against the targets set by Government in relation to diversity, including gender balance on State Boards. Performance in this regard will be monitored by my Department.
With specific regard to the process of appointments to State Boards, the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, 2014) sets out a system for appointments that is open, accessible, rigorous and transparent in order to yield applications from accomplished, experienced and qualified individuals who wish to make a commitment to public service. This system makes no distinction between suitably qualified persons from the public and private sectors, in keeping with the core values of impartiality, fairness and ethical conduct.
823. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the delivery of new social homes by construction over acquisition commenced in line with the Programme for Government objective and priority to increase social housing stock by over 50,000 over a five-year period through a focus on new builds in each of the 31 local authorities since 1 June 2020 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20741/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIncreasing the supply of public, social and affordable homes is a central commitment in the Programme for Government. In Budget 2021, we backed this objective with funding of €3.3 billion for the delivery of housing. Subject to the impact of COVID, this funding will support the delivery of 12,750 new social homes. A major focus of this investment is the delivery of new build homes, with an overall target of 9,500 new homes. The Government will be publishing a new housing strategy this year, which will set out details of social housing delivery for 2021-2025, including social housing targets for 2022 onwards.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity. This data is available to the end of 2020 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/
My Department has also published the Quarter 4 2020 Social Housing Construction Status Report, which provides details of all social housing developments under construction in each local authority. The report is available at the following link: https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-obrien-publishes-2020-social-housing-statistics/
A version of this file can be downloaded at the following link and used for various analysis in terms of stage of activity, location, quarter of completion, number of homes etc.https://data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q4-2020
824. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the practice of deeming online planning observations invalid in cases in which an address has not been provided; and if not, if he will engage with An Bord Pleanála to find ways to make this requirement more explicit on its online submission system. [20765/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraGuidance on how to make an observation on a planning appeal to An Bord Pleanála is available at https://www.pleanala.ie/en-ie/observation-on-a-planning-appeal/making-an-observation-on-a-planning-appeal.
A person making an observation on an appeal to the Board may use the Observation on a Planning Appeal form available at the above URL or alternatively submit the observation in writing (typed or handwritten), clearly stating their name and address in either scenario. Where a planning agent is acting on behalf of the person, the agent must clearly state their own name and address as well as their client's name and address.
The Board introduced an online facility to accept public observations or submissions in respect of Strategic Housing Development (SHD) applications with the required fee in November 2020 which is currently in operation for those cases only. Article 302 of the Planning and Development (Strategic Housing Development) Regulations 2017 sets out the regulatory provisions relating to the making of observations or submissions on SHD applications which require that an address shall be provided with any such observations or submissions.
Guidance on making online observations on SHD applications is available on the Board's website at https://www.pleanala.ie/en-ie/observation-on-a-shd-application-public which advises that the person must indicate their name and address when making an observation on such applications. The Board is currently assessing the online facility on its website in this regard in the context of making this requirement more explicit.
826. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the progress and provide periodic reviews from 2011 to date in 2021 of the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011-2016 as extended to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20801/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn Implementation Monitoring Group chaired by my Department and with membership from the Housing Agency, the Health Service Executive, the Department of Health, the National Disability Authority and a number of disability stakeholder organisations monitors the identified actions in the National Housing Strategy for People with Disability 2011-2016 which was extended to 2021.
In accordance with the Aims of the Strategy the Implementation Monitoring Group publishes an annual report on progress achieved under the Strategy in the preceding year. Six reports have been published to date and can be found at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/49dc7-housing-for-people-with-a-disability/.
The Strategy is currently under review with a new strategy to be published by the end of 2021.
827. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he will take to ensure planning and permitting processes for fossil fuel developments are in accordance with Ireland’s climate obligations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20811/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy role as Minister in relation to the planning system is, primarily, to provide a policy and legislative framework under which the planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála (the Board) and the Office of the Planning Regulator perform their statutory planning functions. The legislative framework chiefly comprises the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. My Department has also issued planning guidelines under section 28 of the Act, which planning authorities and the Board are obliged to have regard to in the exercise of their planning functions. The day-to-day operation of the planning system is, however, a matter for the planning authorities, and for the Board in relation to planning appeals.
In making decisions on a planning application, a planning authority, or the Board as appropriate, must consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the development plan, any submissions or observations received from the public and the statutory consultees, and any relevant Ministerial or Government policies, including any guidelines issued by my Department.
The National Planning Framework (NPF), published together with the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040, builds on the commitments made by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications in the 2015 Energy White Paper - Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future, and the Government in the 2017 National Mitigation Plan, to move from a fossil fuel-based electricity system to a low carbon power system. With specific reference to energy infrastructure, the NPF provides a strategic framework to link planning, development and investment to climate mitigation and adaptation, through facilitating greater energy efficiency, the development of renewable energy systems and infrastructure and a more diverse energy mix.
My colleague the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications has responsibility for policy regarding energy and fossil fuels. I, in my role as Minister, have no statutory function with regard to energy policy.
828. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the local authorities which employ a biodiversity officer in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20813/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra829. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the local authorities which employ a heritage officer in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20814/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 828 and 829 together.
Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.
My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff numbers in each local authority on a whole time equivalent basis.
However, granular data, in terms of the detailed breakdown of the local authorities which employ Biodiversity Officers and Heritage Officers is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information would be available from individual local authorities.
830. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on remarks made by the outgoing interim chair of the Land Development Agency that the current allocation of €2.5 billion for the agency for delivering housing is insufficient (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20247/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency.
I can confirm that all of the LDAs funding requirements to date have been provided for by my Department. The LDA has been progressing significant preparatory work on its existing sites made available to them, with feasibility, planning and other preparatory work already initiated.
As stated in the Programme for Government, legislation to establish the Land Development Agency (LDA) on a statutory basis is being progressed as a matter of urgency. The LDA Bill will focus on the establishment of the corporate form and financial structure of the Agency. The LDA Bill was recently published and has been debated at Second Stage in Dáil Éireann. Once the primary legislation is in place, arrangements will be finalised for the capitalisation of the LDA with funding of up to €1.25 billion being provided from Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF).
The overall capitalisation of €1.25 bn for the LDA from ISIF, along with its borrowing ceiling of €1.25 billion, are prescribed in the LDA Bill which the LDA was consulted on during the Bill drafting phase. The New Economy and Recovery Authority (“NewERA”)(a business unit of the National Treasury Management Agency) also advised the Department of Housing and the Department of Finance on the appropriate borrowing limit for the LDA.
If additional capitalisation of the LDA is required in the future, the matter will be considered at that time.
831. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for a dramatic reappraisal of public housing policy with a view to ensuring the early provision of a specific number of houses well above that anticipated already to ensure a reasonable chance of a home within a specific time for those currently on local authority waiting lists and those waiting to go on such lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20850/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government set out its housing priorities in the Programme for Government across numerous areas, including homelessness, affordable home ownership, public and social Housing, the Land Development Agency, rent reform and planning and my Department is focused on moving those priorities forward.
The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of 50,000 new social homes, with a focus on new build homes. In 2021, the Government has made available €3.3 billion for housing delivery programmes. Subject to delays arising from COVID-19 restrictions, this funding will support the delivery of 12,750 social homes through Build, Acquisition and Leasing, including 9,500 new build homes.
It is intended to publish a new Housing Strategy 'Housing for All' later this year and this is being developed at the moment using a whole of Government approach. The delivery of more social and affordable homes will be a key focus in the Plan. The new strategy will set out details of social housing delivery for 2021-2025, including social housing targets for 2022 onwards.
832. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the specific action he or his Department has taken within the EU or at international level in the context of the commitment in the Programme for Government to forge alliances with other EU member states and to oppose any annexation of territory by force to create such alliances to oppose the maintenance and expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories; the results of these actions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20935/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra833. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether Israel’s continuous creation of illegal settlements in the Palestinian Territories and subsequent imposition of Israeli rule amounts to annexation of territory taken by force; the actions he plans to take to oppose such actions in view of the clear commitment in the Programme for Government to do so and in view of the urgency of the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20938/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 832 and 833 together.
The Programme for Government states that the Government will “continue to work with other Member States to give leadership within the EU to oppose any annexation or plans to apply Israeli sovereignty over territory in the West Bank, which is part of the occupied Palestinian territory. The Government would regard any such moves as a breach of international law and would consider an appropriate response to them at both national and international level.”
The Government position has not changed and I have been forthright in my public statements on the issue. The annexation by Israel of any part of the occupied Palestinian territory would be a clear violation of international law. It would have no legitimacy and could not be recognised or accepted by Ireland. Furthermore, it would be deeply damaging to the Two-State solution.
Ireland has been consistently vocal in its opposition to settlement expansion and annexation taking every opportunity to raise the issue in national and EU statements at the UN Human Rights Council. Last month Ireland raised the human rights impacts of Israeli settlement actions at the 46th session of the Council.
At the UN Security Council, Ireland has urged Israel to halt all continued settlement expansion, including in East Jerusalem and other sensitive areas. At the Security Council Quarterly debate on the Middle East in January, I underlined that continued settlement activity is not only illegal, but also erodes trust between Palestinians and Israelis.
I have engaged extensively with EU partners on the situation in the Middle East, with a view to encouraging strong EU messages, public and private, against settlements and annexation. EU Foreign Ministers met last year with the Israeli and Palestinian Foreign Ministers. The EU's position on the illegality of settlements has been consistently clear. I have also outlined my concerns about the threat of annexation and the growth of settlements in discussions with US representatives.
Ireland conveys our views on settlements to the Israeli authorities, both directly and through the EU. On 18 March I met the Israeli Ambassador and conveyed in the strongest terms my concerns on recent settlement announcements and associated infrastructure development. My officials work closely with the Office of the UN Special Coordinator on the Middle East and UN agencies on the ground to monitor and highlight these issues. Ireland’s Ambassador in Tel Aviv has raised the issue directly the Israeli authorities, and did so most recently on 19 April. Ireland's Representative Office in Ramallah has made a number of visits along with EU representatives to sensitive sites of concern in the West Bank.
I will continue to prioritise this issue, working closely with EU partners and countries in the region.
834. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the appropriate response at national level to the continued expansion and maintenance of independent illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20937/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra881. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised the matter of illegal settlements in occupied Palestine officially with his EU partners in view of the present situation of continual efforts by Israel to create illegal settlements in Occupied Palestine which the Israeli Prime Minister has clearly indicated his intention that they will be permanent. [20436/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra882. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the immediate steps he plans to take at the UN Security Council to oppose the illegal Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20437/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra898. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has studied the recent report by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs which documents the striking increase in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank; his views on whether this is part of a pattern primarily designed to take over land and to intimidate and terrorise Palestinians; his further views on whether it is creating an atmosphere of impunity and as the military are usually present it amounts to a discriminatory two-tier approach to military protection and policing in the West Bank other than condemning these activities; the actions he plans to take in defence of international law at EU and international level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20816/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 834, 881, 882 and 898 together.
Ireland's position on settlement expansion is absolutely clear. Settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory is clearly illegal under international law.
I am in regular contact with EU partners on the situation in the Middle East. EU Foreign Ministers met last year with the Israeli and Palestinian Foreign Ministers. The EU's position on the illegality of settlements has been consistently clear.
At the UN Security Council, Ireland has urged Israel to halt all continued settlement expansion, including in East Jerusalem and other sensitive areas. At the Security Council Quarterly debate on the Middle East in January, I underlined the need to speak for the Council to speak out clearly against violence and called for attacks against civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory to stop.
On 18 March I met the Israeli Ambassador and conveyed in the strongest terms my concerns on recent settlement announcements and associated infrastructure development. Ireland’s Ambassador in Tel Aviv has raised the issue directly the Israeli authorities, most recently on 19 April. Ireland's Representative Office in Ramallah has made a number of visits along with EU representatives to sensitive sites of concern.
Ireland is in close contact with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the ground, including in respect of its ongoing valuable reports on the protection of civilians. Last week, Ireland's Representative Office in Ramallah took part in a visit with OCHA which focused on the impact of settlements on Palestinian communities, including the impact of settler violence.
Ireland continues to call on the Israeli Government to halt all settlement construction. Our longstanding support for a Two State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains an integral aspect of our foreign policy, which I will continue to prioritise.
835. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to ensure that human rights issues are addressed and embedded in any renewal of the 2016 EU-Turkey deal that was struck following the 2015 migration crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18156/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agreement reached between Turkey and the EU in March 2016 represented a landmark effort to respond to the migration crisis and the loss of many hundreds of lives in the Aegean Sea. The goal was to restore a legal and orderly admission system, put an end to irregular migration from Turkey to the EU, prevent the loss of life, take action against migrant smuggling networks, and improve living conditions for Syrian refugees in Turkey through comprehensive cooperation between the EU and Turkey.
While there have been some serious issues with the implementation of the 2016 Agreement, it has led to a substantial decrease in the numbers of irregular crossings from Turkey to Greece and in lives lost in the Aegean Sea. The funding provided by the EU has also been critical in providing for the basic needs, access to health care and education, and socio-economic support for refugees in Turkey. The importance of this funding has increased in the past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic downturn.
Of the €6 billion mobilised by the EU in two tranches in 2016 and 2018 to assist refugees and host communities in Turkey, 100% had been fully committed and contracted by the end of 2020, and 65% had already been disbursed. Given the scale of humanitarian needs in Turkey and the substantial efforts it has made in hosting close to four million refugees, the EU recognises that continued support will be required over the coming years.
In March, as part of a wider offer to Turkey of enhanced cooperation in a number of areas of common interest provided that they continued to adopt a more constructive attitude towards the EU, the European Council invited the European Commission to present a proposal to the Council for the continuation of financing for refugees in Turkey. The Council also sought the strengthening of the implementation of aspects of the 2016 Agreement.
Discussions on the EU-Turkey relationship, including the migration agreement and the financial support for refugees in Turkey, will continue over the coming months. As the rule of law and respect of fundamental rights are core values of the EU, I will continue to stress the need for respect for fundamental rights and the rule of law to be an integral part of all aspects of the EU-Turkey relationship, including any arrangements on migration.
836. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the processing of non-urgent passport applications will resume while Ireland remains at level 5 restrictions; the steps his Department is taking to ensure that the backlog of passport applications resulting from the suspension of normal passport services will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18240/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra870. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the date passport processing will restart; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19986/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra874. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the processing of passport renewal applications will resume in circumstances in which additional documentation is required to be submitted; his plans to tackle the backlog of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20126/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra878. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the Passport Office will reopen for operation. [20249/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra884. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of passport applications that have been submitted while the passport service has been paused; the actions being taken to deal with the backlog of passport applications waiting to be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20452/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra885. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of persons who have applied for a passport which have not yet been processed. [20504/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra888. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when both the Cork and Dublin passport offices will reopen to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20517/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra891. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the reopening of the Passport Office as an essential service is now being considered given the backlogs and difficulty in categorising urgent cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20579/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 836, 870, 874, 878, 884, 885, 888 and 891 together.
In line with the National Framework on Living with COVID-19 the Passport Service continues to provide a high-quality essential service in line with Government measures to reduce social contact and combat the spread of COVID-19.
This essential service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or meet the criteria for travel as defined in the recent amendment to the Health Act 1947, which came into effect on 1 February 2021. Supporting documentation is required in such cases.
Applicants who require an urgent or emergency passport, can contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.
Irish citizens who are resident overseas should continue to contact the Passport Service through the local Irish Embassy or Consulate General who continue to provide assistance to all our citizens abroad.
Staff of the Passport Service continue to produce emergency and urgent applications, to offer customer service through WebChat, to assist with consular assistance for Irish citizens overseas and temporary reassignment of staff to the Department of Health. As well as issuing almost 3000 urgent and emergency passports, the Passport Service has also issued approximately 25,000 simple adult renewals since the beginning of the year. Our Webchat team have also responded to more than 36,000 queries.
While normal processing has paused the Passport Service has a comprehensive plan in place to resume all services, and will do so as soon as possible in line with the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. At present, there are approximately 89,000 Passport Online applications in the system. The return of operations will commence with all applications received via Passport Online. The Passport Service is confident, taking into account measures to ensure a safe workplace, that any Passport Online backlog can be cleared in six to eight weeks.
There are currently approximately 1,900 paper based applications in the system. The Passport Service plans to resume processing of routine paper based applications such as Passport Express and Northern Ireland Passport Express as a priority after online applications have been processed.
