Written Answers Nos. 207-227
207. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide details of the funding that was provided by the Exchequer to community radio in each of the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. [26541/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Radio funding is administered by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) through the Sound and Vision Scheme. Part 10 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 makes provision for the disbursement of 7% of the net TV licence fee receipts to the Broadcasting Fund which supports both the Sound and Vision and Archiving Schemes.
In December 2020, 22 community radio projects were awarded €0.67m under Round 36 of the Sound and Vision Scheme. This was a closed round which was accessible only to Community Radio projects to help address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on this part of the broadcasting sector. Round 41 of the Sound and Vision Scheme, which also focused on Social Benefit and Community Radio, provided an additional €0.5m. In this Round, awards of between €5k and €40K were made to 19 community radio stations. Details of the awards made are available on the BAI’s website.
In addition to the provision of specific allocations to Community Radio outlined above, stations are also encouraged to apply for regular open rounds of Sound and Vision funding. The total funding provided to the sector, through both open and closed rounds of Sound and Vision, amounted to €0.85m in 2020 and €0.62m in 2021, both of which were significantly greater than in 2019, when support amounted to €0.35m.
While Community Radio figures for 2022 are not yet available, the BAI intends to launch a focused funding round for community radio later this year, which will be similar to previous such rounds. As I have stated above, general audio-visual rounds are open to Community Radio applications.
I would also like to highlight the flexibility which the BAI has adopted regarding payment and administrative processes during the COVID-19 crisis, such as the reduction in the number of payment tranches and payment frontloading, in order to facilitate Community Radio stations during that period. The BAI also held workshops to assist applicants from the Community Radio sector with the applications process.
Finally, I can assure the Deputy that both the Authority and I are fully committed to enhancing the sustainability of the Community Radio sector. The BAI’s Sustainability Working Group has promoted sustainability in the Community Radio sector through the publication of its Social Benefit Framework and the BAI’s Community Media Policy, alongside the BAI’s Sectoral Development Team’s Community Broadcasting Support Scheme and the Network Funding scheme.
208. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she expects the two levies provided for in the online safety and media regulation Bill to be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26542/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 7 of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 will insert a new section 21 and 22 into the Broadcasting Act 2009 relating to the power of Coimisiún na Meán to impose a levy on providers of audiovisual media services, providers of sound broadcasting services, and providers of designated online services in order to fund its operating costs. Following the enactment of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022, it is envisaged that these levy provisions will be commenced as part of the Ministerial commencement order relating to the formal establishment of An Coimisiún. Following the commencement of the provisions, it will be a matter for An Coimisiún to make the necessary levy order or orders to implement the levy.
Section 53 of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 amends the Broadcasting Act 2009 to provide for the imposition of a content production levy (termed the ‘European works levy’) on media service providers (i.e. providers of broadcasting and video on demand services) to fund a scheme (termed ‘the European works scheme’) to support the production of European works, including Irish works. The Bill provides that both the levy and the associated scheme would be administered by Coimisiún na Meán.
It is important to note that any levy system will have to abide by the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination under EU law. Accordingly, any levy will be imposed equally on all audiovisual media services targeting the Irish market, both Irish services such as as RTÉ and Virgin Media Television as well as services based outside Ireland. In addition, both Irish services and those based in the European Union would be eligible to apply to the content production fund established as a result of the levy.
Furthermore, it should be noted that any levy will only apply to income earned within the State. For example, if a provider such as Netflix earns 2% of their overall EU revenues in the State, the levy can only apply to that 2% of their overall revenues.
In light of the aforementioned factors, it is not envisaged that the content production levy would be put into effect until Coimisiún na Meán has carried out independent research into the viability of such a levy in an Irish context. One of the initial priorities of An Coimisiún will be to carry out this research and to present recommendations to me in this regard.
209. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the new fire station for Dunleer, County Louth since €1.6 million was awarded for the design and site purchase; the details of the proposed site for the station; the expected timeline for commencement of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25673/22]
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.
In December 2020, I 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 of the area, identified fire risks, etc...);
- established Health and Safety needs;
- state of development of the project (has site been acquired, etc..); and
- value for money offered by the proposal.
This new Programme will see 6 new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, 9 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.
A new fire station at Dunleer is provided for in this Capital programme. Louth County Council have been approved by my Department to go to tender, appoint a design team and progress to full design and cost plan stage. Louth County Council are working to finalise the acquisition of their preferred site with the current owners. Upon final confirmation of the site acquisition, Louth County Council will move quickly to the next phase of the project and proceed to tender for the new fire station at Dunleer. My Department will continue to work with Louth County Council to progress the Dunleer fire station project.
210. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the way that case files are allocated to board members of an Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25702/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn Bord Pleanála ('the Board') is independent in the performance of its functions under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
The statutory powers regarding the distribution of the business of the Board are set out in Section 110 (Chairperson to ensure efficient discharge of business of Board, etc.) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Under section 30 of that Act, the Minister is specifically precluded from exercising power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.
211. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options that are available to a community in which an unauthorised development is being constructed in spite of the first planning enforcement letter having been issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25735/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), I - in my role as Minister with responsibility for planning - am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case, including an enforcement issue, with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.
Under planning legislation, enforcement of planning control is a matter for the planning authority concerned which can take action if a development does not have the required permission or where the terms of a permission have not been respected. Planning authorities have substantial enforcement powers under the Act in this regard. Under section 154 of the Act, a planning authority may issue an enforcement notice in connection with an unauthorised development, requiring such steps as the authority considers necessary to be taken within a specified period. If an enforcement notice is not complied with, the planning authority may itself take the specified steps and recover the expense incurred in doing so. A planning authority may also seek a court order under section 160 of the Act requiring any particular action to be done or not to be done. Complaints regarding planning enforcement should be made to the Director of Planning Services at the local authority concerned.
Section 160 of the Act further provides that a planning authority or any person, which would include community groups and members of the public without any interest in the land in question, may seek an injunction in the Courts in relation to unauthorised development requiring that the unauthorised development is not carried out or continued, or that it is carried out in conformity with a planning permission granted under the Act.
212. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the demonstrated ability of a person to afford their rent payments will be taken into consideration when they are applying for a local authority home loan; and if this would offset a lower level of savings given that this is in part due to their high cost of rent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25814/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build.
To support prudential lending, applicants must have a deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the purchase price of the property. Of this deposit, cash savings should provide no less than 3% of the purchase price of the property and applicants must provide bank or similar statements for a 12-month period immediately prior to making an application clearly showing a credible and consistent track record of savings. Gifts can comprise the remaining 7% of the purchase price of the property where their source is verified. I have no plans to change the deposit or savings requirements for the scheme.
The availability of the Help to Buy scheme for first-time buyers offers additional assistance to purchasers using the Local Authority Home Loan to buy newly built properties. This should alleviate some of the challenges faced by first-time buyers in accessing the 10% deposit of the purchase price of the property.
213. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the 4th National Biodiversity Plan; when it will be published; when the public consultation will commence given that it was due in May 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25875/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) will set the national biodiversity agenda for the period 2023-2027.
The Plan will aim to improve the governance of biodiversity in Ireland so that we can better respond to the biodiversity crisis, building on the successes of the third NBAP and meeting the implementation challenges it faced. The Plan will also address the connections between biodiversity and climate change, and the need to enhance the evidence base for biodiversity conservation policy and practice.
The Plan has been in development since October 2021. The first phase of work involved an extensive review of national, European, and international policies, strategies, legislation and science relating to biodiversity. This review helped to inform a first draft of the Plan, which was circulated to an initial group of stakeholders, including the Biodiversity Forum, the Biodiversity Working Group, Government Departments and organisations that are likely to be involved in implementing the Plan.
Stakeholder engagement has been in the form of exploratory discussions, surveys, and detailed workshops. The feedback from this first group of stakeholders is currently being incorporated into a second draft of the NBAP. The 2022 National Biodiversity Conference in June will form a key element of public and cross-sector outreach, and the outputs from conference discussions will help to inform further refinement of the Plan, which will be issued for public consultation later in 2022.
The final version of the Plan will be published in early 2023, to align with the outcomes of the Convention for Biological Diversity COP 15 and to allow the recommendations of the ongoing Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss to be reviewed and incorporated where appropriate.
214. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 189 of 4 May 2022, if he will provide a breakdown of the information originally sought on a national basis, that is, by local authority. [25877/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to Question No. 189 of 4 May last, the development contribution income figures for local authorities nationally in respect of 2019 and 2020 are set out in the first table below.
The Development Contribution Debtor figures for 2020 in the second table indicate the aggregate amount of development contributions payable to local authorities that had invoices issued in 2020 and previous years and where payment remains outstanding. Audited figures for 2021 are not yet available.
Development Levy Income 2020/2019
|
County Councils |
2020 Development Levy Income |
2019 Development Levy Income |
|
Carlow County Council |
€783,741 |
€1,101,509 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€1,079,656 |
€1,148,456 |
|
Clare County Council |
€2,235,097 |
€2,291,328 |
|
Cork City Council |
€3,434,896 |
€8,383,135 |
|
Cork County Council |
€8,046,097 |
€23,461,527 |
|
Donegal County Council |
€1,756,759 |
€1,990,658 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€31,509,969 |
€45,336,912 |
|
Dun Laoire/Rathdown County Council |
€31,708,243 |
€25,666,031 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€38,205,155 |
€50,128,785 |
|
Galway City Council |
€808,216 |
€5,893,381 |
|
Galway County Council |
€1,705,046 |
€2,038,814 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€3,546,728 |
€2,153,318 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€19,777,999 |
€27,768,676 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€2,597,373 |
€2,004,024 |
|
Laois County Council |
€953,785 |
€2,846,653 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€161,258 |
-€122,725 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
€2,894,933 |
€4,751,064 |
|
Longford County Council |
€547,356 |
€283,913 |
|
Louth County Council |
€1,300,630 |
€2,869,073 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€1,436,900 |
€317,764 |
|
Meath County Council |
€7,522,746 |
€11,467,307 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€1,025,968 |
€696,886 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€1,979,540 |
€804,996 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€845,177 |
€1,240,009 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€506,316 |
€145,988 |
|
Sth Dublin County Council |
€25,456,551 |
€25,074,794 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€1,965,681 |
€2,103,889 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
€2,451,523 |
€3,419,740 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€637,893 |
€976,438 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€1,538,017 |
-€3,256,073 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€7,144,288 |
€6,610,551 |
|
Overall totals |
€205,563,537 |
€259,596,821 |
Development Levy Debtors 2020/2019
|
County Councils |
2020 Development Levy Debtor |
2019 Development Levy Debtor |
|
Carlow County Council |
€2,637,414 |
€3,284,967 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€905,255 |
€1,169,365 |
|
Clare County Council |
€3,282,173 |
€3,407,330 |
|
Cork City Council |
€6,251,245 |
€7,232,746 |
|
Cork County Council |
€13,799,817 |
€14,887,707 |
|
Donegal County Council |
€315,245 |
€715,210 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€46,407,384 |
€39,390,531 |
|
Dun Laoire/Rathdown County Council |
€20,425,672 |
€17,918,723 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€65,943,484 |
€65,501,048 |
|
Galway City Council |
€3,334,467 |
€5,355,780 |
|
Galway County Council |
€2,110,520 |
€3,112,229 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€3,308,348 |
€2,697,064 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€12,694,984 |
€12,013,769 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€7,075,673 |
€6,983,353 |
|
Laois County Council |
€1,260,210 |
€1,976,501 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€238,240 |
€405,895 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
€5,917,722 |
€5,804,326 |
|
Longford County Council |
€2,666,838 |
€2,788,191 |
|
Louth County Council |
€10,621,248 |
€13,162,422 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€7,379,308 |
€7,235,194 |
|
Meath County Council |
€16,849,179 |
€14,714,909 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€2,422,711 |
€1,961,757 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€1,969,815 |
€2,260,387 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€4,667,280 |
€5,513,745 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€135,688 |
€120,994 |
|
Sth Dublin County Council |
€20,455,478 |
€15,927,595 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€3,490,461 |
€4,662,267 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
€1,734,314 |
€1,483,617 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€1,020,464 |
€1,425,689 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€6,125,186 |
€5,588,639 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€11,088,781 |
€9,322,037 |
|
Overall totals |
€286,534,606 |
€278,023,985 |
215. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of payments that have been made to approved housing bodies under payment and availability agreements; and the length of time in months for each payment by each local authority in tabular form. [25881/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraApproved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are important partners for local authorities in the delivery of social housing. My Department and local authorities administer a number of funding programmes to assist AHBs with the cost of building, acquiring and leasing new social housing homes under a Payment and Availability (P&A) Agreement with the local authority.
For each property or group of properties, the P&A agreement sets out the details of the properties; details in respect of nomination rights of the local authority; the payment that will be made to the AHB; how that payment will be periodically reviewed; how the tenant’s rent will be charged in accordance with the relevant Differential Rent Scheme; and the conditions in relation to the maintenance of the properties and the provision of services to tenants.
The agreement also sets out that payments may be withheld if the terms are not complied with by the AHB or, if necessary, the agreement can be terminated. P&As are generally between 120 and 360 months in length. The level of payment made by the local authority to the AHB varies depending on the type and source of the property, ranging from 80% to 95% of market rent.
At the end of 2021, a total of 14,367 social housing homes were secured from AHBs by local authorities using P&A agreements. In 2021, €190.8 million was provided by my Department to local authorities to meet the terms of these agreements with AHBs. This figure is broken down by local authority in the table below.
Table 1: 2021 Payments under SHCEP for P&A Funding
|
LA |
P&A Payments |
|
Carlow County Council |
€3,780,230 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€875,746 |
|
Clare County Council |
€2,427,436 |
|
Cork City Council |
€10,329,441 |
|
Cork County Council |
€7,435,521 |
|
DLR County Council |
€7,709,001 |
|
Donegal County Council |
€1,276,183 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€36,224,960 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€18,694,088 |
|
Galway City Council |
€5,128,304 |
|
Galway County Council |
€1,185,523 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€5,180,707 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€16,013,852 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€3,288,131 |
|
Laois County Council |
€4,309,594 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€111,013 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
€3,343,487 |
|
Longford County Council |
€198,505 |
|
Louth County Council |
€10,403,862 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€198,772 |
|
Meath County Council |
€12,935,064 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€1,636,371 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€1,159,360 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€400,155 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€186,092 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€19,594,162 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€1,753,165 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
€2,257,916 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€2,113,141 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€5,359,097 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€5,328,018 |
|
Total |
€190,836,897 |
216. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated for housing adaptation grants to Wexford County Council for 2020, 2021 and 2022; the amount of funding drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25887/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra218. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications that were received for a private housing adaptation grant for older people and people with a disability to Wexford County Council for 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; the number of these grants have been granted; the number that were refused; the number that are pending a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25889/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 218 together.
My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, each of which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. Details of the allocations and drawdowns for all local authorities, including Wexford County Council, up to 2021, are available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics
Funding of €81.25 million is available nationally in 2022 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme. The 2022 funding allocation for all local authorities is also available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/32a48-improved-homes-for-older-people-and-those-with-a-disability-as-ministers-obrien-and-burke-announce-over-80m-in-funding/
Wexford County Council have drawn down a total of €1,259,554 in grant funding from my Department up to 23 May 2022. The detailed administration of the grants including their assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of local authorities. My Department does not hold information in relation to the local authority assessment, approval and prioritisation of grant applications. This information may be available directly from the local authorities.
217. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications that were received for a social housing adaptation grant for older people and people with a disability to Wexford County Council for 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; the number of these grants that have been granted; the number that were refused; the number that are pending a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25888/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or overcrowded situations. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation is the responsibility of local authorities.
My Department's approach every year is to issue a single full year allocation to each local authority, so they can plan, prioritise and implement the programme to carry out the varying works necessary to meet the needs of their tenants. The programme is 90% funded by the Department with a 10% contribution from the Local Authority.
The allocation and drawdown of funding for each local authority for the period 2011-2021 for the Disabled Persons Grant, which incorporates Improvement Works in Lieu, is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/061cd-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-allocation-and-drawdown/?referrer=www.gov.ie/en/publication/c472d-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-allocation-and-drawdown-2011-2020/
Funding to the value of €23.6 million will be allocated for the 2022 schemes. Wexford County Council's allocation for 2022 under this programme is €623,295.
The local authority has responsibility for the administration of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme. My Department does not gather the information in relation to the number of applications granted, refused or pending a decision. This information should be available from the relevant Local Authority.
The statistics on output in relation to 2022 will be available in early 2023.
219. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of a development (details supplied); the amount of funding that has been committed to date; if the site cost has been funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25945/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department issued Stage 3 Pre-tender Approval for this project on 6 August 2021 to the Council. It is a matter for the relevant Approved Housing Body (AHB) and Limerick City and County Council to advance the project.
Cost plans associated with this project are not available due to commercial sensitivity as this project is out to tender.
Under the 75 week timeline for projects under the Capital Assistance Scheme, a Stage 4 submission including a tender report was due into my Department by 5 November 2021, but this has not been received to date. The Council and AHB should submit this to my Department as soon as possible in order for this project to be progressed.
220. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the thatch steering group that is being established within his Department; the persons that will be on the steering group; the remit of the group; if the group will address the difficulties obtaining insurance for thatched properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25946/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is in the process of setting up a thatch steering group which will assist with the implementation of A Living Tradition: a strategy to enhance the understanding, minding and handing on of our built vernacular heritage, which was launched last December. The steering group will meet for the first time in the coming weeks.
The challenges of thatch in Ireland are complex and require the input of a range of stakeholders. The steering group will be advisory in nature and will comprise representatives of local authority architectural conservation officers, local authority heritage officers, thatchers, my Department's thatching grant section, the Heritage Council and the Department for Communities (Northern Ireland). All of these groups are aware of the issues facing the owners of thatched properties, and the steering group will further consult building owners in the course of its work.
The thatch steering group will assist my Department in implementing Action 6 of the Living Tradition strategy, relating to improving the situation for thatched buildings and their owners. One of the principal areas to be dealt with will be the issue of insurance for thatched properties.
221. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of respondents nationally to the call by the Land Development Agency for projects under Project Tosaigh; the number of respondents for same in Dublin; the aggregate potential in terms of homes; the approach that the LDA proposes to take in selecting sites on which to deliver homes at an affordable price. [25948/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Land Development Agency’s (LDA) Project Tosaigh is a market engagement initiative to unlock land with full planning permission that is not being developed by private sector owners due to financing and other constraints and use it to accelerate the supply of affordable housing.
Itallows the LDA to supplement the State lands it is already working on and accelerate the delivery of cost rental and affordable purchase homes by unlocking private land that is ready to be developed but where construction has stalled or not commenced.
The first strand of Project Tosaigh involved an expressions of interest (EOI) process, launched in November 2021, to engage builders and landowners in forward purchase agreements, with the intention of securing stock in certain developments in the shorter term. The LDA received an overall positive market response, with over 65 Expressions of Interest comprising over 100 development projects.
The LDA has advised my Department that their project team has evaluated a significant proportion of the proposals over the past number of months, focusing on those with potential for delivery in 2022 first, and advanced a number of them to pre-contract stage (i.e., Commercial Heads of Terms exchanged with the counterparties). While delivery is a clear objective, the LDA is also focused on value for money considerations.
In parallel, schemes submitted where delivery would be expected to begin in 2023 and thereafter are being reviewed and engagements with parties in respect of those schemes are now underway.
The target under Project Tosaigh is the delivery of 5,000 new homes by 2026 for affordable cost rental or sale to eligible households under affordable purchase arrangements.
222. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the undertaking made by each local authority to the development affordable homes for purchase in each of the coming years for which he has sought a commitment. [25949/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDelivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act, 2021 and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by local authorities' Housing Delivery Action Plans. Local authorities submitted their initial Plans to me in December 2021. Preparation of the Plans allowed each local authority to assess the level of demand with affordability constraint in their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment and plan provision accordingly. The Plans are currently being revised and updated by local authorities in the light of ongoing engagement and clarifications, and I expect that they will be ready for publication by local authorities in the Summer. They will provide a comprehensive overview of projected delivery of affordable housing nationally.
While all local authorities are encouraged to bring forward affordable schemes where they are needed, specific targets have been allocated to 18 local authorities to bring forward delivery in addition to the Land Development Agency (LDA), Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) or Part V delivery in their area. These local authorities are those where it has been identified that the need for affordable housing is a significant proportion of overall housing need.
In addition to the targeted local authority delivery, affordable purchase and Cost Rental homes will also be made available by AHBs and the LDA as part of the overall affordable housing delivery commitment under ‘Housing For All’.
The delivery targets, for local authority arranged delivery only, for each of the local authorities concerned are shown in this table below:
Housing for All:- Local Authority Affordable Housing Delivery Targets from LA Lands or Advance Purchase 2022 - 2026
|
County Council |
Total |
|
Carlow County Council |
38 |
|
Cork City Council |
378 |
|
Cork County Council |
189 |
|
Dublin City Council |
2,114 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
1,057 |
|
Fingal County Council |
981 |
|
Galway City Council |
151 |
|
Galway County Council |
226 |
|
Kildare County Council |
226 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
76 |
|
Laois County Council |
38 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
264 |
|
Louth County Council |
226 |
|
Meath County Council |
151 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
1,133 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
76 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
76 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
151 |
|
TOTAL |
7,550 |
Specific targets have not been set for the remaining 13 local authorities regarding their provision of affordable housing. It will be a matter for each of these local authorities to consider whether a particular requirement for affordable housing arises and whether it will bring forward specific affordable schemes to meet this need. My Department and the Housing Agency are available to assist in this regard.
Where local authorities without affordable housing targets have localised affordability challenges in key towns, they can apply to my Department for funding to develop affordable housing schemes where they can demonstrate that an affordable scheme is needed to address those localised affordability challenges and they can fulfil the criteria for the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF).
The First Home Scheme will be delivered via a strategic partnership between the State and participating mortgage lenders and I can confirm that all parties are working with a view to deploying the scheme by July of this year. It will improve access to newly-built homes, below the median price point, by using a shared equity model to bridge the gap between mortgage finance and the cost of new homes. This measure, targeted at first time or fresh start buyers, will allow purchasers to exit the rental market, help to build developer confidence in realisable consumer demand, and contribute to the recovery of our construction sector following the Covid-19 emergency. This Scheme will be available nationwide.
Other measures to allow buyers to affordably access newly-constructed housing such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Local Authority Home Loan (formerly the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan), are also available to eligible purchasers nationally to make home ownership more affordable. Information on these schemes is available at the following links:
www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx , and
localauthorityhomeloan.ie/
223. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide copies of all circulars that have been sent to local authorities in relation to the local infrastructure housing activation fund funding; the affordability requirements for homes built on the land in receipt of this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26006/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to provide public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages. This enables the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in Dublin and in urban areas of high demand. LIHAF is designed to specifically address the issue of housing supply, a crucial factor in terms of moderating house prices.
Public infrastructure, such as access roads and public services to site boundaries in order to facilitate housing development, is normally paid for by local authorities from revenues received from local development contributions. These costs are in turn passed on by the developer to the purchaser in the sale price of the house.
The types of infrastructure being provided include roads, bridges, diversion of power-lines, drainage works as well as public amenities (parks) and LIHAF schemes include access roads, distributor roads, link roads, road improvements, roundabouts, bridges and parks.
LIHAF is not primarily intended as an affordable housing scheme, although it will enable the development of more affordable housing on sites. However, affordable housing is also needed within the overall increased supply, so we have leveraged the LIHAF funding to make housing more affordable. This does not mean that all housing will be available at very low prices. It means that a cost reduction proportionate to the benefit accruing from the State investment and the acceleration of the infrastructure has been sought and this, coupled with the effect of additional supply on prices generally, will result in tangible benefits to the average house buyer.
I will arrange for copies of the Circulars that have been issued by my department to Local Authorities in respect of the LIHAF scheme to be forwarded to the Deputy separately.
224. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the option of flexitime will be returned to all local authority workers who had flexitime before the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26095/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application of the flexi-time scheme for local authority staff who have resumed full office attendance following restricted attendance during the pandemic remains unchanged.
Following on from the issuing by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform of their Blended Working Policy Framework document as it relates to the Civil and Public sector, the local authority sector have developed its own Blended Working Framework and Policy document. This is now being considered by the sector and individual local authorities and it is planned that local authorities will move to the implementation of blended working in the sector.
The application of flexi-time within the blended working environment will form part of the discussions on the implementation of blended working in the sector.
225. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the ministerial contact details for persons (details supplied). [26111/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraContact details for myself and Ministers of State Burke and Noonan can be found on my Department's website at the following link - www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/.
226. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to an increase in homelessness in Cork city; if he has met with homeless services; and his plans to tackle the issue. [26222/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe increase in homelessness seen nationally in recent months is a serious concern for Government. We are acting to address this, and while significant work has been done there is still more to do.
My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/
The most recently published data is in respect of March 2022. There were 324 adults and 69 child dependants in emergency accommodation in Cork City during the March count week. This represents a monthly decrease of 10 adults and 5 child dependants on the February figures.
I have established the National Homeless Action Committee, and I have asked them to prioritise the issue of homelessness prevention and to look at all further avenues of addressing this. The Committee includes representation from the local authority and NGO sector.
In February, I held a Housing Summit with senior officials from the local authorities, at which measures to prevent homelessness and accelerate exits were discussed. Local authorities are prioritising tenancy support services, prevention and the use of the Placefinder service for HAP tenancies.
The HAP scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2021, over 100,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 61,900 households actively in receipt of HAP support and over 33,000 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme. My Department funds a ‘HAP Placefinder Service’, which, through the work of local authorities, is playing a vital role in keeping households out of homelessness and in housing those who find themselves in emergency accommodation.
My Department also funds Threshold’s National Tenancy Protection Service, which has proven to be instrumental in preventing homelessness in the first instance and supporting people to remain in their homes.
The most effective way to increase exits from homelessness in the medium to long term is to increase supply, particularly of social housing, and to accelerate supply of housing over the next decade. Under Housing for All, the government’s national housing plan to 2030, the government is committed to providing 47,600 new-build social homes by the end of 2026, and 90,000 social homes by 2030. In terms of social housing delivery, last year, 9,183 new social homes were provided, a 17% increase on 2020. This year, there is a target to deliver 9,000 new build social homes, which will be delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies.
Following the success of the voids programme which delivered over 6000 units in 2020 and 2021, there is a new Voids programme for 2022 with an emphasis on quick turnaround and re-letting of vacant social housing stock to those on social housing waiting lists, including those in emergency accommodation.
Significant progress is already being made under Housing for All to accelerate supply and recent commencement figures are encouraging. All additional measures that we can take to address the rise in homelessness are being actively pursued.
227. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a person declaring themselves homeless needs to provide the local authority with an address. [26223/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities.
Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard. When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household.
Any household assessed as homeless may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation without the requirement to undergo a social housing assessment, allowing local authorities the flexibility that is essential to respond quickly and effectively to the various needs of cases that may arise.
In the process of establishing the circumstances of a person presenting themselves as homeless, a local authority will enquire as to their most recent address or where they stayed the previous night, in order to ascertain what options are available to them in terms of housing solutions. However, a person does not need to provide an address in order to declare themselves homeless.
