Written Answers Nos. 259-273
259. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the progress of the proposed 597 unit public housing scheme at the former Shanganagh Castle site in Shankill, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32087/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn May Government granted approval to proceed with the construction of 597 homes, including 200 social housing, 306 cost rental and 91 affordable purchase homes at Shanganagh Castle, the first such development in the State. This flagship project is intended to act as a pathfinder for other mixed tenure schemes which are key to delivering public housing on public land. It is being progressed through a Development Agreement between Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLR) and the Land Development Agency (LDA) on the site owned by DLR.
My Department has informed DLR and the LDA of the Government decision giving approval to proceed and contracts with the preferred bidder are expected to be signed in the coming weeks. It is expected that construction will commence in Q3 2022 and delivery will be phased from 2024 – 2026.
The construction of the social housing units will be funded through the Social Housing Investment Programme. Funding from my Department is also approved for public infrastructure works to contribute to the delivery of affordable homes from the Affordable Housing Fund.
260. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the progress of the proposed 42 unit public housing scheme on lands at Loughlinstown Wood, Loughlinstown, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32088/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraApproved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery, as envisaged under the Housing for All Plan. The Government is committed to increasing social housing delivery and plans to deliver more than 90,000 social homes to 2030.
My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with AHBs to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that provides finance to assist AHBs progress construction projects is the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF).
CALF funding is capital support provided to the AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units. This loan facility can support up to 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the housing units provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements. A nominal interest rate of 2% fixed per annum is charged by the local authority on the initial capital amount. Repayments on either the capital or interest are not required during the term of the loan (between 10 and 30 years), although where an AHB chooses to, repayments can be made during the term. At the end of the term, the outstanding capital amount plus the interest accrued, is owed and repayable to the local authority. The local authority issues the CALF monies to the AHB and the local authority, in turn, recoups same from the Department.
With regard to the specific project mentioned, I can confirm that the project received conditional CALF funding approval in 2019 for 34 social housing homes. While my Department has not had any direct engagement with the Loughlinstown Housing Co-Operative, it actively engages with the local authority and Co-Operative Housing Ireland. The most recent update from Co-Operative Housing Ireland is that, Loughlinstown Co-Op re-tendered the project following the withdrawal of the preferred tenderer from the procurement process. The closing date for the recent tender competition was the 13 June 2022 and the submissions received are currently being appraised by the AHB. This is the first stage of a two stage process. Subject to acceptance of the tender process, a delivery date will be confirmed.
My Department publishes a quarterly Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report, which sets out the continuing progress being made in advancing the national local authority and AHB new-build pipeline. The latest report, setting out the position at end Q4 2021, can be accessed at the following weblink:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/af746-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q4-2021/.
261. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the mortgage allowance scheme which supports local authority tenants who surrender their home to purchase or self-build a new home; if he will provide details of the number of successful applications by local authority during the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; the details of the date of the last update to the rates of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32089/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Mortgage Allowance scheme provides for an allowance of up to €11,450 payable over a 5 year period, to tenants or tenant purchasers of local authority housing, to assist them to purchase or have a private house built with a mortgage. The current rates are underpinned by the Housing (Mortgage Allowance) Regulations 2001 and have been in place since 1 January 2002. New applications are still being accepted by local authorities under the scheme, and further details are available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/service/b66ea-mortgage-allowance-scheme/.
Details of the applications received and granted by local authority under the scheme are available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/fd048-affordable-housing-and-part-v-statistics/.
262. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider reviewing with a view to increasing the current property valuation limit for fresh start home loans administered by local authorities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32137/22]
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. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.
The maximum market values of the property that can be purchased or self-built are:
- €320,000 in the counties of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, and
- €250,000 in the rest of the country.
This limits the amount that can be borrowed to no more than €288,000 in the counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow and no more than €225,000 in the rest of the country.
While there are no plans at present to change the house price limits, this situation will be kept under review.
Further information on the scheme is available on the dedicated websites
www.localauthorityhomeloan.ie/ and www.gov.ie/en/service/00500-local-authority-home-loan-scheme/.
263. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm if County Sligo will be included in the mica/pyrite redress scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32138/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing Government approval, I shortly intend to introduce the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill, 2022 to the Oireachtas.
The purpose of this Bill is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the defective concrete blocks grant scheme as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021.
My Department received a submission from Sligo County Council, dated 26 October, 2021 requesting the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme to County Sligo. In order to progress matters a meeting was held on 4 November 2021 between officials from my Department and Sligo County Council to review issues which require further elaboration in order to evidentially support an extension of the defective concrete blocks grant scheme to County Sligo.
Sligo County Council undertook to review their submission in light of the discussion which took place and address the gaps in evidential data which have been identified by my Department. In that regard, the relevant local authority are to continue to take the lead, build on the good work to date and demonstrate damage which has been documented has manifested due to the presence of reactive pyrite, which is a crucial burden of proof if the scheme is to be extended to include Sligo.
My Department is eager to progress this matter and to that end, issued a correspondence to Sligo County Council on 8 March 2022 outlining formally the nature of clarifications sought. A follow up meeting in this regard was held with the local authority on the 24 March, 2022. A further submission is awaited from Sligo County Council on the matter and my Department will deal promptly with any such submission.
The extension of the scheme to other local authority areas was considered as part of wider deliberations on the Scheme by Government. I, as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, may, with Government approval, extend the scheme to additional counties, where the evidence supports such an extension and I have recently made such a recommendation to Government with respect to Clare and Limerick.
264. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has received a report from senior counsel regarding alleged conflicts of interest in An Bord Pleanála; and if he will publish same. [32160/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra265. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the examination that has taken place of meanwhile use legislation and if he intends to pursue its application for cultural and artistic purposes. [32179/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra‘Meanwhile Use’ refers to the short-term use of temporarily empty buildings or land until they can be brought back into permanent use. This could benefit those seeking venues for the Night-Time Economy (NTE), while also finding compatible uses by day e.g. as ‘pop up’ shops, community gardens, exhibition, cultural or co-working spaces. Typically, landowners offer short term leases for low rent on empty spaces that are awaiting longer term development proposals, which can bring activity and help keep an area vibrant until wider regeneration plans can be realised.
Under Action 16 of the NTE Taskforce Report a dedicated workshop was held on 11 May 2022 to understand and determine the range and practical scope of planning and development-related actions that can support the NTE. One of the issues examined as part of this workshop was the role and scope of meanwhile use and how it might be developed in Ireland including how best it could be used to facilitate more activity in the cultural and NTE sectors.
A report on the NTE workshop held is being prepared and will be submitted to the Night-Time Economy Implementation Group for consideration and action.
266. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will give a definitive date when the working group specifically tasked with examining the issues of fire safety and structural safety defects in apartments and duplexes built between 1991 and 2013 will deliver it’s report which was due in March 2022; if his attention has been drawn to the immense stress and anxiety that homeowners impacted by these defects continue to experience as a result of significant payments they have been requested to make to remedy defects they are in no way responsible for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32351/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra269. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will give a definitive date when the working group specifically tasked with examining the issues of fire safety and structural safety defects in apartments and duplexes built between 1991 and 2013 will deliver it’s report which was due in March 2022; if his attention has been drawn to the immense stress and anxiety that homeowners impacted by these defects continue to experience as a result of significant payments they have been requested to make to remedy defects they are in no way responsible for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32501/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 269 together.
I understand the stressful circumstances which the owners and residents of buildings face when defects occur in their homes.
The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. These include a commitment to to examine defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report "Safe as Houses?" and to assist owners of latent defect properties, by identifying options for those impacted by defects, to access lowcost, long-term finance. Housing for All, the Government’s national plan on housing to 2030, reiterates these commitments.
In this regard, I established a working group to examine defects in housing. This working group has been meeting monthly since March 2021 (except for August). In addition, regular subgroup meetings take place to advance elements of the work.
The group’s terms of reference, adopted in May 2021, are focused on fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The full terms of reference of the Working Group are to:
1. Examine defects in housing having regard to the recommendations in Item 4 “Addressing the legacy of bad building and poor regulation” in Chapter 4 of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government report - ‘Safe as Houses? A Report on Building Standards, Building Controls and Consumer Protection’.
2. Establish the nature of significant, wide-spread fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 – 2013 in Ireland through consultation with affected homeowners, homeowner representative organisations, owners’ management companies, relevant managing agents, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, industry stakeholders, insurance providers, mortgage providers and other relevant parties. Including such matters as:
- Identification and description of defect,
- Nature of defect – design, product, workmanship,
- Non-compliance with building regulations or actual damage,
- Severity/risk to life or serviceability of dwelling,
- Period of construction affected,
- Type of dwelling affected,
- Location of dwellings affected.
1. Establish the scale of the issue – estimate number of dwellings affected by the defects identified including those already remediated.
2. Consider a methodology for the categorisation of defects and the prioritisation of remedial action.
- In the case of defects with fire safety implications, consider how the framework for enhancing fire safety in dwellings can be applied to mitigate the risks arising from fire safety defects pending the remediation of defects and the Code of Practice for Fire Safety Assessment of Premises and Buildings, which is currently being developed by National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management.
1. Suggest mechanisms for resolving defects, in the context of the legal rights, duties and obligations of developers, builders, building professionals, insurers, mortgage providers, building control authorities, fire authorities, owners’ management companies, owner occupiers, renters and landlords, including:
- Technical options for the remediation of dwellings,
- Efficient means of carrying out work,
- individual dwellings or whole building approach,
- routine maintenance/refurbishment or remediation,
- Structures or delivery channels needed to facilitate resolution – advice and support.
1. Evaluate the potential cost of technical remediation options.
2. Pursue options on possible financial solutions to effect a resolution, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to identify options for those impacted by defects to access low-cost, long-term finance.
3. Report to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the Examination of Defects in Housing.
The working group is currently concluding its deliberations in support of the delivery on its extensive terms of reference and working towards finalisation of its report. Once I receive the report I will give full consideration to its contents.
267. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the new tenant purchase scheme will be available to council tenants in County Tipperary; the reason that no information has been forthcoming despite it being due to come into effect from 1 February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32376/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme was reviewed in 2021 in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments.
The amendments, which came into effect on 1st February 2022, include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme from €15,000 to €12,500. The time an applicant is required to be in receipt of social housing supports to be able to apply under the scheme has also been revised. This has been increased from one to ten years. Local authorities were formally advised of these amendments by Circular on 12 January 2022.
Applications received by local authorities prior to 1 February 2022 should be assessed with reference to the regulations and requirements in place at the time, with applications received after 1 February 2022 assessed in accordance with the new requirements.
While local authorities have already been formally advised of these changes, revised scheme guidelines, and a Ministerial Order giving effect to changes in the treatment of the State contributory and non-contributory pensions for reckonable income purposes, will issue shortly.
268. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered or if he will consider extending the eligibility for the local authority home loan scheme to support the refurbishment of inherited property in circumstances in which substantial refurbishment is required in order to bring the property into a habitable condition and in cases in which the applicant has met all other eligibility conditions pertaining to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32404/22]
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 both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.
Property ownership through inheritance is disregarded for this scheme i.e. if you own a house (or portion of a house) that you did not purchase then you are still eligible to apply for the Local Authority Home Loan Scheme.
In line with the previous schemes, the Local Authority Home Loan scheme is designed to enable credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range, or to self build; it does not include undertaking renovation projects. I have no plans to change this requirement at present.
270. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to the reports in the media of a 35% increase in the discretionary housing assistance payment limit and changes to rules around local authorities ability to purchase homes with sitting HAP tenants who are in receipt of an NTQ on grounds of sale, if he will provide details regarding both these initiatives, including the new HAP limits across the country including uplifts and homeless rates and any rules around purchasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32526/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government, under Housing for All, will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), and with this, to reduce the numbers of social homes delivered through acquisition programmes.
On 19 January, my Department issued a circular letter to local authorities advising that social housing acquisitions by local authorities and AHB CALF acquisitions in 2022 would be focused on a number of priority areas, as follows:
- One-bedroom units to deliver on Housing First and meet the short supply in this category;
- Other properties that allow persons/families to exit homelessness; and
- Specific housing required for/suitable for individuals with a disability or other particular priority needs.
Local authorities were also advised that limited acquisitions through the Capital Assistance Scheme will also be approved, subject to the available budget for specific vulnerable cohorts, such as housing for older people, accommodation for individuals and families who are homeless and for people with a disability.
On 20 April, a further circular letter issued to local authorities in relation to social housing acquisitions. The key purpose of this circular was to advise local authorities that I had reinstated the delegated sanction to local authorities in respect of social housing acquisitions which are:
(i) in one of the priority categories set out in the January circular letter;
(ii) are in line with acquisition cost guidelines; and
(iii) can be completed during 2022.
The reinstatement of delegated sanction will allow local authorities to respond more flexibility to secure acquisitions which support a household to exit or to prevent homelessness. It is a matter for individual local authorities to identify suitable acquisitions in line with local circumstances and their social housing allocations policy.
Another commitment under Housing for All required my Department to undertake an analytical exercise to examine whether an increase in the level of the 20% discretion available to local authorities under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is required, in order to maintain adequate levels of HAP support.
Following this analysis, I am working with Government colleagues and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to provide for an increase in the HAP discretion rate to 35% and, for new tenancies, to expand the couple’s rate to single persons where required. Further details will be available when the engagement process is complete. These changes will secure more tenancies and prevent new entries to homelessness.
271. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the numbers of those in need of housing across all local authorities; if these figures will include those that are on housing assistance payment and rental accommodation scheme transfer lists as these tenancies are not secure and permanent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32527/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).
The most recent summary for all counties, conducted in November 2021, is available at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6119-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2021-key-findings/.
The key figure reported in the SSHA is referred to as ‘net need’. Net need is the total number of households qualified for social housing support whose need for support is not being met. This total excludes:
- duplicate applications – where a household has applied to more than one authority for social housing support, only their first application was included in the count;
- those in receipt of social housing support – for example, households currently living in local authority rented accommodation, approved housing body accommodation, accommodation provided under the HAP scheme, accommodation provided under the RAS, or accommodation provided under the SHCEP schemes;
- households on a transfer list – any household that has applied for a transfer from an existing form of social housing support including HAP.
Question No. 272 answered with Question No. 247.
273. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of national housing completions annually since 2016; and the number in the 12 months between Q2 2021 and Q1 2022, and also for Dublin. [32807/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraData in relation to new dwelling completions is published by the CSO on a quarterly basis and can be accessed via the following link:
www.cso.ie/en/statistics/construction/newdwellingcompletions/
