Written Answers Nos. 218-230
218. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the graded/banded employment will be approved for workers in Waterways Ireland following the decision by Waterways Ireland to allow such grading and banding of employees for remuneration reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7981/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWaterways Ireland is a North-South body, under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, overseen by the North South Ministerial Council and sponsored jointly by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
Last year, Waterways Ireland submitted a business case arising from a recently-completed job-evaluation exercise to my Department as sponsor, seeking approval to progress the matter referred to in the Question. This evaluation had required face to face meetings with staff in a range of locations, and as such final completion of the exercise had been delayed for a period due to Covid-19.
My Department referred the matter to the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform who will make the final determination. My Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform are in continual contact and working actively to ensure the case is progressed to a decision as expeditiously as possible.
219. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the Custom House History Museum and its exhibition which fails to mention An Gorta Mór and the role of the administration in the Custom House at the time played; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7770/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the 15 November 2021, I officially opened The Custom House Visitor Centre, in conjunction with the Office of Public Works (OPW) and in partnership with Fáilte Ireland.
The Custom House Visitor Centre is a visitor experience exploring the construction, burning and restoration of Dublin’s Custom House featuring new and interactive exhibits telling the rich history of the building and showcasing its exceptional architecture.
Any queries regarding the content of the exhibit should be directed to the OPW.
221. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on current height restrictions on timber framed buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7782/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra222. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is considering changing the height restrictions on timber framed buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7783/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra223. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to review the fire safety codes with relation to timber framed buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7784/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra226. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the quality control measures which are in place for timber frame housing in view of the lack of regulation and quality control that was in place for block build over the years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7795/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 221, 222, 223 and 226 together.
The Building Regulations 1997-2021 set out the legal requirements for the construction of new buildings (including houses), extensions to existing buildings as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. Their aim is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. The minimum performance requirements that a building must achieve are set out in the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations. These requirements are set out in 12 parts (classified as Parts A to M). The Building Regulations are set out in functional terms. They are performance based and technology/material neutral. Primary responsibility for compliance with the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings.
The associated Technical Guidance Documents (TGD A - M respectively) provide technical guidance on how to comply with the Building Regulations in practical terms for common non-complex buildings. Where works are carried out in accordance with the relevant technical guidance, such works are considered to be, prima facie, in compliance with the relevant regulations. However, the adoption of an approach other than that outlined in the guidance is not precluded provided that the relevant requirements of the Regulations are complied with.
Part D (Materials and Workmanship) requires that all works should be carried out in a workmanlike manner using “proper materials…which are fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used” to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations.
‘Proper Materials’ includes materials which comply with an appropriate harmonised standard or European Technical Assessment or comply with an appropriate Irish Standard or Irish Agrément Certificate or with an alternative national technical specification of any State which is a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, which provides in use an equivalent level of safety and suitability.
I.S.440: 2009+A1:2014 Timber Frame Construction, Dwellings and other Buildings is the Irish standard on timber frame construction (as referenced in Technical Guidance Document A 2012 and Technical Guidance Document B Vol 2 2017). I.S. 440 refers to responsibilities, materials, design, manufacture, construction details, site work and services.
Manufacturers of timber frame buildings are assessed under an approval scheme operated by the NSAI for compliance with I.S. 440 requirements including Factory Production Control (FPC). A register of compliant manufacturers is available on the NSAI website at www.nsai.ie/certification/.
My Department does not approve or endorse products for compliance with the Building Regulations or standards. It is critical to ensure that products, systems, and ultimately buildings which are comprised of such products and systems, are designed, constructed, and certified, as fit for purpose, having regard to their intended end use.
A key action of the Government’s Housing for All plan is an ongoing review of Building Regulations to drive compliance and standards through regulatory reform.
On 20 January 2023, I launched a three-month public consultation on proposed amendments to Building Regulations relating to fire safety. The proposed changes aim to improve fire safety in new buildings and support the re-use of existing buildings by simplifying, clarifying and rationalising fire safety requirements. I encourage all interested parties to make a submission, details of which can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/consultation/1ed7c-public-consultation-on-the-review-of-part-b-fire-safety-of-the-building-regulations/ .
224. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the role of glue-laminated timber in the construction sector in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7787/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 new homes per year over the next decade.
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is used to describe a range of offsite manufacturing and innovative onsite techniques that provide alternatives to traditional building construction, including innovative systems such as cross laminated timber (CLT) and glue laminated timber (GLT).
All MMC systems must be of a high quality, comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations and have a 60 year durability. For new innovative products or systems, not covered by existing standards, compliance with the Building Regulations can be demonstrated by 3rd party certification by an independent approval body, such as National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Agrément.
In general, the promotion of MMC has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland as set out in Housing for All. Indeed, the Housing for All Action Plan Update, which was published on 2 November, reiterated this point and includes a new action to develop a roadmap with targets for increased use of MMC in public housing.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) has overseen the establishment of and chairs an interdepartmental MMC Leadership and Integration Group to support the coordination of initiatives to develop Modern Methods of Construction, including in relation to issues around public procurement, sustainability, housing and the education and skills agenda in the construction industry. My Department participates actively on this Group.
225. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce measures in order that local authority tenants and tenants of approved housing bodies can have their properties inspected by city and county council environmental health officers; if there are other mechanisms in place for these tenants to raise complaints concerning the condition of their properties if they feel that appropriate action has not been taken to rectify maintenance complaints; if the allocation of capital funding to approved housing bodies can be made conditional on them dealing effectively with maintenance complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7793/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let. All landlords, including local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the standards set down in the Regulations.
In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Social housing tenants should report relevant maintenance issues to their local authority. Should it fail to resolve the issues, the tenant can make use of the local authority’s complaints handling system. If this does not resolve the matter, the tenant can submit a complaint to the Ombudsman.
Responsibility for the enforcement of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority. Last year local authorities conducted circa 49,000 inspections of private rented dwellings, including AHB properties. Housing for All sets a target for the inspection of 25% of all private residential tenancies. A total of €9 million in Exchequer funding is being made available by my Department to local authorities this year to help them meet their private rental inspection targets.
Local authorities regularly select AHB properties for inspection for compliance with the minimum rental standards Regulations. They are also very responsive to requests to inspect private rented dwellings where a tenant believes the standard is not being met and in this regard I would encourage tenants, including AHB tenants, to contact their local authority and request an inspection to assess whether their accommodation meets the minimum requirements. Contact details for all local authorities can be found on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/help/departments/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/en/service/list-of-county-councils/#local-authorities.
All funding of AHBs for new housing delivery is provided either by or with the approval of the relevant local authority. Accordingly, local authorities are in a position to consider the performance of AHBs in relation to maintenance or other pertinent issues when approving new AHB housing proposals.
Funding allocated to the AHB sector under the Capital Advance Leasing Facility, includes funding for a variety of ongoing maintenance activities during the term of the lease, which is typically thirty years. In addition, the majority of the larger AHBs have systems in place to allow tenants to report maintenance issues, and would engage in regular exercises to gain feedback on tenants’ views.
As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019, the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. It is an independent body tasked with the regulation of AHBs for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies.
All AHBs are required to adopt the standards for AHBs that are provided for in the 2019 Act and were developed in conjunction with the sector. These standards are available on the AHBRA’s website (www.ahbregulator.ie ). The standards cover matters relating to corporate governance; financial management and reporting; property and asset management; and tenancy management.
Specifically, the property and asset management standard provides for the maintenance of housing stock and AHBs must be able to demonstrate in their assessments an annual programme of repairs and maintenance designed to deliver their asset management objectives.
The Regulator will monitor compliance by AHBs with the approved standards and has the power to carry out a standards assessment to determine if an AHB is complying with the standards. The AHBRA may monitor and assess AHBs against the published standards and can require compliance plans to be established and implemented for AHBs failing these assessments. The Act further provides the AHBRA with the power to appoint inspectors to investigate and report on the affairs of an AHB.
227. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rationale for providing vacant homes grants for homes built before 1993; if he will consider expanding the scheme to include houses built after this date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7803/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins these policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All. In July 2022, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched as part of the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund. The grant benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence. The grant, which was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages, was expanded to include eligible vacant properties in both cities and rural areas from 15 November 2022. Properties considered for inclusion must be vacant for two years or more and built before 1993. Proof of both vacancy and ownership are required to support the grant payment. Given that the scheme is relatively new, the scheme criteria will be kept under review, with a comprehensive review and evaluation of the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund to be undertaken by mid-2024.
228. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the current situation regarding a project (details supplied) in County Cork; and if funding has been secured for the project in 2023. [7810/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI previously announced an allocation of funding for individual projects across ten local authorities. This was a first tranche of funding under the Multi-Annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme. Details in this regard can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/98ed6-developer-provided-water-services-infrastructure-dpi/.
In respect of the individual projects funded, it is now a matter for the relevant local authorities to have these projects completed.
I also announced a further number of demonstration projects including one in the location of the details supplied. Each of these projects are more complex in nature and require further information and examination before being reviewed by an Expert Panel.
The independent Expert Panel has been tasked with reviewing the applications and to make recommendations for each in respect of funding under the Programme. Once I have received a submission from the Expert Panel, I expect to be in a position to make an announcement on funding allocations shortly.
229. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social leases undertaken by the State since Housing for All was launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7824/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Housing for All strategy, the Government plans to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 homes per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 new build social homes. As new build supply of social housing ramps up, there will be reducing reliance on the HAP and RAS schemes. Long term leasing will be phased out by 2025 and my Department is continuing to engage with local authorities in this regard.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing units leased by local authorities on a quarterly basis. Details on the number of social housing units leased by local authorities under Housing for All from Q1 to Q3 2022 are published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:
assets.gov.ie/243729/044d39c0-f420-43c1-a417-cb5ffabd101e.xlsx.
Delivery data for Q4 2022 is being collated at present and will be published as soon as that process is finalised.
230. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has plans to revise the income thresholds for local authority home loans; and his views on offering flexibility to couples who earn 5-10% more than the income threshold for couples who are applying for same. [7826/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Authority Home Loan was launched in January 2022. It is a Government backed mortgage for those who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It is available to first-time buyers and fresh start applicants to purchase a new or second-hand property, or to self-build.I recently announced significant changes to the scheme parameters in relation to house prices and income limits.
The income ceilings for applicants nationwide will increase from 1 March 2023 and it will be open to applicants previously outside the income limits to reapply under the new income thresholds, if they wish.
The income limits which will apply from 1 March 2023 are as follows:
- Single applicants - increased to a maximum income of €70,000 gross per annum
- Joint applicants - increased to a combined maximum income of €85,000 gross per annum.
Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the credit policy that underpins the scheme. In order to ensure prudence and consistency in approaches in the best interests of both borrowers and lending local authority, the scheme limits must be adhered to. The final decision on Local Authority Home Loan applications is a matter for the relevant local authority.Further information can be found on the dedicated website localauthorityhomeloan.ie/.
