Written Answers Nos. 425-448
425. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown of the discrepancy of the original amount confirmed and the actual amount at price of sale for homes deemed to be affordable under the Housing for All policy, in each county, for each of the last three years. [29578/24]
View answer428. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the highest, lowest and average price of homes that are deemed to be affordable under the Housing for All policy in each county for the past three years. [29597/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 428 together.
The Affordable Housing Fund is available to local authorities to assist towards the costs of developing new homes which are made available for affordable purchase by eligible persons. Subventions ranging from €50,000 to €100,000 per home are provided, having regard to the density and location of the housing scheme concerned.
By enabling the local authority to subvent the developments costs in this way, the homes can be made available to eligible persons at a discounted purchase price they can afford which will be at least 15% below the market value of the home.
The price paid for each individual home is determined with regard to the purchasing power of the prospective purchaser. The local authority retains a percentage equity stake in the home equal to the percentage actual discount availed of by the purchaser on the full market value of the home, which is redeemable by the purchaser at a future date.
On this basis, local authorities have delivered 323 affordable purchase homes in 2022 and 499 affordable purchase homes in 2023. Of these, the lowest priced home made available was a 2 bed apartment for €166,000 at Dun Emer, Lusk, Fingal County Council and the highest upfront price was for a 4 bed home for €399,500 at Wilkinson's Brook, Hollystown. The average discounted price paid by eligible purchasers for homes delivered during 2023 was €266,869.
426. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 195 of 16 May 2024, when he and the Minister of State in his Department will meet with an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29581/24]
View answerI can confirm that I have received a request from the organization referenced to attend a meeting and my Department will be in touch to agree a date.
427. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what supports are available for homeowners in Carlow with houses affected by pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29588/24]
View answerI commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The new scheme is now open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/8002e-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.
When a local authority that is not designated under the Scheme determines through the established mechanisms that homes within their functional area have been damaged by defective concrete blocks, they can seek to have the scheme extended to include any such county or part of such county.
Section 5 of the Act contains details on this process. This statutory designation process can commence upon a request by a local authority or by myself, as Minister, to the Housing Agency. The Agency thereafter carries out technical testing of dwellings in a given local authority administrative area. As soon as practicable after the completion of any testing, the Housing Agency shall make a recommendation to me whether an order to designate the whole or part of a local authority's administrative area should or should not be made by the Government.
I understand that further to the Housing Agency meeting with Carlow County Council staff in March of this year, that the Housing Agency have now completed Building Condition Assessment Reports on a small number of damaged dwellings, with sampling and testing to commence on a small number of dwellings in July.
429. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the airstrip at a location (details supplied) will be retained to enhance tourism, being the only official airstrip in the Boyne Valley region, and which has full planning permission as an official airstrip recognised by the Irish Aviation Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29643/24]
View answerMy Department acquired lands at the site mentioned in December 2023 with vacant possession.
I have been advised that the previous owners of the lands had a bare licence arrangement with an individual for use of some of the lands as an airstrip. This arrangement was terminated and communicated to the individual in June 2023, by the previous owners, when the lands were going on the market for sale.
Following a review of the property, my Department does not see an airstrip as part of the plan for developing the site for conservation and as an overall sustainable visitor and tourism facility. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has informed previous users that the airstrip is now closed and has made contact with the Irish Aviation Authority to request that the airstrip is no longer registered. The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed that the location is an 'unlicensed aerodrome' and no further action is needed in relation to the decision to discontinue the use of that part of the property as an airstrip.
430. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the part V properties transferred to local authorities for social housing will be included in the tenant purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29658/24]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended by the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
The regulations provide for a number of specified classes of houses to be excluded from sale, including those provided to local authorities under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The Part V provisions seek to promote social integration and secure mixed tenure, sustainable communities. Accordingly, Part V properties are excluded from the scheme to ensure the original policy goals of the legislation are not eroded over time and the properties remain available for people in need of social housing support.
My Department monitors schemes such as this on an ongoing basis to ensure that they remain effective and sustainable, however, there are no plans to amend this aspect of the scheme at this time.
431. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average rent for the Skibbereen, Bantry, and Clonakilty local areas, by quarter, from 2019 to date. [29668/24]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) Rent Index is designed to measure developments in rental prices faced by those taking up new tenancies in the private rental sector and, from Q2 2023 utilising Annual Registration data, also existing tenancy rent price developments. The Rent Index report is the most accurate and authoritative rent report of its kind on the private rental sector in Ireland. Compared to other market monitoring reports produced for the Irish rental sector, the RTB/ESRI Rent Index has the considerable benefit of being based on regulatory data covering all new tenancy registrations regardless of how the property was advertised for rent.
Details on the standardised average rents for Skibbereen, Bantry, and Clonakilty between 2019 to Q4 2023 can be found in the relevant Rent Index published on the RTB website at: www.rtb.ie/rtb-publications.
433. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of WTE hydro-meteorologist working in Met Éireann in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [29685/24]
View answerThe total number of WTE hydro-meteorologists working in Met Éireann in 2023 and 2024 is set out in the table below.
|
2023 |
8 |
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2024 |
8 |
434. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Ireland is a party to the 1990 Copenhagen Document; if he will conduct a review to ensure Ireland is in alignment with the various requirements in it, in particular the need to have a legal framework for domestic and international observes to be present in polling stations and count centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29702/24]
View answerThe Copenhagen meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe took place from 5 to 29 June 1990.
Ireland was a participating State at the Conference, and is a signatory to the Copenhagen Document. This key document from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe outlines commitments undertaken by participating States in respect of democratic elections, the rule of law, and other fundamental rights and freedoms.
In particular, section 8 of the Copenhagen Document notes that participating States consider that the presence of observers, both foreign and domestic, can enhance the electoral process for States in which elections are taking place.
Sections 98 and 113 of the Electoral Act 1992 provide, that in addition to the persons set out in those sections permitted to be present at polling stations or at the counting of the votes, respectively, permission for any other person or persons to be present is a matter for the respective returning officer.
In that context, and in accordance with the commitments set out in the Copenhagen Document, my Department, with the co-operation of the relevant returning officers, actively seeks to facilitate the attendance of observers at any election whenever such requests are received.
435. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the funding will be announced for the Multi Annual Water Programme 2024-2026; when funding will be announced for projects (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29705/24]
View answerIn January this year local authorities were invited to submit applications for funding under my Department’s Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2024-2026 (MARWP) with a closing date of 12 April 2024.
An Expert Panel has been put in place to support the application evaluation process. In addition to providing an expert perspective, the Panel brings independence, openness and transparency to the process which is done on a national prioritised basis. The Panel’s membership includes Departmental, stakeholder and independent representation.
The Panel will make recommendations to my Department on the suitability of schemes/projects for funding, including on those listed in the details supplied. The recommendations will be based on objective criteria which are set out in the Framework document issued to local authorities when proposals under the MARWP were sought.
Once the Panel presents its report, my Department will then consider their recommendations, and based on these, will propose allocations for my consideration as Minister. I expect this process to be completed late in Q3 2024.
437. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses or apartments not being progressed by Cork County Council for each month to date for 2024 under the cost rental tenant in-situ scheme; the reason for non-progression of these purchases by Cork County Council under the cost rental tenant in-situ scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29716/24]
View answerThe Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Local Authority conducts the initial assessment for eligibility of the tenant for this scheme and refers potential cases to the Housing Agency, which is responsible for administering and managing the scheme on behalf of my Department.
Data for affordable housing delivery is published on a quarterly basis, similar to social housing delivery. This data is published up to Quarter 4 2023, including CRTiS figures, and is available on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
The data requested is not collected by my Department.
438. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the value of unpaid vacant site levies for Cork county for the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29717/24]
View answerUnder the vacant site levy provisions contained in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the Act), 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 registers from 2019 onwards, which site owners became liable to pay in January of the following year. My Department recently issued Circular Letter PL 05/2024 requesting the submission of returns on the operation of the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 in 2023. The returns received are currently being reviewed and it is expected that they will be finalised shortly. The information requested for 2020, 2021 and 2022 is attached in tabular form. It should be noted that under section 19 of the Act, unpaid levies due remain a charge on the land in question until they are paid. My Department will continue to engage with local authorities to ensure that all vacant site levies due are paid.
439. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will make the mortgage-to-rent scheme available under the fresh start principle to ensure that a parent with their children can remain in the family home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29718/24]
View answerThe Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012. It offers households with acute, unsustainable mortgage arrears, who have little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances, the chance to surrender a property to a lender and in turn become a social housing tenant whilst staying in their own home and community.
The MTR scheme is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), and who have very limited options, if any, to meet their long-term housing needs themselves. The scheme is not aimed at individuals who require help in funding the purchase of a home, whether under a fresh start principle or otherwise.
The MARP is a framework that sets out rules for how lenders must deal with borrowers when they fall into mortgage arrears or are in pre-arrears. It forms a major part of the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears (CCMA) which is a statutory code set out by the Central Bank of Ireland. The CCMA and the MARP can be found in full on the Central Bank’s website www.centralbank.ie/consumer-hub/explainers/how-does-the-central-bank-protect-me-if-i-cant-pay-my-mortgage .
Within the MARP framework there are many potential resolutions for borrowers in mortgage arrears, once they are engaging with their lender. The appropriate solution for each borrower will depend on their personal circumstances and their financial circumstances. If it has been determined that a borrower has no other possible resolution to their mortgage arrears situation once they have worked through the MARP process with their lender, they can then turn to the MTR scheme to see if they meet the eligibility criteria.
I would encourage any borrower in mortgage distress to discuss with their lender what options are available to resolve their mortgage arrears situation. For those borrowers in danger of losing their home who are ineligible for the MTR scheme but qualify for social housing support, it is recommended that they engage as early as possible with their local authority regarding their long-term housing needs.
I would also encourage borrowers to engage with the Abhaile Service, the national mortgage arrears resolution service, which is available free of charge to the borrower. MABS acts as the gateway for the service and can be contacted by telephoning (076)1072000 or by accessing their website at: www.mabs.ie/abhaile. A dedicated adviser will work with the borrower and their lender to find the best solution for their particular situation.
440. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of gorse fire incidents across Cork county for years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; the number of forestry fire incidents across Cork county for the same years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29719/24]
View answerThe 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 Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
There has been a welcome downward trend in the incidence of fire, with the fire fatality rate per million of population, using a three year average, currently at 3.9 deaths per million of population. While each death is one too many, this figure is a third of what it was twenty years ago when it stood at 12.9 deaths per million of population. That level of fire fatalities positions Ireland among countries with very low fire fatality rates.
My Department collects and publishes statistics relating to fire annually. The fire statistics to which the Question refers are available at the following link, where 2023 statistics will be made available shortly:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/f01ff-fire-statistics/.
441. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for implementation of a national policy on right-sizing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29721/24]
View answerHousing for All commits to increasing the housing options available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence, including the development of a policy on right-sizing. The Housing for All policy objective to make more efficient use of existing housing stock includes tasking my Department with the development of a national policy on right-sizing and to explore options to support and incentivise right-sizing on a voluntary basis.
Work continues to be advanced in my Department to inform and progress the development of national policy on right-sizing with the objective of bringing forward a draft national policy as soon as possible.
442. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend and expand the septic tank grant to ensure upgrades can be availed of for all defective tanks, irrespective of their location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29722/24]
View answerThe Rural Water Programme provides financial assistance to households in specific circumstances where capital works are required to rectify defective Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks.
The policy of providing grant funding to households for work on DWWTS arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular. The grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are available only in circumstances relating to risks to water quality and/or human health and the environment.
Householders can avail of the grants if their DWWTS has failed an inspection under the National Inspection Plan and an Advisory Notice has been issued, or if the DWWTS is located in either a Prioritised Area for Action or a High Status Objective Catchment Area, as identified in the River Basin Management Plan.
Modifications to the conditions and amount of the grants available came into effect from 1 January 2024 following a review of the scheme and I have no plans to make further changes.
443. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority home loans approved and drawn down for Cork county for 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29723/24]
View answerThe Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for those 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 which commenced on 1 February 2018.
My Department regularly publishes information on the number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower (and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount).
Information on drawdowns, approvals, average drawdowns, and average approvals for both the Local Authority Home Loan and Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan up to Q4 2023 is available at the following link, which will be updated as soon as figures are available: www.gov.ie/en/collection/42d2f-local-authority-loan-activity/#local-authority-loans-approvedpaid
The Housing Agency provides a central support service that assesses applications for the Local Authority Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications. According to the Housing Agency, from 1 January 2024 to the end of May this year, 65 valid applications have been assessed in Cork City and County with 31 of these recommended for approval. As the Local Authority Home Loan is demand led, and the level of loan drawdowns depends upon the individual outcomes of applicants' home searches, it is not possible to predict the likely level of drawdowns this year.
444. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the work of the interdepartmental group to consider what further regulatory measures may be required for OMCs in the context of the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in eligible apartments and duplexes and the proposed statutory remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29842/24]
View answer445. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to support facilitation of fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies, noting that the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 falls under the remit of the Department of Justice but much of its operation relates to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29843/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together.
As stated, the Multi-Unit Developments (MUDs) Act 2011 is under the remit of Department of Justice. The MUDs Act was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments, and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of OMCs. Well-functioning OMCs are key to maintaining and sustaining higher-density residential developments such as apartments.
The national housing strategy, Housing for All, provides for regulations to be made under the MUDs Act relating to:
• management by OMCs of annual service charges; and
• expenditure of a non-recurring nature incurred by OMCs (i.e. ‘sinking fund’ expenditure).
My Department continues to engage constructively with the Department of Justice in relation to the production of these regulations, which are currently in draft form; a policy paper is being prepared to guide review and approval of same by the Minister for Justice. Engagement between our Departments is ongoing to ensure full and shared appreciation of the key problems and issues requiring to be addressed in this sector, and the relevant overall policy responses by Government.
These new regulations will seek to address such issues as the inadequacy of annual service charges and failure to provide for building maintenance / sinking funds. They will equip OMCs with specific identifiable measures to facilitate the timely and full payment of service charges. This should ensure that funding is available to maintain, enhance and replace fire protection facilities, and to service and repair building systems and plant and equipment, such as lifts, heating and ventilation, and water treatment, as well as for refurbishment and upgrade projects.
The design of the current Interim and future statutory remediation schemes for construction defects in apartments and duplexes is intended to take account of the evolving nature of the MUD sector and of the challenges being faced by OMCs. Delivery of both schemes is compatible with the MUDs Act 2011 and proposed regulations thereunder.
446. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of vacant and derelict homes brought back into use in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024, broken down by each of the relevant vacant and derelict home schemes, in tabular form. [29849/24]
View answer447. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the research by his Department into the number of vacant and derelict homes across the State. [29850/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 446 and 447 together.
Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government.
The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I launched in January 2023, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. Last month, I launched the Vacant Homes Action Plan, Progress Report April 2024 which sets out what has been achieved in 2023 and the further steps that will be taken in 2024.
Information on the number of properties brought back into use through the various vacancy initiatives is detailed in the table attached.
A Vacancy Survey project, supported by my Department, commenced in December 2022. The survey is not intended to be a comprehensive count of every vacant and derelict property in each local authority administrative area, rather its objective is to provide local authorities with a database of vacant and derelict properties which they can update on an ongoing basis and use to engage with property owners and work with them to bring those properties back into use.
The survey is underway but has not yet been completed by all local authorities and my Department is continuing to liaise with local authorities in relation to the survey.
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Vacancy Initiative |
Units Delivered |
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Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund |
The Department publishes data on number of applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which can be accessed at the following link: gov.ie - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics (www.gov.ie) |
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Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) Call 3 |
The Department recently announced that more than 1,200 vacant and derelict properties have been identified and approved under URDF Call 3. |
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Repair and Leasing |
Delivery under the Repair and Leasing Scheme in respect of all local authorities to end 2023 is published on the Department’s website at the following link:www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#repair-and-leasing-scheme-rls. |
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Buy and Renew |
To date, in excess of 900 Units have been delivered through Buy and Renew since 2016. |
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Planning Exemption Notifications |
Since 2018, almost 1,200 notifications have been received in relation to properties where it was intended to provide such conversions, resulting in over 2,700 new homes being provided under the planning exemption. |
448. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current levels of staffing in the Residential Tenancies Board; the current number of vacant positions; and the total target workforce. [29862/24]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Board, or RTB, was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 to regulate the rental sector; provide information to tenants and landlords; maintain a national register of tenancies; resolve disputes between tenants and landlords; and conduct research and provide information to inform policy.
The remit of the Board covers the private rental sector, the not-for-profit housing providers commonly known as Approved Housing Bodies and Student-specific Accommodation providers. The day-to-day operations of the RTB are a matter for the Board.
Following recommendations in the RTB Workforce Plan (2018 – 2021) and engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPER), the RTB received sanction for significant additional staff over the past three years. The RTB has a sanctioned staffing compliment of 124. It currently is carrying 18 vacancies, which the RTB is actively recruiting to fill.
The RTB is also supported by a third party outsourced service provider who carries out the RTB’s call centre, document management and data entry functions. This contract gives the RTB the flexibility to increase resources as and when required. My Department will continue to work with the RTB to ensure it is sufficiently resourced to deliver on its expanded mandate, including any specific requests, and to support the RTB in reducing response times for people seeking their services.
