Thursday, 17 Oct 2024

Departmental Data

Questions (223)

Patrick Costello

Question:

223. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of prosecutions taken against landlords for breaches of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 since they were enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42238/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The 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 have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the standards set down in the Regulations.

Responsibility for the enforcement of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority.

Failure to comply with the minimum standards can result in penalties and prosecution. Local authorities can serve Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices on landlords who breach the minimum standards regulations. An Improvement Notice sets out the works that the landlord must carry out to remedy a breach of the regulations.

The Government is committed to ensuring that a stock of high quality accommodation is available for those who live in the private rented sector. Housing for All sets a target for the inspection of 25% of all private residential tenancies. Annual data in respect of the level of inspections and enforcement actions carried out and legal actions initiated by each local authority is available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/da3fe-private-housing-market-statistics/.

Social Enterprise Sector

Questions (224)

Carol Nolan

Question:

224. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of all social enterprise organisations or bodies funded by his Department in each year from 2021 to date in 2024; the amount allocated in funding to each during this time period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42275/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.

While there is no legal form or status for a social enterprise, I understand a social enterprise to be a business which works primarily to improve the lives of people and whose core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. Details of social enterprise organisations or bodies funded by my Department from 2021 to date in 2024, and the funding amount allocated to each, is set out in the table below.

Year	Organisation	Amount (€)
2021	The Irish Council for Social Housing	565,000
2021	Voluntary Housing Support Services	45,000
2021	An Taisce	516,483
2021	Coastwatch	8,840
2021	Cork City Council - Social, Economic and Environmental Programme (SEEP)[1]	343,750
2022	The Irish Council for Social Housing	757,058
2022	Voluntary Housing Support Services	53,742
2022	An Taisce	547,297
2022	Cork City Council - Social, Economic and Environmental Programme (SEEP)	432,613
2023	High Performance Building Alliance	100,000
2023	The Irish Council for Social Housing	1,026,800
2023	Voluntary Housing Support Services	63,931
2023	An Taisce	662,511
2023	Coastwatch	26,923
2023	Cork City Council - Social, Economic and Environmental Programme (SEEP)	491,600
2024	High Performance Building Alliance	50,000
2024	The Irish Council for Social Housing	915,000
2024	Voluntary Housing Support Services	75,000
2024	An Taisce	425,207
2024	Coastwatch	8,626
2024	Cork City Council - Social, Economic and Environmental Programme (SEEP)	830,995

[1] Social Enterprises are only one of a number of organisations which are funded under the SEEP programme which covers the following themes: Social Cohesion & Capacity Building; Family Support & Early Childhood Development; Community Safety; Education, Training and Lifelong Learning; Health – Physical/Mental Health Supports; Youth & Sports; Environment; Creativity, Culture & Arts; Age Friendly Initiatives supporting Older Persons; Economic Development. It is not possible, therefore, to determine the exact amount that is provided specifically to organisations that are defined as social enterprises.