Written Answers Nos. 50-73
55. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on future plans for the development of cost rental housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42939/24]
View answerHousing for All commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030.
As of Quarter 2 this year, more than 2,180 Cost Rental homes have been delivered since the launch of the new tenure in late 2021, and a very strong pipeline of future delivery is now in place.
The continued development of Cost Rental homes is supported by my Department through a mixture of capital grants, loan financing, and State equity investment, via the Affordable Housing Fund to Local Authorities, the Cost Rental Equity Loan scheme to Approved Housing Bodies, and the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental investment scheme which supports delivery by private operators. The Land Development Agency also continues to advance its delivery of Cost Rental homes through unlocking planning permissions under Project Tosaigh and by developing its own portfolio of State lands.
All these funding streams and delivery partners are contributing together to deliver new homes into the Cost Rental sector at increasing scale, and this will continue to be supported by the record capital funding for my Department under Budget 2025, including a €3.1bn Exchequer capital allocation for housing schemes.
59. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if data centres, as well as LNGs, will be designated as strategic infrastructure under the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42879/24]
View answerI assume the Deputy is referring to strategic infrastructure in the context of the Planning and Development Act 2024, which was enacted on 17 October 2024.
The purpose of the Act is to set the legislative framework to enable the most appropriate means of assessment of all forms of development, including strategic infrastructure.
Duly, the definition of “strategic gas infrastructure development” in Part 4 of the Act was amended at Seanad Report Stage to reflect the types of gas infrastructure already listed in Schedule 2. This includes Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) provisions that largely replicate the current provisions in the Act of 2000. These provisions designate applications relating to LNG development as a form of strategic infrastructure and therefore such applications are sent to An Coimisiún Pleanála for consideration Any such application must be assessed in the appropriate manner including having regard to the requisite accompanying environmental assessments and procedures to ensure full public participation as well as having regard to the relevant Government policies.
Data centres are not designated as Strategic Infrastructure Development in the Act and applications for such facilities are therefore assessed by the relevant planning authority.
60. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the expert group on Traveller accommodation, and on how many new units of Traveller-specific accommodation have been delivered in each year since the report was published in 2019. [42861/24]
View answerThe Traveller Accommodation Expert Review report, which is intended to improve the effectiveness of the arrangements for providing accommodation for members of the Traveller community, has 32 recommendations across four categories which are aimed at:
• Addressing research deficiencies;
• Removing any potential delays and obstacles in the planning system;
• Increasing resources and delivery capacity; and
• Strengthening governance arrangements.
The Programme Board, established on foot of the Traveller Accommodation Expert Review report, is making real progress in delivering on the implementation of the recommendations in the report. To date 14 of the recommendations have been completed with active progress underway on a further 14 recommendations.
Since the Expert Group Review was published in 2019, full drawdown by local authorities has seen a total of €81 million in Capital funding spent on Traveller-specific accommodation in the four years from 2020 to 2023. A further €21 million was allocated in the 2024 Budget..
This funding has delivered 634 wide ranging outputs from 2020 to 2023 reflecting the range of accommodation options open to Travellers, as well as essential works on sites. This includes the delivery of:
• 101 group housing units including 55 of which are new,
• 74 halting site bays 14 of which are new,
• 121 caravans have been provided through the Caravan Loan Scheme,
• 60 mobiles through emergency replacement, and
• 93 homes have been acquired specifically for Traveller families.
This capital investment is delivering outcomes for Travellers through the delivery of new halting site bays, new group housing schemes and refurbished accommodation, making significant improvements in accommodation for Traveller families.
61. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a deposit protection scheme could be established to protect renters from having their deposits unlawfully withheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42667/24]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for the development of a deposit protection scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). However, significant changes have taken place in the rental market since this legislation was passed. It should be noted that, unlike many other jurisdictions examined, Ireland already has a well-established quasi-judicial dispute resolution process in place where the RTB offers a dispute resolution process to landlords and tenants and any deposit protection scheme will continue to require access to such a resolution process.
The Housing for All Action Plan Update published in November 2022, included an action to examine the creation of a system of holding rental deposits, informed by best international experience. The primary aim of this examination is to provide an international comparison of different models of deposit protection, with a view to drawing lessons prior to the possible implementation of a deposit protection scheme in Ireland.
The Housing Agency has completed an examination in line with the Housing for All action and Minister O'Brien is presently considering its contents and the options the Agency has outlined. It is important that any new measures introduced in the rental sector are done so in a fair, measured and balanced manner.
68. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Government will acknowledge the need for a 100% redress scheme for homeowners affected by defective concrete blocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42867/24]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act), which was commenced on the 22 of June 2023, contains the enhanced grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on the 29 of June 2023.
The DCB Scheme is neither a redress nor a compensation scheme, rather it is a grant scheme of last resort to enable affected homeowners remediate their homes and move on with their lives.
Grant rates recommended to Minister O'Brien by the Expert Group were informed by independent cost reports prepared by the Society of Chartered Surveyors. These rates include for the following:
1. Demolition and reconstructions costs
2. Concrete path around the house
3. Disconnection and reconnection of utilities
4. Making good to driveway and garden
5. Professional fees
6. VAT at 13.5% on building costs and 23% on professional fees
My Department was provided with updated costs reports in March 2024 which have been considered by the Expert Group that recommended an increase in the overall scheme cap grant rates and the Government approved these increases on 8 October 2024.
The Government made the Order to increase the overall scheme cap on 22 October 2024- this will mean that the total grant funding available under the scheme will rise to €462,000. Minister O'Brien will very shortly amend the relevant Scheme Regulations to give effect to the rate increases which will benefit all homeowners in the Scheme.
71. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the interim fire safety scheme for multi-unit developments with defects, including an update on both the pathfinder projects and the total number of applicants for the funding to date. [42863/24]
View answerThe Interim Remediation Scheme for the funding of eligible emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes has been in place since December 2023. The Scheme, which is being administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis, is open to applications from apartment Owners’ Management Companies (OMCs) via the Housing Agency’s website.
In the period since the Scheme’s launch, up to and including 30 September 2024:
• 180 applications have been validated, meeting the required eligibility criteria, and are being progressed across 27 local authority areas; representing
• a total of 17,420 residential units, with just under 79% of units affected located in the four Dublin local authority areas.
The Scheme application process is broken into eight phases, of which Phase 3 requires significant input from OMCs, involving engagement of a Competent Professional to carry out a thorough fire safety investigation, identify required works and engage with Local Authority Fire Services (LAFS) in the preparation of an Interim Remediation Works Plan. Once Phase 3 is completed, and with LAFS confirmation of continued eligibility, a Grant Agreement can then be issued to the OMC and funds can be drawn down as works are completed and certified in due course.
LAFS have a significant role in the implementation of the Interim Remediation Scheme, and to support the Scheme’s progress, Letters of Approval to recruit 40.5 additional fire services staff have issued to ten local authorities.
In April of this year, four appropriate “pathfinder” projects were identified from applications within the Scheme. These pathfinder projects have allowed the mapping of the application and remediation process into simple steps, to identify pinch points and their solutions and to provide consistency across submissions by OMCs and related LAFS workings.
Three pathfinders are situated in the Dublin area involving three local authorities, and one in Kildare. These projects vary in size and complexity, providing valuable insights for both the interim and future full remediation schemes, across resource identification, standardisation of documents and process efficiencies.
Intense engagement has taken place over the summer period between the Competent Professionals, acting on behalf of the four OMCs and LAFS. Three OMCs have completed their engagement with fire services and will receive Grant Agreements in the coming weeks.
Subject to validation, it is expected that payments to OMCs will commence on eligible works before the end of this year.
