Written Answers Nos. 81-100
81. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of the actions or recommendations in the recent report of the Housing Commission that have already been implemented, underway or partially underway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24314/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra97. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will commit to publishing rents as recommended by the Housing Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24336/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra98. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail his plans to deliver housing in counties Cavan and Monaghan at the scale indicated as needed in the report recently prepared by the Housing Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24411/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra102. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the housing deficits in the State as reported by the Housing Commission recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24312/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 81, 97, 98 and 102 together.
The Report of the Housing Commission was submitted to me on 8th May, together with a number of reports relating to potential wording for a referendum on housing, and was noted by Government and published thereafter on 21st and 22nd May respectively.
The report runs to more than 400 pages, including appendices, with 83 recommendations and over 500 actions and sub-actions. While a comprehensive examination of the Report will take time, it is immediately clear the radical shift the Commission recommends is well underway through the Government's Housing for All plan and other measures. Indeed, a preliminary assessment of the report suggests almost 80% of the Commission's recommendations are already at varying stages of implementation.
All aspects of the report will be considered in detail, including in respect of housing targets. Indeed, work has already commenced regarding a refresh of the Government's housing targets, with revised targets due to be published in the autumn. Importantly, while regard will be had to the Housing Commission's conclusions in this respect, the refresh will be informed primarily by independent, peer reviewed research and modelling by the ESRI on population projections and long-run housing demand.
In the meantime, I have requested the Housing Agency to conduct a comprehensive analysis of costings, timelines and priorities. This will allow for a fuller consideration of the policy matters raised than would otherwise be possible, given the Report doesn't cost actions or specify timelines for implementation.
The Report of the Housing Commission, together with the conclusions of the Housing Agency vis-à-vis costings, timelines and priority actions, will help inform consideration of the forthcoming Housing for All Action Plan Update, which I will bring to Government with my proposals for next steps in the autumn.
84. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the criteria for the septic tank grant; if he will acknowledge that many people who want to avail of the grant are not eligible for same as they are not located in the so called “buffer zones”;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24299/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of providing grant funding to households for work on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks, 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, and are not general in application.
Householders can avail of the grants if their defective 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.
I approved significant improvements to the terms and conditions of the grants available which came into effect from 1 January 2024 and I have no plans to make further changes.
85. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on rental prices in County Meath; how he plans to address these high costs and to increase the housing available for rent in Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24420/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, taking account of the constitutionally protected property rights of landlords, introduced a targeted Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. Section 24A of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to me, as Minister, that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ). For the purpose of the Act, ‘area’ is defined as either the administrative area of a housing authority or a Local Electoral Area (LEA) within the meaning of section 2 of the Local Government Act 2001.
There are 6 LEAs in County Meath, all of which were designated as RPZs on the following dates :
• Laytown-Bettystown on 27 January 2017
• Ratoath on 27 January 2017
• Ashbourne 27 January 2017
• Navan on 28 March 2019
• Kells 2 July 2019
• Trim 2 July 2019
The 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 as of Q2 2023, the Rent Index includes information on rent levels in existing tenancies, as well as new tenancies. Using data collected from annual tenancy renewals with the RTB, insights are now available into the rents paid by sitting tenants. The latest RTB Rent Index, which includes information on each of the LEAs in County Meath is available at: www.rtb.ie/images/uploads/forms/RTB_Rent_Index_Q4_2023_Report_1.pdf.
The Government’s Housing for All plan is focused on tackling supply and affordability issues, including those in the rental market. Additional supply of homes of all tenures including social, cost rental and affordable purchase is key to addressing the challenges in the rental sector. Under Housing for All supply is increasing. Overall, the number of new homes delivered last year was the highest in fifteen years, with 32,695 new homes completed in 2023, 10% higher than in 2022 and exceeding Housing for All’s 2023 target of 29,000 by almost 13%.
Almost 12,000 new social homes were delivered in 2023, which represents the highest level of delivery of new-build social housing in half a century. Over 4,000 affordable homes were delivered in 2023. There are over 1,600 Cost Rental homes in the State delivered by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), local authorities and the LDA, with a further pipeline of 1,437 local authority Cost Rental homes across thirteen projects. The record €5.1bn capital investment in housing, announced in Budget 2024, is the highest ever in the history of the State and will ensure Government can build on the increased supply in recent years and continue to deliver new affordable homes for purchase and rent at pace.
My Department is working with Approved Housing Bodies, with State support under the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, to deliver new Cost Rental homes for renters in Meath. The Clúid AHB delivered the very first Cost Rental homes in Meath, 22 houses in Trim, at the end of 2022. My Department is funding another AHB project of 54 new homes elsewhere in the county, scheduled for delivery this year, and further details of these homes will be announced closer to the point of launch. My Department and the Housing Agency continue to work with AHBs to identify and develop future projects.
86. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the heritage grants available to community groups for local historic structures in their area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24221/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Monuments Service of my Department administers the Community Monuments Fund (CMF). The core aims of the CMF are to:
• enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;
• build resilience in our monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change;
• encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation.
This year the CMF has a budget of €7.5 million.
The National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) also provides direct financial assistance for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS). The HSF is for conservation of heritage structures and historic buildings, in both private and public ownership, for the benefit of communities and the public. The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS). This year these schemes have a budget of €4.5 million each. I will shortly announce a new stream of funding within the HSF to provide expert conservation advice to support the repair and re-use of vacant traditional homes.
The NBHS also oversees the governance and funding for the Heritage Council, which this year has awarded a range of funding to the built heritage sector, including €1.2m to town regeneration projects and plans through the Historic Towns Initiative, as well as €1.8m for various projects in the 2024 Community Heritage Grant scheme.
87. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his proposals to amend the social housing income thresholds.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24037/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra94. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the income eligibility limits for social housing for areas such as Cavan and Monaghan as the present limits are unrealistic and are depriving families on relatively low incomes the opportunity to apply for social housing when in such instances these families will not meet the criteria for home loans or mortgages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24363/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra132. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase social housing income thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24417/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 94 and 132 together.
Housing for All, first published in Q3 2021, set out a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing.
From this review, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties. Government also agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds thus increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
The review further recommended the commissioning of research to develop options for a revised or new social housing income eligibility model. My Department recently received this detailed research, commissioned by the Housing Agency. The scope of the research included examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and population conditions and the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced.
My Department will now undertake a detailed examination of the report, in order to develop a new social housing income eligibility model by Q4 2024 in line with the Housing for All Action Plan update. This detailed examination will include consultation with stakeholders and will look at, inter alia, how the social housing income limits system interacts with other housing supports and ensure that they continue to target households correctly.
88. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his plans to further strengthen the capacity of local authorities to increase delivery of social housing, as stated in the strategic investment priorities of the National Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18087/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra189. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is planning any further spending on capacity and resources for local authorities to tackle vacancy and dereliction of properties and to increase the stock of social and affordable housing as indicated in the NDP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16221/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 189 together.
Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade and is the first multi-annual fully funded housing plan in the history of the State. The annual targets include the delivery of 90,000 new social homes and 36,000 new affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. The Plan is supported by an investment package of over €4 billion per annum, through an overall combination of €12 billion in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5 billion investment through the Land Development Agency (LDA) and €5 billion lending through the Housing Finance Agency (HFA).
Budget 2024 provided for continued record investment in Housing with €4.25 billion in Exchequer funding for the delivery of housing programmes, comprising capital funding of €2.6 billion and current funding of €1.5 billion. The Capital provision will be supplemented by LDA investment and HFA lending resulting in an overall capital provision of over €5 billion in 2024.
Housing for All includes a commitment to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to initiate, design, plan, develop and manage housing projects.
Extensive work was undertaken in 2021 to identify the additional staff resources required by local authorities to deliver the social housing targets set out in Housing for All and, in December 2021, I approved funding for 250 housing posts in local authorities nationally to support social housing delivery.
Furthermore, in order to help ramp up the delivery of affordable housing throughout the country, I have recently approved 71.5 new specialist and administrative posts across 27 local authorities. This is in addition to 69 specialist and administrative staff approved in 2022. The approval of these additional professional expert roles, alongside administrative delivery teams, increases the total complement to 140.5 staff in local authorities dedicated to delivering affordable housing. These new posts will be solely dedicated to affordable housing delivery and will ensure the required expertise is in place to deliver the current robust pipeline of affordable homes and ensure local authorities possess increased capacity to deliver on same.
In relation to vacancy, funding has been made available to local authorities to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office, including a Vacant Homes Officer (VHO), with the level of funding increased from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum, from mid-2022. All 31 local authorities now have a full time, dedicated VHO in place.
In acknowledgement of the administrative overheads local authorities experience in managing the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Ready to Build Scheme, my Department is providing initial support to each local authority in respect of processing applications. This support is linked to the number of applications received with €60,000 provided where up to 50 applications have been received; an additional €60,000 where 51 to 100 applications are received and an additional €60,000 where over 100 applications are received by the local authority.
90. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing schemes currently underway using the Part 8 derogation including the number of units to be delivered; the locations of each scheme along with commencement and estimated completion dates for each scheme. [24289/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLegislation enacted in December 2022 amended the Planning and Development Act. The provisions under sections 3, 13 and 14 of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 which insert section 179A into the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, have commenced. These provisions provide that housing developments by, on behalf of, or in partnership with a local authority which commences construction before the end of 2024 will be exempt from planning permission and from the Local Authority ’Part 8’ process, subject to a number of specific conditions. Where a development does not satisfy the conditions set out in section 179A, the normal local authority own development arrangements under the ‘Part 8’ process will apply.
Reporting is required under article 39A of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, and data provided by local authorities set out in the table below, indicates the number of units where site notices have been issued by each local authority as of the end of Q4 2023. Data for Q1 2024 has been requested from local authorities and will be available in due course.
|
Local Authority |
No. Proposed Housing Developments [site notice issued] |
No. of Residential Units Proposed [site notice issued] |
|
Carlow |
2 |
4 |
|
Clare |
1 |
26 |
|
Cork CoCo |
2 |
36 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
21 |
|
Fingal |
2 |
176 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
19 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
49 |
|
Laois |
5 |
39 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
18 |
|
Louth |
1 |
3 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
21 |
|
Meath |
2 |
10 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
14 |
|
Roscommon |
3 |
23 |
|
South Dublin |
3 |
131 |
|
Waterford City & Co |
6 |
70 |
|
Westmeath |
3 |
16 |
|
Wicklow |
1 |
152 |
|
Dublin City |
2 |
238 |
92. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is considering the upper limit of €30,000 for housing adaptation grants, and €8,000 for housing aid for the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23749/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to support the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability which support older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People, which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority.
Housing for All commits to reviewing the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme and a report on the review has been prepared by my Department. Among the areas which the review considered are the income thresholds that apply and the grant limits. On foot of consideration of the Review report, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on the recommendations in the report with a view to bringing forward amendments to the relevant Regulations governing the schemes as soon as possible with a view to also publishing the final report.
95. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to help first time house buyers; the impact of these in the twelve months to the end of March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24326/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAffordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed in the Housing for All strategy, the Government has introduced a number of measures to support households and individuals wishing to purchase a home, as well as increasing the overall supply of new homes, with an ambitious target of 300,000 new homes up to 2030.
This includes, as part of Housing for All, several measures which are in place to support first time buyers.
The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme assists first-time buyers in purchasing Local Authority delivered new homes. Affordable Purchase homes are advertised on the relevant Local Authority’s website in advance of their sale, together with eligibility requirements such as household income limits. This scheme uses an equity share model to give eligible purchasers the opportunity of home ownership at a discount.
The First Home Scheme, launched in July 2022, employs a similar equity share model in order to support the purchase of new homes in the private market. Subject to eligibility criteria, it can provide equity up to 30% of the value of a new home.
The Local Authority Home Loan (LAHL) is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants.
Additionally, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, launched in July 2022, supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes, with support of up to €50,000 being provided for the refurbishment of vacant properties and a further €20,000 available where the property is derelict. In providing support to refurbish vacant and derelict properties, the grant is making the transformation of these properties into homes an affordable option for buyers and owners.
In addition to the above schemes, the Help-to-Buy incentive supports First-time Buyers in meeting the deposit requirements for newly-built houses or apartments, as well as self-build homes. The Help-to-Buy may be used in conjunction with the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme or the First Home Scheme.
Finally, data for affordable housing delivery is published on a quarterly basis, similar to social housing, and includes information on the measures set out in this response. The data up to end of 2023 is available on my Department's website at the following link and I expect that we will be in a position to report delivery for Quarter 1 2024 shortly. www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery
96. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on progress being made under Housing for All; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23906/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year in this decade. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. It is a whole-of-Government Plan, encompassing numerous policy areas across four pathways to a sustainable housing system.
The Government publishes progress reports every quarter, and will continue to do so throughout the lifetime of the Plan. These detail the progress made on all Housing for All actions and policy objectives that have a delivery timeline relevant to the publication. There have been eleven quarterly progress reports published to date. The most recent progress report, for Q1 2024, published on 24 April 2024, details the progress made to date on the actions identified as part of the Housing for All Updated Action Plan which was published on 14 November 2023. This, and other progress reports to date, can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/9d2ee-housing-for-all-quarterly-progress-reports/
99. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he will take to address the scale of babies and toddlers from being born into and brought up in homelessness as revealed by recent Census data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24337/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. Almost 12,000 new social homes were delivered in 2023, through Build, Acquisition and Leasing, including 8,110 new build homes, the highest level of new build social homes in nearly 50 years. Including HAP and RAS, 21,733 social housing solutions were delivered throughout 2023.
Record State investment of over €5bn has been made available this year to support the largest State home building programme ever, including 9,300 new build social homes. This funding will also support the Tenant in Situ scheme, with provision to acquire 1,500 homes where a social housing tenant has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. This scheme delivered 1,830 acquisitions in 2023 and was a key prevention measure. For private tenants at risk of homelessness who are not in receipt of social housing supports, the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme has also been introduced.
Budget 2024 allocated funding of over €242 million for the delivery of homeless services. The key focus is to ensure that families experiencing homelessness are provided with emergency accommodation and supported to exit homelessness to a tenancy. There are currently 37 family hubs in operation across the county which provide a greater level of stability than is possible in hotel accommodation, with the capacity to provide appropriate play-space, cooking and laundry facilities, communal recreation space, while move-on options to homes are identified and secured. This setting also allows for more intensive supports to be provided where they are needed in areas such as welfare, health and housing services.
Housing for All also includes measures to enhance family support and prevention and early intervention services for children and their families through a multi-agency and coordinated response. Additional family support services are available through the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla. A special provision is currently in operation under the existing Community Childcare Subvention Programme of free childcare for children from homeless families.
I am continuing to work closely with the National Homeless Action Committee, which I chair, to ensure that there is a continued focus by the various stakeholders on additional measures that we can take to eradicate homelessness.
100. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding adjustments to Part 4 and Part 5 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022, based on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transparency and targeting of political advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23627/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the enactment of the Electoral Reform Act 2022, my Department, over the course of 2023, engaged extensively on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transparency and targeting of political advertising as that proposal progressed through the inter-institutional negotiations.
In this context, Regulation (EU) 2024/900 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2024 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising was adopted earlier this year by the European institutions and will apply throughout the European Union on and from 10 October 2025.
Given the significant overlap that exists between Part 4 and Regulation (EU) 2024/900, it will now be necessary for Part 4 to be brought into alignment and harmonised with the requirements of the aforesaid Regulation.
Furthermore, in light of these developments, my Department is also examining Part 5 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 and the amendments that may be needed to commence its provisions as soon as practicable in 2024. In this regard, my Department is engaging with An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the technology sector and other stakeholders in relation to the implementation of Part 5 of the Act and I will bring forward proposed amendments to Part 5 as soon as possible.
