Tuesday, 13 Jun 2023

Regeneration Projects

Questions (703)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

703. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the Minister and officials responsible for negotiating a deal (details supplied). [27493/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The regeneration of Poolbeg West is an important step in the transformation of the Dublin Docklands area, with the potential to provide for 3,500 homes. A condition of the planning scheme for the Poolbeg West Strategic Development Zone, as modified by An Bord Pleanála on 9 April 2019, is the provision of 15% social and affordable homes on this site in addition to the 10% statutory social housing requirement under Part V arrangements.

In March 2022, Dublin City Council approved an application for the first 570 residential homes at the former glass bottle site. My Department has been working with Dublin City Council, and the developers of the Poolbeg SDZ area to progress the delivery of social and affordable housing in this first phase of housing delivery, subject to agreement on the SDZ requirements and all the normal and relevant terms, including value for money aspects. The developers are engaging with Dublin City Council regarding the provision of the 10% Part V social housing in this first phase and tripartite engagement is ongoing with regard to delivery of the additional social and affordable housing in this first phase in accordance with the terms of the SDZ condition. Drafting of an agreement is underway and the parties are not in a position to comment further until an agreement is finalised.

Housing Schemes

Questions (704)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

704. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes acquired under the first home scheme since its introduction, by the number of homes per local authority, in tabular form. [27556/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Details are available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie

The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (First Home Scheme DAC), on behalf of scheme founders (the State and participating mortgage lenders). This body is responsible for collating and issuing statistical information as it pertains to the scheme. The First Home DAC has published its Q1 2023 Public Update covering the period from 7 July 2022 to 31 March 2023, which can be found on its website at: www.firsthomescheme.ie/about-the-company/quarterly-updates/.

Data on the First Home Scheme delivery in 2022 can also be found on my Department's website, which includes local authority level approval data, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery.

Housing Schemes

Questions (705)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

705. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes acquired under the local authority affordable purchase scheme since its introduction, by the number of homes per local authority, in tabular form. [27558/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.

With 2022 representing the first full year of affordable housing delivery under the schemes introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021, local authorities have completed data returns on delivery of affordable homes in their area, including those delivered through the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, and submitted to my Department, in the same manner as is done for social housing. The 2022 statistical data is published on the Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery

Following the publication of Housing for All in September 2021, I asked all local authorities to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans. Each local authority was asked to assess the level of housing demand with affordability constraint projected for their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment Tool and plan their provision accordingly. A copy of each Council’s Housing Delivery Action Plan is available on their individual websites. Local authorities with the highest levels of affordable housing need were set five-year Affordable Delivery Targets.

2022 represented the commencement of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. This momentum will continue with delivery increasing this year. A strong pipeline of affordable housing delivery is in place and under continuous development by local authorities, by Approved Housing Bodies using the Cost Rental Equity Loan, and by the Land Development Agency.

Tax Clearance Certificates

Questions (706)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

706. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that the Revenue Commissioners automatically rescinds a landlord's tax clearance certificate once the amount paid to the landlord through HAP exceeds €10,000; if consideration can be given to amending this policy by increasing the threshold at which tax clearance certificates are rescinded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27603/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is designed to support eligible households immediately and to remove barriers to the commencement of HAP support. Landlords, therefore, are asked to self-certify that they are tax compliant and that their property is in such a lettable condition that it meets the statutory requirements for rented accommodation as part of the HAP application process. Landlords are also informed and agree that the data they have supplied on the HAP Application Form will be shared with other public bodies, including the Revenue Commissioners, for the purpose of the prevention or detection of fraud.

Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (HAP SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. The HAP SSC also manages the tax compliance element of the scheme on behalf of the relevant local authorities. Accordingly, the HAP SSC must follow the tax compliance requirements set down in the provisions of the scheme and the general tax requirements of all public bodies as provided for in Department of Finance Circular 44/2006: Tax Clearance Procedures - Grants, Subsidies and Similar Type Payments. Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for the HAP scheme and contains the statutory provisions for the payment of HAP to a landlord by a housing authority for the rent of qualifying households. Section 39 provides for the payment of housing assistance in respect of qualified households and sets out the principal features of the scheme, including that the landlord must comply with the conditions set out in section 42, including demonstrating tax compliance. Under section 42(2) of the 2014 Act the landlord must be tax compliant. It is therefore a statutory requirement that a landlord must give a PPSN or tax reference and a current tax clearance certificate or evidence of tax compliance. In this regard, individuals receiving rental income, including HAP payments, should contact Revenue to ensure that they are tax compliant and/ or to apply for tax clearance. Separate requirements are provided for under Department of Finance Circular 44/2006: Tax Clearance Procedures - Grants, Subsidies and Similar Type Payments. If someone receives grants, subsidies or similar type payments from a government department or public authority of more than €10,000 during the year, they will need a Tax Clearance Certificate. While the HAP SSC will continue to seek evidence of tax compliance from a landlord, they cannot pay them after the €10,000 threshold has been reached. The HAP SSC works with landlords on a daily basis to assist them in meeting their requirements under the scheme, including in relation to tax compliance.

Question No. 707 answered with Question No. 649.

Sustainable Development Goals

Questions (708)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

708. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of a report published by an organisation (details supplied); if he will respond to the recommendations set out in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27639/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious framework. A whole-of-Government approach to its implementation has been taken in Ireland.

Ireland’s Second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals, 2022 – 2024 was published in October 2022. The Plan was developed by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in collaboration with all Government Departments, key stakeholders, and based on input from two public consultation processes. A key objective of the Plan is to achieve greater policy coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) with the aim of accelerating achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at all levels of Government.

2023 is a significant milestone as it marks the mid-point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the beginning of a new phase of accelerated progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ireland will present its second Voluntary National Review (VNR) to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in July 2023. Ireland’s theme for the Voluntary National Review is Building Back Better, while Leaving No One Behind, to reach the furthest behind first. I note that the Coalition 2030 report builds on their chapter which they contributed to the Voluntary National Review, in the stakeholder section. My Department has also included a chapter detailing the progress made to date in its implementation of both the 2030 Agenda and Housing for All and will continue to report on the progress of both as required.

My Department has responsibility for leading on certain sustainable development goals and targets as well as inputting to others led by other Departments. My Department will keep the report prepared by Coalition 2030 for Sustainable Development and relevant recommendations under consideration in the context of its ongoing achievement of its SDGs under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Social Media

Questions (709)

Holly Cairns

Question:

709. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of social media videos posted on each of his Departmental social media accounts, or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit, that included closed captioning/subtitling between 1 May 2022 and 30 April 2023, inclusive; and the percentage of same that feature translations into Irish or another language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27659/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department uses five corporate social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Youtube.

My Department analysed the posts on each of these social media channels and compiled the percentage posted with closed captions, subtitles, text narrative, and the percentage of same in Irish or another language. The details, set out below, refer to videos containing voiceover which have been subtitled and videos without any voiceover but containing text narratives.

Twitter: 119 videos posted on Twitter, 83% of which contained subtitles or text narrative (99 videos). 8% of contained closed captioning (9 videos). All videos were in English.

Facebook/Instagram: 194 videos were posted on Facebook and Instagram. 93% of these contained subtitles or text narrative (181 videos). No videos contained closed captioning. All videos were in English.

Youtube: 54 videos were posted to YouTube in that timeframe. 57% of these contained subtitles or text narrative (31 videos). 33% contained closed captioning (18 videos). Of these videos 6% were in Irish (3 videos).

LinkedIn: 38 videos were posted to Linkedin in that timeframe. 89% of these contained subtitles or text narrative (34 videos). 5% of these videos containd closed captions (2 videos). All videos were in English.

The information requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is set out in the following table.

State Body	Contact E-mails
An Bord Pleanála	oireachtasqueries@pleanala.iecc: communications@pleanala.ie
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum)	info@nationalwaterforum.ie
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	infodocklands@dublincity.ie
Ervia	oireachtas@ervia.ie
Gas Networks Ireland	oireachtas@ervia.ie
Heritage Council	oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie
Housing Finance Agency	oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie cc: cosec@hfa.ie
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	publicreps@housingagency.ie cc: info@housingagency.ie
Uisce Eireann	oireachtasmembers@water.ie
Land Development Agency	oireachtas@lda.ieCompliance@lda.ie
Local Government Management Agency	corporate@lgma.ie
National Oversight and Audit Commission	info@noac.ie
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	ntacc@housing.gov.ie
Office of the Planning Regulator	oireachtas@opr.ie
Tailte Éireann (formerly: OSI, VALOFF, PRAI)	reps@tailte.iecc: oireachtas@osi.ie; reps@valoff.ie; reps@prai.ie
Pyrite Resolution Board	oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie
Residential Tenancies Board	OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie
Valuation Tribunal	info@valuationtribunal.ie
Waterways Ireland	ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org

Departmental Policies

Questions (710)

Holly Cairns

Question:

710. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department, and public bodies and agencies under his remit, have an anti-racism policy which can be accessed by the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27677/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department fully supports the National Action Plan Against Racism 2023-2027, which was published by my colleague the Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD, in March 2023. The Plan can be accessed on the website of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/d157a-minister-obrien-announces-publication-of-irelands-national-action-plan-against-racism-2023-2027/

The plan is Ireland’s national level, state-led, co-ordinated approach to eliminating racism in all its forms in Ireland. It proposes actions to help make Ireland a place in which the impacts of racism are fully acknowledged and actively addressed. My Department supports the eradication of racism and racial discrimination in any areas for which it has responsibility and is aware of its obligations under the Equal Status Acts to promote equality and prevent discrimination. My Department incorporates these responsibilities into its strategies and policies, for example; the Housing Strategy for Disabled People; the Housing Options for our Ageing Population; the Programme Board established to implement the recommendations of the Traveller Accommodation Expert Review; and the recently established Electoral Commission.

My Department continues to work collaboratively and constructively with colleagues in Government on the Year 1 actions for all of Government, and welcomes all future engagements on this Action Plan.

My Department also complies with all central policy and guidance in relation to equality of opportunity in all of our employment practices.

The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email addresses for each agency are set out in the table below.

State Body	Contact E-mail Address
An Bord Pleanála	oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie
An Fóram Uisce	info@nationalwaterforum.ie
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority	oireachtasqueries@ahbregulator.ie
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	infodocklands@dublincity.ie
Electoral Commission	info@electoralcommission.ie
Ervia	oireachtas@ervia.ie
Gas Networks Ireland	oireachtas@ervia.ie
Heritage Council	oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie
Housing Finance Agency	publicreps@housingagency.ie
Irish Water	oireachtasmembers@water.ie
Land Development Agency	oireachtas@lda.ie
Local Government Management Agency	corporate@lgma.ie
National Oversight and Audit Commission	info@noac.ie
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	ntacc@housing.gov.ie
Office of the Planning Regulator	oireachtas@opr.ie
Pyrite Resolution Board	oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie
Residential Tenancies Board	OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie
Tailte Éireann	reps@tailte.ie
Valuation Tribunal	oireachtas.enquiries@VALOFF.ie
Waterways Ireland	ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org

Local Authorities

Questions (711)

Ged Nash

Question:

711. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will give additional resources to Louth County Council to expedite urgent housing adaptation grant application cases (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27687/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. These grants are available to older people as well as disabled people who have an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment.

The detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities. In 2022, almost €86 million in funding was made available to facilitate the payment of over 12,000 grants. Local authorities were recently informed of their 2023 allocations with each local authority receiving an increase on the 2022 allocation, continuing the year on year increases since 2014. The funding available for these grants in 2023 has been increased by almost €2 million on the original 2022 provision to a total of over €83 million.

My Department works closely with the local authorities to monitor spend and to achieve a full drawdown of available funding. This means that any underspends that arise on the part of any local authority can be redistributed to other authorities which have high levels of grant activity and my Department makes every effort to redistribute such funding throughout the year. My Department encourages all local authorities to ensure all applications on hand are processed to the degree possible for final payment to ensure optimal spend on their annual allocation. Whilst additional Exchequer funding may become available, the Council must provide the 20% match funding from their own resources therefore the Council is also managing the scheme within the resources allocated at the local level.

In 2022, Louth County Council received an allocation of almost €2.25 million and spent approx €1.35 million.

In 2023, Louth County Council received an allocation of over €2.3 million which comprises of over €1.86 million Exchequer funding and over €0.46 million to be funded from the local authority's own resources.

Louth County Council applied recently for a further Exchequer allocation of over €570,000 and my Department is giving consideration to this request and will make a decision in this regard as soon as possible.

Importantly, my Department advises local authorities annually that, as far as practicable, a percentage of the allocation under the schemes should be ring fenced in respect of any emergency applications which might arise under these schemes during the course of the year.

Consequently, all local authorities manage their schemes to ensure access to the grants programme is maintained to the extent possible throughout the year in the highest priority cases and further information in this regard would be available directly from the local authorities. Louth County Council has confirmed that urgent cases involving hospital discharges are still being processed.

State Bodies

Questions (712, 713, 715, 716, 717, 718, 759)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

712. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many ecologists are currently employed in An Bord Pleanála; and the cost per year per post, in tabular form. [27694/23]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

713. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many marine biologists are currently employed in An Bord Pleanála; and the cost per year per post, in tabular form. [27695/23]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

715. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many ecologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27697/23]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

716. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many marine biologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27698/23]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

717. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many ornithologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27699/23]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

718. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many hydrologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27700/23]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

759. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of ecologists, marine biologists and ornithologists employed in An Bord Pleanála; if there are any plans to recruit more; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28068/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 712, 713, 715 to 718, inclusive, and 759 together.

An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.

There are now more people working at An Bord Pleanála than at any time previously. Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in An Bord Pleanála, as detailed below.

• In October 2021, my Department approved an additional 24 posts across a range of technical and administrative grades including the setting up of a new Marine and Climate Unit.

• In December 2022, 34 additional posts were sanctioned, and the Board is in the process of filling these positions.

• In April 2023, An Bord Pleanála sought agreement for a total of 59 new posts, all of which were agreed by the Department. An Bord Pleanála submitted sanction approval requests for these positions and my Department has provided sanction approval for all 59 posts.

Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.

In order to be of assistance, my Department obtained the information requested from An Bord Pleanála, who have provided the following information relating to staffing.

An Bord Pleanála have advised that the Board enacts Section 124 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, to engage specialist consultants as required on a case by case basis where this is considered necessary and An Bord Pleanála has panels which they are currently replenishing.

An Bord Pleanála have advised that they have recently completed a process to engage specialists in Marine and Climate to be utilised on a case-by-case basis. The consultant’s role was advertised in Ireland, the UK, Scandinavia and Holland. The process was to engage specialists across the full breadth of disciplines involved in Marine and Climate Planning. An Bord Pleanála advised that they have a number of specialist consultants who are engaged on case-by-case basis across a range of disciplines on biodiversity and Environmental matters. An Bord Pleanála currently employ a marine specialist at Board level at a salary of €133,000.

An Bord Pleanála have advised that they will be advertising for two full time employees in specialist posts that are approved with the following skillset;

1. Ecologist preferable with marine knowledge, and

2. Environmental/Marine scientist or equivalent.

An Bord Pleanála have advised that a number of the Inspectorate staff have qualifications in Coastal Zone Management and that the Board is continuing to train staff up in this area including recent field trips to the Marine Institute. An Bord Pleanála have advised that a number of the in-house staff have qualifications in Environmental Protection and Assessment.

An Bord Pleanála have stated that they propose to advertise for a further post of ecologist from the two specialist posts sanctioned in the Marine and Climate Resource Plan.

Role	Number Employed	Cost Per Year
Ecologist	One	€87,375
Hydrologist	None	n/a
Ornithologist	None	n/a
Marine Biologists	None	n/a

Question No. 713 answered with Question No. 712.

State Bodies

Questions (714)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

714. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála, the current staffing levels; and the cost per year per post, in tabular form. [27696/23]