Written Answers Nos. 133-152
133. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update on the recommendations of the Report of the Future of Media Commission to establish six new support schemes, including the establishment of a local democracy reporting scheme and a Courts reporting scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5714/23]
View answerThe Report of the Future of Media Commission (FOMC) recommended that the Broadcasting Fund, currently provided for under Part 10 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and which supports the Sound and Vision and Archiving Schemes, should be converted into a Media Fund to provide funding on a platform-neutral basis to the wider media sector.
The Report also recommended that in addition to the two current schemes, the Media Fund should support six new support schemes, to be introduced on a phased basis. The Report proposed that the new Fund should be operated by the new regulator being established under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, Coimisiún na Meán, to ensure that any funding decisions made are independent of Government, and also that the Fund be established on administrative basis in advance of its formal establishment on a statutory basis.
In light of the recommendations of the Report, €6 million has been allocated in Budget 2023 to the Media Fund on an administrative basis, with the priority being the establishment of a Local Democracy Reporting Scheme and a Courts Reporting Scheme, both of which will support the production of public service content on a platform-neutral basis. The FOMC Implementation Strategy and Action Plan, agreed by Government on 18 January this year, sets out the steps that will be taken to implement the recommendations of the Report, including the two priority Schemes.
In accordance with the FOMC Implementation Strategy and Action Plan, the broad parameters of the Schemes will be developed by my Department while the detailed design and administration of the Schemes, including issues regarding eligibility, will be the responsibility of Coimisiún na Meán.
My officials, in consultation with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, have commenced work on the broad parameters of the Schemes and will consult with relevant statekholders in this regard. Once Coimisiún na Meán has finalised the design of the Schemes, State aid clearance will be sought from the European Commission if necessary. Following any State aid approval that may be required, I expect that Coimisiún na Meán will begin the practical administration of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme and the Courts Reporting Scheme in the latter part of this year.
134. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update in relation to the installation of the National Famine Commemoration Day plaque in the Custom House. [5913/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware from my reply to Parliamentary Questions No 276 and 277 and 278 of 5 May 2022, the Customs House and its surrounding grounds are protected structures in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW).
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my officials and the OPW have recently agreed to the placement of this Plaque in the Custom House Visitors Centre, which is under the management of the OPW. Preparations are now underway for the installation of the plaque at a suitable location. An announcement will issue in due course once arrangements have been finalised.
135. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the criteria applied by the Arts Council in providing funding for the publication of books and whether the criteria concerned take into consideration the financial resources already available to the applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5918/23]
View answer136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the funding by the Arts Council of a book (details supplied) took into consideration the financial resources already available to the applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5919/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together.
As Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, along with having responsibility for policy within the Arts, I allocate funding to the Arts Council who have primary responsibility for the development of the arts in Ireland under the Arts Act 2003. I have referred your questions about funding publication of books to the Arts Council for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
137. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will confirm whether she expects to receive the report from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland on support for the independent radio sector within 100 days of the Report Stage of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022, as outlined in Dáil Éireann on 30 November 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6064/23]
View answerOn foot of my commitment in the Dáil Report Stage of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, on 5 December 2022 I wrote to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to ask them to undertake an analysis of the financial health of the commercial radio sector and to submit a report to me within 100 days (i.e. mid-March). The purpose of the report will be to:
- provide an understanding of the dynamics of the current economic environment and its impact on the economic viability of the commercial radio sector in Ireland;
- examine any specific pressures identified in the context of underlying structural factors in the commercial radio sector, including ownership structures;
- inform deliberations on any possible short-term measures that could support the sector in 2023; and,
- inform deliberations by Coimisiún na Meán on the structure of the levy or levies on regulated services it is expected to introduce in 2024, in particular commercial radio broadcasters.
I am very much aware of the importance of the commercial radio sector, and the role that local and regional radio stations play in communities around the country. I look forward to receiving the report and examining its findings.
138. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider constructing modular housing at locations across counties Donegal and Mayo to assist defective block homeowners who have to demolish their existing homes and source temporary alternative accommodation in the years ahead. [6113/23]
View answer167. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will task and resource the Housing Agency and-or Donegal County Council to oversee the construction of modular housing at locations across counties Donegal and Mayo to assist defective block homeowners who have to demolish their existing homes and source temporary alternative accommodation in the years ahead. [6121/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 167 together.
The purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current grant scheme, as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. The administrative areas of the following counties have been designated by the Act for the purposes of the enhanced grant scheme: Clare County Council; Donegal County Council; Limerick City and County Council; Mayo County Council.
The 2022 Act will be commenced once the related Regulations have been finalised. Draft Regulations have been prepared, which will be the subject of consultation with key stakeholders before the Regulation are finalised and adopted in early 2023. It is intended that the consultation with key stakeholders, which will be conducted by the appointed Homeowners’ Liaison Officer, will commence this week.
The Regulations will provide for detailed matters within the 2022 Act which are to be prescribed, for example the grant rates, the damage threshold, and the form and content of various reports, certificates, forms, and declarations. Grant rates, to be included in the final Regulations, will be based upon updated regional construction costs for 2023 to be provided by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
The enhanced (and current) Defective Concrete Block Grant Schemes are remediation grant schemes of last resort, put in place by Government in order to voluntarily assist homeowners to remediate damage caused by the use of defective concrete blocks
Under the Enhanced Grant Scheme, temporary alternative accommodation for defective concrete block homeowners is addressed, whereby vouched accommodation costs are an allowable cost within the scheme, subject to a maximum of €15,000 per household in the event that the applicant has to move out when remediation works are ongoing. Removal of contents/house components and their temporary storage and reinstatement on completion are also an allowable cost, subject to a maximum of €5,000.
My Department has published a comprehensive “Your Questions Answered” to ensure homeowners have the most up to date information available to them. It can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/775c0-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme-your-questions-answered/
139. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a breakdown of the number of applications and the number of unsuccessful applications per each local authority area for the first-home scheme since its introduction; the last time that property price ceilings were reviewed for each local authority area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5538/23]
View answer140. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the last time that the property price ceiling was reviewed for County Meath under the first-home scheme; if he will consider reviewing the price ceiling under the scheme to reflect current market value property prices in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5539/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.
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. Further information is available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie.
The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (First Home 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. In a press release covering activity up to 31 December 2022, the Scheme confirmed that applications had been received from 23 counties, with 750 applications approved and 335 contracts issued. Of these approvals, 57 (8% of the total) were for Meath.
At its launch, it was announced by the Scheme that a review of regional price ceilings would be undertaken within 6 months. This review was conducted towards the end of 2022 on the basis of CSO data on the prices of new homes sold in recent months, as well as a study of the prices of new homes currently available on the market. The review also considered the recent increase in construction costs.
On foot of this review, the First Home Scheme put in place revised price ceilings from 1 January 2023. As part of this, the price ceiling for Meath was increased from €350,000 to €375,000. The revised price ceilings for all counties are available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie/about/property-price-ceilings/. At a press event confirming the new ceilings on 9 January 2023, it was announced by the Scheme that future reviews will be conducted on a six-monthly basis.
141. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the attention of his Department has been drawn to the deteriorating status of the ruins of Tyone Abbey, Tyone, Nenagh, County Tipperary; if his Department has had any engagement with local landowners, the Office of Public Works, or Tipperary County Council in relation to the surveying or preservation of the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5545/23]
View answerWhile Tyone Abbey is a national monument in private ownership, the owners may make an application for funding under the Community Monuments Fund grant scheme of the National Monuments Service of my Department. The Community Monuments Fund was established in 2020 to provide investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage. This funding is prioritised for local authorities, private owners and custodians and community groups for the care, conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological monuments that are included in the Record of Monuments and Places under the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended) and archaeological monuments that are identified in the Sites and Monuments Record which is compiled by the National Monuments Service of my Department.
Applications can be made by local authorities for works to monuments in public ownership where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated and projects proposed by a local authority on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of monuments. The closing date for applications for the 2023 round of grant funding is 14 February 2023.
Total funding available nationally for projects under the Community Monuments Fund 2023 is €6 million.
Further details on the Fund can be found on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd7d6-community-monuments-fund-2023-call-for-projects/
142. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on a matter (details supplied) concerning the rental market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5558/23]
View answerLegislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 ("the Regulations") which came into effect on 1 July 2019.
In essence, the legislation requires home-sharers letting rooms in their principal private residence located within a RPZ, or letting the entire property subject to a maximum of 90 days per annum within such an area, to register with their local authority. Persons letting properties in an RPZ which are not their principal private residence are required to apply for change of use planning permission unless the property already has a specific planning permission to be used for tourism or short-term letting purposes.
Notwithstanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work on the implementation and enforcement of the Regulations has been undertaken by planning authorities since they came into effect.
The Housing for All Action Plan Update (November 2022) contains a specific action (Action 16.7) - to “develop new regulatory controls requiring Short-Term and Holiday Lets to register with Fáilte Ireland with a view to ensuring that homes are used to best effect in areas of housing need”.
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (D/TCAGSM) has made good progress in the development of its legislative proposals in relation to this action and on 7 December 2022, Government approved the priority drafting of the Registration of Short-Term Tourist Letting Bill and publication of the General Scheme of the Bill.
The legislation will deliver on the Housing for All objective to make more efficient use of existing housing stock. The D/TCAGSM and Fáilte Ireland will now engage further with my Department and all stakeholders to progress this legislation with a view to having the new register in place at the end of March 2023.
143. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify if land zoned in recent development plans as residential reserve will be subject to the land value tax, or if he is considering exemptions to residential reserves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5561/23]
View answerThe Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) is a new tax introduced in Finance Act 2021 which seeks to increase housing supply by encouraging the activation of development on lands which are suitably zoned and appropriately serviced. It aims to bring those lands which have benefitted from investment in services and are capable of being developed forward for housing. The tax is an action contained in Housing for All, the Government’s plan for housing, to increase housing supply and is supported in the Programme for Government. My Department published section 28 Guidelines for Planning Authorities on the Residential Zoned Land Tax on 29 June 2022, which provided guidance on identifying the land which is in scope for the tax.
The tax applies to land that is:
- zoned suitable for residential development whether it be solely or primarily for residential use, or for a mixture of uses, including residential use, and
- serviced (that is: reasonable to consider may have access, or be connected, to public infrastructure and facilities, including roads and footpaths, public lighting, foul sewer drainage, surface water drainage and water supply, necessary for dwellings to be developed and with sufficient service capacity available for such development)
In order to be liable for the tax the land must meet both criteria.
As set out in the Finance Act 2021, the publication of maps to identify land in scope for the RZLT is the responsibility of the respective Local Authorities. All 31 local authorities published draft maps on 1 November 2022.
In identifying in-scope lands for the tax, the local authorities have identified the relevant zonings contained in their development plan, including land zoned as a strategic residential reserve. The local authority, in preparing the draft RZLT maps, determine whether the zoned land is connected or able to connect to the six required categories of services. Finally, any exclusions which would rule the land out of scope are applied. The local authority then publish a draft RZLT map identifying the land which meets the requirements of the legislation and which may be liable to the tax. The tax will first be due and payable in 2024.
A landowner with land identified on any published draft map has had the opportunity to make a submission to the local authority regarding the land, setting out why they consider that the land does not meet the criteria for inclusion within the scope of the tax. For example, if the land is not zoned for residential use, if the land does not have access to or there is no capacity for any of the six servicing criteria, or if the land benefits from an exclusion as outlined in the legislation. The local authority is required to assess any submission and inform the landowner of their decision to either remove or retain the land on the map by 1 April 2023. If dissatisfied with the local authority decision, the landowner may appeal the determination to An Bord Pleanála, again setting out why the land does not meet the criteria for inclusion for the tax.
In addition to being able to make a submission regarding inclusion of land on a draft map, the landowner may also submit a request to change the zoning of the land by variation of the adopted development plan. Where the zoning is amended to a use other than residential or mixed use including residential, it would not meet the criteria for the tax and would be removed from RZLT maps. Any zoning request needs to set out for the local authority the reasons for requesting a change of zoning. Decisions on whether to amend zonings as a result of submissions are a matter for the local authority, taking into account the need to ensure that housing supply targets across the county can be met.
As set out in the Finance Act 2021, any submission regarding the inclusion of land on the draft maps and/or request to amend zoning must have been made to the relevant local authorities by 1 January 2023.
It is acknowledged that the tax will impact on landowners, however if the land in question is zoned for a particular purpose under a plan adopted by the local authority and has been subject to investment by the local authority and the State in the services necessary to enable development for housing to accommodate increased population, it is intended that the land should be used for housing. This tax measure is a key pillar of the Government’s response to address the urgent need to increase housing supply in suitable locations.
144. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of social media videos posted on his Department's social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under the remit of his Department, that included closed captioning or subtitling and Irish sign language translations between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022, inclusive. [5573/23]
View answerCorporately, my Department uses five social media accounts. In addition, there are approximately a further 40 social media accounts operated locally in my Department in areas such as our six National Parks; the LIFE Programme; National Inventory of Archaeological Heritage; National Monument Service; Marine Planning Ireland and Fire Safety Ireland. Given the number of these accounts, the compilation of the information requested would involve an inordinate amount of staff time and cost, thus, for the purposes of responding to the Question, the information provided will relate only to the social media accounts of the Department itself, and not accounts operated locally.
My Department has analysed the posts on each of the Departmental social media channels and the percentage posted with closed captions, subtitles, text narrative or ISL, between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022. My Department hosts videos containing voiceover which have been subtitled, as well as videos without any voiceover but containing text narratives. The reply below reflects both of these categories.
Twitter: 128 videos posted on Twitter, 85% of which contained subtitles or text narrative (109 videos). No videos contained closed captioning or ISL.
Facebook/Instagram: 175 videos were posted on Facebook and Instagram. 89% of these contained subtitles or text narrative (155 videos). No videos contained closed captioning or ISL.
Youtube: 61 videos were posted to YouTube in that timeframe. 97% of these contained subtitles or text narrative (59 videos). No videos contained closed captioning or ISL.
LinkedIn 21 videos were posted to Linkedin in that timeframe. 90% of these contained closed captions, subtitles or text narrative (19 videos). No videos contained ISL.
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.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 |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Uisce Éireann |
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 |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
Oireachtas@osi.ie |
|
Property Registration Authority |
reps@prai.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Office |
oireachtas.enquiries@VALOFF.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
info@valuationtribunal.ie |
|
Water Advisory Body |
info@wab.gov.ie |
|
Waterways Ireland |
ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org |
145. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the establishment of a directly elected mayor for Limerick; the range of executive powers and functions of the holder of this office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5593/23]
View answerMy Department is engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in relation to the drafting of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill, which is well advanced.
Finalisation of this complex Bill has been identified as a priority and the Department is working towards the publication of the Bill in April. It is hoped that the Bill would then be able to progress through the Houses of the Oireachtas during the 2023 summer session.
The timing of the Limerick Mayoral Election will be a matter for Government once the Bill is enacted. In advance of the election, a public information campaign about this significant change in the way in which Limerick will be governed will be very important.
It is envisaged that the directly elected mayor of Limerick will have responsibility for most of the executive functions currently resting with the chief executive of the local authority including, at a strategic or policy level, in the areas of:
- Strategic Development, i.e. proposing the development plan for the City and County and driving the economic and spatial development of Limerick
- Housing and building, e.g. developing a housing strategy for Limerick and ensuring its delivery
- Road Transport and Safety, i.e. road maintenance and improvement, and traffic management
- Environmental services, i.e. services that help to protect and enhance the environment in Limerick
The directly elected mayor will also, inter alia, be responsible for proposing the annual budget to the Council and for functions currently exercised by the Cathaoirleach outside the council chamber, including the important representative role in Limerick, nationally and internationally.
The creation of a new institutional structure to facilitate regular engagement between national Government and the Limerick mayor at political level will be an important feature of the Bill, to oversee the transition of executive responsibility to the Mayor and examine policy decisions at Government level as they effect Limerick.
It is envisaged that the Mayor will be able to request relevant information from or consult with Government Departments or public bodies in relation to policies that may have an impact on Limerick. It is also expected that the Mayor will be empowered to convene key stakeholders in Limerick to advance the development of the local authority area in accordance with policies agreed by the elected Council.
146. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the tenant-in-situ scheme can be amended and expanded to facilitate persons and families who do not qualify for social housing but who do qualify for affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5594/23]
View answerHousing 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. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency. In January 2022 my Department issued a circular letter to local authorities advising that social housing acquisitions by local authorities and AHB CALF acquisitions in 2022 would be focused on a number of priority areas, as follows:
- One-bedroom units to deliver on Housing First and meet the short supply in this category;
- Other properties that allow persons/families to exit homelessness; and
- Specific housing required for/suitable for individuals with a disability or other particular
In April 2022, a further circular letter issued to local authorities in relation to social housing acquisitions. The key purpose of this circular was to advise local authorities that I had reinstated the delegated sanction to local authorities in respect of social housing acquisitions which are:
- in one of the priority categories set out in the January circular letter;
- are in line with acquisition cost guidelines; and
- can be completed during 2022.
In November 2022 I extended this until the end of June 2023. Social housing acquisitions must be allocated to a household on the social housing waiting list, in accordance with the local authority allocations scheme. As such, a property cannot be acquired by the local authority for a tenant that is not eligible for social housing supports.
Cost Rental is a new form of rental tenure designed to assist moderate-income households above the income limits for social housing. The Government’s Housing for All plan targets the delivery of 18,000 Cost Rental homes by 2030, primarily through delivery by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities and the Land Development Agency (LDA). Funding has been allocated to AHBs through the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, and to Local Authorities through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF).
Rents for Cost Rental are a direct function of the costs of constructing, financing, managing and maintaining the homes. This means that the lower these costs the more affordable the resulting rents are for the tenants. These costs are modelled over a 40-year period, with the ongoing management and maintenance costs tending to be a large proportion of the overall costs when calculated over this length of time. As such, ensuring properties purchased for Cost Rental are new-build homes and that value engineering with long-term maintenance in mind is considered at the outset can help put downward pressure on costs and assist in making rents more affordable for tenants. A central goal of Cost Rental policy is to deliver the homes in larger numbers at each development. This approach brings economies of scale, which means that the day to day management of properties and their maintenance becomes more financially sustainable than managing individual properties. As such, under the Cost Rental Equity Loan available to AHBs, applications for funding must be for a minimum of 10 properties, with larger developments preferred.
Separately, and under primary legislation, the process of allocating a tenancy under Cost Rental is bound by legislative provisions. Any tenancy must be leased to a tenant whose household falls within prescribed eligibility conditions. These conditions would not facilitate awarding a cost rental tenancy to an ‘in-situ’ tenant. The Regulation broadly require the imposition of a net income limit of €53,000 per household, plus the selection of tenants on an open application basis, and where demand exceeds supply, by use of a lottery of all eligible applicants. The latter aspect was partly designed to ensure equitable access to State-supported Cost Rental homes, and this element in particular would not be compatible with acquiring properties with existing tenancies. Therefore, I have no plans at present to facilitate the purchase of second-hand individual properties for Cost Rental, with the capital funding available being focused on the acquisition and development of additional new Cost Rental and Affordable Purchase units to help increase the overall housing stock.
147. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 16 of 11 November 2021, the financial proposals that his Department received from Clare County Council to meet the needs of homeless individuals from 2022 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5603/23]
View answerMy Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. Under Exchequer funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Furthermore, housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless related services outside of the Exchequer funding arrangements provided by my Department. Therefore, the exact amounts spent by housing authorities on homeless services, as well as the type and operation of homeless services are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
In 2022, the total Exchequer funding provided by my Department to the Mid-West Region, which includes Clare County Council was €10 million. Some €1.7 million has been provided to date in 2023.
Financial reports from each of the nine homeless regions, including the Mid-West region, setting out total expenditure and details of homeless services in each region are published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data .
Full year financial reports for 2022 are currently being examined and will be published shortly.
148. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount of outstanding development contributions and levies owed to each local authority for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [5624/23]
View answerI understand that the Question refers to the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Development contribution charges to be applied on developers are set at the planning permission stage but are not collectable by the relevant local authority until after the development work commences. Commencement notices are issued by the developer to the local authority and these generally trigger the raising of the charge. The normal practice is for the developer to issue a commencement notice for all units in the development at the construction start date which could mean that the full development charges are due immediately. Alternatively, a phased payment plan may be agreed between the planning authority and the developer and in other cases, commencement notices are issued for blocks of units on a piecemeal basis.
In order to avoid inconsistencies in recognising income and the raising of invoices when a commencement notice is received, contributions collectable within the next 12 months are usually treated as income by the relevant local authority and a short-term debtor is raised. Income from development contributions not due to be paid within the next 12 months is deferred and is not separately disclosed in the Annual Financial Statement (AFS).
The most recent audited data available in respect of development contributions is in respect of the financial year ending 31 December 2021.
In essence, the development contribution short term debtor figure for 2020 and 2021 in the table below indicates the aggregate amount of development contributions payable to local authorities that had invoices issued in 2021 and previous years and where payment remains outstanding.
|
Local Authority |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Carlow County Council |
2,637,413.73 |
3,152,133.69 |
|
Cavan County Council |
905,255.00 |
1,214,507.00 |
|
Clare County Council |
3,282,173.46 |
3,466,404.74 |
|
Cork City Council |
6,251,245.21 |
5,421,030.93 |
|
Cork County Council |
13,799,817.48 |
12,402,675.21 |
|
Donegal County Council |
315,244.71 |
338,034.15 |
|
Dublin City Council |
46,407,384.00 |
56,020,277.66 |
|
Dun Laoire/Rathdown County Council |
20,425,672.33 |
27,575,050.22 |
|
Fingal County Council |
65,943,484.29 |
61,242,962.23 |
|
Galway City Council |
3,334,467.15 |
4,727,654.34 |
|
Galway County Council |
2,110,519.64 |
3,516,901.42 |
|
Kerry County Council |
3,308,348.37 |
3,306,759.48 |
|
Kildare County Council |
12,694,983.70 |
10,409,556.29 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
7,075,672.51 |
6,760,842.17 |
|
Laois County Council |
1,260,210.06 |
2,296,649.00 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
238,240.19 |
433,914.77 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
5,917,721.81 |
3,834,083.90 |
|
Longford County Council |
2,666,838.23 |
2,568,241.21 |
|
Louth County Council |
10,621,248.30 |
11,451,042.98 |
|
Mayo County Council |
7,379,307.68 |
8,001,275.70 |
|
Meath County Council |
16,849,178.70 |
17,746,803.25 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
2,422,710.56 |
2,766,982.83 |
|
Offaly County Council |
1,969,814.89 |
2,927,291.81 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
4,667,280.14 |
5,030,292.04 |
|
Sligo County Council |
135,688.16 |
81,000.40 |
|
Sth Dublin County Council |
20,455,478.23 |
19,767,483.13 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
3,490,461.41 |
2,912,732.91 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
1,734,313.73 |
1,753,173.41 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
1,020,464.46 |
810,506.17 |
|
Wexford County Council |
6,125,185.83 |
5,007,476.44 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
11,088,781.19 |
12,883,056.52 |
149. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce a scheme with funding to allow local authorities to provide wastewater treatment plants in towns and villages where none exist, solely to facilitate social and affordable housing development, which will increase the locations available to provide social and affordable housing in all towns and villages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5705/23]
View answerLocal authorities, as housing authorities, have responsibility for the planning and provision of housing in their respective areas.
My Department’s Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, through Exchequer funding, delivers improvements to water services in areas of rural Ireland where there are no public water services.
In April 2022, I announced an advanced element of funding of €50m, for the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs of Villages and Settlements without access to public waste water services.
Local authorities were given an opportunity to submit bids for funding for specific projects in their area. An independent Expert Panel are currently evaluating the bids received and I expect to be in a position to announce the successful projects soon.
150. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the multi-annual rural water programme call-out to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5751/23]
View answerMy Department’s Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, through Exchequer funding, delivers improvements to water services in areas of rural Ireland where there are no public water services.
The Rural Water Working Group will shortly finalise the composition of the measures for inclusion for funding under the upcoming multi-annual programme. When I have had an opportunity to consider their report, I expect to announce details of the programme priorities, along with an invitation to local authorities to submit bids, in the coming months.
An Expert Panel will then evaluate all appropriate bids and, based on the recommendations of the Panel, a report will be submitted for my consideration and approval later this year.
It should be noted that in April 2022, I announced an advanced element of funding of €50m of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme, for the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs of Villages and Settlements without access to public waste water services. Local authorities have been given an opportunity to submit bids for funding. Valid bids are currently being evaluated by the Expert Panel and I expect to be in a position to announce successful projects soon.
151. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will fund the installation of water softeners in council-owned homes to protect appliances and plumbing systems from damage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5777/23]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.
Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019. These Regulations specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, dampness, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies.
My Department does provide annual funding support to local authorities under a number of focused funding programmes, namely, Voids, Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme and the Disabled Person Grants. The selection of properties for inclusion in these programmes and nature of works to be completed in line with the criteria of the schemes is a matter for each individual local authority. The implementation of these focused programmes is separate to the local authorities' legal responsibilities to ensure rental standards are met in all their lettable housing stock in compliance with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019.
152. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when new regulations under Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001 regarding the holding of plebiscites to change placenames will be resolved; when amendments will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5806/23]
View answerProvisions relating to placename changes in Part 18 of the amended Local Government Act 2001 were commenced in early 2019. Previous provisions under local government legislation were repealed. In addition, provisions in the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, amending Part 18 of the 2001 Act, were commenced.
The commenced provisions under the amended Part 18 of the 2001 Act require updated Regulations to be made for the holding of plebiscites to change placenames.
However, in advance of making those Regulations, my Department is engaging with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the interaction of the amended Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001 and provisions contained in Official Languages legislation, under the aegis of the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Once a policy approach and draft legislative amendments have been agreed, it is hoped to include them in an appropriate Bill at the earliest available opportunity.
