Written Answers Nos. 73-89
73. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the output target for 2023, and subsequent years respectively, in terms of the number of social housing units to be delivered associated with subhead A.33 Social Housing PPP programme, which has been allocated €30 million in the REV23. [10433/23]
View answerThe Social Housing Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme represents an additional strand of delivery to increase the supply of social housing. The current programme has to date delivered 1,000 new homes with a further 2,700 units in the pipeline.
In terms of progress to date, construction was completed on Bundles 1 and 2 in 2021 which delivered 534 and 465 homes respectively across 14 sites. The procurement process for Bundle 3, which will deliver 486 new social houses and apartments across six sites, commenced in Q4 2022.
In accordance with the commitment under Housing for All, my Department will increase the use of PPPs to deliver social housing. In June 2022, Bundles 4 and 5 of the new programme were launched, which will deliver in the region of 1,600 new homes while, Bundle 6 was launched in January 2023 and is expected to provide approximately 500 new homes.
Significant progress is being made under the programme and my Department is actively working with relevant stakeholders including the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office, and relevant local authorities to progress further bundles of projects.
The funding of €30 million allocated for 2023 will cover the monthly unitary charge payments due on Bundles 1 and 2, and also the fees and costs to progress Bundles 4, 5 and 6 through the design and development stage.
74. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of the €1.9 billion capital provision for housing for 2023 that is not voted Exchequer funding, how much is to come from each of LDA investment and HFA lending, respectively. [10434/23]
View answerThe overall capital provision being provided in 2023 will fund a range of social and affordability schemes and support an additional 27,000 households in 2023, through meeting the social housing needs of an additional 21,430 households and supporting a further 5,550 households to buy or rent at an affordable price.
Budget 2023 provided for total Exchequer funding of €4bn to deliver housing programmes, including €2.6bn in capital funding and €1.4bn in current funding.
The capital provision of €2.6bn will be supplemented by €1.9bn from Land Development Agency (LDA) investment and Housing Finance Agency (HFA) lending, resulting in an overall capital provision of €4.5bn for 2023.
The €1.9bn in non-Exchequer funding comprises €1.3bn in HFA lending to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and approximately €0.6bn in LDA investment.
75. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable purchase and cost-rental homes, respectively, that will be delivered through LDA investment in 2023; and the estimated amount of expenditure it has allocated to deliver same. [10435/23]
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. Under Housing for All, the Government aims to 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. 2022 represents the commencement of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing.
The LDA has an immediate focus on managing the State’s own lands to develop new homes, and regenerate under-utilised sites. In the longer-term, it will assemble strategic land-banks from a mix of public and private lands making these available for housing in a controlled manner, which is expected to bring essential more long-term stability to the Irish housing market.
It is also tasked with unlocking stalled private, planning-consented developments in the shorter-term through its market engagement initiative - Project Tosaigh. An expressions of interest process was launched seeking proposals from the homebuilding sector for the forward purchase of unbuilt residential units at the end of 2021, and, arising from that, LDA now has a pipeline of projects anticipated to deliver affordable for sale and cost rental homes over 2022-2024. A renewed expressions of interest process under Project Tosaigh was initiated in October 2022. Work is underway in assessing the proposals submitted to add to the evolving pipeline.
The LDA are collating information on delivery of affordable homes. It is intended that information on affordable delivery across all delivery streams will be gathered by my Department and I expect that my Department will be in a position to begin reporting on affordable delivery in national quarterly delivery statistics shortly.
Following the enactment of the LDA Act 2021, the LDA has access to up to €1.25bn from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), as well as up to €1.25bn in borrowings. Housing for All recognised that additional resourcing will be required to meet the increased level of activities envisaged under the plan to assist in funding the pipeline of housing. The additional funding will be subject to an amendment being made to the LDA Act and would bring the total capital available to €3.5bn.
76. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of voted current funding that has been allocated for 2023, and estimated for subsequent years respectively, for payment and availability arrangements associated with the output targets of subhead A.11. [10450/23]
View answerPayment and Availability Agreements (P&As) are funded under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP), which funds the ongoing current costs of homes delivered by Approved Housing Bodies through build and acquisition, in addition to homes delivered through the various leasing programmes. A specific budgetary allocation is not made on a scheme by scheme basis; rather, in order to ensure that the maximum output can be achieved, funding is available on the basis of performance and capacity to deliver new social homes using these schemes.
The total available allocation for SHCEP in 2023 is €443m (comprising REV €367m and LPT €76m). The allocations for SHCEP from 2024 onwards will form part of the annual Estimates processes.
77. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 28 September 2022, the discussions his Department has had with Cork City Council regarding stormwater pipe repair responsibility; and if his position has changed since the reply issued. [10454/23]
View answerMy role as Minister includes responsibility for setting national policy in relation to water matters, and for funding the delivery of water services programmes and measures undertaken by Uisce Éireann, local authorities and other agencies. My Department's ongoing engagement with all bodies concerned, including Cork City Council, takes place in this context. My Department and I have no function in relation to operational matters such as the repair of storm water pipes.
78. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the protocols in place with the Residential Tenancies Board to respond to property owners who contact the board (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10510/23]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA), to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
My Department does not have the information sought. However, the Clerk of the Dáil requested that arrangements be put in place to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies to members of the Oireachtas. Following the issue of Circular LG (P) 05/16 on 20 September 2016 from my Department, the RTB set up a dedicated email address for this purpose.
The RTB may be contacted at OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie to establish the extent to which it may hold the information sought.
79. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the capital projects that have been undertaken by his Department in Westmeath since June 2020; the funding allocated each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10551/23]
View answerMy Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions, including local authority housing, voluntary housing, homeless services, estate regeneration, energy efficiency retrofitting, housing grants, rural water schemes, urban regeneration, peatlands conservation, national parks and wildlife services, and fire services. In order to achieve its business objectives, my Department provides significant resources to an extensive range of organisations, including local authorities, dedicated agencies, and other bodies; some allocations, depending on the programmes concerned, are made on a national or other non-county basis. In these circumstances, the information requested in relation to a specific county is not readily available in my Department and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work.
However, as regards contracts for which local authorities are responsible, information on expenditure and multi-annual capital commitments is set out in the Department's Appropriation Accounts (Vote 34) for the relevant years which are published by the Comptroller and Auditor General and are available at: www.audit.gov.ie/en/publications/. My Department's 2022 Appropriation Account will be published later this year when the audit is completed.
Details in relation to specific projects (which are being advanced primarily by local authorities and Uisce Éireann) under my Department's range of capital programmes as part of Project Ireland 2040: National Development Plan 2021-2030 are set out in the Investments Projects and Programmes Tracker published by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on their website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/f828b-myprojectireland-interactive-map/
In addition, MyProjectIreland, a citizen-focused interactive map developed as part of Project Ireland 2040 in partnership with Ordnance Survey Ireland, provides details of projects around the country. This is available to be viewed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/09022006-project-ireland-2040/?referrer=/2040
In terms of Social Housing delivery, my Department publishes the Construction Status Report on a quarterly basis, and contains detailed information on the status and scale of the social housing construction programme by local authority. The most recent report is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
With respect to water services projects, the prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for determination by Uisce Éireann. Uisce Éireann has established a team to deal with queries from Oireachtas members on issues arising in relation to its activities. The team may be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number 0818 578 578. Alternatively, Uisce Éireann provides full details of their projects and plans to improve water and wastewater services on their website at the following link: www.water.ie/projects-plans/
80. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when measures (details supplied) in the Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Act 2022 will be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10565/23]
View answerWork is continuing in my Department on the necessary preparations to provide for the commencement of the substitute consent provisions of the Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Act 2022. This work is at an advanced stage and it is envisaged that this process will be finalised shortly.
81. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide full details on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10579/23]
View answerMy Department has provided funding approval for a social housing proposal at the location specified. I look forward to the local authority advancing the project as swiftly as possible.
Further specific information on this project will be available from the local authority.
82. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide full details on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10580/23]
View answerMy Department has provided funding approval for a social housing proposal at the location specified. I look forward to the local authority advancing the project as swiftly as possible.
Further specific information on this project will be available from the local authority.
83. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the grants of up to €5,000 announced for biodiversity and nature recording in 2022 will be made available again this year. [10587/23]
View answerThe National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department launched the 2023 Small Recording Grants Scheme on 23 February 2023. This is the fifth year of the grant scheme and to date, it has supported over 70 projects run by individuals and groups. Grants have covered the entire range of Irish natural history, including site recording of biological groups (e.g. moths, other terrestrial invertebrates, bats, plants, marine organisms), support for publications and updating of web sites, and support to purchase specialist survey equipment.
Applications are being sought from the recording community for Irish natural history-related projects. Application forms and further details are available at:
www.npws.ie/news/npws-grants-small-recording-projects-2023
The closing date for applications is 31 March 2023.
84. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a decision will be made in respect of an application for a foreign birth registration (details supplied); the reason for the delay in making a decision on the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10315/23]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen in 2022.
During 2022, my Department implemented a number of measures to address the volume of FBR applications on hand, with a view to significantly reducing the processing time for these applications. These measures, which include increased staffing directed towards the processing of FBR applications, have had a positive impact on the waiting time for applicants. The current waiting time for FBR applications is 10 months from receipt of supporting documents, down from over 2 years in September 2022.
Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Such documents take considerable time to validate.
With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application is within the current turnaround time of 10 months. The application was registered on 27 June 2022 and is being stored in a secure environment.
85. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if funding was provided to UNFPA supplies, the thematic programme of UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, dedicated to expanding access to family planning, in 2022; if he intends to allocate funding to this programme in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10500/23]
View answerThe UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is an important partner for Ireland and we will provide €4.5 million in unearmarked core funding this year. This is an increase of €500,000 on last year's core funding to UNFPA.
Ireland also provides bilateral funding to UNFPA through our Embassies and their development programmes on the ground. In 2022, Embassies funded UNFPA work in Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.
Since last year, we have increased our humanitarian engagement with UNFPA, providing €1.5m to UNFPA’s Appeal for Ukraine and €2m to UNFPA for its work in response to the drought in the Horn of Africa. In recent weeks, we have announced provision of a further €1 million in humanitarian support for UNFPA for its response to the earthquake in Türkiye.
No specific funding for the UNFPA Supplies Partnership Trust Fund was provided in 2022. However, we are planning to provide €2 million to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership Trust Fund in 2023. The UNFPA Supplies Partnership, one of the world’s largest providers of donated contraceptives, carries out vital work. This contribution is in line with our international development priorities, as set out in our international development policy A Better World and the Sustainable Development Goals.
86. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the total number of officers in the Defence Forces who have been seconded since 2014, and specifically to the European Defence Agency and his Department. [10318/23]
View answerI am advised by the Military Authorities that the information requested by the Deputy for the total number of Officers in the Defence Forces who have been seconded since 2014, is not available. No consolidated figure is maintained in relation to secondments. Each secondment is recorded on an Officer's individual personnel file and while information is readily available as to the current position with respect to Officers on secondments, there is no central historical information available. The work involved in investigating and extracting records would require significant human resources.
In terms of the current position, as of 1 March 2023, there are 5 Officers of the Permanent Defence Force on secondment to other Government Departments or International Bodies.
The secondments are detailed, by rank and location, in the following table:
|
Rank |
Number of Seconded |
|
United Nations |
|
|
Brigadier General (Acting Major General) |
1 |
|
European Defence Agency |
|
|
Commander |
1 |
|
Department of Environment, Climate and Communications |
|
|
Commandant |
1 |
|
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
|
Commandant |
1 |
|
Office of the Controller and Auditor General |
|
|
Captain |
1 |
As can be seen from the table above, at the current time there is one (1) Officer seconded to the European Defence Agency. There are no Officers seconded to the Department of Defence.
87. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence how many engineer corps officers have been seconded to his Department in the past four years; and to which body and when. [10319/23]
View answerI am advised by the Military Authorities that no Engineer Corps Officers have been seconded to the Department of Defence in the last four years.
88. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence how many engineer officers were allowed to go on leave of absence and secondments from 2012 to 2022. [10320/23]
View answerLeave of Absence is taken to mean Special Leave without Pay and Allowances.
I am advised by the Military Authorities that seven (7) Engineer Corps Officers were granted Special Leave Without Pay and Allowances between 2012 and 2022. In addition, there were no Engineer Corps Officers seconded during the time specified.
89. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence how many engineer officers have been refused a leave of absence and secondment since 2012. [10321/23]
View answerLeave of Absence is taken to mean Special Leave without Pay and Allowances.
I am advised by the Military Authorities that, within the time frame specified, there were two (2) applications from Engineer Corps Officers for special leave without pay and allowances that were not granted. In addition, there are no records maintained of secondments not granted for Officers.
