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Written Answers Nos. 45-70Questions Nos. 45 to 47, inclusive, answered orally. Urban Regeneration and Development Fund 48. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan 76. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was designed to activate housing supply by putting in place the enabling public infrastructure necessary to ensure that large scale development could take place on key sites in urban areas of high housing demand. Funding of €200 million was originally made available under LIHAF, of which €150 million would be provided by the Exchequer with local authorities providing matching fund of €50 million. Approval was given for 30 projects under LIHAF in 2017 and these projects will stimulate the development of approximately 20,000 homes across 14 local authorities. The LIHAF projects are progressing, with two projects completed and almost half of all projects at construction stage. My Department is currently reviewing progress on the remaining projects and will complete a LIHAF update by the end of the year. Over 1,800 homes associated with the infrastructure delivery have been delivered to date, with a further 4,000 homes expected to be delivered in 2020. The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), announced in November 2018, is a flagship element of Project Ireland 2040 and is supported by funding of €2 billion over the period to 2027. The URDF was established to support more compact and sustainable development, through the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and National Development Plan. This will ensure that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit. While it is not intended that the URDF would provide direct support for particular housing projects, public infrastructure that might previously have been appropriate to a LIHAF application could be included in a URDF application in support of compact urban growth. Through the Fund, successful applicants are being offered targeted integrated support for applicant-led projects that will contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of our cities and towns. Although submission of funding applications and the advancement of each project is, in the first instance, a matter for each applicant, my Department is working closely and actively with them to ensure that the projects receiving URDF support come to fruition as soon as possible. The 88 projects approved under the first call offer a good regional spread, and span a number of themes. I will be announcing a second call for proposals under the URDF shortly. Question No. 49 answered with Question No. 45. Question No. 50 answered with Question No. 47. Vacant Properties 51. Deputy Denis Naughten 95. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): Questions Nos. 52 and 53 answered with Question No. 47. Credit Union Lending 54. Deputy Darragh O'Brien Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Damien English): Credit Union bodies have set out proposed means by which funding could be provided by the sector to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the development of social housing. This follows on from the amendments introduced by the Central Bank to the regulatory regime within which Credit Unions operate. My Department referred the Credit Unions’ representative bodies to the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) with a view to both sectors sharing, as far as practical, the benefits of their respective work in this area, including the work undertaken by the ICSH on the development of special purpose vehicles for social housing financing purposes. The work of the ICSH was supported by grant funding from my Department. In addition, both my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, and I have met with the Credit Union movement and the AHB sector on this matter. The ICSH, along with 6 Tier 3 AHBs, have worked with specialist financial advisers to establish a funding mechanism or vehicle which would source suitable sources of non-state finance to fund the delivery of social housing by AHBs, based on best value for money. Market testing undertaken revealed good interest in lending to the AHB sector from various lenders including banks, institutional investors and the Credit Union sector. So far, one AHB has set up an SPV, 2 AHBs have sourced private finance from a private institution and there are 2 AHBs looking at the next phase of establishing a structure to work collectively in securing private finance. As such, the work in this area is ongoing and has led to individual AHBs establishing SPVs for financing social housing. The Credit Union sector is one potential funder whose terms are assessed as part of the process of market testing to establish best value for money and optimum terms and conditions from lenders. While my Department will continue to be available to provide any clarifications that may be required in relation to social housing delivery, it falls to the relevant parties, i.e. the AHBs, on the one hand, and potential investors on the other, to agree a workable and mutually acceptable approach in order to bring potential investment possibilities to a successful conclusion. Building Regulations Compliance 55. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Damien English): Building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved, that is the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme. The statutory position is very clear in terms of where responsibilities lie under the Building Control Acts, the Fire Services Acts, the Housing Acts, the Planning and Development Acts and the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, all or some of which may be relevant in individual cases of building defects. The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, in particular, have brought further clarity in relation to the respective roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in construction projects. Local authorities have extensive powers of inspection and enforcement under many of the legislative codes referred to in order to ensure that parties discharge their statutory responsibilities. But it would not be appropriate for local authorities to take on a role of the kind suggested in adjudicating or providing mediation on the matters involved, particularly when the issues arising when homeowners discover defects in their homes can involve complex legal matters, with potential implications also for insurance. The State has no general statutory role in resolving defects in privately owned buildings, including dwellings. Nor could the taxpayer afford such a role. It is not possible for the State to take on responsibility/liability for all legacy issues nor would it send the right message to the industry regarding their responsibility for compliance. Question No. 56 answered with Question No. 41. Land Development Agency 57. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): As provided for under Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, any decision to dispose of local authority land, including to the LDA, is a reserved function of its elected members. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government recently carried out pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the LDA Bill. It is important to note that the General Scheme provides that the shareholders (i.e. owners) of the LDA will be the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. Water Quality 58. Deputy Thomas Byrne Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): I remain concerned about the vulnerability of this plant. My focus is firstly, to ensure that Irish Water continues to prioritise and progress the improvement works; and secondly, that appropriate protocols are in place to deal with any future issues at the plant while the works are underway. Irish Water is undertaking improvements to the plant as recommended by EPA audits as quickly as is practical. While works are progressing on the plant, water production has been reduced by c30 million litres per day. Irish Water has increased water production from other plants, particularly Ballymore Eustace, to compensate. These are operational matters for Irish Water. In relation to the recent boil water notices, I and my Department have engaged with all the organisations involved to review the response to the incidents. In addition, I have in recent days, received the EPA’s report on the two boil water notices which I requested from the Agency. I am meeting with the EPA, the HSE, Irish Water, Fingal County Council, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities and An Fóram Uisce today to agree actions following the EPA report. While the water being produced at Leixlip is safe, the risk of further boil water notices continues until the upgrade works are finalised in the first half of next year. The EPA will continue to provide regulatory oversight of Irish Water, and work closely with Irish Water and the HSE to ensure the protection of human health. It should be noted that, overall, the additional water capacity available in the Greater Dublin Area is extremely low. Irish Water has medium and long term plans to increase the supply to the Greater Dublin Area and to improve the resilience of the existing infrastructure, in particular through the development of the proposed Midlands and Eastern Water Supply Project. In the meantime, Irish Water and the local authorities are monitoring demand and supply capacity on a daily basis and will continue to balance the network to minimise possible impacts on customers. Social and Affordable Housing Provision 59. Deputy Martin Heydon 84. Deputy Martin Heydon Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): Land utilisation and activation, including the development of land for the delivery of more affordable private housing, is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant local authority and its elected members. Moreover, local authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way to ensure that long-term strategic housing needs are met across all types and tenures within their functional area. This applies to both urban and rural locations. In line with the commitments in Rebuilding Ireland to support the delivery of homes to buy or rent at prices which are discounted on market values, the Government has allocated €310 million under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) to provide infrastructure to support the delivery of some 6,200 more affordable homes on local authority lands. This funding is being made available in areas where local authorities have demonstrated a requirement for affordable housing and the viability to deliver such housing from their sites. To date, I have allocated SSF funding of €127 million, in support of 35 projects in 14 local authority areas, for infrastructure works that will support the delivery of almost 3,200 affordable homes. This funding was awarded to local authorities on a competitive basis. One of these projects includes a bid from Kildare County Council for the development of a site at Ardclough Road, Celbridge. This project received approval in principle in August 2019 and will facilitate the delivery of 10 affordable homes. The overall cost and the timing of delivery for this and other projects is contingent upon the completion of design, planning and procurement in the first instance, and Kildare County Council is working to achieve delivery as quickly as possible. I anticipate that a further call for proposals under the SSF will issue in 2020. Another project at Maynooth in County Kildare is being funded under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) at a cost of over €14.5m. This public infrastructure project will be key to the delivery of approximately 720 cost reduced homes. These schemes complement some of the other key Government affordability initiatives, such as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, and the Help to Buy Scheme, which have supported over 16,500 households nationally. In addition, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, which is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development, seeks to support ambitious and strategic projects which have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. The Government has committed €1 billion over 10 years to the Fund and €315 million is allocated to the Fund for the period 2019-2022. In this area, my Department will also work with the local authorities and other infrastructure providers to develop a programme of serviced sites to attract people to build their own homes and live in smaller towns and villages as mandated by the National Planning Framework. Local Authority Housing Data 60. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation 61. Deputy Thomas Pringle Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Damien English): Budget 2020 provides funding of €40 million to fund the operation of the pyrite remediation scheme and this new scheme to address the issues identified in Donegal and Mayo. The full terms and conditions of the scheme are currently being finalised in consultation with the Attorney General's Office and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, including the development of the necessary regulations. This process takes account of the engagement that my Department is currently having with both Donegal and Mayo County Councils, who will operate and administer the scheme. In this regard, my Department continues to meet with both local authority teams to conclude implementation arrangements for the scheme. Final engagement will take place over the coming weeks. The aim will be to complete the outstanding work without delay in order to ensure that the scheme can get underway, as early as possible. Local Authority Housing Eligibility 62. Deputy Bríd Smith 94. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): Local Authority Funding 63. Deputy Shane Cassells Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy John Paul Phelan): Between 2015 and 2019, Irish Water was not liable for commercial rates and approximately €47m p.a. was paid to local authorities to compensate them for the water services-related rates income they would have previously received. Having regard to a recommendation from the local government sector that this exemption from rates should be removed, Irish Water will become liable for commercial rates from 2020 and the compensation-related funding will cease. Irish Water will pay commercial rates directly to individual local authorities, following the global valuation process undertaken by the Commissioner for Valuation, in a similar arrangement as applies to other utilities. The majority of local authorities are expected to see an increase in their rates income arising from this process. Of course, this is just one of a number of variables that feed into local authority budgets. For example, there have also been revaluations of other utilities and all of the local authorities likely to lose rates income from the Irish Water valuation would be likely to see their rates income increase from the ESB revaluation. In addition, there is funding made available from the Local Government Fund (LGF) and the Exchequer funding of €156m being made available through the Local Government Fund (LGF), on a like-for-like basis, will see local authorities receiving €23 million more in Exchequer funding when compared to 2019. My Department has kept the anticipated financial impact of the changed approach to the rating of Irish Water under review, liaising directly with sectoral representatives and with the most impacted authorities, particularly in the case of the seven authorities who are expected to receive less in the resulting commercial rates than they received previously. Taking account of other expected changes in incomes and the financial positions of the authorities concerned, Waterford City and County Council and Wicklow County Council were identified as facing significant challenges to deliver balanced budgets in the first year of the changeover. Therefore, Minister Murphy and I are providing a once-off special payment of €2 million to Waterford City and County Council and €300,000 to Wicklow County Council to assist them in 2020 and to allow more time for the necessary rebalancing of income and expenditure. Income from commercial rates is for use by local authorities at their discretion and, owing to its nature, is subject to fluctuations from time to time. My Department will continue to monitor the financial impact of the transition of Irish Water to a global utility undertaking for rates purposes, as part of its wider role in supporting local authorities. It is also my intention to consider this issue and other relevant issues when the work of the Local Government Funding Baseline (Review) Group falls to be considered. Vacant Sites Levy 64. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): My Department does not maintain a central register of vacant sites, as each local authority administers the vacant site register in respect of their functional area. As provided for under the Act, the register in respect of each local authority is available for inspection at its offices and online on its website. However, on foot of a recent review of the on-line vacant site registers across all local authority areas, I understand that there are collectively over 340 individual sites currently on the local registers. Over 80 of these sites were entered on registers on 1 January 2018 and are therefore subject to the levy in 2019, unless development works were activated in the interim. While application of the levy provisions is a matter for individual local authorities, my Department continues to monitor implementation of the levy to ensure that it is being effectively applied, in line with its intended purpose of incentivising the development of vacant or under-utilised sites in urban areas. To support this work, progress reports were requested from local authorities and the responses received are currently being examined by my Department to see what further implementation supports may be required. My Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities to ensure the vacant site levy achieves its full potential. However, I have no plans to further amend the vacant site levy provisions at this time. Water Abstraction Regulation 65. Deputy Joan Collins Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): However, the Water Framework Directive requires that abstractions of surface water or groundwater which are likely to have a significant effect on water status must be regulated. My Department has been examining how best to address this requirement in a proportionate and efficient way. After approval in 2018 of a General Scheme of a Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill which would introduce a control and registration system over the abstraction of water, my Department undertook a public consultation, which resulted in 28 submissions. Following examination of those submissions and refinement of the policy approach, I will be returning to Government shortly with a revised General Scheme to give effect to our obligations under the Directive and to introduce a licensing and control system over the abstraction of water generally. In advance of the primary legislation, and in order to build up a nationwide picture of abstractions, a requirement to register water abstractions in excess of 25 cubic metres per day with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already been introduced by way of secondary legislation under the European Union (Water Policy) (Abstractions Registration) Regulations 2018. This has been put in place to enable the EPA to assess where particular water pressures as a result of abstraction might exist and, accordingly, better manage abstractions in areas of high risk in the future. The register is maintained by the EPA and I understand that it does not provide for the specific identification of abstractions for the purposes of bottled water. There will be further opportunity to contribute to development of the provisions to be contained in the planned legislation when I submit the revised General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. I expect that a proportionate abstraction control regime will effectively manage abstraction risks and pressures without imposing an unnecessary regulatory burden. Recognising the relatively low abstraction pressures in Ireland, the proposed regime will focus on the most significant volumes and pressures. It should be noted that requirements in relation to the standards of bottled waters are laid out in the European Union (Natural Mineral Waters, Spring Waters and Other Waters in Bottles or Containers) Regulations 2016, which are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health. Planning Guidelines 66. Deputy Darragh O'Brien 83. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): Following engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the European Court of Justice ruling in the "Flemish Decree" case, a working group was established to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. The working group comprises senior officials from the Planning Division of my Department and senior officials from the Planning Divisions of local authorities, nominated by the local government sector. In parallel, my Department is reviewing the Development Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities, to update guidance in light of both legislative changes and the introduction of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies. In line with the NPF objective 37, my Department is also working on guidance on preparation of Housing Need Demand Assessments, which will inform housing strategies and associated land use zoning policies. Thereafter, I propose to finalise revisions to the 2005 Rural Housing Guidelines, taking account of the engagement with the European Commission, the relevant European Court of Justice rulings and the completion of the ongoing deliberations by the working group. Departmental Offices 67. Deputy Darragh O'Brien 306. Deputy Darragh O'Brien Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): A dedicated Housing Delivery Office (HDO) was established within my Department to support the accelerated delivery of housing across the social and private sectors, in an integrated and timely manner. Working with the broader Housing and Planning Divisions in the Department, other key agencies, local authorities and the construction sector, the HDO has supported the roll-out of complex projects, including identifying and resolving barriers to delivery, and monitors progress across key sites as they progress. The HDO has worked with all key stakeholders involved in the delivery of housing, including from key disciplines such as architecture, planning, engineering and building control, project and construction management, quantity surveying, capital programme delivery and administration. In the context of the increased delivery ambition in terms of social and affordable homes, my Department has been working with the City and County Management Association (CCMA) in terms of reviewing the most effective future operating platform for the HDO. While the Department has a pivotal role in terms of policy, legislation and the finance to enable local authorities deliver, the day to day delivery is a matter for local government and, with increased targets and delivery accelerating, the clear demand for an enhanced support structure is recognised. The CCMA recently submitted a proposal to my Department setting out the benefits that a revamped and reconfigured HDO more closely situated within the local government sector could have in terms of supporting increased delivery. This approach could have significant benefits in terms of addressing a number of delivery challenges including: - Social Housing Specification and Design; - Procurement/ Contract Management/ Project Management; and - Utilising Landbanks/ Achieving Mixed Tenure. Given the similarities between these objectives and other established Project Management Offices, I have agreed with the CCMA that the HDO will therefore transition to the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). The CCMA and LGMA are working to a Quarter 1 2020 initiation of the new office. We are fully agreed that the new unit will work closely, not only with my Department, but also with other key sectoral stakeholders, including the Land Development Agency and the Housing Agency, to align activity, share knowledge and expertise and drive efficiencies in the housing delivery process. Local Authority Staff 68. Deputy Niamh Smyth Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff whole time equivalent numbers in each local authority. However, granular data, in terms of the specific role and function of each individual staff member, is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. This information should be available directly from local authorities themselves. An Bord Pleanála 69. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): Separate legislative provisions apply to the divisions of the Board dealing with planning applications for strategic infrastructure development (SID) and, more recently, strategic housing development (SHD). Section 112A of the 2000 Act provides that the quorum for a meeting of the Strategic Infrastructure Division shall be three members. Furthermore, section 11 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 also provides that the quorum for a meeting of the Strategic Housing Division is three members. Both Acts provide that at any stage before a decision is made by either the Strategic Infrastructure Division or Strategic Housing Division, where a case is considered to be a matter of particular complexity or significance, it may be transferred for consideration to a meeting of all available members of the Board. No changes to these arrangements were recommended by the organisational review of An Bord Pleanála carried out by an independent review group in 2016. I am satisfied with the existing arrangements and have no plans to amend them at this time. Housing Policy 70. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Deputy Eoghan Murphy): I note the papers included the Challenges of Success conference booklet, which contains a 'Review of the Government's Housing Strategy from the perspective of young and old'. My Department keeps its housing policies and programmes under regular review and I have asked that the Social Justice Ireland papers be considered in that context. |
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