Written answers

Tuesday, 16 October 2018

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Housing Issues

Photo of Pat CaseyPat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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643. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will report on the progress of the programme for a partnership Government on the housing crisis. [41755/18]

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Following on from the Programme for a Partnership Government and recognising the urgency of the housing crisis, the Government introduced the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness in July 2016. This Action Plan provides a comprehensive framework for addressing the range of complex issues which need to be addressed across the housing sector. The Plan is underpinned by over €6 billion in funding to support the delivery of 50,000 new social housing homes and 87,000 other housing supports over the 6 years 2016 to 2021.

Significant progress has been made in 2016 and 2017, in partnership with local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and a range of other delivery partners, with over 45,000 individuals and families having their housing needs met during those 2 years, and a further 25,500 households expected to be supported this year. The level of progress being made is reflected in social housing waiting lists, which have reduced by 22%, from 91,600 households to 71,858, between 2016 and 2018.

The Government has made tackling homelessness a key priority under Rebuilding Ireland and while the numbers experiencing homelessness continue to increase and additional measures are required to address emergency accommodation needs, records levels of individuals and families are being supported out of homelessness. 4,729 adults exited homelessness into independent tenancies in 2017 and a further 2,332 in the first half of 2018. A Homeless HAP Place finder service has been made available nationally to support households experiencing homelessness to identify and secure independent tenancies and family hubs have also been introduced to provide more appropriate emergency accommodation to better cater for the needs of families and now provide accommodation for over 500 families.

The number of rough sleepers recorded in April 2018 had reduced by 40%, following the delivery of over 300 additional emergency beds, and a further 150 emergency beds are to be delivered by end-2018. The recent launch of the first national Housing First Strategy provides a strong framework for homeless individuals with the most complex needs to move into independent supported living.

The recent establishment of the new Land Development Agency under Project Ireland 2040 demonstrates the whole-of-Government response needed to maximise the value and use of lands in public control and to drive a more active land management role by the State. This new Agency will be crucial in supporting the delivery of affordable homes on public lands, through the new affordability requirement whereby a minimum of 30% of all publicly owned lands will be reserved for affordable housing purposes, building on the work that local authorities are initiating to deliver affordable housing on their lands, supported by the €310m Serviced Sites Fund.

New planning guidelines have also been introduced to support increased and more varied delivery of apartments in our main urban centres, where rental pressures are strongest, and a range of measures have been introduced to provide better protections for both tenants and landlords in the rental sector, including longer notice periods and the introduction of an annual limit of 4% on rent increases in areas designated as Rent Pressure Zones. Further measures will be brought forward shortly in new legislation to strengthen the role of the Residential Tenancies Board in enforcing the RPZ provisions, as part of a wider multi-annual change management programme to more proactively enforce tenancy law and have the RTB assume more the role of a regulator within the rental sector.

Recent Central Bank statistics on mortgage arrears show that the level of arrears is declining. There remains, however, a significant number of borrowers in long-term mortgage distress. The Government is committed to building on recent reforms and creating a framework that removes fear and brings predictability to a difficult process. Through a range of actions, Government Departments and Agencies are working together to find ways to encourage those who have not been able to engage, to reach a suitable long-term debt resolution, and avoid repossession if possible.

Progress is also being made under the following services in relation to Mortgage Arrears:

- Take up of the Abhaile service has been high, with 13,342 vouchers for consultations issued between the start of the scheme in July 2016 to 3 September 2018;

- The Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) has returned over 6,000 debtors to solvency with over 2,000 of those cases being Personal Insolvency Arrangements (PIAs), which deal with mortgage debt; and

- At the end of August, 380 families had been supported to remain in their home through the Mortgage to Rent scheme and 845 further cases were being actively progressed.

In relation to the wider housing sector, the measures undertaken under Rebuilding Ireland are underpinning a strong increase in activity, with planning permissions for 26,752 homes granted in the year to end-June 2018, up 39%; commencement notices submitted for almost 19,500 new homes in the year to end-July, up 17%; and 19,650 new homes becoming available for use in the year to end June 2018, up 24%.

The most recent Rebuilding Ireland detailed Action Status report is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link:

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