Written answers

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Local Authorities

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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628. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding that has been allocated and spent to date for 2021 on the refurbishment of local authority flat complexes; the flat complexes and local authorities they are in; and the work which was undertaken or has commenced in each complex. [39520/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I understand from clarification received that the Deputy that he is seeking information on funding drawn down by Dublin City Council (DCC) from the Regeneration programme in the 2021 vote and for years previous for the refurbishment, regeneration or replacement of flat complexes built from the 1930s to the 1960s.

The 2021 Vote allocated €73million for the subhead A.15 Estate Regeneration programmes includes Disabled Persons Grants, extensions, improvements works in lieu, remedial works schemes and the various regeneration programmes in Limerick, Cork City, Dublin City, Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk.

From 2015 to 2020 DCC has drawn down over €101 million in regeneration funding.

Regarding Dublin City flat complexes, the Dolphin House and St. Teresa’s Gardens Phase 1 (Margaret Kennedy Road) projects have been completed.

There are a number of replacement projects underway including O’Devaney Gardens Phase 1A, Dominick St. East, Cornamona Court, and North King Street. As these projects are on previously cleared sites funding is being used from the A.3 SHIP Vote and as such are not drawing down from the A.15 Regeneration subhead.

My Department has provided Stage 1 Capital Appraisal approval for the refurbishment/replacement of Pearse House Phase 1 (April 2021), Constitution Hill (June 2020) and Matt Talbot Court (July 2020) and Stage 2 Approval for St. Mary’s Dorset St. (July 2021).  DCC is working towards detailed design and Part 8 Planning for these projects.

DCC has informed my Department that it is working on Stage 1 Capital Appraisals and option assessments for the full refurbishment of Oliver Bond House and other flat complexes.  My Department looks forward to working with DCC on these important projects.

Following on from reviews of the conditions of its older flat complexes and based on the need to modernise and bring the living conditions up to acceptable levels and as part of its climate action plans, DCC has advised that it is developing a long term strategy for the redevelopment and/or refurbishment of many of these complexes.  I also understand that DCC has identified 96 of these older flat complexes for redevelopment and/or refurbishment in the years 2021 to 2030.

A large number of these flat complexes will be effectively rebuilt while others will be refurbished and in some cases will need amalgamations (i.e. two in one) due to unacceptable sizes of some homes.  My Department is considering the most appropriate funding streams to enable these refurbishment/regeneration/replacement projects and will work with DCC to progress them.

In addition to the normal voids programme funding my Department recently announced funding under the Void Flats Programme.  This programme provides funding for DCC to carry out refurbishment works to flats that are vacant in older flat complexes in order to be ready for tenanting in 2021. Up to €5 million has been allocated for these refurbishments and my Department is working with DCC on its submission.

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