Written answers

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Housing Provision

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

277. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider changes in the local authority housing loan and Rebuilding Ireland loan scheme with a view to improved rapidity to the processing of loans and a recognition of the need to revert to procedures associated with the Housing Act 1966 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55420/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

280. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average time taken to process Rebuilding Ireland and local authority loans by each local authority by county in each of the past six years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55423/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 280 together.

The Housing Agency underwriters provides a central support service which assesses applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications.

The Agency has confirmed the average turnaround time for applications to be assessed (from date received to date returned with recommendation) in October 2021 was 5 working days. However, some applications may take longer to assess due to the need to verify aspects of the application etc.

Processing of a complete and valid application  by a local authority takes approximately 6-8 weeks. This period may vary during the current COVID-19 pandemic and depending on the local authority. This is an estimate as my Department does not collect data on the average time taken by local authorities to process Rebuilding Ireland and local authority loans.

Each local authority must have in place a Credit Committee and it is a matter for the Committee to make the final decision on applications for loans, in accordance with the regulations, and having regard to the recommendations made by the Housing Agency.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

278. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of affordable houses provided by or through the aegis of each local authority by county in each of the past six years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55421/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system.

A multi-faceted approach is being implemented to deliver 54,000 affordable homes interventions between now and 2030.  This will be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency, as well as through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. The first local authority affordable purchase homes delivered under the Serviced Sites Fund will be delivered in December 2021.  To date, funding for approximately 4,000 affordable purchase homes has been awarded to local authorities nationally under the Serviced Sites/Affordable Housing Fund..

Delivery of affordable housing in accordance with the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme established in Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 will be underpinned by the preparation by each local authority's Housing Delivery Action Plan.  All homes made available under affordable housing schemes must adhere to eligibility criteria prescribed under the Act. 

Local authorities will be submitting their Plans to me, to include social and affordable housing, before the end of December 2021. This will allow each Local Authority, to determine any affordability constraint in their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment and plan the provision of affordable homes accordingly.

Part 4 of the Affordable Housing Act provides for the ‘First Home’ scheme to primarily support affordability-constrained first-time buyers to purchase privately developed new homes. This scheme will commence in 2022 and will be available at a national level.

Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act provides for the establishment of a Cost Rental sector in Ireland, through the Ministerial designation of Cost Rental dwellings. Budget 2021 allocated €35 million to the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme which enabled the first Cost Rental homes to be delivered this year by the Clúid AHB at Taylor Hill, Balbriggan. The tenanting processes for further Cost Rental homes at Enniskerry Road in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and Barnhall, Leixlip, County Kildare, are currently underway. In total, 390 Cost Rental units will be delivered through this funding, with the initial focus being in the Greater Dublin Area and Cork. A further €75 million was allocated in Budget 2022 to help meet the Housing for All target of 750 Cost Rental homes in 2022.

The Land Development Agency will deliver homes for both affordable purchase and Cost Rental.  The Housing for All strategy outlines how the Land Development Agency through Project Tosaigh will seek to unlock stalled developments and accelerate the delivery of affordable homes.

In addition the Help to Buy Scheme and the Local Authority Home loan scheme remain available nationally and make housing more affordable to purchasers.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

279. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of Rebuilding Ireland and local authority loans approved by and drawn down in each local authority by county in each of the past six years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55422/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department regularly publishes information on the number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower (and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount). 

The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan has been made available nationwide from local authorities since 1 February 2018. Approximately over 2,300 Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans have been drawn down since the commencement of this scheme. Statistics on this to Q1 2021 can be found under the heading “Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan 2018 to date” at the below link.

Loans approved and drawn down prior to 1 February 2018 can be found under the headings “LA loans approved by year 1976 to date” and “LA loans paid by individual LA 2010 to date” can also be found at the below link -

www.gov.ie/en/collection/42d2f-local-authority-loan-activity/#local-authority-loans-approvedpaid 

This will be updated as updated figures are available.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

281. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps being taken to ensure the elimination of delays likely to inhibit the provision of affordable or local authority housing in each of the past six years to date; the action taken or proposed to address this issue at an early date; the expected beneficial effect of changes by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55424/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

285. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current top ten administrative obstacles to the provision of affordable and local authority housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55428/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

286. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average time taken from the initial application for planning permission to the completion of construction of all housing, recognising the need to ensure the quickest possible turnaround while meeting the necessary provisions and on-time delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55429/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

287. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number and location of various housing development proposals, public and private, throughout the country that are currently delayed due to the lack of various services; the proposals to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55430/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

288. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the ready availability of and access to such services as water and sewerage facilities and that no developments, public or private are delayed due to lack of availability of such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55431/21]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

290. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which the attention of his Department has been drawn to the imposition of new regulations and conditions which have the effect of slowing down the provision of public or private housing developments; the extent to which his Department has received information is this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55433/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 281, 285 to 288, inclusive, and 290 together.

Housing 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, supported by an investment package of over €4b per annum.  Supporting the delivery of housing, including social and affordable housing, is a priority for the Government.  In this regard Housing for All sets targets to deliver over 90,000 social homes and 54,000 affordable homes between 2022 and 2030.

My Department does not hold details on the average time taken from the initial application of planning permission to the completion of construction of all housing or details on the numbers of projects delayed due to the availability of services. 

The Deputy refers to "administrative obstacles". I wish to reaffirm that all of the Department's administrative and funding measures are put in place to support and foster the development of social and affordable housing and to ensure value for money for the taxpayer. Under Housing for All, a whole of Government approach is being take to further improving  and streamlining those processes which support the delivery of housing across all tenures.

These measures and actions are identified to support delivery in the four pathways identified in the Plan:

- Pathway to Supporting Homeownership and Increasing Affordability;

- Pathway to Eradicating Homelessness, Increasing Social Housing Delivery and Supporting Social Inclusion;

- Pathway to Increasing New Housing Supply; and

- Pathway to Addressing Vacancy and Efficient Use of Existing Stock

Housing for All also includes a comprehensive range of measures to support the four pathways, which are set out in section 5 of the Plan.  These measures support critical infrastructure development in the area of communications, energy and water services. 

With specific regard to water services, the National Development Plan 2021-2030 commits to almost €6bn capital investment by Irish Water in the period 2021-2025 of which over €4.5 billion of which will be Exchequer funding for domestic water services. Budget 2022 allocates over €1.57 billion to support water services, which includes €1.46bn for domestic water services provision by Irish Water. This investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and waste water services.  My Department is engaging with Irish Water to identify and prioritise any actions that will support the Delivery of housing under Housing for All and ensure the timely delivery of connections. 

An electronic version of Housing for All is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/ef5ec-housing-for-all-a-new-housing-plan-for-ireland/

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.