Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I understand from clarification received that the Question is seeking information on funding drawn down by Dublin City Council from the Regeneration programme in the 2022 vote, specifically regarding the social housing flat complex regeneration.

The 2022 Vote allocated €50million for the subhead A.15 Estate Regeneration programmes which includes various regeneration programmes in Limerick, Cork City, Dublin City, Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk.

No funding has been drawn down in 2022 to date in respect of flat complex regeneration in Dublin City. However my Department is currently processing a recoupment claim in respect of the ongoing Social Regeneration of Charlemont St, Dolphin House and St Teresa’s Gardens.

There are a number of projects that are currently on site or due for completion in 2022 including O’Devaney Gardens Phase 1A, Dominick St. East, Cornamona Court, and North King Street.  As these project 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.

Following on from reviews of the conditions of their older flat complexes and based on the need to modernise and bring the living conditions up to acceptable levels and as part of their climate action plans, Dublin City Council (DCC) are developing a long term strategy for the redevelopment and/or refurbishment of many of these complexes.  I also understand that DCC have identified 96 of these older flat complexes for redevelopment and/or refurbishment in the years 2022 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 are considering the most appropriate funding streams to enable these refurbishment/regeneration/replacement projects and will work with Dublin City Council to progress.

My Department have provided Stage 1 Capital Appraisal approval for the refurbishment/replacement of Pearse House Phase 1 (April 2021), Constitution Hill (June 2020), Matt Talbot Court (July 2020), Bluebell Phase 1A (June 2021), Constitution Hill (June 2020), Liberties Cluster Phase 1 (August 2021) and Oliver Bond House (March 2022) and Stage 2 Approval for St. Mary’s Dorset St. (July 2021).  My Department are currently assessing submissions in respect of Glover’s Court and a Pilot Amalgamation Project in Ballybough House. My Department looks forward to working with DCC on these important projects.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.

Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019. Local authority officials and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by making adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.

Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities to manage and maintain their housing stock, my Department does provide annual funding to local authorities to support their work in this area across various programmes which include Voids, Energy Efficiency, Disabled Persons Grant and Regeneration. Since 2014, over €944 million of exchequer funding has been invested in these local authority housing stock improvement works which are detailed below.

Given the very significant investment into the Programmes over recent years, particularly in the Voids programme in 2020 and again in 2021, local authorities should now be in a strong position to begin the transition to a strategic and informed planned maintenance approach to stock management and maintenance.

To that end, my Department and local authorities are working to transition from a largely response and voids based approach to housing stock management and maintenance, to a planned maintenance approach as referenced in Housing for All, policy objective 20.6. This will require the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes in response.

As notified in Circular 18 2022, €5 million in funding has been ring-fenced for Planned Maintenance under this years Planned Maintenance/Voids Programme to support the implementation of an ICT asset management system for the LA sector and to provide a funding contribution for the commencement of stock condition surveys.

Works under the 2022 programmes are underway but it will be later this year before significant recoupment claims are lodged with my Department. Full details in relation to output under the various programmes in 2022 will be available early in 2023.