Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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31. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has given consideration to the use of 3D printing technology and the possible benefits of same to the current problems with housing construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59147/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Modern Methods of Construction(MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland and methods to support the development of MMC in Ireland are set out in Housing for AllPathway 5 Section 5.3.2.

MMC encompasses a broad and diverse range of innovative construction practices with huge potential to boost productivity and increase efficiency (avoid waste) in the construction sector. This includes 3D printing technology.

The coordination of activities to promote MMC adoption is being led by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE).

DETE has overseen the establishment of an interdepartmental MMC Leadership and Integration Group.

This Group will ensure the cohesive integration and coordination of the various Government supported MMC-relevant initiatives – to support innovation, such as 3D printing, in the construction industry.

Such initiatives include:

The Construction Technology Centre, consortium led by the University of Galway;

The Demonstration Park for MMC at Mount Lucas, operated by Laois Offaly Education and Training Board);

The National Construction Training Centre at Mount Lucas;

The Build Digitalproject (led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform); and

The Built to Innovateawareness campaign run by Enterprise Ireland.

All new dwellings must comply with building regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings, and in addition achieve a 60-year durability for all key elements

Part D of the Building Regulations sets out the legal requirements for materials and workmanship. It requires that all works must be carried out

using “proper materials” which are fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used, and

in a workmanlike manner

to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations.

The process of Agrément certification applies to those products and processes which do not fall within the scope of existing construction standards, either because they are innovative or because they deviate from established norms. NSAI Agrément assesses, specifies testing, and where appropriate, issues Agrément certificates confirming that new building products, materials, techniques and equipment are safe and fit for purpose in accordance with the Irish Building Regulations and with the terms of the certificate. Such certificates may be in addition to, but not conflict with CE marking.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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32. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the changes that are being proposed to the income limits for eligibility for approval on local authority housing lists; the dates when these income limits were last set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59622/22]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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36. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the discussions that he has had with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the review that is being carried out by his Department concerning income limits for social housing, given the potential impact on the public finances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56462/22]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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37. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if changes to income limits for social housing will be backdated; if anyone removed from the list in that period will have their years on the list restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59785/22]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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39. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the up-to-date position on the review that is being carried out of the income limits for social housing by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58976/22]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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41. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he will announce new income limits for social housing applications; if he will provide for discretion on compassionate grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59758/22]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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49. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if consideration will be given to increasing the income thresholds for families wishing to apply for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59146/22]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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69. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when income eligibility limits for social housing will be increased in counties Cavan and Monaghan given that existing limits are low at present and are unrealistic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59575/22]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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201. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will review the income thresholds for social housing for Mayo County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56923/22]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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202. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the intended timeframe in which he intends to bring forward proposals to extend the eligibility applicable to local authorities regarding housing supports. [56643/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 36, 37, 39, 41, 49, 69, 201 and 202 together.

The social housing income eligibility bands, the respective thresholds, and the local authorities assigned to each band were introduced in 2011. They were developed with reference to the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country, at that time.

Notwithstanding an increase in the thresholds for a small number of local authorities in October 2022, the thresholds have remained largely unchanged since 2011. In the meantime, accommodation costs have increased significantly nationwide.

It is for this reason Government recently agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds will increase to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively, and an estimated 16,000 additional households will likely be eligible for social housing support as a result. While local authorities have no scope to exceed these thresholds, they will continue to have flexibility when assessing eligibility to disregard income that is once-off, temporary or short-term and which is outside the regular pattern of a person’s annual income.

I am keen that those households, which may recently have been deemed not to qualify upon reassessment but would have qualified if the new thresholds had been in place, can retain time previously spent on the list. My Department is currently exploring the feasibility such arrangements under the current legislation and will provide guidance to local authorities on the matter in due course.

My Department has also recently begun work to develop a new social housing income eligibility model and I expect proposals for a new model to be submitted for my consideration in Q1 2023. The Department has formally consulted with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the project’s terms of reference, which include examining the consequences for the Exchequer of amending the thresholds. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will continue to input to this work as it progresses and is represented on the steering group established to oversee the project.