I will be brief because Members have put their views on this issue on the record. I, as Minister with responsibility for planning, am guardian of the planning system. That system, by its nature, is neutral. It acts on policy. We need policy to work with the system in order to provide a solution. We can go around the houses and discuss how we got here. It has been a difficult process. The important point is that we must have a two-step process whereby if a project is exempted from planning, there is an alternative r…

First, I welcome the current budget. I think the Government has done its very best to get the balance right, in the first instance, in getting back on a more sustainable trajectory in terms of the public finances, reducing our borrowing costs, which is most important, and in terms of striking a balance between revenue expenditure and also taxation cuts. It is also important to point out that every Government should try to avoid breaking the golden rule of borrowing for current expenditure. That leads a country onto…

Yes. It is important to reiterate that the Government recognises that the use of energy and its security of supply are key issues facing the economy in the coming decades. However, the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, is not the appropriate mechanism to achieve the goals as set out in this Private Members' Bill. Therefore, the Government opposes the Bill. As Deputies will be aware, the planning process is at its core neutral. It includes public participation and does not predetermine the outcomes of a…

If Deputy Leddin wants two minutes I can give them to him. I thank Members of the House for all their comments. While the Government opposes this Private Member's Bill, I repeat that the Government recognises the importance of energy security and will continue to develop policy in this area. As I indicated, the matter is under review as we speak. The policy will not be developed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It is more suited to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communica…

As I begin my response, it is incredible to note that the Sinn Féin Party has 37 Deputies and not one of them has been here for almost an hour as we respond to one of the biggest challenges in our State. That is very noticeable in the context of all the ideas we have from the various political parties and Independents. It could not send one Deputy into this House to listen to the debate. Housing for All has huge ambition: 300,000 houses - 300,000 homes - right up to 2030. The Government of which I have been a part …

Approved housing bodies are a key delivery partner for the provision of social and affordable housing.  My Department does not administer funds directly to AHBs, rather, it is primarily provided to local authorities which, in turn, advance the funding to AHBs.  Social housing provision through AHBs can only be provided with the approval and oversight of the local authority. Specifically in respect of the cost rental equity loan, my Department provides the funding directly to the Housing Agency, which administers th…

It is appropriate. The Department has adequate oversight. In the first instance, I would point the Deputy to the investigation of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the report on which was published in 2018. Three recommendations were made in respect of the Department and the AHB sector, namely, recommendations 10.1 to 10.3. We sent a response in March 2021 stating that all the recommendations had been fully implemented and that there was full compliance. Aside from that, we are establishing the AHBRA, which will…

I am not aware of the specific case but I can confirm that the AHB sector has constructed, since 2016, over 15,000 units. Of those, 60% were either through building or Part V. That is a significant aspect. On the new regulatory regime that is going to be established, internal audit procedures will be set up. There will be monitoring of financial risk and it will be ensured that proper books of account are held. Currently, there is significant oversight under the public sector spending code, the circulars of the Dep…

I thank Deputy Matthews. I am anxious to ensure that the planning authorities are appropriately resourced to meet the demands of Housing for All and the national development plan, NDP. I recognise that changing work demands are being placed on local authorities from the strong terrestrial and marine planning legislation and the monitoring required from development plans. For that reason, Housing for All refers to the need in action 24.1 to ensure there is sufficient resourcing to meet the scale and ambition in the …

I concur with the Deputy. It is a very important to ensure that we maximise our resources and skill set within the local authority sector. One thing I see as I go around the 31 local authority networks is how important it is to have the right skills in the right places. In connection with the Deputy's issues on bringing the two-stage process back to the local authorities on the ground and ensuring that decisions are made locally, we will obviously consult with the local authority network to ensure the resources are…

In response to Deputy Matthews, absolutely; it is so important to see the value of the skill set of those people who are delivering services to the local authority. I recently visited Tipperary County Council, where the county architect, Mr. Liam Ryan, took me through a number of developments. I could see first-hand his input and imprint and how he changed developments to make them much more sustainable and a lot more suitable for the citizens in the area. It is absolutely important. We lost many skills from our lo…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 110 together. Housing for All recognises the challenges in facilitating owner-occupation in towns, where viable sites available for building of new homes are in short supply.  There is significant potential for local authorities to support home ownership in these areas by making available serviced sites at a reduced cost or providing support towards the refurbishment of vacant properties where the level of vacancy or dereliction is high.  A pathfinder programme will be initia…

I again thank both Deputies. In the first instance, it is very important that we get the schemes open for application and we will be doing that. We really need to back this up with money. We have a number of schemes now, including our rural regeneration and urban regeneration schemes and Croí Cónaithe, which are really unlocking the potential of our towns and villages. In response to Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, the serviced sites funds will be directly linked to Croí Cónaithe. We are breaking our town centre first policy …

That is exactly what we are aiming to do. If we look at the broader picture, we need to take advantage of the climate change adaptation opportunities in our towns and villages along with diverse living. We need to hive out opportunities from every crisis we have. Our town centre first initiative will give us a chance to do that. Regenerating our public realm and our streets in a post-pandemic environment is also important. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, has responsibility for the heritage aspect. We need to …

Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated social housing assessment regulations 2011, as amended. The 2011 regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard household means policy. Given the c…

I thank the Deputy for her response. As I said during previous debates, as did the Minister, we are monitoring the situation in the context of the record-breaking monetary value of the new initiatives approved by this House. There is a recommendation in Housing for All to make a determination for quarter 4 this year. My county of Westmeath is on the same band as the Deputy's and I meet those vulnerable people at my clinic every single week. That is why we are working night and day in government, with a €4 billion m…

On Deputy Wynne's point, the reason for what she cited in her local authority area is that local authorities have discretion to take into account short-term income, or if there is a significant change in family income, while carrying out their assessment policy. Regarding the review, we can also look at other areas in disregarding certain types of income. It is important to state that as we go through it and review the criteria. We know what the challenges are. As I said, I meet vulnerable people week in, week out,…

I thank Senator Byrne for his Commencement matter on this very important issue. In a letter to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage last week, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, outlined two serious incidents in recent weeks that occurred in drinking water plants. These were in the Ballymore Eustace water treatment plant which serves parts of Dublin city, and the plant that serves Gorey in County Wexford, as the Senator referenced. In the case of Gorey, the incident included illnesses det…

I thank the Senator for his comments and for, quite rightly, pointing out the difficulties in this matter. I agree with him on the question of transparency and when the report is delivered it should be scrutinised by these Houses. I also mentioned the importance of people having confidence in our water supply and I can assure the House that everything is being done through this audit to ensure those processes are in place. I also agree with the Senator about the chief executive of Wexford County Council. I have hea…

I thank all of the Deputies for their contributions. A few weeks ago the Government launched Housing For All, the most extensive and ambitious action plan for the delivery of social and affordable housing in the history of the State. Housing For All brings a coherent and consistent whole-of-government approach to housing policy to ensure the delivery of housing supply sufficient to meet demand at a price level that is affordable, accessible and sustainable. There is, however, no quick fix to the current challenges.…