January
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage released their monthly homelessness report for December 2022, which found that 8,190 adults and 3,442 children were accessing homeless accommodation during the week of 19th December to 25th December. The “Town Centre Living” architectural design competition was launched by Minister Darragh O’Brien and President of the RIAI, Charlotte Sheridan. The Housing Agency and AHBRA appeared before the Committee of Public Accounts on 19th January to examine financial statements from 2020/21 and the Housing Agency Revolving Acquisition Fund. The Committee also met with representatives from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on 26th January. On 17th January, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage met with the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) to discuss the most recent reports of NOAC’s oversight of the performance of local authorities. The committee also met with Longford and Mayo County Councils on 24th January.
February
The Housing for All Q4 Progress Report was published during Q1 2023, which indicated during 2022 29,851 new homes were completed. Figures relating to the Voids Programme were also published, showing 2,307 vacant social homes were brought back into active use in 2022.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage held several meetings relating to the pre-legislative scrutiny of both the Marine Protected Areas Bill and the Draft Planning and Development Bill 2022. The committee heard from the following representatives throughout January: UCD, Wind Energy Ireland, Irish Environmental Network, Fair Seas Ireland, Irish Wildlife Trust, Birdwatch Ireland, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, OPR, An Bord Pleanála, CIF, Irish Institutional Property and Property Industry Ireland.
March
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage released their monthly homelessness report for January 2023, which found that 8,323 adults and 3,431 children were accessing homeless accommodation during the week of 23rd-29th January. From 1 March, new improvements to the local authority home loan have been introduced and prices of homes eligible for a local authority home loan have been increased nationwide as have income limits of those eligible to apply for a loan. On 15th March, the Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, along with the Heritage Council, announced that 11 historic towns will share €1.3 million funding under the 2023 Historic Towns Initiative (HTI).
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage continued the scrutiny of the Draft Planning and Development Bill 2022, hearing from the following representatives: CCMA, AILG, Local Authority Members Association, Northern and Western Regional Assembly, Royal Town Planning Institute, Irish Planning Institute, Dublin Democratic Planning Alliance, residents’ associations and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
On 7th March, Minister Darragh O’Brien announced the phasing out of the winter eviction ban in accordance with the terms of the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022. This Act provided for a stay on eviction notices for the period up to 31 March 2023, with deferred tenancy terminations taking effect over a staggered period from 1 April to 18 June 2023. Minister O’Brien also informed Cabinet of plans to give a number of new opportunities to tenants who wish to become homeowners.
Publications
15th February – ESRI –Exploring rent pressure zones: Ireland’s recent rent control regime
20th February – ESRI – Housing adequacy and child outcomes in early and middle childhood
February 2023 – NESC – Private Rental in Ireland
15th March – The Housing Agency - Multi-Unit Developments & Owners’ Management Companies: A Compilation of Writing from The Housing Agency
16th March – ESRI – The RTB Rent Index, Q3 2022
