Vol. 695 No. 3
43 Deputy Phil Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether regional authorities are effective in the local government system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42826/09]
The general function of regional authorities is to review the overall needs and development requirements of their respective regions and facilitate communication and co-operation between local authorities and other public authorities with regard to policies and services being delivered by these bodies. The role of regional authorities under the Planning and Development Act 2000 in drawing up regional planning guidelines as an overall co-ordinating framework for all city and county development plans is of particular importance in pursuing sustainable development.
The Green Paper on local government, Stronger Local Democracy — Options for Change, which I published in April 2008, raised the question as to whether change in local government arrangements was necessary in key locations to drive regional development. Stronger Local Democracy noted that part of the challenge was to ensure local government would be capable of developing and facilitating the development of the gateways as envisaged by the national spatial strategy. The renewed programme for Government is relevant to this question, as it commits to the provision of democratic leadership for regional authorities and the strengthening of their strategic role across a range of functions, in addition to their realignment to reflect the gateways in the national spatial strategy. The White Paper on local government which I will bring to the Government shortly will reflect the programme's commitments.
The Minister mentioned the programme for Government and the Green Paper which, in chapter 2, mentions that, because of the small size of Ireland, there is centralised administration, with people having an affinity for local structures. The Green Paper did not advocate strong elected regional authorities. Is that still the Government's position? In the light of the fact that the Green Paper was strongly supportive of local government structures, is it still Government policy to have county, city and town councils, taking into account the recent comments made by the Minister's colleague, the Minister for Transport?
I will answer the last question first. It is our intention to have them. I have always been of the view that we need to have local government at all effective levels.
The Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, is overruled.
Again.
The Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, has a view on all these matters. He has been in this role in the past but I am telling the Deputy what the situation is. In other jurisdictions, particularly on the Continent and in the United States, there is representation at local level, in even the smallest towns. That system operates very effectively but in Germany and elsewhere there is very effective regional government. That is a tier of government that needs to be enhanced in this country to deliver consistency across all local authorities. The Deputy and I have discussed this issue and he knows my thinking on planning matters. He will be aware of issues around zonings and regional planning guidelines in Carlow in his constituency and that various local authorities have different approaches. We have to have consistency.
The Green Paper presents three options and notes that different solutions can apply in different areas. It envisages a metropolitan cross-boundary mayor with a strategic role in delivering with a city-region focus, joint leadership of local authorities through the joint election of a single mayor to chair and represent local authorities and the creation of unitary authorities. The Deputy will also be aware——
I want to allow another supplementary question before the time expires.
——that we are moving ahead with the Dublin mayoralty, with elections planned in the summer of 2010. We have to look at the system in London where there is also an assembly to which the mayor is answerable.
The Minister got carried away in trying to explain the comments of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey. I am glad he has overruled them and that he is a very strong supporter of local government, unlike the Minister for Transport who often speaks without knowing the source of his information. The Minister spoke about travelling throughout Europe but he should bring the Minister for Transport with him to show him the good work done in bottom-up approaches to local government. Will the Minister tell the House if it is the intention to have regional authority elections in the future, starting with the regional assembly elections in the greater Dublin area next June?
That will be set out in the White Paper. The Government is considering all matters. As laid out in the programme for Government, we want to strengthen the strategic role and functions of regional authorities in planning, transport, water and waste management. Regional authorities should reflect the gateways in the national spatial strategy. There should also be democratic leadership in order that they can take a critical role in establishing and co-ordinating the new planning regime.
44 Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authority employees who have applied for the incentive career break scheme, the incentivised scheme for early retirement and the shorter working year scheme; the number who have been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43031/09]
The objective of Government policy on staffing and numbers is to ensure overall staffing levels in the public sector, including local government, are significantly reduced. With the existing recruitment moratorium, three further schemes have been implemented to support this objective: the special incentive career break scheme, the incentivised scheme of early retirement and the shorter working year scheme.
A special incentive career break scheme for local authority employees was introduced earlier this year as part of the Government's efforts to achieve a reduction in spending on the pay bill. Figures supplied by local authorities, including the regional assemblies, indicate that 295 staff have availed of the scheme from a total of 322 applications received.
The incentivised scheme of early retirement was announced by the Minister for Finance in the Budget Statement of 7 April. The purpose of the scheme was to facilitate the permanent, structural reduction in the numbers of staff serving in the local authorities. Figures supplied by the local authorities, including the regional assemblies, indicate that 276 staff have availed of the scheme from a total of 312 applications received.
The purpose of the shorter working year scheme is to permit local authority employees to balance their working arrangements with outside commitments. Special leave without pay is available for periods of two, four, six, eight, ten or 13 consecutive weeks. Both the application period and the scheme are currently open-ended — applicants are free to apply for the scheme at any time. The information on the numbers availing of the scheme is not available in my Department.
The Minister said the purpose of the schemes was to reduce staffing numbers in local authorities and he gave the figures. However, they are in addition to information I received from him last week on the number of staff employed by local authorities. There has been a significant reduction in the number of staff working in permanent posts in local authorities, with 550 fewer permanent staff in the country as a whole since June 2008. These reductions are in addition to huge cutbacks in the numbers of temporary staff in local authorities, with 3,604 fewer staff than in June 2008. This is because local authorities are trying to keep within budget because the Government has cut local government funding. Of the counties affected by flooding, Cork County Council has 459 fewer temporary staff and 81 fewer permanent staff and there are similar patterns in Galway, County Clare and Cork city. Many of these temporary staff would have been outdoor staff who would have been able to help with flood alleviation measures. Is the Minister aware of the impact on resources of temporary staff cuts arising from the various schemes he outlined?
I am not aware of any such impact. I am looking at the number of applications approved in the areas affected by floods. In County Clare the number of applications under the special incentive scheme was eight; in Cork county there were 15 and in County Galway, four; therefore, they will not have an impact. The number of approvals under the career break scheme in Cork city was 16. The sector is working to balance the need for reduced staffing levels with the need to provide services to expected levels. In this context, local authorities have refocused programmes and staffing to priority areas. They have sought to eliminate and curtail programmes and services of a more discretionary nature and have been active in seeking to support enterprise and protect employment locally by redeploying staff accordingly. They have continued to provide and maintain a wide range of services, notwithstanding the Government's policy of reducing staffing numbers within the public sector. Staff have also been redeployed from areas of lower demand to facilitate cost reductions. Examples include the redeployment of planners to business support units such as in Meath County Council and the redeployment of housing staff from Wicklow County Council to recycling functions in Bray.
I accept the point made by the Minister that the figures are relatively small but the number of staff in Cork County Council is down by 500 since June 2008. Local authority staff in affected areas made a very reasonable decision to call off their day of action. They are working extremely hard but it is clear they are under pressure. Floods are not a new phenomenon but county councils, local authorities and emergency services are working under a lot of pressure. The number of permanent staff in Clare County Council is down by 44, while the number of temporary staff is down by 19. Many of the temporary staff, in particular, would be helping to clear roads and drains to deal with the emergency. These are the practical matters that must be attended to when flooding occurs. After staff losses, those left behind are under greater pressure. Will the Minister display flexibility? Can the councils take on staff specifically to deal with the floods?
This was not intended to be a question on floods. I record my thanks to local authority members and the emergency services, particularly the Defence Forces and Civil Defence, all of whom have done an outstanding job in the past few days. Those on the front line include members of the Army which filled 200 sandbags an hour in County Clare and Civil Defence, all of whom are voluntary and not associated with local authorities. They have done brilliant work on a voluntary basis. The flood emergency plans worked and it is now a question of cleaning up. We are in recovery phase.
Will the Minister provide extra resources?
Access to clean drinking water is a priority. The plant on the Lee Road was submerged. It must function again as quickly as possible, which we hope will happen by the end of the week. Resources will be made available to the local authorities.
45 Deputy Phil Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received the 2008 accounts for the Dublin Docklands Development Authority; if he will comment on the financial situation within the authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43026/09]
The annual accounts of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority for 2008 have been finalised and arrangements will be made to have them laid before both Houses as soon as possible. The collapse in international financial and property markets in the past year has created serious challenges for the authority. The resulting impairment in the values of its property interests and delays in major projects, coupled with the slowdown in housing sales, had serious consequences for the authority's financial standing. Its accounts for 2008 reflect the very significant financial challenges it faced and show a loss on operations last year of €27 million. The authority has taken a prudent view on the valuation of its key assets, all of which have been written down. The accounts show a red book valuation of the Irish Glass Bottle site of €50 million.
The authority is taking steps to address its difficult financial position. All discretionary expenditure on projects and programmes has been cut. Every cost and overhead is being subjected to rigorous control and scrutiny. In addition, the authority has put in place a reduced organisational structure that will focus on its critical functions and responsibilities and allow it to continue to achieve its core objectives.
This is one of the greatest scandals we have seen for a long time. The Minister has been in office for two and a half years. He refused my request to bring this matter within the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the appropriate authority to examine what has gone on in the organisation. Until today we relied on media reports to discover what was happening. Will the Government bail out the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, arising from the information provided for the House which shows a €27 million operating loss and a €50 million write-down value on one site? Is greater oversight of the organisation necessary? Does the Minister plan to wind it down and subsume it into Dublin City Council or the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government? What will be the ultimate cost to the taxpayer of the lack of proper Government practices and the irresponsible deals done in the Dublin docklands area in recent years?
No one has had to rely on media reports. Any questions put to me have been answered, including those on the Irish Glass Bottle site, the major issue.
It was dragged out of the Minister.
I have said there has been a reduction in value of 85%. The authority's accounts are audited by an independent external auditor, KPMG. Under existing legislation, the authority is specifically excluded from being audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General, as are many State and semi-State commercial bodies.
The Minister can change that.
Under existing arrangements, it is open to the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to have the authority appear before it and thus afford the Oireachtas an opportunity to question it. At the request of Deputy Hogan, the committee asked the authority to appear before it next week. There will be ample opportunity for the Deputy to question it at that point.
I have taken decisive action in appointing a new chairman of the authority who has recognised expertise in corporate governance matters. I believe Deputy Hogan agrees with me on this. I have asked the new chairman for a report on corporate governance in the authority. I will keep the need for future involvement by the Comptroller and Auditor General under review. As pointed out by the Deputy, this would require legislative change.
New procedures have been introduced by the new chairman. There is a new process for carrying out and recording meetings prior to applications being made for a section 25 certificate. There is also a requirement that, upon receipt, applications undergo initial assessment for completeness and potential non-compliance with the terms of planning schemes. Site notices must be displayed and registered applications notified to third parties by immediately logging on to the Dublin docklands website. A process for receiving and acknowledging valid third party submissions has been implemented and there is also a requirement that the planner, when preparing his or her report for the board, take account of the application and any valid third party submission. There is a series of measures in place.
The Dublin Docklands Development Authority was set up to achieve a noble objective, namely, the regeneration of part of the city badly in need of it. However, it was hijacked by greedy bankers and developers, without oversight or adherence to corporate governance procedures. Is the Minister saying the people concerned will get away scot-free? Will there be no investigation by the Minister into the manner in which they carried out their duties? Will he not publish legislation to include this issue as part of the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General? Will the stonewalling by the organisation in recent years continue under the Minister?
I am saying the opposite — no stone will be left unturned. The new chairman is an extremely competent individual and has expertise in corporate governance. She is going through everything with a fine-tooth comb and has asked outsiders to provide objective analysis. Two reports are pending, one on finance and the other on planning.
Will the Minister publish them?
Of course.
That is a change.
The idea is to have as much openness and transparency as possible to ensure the Dublin Docklands Development Authority which the Deputy acknowledges has done good work in regeneration of the area can continue to do this work but in a way that is open, transparent, competent and efficient. That is my aim and it is shared by most Members of the House.
46 Deputy Phil Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has made any representations to the British Government concerning its policy of building new nuclear reactors in Britain, specifically in Sellafield; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43027/09]
Ireland is a non-nuclear state. The Government does not believe nuclear power is the answer to our energy needs and would prefer to see greater emphasis on renewable energy sources. As a non-nuclear state, Ireland does not stand to receive any of the claimed benefits from the current wave of developments in nuclear energy but must still bear any trans-boundary risks that might arise from these facilities. In view of this, the Government continues to press for the fullest possible information from the UK authorities on any activities that might contribute to that risk.
My Department is in regular contact with the relevant UK Departments and agencies on nuclear safety and radiological protection matters. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland also has regular contact with the regulatory bodies responsible for radiological protection and nuclear safety in the United Kingdom and meets frequently with my Department to discuss these matters. Through these ongoing contacts, I am informed of key policy developments with regard to nuclear power in the United Kingdom, including the proposals recently published for consultation on the planned development of new nuclear power stations. Arising from my concern and that of the Government at this proposal, I raised the issue during a meeting last week with the UK ambassador. I have asked my Department to follow up on the matter at a meeting with the relevant UK authorities this week and seek information, predominantly on any safety and waste issues associated with the proposals. My Department's priority in all discussions with the United Kingdom on its nuclear energy programme is the safety of the Irish people and the protection of our environment, particularly the shared marine environment of the Irish Sea.
In May 2008 the Minister stated a new structure had been set up at European level, namely, the European high level regulatory group, and that this was a significant development in policing the safety issues surrounding the Sellafield plant and other installations on the west coast of the United Kingdom. Has this group met or does the Minister have information on the number of times it has met? What has been its level of activity in ensuring the Irish Government's concerns are being taken on board?
I understand the Minister recently received a large report from the British Embassy. Has he issued a response to the British authorities arising from that report?
In response to the last question, no report has been received by me on the matter. As soon as I receive one, I will issue a response.
On the question of groups which have met, I met colleagues representing the non-nuclear states in Vienna. I hope another meeting will be planned shortly. It is important that the non-nuclear states combine because they are all threatened in various ways from their neighbouring states in Europe which have nuclear facilities. It is essential that the planned development of nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom proceed according to the highest possible safety standards. Moreover, it is to be expected that nuclear safety regulations will subject new reactor designs to robust scrutiny and that safety issues will be the subject of dialogue between industry and the regulators aimed at ensuring the complete safety of designs that might be approved. I note that concerns were raised about the reactor designs under consideration for approval in the United Kingdom. This will be one of the issues that will be raised tomorrow at the aforementioned meeting.
I seek clarification. When the Minister spoke about being committed to safe decommissioning at Sellafield in May 2008, he mentioned that at EU level, Ireland was supporting efforts by the European Commission to develop an increased safety role across the nuclear industry. He stated the adoption of recent European Council conclusions on the establishment of a European Union high level regulators group was a significant development in the field of nuclear safety. If this was a significant development, I would expect the group to have met a couple of times. Has it met and, if so, how many times? Were the Minister or his officials in attendance to report back on what was deemed to be a highly significant development in May 2008?
The only meeting I attended was the one in Vienna to which I have referred. I have not received any other invitations from my Department to attend other meetings. However, I make it my business to attend such meetings on receiving invitations because I consider this to be a major issue. When I spoke on it recently, I also noted that many of the new reactor designs were still in their infancy. While I would be happy to have a debate in the House on nuclear issues at any time, all the evidence suggests there would be no advantage for this country in going down the nuclear path. We would not receive any benefit and until such time as the crucial waste issue is dealt with, I do not foresee a future in this country for nuclear power.
As a matter of courtesy, the Minister might establish whether the aforementioned group exists; whether it has met and, if so, the number of times.
I will.
47 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of formal applications to the home choice loan scheme to date in 2009; the cost to administer the scheme to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42783/09]
More than 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered interest on the dedicated home choice loan website and, to date, 44 applications have been made. Of these applications, 27 have been declined and four approved, with two loans now drawn down. Three applications have been withdrawn, while a decision is pending on ten applications, on which further information has been sought from the applicant.
The scheme is operated by four local authorities acting on a regional basis with administrative support from a central processing unit in the affordable homes partnership. Total costs of approximately €280,000 have been incurred to date in establishing the scheme which have been met from within existing resources. The projected costs for the remainder of 2009 and 2010 are €10,000 and €20,000, respectively. A significant element of the total cost was incurred in the development of the loan processing model that applies to the home choice loan but which has also now been used in the development of revised systems for processing and credit checking of normal local authority house purchase loan applications under other schemes such as the affordable housing and shared ownership schemes. In addition, it is expected that ongoing administrative costs will be met from normal lending margins.
The scheme is targeted at creditworthy first-time buyers of new houses only. As I have indicated on a number of occasions since it was introduced, the focus on new houses was intended to reflect the fact that the significant majority of first-time buyers had tended to opt to purchase new houses. However, I have also stated consistently that the terms of the scheme will be kept under review and that particular attention will be paid to any changes in purchasing tendencies among first-time buyers generally. More recent data suggest the purchasing tendencies of first-time buyers have shifted significantly in recent months, with the majority now tending to purchase second-hand homes, possibly as a result of improved affordability on foot of price decreases and historically low interest rates. Therefore, I have instructed my Department to make arrangements allowing for the extension of the home choice scheme to include second-hand houses. I do not expect additional administrative costs to arise from the extension of the scheme.
As the Minister of State will acknowledge, the numbers involved are extremely low. A total of 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered an interest, of whom only 3%, or 44, have made applications and only two loans have been drawn down thus far. As the numbers are not stacking up, customers are not voting with their feet and homeowners are not satisfied with the loan scheme, will the Minister of State consider winding it down? It is almost one year old. The Minister of State should consider other initiatives such as the incremental purchase scheme, as well as revising the shared ownership scheme.
While I appreciate the points made by the Deputy, I remind him that I also introduced the incremental purchase scheme. I do not intend to close down the scheme and, as I noted, I intend to extend it as and from 1 January 2010 to the second-hand house market. The scheme is in place with no incentive. The most important reason for its existence is to support people who wish to buy a house and who could make repayments on it but who lack the deposit sought from them by many financial institutions. It is in place as an alternative and the information available to me does not show there is as much credit available in the mortgage area as people would wish. In addition, it is important to recognise there is no great sentiment in the market for the purchasing of houses.
Given that the scheme is not working, the Minister of State should advise Members as to the initiatives he is taking to ensure the banks will begin to lend again to potential homeowners. I ask him to revert to the House in the new year with new initiatives to help people.
It is well recognised that the Government has entered into discussions with the financial institutions. The Deputy will acknowledge that capital injections have been made into the main banks.
However, they are not lending.
There is ongoing contact and have been public statements from the Taoiseach and others on the matter. My officials and I have regular meetings with the Irish Banking Federation and my decision to extend the loans scheme to second-hand houses is based on its data.
