Other Questions
6Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the reason for delays in the septic tank registration system; the timeline for the future implementation of the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22103/12]
View answer17Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the process for registration of septic tanks. [22120/12]
View answer20Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide public funding to meet the cost to householders of upgrading their septic tanks to meet the agreed new set of standards. [22121/12]
View answer44Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide an update in the proposed standards for septic tanks; and when the standards will be published. [22124/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 17, 20 and 44 together.
The online and written facilities for the registration of domestic wastewater treatment systems are being developed by the Local Government Management Agency on behalf of local authorities. My Department is also examining a number of payment options to facilitate householders to the fullest extent possible in the registration process. I understand the programming work for the online system will be completed shortly. I have decided that when the registration commences, a reduced fee of €5 will be payable for the initial three months and that a fee of €50 will apply thereafter. Ample time will be provided for householders to comply with the requirement to register their on-site wastewater treatment systems. My Department will ensure a public information campaign, including details of how and when to register, will be carried out in advance of registration commencing.
I published the draft performance standards for septic tanks and other domestic wastewater treatment systems for public consultation on 1 March. The draft standards set out the responsibilities of owners of septic tanks and other systems, including requirements for the removal of sludge and ensuring systems are in working order and functioning properly. The public consultation process regarding the draft performance standards concluded on 30 March. In total, 165 submissions were received and these are being assessed in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. When this assessment has been completed, I will finalise the regulations which will give legal effect to the standards. While it is not possible to specify the dates for the commencement of the registration process or finalisation of the performance standards at preent, these matters are being given priority and I expect to be in a position to make the necessary regulations as soon as possible. At that stage, the relevant statutory instruments will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas in line with a previous commitment I gave and in accordance with section 18 of the Water Services Act 2007.
I have previously given a commitment that I will keep under consideration all options to provide financial support for householders whose systems are deemed, following inspection, to require substantial remediation or upgrading. Any decision in this regard will obviously have to take account of the nature of the inspections, the extent of the difficulties and problems which might arise from such inspections and relevant budgetary matters. A national risk-based inspection plan is being prepared by the EPA and local authorities will be responsible for carrying out inspections in their functional areas. I expect that inspections will start in 2013. Inspections may give rise to householders being advised to improve the maintenance of their systems or, in more serious situations, upgrading or remediation of their treatment systems may be required.
My party, Sinn Féin and some Independent Members tabled amendments on Committee Stage of the Water Services (Amendment) Bill which were debated at length, in which we sought to reduce the €50 charge relating to septic tanks. It made a mockery of the Oireachtas when the Minister announced, prior to a Fine Gael branch meeting at Dundrum House Hotel, that the charge was being reduced to €5.
That was our-----
I am afraid this is Question Time. In that context, the Minister should not interrupt. There is a time limit for these questions.
On Committee Stage, the Minister indicated that he could not accept our amendments because they would give rise to a charge on the Exchequer. It was disrespectful to the Oireachtas that he could not agree to our amendments to reduce the registration fee and that he then made an announcement in this regard on the "Six One" news programme. This matter has been dealt with in a very disjointed fashion. There was no reason people could not have registered their septic tanks when registering for the household charge.
Will the Deputy please ask a question? There is a time limit for these questions.
I am coming to it. This shows the disjointed approach being taken to some of the projects being rolled out by the Minister's Department. The Minister has indicated that the national risk-based assessment plan is being prepared by the EPA and will be rolled out by the local authorities. What is the position on the much discussed and promised grant aid scheme to assist householders who will be obliged to carry out improvement works?
Arising from the good decisions and progress made with the European Commission, which was very different to what was proposed by Fianna Fáil and the Green Party when in government, I was in position not to have universal inspection of septic tanks or compliance with a 2009 Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, code of practice. Instead, I was able to get a risk-based approach and a solution based on the Cavan model. Accordingly, we will not need as much money to administer the system as my predecessors would have made sure of taking from rural householders. The registration was important. I decided, however, it was not necessary to take €17 million from rural householders. All that is required for this particular scheme is €3 million to €4 million.
The risk-based approach, along with the sensible and pragmatic measures we got agreement on with the European Commission, flies in the face of what was proposed in the past by my predecessors. I am delighted with that result. We will ensure a pragmatic approach is taken and we have outlined in the standards how this will happen. The pragmatic approach and the agreement from the European Commission have come as a big surprise to some people.
As I stated in the reply, if grant assistance is required for remediation arising from an inspection, then we will consider it.
I call Deputy Stanley. I remind Deputies that on ordinary questions it is one minute per supplementary. We can go back again if required.
The Minister did not give a timeframe for when the regulations will be published. I understood they would be published at the start of April and the registration process would begin then.
The draft regulations were published.
When will the registration process begin?
Whenever we have the approval by the Oireachtas of the commitment I gave.
The Minister had a dig at me earlier that I do not support protecting the environment by having septic tanks working properly. The Minister knows what I have always said on that and my commitment to the environment.
The Deputy is doing the opposite, however.
There will be households in some of those high-risk areas which will need financial assistance. I urge the Minister to bring that forward. We want to protect water but if there are families caught out and they cannot afford remediation, there will be a need for financial assistance.
On the standards, the devil will be in the detail. When inspections commence, it is important the inspectors take a considered approach with householders. Initially, these will be carried out by engineers from local authorities which is good news because they know their local areas' circumstances. I hope the inspections are rolled out in a practical way and will not be an imposition on people.
We have come a long way when we do not have people suggesting we are going to have to buy land to comply with these regulations, have planning permission or the 2009 EPA code of practice. We have come a long way from Deputy Ó Cuív and others-----
We have to wait and see.
Holding public meetings around the country to misinform people is a lovely thing to do. I am delighted the doomsday scenarios presented are wrong.
The Minister is not in any position to be slapping himself on the back about anything but here he is cheerleading himself along. I do not see any of the Minister's fans on the backbenches today.
I am in favour of complying with the European Court of Justice judgment. Otherwise, the State would be paying massive amounts of fines. I am also in favour of clean water and good quality groundwater unlike Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. I regret to say that. Deputies Niall Collins and Ferris have gone around at various meetings being against it.
Do not start with that.
On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle, the Minister should withdraw that statement.
Sorry, Deputy, will you sit down?
No, I will not. He said we are not in favour of clean water.
That is very unfair.
Sorry Deputy, there is only one person in the Chair.
Will you ask him to withdraw that statement, a Cheann Comhairle?
Will you resume your seat? You will have chance tor reply in a moment.
I know Members opposite are sensitive about this because they have been at public meetings advocating people should not register, pay or comply with good practice to ensure clean water supply. What am I to do when I hear the views expressed here today in a rather hypocritical way? The greatest nonsense of all time is that those who advocated a universal septic tank inspection regime and for 2009 EPA regulations in the past are now saying the risk-based approach we have succeeded in getting from the European Commission is inadequate. I suppose the Members opposite are against the €5 registration fee.
Regarding Deputy Stanley's question, if a household requires financial assistance, I will not rule it out. However, we will not know that until the inspections are carried out in 2013.
I remind Deputies that this is Question Time and it is for asking questions. Will Deputy Niall Collins please ask a question?
Absolutely. I am going to ask the Minister to withdraw his statement in which he said we are not in favour of having clean water.
I am not in a position to do that.
There were public meetings where people were advocating-----
You will not withdraw it? That is a lie. You are telling a blatant lie.
Will the Deputy ask a question or else I will call Deputy Stanley?
I know the Minister is under pressure because he makes a mess of everything to which he turns his hand. He should not come in here claiming we are not in favour of clean water.
This is Question Time.
No, the Minister comes in here and makes a false-----
Sorry, Deputy, but you have to learn to respect the Chair. It is not me personally. It is-----
Does the Chair have respect for the truth?
The Chair is here-----
Does the Chair have respect for the truth?
You do not question what the Chair does. The Chair is here to bring order into debate.
Yes and the Minister told a lie.
I am asking the Deputy to comply with Standing Orders.
The Minister is lying when he says Fianna Fáil is not in favour of clean water.
There is no question in Deputy Niall Collin's name and I have allowed him to take it. The Deputy will now resume his seat. Actually, no Deputy in the Chamber submitted the questions we are dealing with.
I am just putting on the record of the House that the Minister is telling a lie. It is as simple as that.
Will the Minister clarify that from the first time I spoke on this I supported the risk-based approach------
Sorry, Deputy, you will not have any more statements. You have a question or you do not. I call Deputy Clare Daly.
I supported the risk-based approach and that is on the record of the House.
This is Question Time. Deputies ask questions; they do not make statements.
What about the Minister making a statement like that?
Deputy Niall Collins, you will not be called to speak if you are not careful because there are no questions in your name.
The Minister said that grant aid would be considered if required. By whom will it be considered? What will the criteria be, from what budget will he take the funding for this and what amount will it be?
As I said on several occasions, I cannot talk about grant assistance with anybody until such time as I know the nature of the problem. We will not know until the inspections are carried out. I know Deputy Clare Daly would like me to give her a rather blanket answer stating there will be financial assistance. Only when I know the extent of the problem will I consider grant aid. Deputy Clare Daly may want to write a blank cheque on behalf of the taxpayer. I will not be doing that.
It just means the Minister's promises of grant aid-----
As you know on the deadline for the household charge, I do not promise anything that I cannot deliver. You know I deliver.
You need not point your finger at me, Minister.
Both sides will address their remarks through the Chair. We will move on to Question No. 7.
I will certainly debate with you in any arena on this.
7Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the total number of staff in his Department in 2009, 2010, 2011 and currently; the redeployment of staff across sections that has occurred since March 2011; the amount spent on retraining programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22109/12]
View answerThere were 1,192 staff serving in the Department at the end of 2009, 1,177 at the end of 2010, 812 at the end of 2011 and 775 at the end of April 2012. The significant change in the staff numbers between the end of 2010 and the end of 2011 arises from the transfer of the heritage function to the new Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in May 2011 and the transfer of community functions to my Department. Having regard to these functional changes, to ensure delivery of the Department's overall objectives and business priorities, and taking account of the recommendations from the organisational review programme report, a restructuring of departmental divisions was carried out in mid 2011.
Internal staff assignments and redeployment, together with streamlining of business areas, continue to be used to ensure optimum staffing in priority business areas. This involved some 50 staff movements in 2011 and to date in 2012. Staffing needs are also being addressed in the workforce planning process under way in my Department in the context of public service reform. As part of this, a full skills needs and availability analysis is being carried out to inform future staffing deployment and training.
The Department's priority business plan sets out the highest priority outputs, deliverables and ongoing activities for 2012. This informs business planning at the business unit level and assists with resource and workforce planning. In addition, my Department has also undertaken some internal redeployment and streamlining to take account of recent retirements and in preparation for Ireland's EU Presidency term in early 2013, in which environment, climate change and sustainable development are significant themes at EU and international level.
My Department places considerable emphasis on relevant skills development. It offers ongoing training programmes for staff, based on requirements identified through the performance management development system, PMDS, process and in the organisational review programme report. The programmes vary and include training in areas such as ICT, language, law, economics, policy analysis, office skills and professional development. Training is also provided under a refund of educational fees scheme which operates on an annual basis and where staff members can develop specific critical skills through a number of formal education programmes offered by third level institutions. Expenditure on the Department's full training programme in 2009 was €734,000, in 2010 was €418,000 and in 2011 was €336,000. The training budget for 2012 is €338,000.
With regard to the establishment of Irish Water, what is the long-term plan for local authority staff working in the provision of water and waste water services?
There will be no change in the staffing arrangements between now and 2017 for local authority staff. We will have a service level agreement between Irish Water and local authorities, and the level of knowledge and expertise in local authorities will continue to be available to the new entity. There will be a transition phase after 2017 for local authority staff going to Irish Water.
8Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his views on the submission by the representative of the local authority engineers which challenges the conclusions of the Price Waterhouse Cooper report on fundamentals of their analysis of the water services here; his views that no further action should proceed regarding the setting up of Irish Water until the disputed issues are confirmed. [22169/12]
View answer16Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will consider instead of water meters, a public works programme to fit houses with water harvesting mechanisms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22164/12]
View answer21Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government with regard to the proposed installation of water meters, if he will confirm who will retain ownership of the water meters that are due to be introduced; if he intends to provide a basic free allowance per person above which the water charge will apply; and if so, if he will state the level of free use; if he will give details of the incentive that would exist for those houses or apartments which will not have a meter installed to reduce their water usage; if he plans to encourage the installation of rain water harvesting on a large scale to achieve water use efficiencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22170/12]
View answer24Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the cost for the installation of water meters per household. [22122/12]
View answer31Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the number of households in the State that will have water meters installed. [22125/12]
View answer43Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the number of households in the State in which it will not be possible to install water meters; and the way that he invisages these households paying for their water use. [22126/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 16, 21, 24, 31 and 43 together.
The key objective of the Government's water reform programme is to put in place structures and funding arrangements that will ensure that we have a world class water and waste water infrastructure that meets all environmental and public health standards and is well positioned to attract foreign direct investment and support job creation and maintenance. The Government considers charging based on usage the fairest way to charge for water and has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. International evidence has shown that where meters have been installed, significant reductions have been achieved in the level of consumption and this is also borne out by the water savings achieved with metering in the group water sector. Irish Water will be responsible for the metering programme and, in common with meters for other utility services, the meters will be the property of Irish Water.
The Government has also decided to assign responsibility for the economic regulation of the water sector to the Commission for Energy Regulation. The primary role of the regulator will be to protect the interests of customers and to ensure a consistent and appropriate level of service is provided to customers. My Department is working with the CER on the development of the regulatory framework for the water sector and legislation will be prepared to provide the commission with the necessary powers to fulfil its new role.
The Department estimates that there are approximately 1.35 million domestic properties connected to public water supplies in Ireland. Following detailed analysis of available data, it is estimated that up to 300,000 of these households may not be metered in the initial metering programme due to either the high cost or the technical difficulty in doing so. I expect an increasing number of households will be metered in the longer term as shared service connections are replaced and further options relating to metering apartment blocks are evaluated, including internal metering. Households which are not initially metered will pay for water on an assessed basis.
In keeping with international practice regarding water metering, the meters will be installed at the boundary of the property, most typically in the footpath at the front of a house. Detailed cost estimates on the metering programme have been prepared by my Department. However, it would not be appropriate to release these estimates in advance of the competitive procurement process. The installation of the meters is labour intensive and will provide 2,000 jobs per annum during the course of the metering programme. This is in addition to the significant employment that will be brought about through rolling out an enhanced Department water services investment programme. The framework for water charges, including the charges for unmetered customers and the level of any standing charges, will be determined as part of the regulatory process. No decision has been taken on the level of the free allowance. Almost 300 submissions were received from organisations and individuals as part of the public consultation on the water services programme. The submissions are being examined and will be taken into consideration in developing the implementation strategy for the transition of water services functions to Irish Water.
With regard to rain water harvesting, the provision of a storage tank and the cost of its installation are important considerations. The cost of installing a rain water harvesting system will be influenced by the existing roof drainage arrangements and the level of storage required. The cost of retrofitting an average-sized suburban semi-detached household with a rain water harvesting system is estimated at between €4,000 and €6,000 and would also require significant modifications to internal plumbing systems to avoid cross-contamination with the public water supply.
I am shocked as although my question was quite specific, the Minister did not address a single part of it. The question indicated that the Minister is privy to information submitted by local authority engineers which undermines the entire premise of the establishment of Irish Water in the first place. In particular, they have pinpointed serious flaws in the PricewaterhouseCoopers study. The comparison used was Scottish Water and the analysis submitted three major flaws in this comparison. For example, the indicated pipe network, at 25,000 km, is half what it is in reality. In addition, the indicated Scottish Water staff was in the region of 1,600 but the real figure is 3,500. In other words, a picture was painted of Scottish Water being much more efficient than local authorities in Ireland in order to justify the establishment of Irish Water. There were factual inaccuracies and serious omissions and although I asked the Minister to comment, he has not even mentioned the issue. Will he answer the question I asked? Perhaps he picked up the wrong piece of paper but I would like to get an answer.
I am glad Deputy Daly has intimate knowledge of the matters. The same company which carried out the independent assessment for Irish Water did it for Scottish Water, and it would understand a thing or two in the establishment of a public water utility for the provision of essential services for the people of Ireland. I understand some of the data presented in the independent assessment by PricewaterhouseCoopers on Scottish Water has been disputed by the local authority professional officers section of SIPTU in a submission to the Department. My Department is examining all the submissions it received but I should stress that the data concerned were contained in an appendix to the report for illustrative purposes only. It was one part of an assessment of 11 different types of delivery models examined.
The Deputy is again being selective in her quotes, as she was with a previous question. The skills within local authorities will continue to be an essential part of the knowledge and expertise required to roll out this essential project. I assure local authority staff that the service level agreements to be drawn up as part of this policy between Bord Gáis and the Department, with local authorities, will continue to be maintained.
My understanding of the free allowance is that the intention was for the charge to apply to waste. The free allowance was to be sufficient for the individual in the average household and would vary depending on the number of people in the household. It appears there will be sizeable income from these charges. Will the Minister confirm that this is about charging for waste and not water?
Will the Minister confirm no contractor has been appointed at this stage? Many people are hoping to be employed to carry out this work but some have indicated they do not expect to be employed because the contracts have already been awarded? Will the Minister confirm if that is the case?
The Minister mentioned figures of between €4,000 and €6,000 in regard to water harvesting, suggesting it will not be possible to assist people in getting a source of water other than direct supply. The Minister has also indicated the meters will be at a property boundary but many will be outside the boundary at a public location. There may be a serious problem if a leak occurs between the meter and the tap, and who would pay for the repair in that case? If a pensioner, for example, is facing a repair so extensive that he or she does not have the wherewithal to deal with it, how will the problem be solved? Has that been considered in the pricing of water?
I thank the Deputy for her questions. I am sure she would agree there are always rumours. However, the notion that we have contracts given out is amazing when the only decision made is that a commercial semi-State organisation - Bord Gáis - will be the company in charge of rolling out this Irish Water project. It would be amazing for contracts to be given out already in Kildare and elsewhere. I am sure the Deputy could allay the fears in that regard.
So that is a "No".
That is the only principal decision that has been made, and I presume the Deputy accepts that. The free allowance within the charge for water will form part of the discussions ongoing between Bord Gáis, the regulator, the Department and the Government. It is in the programme for Government. We are not in a position to give details of an implementation plan that has not yet been drawn up. We are in the process of formulating that plan. As the Deputy said, rainwater harvesting is expensive. However, it will save people money because this is essentially a water conservation programme. If they want to install features in their businesses and households to conserve a finite and valuable resource, I encourage them to do so. They will not have to pay as much if they have good water conservation programmes in place, in which we will assist them as part of the implementation plan.
Therefore, they will have to pay.
We will not provide grant assistance to introduce rainwater harvesting systems. The problems identified by the Deputy such as whether the meter should be installed at the front or the back of the house will be dealt with in the same as they would be by other utility companies. I am not in the business of micromanaging decisions to implement the policy.
I have serious concerns about the direction in which the Minister is moving-----
I am surprised.
-----in transferring powers from the local authorities.
I must remind the Deputy that this is Question Time.
I know and I am coming to the point. In this case, powers will transfer from local authorities which have provided the service during the years to Irish Water. Responsibility for the licensing and roadworthiness testing of commercial vehicles is also being transferred to the RSA from the local authorities. The Minister has referred to local government reform and giving more powers to local authorities. However, under this proposal, powers will be taken from councillors. I attended a meeting last week with all the managers of Dublin City Council which was also attended by party colleagues of the Minister, including Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP, and Deputy Catherine Byrne.
There is a time limit.
I understand that, but I have spoken only once.
I have to adhere to Standing Orders.
I raised a question about the transfer of powers from the local authorities and the city manager, Dr. John Tierney, said, "This was in the programme for Government and I was not consulted." Is it the case that none of the local authority managers was consulted? They are the experts. Engineers have made their views known, as Deputy Clare Daly said, but it is crazy not to have consulted the managers overseeing the local authorities.
If that was the case, I would agree with the Deputy that that would be crazy, but two local authority managers were members of the project board.
Who were they?
The Kerry and Cavan county managers.
What about Dublin and Cork city councils?
I am trying to give the Deputy information. The County and City Managers Association also made a submission. Therefore, I would be surprised if any local authority manager was not aware of what was going on.
The Minister has acknowledged that the PricewaterhouseCoopers report was disputed. In the light of this, how can he justify making the decision without exploring these issues further? Given that the company was involved in the Scottish Water project, does he not think there was a conflict of interest? How much was the company paid for its work?
What will the Minister do about the boundary issues relating to septic tanks and wastewater systems which have not been dealt with anywhere? How will the infrastructure be divided between the local authorities and Irish Water? Will the local authorities be left with the rubbish, while Irish Water is given all the best bits? There has been no clarification of this anywhere.
The local authorities will continue to be centrally involved with Irish Water delivering wastewater as well as water services. The fragmentation of local delivery has not worked because there have been many leaks and inadequate volumes and quality of water all over the country. We have to do something different because what is happening is not working. There will be an opportunity for additional finance to come into the system from the private sector to supplement the public sector to deal with the leaks and ensure we will have a substantially enhanced and accelerated programme of investment in water and wastewater services.
From where will the additional finance come in the private sector?
It will go into Irish Water which will be a commercial semi-State company. Private investment is made in the commercial semi-State sector and these companies are in the financial markets on a regular basis.
Give us an example.
I am sure the Deputy is supportive of having a public water utility in State ownership.
Municipal control seems to be international best practice.
All of the issues mentioned by the Deputy have been the subject of ongoing negotiations with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
Is it the Minister's intention to charge urban dwellers for the disposal of wastewater when the metering programme is up and running?
I would love to be able to provide the detail on all these matters, but the only decision made by the Government at this stage is the principal one to establish Irish Water with the commercial semi-State body, Bord Gais, rolling it out. The regulator will be consulted as part of the process. All of these issues will be dealt with as part of the implementation plan. I would love to give answers about the minute detail, but it will emerge in due course as part of the implementation plan.
I would like to have it clarified that the Minister is not ruling out charging urban dwellers for the disposal of wastewater.
It is part of the implementation plan. I will not micromanage the implementation of these decisions. These matters will come before the Government in due course and we will make a decision as part of the implementation plan-----
What the Minister is saying is that we know they will be charged for water and he is effectively saying urban dwellers will be charged for the disposal of wastewater.
I am saying nothing of the sort.
The Minister is not ruling it out.
That is like asking how often do I beat my wife. Is this the Lyndon B. Johnson way of doing things - make him deny it? If that is the Fianna Fáil way of doing things, that is fine. I am interested in doing the business in solving the water issue.
Will the Minister consider amending the building regulations to ensure that when a cistern is replaced, a dual flush cistern will be installed and that such cisterns will be installed in all new dwellings? This would be cost neutral. These cisterns save 20 litres of water per person a day.
I have asked the Minister previously about the position of those who have meters installed. There is a new water meter outside my house. Will it be ripped out?
I do not know.
The Minister does not know a whole lot, which is a little frightening.
Will the Minister consider my dual flush cistern suggestion?
I know that we will wait for the people who will carry out this project to come forward with an implementation plan. We have made the principal decision about who will do the work and if the experts across the House want to implement the programme, they can go through the procurement process and might receive a contract.
Does the Minister know anything?
I have asked the Minister to consider a suggestion I made. For the past 15 months he has been saying he is looking for suggestions. I agreed with him on the need to adopt a risk-based approach to septic tanks, but I do not agree with him on many other issues. When we make suggestions, will he try to take them on board? The use of dual flush cisterns would be cost neutral for the Exchequer and the public. I, therefore, plead with the Minister to consider amending the building regulations.
I agree with the Deputy. It is a good suggestion.
Deputy Brian Stanley should table another parliamentary question about that issue. We are dealing with a series of questions for which the time has expired. Other Deputies are waiting to have their questions dealt with.
9Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the provision of funding for the RAPID scheme in Rathkeale, County Limerick; and if he will develop targeted regeneration scheme for the town. [22087/12]
View answerIn December 2009 the Government approved disbursements from the dormant accounts fund for a once-off measure to the value of €1.25 million for the five new provincial towns incorporated under the RAPID programme, including Rathkeale. To date, it has not been possible to allocate funds to meet the cost of the proposed projects in any of the new RAPID programme towns because there is no money available. The dormant accounts capital budget for my Department for 2012 is fully committed to existing projects and the priority in the light of that allocation must be to ensure sufficient funding is available to meet existing legal contractual commitments. In the meantime, my Department will keep under review the scope to secure funds within its Vote to meet the cost of some of the projects, if I can, in 2012.
Under the national housing regeneration programme, my Department supports a range of regeneration projects, including large mono-tenure areas, inner city flat complexes and social housing estates in regional towns. To qualify for such support, a local authority must first demonstrate significant social and economic disadvantage and a poor living environment and that these challenges cannot be met by other interventions, for example, through remedial works. To date, my Department has not received an application for such support for a regeneration project in Rathkeale.
I have raised this issue a number of times. Rathkeale is the second largest town in County Limerick and has deep-rooted, chronic systemic problems associated with property ownership which are exacerbated by the fact the vast majority of property is owned by members of the Traveller community who reside in the State intermittently and do not exercise responsibility in terms of property ownership. Dereliction, abandonment and unauthorised developments are the order of the day.
The local community council has been very proactive in trying to deal with these issues. It has come to a stage where the non-Traveller community in Rathkeale feels completely under siege because any piece of property which comes for sale in Rathkeale is immediately snapped up by a member of the Traveller community at a price which is out of the reach of the majority of the non-Traveller community. Rathkeale has been dropped off many maps. For example, tourism promotion maps of the mid-west are dropping Rathkeale. I could speak for the night in regard to the issues.
I ask the Minister and the Minister of State, as I asked Deputy Penrose when it was his job, could they take the time to meet the Rathkeale community council and try to develop some kind of a plan to help them to address the issues. For example, a property audit needs to be carried out in Rathkeale, at a minimum, and there are many other issues associated with the RAPID project. Will the Minister give a commitment to meet this group at some time in the near future?
I realise the genuine concerns of Deputy Collins in regard to this matter, which he and the other Deputies in the constituency, Deputies Neville and O'Donovan, have raised on a number of occasions. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and I are very keen to assist in whatever way we can but we will not give false hope. If savings accrue during the year in regard to other contractual obligations we have, perhaps we will able to do something for places like Rathkeale. We are not going to announce an initiative with no money, as happened in the past, as that would give false hope to people.
While I will take on board what Deputy Collins has said, I do not believe the opportunity that presents in the short term will satisfy the requirements in Rathkeale. We will be glad to keep him informed if any savings accrue from contractual obligations that are ongoing in 2012. Rathkeale will certainly be one of the priority areas we will consider favourably.
I believe some of what the previous speaker said had an anti-Traveller tone. I tend to resent some of the things that have been said about the Traveller community and minority communities.
RAPID has been fantastic for certain disadvantaged areas like my area of Finglas and Ballymun, which has availed of the programme. The Minister said money may become available. Is there a possibility of reintroducing RAPID, which has addressed huge areas throughout the country? If he does get extra cash, it is important he would look at these areas. RAPID adds to the quality of life and cuts down the problems we face in most of these areas.
We are very conscious of a number of areas where we would like to have money to implement programmes that were brought to our attention through the RAPID programmes. I am very committed to the RAPID and regeneration programmes, as is the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan. We are, unfortunately, in a bailout programme and cash is not as plentiful as it was. Therefore, we are quite straight with people. If we find savings during the course of the year from projects that are under way, we will be glad to redirect some of those resources to areas of greatest need, including the areas mentioned by the Deputy.
Does Deputy Collins wish to add to that?
I am not anti-Traveller; I am pro-----
He sounds like it.
I am pro the community in Rathkeale, who are under siege from elements of the Traveller community-----
The Deputy is playing to the locals.
-----who are blatantly flouting the law. There are severe question marks over where they get the money to purchase many of their properties. That is a fact. The Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, is working on that and monitoring it so-----
Has the Deputy a question for the Minister?
No, I am just responding to an assertion that I am anti-Traveller. I am pro the community who are under siege from certain sections of the Traveller community in Rathkeale.
They could be the only section that is causing trouble.
The Deputy does not know what he is talking about, with respect. He probably could not find Rathkeale if he tried.
It is very anti-Traveller.
