Written Answers Nos. 433-442
433. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the stated intentions of Bord Gáis, as set out in an interview (details supplied), to recruit their own staff to run Irish Water including setting up a call centre and hiring head office staff, the position of the 3,000 staff currently employed within the local authority sector in the water area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43739/12]
View answer434. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the recruitment plans of Bord Gáis for Irish Water for the remainder of 2012; if these recruitment plans will include taking on the local authority staff currently working in the water area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43740/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together.
The Government decided, based on the recommendations of an independent assessment and in line with the commitment in the programme for Government, to establish a public water utility company, Irish Water, to take over the operational and capital delivery functions of local authorities in the water services area. The Government has further decided that Irish Water should be established as an independent subsidiary of the Bord Gáis Group. The skills within the Bord Gáis Group will be paired with the experience and commitment to service in local authorities and the specific water and wastewater capabilities and expertise that exist in local government to build the new organisation and ensure its successful establishment and operation.
In the initial phase, Irish Water will work largely through service level agreements with local authorities. These arrangements will not end until 2017 at the earliest. This will ensure a smooth transition to the new model and guard against the loss of local expertise. It will also mean that the majority of staff will remain in the direct employment of local authorities for a considerable period. There will be detailed engagement with Staff and Trade Unions in the rollout of the proposed changes. Structures have been put in place to facilitate this engagement. There will be also be some new functions associated with changes to the organisational delivery and funding model. Bord Gáis will be responsible for obtaining the necessary expertise to fill these roles.
435. Deputy Michael Conaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the proposed sewerage schemes in respect of the Glenties and Dungloe areas of County Donegal. [46265/12]
View answerThe Dungloe and Glenties Sewerage Schemes, which are to advance jointly, are included in the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2013 among the list of contracts in Donegal to start in the 2010-13 period. My Department has approved the tender documents for the work, which involves the provision of new wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations and sewers in Dungloe and Glenties. I understand Donegal County Council is advancing the combined scheme through the tender process.
436. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that under a directive from his Department that both the public and disabled toilets in Tramore, County Waterford have been closed for the foreseeable future, the reason this directive was enforced; if he will reconsider the indefinite closure of this vital public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46273/12]
View answerThe management and maintenance of public toilets is entirely a matter for each local authority concerned and one in which my Department has no direct function. No directive was issued from my Department in respect to these toilets.
437. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding persons who wish to register their objection to An Bord Pleanála in relation to the erection of wind farms in their geographical areas; if an Bord Pleanála will facilitate an oral hearing to such persons, in order to ensure they have an opportunity to be heard and express their concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46340/12]
View answerPlanning legislation provides for extensive public notification of proposed development at the development management stage. Detailed provisions are contained in the Planning and Development Regulations 2001–2012 in respect of the erection of site notices, the publication of notice in a newspaper approved for this purpose and the timing of notice to facilitate third-party inspection of a planning application. The planning authority must, under section 34(3) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, have regard to any observations or submissions received concerning the proposed development in accordance with the relevant regulations. Furthermore, any person who makes a submission to the planning authority may appeal the decision of the planning authority to An Bord Pleanála. The convening of an oral hearing is a matter entirely at the discretion of An Bord Pleanála in respect of any appeal before the Board.
438. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are plans to include the National Assets Management Agency properties for social housing in County Kildare in order to alleviate the current demand on housing; his policy in relation to using NAMA properties for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46349/12]
View answerTo date, NAMA has identified over 3,800 units to be considered for social housing. Of those that have been examined to date, 449 have been deemed unsuitable by housing authorities and a further 594 have been withdrawn. Some 2,010 units are being examined by housing authorities as to their suitability for social housing purposes. Of these, 190 are located in County Kildare.
439. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount owed to each county council in development levies; if he will provide a breakdown by council; and if he will provide a list of developers who have moneys outstanding to county councils. [46353/12]
View answerThe adoption of a development contribution scheme is a reserved function of the locally elected members of each planning authority. It is a matter for the members to determine the level of contribution and the types of development to which they will apply. As with all local charges, the invoicing and collection of development levy amounts is a matter for the local authority concerned to manage in the light of prevailing local circumstances and in accordance with normal accountancy procedures. Information on individual debtors is not available in my Department. The latest year for which audited information is available is 2010. The information requested for county and city councils, which is published in Note 5 of the local authority annual financial statements, is as follows:
|
City and County Councils |
Total |
|
Carlow County Council |
€1,194,269 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€2,130,464 |
|
Clare County Council |
€6,123,354 |
|
Cork County Council |
€8,102,098 |
|
Donegal County Council |
€1,766,400 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€129,602,378 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
€39,158,302 |
|
Galway County Council |
€2,582,669 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€1,214,667 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€6,517,215 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€4,562,682 |
|
Laois County Council |
€1,572,496 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€1,721,346 |
|
Limerick County Council |
€38,511,229 |
|
Longford County Council |
€1,637,448 |
|
Louth County Council |
€3,362,437 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€10,332,760 |
|
Meath County Council |
€13,336,842 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€959,163 |
|
Tipperary North County Council |
€1,731,918 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€3,139,423 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€14,243,971 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€1,405,489 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€32,102,856 |
|
Tipperary South County Council |
€1,917,858 |
|
Waterford County Council |
€2,236,748 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€2,254,668 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€12,540,881 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€4,441,807 |
|
Cork City Council |
€3,608,445 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€33,522,893 |
|
Galway City Council |
€4,770,533 |
|
Limerick City Council |
€1,601,538 |
|
Waterford City Council |
€924,236 |
440. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the arrangements in place for members of the public to inspect managers' orders made under the Local Government Act 2001; his plans to make them more accessible to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46388/12]
View answerThe provisions for managers' orders are set out in section 151 of the Local Government Act 2001. The manager is required to keep a register with a copy of every order made by him or her. Making managers' orders available for inspection by members of the public is a matter for the local authority concerned and is not prescribed by the Local Government Act 2001. In this regard, while the orders are public documents, some may contain information specific to named individuals. If all managers' orders were to be available for inspection by members of the public, as a matter of course, the need for discretion would need to be taken into consideration. The provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 apply to the records, including managers' orders, of local authorities.
441. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which the Noise Nuisance Bill will be introduced. [46393/12]
View answerThe Programme for Government includes a commitment to take further steps to address noise pollution, inter alia, through the introduction of fixed payment notices (also known as on-the-spot fines) and provision for mediation procedures between neighbours. The development of new noise legislation by my Department will be considered in the context of this commitment. However, as indicated in the Government Legislation Programme published on 18 September 2012, it is not possible at this time to indicate when the legislation will be published, having regard to other priorities in the area concerned and the broader range of legislative priorities to be progressed across my Department’s remit.
442. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to allow those on shared ownership loans to switch to annuity or other similar loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46461/12]
View answerLocal authorities have long been the lenders of last resort servicing the housing loans needs of less affluent members of society. In the present economic circumstances, it is to be anticipated that the ability of some borrowers to service housing loans may become restricted and that a number of loans may fall into arrears. Section 34 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides local authorities with powers to deal flexibly with distressed borrowers. They have demonstrated sensitivity over the years in dealing with such cases. In March 2010, my Department issued guidelines to local authorities, based on the Central Bank’s first Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears, which continued the tradition of handling arrears in a manner that is sympathetic to the needs of the particular household, while also protecting the position of the local authority concerned.
To reflect the content of the Central Bank’s revised Code of Conduct, which replaced the previous code from 1 January 2011 and was informed by the deliberations of the Expert Group on Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt, my Department issued updated guidance in July 2012 to local authorities in consultation with the County and City Managers Association. This will further enable local authorities to provide a range of flexible repayment options for households in difficulty. In particular, the introduction of a Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), which closely mirrors the suite of options available in the commercial sector, will present borrowers in difficulty with a range of alternative payment agreements, which can be accessed to ease the particular circumstances of each case. This process will feature a standard set of options including, in cases of certain unsustainable mortgages, the facility of mortgage-to-rent. Local authorities have been restructuring loans for some time using their own internal practices. The introduction of these revised guidelines will standardise the approach across the whole sector, introduce a systematic structure to this area and provide borrowers with a transparent and accessible model for arrears resolution. I expect that the adoption of these revised guidelines will serve simultaneously to help resolve mortgage difficulties for both local authorities and their borrowers.
In relation to the Shared Ownership Scheme specifically, the rent charged on the local authority’s equity in a shared ownership transaction is to cover the funding costs to the Housing Finance Agency which are based on borrowings at the prevailing interest rates. Any difference between the rent and prevailing interest rate is reflected in the capital outstanding on the property, i.e. if the rent charged in any period is greater than the prevailing mortgage interest due on the local authority’s share the purchase price of the outstanding equity will be reduced accordingly. To take account of the current housing market conditions, the Government's housing policy statement, published in June 2011, announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including the shared ownership scheme, in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. That review is now under way and is expected to conclude later in the year. Any future changes to legislation governing affordable housing schemes, including shared ownership, will be informed by that review.
