Wednesday, 21 Nov 2012

Written Answers Nos. 157 - 164

Energy Schemes Issues

Questions (157)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

157. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reconsider the situation were funding is made available to local authorities to bring vacant housing stock up to Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland accreditation with insulation and other works, to making funding available for houses that are currently rented by local authority tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51654/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

In line with overall national policy which promotes a reduction in energy use, the enhancement of energy efficiency standards remains a priority within my Department’s overall strategy for the improvement of local authority housing. Under the Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, local authorities are allocated capital funding each year in respect of a range of measures to improve the standard and overall quality of their social housing stock. The programme includes a retrofitting measure aimed at improving the energy efficiency of older apartments and houses by reducing heat loss through the fabric of the building and the installation of high-efficiency condensing boilers.

Some €18 million was allocated to local authorities for this purpose in 2012. Under this year’s improvement works programme, the focus remains on returning vacant properties to productive use. Given the constraints on new local authority housing supply, it is important that the existing stock of local authority housing is available and in fit condition to meet housing need. Local authorities may also undertake works, out of the allocations provided, to improve the energy efficiency of occupied units, where the local authority considers this appropriate.

I intend to review the retrofitting measure, in the context of the work programme for 2013, with a view to possible changes to improve the effectiveness of the measure.

Rural Development Policy

Questions (158)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

158. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, if he will provide the terms of reference for the Commission; the budget for the Commission for 2012, 2013 and 2014; the function of the Commission; if he will estimate the headcount that will be employed at the Commission when fully operational; if the Commission will need to use external resources; the date on which the Commission will provide a report, and if all roles in the Commission will be openly advertised. [51664/12]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

A number of commitments relating to economic development contained in the Programme for Government, in particular, commitments to encourage job creation and sustainable enterprise development, are reliant on the ability of all parts of Ireland to contribute to economic growth going forward. It is also apparent that both the differential degree of economic development and the variable impacts of the economic downturn between urban and rural areas need to be examined in detail in order that appropriate measures are identified to inform the development of strategies that support rural Ireland into the future.

It was in this context that I established the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) chaired by Mr Pat Spillane. The terms of reference for the Commission are set out below. Membership of the Commission is yet to be finalised however there will be approximately 15 members drawn from relevant organisations/stakeholders involved in or with an interest in Rural Development. They will not receive any remuneration for their participation in the Commission. The Commission has a defined remit and timeframe and its main output will be a report that aims to inform medium-term economic development of rural areas for the period to 2025. The report will be short and specific and will take a multi-sectoral approach.

The Commission will conduct an extensive research exercise that will examine in detail the current status of the rural economy. As part of its work it will conduct a comprehensive public consultation exercise and examine all relevant information available in order to reach its conclusions. The public consultation process will include a number of public meetings to be held across the country from January to April 2013. In addition, there will be a number of individual stakeholder meetings with civil society organisations. I expect that the full Commission will meet monthly until October 2013 when it is planned to complete its work and publish its report.

The work programme of the Commission will be undertaken within existing resources and costs will be kept to an absolute minimum , drawing upon shared services an d facilities. The secretariat will be provided by the partnering institutions, my Department, Teagasc and the Western Development Commission (WDC), without a cost to the Commission. No additional consultancy work will be undertaken and no additional human resources will be required. It is hoped, however, to recruit suitable trainees from within the Job Bridge programme, and these internship opportunities are currently advertised on the Job Bridge website at www.jobbridge.ie.

Terms of Reference

Having regard to the commitments on development contained in the Programme for Government, in particular,

- To encourage job creation and sustainable enterprise development

- To be recognised as a modern, fair, socially inclusive and equal society supported by a productive and prosperous economy

- To facilitate where possible export led growth,

marking the 25th anniversary of the EU strategy for the development of rural areas, in “the Future of Rural Society” [COM (88) 501] as part of the Irish Presidency of the European Union 2013 and, given both the differential degree of economic development and the variable impacts of the economic downturn between urban and rural areas, the Commission will provide research information to support/guide the medium-term economic development of the Rural Areas for the period to 2025.

This research will:

- Examine the key actions needed to ensure that rural areas, to the maximum extent will, contribute to and benefit from economic recovery

- Examine the ways in which rural areas can contribute to and benefit from national economic development strategies

- Be cognisant of pressures on the public finances in drawing conclusions

- Inform prioritisation made by Government and other stakeholders in implementing future actions

and take on board inputs from a public consultation to be undertaken by the Commission and analysis provided by a secretariat, comprised of Teagasc, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and the Western Development Commission.

While the definitions of rural areas are varied, the Commission will adopt a holistic view of rural as being outside the main metropolitan areas. It recognises of course the relational nature of economic and social development and the interconnections between rural and urban areas.

The research report will be short and specific and will take a multi-sectoral approach with specific focus on rural areas. It is expected that the draft report will be presented to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in September 2013.

Tenant Purchase Scheme Applications

Questions (159)

Martin Heydon

Question:

159. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the issue of the purchase of houses by tenants of cooperative housing schemes will be considered as part of the recently announced review and reform of tenant purchase schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51710/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

It is my intention to replace the tenant purchase scheme with a new scheme, based on the incremental purchase model, for tenants of existing local authority housing. Legislation is required to underpin the new model and it will be introduced as soon as possible.

While there is no provision at present for the purchase of individual houses by tenants in voluntary and co-operative housing schemes, my Department is currently in consultation with the voluntary housing sector regarding the development of an enabling regulatory framework that will support the expanded role for the sector, including options for purchase.

Water and Sewerage Schemes Status

Questions (160)

Joan Collins

Question:

160. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that earlier this year Sligo County Council received tenders for the work for the Grange, Strandhill and Tubbercurry sewerage schemes waste water treatment plants upgrades; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Strandhill scheme is currently overloaded and that the upgrading works are urgently required on all three schemes; the date on which he will approve funding for the schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51751/12]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Grange/Strandhill/Tubbercurry Sewerage Scheme (Wastewater Treatment Plants Upgrade) is included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 as a contract to start at an estimated cost of €10.8 million during the lifetime of the Programme. Under this scheme it is envisaged that wastewater treatment plants will be constructed at these three locations under a single Design/Build/Operate contract.

While a tender process was completed for the scheme some time ago, funding issues which arose for the Council delayed the advancing of the scheme. This delay and statutory / regulatory developments in the interim, have led to a necessary re-assessment of how this work should proceed. In June 2012 my Department requested Sligo County Council to carry out a cost assessment of the proposed works and to prepare a short design review of the scheme, taking into account developments and changes in the interim period. My Department is awaiting the Council’s proposals in that regard.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (161, 162)

Joan Collins

Question:

161. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact a letter of the 2 November 2012 to the Sligo County Manager, his Department indicated that it was willing to provide approval for the conversion of Sligo County Council’s existing €7.5 million overdraft on its revenue account to a term loan; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Sligo County Manager told the meeting of Sligo County Council on the 5 of November that the Council would seek the €7.5 million loan from the Housing Finance Agency; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the HFA’s function is to advance loan finance to local authorities and the voluntary housing sector to be used by them for purposes authorised by the Housing Acts, 1966-2009, and the Agency is also empowered to lend funds to local authorities for water, waste and environmental capital projects under the terms of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2002; if it is a function of the HFA to lend funds to local authorities to reduce or replace overdrafts on revenue accounts; if the HFA is empowered to lend funds to local authorities to reduce or replace overdrafts on revenue accounts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51752/12]

Joan Collins

Question:

162. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Sligo Council’s overall Revenue Account Debt at the end of 2011 was €12.9 million and that the Council’s Capital Debt was €73 million and that the Council’s revenue account debt continues to increase; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Councils bank refused to increase the Councils overdraft above €7.5 million despite the fact that his Department gave approval for €11 million earlier in 2012; his views on whether Sligo County Council has failed to address, during the course of 2012, the difficulties that arose as a result of councillors adopting the Council’s 2012 budget which was recommended by the County Manager; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51753/12]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.

The Housing Finance Agency plc. is a company limited by shares promoted by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government under the terms of the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 and incorporated on 8 February 1982. The principal objectives of the Agency are:

- To advance funds to local authorities and approved housing bodies to be used by them for any purpose authorised by the Housing Acts; and,

- To borrow and raise money for these purposes.

Under section 11 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 the provision of ancillary services is included amongst the functions of local authorities, as housing authorities. Ancillary services are defined to include, inter alia, roads, shops, facilities for the benefit of the community, playgrounds, places of recreation, parks, allotments, and other such works and services as will, in the opinion of the housing authority, serve a beneficial purpose either in connection with the requirements of the households for which the dwellings provided or in connection with the requirements of other households.

I conveyed sanction to Sligo County Council on 8 November 2012, in accordance with Section 106 of the Local Government Act 2001, for the borrowing of €7.5 million by way of a term loan. The Council’s overdraft borrowing limit was revised to €4 million in conjunction with this sanction.

The loan provides the means for the Council to reduce its overall debt levels and ensure that its cash flow position is such that it can continue to provide services, including those considered ancillary under the Housing (s Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

The requirement for Sligo County Council to continue to deal in a prudent manner r with its finances, to find expenditure savings and efficiencies, particularly in the context of its 2013 budget, and to deal with the accumulated revenue deficit, remains.

Homeless Persons Data

Questions (163)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

163. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the most up to date homelessness figures for Counties Limerick, Cork and Kerry, for the period of October 2011-October 2012, in tabular form highlighting the number of persons that had actually presented homeless or were deemed to be homeless during that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51763/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

There is considerable difficulty in quantifying the numbers of persons homeless at any given time and this is in part a consequence of the volatility within this cohort of housing need.

A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. The Housing Agency’s Housing Needs Assessment 2011 report breaks down the categories of housing need, including in respect of homelessness, for all 88 housing authorities nationwide. This report is available on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie. However, the Housing Needs Assessment only counts homeless persons where an application has been made to a housing authority.

The Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS) which commenced operation in Dublin in 2011 is being extended nationally on a phased basis with work currently underway in other regions. The PASS system will in future provide good quality, timely, data on homelessness nationally as an evidence base for all homelessness services.

Commercial Rates Calculations

Questions (164)

Derek Nolan

Question:

164. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he has proposed for Galway City Council to levy rates on vacant properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51793/12]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Local Government Act 1946 provides that where a property in a county council or urban area is unoccupied on the date of the making of the rate, the owner becomes liable for payment of rates. However, the owner is entitled to a 100% refund if the property is vacant for specified purposes. These are where the premises are unoccupied for the purpose of the execution of additions, alterations or repairs; where the owner is bona fide unable to obtain a suitable tenant at a reasonable rent; and where the premises are vacant pending redevelopment.

A small number of urban local authorities have historically had separate legal provision enabling a refund of 50% of rates on vacant properties. While the same criteria for refunds apply, 50% of the rates paid is refundable to the owner of vacant premises in these cities. These legislative provisions are section 71 of the Local Government (Dublin) Act 1930; section 29 of the Limerick City Management Act 1934; and section 20 of the Cork City Management (Amendment) Act 19 41. The majority of local authorities including Galway City Council are, however, subject to the provisions of the 1946 Act. Any proposal to alter the existing rebate system would require legislative amendment on a nationwide basis. I continue to keep all matters relating to commercial rates under review in my Department.