Written Answers Nos. 468-490
469. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that Donegal County Council are awaiting approval from his Department in relation to the Gweedore sewerage scheme, if he will confirm that approval for the scheme will be forthcoming from his Department by the end of 2012 to allow the scheme to progress to the next phase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52264/12]
View answerThe Gweedore Sewerage Scheme is included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 - 2013 as a scheme to commence construction during the lifetime of the Programme. My Department is awaiting the submission by Donegal County Council of their Contract Documents for the scheme.
470. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to put back the latest date for registration under the Water Services Act, 2012, in view of the fact that no inspection plan has yet been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52343/12]
View answer494. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the inspections of septic tanks will commence; if there be grants available for person's who have to upgrade their tanks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52961/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 470 and 494 together.
The Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Registration ion) Regulations 2012 prescribe 1 February 2013 as the date by which owners of domestic waste water treatment systems must register their systems. Registration facilities have been available since 26 June 2012 and I consider that ample time is provided for owners to comply with the requirement to register. I have no plans to amend the date specified in the legislation.
The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provides that the Environmental Protection Agency will make the National Inspection Plan for domestic waste water treatment systems. A public consultation on the proposed plan was commenced by the Agency on 11 October 2012. Submissions received are currently being reviewed by the Agency with a view to finalising the Plan. A training course for persons who will be appointed to carry out inspections is also currently being finalised and this is being overseen by the Water Services Training Group. I understand that the Plan and the training course will be finalised shortly. The training course for inspectors will be rolled out to suitably qualified local authority staff in early 2013. This will be followed by the commencement of inspections, which will be based on the national inspection plan.
I have stated on a number of occasions that I am prepared to consider all possible options to provide financial support to householders whose wastewater treatment systems are deemed, following inspection under the new legislation, to require substantial remediation or upgrading. The provision of any financial support will have regard to the overall budgetary situation and to the financial position of the individual households concerned.
471. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on a planned review into Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 particularly in the context of possible changes to legislation which may affect shared ownership schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52403/12]
View answerThe 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 underway. I will shortly publish material on my Department’s website, in furtherance of the review, and this will facilitate stakeholder consultation which is likely to take place early next year.
472. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the latest developments within the Pyrite Resolution Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52460/12]
View answerI have made my intention clear, in recent communications with stakeholders, to proceed with the establishment of the Resolution Board as recommended by the independent Pyrite Panel. Discussions are on-going with the stakeholders and sufficient progress has been made in trying to arrive at mechanisms to provide a solution for the affected homeowners to justify the continuation of the engagement for a further short period. However, I will not allow the discussions to drag on and I expect them to conclude very shortly. I am hopeful that the outcome of the discussions will be positive but in any event I will be seeking to advance solutions for homeowners in the context of the recommendations of the Panel.
473. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that section 5 of the Derelict Sites Act is not robust enough to deal with uncooperative landowners or in cases where the ownership of land may be disputed and particularly in relation to a property (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [52465/12]
View answerUnder the Derelict Sites Act 1990 local authorities are required to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become or continue to be a derelict site. To this end, they have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require specified measures to be taken in relation to a derelict site, to impose a levy on derelict sites, or to compulsorily acquire any derelict site. I expect local authorities to use their statutory powers as they consider appropriate.While I have no plans to amend the Derelict Sites Act at this time, I will keep the need for further legislative reforms to assist local authorities in addressing issues of dereliction under review. Local authorities also have powers under other legislation to deal with derelict sites or structures, for example, under the Sanitary Services Act 1963.
474. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of staff in his Department or in bodies which fall under the remit of his Department whose annual remuneration including salary, pension and benefits at 31 December 2011 fell into bands of €400,000 and above, between €300,000 to €399,999, between €200,000 to €299,999 and between €150,000 to €199,000; and if he will provide a breakdown of the positions held by the staff in relevant pay brackets. [52517/12]
View answer475. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is more than €200,000 in his Department or in any body under the remit of his Department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if he has, the date on which he first made this contact; the number of staff who acquiesced to the request for the waiver; the number of staff who refused the request for the waiver and the number of staff who have not responded to the request for the waiver. [52518/12]
View answer479. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form, the number of staff in their Department, or in bodies which fall under the remit of the Department, whose annual remuneration including salary, pension and benefits at 31 December 2011 fell into bands of €400,000 and above, between €300,000 to €399,999, between €200,000 to €299,999 and between €150,000 to €199,000; if he will provide a breakdown of the positions held by the staff in the relevant pay brackets [52554/12]
View answer480. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is in excess of €200,000 in their Department or in any body under the remit of their Department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if he has, the date on which he/she first made this contact; the number of staff whose annual salaries were in excess of €200,000 at that date; the number of staff who acquiesced to the request for the waiver; the number of staff who refused the request for the waiver and the number of staff who have not responded to the request for the waiver. [52555/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 474, 475, 479 and 480 together.
The current salary of the Secretary General of my Department is €215,590 per annum. In line with the general Government policy of a €200,000 pay ceiling for senior positions across the Public Service, she has voluntarily waived salary in excess of the €200,000 pay ceiling under Section 483 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.
Pension contributions are deducted from salary and there are no other benefits paid. There are no other staff in my Department in receipt of an annual salary of more than €200,000 or in receipt of a salary between €150,000 and €199,000. Information on bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out in the following table.
|
Salary Range |
Number |
Position Held |
|
€150,000 to €199,000 |
3 |
CEO, Local Government Management Agency Chairperson, An Bord Pleanála Director General, Environmental Protection Agency |
|
|
|
|
|
€200,000 to €299,999 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
|
|
|
|
€300,000 to €399,999 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
|
|
|
|
€400,000 + |
n/a |
n/a |
Individuals are entitled to pensions in accordance with the rules of their organisation’s pension scheme. In general, pension entitlements are based on final salary and length of service, including added years where appropriate, capped at 40 years.
476. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total amount of motor tax returned in the 10 months to October in 2012; the full year in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; and to set out the tax as it was paid according to bands. [52526/12]
View answerTotal gross motor tax receipts from 2006 to the end of October 2012 are set out in the following table. A breakdown of the receipts by band for each year is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
|
YEAR |
TOTAL GROSS MOTOR TAX RECEIPTS € |
|
2006 |
879,705,213 |
|
2007 |
956,731,400 |
|
2008 |
1,058,605,132 |
|
2009 |
1,057,822,734 |
|
2010 |
1,023,823,935 |
|
2011 |
1,010,419,164 |
|
2012 (to 31 October 2012) |
900,493,004 |
478. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the advice and support available in respect of a person (details supplied) [52531/12]
View answerDecisions on the eligibility of specific persons for social housing support and the allocation of that support are a matter solely for the housing authority concerned.
Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all housing authorities to make an allocation scheme. The making and amendment of such an allocation scheme for social housing is a reserved function of the elected members of each housing authority. The Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011, which commenced on 1 May 2011, set out the conditions that housing authorities must take into account when making their allocation schemes. These include requiring authorities to set out how they will determine the order of priority for the allocation of dwellings.
481. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details in tabular form the development levies applicable on a county basis for new businesses looking to locate in a particular location; if there are any waivers available to attract new businesses to a location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52595/12]
View answerMy Department does not collect the information sought in the question. As Minister, my role is to provide the necessary statutory and policy framework within which individual development contribution schemes are adopted by each local authority. The adoption of individual development contribution schemes 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. My Department is finalising updated guidance for local authorities on the issue of development contributions which will recommend that, inter alia, development contribution schemes facilitate job creation through targeted support for specific development types. As part of the new guidance, planning authorities will be asked to consider whether there are any measures open to them to support new or existing enterprises in their areas by, for example, reduced development contribution rates, deferral of payments, etc. These guidelines will issue to all local authorities shortly.
482. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when new applications for funding may be made to North East Leader Company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52612/12]
View answer483. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the outcome of an investigation into the procedures used by North East Leader Company and the effects it is having on the allocation of funding to projects in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52613/12]
View answer484. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the backlog of applications of funding of projects for local communities to North East Leader will be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52614/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 482 to 484, inclusive, together.
Mayo North East Leader Partnership (MNELP) is the Local Action Group contracted by my Department to deliver both the Rural Development Programme (RDP) and the Local Community Development Programme (LCDP) to the North Mayo area.
On foot of correspondence I received in 2011 regarding a possible governance issue at Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Company, I directed my Department to investigate the matter. This investigation is complex but advanced, and approval of projects under the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme is currently suspended pending its completion. My Department will act on the recommendations of the investigation as soon as is possible following its completion and is committed to providing the resources of the Rural Development Programme (LEADER) to the area going forward.
485. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Dublin City Council is involved with his Department in negotiations with the National Assets Management Agency regarding empty or unfinished homes and estates and the housing waiting list especially Housing Area B of Dublin City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52709/12]
View answer486. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Fingal County Council is involved with his Department in negotiations with the National Assets Management Agency regarding empty or unfinished homes and estates and the housing waiting list of Dublin Fingal County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52710/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 485 and 486 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 437 of 20 November 2012.
487. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than 7,000 housing applicants were cancelled by Dublin City Council in 2007 and 2011 housing assessment reviews; if council contacts with its clients can be improved when an applicant genuinely believed they remained on the housing list even following a move to another tenancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52711/12]
View answerDecisions on the eligibility of specific persons for social housing support and the allocation of that support are a matter solely for the housing authority concerned. A household may be determined to be in need of social housing support where, in accordance with the 2011 social housing assessment regulations, a housing authority considers that the household’s current accommodation is unsuitable for its adequate housing, having regard to particular household circumstances or on exceptional medical or compassionate grounds. The household must also meet the other need and eligibility criteria prescribed in the 2011 regulations in order to qualify for social housing support. It is a matter for the housing authority to communicate with both applicants for social housing support and current tenants, and I would expect such communication and access to information to be provided using all reasonable means to facilitate an efficient and effective service.
488. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is planning a major housing investment programme in view of the fact that 100,000 families and persons are waiting for social housing and if €400 million from the sale of 4G spectrum space is hypothecated for housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52712/12]
View answer491. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the supports available to voluntary organisations who wish to build social housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52877/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 491 together.
The Government’s housing policy statement, published in June 2011, clearly identifies that the priority for Government will be to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support. It also recognises the approved housing body sector as a key partner in the delivery of social housing solutions for low-income families and persons with specific categories of housing need.
I am determined to ensure that the social housing programme is framed in a manner which optimises the delivery of social housing and the return for the resources invested. To achieve this it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing conditions and explore the full range of solutions to address housing needs. The social housing capital budget has been reduced from €1.535 billion in 2008 to just over €333.7m this year and the financial parameters within which we will be operating for the coming years rule out a return to large capital funded construction programmes. Nevertheless, the Government is committed to responding more quickly and on a larger scale to social housing support needs through a variety of mechanisms, including through increased provision of social housing. In spite of the challenging circumstances within which local authorities are now operating, a tentative projection of 4,000 to 4,500 housing units is anticipated for 2012.
Delivery of social housing will be significantly facilitated through more flexible funding models such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme and leasing, but the Government is also committed to developing other funding mechanisms that will increase the supply of permanent new social housing. Such mechanisms will include options to purchase, build to lease and the sourcing of loan finance by approved housing bodies (AHBs) for construction and acquisition. In this regard, the Housing Finance Agency has received eighteen applications from AHBs for Certified Borrower status and awarded such status to five bodies, with a number of others currently being assessed. The Agency has approved six applications for 128 social housing units in total (at a valuation of €11.6 million). It is envisaged that further lending will be generated for the Agency in 2013, under this Scheme, with more AHBs applying for Certified Body status and subsequent loan applications for social housing schemes.
I am conscious that the move from capital funded programmes of construction and acquisition by AHBs to more revenue funded options presents challenges for them. I intend to develop an enabling regulatory framework for the sector that will provide support and assurance both to the sector itself and to its external partners as it takes on the expanded role envisaged for it by Government and to underline its status as a viable and attractive investment opportunity for financial institutions. My Department is actively working with the sector on the development of a voluntary code which I expect most bodies will endorse. This code, which should be finalised and agreed in the coming months, will serve as a learning opportunity for the sector and for my Department as we develop a longer-term statutory framework that will best support the enhanced role of AHBs.
Specifically under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), funding of up to 100% of the approved cost is available for the provision of accommodation to meet the needs of persons with specific categories of housing need including older people, people with an intellectual, physical or mental health disability, the homeless, returning emigrants and victims of domestic violence. My Department’s involvement with these voluntary and co-operative housing schemes relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed administration of the schemes, and the certification that projects comply with the terms and conditions of the funding schemes, are the responsibility of the relevant local authority.
In early 2012, some €46 million in CAS funding was allocated to local authorities in respect of existing commitments on CAS projects then underway. In July I announced details of a €35 million programme of special needs housing provision which is intended to deliver some 377 housing units at 55 locations across the country. Approvals were based on local housing need and on the priority afforded to individual proposals by local authorities.
There is also obvious potential, across a range of housing programmes, for the Government’s objective of sourcing and providing suitable residential units for use as social housing to be aligned with the commercial objectives of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA). My Department and the Housing Agency are working closely with NAMA with the aim of ensuring that a significant number of housing units are made available in this way by NAMA.
Projected levels of activity in 2013 will be subject to the financial provision for housing, which will be determined in the context of the 2013 Estimates process.
489. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the review procedure that he intends to take with the Department for Agriculture, Marine and Food to ensure that the dog welfare standards being developed in the Animal Health and Welfare Bill will apply to dog pounds, rescues and dog transportation operators. [52771/12]
View answerThe application of all aspects of the Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012, including those relating to dogs, are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My Department is responsible for matters relating to control of dogs.
490. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the areas of the 2012 Departmental Budget both capital and current if any that remain underspent and which will either be re-allocated, rolled over into 2013 or returned to revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52873/12]
View answerMy Department is responsible for a wide range of programmes, including in the areas of housing, water services, environmental protection, local government services, and community and rural development.
The Revised Estimates for Public Services 2012, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in February 2012, detail gross e expenditure of €467 million on the current side of the Vote and gross capital expenditure (including carryover) of €895 million in respect of my Department in 2012. Current spending in 2012 is running close to the profile established at the start of the year. While capital spending in the housing, water services and rural development areas is behind profile, I expect significant further expenditure to take place by end 2012. Where savings emerge in the finalisation of Department spending in 2012, consideration will be given, in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform , to the appropriate use of the resources concerned.
