Thursday, 17 Jan 2013

Written Answers Nos. 130-139

Proposed Legislation

Questions (130)

Brendan Smith

Question:

130. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty experienced by householders whose quality of life is diminished as a result of daylight being blocked from their homes by the presence of Leylandi trees growing in neighbouring gardens; if he will introduce regulations into the planning process or otherwise which would limit the type and height of trees that may be grown in urban gardens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2081/13]

Written answers

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

I refer to the reply to Question No. 656 of 16 January, 2013 which sets out the position in this matter.

Air Quality

Questions (131)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

131. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the various means by which the State measures and monitors air quality in compliance with the various European directives on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2088/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The main ambient air quality monitoring programme in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFÉ Directive. The Directive sets legally binding limit values, and target values for a range of pollutants and requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants via a network of permanent and fixed-term air quality monitoring stations located around the country, reporting the results on its website at: http://www.epa.ie/whatwedo/monitoring/air/data/

Monitoring includes the following pollutants: nitrogen oxides; sulphur dioxide; carbon monoxide; ozone; particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), ozone, benzene and volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The EPA publishes also an annual report on air quality, based primarily on the monitoring requirements of the CAFÉ Directive. The most recent report, Air Quality in Ireland 2011 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, was published in September 2012 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2011, compared to the CAFÉ Directive standards, based on data obtained from the 29 monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality network. No exceedances of EU limit values were recorded for 2011.

Housing for People with Disabilities

Questions (132)

Seán Fleming

Question:

132. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding available to local authorities in 2013 on a county basis in relation to the construction of new houses for persons with disabilities and special needs and if he will provide the information on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2089/13]

Written answers

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

The provision of special needs housing is mainly funded under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) for approved housing bodies. Under the 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 the CAS relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed administration of the scheme, including the appraisal of proposals, the certification that projects comply with the terms and conditions of the funding scheme and the processing of applications for funding, are the responsibility of the relevant local authority.

Work is currently underway on preparing the capital allocations under the Social Housing Investment Programme for 2013, including the CAS measure. As part of this process, my Department requested local authorities to submit details of their capital requirements for this year in respect of approved projects and programmes by 25 January. I intend to announce details of the capital allocations to individual local authorities as soon as possible afterwards.

Community Care Provision

Questions (133, 134)

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

133. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to offer senior alert scheme grants to qualified couples who live together who are aged over 65 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2105/13]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

134. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rationale regarding his decision to introduce changes to the criteria and operation of the seniors alert scheme; the consultation, if any, that was conducted with groups administering the scheme before the decision was made to unilaterally impose these changes; the rationale behind the decision to introduce a blanket restriction on households with two persons in view of the fact that a significant number of persons referred to this service by a Health Service Executive primary care team or a social worker, are couples where one is a carer or both have a pre-existing health condition or are at risk of a fall; if any discretion will be allowed in such circumstances in view of the fact the cost of the scheme is so small and the equipment can make a significant impact on persons' lives. [2110/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.

The Seniors Alert Scheme provides grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of equipment to enable older persons, without sufficient means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. It is my intention that funding for the 2013 Seniors Alert Scheme will be similar to 2012 levels.

The qualifying criteria for the scheme will remain unchanged. Monitored Personal Alarms will continue to be supplied to persons over 65 living on their own or with other qualifying persons. Cohabiting couples who are both over 65 will be able to apply provided they meet the qualifying criteria. In the current economic climate, the Department’s priority is to continue to provide the maximum number of personal monitored alarms to as many older persons as possible in 2013.

Septic Tank Registration Scheme

Questions (135)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

135. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the standards will be published that single house effluent treatment systems will have to comply with after registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2148/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provides that t he basic standard to be met by all domestic waste water treatment systems is that they should not create a risk to public health or the environment. Draft standards to augment this requirement were drawn up by my Department in consultation with the EPA and were issued for public consultation in March 2012. 165 submissions were received and were taken into consideration in the Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations which I made on 26 June 2012. The regulations set out performance standards, including requirements regarding the maintenance and de-sludging of on-site systems. The relevant legislation is available in the Dáil library.

Waste Management Regulations

Questions (136)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

136. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made to date in developing new regulatory structures for waste management; if he has further details regarding the introduction of on the spot fines for incidents of fly tipping or small scale illegal dumping. [2154/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I published A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland in July, 2012 setting out a range of measures which will significantly revise the current regulatory regime to ensure, inter alia, that waste collected is managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy as set out in the Waste Framework Directive, under which prevention, reuse, recycling, recovery are favoured over the disposal of waste.  The work of developing new regulatory structures to give effect to the measures set out in the waste policy is underway and my Department is engaging with a range of key stakeholders in relation to the detailed design of the new system.  It is my intention that the improved regulatory regime will deliver both enhanced environmental performance and ensure a quality service for consumers.

Actions against illegal waste activity are a matter for the local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency. My Department provides a legislative and policy framework through which the enforcement authorities operate in this regard. Penalties available under the Litter Pollution Acts for litter offences range from an on-the-spot fine of €150, to a maximum fine of €3,000 on summary conviction, and a maximum fine of €130,000 on conviction on indictment. The fines for continuing offences are €600 per day for summary offences and €10,000 per day for indictable offences. A person convicted of a litter offence may also be required by the court to pay the local authority’s costs and expenses in investigating the offence and bringing the prosecution.Penalties for more serious dumping offences available under the Waste Management Acts are also substantial. Persons who are found to be responsible for, or involved in, the unauthorised disposal of waste are liable to a maximum fine of €3,000 on summary conviction and/or imprisonment for up to 12 months, and to a maximum fine of €15 million on conviction on indictment and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years. It is at the discretion of the local authorities, which have responsibilities for enforcement of both the Litter Pollution Act and the Waste Management Act, to decide whether a specific incident warrants the application of either Act. Notwithstanding the very significant penalties outlined above, my Department is preparing Heads of a Bill, for approval by Government, that will provide for the introduction of on-the-spot fines for incidences of fly tipping or small scale illegal dumping. Subject to approval by Government, my Department will submit the Heads to the Office of the Attorney General for consideration with the intention of preparing a Bill for publication later this year.

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Questions (137)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

137. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a decision on the Dublin City Council revised scheme of lettings submitted before Christmas 2012 will be taken. [2163/13]

Written answers

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

Under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which came into operation on 14 June 2010, the making and amendment of an allocation scheme for social housing is a reserved function of the elected members of each housing authority.

Housing Management Companies

Questions (138)

Gerry Adams

Question:

138. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding available through the capital advance leasing facility in 2013; if this money has been allocated; if this money is available to be used for the development of retirement villages for elderly citizens. [2167/13]

Written answers

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

The Capital Advance Leasing Facility will continue in 2013, though the level of Exchequer funding for the scheme this year, within the overall housing provision, has not yet been determined.

It is open to Approved Housing Bodies to make proposals to my Department having regard to the housing need in an area, as determined by the Local Authority. Any suitable independent living units, including housing units in retirement villages, can be considered. This facility is demand-led with each proposal assessed by my Department, in consultation with the Local Authority, taking into account funds already committed. In that context there are no allocations to approved housing bodies.

Departmental Staff Redeployment

Questions (139)

Seán Fleming

Question:

139. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide by Department/agency basis the number of persons who are seeking transfers to other locations; the number of transfers that took place in 2012 on a county basis on the number of transfers that took place in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2748/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The information requested in relation to transfers into and out of my Department that took place in 2012 by county is set out in the table.

County	Transfers Out	Transfers In
Cork	2	1
Donegal	1	0
Dublin	9	3
Galway	2	0
Kildare	1	0
Kilkenny	2	0
Leitrim	1	0
Limerick	2	0
Mayo	3	4
Meath	2	0
Offaly	0	1
Sligo	1	0
Westmeath	1	0
Wexford	1	2
Total	28	11

Note: County indicates the location that the officer transferred to.

These transfers include staff transfers into and out of my Department under redeployment.

In addition, other transfers arose in the context of the Government Decision relating to decentralised advance office locations. In respect of my Department’s office in Tubbercurry, the decision provides for the c on solidation of that office to my Department ’ s existing office in Ballina. To date, 22 staff have moved from Tubbercurry, Co Sligo to Ballina, Co Mayo. As part of the consolidation, my Department has facilitated the transfer of existing staff to other Departments/Offices in the region, mainly on a bilateral basis, and will continue to do so as necessary.

From time to time individual staff members may request transfers to locations, including those under the decentralisation programme. These requests are dealt with as they arise and are facilitated where possible and in liaison with other Government Departments, having regard to the centrally agreed processes for such transfers.

My Department is dealing with 25 transfer requests arising from the consolidation of the Tubbercurry and Ballina offices. A further 9 requests are on hand in relation to transfers to other locations.

The information requested in respect of agencies is not collected by my Department.