Written Answers Nos. 507 - 527
507. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will seek the removal of a person (details supplied) from the Director General's Office of the Environmenal Protection Agency. [3705/13]
View answerThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established by the Government in 1993 following the enactment of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992. The EPA was established as a non-commercial and independent state-sponsored body. A recent independent review of the EPA, available on my Department’s website, www.environ.ie , concluded that the EPA has the independence to arrive at informed and objective decisions and to undertake objective assessment and reporting on the state of the environment. This independence is one of its key strengths and is well provided for in existing legislation, including in relation to the enforcement of licences and consents in individual cases.
As highlighted in the 2011 Annual Report and Accounts of the Environmental Protection Agency and as stated publically elsewhere by the Agency, the EPA continues to fulfil its statutory obligations by following a broad enforcement strategy encompassing a range of activities. The Report can be found on the Agency’s website, www.epa.ie , and sets out that in 2011 the Agency completed 169 audits and 658 inspections of waste and Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) licensed sites; issued 870 notifications of non-compliance; held 122 meetings with licensees to address non-compliance issues; and, ultimately, brought 22 successful prosecutions in the District Court during the year. These prosecutions resulted in costs and fines totalling over €130,000.
The Agency also continues to co-ordinate a national Environmental Enforcement Network. Participants of the Network include the EPA, all local authorities, government departments, An Garda Síochána, the National Bureau for Criminal Investigations, the Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Fisheries Boards, the Health Service Executive, the Revenue Commissioners, and the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Network harnesses the collective resources and expertise available nationally to co-ordinate a consistent and more effective approach to the enforcement of environmental legislation in Ireland.
The EPA Review also found that there is “widespread respect and regard for the Agency’s work, and its staff,” and that it provides “considerable benefit for Ireland’s environment, and for the health and well-being of its people.” I am confident that the EPA, and its Director General, will continue appropriately to discharge its mandate to safeguard and improve Ireland’s environment.
508. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an application to the former partnership company Meitheal Forbatha na Gaeltachta by (details supplied); when outstanding payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3732/13]
View answerThe Gaeltacht area of North Mayo where the projects referred to in the question are situated was formerly serviced by Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG) for the purposes of funding under Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP). MFG went into liquidation on 7 September 2011. Following a complex and difficult legal winding up process most Gaeltacht areas are now operational through Local Development Companies in geographically contiguous areas. Progress is still on-going in the context of determining a delivery solution for RDP funding in the North Mayo Gaeltacht areas where the projects referred to are situated.
My Department is responsible for ensuring that funding provided through the LEADER elements of the RDP is delivered in an efficient and effective way, and that the solution determined for the North Mayo Gaeltacht area has the capacity to meet the standards required to ensure compliance with both National and EU regulations. My Department is working to determine a solution that will facilitate access to RDP funding for the North Mayo area as soon as possible.
509. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the proposed new Limerick Local Authority will have a maximum number of either 40 or 45 members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3734/13]
View answerI refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 311 to 313, inclusive, on 11 December 2012 , which indicated that the terms of reference for the independent Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee specify, inter alia, a maximum total of 40 members of every council other than Dublin City Council and Cork County Council.
510. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form by local authority the number of inspections on local authority houses in relation to condensation and or dampness. [3756/13]
View answerLocal authorities, as landlords and owners of their social housing stock, are responsible for the management, maintenance and repair of all their rented properties. The information requested in relation to numbers of inspections for dampness or condensation in dwellings is not available in my Department.
511. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person in seeking to obtain a position on a community employment scheme can have their entitlements to rental accommodation scheme transferred from their current base to their new base; the mechanisms they must pursue to allow this to be agreed to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3767/13]
View answerThe administration of the Rental Accommodation Scheme is entirely a matter for local authorities. Transfer from one authority to another within RAS is by agreement with both authorities, and a number facilitate mutual transfers on an informal basis. A tenant considering transferring from accommodation provided under the scheme should first contact the authorities in question to determine what policy, if any, they have in place on transfers within the scheme.
512. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will release funding to Dublin City Council which will be used for extensions/adaptions for people with disabilities. [3779/13]
View answer528. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when further funding will be allocated to local authorities for housing adaptation grant schemes for older persons and persons with a disability; the date on which this allocation will be made in view of the fact that most local authorities are either on hold or are moving very slowly through applications due to of a lack of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4143/13]
View answer529. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if further funding will be provided to Dublin City Council in order to fund housing adaptation grants that have been approved but unable to be completed due to lack of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4144/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 512, 528 and 529 together.
My Department remains committed to providing financial assistance to older people and people with a disability who wish to carry out essential repairs, extensions/adaptations to their homes in order to meet their accommodation needs. Work is currently underway on preparing the capital allocations under the housing programme for 2013, including the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. As part of this process, my Department requested local authorities earlier this month to submit details of their capital requirements under the grant schemes. This information is being assessed at present. I intend to announce details of the capital allocations to individual authorities as soon as possible.
513. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline whether funding was granted (details supplied) to a proposed homeless hostel in Wicklow Town to be run in partnership between the Simon Community and Wicklow County Council; to whom this funding was granted; the reasons for granting the award; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3828/13]
View answerMy Department is aware of the property in question which is in the ownership of Wicklow County Council. The Council purchased the property for social housing purposes with the assistance of capital funding from my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme. Wicklow County Council’s proposal to utilise the property as a homeless facility has been the subject of on-going communication between the Council and my Department. Funding under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 has not been approved or agreed by my Department for the operation of the proposed service. Wicklow County Council has confirmed that it is entering into a service level agreement with the Simon Community to operate the facility on a pilot basis for 12 months, without recourse to the Department for Section 10 funding.
514. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an application for a personal alarm in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3847/13]
View answerThe Seniors Alert Scheme supports qualifying older people, aged 65 and older, by providing funding towards monitored personal alarms. Applications are made through the applicant’s local community or voluntary group. An application has not been received in my Department, to date, on behalf of the person referred to in the question.
515. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will detail the policies being implemented by his Department on which he wrote to the EU / ECB / IMF troika; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3881/13]
View answerThe EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland includes measures relating to extensive reform in the water services sector, replacement of rent supplement with a Housing Assistance Payment and management of local government finances. My Department maintains contact with the relevant EU authorities and the IMF as appropriate in the development and implementation of these measures.
516. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of income from road tax which went to local authorities in 2012, specifically to Dublin City Council for local road maintenance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3930/13]
View answerThe full proceeds of motor tax are paid into the Local Government Fund. The gross motor tax receipts paid into the Fund in 2012 were €1,049,938,718. This may not represent the final net figure, as reconciliation processes are ongoing. I have no function in relation to the funding of local road maintenance. I have been advised by my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, that information in relation to funding of road projects in 2012, including road maintenance, is available in the Dáil Library under the 2012 grant allocations to local authorities for regional and local roads.
517. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the timescale for the setting up of the Pyrite Resolution Board; when it will begin to accept applications from homeowners affected by pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3939/13]
View answer518. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any legislation is needed to set up the Pyrite Resolution Board; if so, the timescale for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3940/13]
View answer519. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way the remediation fund will be administered; if any decision has be taken on the way the grants will be distributed; if it will be on a house by house basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3941/13]
View answer520. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will make provision for representatives of the residents, eg the pyrite action group, to be members of the Pyrite Resolution Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3942/13]
View answer521. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he plans to allow Homebond representatives to be a member of the Pyrite Resolution Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3943/13]
View answer523. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the works completed, currently underway and planned over the next six months for pyrite affected homes. [3980/13]
View answer524. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when residents of the Coldrick's Pass estate, Dunshaughlin, County Meath, may expect reparative work on pyrite affected homes in the estate to get under way. [3981/13]
View answer539. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which the special purpose vehicle set up to administer the pyrite levy will come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4360/13]
View answer540. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rate of the pyrite levy on construction materials; the date on which it will come into effect; the expected duration of this levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4361/13]
View answer541. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of the insurance related to the pyrite levy; the date on which this will come into effect; the forms of insurance that will be covered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4362/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 517 to 521, inclusive, 523, 524, and 539 to 541, inclusive, together.
I have recently received Government approval for the imposition of a levy on both the quarrying and insurance sectors, as recommended by the independent Pyrite Panel, in order to provide the funding necessary for the remediation of pyrite damaged dwellings where no other forms of redress are available to the homeowner. The imposition of the levies will require primary legislation and I am committed to having the legislation published and enacted in the shortest timeframe possible.
The Government also approved the establishment of a Resolution Board which will have full oversight of the operation of the remediation scheme to ensure that the public interest, and the particular interest of the affected homeowners, is well served. The Resolution Board, which I am currently establishing, will, in conjunction with my Department, draw up the terms and conditions for the proposed remediation scheme. The terms of the scheme will set out the relevant eligibility criteria for affected homeowners.
It is envisaged that the Resolution Board will comprise a small number of persons with the range of technical skills necessary to oversee the successful operation of the remediation scheme. Given the focussed nature of its particular role, there are no proposals to include a representative from Home bond or the Pyrite Action Group on the Board. I have, however, recently appointed a Chairman who, with me, is keen for the Board to commence its work as soon as possible.
522. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will detail the local government grant amount for each local authority, town and county, throughout the State as per capita; and if he will outline efforts to redress any differences between the local government grant allocated to Navan and Meath and the State average. [3962/13]
View answer530. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the local government grant amount for each local authority, town and county, throughout the State per capita; if he will make efforts to equalise the difference between the local government grant allocated to Navan and Meath and the State average. [4192/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 530 together.
I assume that the Questions refer to general purpose grants from the Local Government Fund. General purpose grants are my Department’s contribution towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. These grants continue to make a significant contribution to the revenue funding of local authorities. I was pleased to announce general purpose grant allocations for 2013 totalling €640m, a slight decrease of 1.7% on the initial allocation for 2012. Meath County Council’s 2013 allocation is some €21.25m, a decrease of 2% on the 2012 allocation, whereas Navan County Council’s allocation of €472,699 represents an increase of 20.5% on its 2012 allocation.
Local authorities cost and income bases vary significantly from one another and calculating an appropriate distribution of these grants is complex. General purpose grants from the Local Government Fund are structured to bring about equalisation over time; that is a position of balance where the financial needs of local authorities are met by their resources and they are able to provide an appropriate level of service to their customers. In determining these grants a number of factors are taken into account including the overall funding available for this purpose, the estimated cost to each authority of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers, the income each authority should generate from local sources and the necessity to provide each authority with a baseline allocation that will support its financial stability. Any system designed to align funding solely or mainly on a per capita basis would ignore important differences between local authority cost and income bases.
The most recent population information can be obtained from 2011 census data available on the Central Statistics Office’s website at www.cso.ie. The 2013 General purpose grant allocations are set out in the following table.
|
Local Authority |
2013 Allocation |
|
Carlow County Council |
8,560,762 |
|
Cavan County Council |
14,123,740 |
|
Clare County Council |
10,072,651 |
|
Cork County Council |
32,048,612 |
|
Donegal County Council |
30,840,363 |
|
Fingal County Council |
19,619,590 |
|
D.Laoire/Rathdown Co Co |
24,772,291 |
|
Galway County Council |
27,400,744 |
|
Kerry County Council |
18,374,432 |
|
Kildare County Council |
20,634,229 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
15,105,892 |
|
Laois County Council |
13,070,064 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
11,952,743 |
|
Limerick County Council |
17,668,930 |
|
Longford County Council |
11,488,728 |
|
Louth County Council |
9,044,372 |
|
Mayo County Council |
27,650,043 |
|
Meath County Council |
21,251,612 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
11,968,784 |
|
Tipp NR County Council |
14,504,742 |
|
Offaly County Council |
12,095,491 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
15,828,208 |
|
Sligo County Council |
13,584,307 |
|
Sth Dublin County Council |
16,285,348 |
|
Tipp South County Council |
17,302,006 |
|
Waterford County Council |
18,176,169 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
16,055,537 |
|
Wexford County Council |
15,912,433 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
14,357,641 |
|
Cork City Council |
16,612,544 |
|
Dublin City Council |
52,613,531 |
|
Galway City Council |
5,750,549 |
|
Limerick City Council |
8,264,861 |
|
Waterford City Council |
5,415,345 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
2,235,458 |
|
Drogheda Borough Council |
3,047,680 |
|
Kilkenny Borough Council |
1,203,255 |
|
Sligo Borough Council |
2,000,541 |
|
Wexford Borough Council |
1,684,540 |
|
Arklow Town Council |
1,200,969 |
|
Athlone Town Council |
1,231,467 |
|
Athy Town Council |
543,047 |
|
Ballina Town Council |
1,209,373 |
|
Ballinasloe Town Council |
645,234 |
|
Birr Town Council |
590,609 |
|
Bray Town Council |
3,138,743 |
|
Buncrana Town Council |
666,687 |
|
Bundoran Town Council |
404,340 |
|
Carlow Town Council |
1,265,988 |
|
Carrickmacross Town Council |
442,918 |
|
Carrick-on-Suir Town Council |
860,228 |
|
Cashel Town Council |
490,624 |
|
Castlebar Town Council |
693,522 |
|
Castleblayney Town Council |
343,549 |
|
Cavan Town Council |
621,373 |
|
Clonakilty Town Council |
450,662 |
|
Clones Town Council |
441,092 |
|
Cobh Town Council |
904,763 |
|
Dundalk Town Council |
3,410,323 |
|
Dungarvan Town Council |
673,294 |
|
Ennis Town Council |
1,625,178 |
|
Enniscorthy Town Council |
878,576 |
|
Fermoy Town Council |
627,850 |
|
Kells Town Council |
343,356 |
|
Killarney Town Council |
1,251,767 |
|
Kilrush Town Council |
461,460 |
|
Kinsale Town Council |
298,163 |
|
Letterkenny Town Council |
756,453 |
|
Listowel Town Council |
533,911 |
|
Longford Town Council |
830,162 |
|
Macroom Town Council |
454,502 |
|
Mallow Town Council |
823,011 |
|
Midleton Town Council |
420,864 |
|
Monaghan Town Council |
787,065 |
|
Naas Town Council |
1,067,472 |
|
Navan Town Council |
472,669 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
805,581 |
|
New Ross Town Council |
741,554 |
|
Skibbereen Town Council |
320,195 |
|
Templemore Town Council |
479,867 |
|
Thurles Town Council |
693,222 |
|
Tipperary Town Council |
599,444 |
|
Tralee Town Council |
2,078,813 |
|
Trim Town Council |
404,706 |
|
Tullamore Town Council |
878,613 |
|
Westport Town Council |
581,332 |
|
Wicklow Town Council |
1,141,936 |
|
Youghal Town Council |
834,709 |
|
Total |
640,000,000 |
525. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends to review the 2004 Tenancy Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3982/13]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. Following a review of the Act in 2009 Government approved the preparation of the Heads of a Bill to deliver on the review’s recommendations. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 was published on 19 July 2012 and Second Stage in the Dáil concluded on 24 January 2013.
526. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way the regeneration funding for estate regeneration has been reduced from €145 million in 2012 to €111.4 million; and the projects that will be affected by these cuts. [4126/13]
View answer527. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the regeneration projects that are being funded in 2013; and the amount that will be allocated to them. [4127/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 526 and 527 together.
Notwithstanding the constraints on capital expenditure a cross the various measures under my Department's Social Housing Investment Programme, I will continue to support the National Regeneration Programme to the fullest extent possible. I am determined that there will be no loss of momentum in 2013 in progressing regeneration projects in Dublin City, including the former PPP projects and Ballymun, and the other priority projects in Limerick City, Cork City and in a number of regional towns around the country. Work is currently underway in my Department on preparing the capital allocations under the housing programme for 2013, including allocations to agencies an d local authorities in respect of their regeneration programmes. I intend to announce details of these allocations as soon as possible.
