Written Answers Nos. 344-359
345. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding eligibility for a scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15294/13]
View answerThe Momentum initiative provides free education and training projects for up to 6,500 long-term unemployed job seekers. The initiative is administered by FÁS and funded by the Department of Education & Skills through the National Training Fund (NTF) and co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF). In line with the commitments given in Pathways to Work, eligibility for the Momentum initiative is targeted at the long term unemployed and a participant must meet the following criteria: be unemployed and on the Live Register for 12 months (312 days) or longer and; be in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance/Benefit from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) or credited contributions for 12 months or longer and; be actively seeking work.
While in general receipt of a one parent family allowance does not satisfy the criteria for this initiative, there is a wide range of other activation supports available to those in receipt of this payment. It should also be noted that the Momentum initiative only represents a small percentage of the over 450,000 state-funded places provided in 2012 in further education, higher education and training, namely: 75,000 FÁS training places in 2012; 180,000 Further Education places 162,000 full-time Higher Education places, through Universities and Institutes of Technology across the country; Over 40,000 training places through Skillnets, including 8,000 for the unemployed, in partnership with private employers; Over 6,000 Springboard, free part-time higher education, places in 2012, with additional places to be announced for this year.
Eligibility for accessing many of these interventions is not contingent on receipt of a social welfare payment or signing for credited contributions. Extension of the initiative to those not associated with the Live Register is not being considered given the current size and construct of the Live Register, in particular the numbers of people who are now long-term unemployed.
346. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 105 of 31 January 2013, the main eligibility categories included under other children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15329/13]
View answerThe main eligibility categories included under other children are family income supplement, guardian’s payment (contributory) and guardian’s payment (non-contributory). The payment of monies under these schemes is dependent on the recipients either being parents or guardian to a minimum of one child, furthermore under the terms of these schemes there is no qualified child increase payable. I have set out below, for the Deputy’s information, a breakdown by scheme of the number children for whom payments are made in respect of these schemes.
Number of children for whom family income supplement, guardian’s payment (contributory) and (non-contributory) were made 2005 - 2012
|
Year |
Family Income Supplement |
Guardian’s Payment (Contributory) |
Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory) |
Totals |
|
2005 |
33,956 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
33,956 |
|
2006 |
43,861 |
Not available |
Not available |
43,861 |
|
2007 |
47,529 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
47,529 |
|
2008 |
58,019 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
58,019 |
|
2009 |
55,716 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
55,716 |
|
2010 |
62,240 |
557 |
1,165 |
63,962 |
|
2011 |
65,281 |
591 |
1,188 |
67,060 |
|
2012* |
73,238 |
583 |
1,178 |
74,999 |
*The number of children that family income supplement was paid in respect of at the end of 2012 has been revised upwards from 73,192 subsequent to the response I gave the Deputy to Parliamentary Question 105 of 31 January 2013.
347. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding rent allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15331/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 19 February 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 19 March 2013 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
348. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the annual saving to the public sector pay bill if non-commercial State agency pay was capped at €100,000. [15969/13]
View answerThe Agencies that operate under the aegis of the Department are the Pensions Board and the Citizens Information Board. The Office of the Pensions Ombudsman also falls under the remit of the Department.
As the Pensions Board is self-funded, the capping of pay would not result in any savings to the Exchequer.
Details in respect of the Citizens Information Board and the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman are as shown in the following table:
|
Organisation |
No. of salaries in excess of €100,000 p.a. |
Savings if salaries capped at €100,00 p.a. |
|
Citizens Information Board |
2 |
€23,664 |
|
Office of the Pensions Ombudsman |
1 |
€25,655 |
349. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to meet the relatives of the leaders and insurgents of the Easter Rising 1916. [14811/13]
View answer352. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will forward the Frank Myles Battlefield Report and the National Museum Report and Recommendations on Moore Street to the Save Moore Street group of relatives of the 1916 leaders and insurgents as promised at a 2012 meeting with the group. [14629/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 349 and 352 together.
As the Deputy is aware, my Department is currently considering an application for consent under section 14 of the National Monuments Act 1930, as amended, for proposals that include the provision of a commemorative centre to the 1916 Rising and its Leaders in the national monument. I have met various interest groups, including relatives of the 1916 Leaders, in relation to the consent application.
As the notice published by the landowner on 18 January 2013 relating to the environmental impact statement associated with the consent application was not compliant with the statutory requirements, the consent applicant was required to produce an amended public notice. This was published on 21 March 2013. A further period of 5 weeks from that date is now available for presentation of submissions or observations to my Department in relation to the environmental impact statement.
In general terms, it would be the norm that the release, if requested, of documents associated with such a consent application would take place following completion of the relevant deliberative processes. It should be noted that, as provided for by statute, the environmental impact statement in relation to the application is open for inspection at my Department's offices and those of Dublin City Council.
350. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will resolve issues of access for metal detectors on State lands; and if boundary issues near historical sites will be clarified so that members of the public can pursue the hobby of metal detecting. [14853/13]
View answer351. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding access to State land for persons using metal detectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14971/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together.
Measures to regulate the use of metal detectors were introduced in the National Monuments Act (Amendment) 1987 to protect our archaeological heritage from irreparable damage and loss from the indiscriminate use of metal detectors to search for artefacts or archaeological objects. The 1987 Act sets out the statutory provisions in relation to the general use of metal detectors to search for archaeological objects on any lands and the particular requirements applying to their use on protected monuments and archaeological sites. Detectors may be used only under the terms of Consents issued by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to named individuals for a specific site or sites only. In practice, such Consents are issued for professional archaeological purposes only. The locations and boundaries of protected monuments and archaeological sites are set out on the website of my Department’s National Monuments Service, www.archaeology.ie .
My Department, in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland, is currently drawing up an advice note for the public in relation to metal detecting. I expect the advice note to be available shortly.
353. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to introduce legislation to compel banks, in particular Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Bank to deal with the issue of abandoned property held in safe keeping, as much of this property is more than 100 year old it has the potential to be of significant historical and cultural value to the Irish nation, it belongs to either traceable beneficiaries or the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14678/13]
View answerPart IV of the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended, provides for the protection of architectural heritage. The Act gives primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect architectural heritage by including them on the Record of Protected Structures. Inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives planning authorities powers to deal with development proposals affecting them and to seek to safeguard their future. This also applies where the owner is a corporate body such as a bank.
I have no plans at the moment to introduce further specific legislation focused on any particular sector.
354. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he accepts that Moore Street and the 1916 Battlefield site, considering the events that took place there and the globally important works of literature these events inspired, should be added to UNESCO's list of world heritage sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14681/13]
View answerI refer to the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 5 on 13 March 2013.
355. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans for the urban regeneration of heritage quarters in counties Limerick and Waterford other than those outlined in the Living City Initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14684/13]
View answerI have no plans to introduce any urban regeneration initiatives of heritage quarters in Counties Limerick and Waterford in 2013 other than to assist those outlined in the Living City Initiative as developed by the Department of Finance.
It should be noted that my Department launched a pilot Historic Towns Initiative earlier this year. This Initiative is a joint undertaking by my Department, the Heritage Council and Fáilte Ireland to promote the heritage-led regeneration of Ireland’s historic towns. Three towns – Listowel in County Kerry, Youghal in County Cork and Westport in County Mayo – have been chosen to pilot the initiative in 2013-2014. Consideration will be given to rolling this out to further locations following assessment of the pilot phase.
356. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form a list of the Foras na Gaeilge board members to include their name and the annual fee paid to each member. [14831/13]
View answerThe board members of Foras na Gaeilge are as follows:
Liam Ó Maolmhichíl (Chair)
Eoghan Mac Cormaic (Vice-Chair)
Pól Callaghan
Colm Cavanagh
Áine Ní Chiaráin
Bríd Ní Chonghóile
Liam Kennedy
Seosamh Mac Donnchadha
Tomás Mac Eochagáin
Marcas Mac Ruairí
Seán Micheál Ó Dómhnaill
Dónal Ó hAiniféin
Therese Ruane
Tomás Sharkey
Caitríona Ní Shúilleabháin
Éamonn Ó Gribín
The annual fees payable to board members are as follows:
Chair €11,970 / £8,140 Stg
Vice-Chair €9,830 / £6,690 Stg
Member €7,795 / £5,235 Stg
It may be noted that fees are not being paid in certain cases due to voluntary waivers by the members in question or because the "one person, one salary" principle is being applied in the case of public servants who fall within circular E109/247/74, issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
357. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the annual saving to the public sector pay bill if non-commercial State agency pay was capped at €100,000. [15962/13]
View answerThe annual savings to the public sector pay bill in respect of the non-commercial State Agencies under the aegis of my Department that would arise in the event of the introduction of a salary cap of €100,000, as described by the Deputy, is summarised in the table following:
|
Agency |
Total Annualised Savings €000's |
|
Irish Film Board |
1 |
|
National Museum of Ireland |
2 |
|
Heritage Council |
17 |
|
Foras na Gaeilge |
21 |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
79 |
|
Total |
120 |
358. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding a draft net licence for salmon in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15326/13]
View answerThe Control of Fishing for Salmon Order 2013, SI No. 75 of 2013 sets out the process and the criteria for the issuing, by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), of commercial salmon licences in 2013 and also allows for up to 14 commercial public draft net licences in the Kerry District.
I am advised by IFI that all valid applications for licences for the Kerry District will be categorised under the criteria laid down in the Salmon Order 2013 and the applications which achieve the highest categorisation will be awarded the available licences.
All applications will be reviewed following the closing date for receipt of applications which is 17:00 on Friday 29 March. As the independent licensing process is ongoing at present I am not in a position to comment on one individual application ahead of any determination by IFI in line with the established criteria.
359. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the policy he is pursuing in relation anaerobic digestion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14828/13]
View answerAnaerobic digestion (AD) is a natural process involving the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. The biogas that is produced can be used to generate electricity, provide heat or can be used as a biofuel in the transport sector. Biogas can also be upgraded by removing impurities to create biomethane, a direct substitute for Natural Gas, which can be injected directly into the natural gas network.
The REFIT scheme for biomass (REFIT3), which was opened in February 2012, is designed to incentivise the addition of 310 Megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity capacity from bioenergy to the Irish electricity grid. A number of technologies are being supported by REFIT3 including anaerobic digestion with 50 MW allocated for AD technologies. These technologies include Combined Heat and Power (CHP) where the heat created in the generation process is also used.
The REFIT schemes operate by guaranteeing a minimum price for renewable electricity generated and exported to the grid over a 15 year period. The current minimum prices payable for AD technologies are as follows:
AD CHP (units up to 500 kW) €156.516 per Megawatt Hour
AD CHP (units greater than 500 kW) €135.647 per MWh
AD (non CHP) (up to 500 kW) €114.779 per MWh
AD (non CHP) (greater than 500 kW) €104.344 per MWh.
The Biofuel Obligation Scheme, which has been in operation since 2010, works by obligating large road transport fuel suppliers to bring a certain amount of sustainable biofuels to the market. If placed on the market as a transport fuel, gaseous biofuels such as biogas or biomethane could be counted towards a fuel supplier’s biofuel obligation. As the biofuel market increases in line with the biofuel obligation, opportunities for indigenous biofuel production will increase also. This, in turn, may provide further opportunities for anaerobic digestion.
Further analysis is required on a cross-Departmental basis on the economic, technical and regulatory aspects of injecting biomethane into the gas grid.
