Written Answers Nos. 161-168
161. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made to date in the setting up of structures to deal with the pyrite issue, with particular reference to the staffing level requirements and the appointment of board members to the proposed pyremco; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15814/13]
View answer162. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he has had discussions with the construction industry, Homebond and quarry stakeholders in the context of resolution and remediation arising from pyrite damage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15815/13]
View answer163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress that has been made in setting up a loan facility to address the issue of structural damage and consequent financial loss to home owners affecting by the use of pyrite related materials in the course of construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15816/13]
View answer164. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the discussions with the various stakeholders in the insurance sector, construction sector and quarry owners, in the context of addressing the issues of cost and damage done by pyrite materials in the construction of homes with particular reference to identification of the totality of home owners affected; the extent to which any new provisions are likely to address these issues; if progress is reported in the context of discussions with the Insurance Federation in respect of the sharing of responsibility to address the losses of home owners whose dwellings have been affected by pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15817/13]
View answer165. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if and when it is expected to introduce legislation to regulate, identify and address the matter of liability and compensation for home owners, the structure of whose homes have been affected by the use of pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15818/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 161 to 165, inclusive, together.
I have recently established the Pyrite Resolution Board under the chairmanship of Mr. John O’Connor, former Chairman of An Bord Pleanála, to oversee and ensure the effective implementation of a pyrite remediation programme for homeowners who have no alternative avenues for redress. I have also appointed four other Board members, who together with the Chairman, have the particular range of skills and experience to ensure that the public interest, and the interest of the affected homeowners, will be well served.
Following receipt of the report of the independent Pyrite Panel at the end of June 2012, my Department and I engaged in extensive discussions with the Construction Industry Federation, the Irish Concrete Federation and HomeBond resulting in their agreement to establish a not-for profit entity to operate a pyrite remediation scheme under the supervision of the Pyrite Resolution Board. I am hopeful that the entity will be established as quickly as possible and it will work closely with the Resolution Board in the delivery of an efficient and effective remediation scheme for homeowners. Appointment of Board members of the entity will be a matter for the three construction stakeholders who are setting up the entity and while staffing will also be a matter for the Board of the entity it will be the subject to discussion with the Pyrite Resolution Board.
The Insurance sector did not engage constructively with my Department and did not express any willingness to be involved in a resolution process.
My Department is engaging in preliminary discussions with a number of financial institutions facilitated by the Irish Banking Federation with a view to securing a loan facility which the not-for-profit entity would draw down to permit the earliest possible commencement of pyrite remediation works. The detailed negotiations with the prospective lenders on the terms and conditions of this facility will be concluded by the not-for-profit entity. The loan facility is intended to defray the costs of pyrite remediation work and ancillary costs only.
From information supplied to the Pyrite Panel (March 2012), it appears that, in general, the pyrite problem is confined to five local authority areas, i.e. Dublin City, Fingal, Kildare, Meath and Offaly. Seventy four (74) estates with 12,250 ground floor dwellings were identified to the Panel during the course of its work as possibly having pyrite problems. Of these dwellings, the Panel understood that approximately 1,100 dwellings have already been remediated or were in the process of being remediated at that time and approximately 850 dwellings had a claim with a guarantee provider. Taking a pessimistic view, the Panel concluded that the remaining 10,300 ground floor dwellings represented the maximum estimated future potential exposure to pyrite problems. Having regard to the robust methodology used by the Pyrite Panel in arriving at the above figures and the rate of presentation in Ireland, I believe the figures represent a reasonably accurate picture of the extent of potential exposure to the pyrite problem. However, the Panel also noted that not all dwellings in estates where pyrite has been identified will manifest pyritic damage and the reasons for this are detailed in the pyrite report.
In December, 2012 the Government approved the imposition of a levy on the quarrying and insurance sectors as a mechanism to fund a pyrite remediation scheme as recommended in the pyrite report. Primary legislation is required to underpin the imposition of the levy and my Department is currently advancing the drafting of the General Scheme of a Bill to provide for this. It is my intention that the Bill will be published and enacted in the shortest possible timeframe.
The purpose of the resolution process that my Department and I have been advancing over the latter part of 2012 is to provide cost effective remediation scheme for homeowners affected by pyrite who have no other avenues of redress. The establishment of liability is a matter for the Courts, and it is matter for homeowners themselves to decide if such a course of action is appropriate to their own particular circumstances.
166. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider introducing a scheme to provide loans to low income families for the replacement of windows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15842/13]
View answerLocal authorities have powers, under section 11 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 to make available housing loans for, inter alia, the construction or acquisition of houses. However, there is no scheme for making loans for the replacement of windows and I have no plans to introduce such a scheme.
167. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether the current guidelines for the installation of wind turbines are sufficiently robust; and his further his views on whether the existing planning process promotes sustainable energy and protects the rights of residents and their communities. [15864/13]
View answerThe Wind Energy Development Guidelines (June 2006) provide guidance to planning authorities on catering for wind energy through the development plan process. The guidelines are also intended to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country in the identification of suitable locations for wind energy development and the treatment of planning applications for such developments.
To ensure that Ireland continues to meet its renewable energy targets and, at the same time, that wind energy does not have negative impacts on local communities, my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and other stakeholders, is undertaking a targeted review of certain aspects of the Wind Energy Guidelines 2006.
This focused review will examine the manner in which the Guidelines address key issues of community concern such as noise, proximity and visual amenity and any other potential impacts, as considered appropriate, as well as ways of building community support for wind energy development.
The press notice - issued on 30 January 2013 – marks only the initial stage in that review process. It is essentially a pre-draft consultation intended to inform the preparation of revised draft guidelines. This early consultation allows for the public and other stakeholders to input into the process at an early stage. Other stakeholders that will be consulted include the Environmental Protection Agency and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
All statutory planning guidelines issue first in draft form for public consultation over a period of a couple of months. Once the consultation period is closed the submissions received on the draft guidelines are considered and taken into account in the final form of the guidelines. The draft guidelines will – like all other new or revised guidelines – go out for extensive public consultation for a period of 6 weeks to 2 months. The indicative timetable for the publication of the draft guidelines is Quarter 4 2013.
Planning legislation provides for extensive public notification of proposed development at the development management stage, including proposed development for wind energy purposes. For example, article 17 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 – 2010 requires an applicant to erect a site notice in order to lodge a valid application for planning permission. Article 19 of the Regulations requires that this notice must be placed in a conspicuous position on or near the main entrance from a public road to the land or structure concerned, so as to be easily visible and legible by persons using the public road. Alternatively, if the land or structure does not adjoin a public road, the site notice should be placed so as to be easily visible and legible by persons outside the land or structure. The site notice must contain the date on which the site notice is erected and state that the planning application may be inspected or purchased at the offices of the planning authority and that a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing, on payment of the prescribed fee, within the 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application. The applicant must erect the site notice no sooner than 2 weeks before making the application for permission in order to facilitate third party inspection of the application. Where it appears to a planning authority that any notice does not comply with these requirements, it may require the applicant to give further notice and evidence in relation to compliance with such a requirement. Article 18 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2006 also provides that a notice be published in a newspaper approved for this purpose. Each planning authority must decide which newspapers should be included on its approved list of newspapers to ensure that the newspapers used for the purpose of such notices have a sufficiently large circulation in its functional area.
In addition the planning authority must, under section 34(3) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, have regard to any observations or submissions received concerning the proposed development in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Any person who makes a submission to the planning authority may appeal the decision of the planning authority to An Bord Pleanála. The Board in some instances, at its own discretion, holds oral hearings in relation to cases being considered by it, further adding to the opportunities to participate in the decision-making process.
168. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total amount raised by each local authority in parking fees for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15878/13]
View answerThe Annual Financial Statement of each local authority provides an analysis of their income from goods and services.
Local authority income from parking fines and charges in respect of the years 200 6 to 2010, the latest year for which audited information is available, is set out in the following table.
|
County Councils |
2010 |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
|
Carlow |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
17,996 |
23,670 |
33,160 |
43,403 |
26,266 |
|
Clare |
217,590 |
283,833 |
271,929 |
259,779 |
1,144,803 |
|
Cork |
192,252 |
208,083 |
243,622 |
246,149 |
123,992 |
|
Donegal |
398,144 |
479,565 |
586,954 |
601,181 |
575,298 |
|
Fingal |
2,173,083 |
2,308,978 |
2,445,315 |
2,417,020 |
1,414,885 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
4,400,000 |
5,500,865 |
5,500,000 |
3,499,867 |
1,500,000 |
|
Galway |
827,277 |
1,125,057 |
865,606 |
713,023 |
864,539 |
|
Kerry |
71,697 |
69,418 |
83,742 |
103,433 |
80,394 |
|
Kildare |
1,516,752 |
1,803,188 |
1,691,368 |
1,551,882 |
1,142,794 |
|
Kilkenny |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laois |
962,310 |
986,747 |
930,677 |
801,208 |
616,351 |
|
Leitrim |
113,058 |
160,618 |
138,642 |
148,402 |
124,710 |
|
Limerick |
44,041 |
45,382 |
53,609 |
60,157 |
66,394 |
|
Longford |
0 |
1,938 |
7,413 |
3,199 |
1,225 |
|
Louth |
257,729 |
300,757 |
341,694 |
341,052 |
322,999 |
|
Mayo |
361,164 |
379,234 |
428,270 |
450,848 |
14,191 |
|
Meath |
20,876 |
28,173 |
17,973 |
0 |
9,824 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
North Tipperary |
173,597 |
209,774 |
240,778 |
275,067 |
135 |
|
Offaly |
3,880 |
4,770 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
South Dublin |
396,768 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
South Tipperary |
5,534 |
3,998 |
18,466 |
0 |
0 |
|
Waterford |
28,440 |
26,650 |
33,870 |
1,430 |
1,180 |
|
Westmeath |
1,356,881 |
1,521,224 |
1,582,157 |
1,414,867 |
1,041,507 |
|
Wexford |
356,341 |
420,520 |
458,332 |
440,026 |
431,059 |
|
Wicklow |
451,989 |
616,158 |
371,645 |
171,534 |
163,478 |
|
City Councils |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cork |
9,722,570 |
10,245,110 |
10,603,789 |
10,679,843 |
10,509,271 |
|
Dublin |
30,920,479 |
37,517,696 |
33,236,583 |
33,279,122 |
4,262,938 |
|
Galway |
4,343,035 |
4,577,782 |
4,500,701 |
4,309,704 |
3,792,360 |
|
Limerick |
2,145,601 |
2,369,942 |
2,387,295 |
2,450,151 |
2,428,157 |
|
Waterford |
2,760,381 |
3,088,860 |
2,888,385 |
2,100,016 |
2,028,026 |
|
Town & Borough Councils |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clonmel |
1,861,069 |
2,046,837 |
2,173,314 |
1,816,768 |
1,732,297 |
|
Drogheda |
1,637,561 |
335,128 |
438,717 |
378,753 |
307,983 |
|
Kilkenny |
2,236,269 |
2,248,552 |
1,855,211 |
1,969,033 |
1,913,025 |
|
Sligo |
1,920,536 |
2,171,177 |
2,292,961 |
1,975,871 |
1,662,458 |
|
Wexford |
1,171,642 |
1,401,725 |
1,297,764 |
1,451,297 |
1,476,117 |
|
Arklow |
438,775 |
316,285 |
464,127 |
612,144 |
365,755 |
|
Athlone |
531,959 |
639,472 |
692,012 |
670,114 |
598,952 |
|
Athy |
223,157 |
226,745 |
224,392 |
231,053 |
205,746 |
|
Ballina |
852,857 |
841,476 |
890,911 |
844,165 |
755,768 |
|
Ballinasloe |
217,829 |
286,065 |
20,515 |
20,070 |
13,434 |
|
Birr |
72,829 |
91,965 |
88,732 |
83,717 |
51,981 |
|
Bray |
1,233,754 |
1,291,285 |
919,270 |
863,923 |
0 |
|
Buncrana |
162,940 |
214,675 |
272,870 |
400 |
0 |
|
Bundoran |
161,533 |
185,750 |
225,336 |
251,195 |
187,092 |
|
Carlow |
744,473 |
774,251 |
451,047 |
513,707 |
582,177 |
|
Carrick on Suir |
254,460 |
304,018 |
329,928 |
241,817 |
219,403 |
|
Carrickmacross |
10,215 |
6,165 |
21,029 |
11,760 |
9,001 |
|
Cashel |
357,325 |
378,854 |
383,860 |
277,550 |
258,090 |
|
Castlebar |
991,636 |
1,185,284 |
1,061,833 |
1,173,007 |
1,045,979 |
|
Castleblayney |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
607,089 |
666,904 |
801,810 |
780,288 |
710,991 |
|
Clonakility |
8,600 |
15,780 |
22,530 |
22,510 |
21,927 |
|
Clones |
1,020 |
900 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cobh |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Dundalk |
1,381,611 |
1,607,708 |
1,564,280 |
1,501,199 |
1,366,217 |
|
Dungarvan |
457,014 |
498,436 |
550,450 |
581,347 |
356,570 |
|
Ennis |
1,407,147 |
1,484,957 |
1,531,818 |
1,649,312 |
1,475,762 |
|
Enniscorthy |
464,928 |
541,603 |
704,606 |
577,119 |
732,318 |
|
Fermoy |
333,129 |
355,072 |
379,469 |
334,207 |
283,060 |
|
Kells |
363,727 |
451,837 |
490,763 |
421,135 |
377,360 |
|
Killarney |
1,315,589 |
1,467,238 |
1,498,307 |
1,439,217 |
1,361,477 |
|
Kilrush |
100,526 |
118,449 |
130,814 |
158,496 |
118,706 |
|
Kinsale |
281,771 |
243,711 |
237,764 |
178,682 |
100,173 |
|
Letterkenny |
177,696 |
216,972 |
262,011 |
300,524 |
271,751 |
|
Listowel |
160,220 |
186,810 |
214,903 |
212,651 |
195,480 |
|
Longford |
1,293,554 |
1,632,198 |
1,363,081 |
849,371 |
636,870 |
|
Macroom |
168,748 |
90,329 |
93,753 |
103,041 |
90,156 |
|
Mallow |
323,200 |
239,163 |
259,649 |
262,845 |
231,845 |
|
Midleton |
78,760 |
34,370 |
38,340 |
35,110 |
28,737 |
|
Monaghan |
725,938 |
835,855 |
1,006,238 |
1,171,120 |
1,111,745 |
|
Naas |
853,702 |
915,594 |
1,020,167 |
881,916 |
713,686 |
|
Navan |
1,125,949 |
1,412,882 |
1,327,599 |
1,230,822 |
1,391,387 |
|
Nenagh |
570,098 |
628,723 |
638,976 |
670,925 |
554,329 |
|
New Ross |
423,940 |
446,287 |
711,680 |
592,132 |
510,283 |
|
Skibbereen |
31,160 |
33,530 |
30,812 |
28,730 |
29,254 |
|
Templemore |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Thurles |
516,541 |
636,476 |
670,975 |
584,490 |
479,324 |
|
Tipperary |
174,381 |
205,827 |
181,195 |
125,308 |
118,222 |
|
Tralee |
1,675,729 |
1,984,139 |
2,109,658 |
2,121,532 |
1,893,713 |
|
Trim |
282,615 |
342,293 |
274,333 |
347,096 |
149,952 |
|
Tullamore |
805,589 |
938,715 |
977,738 |
1,063,972 |
863,292 |
|
Westport |
127,405 |
204,489 |
223,523 |
253,936 |
195,238 |
|
Wicklow |
500,259 |
567,734 |
38,616 |
565,179 |
521,319 |
|
Youghal |
137,679 |
150,652 |
138,377 |
139,772 |
132,420 |
|
Total |
€96,195,598 |
€108,409,329 |
€103,560,036 |
€98,932,687 |
€61,095,595 |
