Written Answers Nos. 409-427
409. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding options available to a village (details supplied) in County Kerry that wishes to mark a major anniversary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19112/13]
View answerThe archaeological record of North Kerry and the Dingle peninsula shows evidence of settlement of profound antiquity, dating back to the Mesolithic period 8,000 – 4,000 BC. Located at the last crossing point on the river Maine and taking its name from a castle demolished in the Cromwellian wars, Castlemaine has a very rich heritage. There is no scheme that would provide funding on the basis of the 800th anniversary. Official support is channelled towards specific activities, events or developments that might be proposed by the community and it can be sought from several agencies under various schemes each with specific eligibility requirements. The exploration and celebration of local history contributes to education and community life. I send my best wishes for the success of this project and the assurance of my continuing interest.
410. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the estimated value of the pre-oil extraction industry here in recent years; if he has plans to develop this industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18259/13]
View answerThe Irish Offshore Operators Association estimate that in the region of €3 billion has been spent by the oil industry on exploration offshore Ireland and I understand a not dissimilar amount will have been spent on bringing gas from the Corrib field to the Grid. While much of the expenditure will have related to drilling rigs and seismic vessels, it also relates to expenditure on support and supply vessels and other services sourced at a local level, and the Corrib project has supported in the region of 1,000 direct jobs for several years.
The principal future return to Ireland from successful exploration will be through tax paid on profits from petroleum production. There will also be a secondary benefit in terms of economic activity generated by exploration and more particularly development and production projects. The main factor that will influence the development of the industry is successful exploration. The oil and gas potential of the Irish offshore is largely unproven and is likely to remain so until there is a significant and sustained increase in the number of exploration wells drilled. To this end my Department encourages exploration investment through an active and targeted promotion campaign, regular licensing rounds and by supporting petroleum research projects that deepen knowledge of the petroleum potential of the Irish offshore. Maintaining an appropriate fiscal regime is also critical to attracting this much need exploration investment to Ireland.
411. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the financial liability of the State to Radio Telefís Éireann should the finances of that organisation become unsustainable. [18425/13]
View answerRTÉ is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit and obligations are set out in Section 114 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. Section 98 provides that the company shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject to the requirements of the Act and as such, I, as Minister, have no function in the management of RTÉ’s day to day affairs including decisions it makes on its financial expenditure and on its budgetary position. These are purely matters for RTÉ management. RTÉ has a direct obligation under Section 105 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to ensure that its revenue is at the earliest possible date at least sufficient to meet all sums properly chargeable to its current account and to make suitable provisions with respect to capital expenditure. I am satisfied that RTÉ management is fully cognisant of this obligation and are taking all the necessary steps to ensure that the company continues to be in compliance with the terms of the provision. In this regard, I have engaged with the Director-General of RTÉ on a number of occasions since my appointment as Minister and I have made my view clear that a continuing deficit position is not tenable. I believe that RTÉ management fully concur with this and that the corporation is taking all the necessary steps in its intention to return to a breakeven position by the end of 2013. In the context, I believe it unnecessary and inappropriate to engage in the type of speculation being promulgated by the Deputy in his question.
412. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is working on obtaining a report from the British Government on the materials that were dumped off the coast of County Donegal after the issue was raised with him at the British-Irish Assembly last month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18782/13]
View answerThe matter of dumping at sea is not within my remit as Minster for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. To be of assistance to the Deputy, I have, however, made enquiries in relation to this issue, which was mentioned in the course of the recent British Irish Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Letterkenny on 4 March. I am also aware that Minister of State, Ciaran Cannon, TD, addressed this matter in a Adjournment Debate on 7th March last.
I am advised that the UK Ministry of Defence undertook sea dumping of weapons and munitions as a means of disposing of redundant and surplus stocks and dealing with the legacy of weapons produced in the World Wars. It is understood that the UK, which at the end of the war in 1945 had a surplus stock of 1.2 million tonnes, was not alone in this process and that most nations at the time disposed of such material by dumping at sea. The relevant legal framework is the Oslo Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft 1972, now OSPAR, at which Ireland is usually represented by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
In addition to OSPAR, Marine Notice No. 16 of 2001 issued by the then Department of the Marine and Natural Resources (now a matter for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport) to all fishermen and other users of the sea relates to explosives and other explosive missiles sighted, picked up in trawls at sea or removed from wrecks. This notice covers chemical and conventional munitions and requires all encounters with such munitions to be reported to the Naval Authorities via the Irish Coast Guard Coast Radio Stations. Information on the location and type of munitions dumped in the Convention area was supplied by contracting parties and published by OSPAR in 2005. The report identified more than 140 dump sites throughout the Convention area and this is believed to be the best information available. In general terms, the distribution of known Conventional munitions dump sites tends to be in inshore waters whereas chemical weapons were dumped further offshore.
I am aware that this issue has given rise to concerns and to be of further assistance to the Deputy, I will arrange for a copy of this question and reply to be forwarded to the Ministers of Environment, Community and Local Government and of Transport, Tourism and Sport, with a request that any additional information be forwarded to the Deputy.
413. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a breakdown on a county by county basis of the number of electricity/natural gas disconnections; the number of prepaid electricity meters installations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18788/13]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including disconnections, is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory regulator and one in which I have no statutory function. The CER provides quarterly and annual updates on the electricity and gas retail markets, including on disconnections, and further information may be found at:http://www.cer.ie/en/electricity-retail-market-reports-and-publications.aspx
.
Nevertheless, the number of disconnections is a matter of great concern to me as it is for the Government, the CER, voluntary organisations and suppliers. The rise in disconnections in recent years has coincided with the economic recession, which has caused customer arrears and debt levels to rise.
In line with the CER’s Code of Practice on disconnection, electricity and gas suppliers must facilitate payment options/plans for domestic customers experiencing genuine hardship and, where appropriate, engage with a money advisor acting on behalf of the customer or a recognised charity. This must include offering the customer a prepayment meter. According to CER’s published report on its website on Electricity and Gas Retail Markets, concerning the period to the end of September 2012, over 11,000 Pay as You Go electricity meters have been installed. That report also states that there are approximately 19,500 token meters in operation. In relation to gas the report states that for the period to end of September 2012, 63,933 Pay as You Go and token meters are installed, with 36,109 installed since December 2008. In addition, disconnections may not be initiated where a customer has entered into a payment plan with the supplier and is honouring that arrangement.
I welcome the fact that CER is working with energy suppliers to ensure that they take all reasonable steps to assist customers through this difficult period and that disconnections resulting from genuine inability to pay are minimised, and only occur as a very last resort. Implementation of the measures set out in the Government’s Affordable Energy Strategy, published last November, is pivotal to protecting the interests of vulnerable customers and improving energy affordability. In addition, the Government will continue to support the delivery of energy efficiency measures to vulnerable households in 2013. The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme has been allocated Exchequer funding of €18 million for 2013, which is expected to result in upgrades in over 10,000 homes.
414. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form the number of civil/public servants under the remit of his Department who earn more than €500,000, between €400,000-€500,00, €300,000 - €250,000, €250,000 - €200,000, €200,000 - €150,000, €150,000 - €100,000, €100,000 - €80,000, €80,000 - €60,000, €60,000 - €40,000 and less than €30,000. [18865/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy, in respect of my Department, is outlined as follows:
|
Salary Band |
Number of Staff |
|
0 – 30K |
47 |
|
30K - 40K |
47 |
|
40K - 60K |
95 |
|
60K - 80K |
41 |
|
80K - 100K |
28 |
|
100K - 150K |
9 |
|
150K - 200K |
1 |
No member of staff in my Department is paid a salary greater than €200,000. Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those organisations and my Department does not have the information sought by the Deputy.
415. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the 30 Mbps minimum national broadband penetration plan will be rolled out to the rural area surrounding Dungarvan, County Waterford. [19052/13]
View answerIreland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each County, including County Waterford, can be found on ComReg’s website at www.callcosts.ie.
The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market has failed to deliver such services, as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the Rural Broadband Scheme. NBS services are available within 31 of the 130 Electoral Divisions in County Waterford. The following table contains a list of these Electoral Divisions.
With basic broadband services widely available across Ireland, the focus is now on accelerating the roll out of high speed services. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of at least 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, well in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible. During the preparation of Ireland’s National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and mobile high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
The Government is also committed in the Plan to investing in areas where high speed services are not commercially viable and will not be provided by the market. In an important milestone towards delivery of this commitment in the Plan, my Department will shortly appoint experts, to assist in the design, planning and procurement of the State-led investment. Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations including stakeholder engagement will be on-going throughout 2013 with a view to the launch of a procurement process in 2014. It is expected that services will be available in areas such as Waterford after the procurement process is concluded and services are rolled out. It is likely that, Waterford may also benefit from parts of commercial roll out of high speed services.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, we are committed to increasing the availability of next generation speeds significantly, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in a digitally enabled society. I would reiterate that the Government remains committed to ensuring that all parts of Ireland, including all of County Waterford, will have at least 30Mbps connectivity, through public or private sector investment, as outlined in the National Broadband Plan.
Electoral Divisions (ED) covered by the NBS in County Waterford
|
ED Name |
ED Reference No. |
|
BALLYDUFF |
ED 227004 |
|
BALLYDURN |
ED 227005 |
|
BALLYNAMULT |
ED 227013 |
|
BALLYSAGGART MORE |
ED 227014 |
|
BOHADOON |
ED 227015 |
|
CARRIGCASTLE |
ED 227019 |
|
CASTLERICHARD |
ED 227021 |
|
CLASHMORE |
ED 227022 |
|
COLLIGAN |
ED 227025 |
|
COMERAGH |
ED 227026 |
|
COUMARAGLIN |
ED 227027 |
|
FEWS |
ED 227038 |
|
FOX'S CASTLE |
ED 227039 |
|
GARDENMORRIS |
ED 227040 |
|
GEORGESTOWN |
ED 227041 |
|
GLEN |
ED 227042 |
|
GRAIGNAGOWER |
ED 227045 |
|
GURTEEN |
ED 227048 |
|
KILBARRYMEADEN |
ED 227052 |
|
KILCOCKAN |
ED 227053 |
|
KILWATERMOY EAST |
ED 227062 |
|
KNOCKAUNBRANDAUN |
ED 227065 |
|
KNOCKMAHON |
ED 227066 |
|
MOCOLLOP |
ED 227068 |
|
MODELLIGO |
ED 227070 |
|
MOUNTKENNEDY |
ED 227072 |
|
RATHGORMUCK |
ED 227078 |
|
ROSS |
ED 227082 |
|
SESKINAN |
ED 227083 |
|
TEMPLEMICHAEL |
ED 227087 |
|
TINNASAGGART |
ED 227088 |
416. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has any plans to examine seabed ice gas reserves that lie off the South West Coast;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19111/13]
View answerI understand that there are early indications that methane hydrates may be present offshore of the west of Ireland, in particular in the area of the Rockall Basin. However, this is unproven and would require data acquisition, particularly core drilling, in order to establish any existence of hydrates offshore Ireland. Whilst methane hydrates may represent a future source of hydrocarbons, methane hydrate extraction and production technologies are still in developmental phase. As such the focus of my Department’s efforts is on the encouragement of exploration investment in the known, but largely unproven, oil and gas potential of Ireland’s offshore basins.
417. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will rule out the introduction of flat rate domestic water fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18257/13]
View answer441. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the key milestones in his plans to introduce water charges for residential property; and the dates on which such milestone are planned to be completed. [18722/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 417 and 441 together.
The Programme for Government and the Memorandum of Understanding with the EU, the IMF and the ECB provide for the introduction of domestic water charges. The current position is that domestic water charges will not commence before 2014. The Government will be reviewing the timeline for charges with programme partners at the next review of the Programme of Assistance which commences this week. My Department published the Water Sector Reform Implementation Strategy in October 2012. The implementation strategy sets out the high level milestones under the reform programme. The strategy is available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie.
The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. The Government has also decided that Irish Water, a new State-owned water company to be established as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, will be responsible for the metering programme. The Government will assign responsibility for the economic regulation of the water sector, including the setting of charges, to the Commission for Energy Regulation. The primary role of the regulator will be to protect the interests of customers and to ensure a consistent and appropriate level of service is provided to them. An appropriate approach to charging those customers who may not be metered when charges are introduced will be put in place. This will be structured in such a way as to ensure that it represents a reasonable proxy for usage and is fair. The approach to charges for both metered and unmetered properties will be included in a public consultation that will take place as part of the regulatory process.
418. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding will be made available by his Department for playground facilities in an area (details supplied) in County Wicklow in view of the number of unfinished building developments in the area and the number of first time buyers in the area with young families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18930/13]
View answerFunding may be available from my Department for rural areas, under the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, to support certain community actions such as playgrounds. Such actions under the programme are implemented by Local Development Companies contracted by my Department. They are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding and contact should be made with them directly. The contact is this case is Wicklow Partnership http://www.wicklowpartnership.ie/. Local authorities also provide services such as playgrounds. This is a matter for each local authority and my Department does not provide specific funding to individual local authorities towards this end.
419. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of houses that are actually exempted from the property tax charge in an estate (details supplied) in County Mayo; if he will acknowledge that the manner in which the exemptions were published has created confusion; if he will further acknowledge that it seems unfair that some houses have been exempted in this estate while others have not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19059/13]
View answerAn exemption from the local property tax applies to developments listed in the schedule to the Finance (Local Property Tax) Regulations 2013. The list of unfinished housing developments eligible for the exemption was compiled by local authorities utilising the categorisation employed for the purposes of the National Housing Survey 2012. The Survey was carried out over the course of summer 2012 by my Department in conjunction with local authorities and the Housing Agency.
The categorisation methodology for the survey was different to that which was used in 2011 and which provided the basis for the waiver from the household charge. That earlier categorisation related largely to the level of on-site activity at the time the 2011 survey was carried out and had less to do with the physical character of a development. The 2012 survey was based purely and objectively on the actual state of completion of a development. Only developments , or parts of developments, that were deemed by local authorities to be in a “seriously problematic condition”, regardless of whether a developer was on or off site, were included. Mayo County Council ha s indicated that only a portion of the Church Manor Estate in Ballina , Co Mayo , in which there is one residence, is in a seriously problematic condition.
420. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the restrictions that exist for membership of the State funded Inishbofin Development Company Limited (details supplied); if he is satisfied to allow this situation to exist despite several islanders feeling excluded by the criteria that has been imposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19082/13]
View answerMy Department is responsible for a range of programmes and initiatives to support communities including the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP). The LCDP aims to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership, and constructive engagement between Government and its agencies, and people in disadvantaged communities. The Programme is managed by Pobal on behalf of my Department and delivered at a local level by the nationwide network of Local Development Companies. Since the implementation of the integrated delivery structure for the LCDP my Department has no direct relationship with Inishbofin Development Company. Comhar na nOileán is the Local Development Company with responsibility for the delivery of the LCDP to the island communities and engages Inishbofin Development Company by way of a service level agreement to deliver LCDP services on that island. My Department has referred the matter to Pobal for their attention.
421. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any circumstances in which a local authority housing applicant can be put back on the housing list if they have been removed from it for refusing a second offer of local authority accommodation; if there are any provisions for exceptional circumstances in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18225/13]
View answerUnder the 2011 Regulations, where a household refuses two reasonable offers of accommodation within a continuous 12 month period that household will not be considered by any local authority for social housing support for a period of 12 months from the date of the second refusal. In such cases, the household remains on the list but is excluded from consideration for offers of accommodation for the 12 month period. During this time, the household is not entitled to accrue any benefit from being on the list for priority purposes. Guidance on the making of allocation schemes, including the issue of refusals, is available to all housing authorities both from my Department and the Housing Agency.
422. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an inspection of a project file (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18236/13]
View answerWith regard to the project in question, I am advised that the Inspection Services Division of my Department issued an inspection report to Mayo North East LEADER Partnership (MNELP) and the project promoter on 4 February 2013. A request for a review of the decision contained in the inspection report was subsequently submitted by MNELP. The review was completed on 1 March, and MNELP was advised that a number of issues had not been satisfactorily addressed. The letter also advised that an appeal of this decision could be submitted to the Regional Inspector. To date, no appeal has been received.
423. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position in relation to the mortgage to rent schemes; if same is being employed by local authorities around the country; if he will indicate if this scheme which is to assist people at risk of losing their homes, has been operated by Longford County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18263/13]
View answerOn foot of the recommendations of the Keane Report on mortgage arrears the Government launched a mortgage to rent scheme on a pilot basis in February 2012. This scheme was extended nationally in June 2012, targeting those low income families whose mortgage situation is unsustainable and where there is little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances in the foreseeable future. The scheme ensures that the family remains in their home, while ownership is transferred to an approved housing body who in turn rent it to the original owners. Eligibility requirements are in line with other forms of social housing support. To date, over 900 cases have been submitted by lenders. Of these, 370 borrowers have been engaged with or are in the process of being engaged with by the lender. 25 Sales have now been completed. A pilot mortgage to rent scheme for the most acute cases of local authority mortgage arrears is currently being operated by Westmeath County and Dublin City Councils ahead of national roll-out in the coming months.
424. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a dedicated person within his Department to liaise with other relevant Departments to facilitate and help persons (details supplied) who suffer from mental illness, who have difficulty accessing services such as benefits, getting on the social housing list and dealing with the rent allowance office. [18283/13]
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.
425. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money being allocated for septic tank upgrades in 2013 ; when inspections will begin and the total number of inspections expected to take place in 2013, 2014 and 2015. [18290/13]
View answer458. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide information regarding the code of practice being drawn up for septic tank inspectors; the dealings his Department has had with the Environmental Protection Agency on this matter; when he expects inspectors will be appointed and be in a position to start conducting inspections in particular local authorities (details supplied);; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19027/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 458 together.
The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 assigns responsibility to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make a National Inspection Plan for domestic wastewater treatment systems. The National Inspection Plan 2013: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems was adopted and published by the EPA in February 2013. The Plan provides for a minimum of 1,000 inspections to be carried out during the twelve-month period commencing in July 2013. It is a function of the water services authorities (the 34 county and city councils) to implement the Inspection Plan in their functional areas. Details of the minimum number of inspections for each council area are included in the Plan. The number of inspections for 2014 and 2015 will be a matter for the EPA and I have no direct role in that regard.
The Local Authority Services National Training Group, in consultation with my Department, the EPA and the water services authorities, is overseeing the development and delivery of a training course for inspectors. The course will shortly be available to water services authority personnel who meet the qualification criteria set out in the Water Services Act 2007 (Registration and Inspections) Regulations, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library. The EPA is responsible for the appointment of the inspectors who must have satisfactorily completed the training course.
In December 2012 I announced my intention to introduce a grant scheme to provide financial assistance to households whose septic tanks and other domestic wastewater treatment systems are deemed to require remediation following an inspection under the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012. Provision for the scheme is being made from my Department’s Vote in 2013. The grant scheme will only apply to owners of treatment systems which are the subject of an Advisory Notice issued by a water services authority following an inspection carried out under the 2012 Act. Full details of the scheme will be set out in regulations which I will make in advance of inspections commencing.
426. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the money being allocated for village renewal in 2013 and under what schemes can it be applied for. [18291/13]
View answerThe urban and village renewal scheme, previously administered by my Department, has been discontinued in the current financial context.
427. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the mechanism available to residents in a housing estate (details supplied) in County Kildare where the estate is not completed and the bond has expired; the way a person within the estate may have the sale of their house processed and other residents may have the unfinished works completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18299/13]
View answerI am chairing the National Co-ordination Committee (NCC) on Unfinished Housing Developments to oversee implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, together with the Government’s response to the recommendations. The Committee includes representatives from the Irish Banking Federation, local authorities, the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency, NAMA and the construction sector. Real progress is being made in tackling and resolving the issues faced by residents of unfinished estates and the Committee is meeting on a regular basis to oversee this effort. The NCC has produced a Guidance Manual on Resolving and Managing Unfinished Estates, a Key Stakeholders Code of Practice, and a Guide for Residents Living in Unfinished Housing Developments, all of which are available at www.housing.ie.
Site Resolution Plans (SRP’s) have been identified by the NCC as a key tool in resolving issues associated with unfinished housing developments. Such plans enable stakeholders, including developers, local authorities, financial institutions, NAMA and residents to collaborate in determining how best to pursue resolution of problematic sites. The process also entails working with stakeholders in identifying the best long-term solution for developments in terms of their configuration, use of vacant buildings and ownership. Such solutions also take account of the best interests of residents. In this context the activation of bonds and enforcement of planning regulations is a matter solely for the relevant local authority to pursue and my Department has no function in this regard or in regard to the sale of individual privately owned properties.
