Clare Daly
Question:176. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the access and rights that will be afforded to adopted people in tracing their genealogy as part of the Irish genealogy. [19157/13]
View answerIrish Genealogy
Questions (176)
Written answers
As the Deputy may be aware, the issue of adoption is dealt with by my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms Frances Fitzgerald, T.D.
My Department runs a website www.irishgenealogy.ie, which has two main elements. The first element contains almost 3 million Church records of births, marriages and burials, which may be searched free of charge. The second element is a recently launched webportal, which enables users to search genealogy records from a number of on-line sources. The website is free to access and contains no restrictions surrounding access to records held on the site.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (177, 178)
Seán Fleming
Question:177. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if any of his Department’s 2012 capital expenditure allocation was used for current expenditure purposes last year, the amount used for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19212/13]
View answerSeán Fleming
Question:178. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide the month by month profile for his Department's 2013 capital expendiuture;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19228/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Question Nos. 177 and 178 together.
I can confirm for the Deputy that none of my Department’s 2012 capital allocation was used for current expenditure purposes last year. In relation to my Department’s 2013 capital allocation, a month by month profile of the allocation is provided in the following table. The profile includes a €10.4m capital carryover from 2012.
2013 Capital Profile
|
Month |
€000 |
|
January |
3,833 |
|
February |
2,952 |
|
March |
3,224 |
|
April |
8,053 |
|
May |
5,934 |
|
June |
11,460 |
|
July |
8,149 |
|
August |
5,316 |
|
September |
8,234 |
|
October |
9,157 |
|
November |
13,320 |
|
December |
15,768 |
|
Total |
95,400 |
Departmental Bodies
Questions (179)
Luke 'Ming' Flanagan
Question:179. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will reconsider the appointment of a person (details supplied) to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, that this person's position is in conflict with his directorship of Mainstream Renewable Power, which is seeking to build hundreds of wind turbines in the midlands; in view of the fact that the SEAI have been tasked by him to determine issues related to deciding the appropriate separation distance between wind turbines and family homes, if minimum separation distances are increased wind farm developers state that they will be building fewer turbines which will impact their ability to generate profits; if he will consider appointing the EPA, as the statutory body for issues concerning noise; if he will undertake matters related to the review of the guidelines, as the SEAI have a conflicting role in that they are tasked with promoting wind energy; his views on whether this person's involvement as director and advocate for Mainstream Renewable Power undermines the credibility of the SEAI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19358/13]
View answerWritten answers
In January of this year I signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with my UK counterpart, Mr. Edward Davey M.P., to explore the potential for exporting wind based renewable energy from Ireland to the UK. Intensive discussions are being progressed by my Department and its UK counterpart on this matter. Whilst the signing of the MOU indicates a strong statement of intent on the part of both Governments, considerable work remains to be done to put the necessary comprehensive framework in place. This would be necessary in advance of any specific project being implemented and any such project will be subject to all appropriate statutory consents. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has no statutory responsibility in this regard and also has no regulatory role in the area or in relation to noise control.
More generally, a technical review of the Wind Energy Guidelines is being overseen by officials from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, my Department and the SEAI. This review will be completed later this year. SEAI has been commissioned to conduct a targeted study of certain aspects of the Wind Energy Guidelines 2006. This study will examine the manner in which the guidelines address key issues of community concern such as noise (including separation distance) and shadow flicker. The study will be one input into the review of the Wind Energy Guidelines. I have no doubt that SEAI will discharge this work in a fully objective manner.
The Environmental Protection Agency is an independent public body operating under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and issues concerning its remit are in the first instance a matter for the Minister of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Finally, the appointments of the Chair and Directors to the Board of SEAI are made in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Sustainable Energy Act 2002. The Board acts in accordance with the revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies published by the Department of Finance in 2009, and all Board members are required to make Statements of Interests under the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001.
Public Service Pension Scheme
Questions (180)
Gerry Adams
Question:180. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason part time fire-fighters are not entitled to a pension although they are paying a pension levy [19196/13]
View answerWritten answers
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009, provides that any public servant, who is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme or receives payment in lieu of membership in such a scheme, is subject to a deduction from their remuneration.
In 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS). Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of actual service (up to a maximum of four times the annual retainer). This is a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme and as such retained fire-fighters are subject to the deduction provided for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009.
All retained fire-fighters appointed after 1 January 2013 must join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.
Energy Efficiency Programme
Questions (181)
Róisín Shortall
Question:181. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the positive results achieved under the DEHLG2010 Energy Efficiency Programme by Dublin City Council where the BER rating on senior citizens' homes in the pilot area went from an F/G rating to a C1/B3 rating and additionally the significant savings which this has provided for the residents; in view of this, if he will outline his plans to extend this funding programme in order that similar retrofitting can be carried out across other senior citizen housing complexes. [19330/13]
View answerWritten answers
The enhancement of energy efficiency standards remains a priority within my Department. In March, I announced a capital allocation of €10m to local authorities in respect of these energy efficiency retrofitting works for this year.
This year’s programme includes a retrofitting measure aimed at improving the energy efficiency of older apartments and houses by reducing heat loss through the fabric of the building. Over the past two years the retrofitting measure focussed on improvement works with the objective of returning as many vacant units as possible to productive use. Over that period some €52.5 million was recouped to local authorities in respect of improvements carried out to 4,774 dwellings.
In 2013 I am targeting grants at those older houses and apartments which lack adequate insulation and draught proofing. Local authorities have been advised to pay particular attention to dwellings which accommodate older people and people with disabilities.
The retrofitting programme offers a very practical and cost-effective way for local authorities to improve the standard of their housing stock. The programme brings immediate as well as long term benefits for the community as a whole in terms of sustaining and creating jobs, and delivering a greener Ireland for the future.
Motor Tax Collection
Questions (182)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:182. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the following matter regarding motor tax (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19385/13]
View answerWritten answers
There have been no recent changes to the supporting documentation required for the taxing of a commercial vehicle. Licensing authorities have an obligation under Article 3 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 to be satisfied that a vehicle is correctly taxed and the authority must have adequate documentation to support a claim for the goods rate of motor tax. Such documentation may include evidence of registration for VAT purposes, a certificate of commercial insurance or, at the discretion of the licensing authority concerned, any other appropriate document that would indicate that the applicant is in trade or business. It is up to the individual concerned to provide whatever evidence is required by the licensing authority in order for it to be satisfied that the applicant is entitled to claim a commercial rate of tax.
Household Charge Collection
Questions (183)
Clare Daly
Question:183. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline, on a local authority basis, the compliance rate for payment of the household tax per month since November 2012. [19188/13]
View answerWritten answers
The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the Household Charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date is liable to pay the Household Charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. It is a matter for an owner of a residential property to determine liability and pay the Charge.
The Local Government Management Agency is administering the Household Charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. The attached table details the properties registered for the Household Charge , including waiver registrations, by local authority area on 30 November 2012, 31 December 2012 , 31 January 2013, 28 February 2013, 31 March 2013 and on 19 April 2013, expressed as a percentage of the number of estimated liable properties.
I am advised by the Agency that due to relatively low volumes, waiver details are not automatically extracted on a daily basis and the numbers of waivers cannot be retrospectively generated once a date has passed. Therefore, in assembling the table, the figure for the number of waivers for some dates has been estimated by the Agency using the closest available date for which waiver figures are recorded. Given the low number of waivers as a proportion of the total number of properties registered, the impact on the attached table is likely to be minimal, if any.
|
County/City Council |
Estimated No. of Liable Properties |
Properties Registered as a % of Liable Properties 30/11/2012 |
Properties Registered as a % of Liable Properties 31/12/2012 |
Properties Registered as a % of Liable Properties 31/1/2013 |
Properties Registered as a % of Liable Properties 28/2/2013 |
Properties Registered as a % of Liable Properties 31/3/2013 |
Properties Registered as a % of Liable Properties 19/4/2013 |
|
Carlow |
18,257 |
66.20% |
68.10% |
70.50% |
71.80% |
72.70% |
73.60% |
|
Cavan |
25,611 |
67.20% |
68.30% |
69.90% |
70.90% |
71.60% |
72.30% |
|
Clare |
45,786 |
72.10% |
73.30% |
74.70% |
76.30% |
77.40% |
78.30% |
|
Cork City |
41,649 |
67.50% |
68.30% |
69.00% |
69.60% |
70.60% |
71.70% |
|
Cork County |
143,887 |
64.70% |
66.50% |
68.00% |
69.00% |
70.10% |
70.90% |
|
Donegal |
65,331 |
55.30% |
57.10% |
58.80% |
60.70% |
61.60% |
62.50% |
|
Dublin City |
190,685 |
72.60% |
73.30% |
74.20% |
74.50% |
75.40% |
76.10% |
|
Dún Laoghaire -Rathdown |
74,390 |
85.20% |
85.80% |
86.60% |
86.90% |
87.50% |
88.00% |
|
Fingal |
90,286 |
68.80% |
69.90% |
71.00% |
71.60% |
72.80% |
73.70% |
|
Galway City |
27,086 |
74.50% |
77.60% |
78.60% |
79.20% |
79.90% |
80.70% |
|
Galway County |
62,851 |
66.40% |
66.80% |
69.40% |
71.10% |
72.00% |
73.10% |
|
Kerry |
58,792 |
73.90% |
74.70% |
75.70% |
76.60% |
77.30% |
78.20% |
|
Kildare |
68,215 |
67.20% |
68.30% |
69.70% |
70.30% |
71.40% |
72.30% |
|
Kilkenny |
32,067 |
66.70% |
68.40% |
70.40% |
71.20% |
72.00% |
72.80% |
|
Laois |
26,185 |
62.80% |
63.70% |
65.40% |
66.50% |
67.30% |
68.10% |
|
Leitrim |
13,069 |
70.20% |
70.80% |
72.60% |
73.60% |
74.80% |
75.70% |
|
Limerick City |
20,380 |
69.40% |
70.10% |
70.80% |
71.50% |
72.90% |
73.80% |
|
Limerick County |
46,473 |
68.30% |
69.20% |
70.70% |
71.50% |
72.50% |
73.40% |
|
Longford |
12,928 |
67.90% |
70.10% |
72.30% |
74.10% |
75.10% |
76.20% |
|
Louth |
41,176 |
61.30% |
62.60% |
64.20% |
64.90% |
65.80% |
66.50% |
|
Mayo |
51,363 |
75.40% |
76.70% |
79.50% |
80.90% |
81.60% |
82.10% |
|
Meath |
60,652 |
63.10% |
64.70% |
66.00% |
66.80% |
67.70% |
68.50% |
|
Monaghan |
20,176 |
68.80% |
69.50% |
71.40% |
72.00% |
72.90% |
73.40% |
|
North Tipperary |
24,839 |
72.80% |
73.60% |
75.00% |
75.80% |
77.00% |
77.60% |
|
Offaly |
25,224 |
60.20% |
62.40% |
63.70% |
65.10% |
66.10% |
67.10% |
|
Roscommon |
23,888 |
67.50% |
69.50% |
73.40% |
75.40% |
76.30% |
77.30% |
|
Sligo |
25,281 |
70.50% |
72.40% |
75.10% |
76.20% |
77.10% |
78.20% |
|
South Dublin |
81,822 |
64.00% |
65.10% |
66.00% |
66.50% |
67.70% |
68.80% |
|
South Tipperary |
30,368 |
68.30% |
69.20% |
70.70% |
71.50% |
72.30% |
73.20% |
|
Waterford City |
15,753 |
67.70% |
68.40% |
69.50% |
70.10% |
70.90% |
71.70% |
|
Waterford County |
24,777 |
66.50% |
67.30% |
68.50% |
69.40% |
70.40% |
71.30% |
|
Westmeath |
29,872 |
68.40% |
69.20% |
70.30% |
71.00% |
71.70% |
72.90% |
|
Wexford |
56,030 |
65.50% |
66.30% |
68.00% |
69.10% |
70.00% |
70.80% |
|
Wicklow |
45,665 |
70.20% |
70.90% |
71.90% |
72.60% |
73.40% |
74.10% |
Housing Grants
Questions (184)
Robert Troy
Question:184. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will allocate the much needed funding to Westmeath County Council for housing grants. [19191/13]
View answerWritten answers
On 22 February 2013 I announced capital allocations to local authorities under the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability amounting to €42.750 million. This year I allocated local authorities the full amount of their contractual commitments which, in the case of Westmeath County Council, amounted to €47,803. The balance of the available funding was allocated on the basis of each authority’s share of the new applications on hand in January 2013. This brought Westmeath County Council’s overall allocation to €435,722. On 22 April I announced a supplementary allocation of €1.2m to 13 Local Authorities which included €145,844 for Westmeath County Council bringing their overall allocation to €581,566.