Written Answers Nos. 170-178
170. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the current policy and implementation of the local government/local development alignment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20677/13]
View answerFollowing on from the publication of Putting People First – Action Programme for Effective Local Government , an Alignment Working Group has been established to assist and advise on the implementation of the recommendations of the Local Government/Local Development Alignment Steering Group. The Group has had three meetings to date and comprises representatives of the City and County Managers Association, the Irish Local Development Network and Pobal, and is chaired and supported in its work by my Department.
At present, the Alignment Working Group is focusing on the practical arrangements necessary to give effect to the new local structures, including the establishment of Socio-Economic Committees in each local authority administrative area. Frontrunner Socio-Economic Committees will initially be established in up to 10 local authority areas, with Socio-Economic Committees established across the remaining local authority areas towards end 2013. An important early focus for the Socio-Economic Committees will be the development of City/County Local and Community Plans; my Department and the Alignment Working Group will be working with Socio-Economic Committees in the coming months to advance this process.
Other areas of the alignment recommendations will be implemented with the co-operation of the Alignment Working Group and other key stakeholders over the period to 2014.
172. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding that has been distributed to applicants under the senior alert scheme from January 2013 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20688/13]
View answer173. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he expects the full allocation of €2.45 million for the senior alert scheme to be availed of in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20689/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together.
The Seniors Alert Scheme provides grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of equipment to enable older persons, without sufficient means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The Scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department.
The funding allocated to the Seniors Alert Scheme in 2013 is €2.35m. Expenditure to date on the Scheme is approximately €838,000. I expect to spend the full allocation of funding in 2013.
174. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the submission he has received regarding the proposed wind farm for the midlands and if these submissions will be made public. [20708/13]
View answerOver 550 submissions have been received in connection with my Department’s current review of the existing statutory guidance on wind energy development. While a number of these submissions made reference to the project referred to, I have received no submissions specifically on this project.
175. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when an application for funding by a company (details supplied) in County Wexford will be approved under axis one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20807/13]
View answerFollowing a thorough examination of project activity under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) I announced, on 24 April 2013, the lifting of the embargo on project approvals.
The completion of this review has facilitated the immediate issuing of RDP contracts for approximately €42 million worth of projects which have been approved by the Board of the Local Development Companies (LDCs) and have all the necessary requirements in place.
The LDCs, including Wexford Local Development, have been allowed two weeks to notify my Department as to whether all of the projects within this €42 million are ready to proceed.
Once this exercise is complete my Department will then be in a position to establish the balance of the Programme and will notify each LDC of their allocation for the remainder of the Programme.
176. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason a person who applies for a debt settlement a personal insolvency arrangement DRN, DSA, PIA has to have his or her name, address and personal details made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20575/13]
View answer178. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that the plans to name and shame persons under the new insolvency registers will be shelved in view of the fact that they only amount to public humiliation for the persons concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20885/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 178 together.
Under Section 133 of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012, the Insolvency Service of Ireland is required to maintain registers for Debt Relief Notices (DRNs), Debt Settlement Arrangements (DSAs), Personal Insolvency Arrangements (PIAs) and Protective Certificates. The Act states that the registers must be made available for public inspection.
In regard to the DSA and PIA, a debtor, through their personal insolvency practitioner applies for a Protective Certificate. If granted by the Court, this Certificate protects the debtor for a period of 70 days from the commencement or enforcement of any action against them by creditors. Thus it is necessary that the debtor concerned is identified by inclusion in the Register of Protective Certificates so as to alert creditors and to prevent unnecessary actions against the debtor on their part. The other benefit of inclusion in the Register of Protective Certificates is that it serves as a notification to a creditor that the debtor will be applying for a DSA or PIA.
Should a debtor, through their personal insolvency practitioner, successfully obtain a DSA or PIA, then that fact must be recorded in the appropriate Register. This provision, inter alia, alerts potential creditors should the debtor seek to obtain additional credit while subject to a DSA or PIA. There is no question of a debtor being named or shamed by being included in a Register.
It is intended that only the minimum necessary information should be recorded in the various Registers to fulfil their function. The naming of individuals involved in and obtaining the benefits of an insolvency process is standard practice in many jurisdictions around the world, including in the United Kingdom.
However, I am aware of the need to add further relevant provisions in regard to the operation of the registers and my Department, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, is preparing the necessary amendments for approval by Government and presentation to the Oireachtas in the very near future. It is intended that the relevant amendments will be incorporated in the Courts Bill 2013 which is presently being processed through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
177. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will investigate the case of an Irish person (details supplied) illegally taken while on holiday in breach of UN Convention on Human Rights. [20651/13]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual cases. Matters which have been or are the subject of legal proceedings are outside the scope of the my official functions and it would not be appropriate for me to comment or intervene in any way.
I understand that the individual involved in this matter has been in contact with the Central Authority for International Child Abduction. The Central Authority for International Child Abduction operates within my Department for the purposes of, among other international instruments, the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Convention is designed to facilitate the return of children who have been removed from one contracting state to another.
