Written Answers Nos. 437-456
437. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if, following a reduction of €50 per child, there are plans to cut the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; if she will confirm the number of recipients of financial assistance pertaining to this scheme in 2012, compared to those recipients in 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24267/13]
View answerThe back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSFFA) scheme provides a one-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €48.8m for the scheme in 2013.
The rates of BSCFA have increased significantly in recent years when viewed in the context of clothing and footwear price trends. Since 2006, BSCFA rates have increased from €120 to €150 in 2012 in respect of qualified children aged from 4 to 11 years and from €190 to €250 for those aged from 12 to 22. These are increases of 25% and 31.5% respectively. The March 2013 Consumer Price Index indicates that the overall cost of clothing and footwear has fallen by approximately 30% over the same period. In light of these trends the payment rates were reduced to €100 and €200 respectively in Budget 2013.
In 2011, over 196,000 individuals received a BSCFA payment in respect of some 384,000 children at a cost of almost €91m. Approximately 187,000 families, with 340,000 children, were assisted under the scheme in 2012 at a cost of €65.7 million.
It is expected that a similar number of families and children will benefit from the scheme in 2013. Any changes to the scheme would be considered in a budgetary context.
438. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if an elderly or disabled person who requires work to their home would be considered for an emergency needs payment when the local authority is no longer accepting applications for housing aid for older people or housing adaption grants and where works are necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24272/13]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €47.6 million for the scheme in 2013.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment or no predetermined amounts under the different categories for ENPs. Such payments are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. Those who qualify are normally in receipt of a social welfare or Health Service Executive payment.
Examples of the main types of needs that are met under the scheme include; assistance towards the purchase of household appliances, bedding, clothing & child related items such as cots and prams, funeral & burial expenses.
The scheme is not intended to cover circumstances where responsibility rests with another Government Department or Agency. Accordingly an ENP would not be payable in the circumstances outlined in the Deputy’s question.
439. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a disability allowance review in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [24315/13]
View answerThe person’s claim is with a social welfare investigator for a means test and a report on the person’s eligibility for disability allowance. I understand that the investigator will shortly be in contact with the person on the matter. When the investigator’s report is received by the deciding officer a decision will be made on the person’s claim and he will be notified in writing of the outcome.
Where a person’s means are insufficient to meet their needs while awaiting a decision on their social welfare claim, they may apply for supplementary welfare allowance from their local community welfare officer.
440. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be carried out by oral hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24342/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 15th April 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 9th May 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.
442. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding that is available for parents requiring intensive medical support, for example dialysis, which children are not allowed to attend in order that they can make provision for their children's care during the school holidays, so that they can attend their required hospital sessions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24402/13]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a crèche supplement is available to assist with the cost of child-care where there is a proven and verified on-going need due to individual circumstances, usually where a child may be in difficult circumstances, and would benefit by attending a community crèche.
A crèche supplement will only be considered where a Public Health Nurse or Health Service Social Worker recommends that a child, in difficult circumstances, would benefit by attending a community crèche or that the parent(s) of a child needs to avail of counselling services, addiction treatments or similar and that crèche services are necessarily required to facilitate this.
In general, where on-going provision of community child care services is required to meet particular social needs in an area, funding from sources other than under the supplementary welfare allowance may be more appropriate.
It is advised that the person referred to by the Deputy contacts their local Department representative administering the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to assess their entitlement to this scheme.
443. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will set out in tabular form the names of all State-owned or substantially State-funded organisations under his Department whose latest accounts laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas are more than one year old - that is, relating to a period ending before May 2012; and those of all such organisations whose latest accounts are more than two years old - that is, relating to a period ending before May 2011. [25024/13]
View answerThe statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal.
|
Body |
Accounts more than 1 year Old |
Accounts more than 2 years Old |
|
Citizens Information Board |
Accounts for year ended 31/12/2011 laid in 2012 |
|
|
Pension Board |
Accounts for year ended 31/12/2011 laid in 2012 |
|
|
Office of the Pensions Ombudsman |
Accounts for year ended 31/12/2011 laid in 2012 |
|
|
Social Welfare Tribunal |
No requirement to lay accounts |
The latest accounts in respect of the Citizens Information Board, the Pension Board and the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman referring to the year ended 31/12/2011 were accepted by Government and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in 2012. The Social Welfare Tribunal is not required to lay accounts before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
444. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his views on the call from the Irish Metal Detecting Society and the Amateur Metal Detectors Association of Ireland for reform of the law as it relates to the hobby of metal detecting with a particular focus on gaining access to State lands and the issue of boundaries near archaeological sites and national monuments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24368/13]
View answerMeasures 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. The locations and boundaries of such protected monuments are set out on the website of my Department’s National Monuments Service, www.archaeology.ie. State owned lands are generally open to the public. Access to private lands is a matter for the owners or managers.
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.
445. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the decision taken by the Shannon Airport Authority to allow farming organisations to cut grass on property owned by it to help alleviate fodder shortages in the local area, if he will ask those agencies, companies, authorities, boards and so on that come within his remit to consider similar initiatives on suitable public lands owned by them in conjunction with representatives of local farming organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23765/13]
View answerMy Department's primary role as custodian of the National Parks and nature reserves is to conserve their biodiversity, unique features and qualities and to protect the species and habitats within them. While the majority of these lands are not suitable for the support of livestock, where a need arises for grazing to be undertaken in specific habitats, my Department has entered into grazing licensing agreements with the farming community in some instances and maintains its own livestock in other cases.
In view of the present fodder shortage, I have asked my Department to consider what other lands within the National Parks and nature reserves might be suitable for fodder production and the feasibility of making those lands available for this purpose as an exceptional measure in these exceptionally difficult circumstances.
The Deputy will appreciate that most of the bodies funded from my Department's Vote Group do not own or control land. In the case of those that do, the management of this issue is part of their day-to-day operational responsibilities. I am arranging, therefore, for the terms of the Deputy’s Question to be transmitted to the heads of those bodies that may be potentially in a position to be of assistance in this matter.
446. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his Department has received an application from the Health Service Executive for co-funding for the provision of a Health Centre on Inishbofin, County Galway; and if they have, the current position in relation to the consideration of this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23777/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive formally applied for funding for this project from my Department in 2008. However, due to a large number of commitments it had at the time, my Department was not in a position to fund the project. The position remains unchanged.
447. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline in tabular form, the amount of travel and subsistence, both foreign and domestic, claimed individually by each Minister and Minister of State and Secretary General in his Department, for each year in the period 2005 to March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23810/13]
View answer448. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline in tabular form, the number of staff appointed by each Minister and Minister of State in his Department or constituency office and their relevant costs including travel and subsistence, in each year for the period 2005 to March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23826/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 448 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht was established on 2 June 2011, following substantial Departmental reconfigurations, and accordingly was not in existence during the period in question.
449. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the details of the events that are planned to mark the centenary of the 1913 Lockout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24007/13]
View answerThe arrangements in relation to the Lockout are primarily being brought forward by a 1913 Commemoration Committee under the auspices of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and include a national tapestry project, an oral history project, exhibitions, conferences, seminars, memorial church services, re-enactments and a schools programme brought forward in association with the National Cultural Institutions, academic bodies, community and voluntary partners. Recognising the centenary of the Lockout, the ‘One City, One Book’ programme of Dublin City Council has selected ‘Strumpet City’ for 1913.
My Department has provided support for the development of the 1913 tapestry project, which is being developed by a large group of volunteers under the supervision of the National College of Art and Design and artists Robert Ballagh and Cathy Henderson. The National Museum will host an exhibition of the banners of the labour movement. The National Library will host a major exhibition in August entitled “Lockout!”, which will provide access to historical documents of the time. Special commemorative stamps will be issued by An Post.
450. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding progress of the national raised bog management plan; and the date for the plans publication. [24042/13]
View answer451. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the purpose of the peatland strategy plan which RPS have been commissioned to carry out; the role it will play in relation to the national raised bog management plan; and when the peatlands strategy plan is expected to be published. [24043/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 450 and 451 together.
In April 2012, I secured the agreement of Commissioner Potonik to the development of a National Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation Management Plan. This was in keeping with the recommendations of Justice Quirke following the Peatlands Forum and with the motion agreed unanimously by Dáil Éireann on 7th March, 2012.
RPS consultants have been engaged to carry out the necessary scientific work to underpin the National Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation Management Plan and to inform the future restoration and management of each of the raised bog SACs. This work is being overseen by an independent steering group with input from the Peatlands Council. Draft proposals for each of the sites will be discussed with affected parties as part of this process.
I am determined that, in collaboration with the Peatlands Council and local turf-cutting communities, substantial progress will be made on the plan over the coming months. My Department has stepped up contact with turf-cutting groups to seek long-term solutions to the issues for their particular bogs, in compliance with EU and national law. I hope that with the constructive engagement of local turf-cutting communities, the draft Plan can be completed by November, in time to submit an application to the European Commission under Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive, if required, prior to the 2014 cutting season.
It should be noted that my Department, with oversight by the Peatlands Council, is also preparing a separate overall national Peatlands Strategy to guide the Government's approach to the management and conservation of all Ireland's peatlands.
452. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of turf cutters that have applied for the compensation payment, the relocation option and the turf delivery scheme on each of the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation; the number of turf cutters that have availed of the three schemes; and the total number of turf cutters affected on each bog in tabular form. [24044/13]
View answer2,668 applications for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme have been received and acknowledged by my Department. 780 of these applicants have expressed an interest in relocation to non-designated bogs. A total of 2,219 payments and 205 deliveries of turf have been made in respect of the applications received.
Details of the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme figures, on a bog by bog basis, are available on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department at http://www.npws.ie/peatlandsturfcutting/turfcutting/compensationschemestatistics/.
For the Deputy’s convenience the details are set out at Appendix 1.
|
Site Code |
Name |
County |
Applic-ations |
No. Opting for Payment |
Reloc-ation |
Turf Delivery Made |
Paid Year 1 of 15 |
Paid Year 2 of 15 |
|
000006 |
Killyconny Bog (Cloghbally) |
Cavan/ Meath |
45 |
37 |
8 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
000231 |
Barroughter Bog |
Galway |
68 |
41 |
27 |
2 |
45 |
48 |
|
000248 |
Cloonmoylan Bog |
Galway |
81 |
73 |
8 |
1 |
54 |
53 |
|
000285 |
Kilsallagh Bog |
Galway |
32 |
23 |
9 |
3 |
26 |
23 |
|
000296 |
Lisnageeragh Bog and Ballinstack Turlough |
Galway |
20 |
11 |
9 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
|
000297 |
Lough Corrib |
Galway/ Mayo |
93 |
83 |
10 |
0 |
65 |
69 |
|
000301 |
Lough Lurgeen Bog/ Glenamaddy Turlough |
Galway |
31 |
22 |
9 |
2 |
16 |
15 |
|
000326 |
Shankill West Bog |
Galway |
11 |
8 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
|
000382 |
Sheheree (Ardagh) Bog |
Kerry |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
000391 |
Ballynafagh Bog |
Kildare |
56 |
28 |
28 |
8 |
24 |
18 |
|
000440 |
Lough Ree |
Roscommon/ Longford/ Westmeath |
308 |
212 |
96 |
20 |
210 |
N/A |
|
000497 |
Flughany Bog |
Mayo/ Sligo |
17 |
14 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
9 |
|
000566 |
All Saints Bog and Esker |
Offaly |
6 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
000572 |
Clara Bog |
Offaly |
107 |
50 |
57 |
27 |
62 |
35 |
|
000575 |
Ferbane Bog |
Offaly |
4 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
000580 |
Mongan Bog |
Offaly |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
000581 |
Moyclare Bog |
Offaly |
26 |
5 |
21 |
0 |
22 |
14 |
|
000582 |
Raheenmore Bog |
Offaly |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
000585 |
Sharavogue Bog |
Offaly |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
000592 |
Bellanagare Bog |
Roscommon |
185 |
138 |
47 |
11 |
114 |
118 |
|
000595 |
Callow Bog |
Roscommon |
97 |
80 |
17 |
5 |
74 |
0 |
|
000597 |
Carrowbehy/Caher Bog |
Roscommon |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
000600 |
Cloonchambers Bog |
Roscommon |
29 |
23 |
6 |
0 |
12 |
6 |
|
000604 |
Derrinea Bog |
Roscommon |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
000614 |
Cloonshanville Bog |
Roscommon |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
000641 |
Ballyduff/Clonfinane Bog |
Tipperary |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
000647 |
Kilcarren-Firville Bog |
Tipperary |
25 |
22 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
13 |
|
000679 |
Garriskil Bog |
Westmeath |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
001242 |
Carrownagappul Bog |
Galway |
132 |
62 |
70 |
35 |
67 |
59 |
|
001818 |
Lough Forbes Complex |
Roscommon/ Longford |
13 |
9 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
002110 |
Corliskea/Trien/Cloonfelliv Bog |
Galway/ Roscommon |
79 |
65 |
14 |
5 |
44 |
53 |
|
002298 |
River Moy |
Mayo/ Roscommon/ Sligo |
73 |
64 |
9 |
0 |
29 |
N/A |
|
002331 |
Mouds Bog |
Kildare |
101 |
62 |
39 |
35 |
50 |
N/A |
|
002332 |
Coolrain Bog |
Laois |
55 |
45 |
10 |
5 |
40 |
N/A |
|
002333 |
Knockacoller Bog |
Laois |
26 |
21 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
N/A |
|
002336 |
Carn Park Bog |
Westmeath |
60 |
27 |
33 |
6 |
44 |
N/A |
|
002337 |
Crosswood Bog |
Westmeath |
70 |
37 |
33 |
3 |
48 |
N/A |
|
002338 |
Drumalough Bog |
Roscommon |
20 |
19 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
N/A |
|
002339 |
Ballynamona Bog and Corkip Lough |
Roscommon |
62 |
32 |
30 |
6 |
43 |
N/A |
|
002340 |
Moneybeg and Clareisland Bogs |
Meath/ Westmeath |
88 |
76 |
12 |
2 |
71 |
N/A |
|
002341 |
Ardagullion Bog |
Longford |
41 |
30 |
11 |
2 |
24 |
N/A |
|
002342 |
Mount Hevey Bog |
Meath/ Westmeath |
67 |
28 |
39 |
4 |
24 |
N/A |
|
002343 |
Tullaher Lough and Bog |
Clare |
196 |
169 |
27 |
4 |
157 |
N/A |
|
002346 |
Brown Bog |
Longford |
6 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
N/A |
|
002347 |
Camderry Bog |
Galway |
14 |
6 |
8 |
4 |
9 |
N/A |
|
002348 |
Clooneen Bog |
Longford |
12 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
N/A |
|
002349 |
Corbo Bog |
Roscommon |
72 |
43 |
29 |
1 |
44 |
N/A |
|
002350 |
Curraghlehanagh Bog |
Galway |
46 |
27 |
19 |
12 |
28 |
N/A |
|
002351 |
Moanveanlagh Bog |
Kerry |
28 |
25 |
3 |
0 |
22 |
N/A |
|
002352 |
Monivea Bog |
Galway |
46 |
40 |
6 |
0 |
30 |
N/A |
|
002353 |
Redwood Bog |
Tipperary |
77 |
71 |
6 |
0 |
67 |
N/A |
|
002354 |
Tullaghanrock Bog |
Roscommon |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
002356 |
Ardgraigue Bog |
Galway |
20 |
18 |
2 |
0 |
17 |
N/A |
|
Totals |
2668 |
1888 |
780 |
205 |
1662 |
557 |
453. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on where proceedings stand with the Irish Houses of Parliament Building on College Green, Dublin, which is currently occupied by Bank of Ireland; the progress made to date on taking the building back into public ownership; the next steps he and his Department officials will be taking to bring the site into public ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24078/13]
View answer455. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide a copy of all correspondence to his Department related to any recent negotiations with Bank of Ireland over the Irish Parliament Building on College Green, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24359/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 455 together
I refer the Deputies to my previous replies on this matter. As outlined in those replies, I met the Chair and Chief Executive of Bank of Ireland and had a constructive engagement on the issues. I will arrange to place copies of the relevant papers which, in any event, are available under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003, in the Oireachtas Library.
454. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to the recent audit findings regarding the Temple Bar Cultural Trust; if his Department made any grants to the trust previously; and if so, if he will confirm that these grants were properly scrutinised in their operation and accounted for by the trust. [24219/13]
View answerTemple Bar Cultural Trust is a private limited company governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the City Manager of Dublin City Council. I, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, have no statutory responsibility in relation to the Trust or its operations.
My Department has provided funding to the Trust towards the costs associated with the development, delivery and promotion of the Culture Night initiative and in respect of smaller projects in relation to Arts Audiences/Box Office/Ticketing. All terms and conditions attached to the funding provided were fully complied with by the Trust.
456. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will set out in tabular form the names of all State owned or substantially State funded organisations under his Department whose latest accounts laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas are more than one year old, that is, relate to a period ending before May 2012 and more than two years old, that is, relate to a period ending before May 2011. [25016/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is contained in the table following. The accounts in the following table represent end calendar year accounts laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
|
Body under the aegis of D/AHG. |
Most recent annual accounts (end calendar year) laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
2011 |
|
An Coimisinéir Teanga – (an independent statutory agency) |
2011 |
|
Heritage Council |
2011 |
|
Arts Council |
2011 |
|
Irish Film Board |
2011 |
|
Irish Museum of Modern Art |
2011 |
|
National Concert Hall |
2011 |
|
National Archives |
2011 |
|
Crawford Art Gallery |
2011 |
|
Chester Beatty Library |
2010 |
|
National Museum of Ireland |
2010 |
|
National Gallery of Ireland |
2010 |
|
National Library of Ireland |
2010 |
North South Implementation Bodies
|
Body under the aegis of D/AHG. |
Most recent annual report and annual accounts laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. |
|
Waterways Ireland |
2011 |
|
An Foras Teanga, comprising: |
|
|
Foras na Gaeilge |
2009 |
|
Ulster Scots Agency |
2009 |
