Written Answers Nos. 176-183
176. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views regarding efforts to silence and censor online radio stations through targeted intimidation; and his plans to deal with this issue. [24737/13]
View answerI am not aware of any efforts to silence and censor online radio stations based in this State. If the Deputy is aware of any such intimidation, details should be brought to the attention of the Gardaí at the earliest opportunity.
177. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received the report from the Boundary Commission on the Local Elections; if so when he intends to publish same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24531/13]
View answerI have not yet received the report of the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee which I established on 15 November 2012 to review and make recommendations on the division of each council area, other than Cork City, into local electoral areas, and to make recommendations on the number of members of each council to be assigned to each local electoral area. The Committee was requested to submit its report as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 31 May 2013.
178. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the options for persons who have near expiry planning permission in County Monaghan and who seek an extension in view of the economic climate; if he has considered an interim measure to facilitate these persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24539/13]
View answerSection 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended by section 28 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010, provides that the duration of a planning permission may be extended where substantial works have not been done, or where the development has not even commenced, in cases where the planning authority is satisfied that there were considerations of a commercial, economic or technical nature beyond the control of the applicant which substantially militated against either the commencement of development or the carrying out of substantial works, pursuant to the planning permission (again provided that an application complying with the relevant Regulations was made before the expiration of the initial period). This latter provision is, however, subject to the following qualifications:
- that the planning authority is satisfied that there have been no significant changes in the development objectives in the development plan or in regional development objectives in the Regional Planning Guidelines for the area of the planning authority since the date of the permission such that the development would no longer be consistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area;
- that the planning authority is satisfied that the development would not be inconsistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to any guidelines issued by the Minister under section 28, notwithstanding that they were so issued after the date of the grant of permission in relation to which an application is made under this section; and/or
- that the planning authority is satisfied where the development has not commenced, that an environmental impact assessment, or an appropriate assessment, or both of those assessments, if required, was or were carried out before the permission was granted.
179. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on proposals from the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland and the AMAI advocacy to ensure that the proposed municipal districts councils, as proposed in the Putting People First, will have the function and financial independence to enable them to continue the main core of their town council work, with Maynard status, and enable them to represent the eighteen of these new municipal areas in a real and meaningful way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24543/13]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 430 of 14 May 2013, which sets out the position in this matter.
180. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the €5 - 9 million savings that is maintained will arise from Putting People First with the merger of Waterford City and County Councils under the headings payroll, tendering, procurement, services and other. [24581/13]
View answer181. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the cost of implementing the merger of Waterford City and County Councils. [24582/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together.
The Report of the Waterford Local Government Committee, which was published in October 2012, estimated savings, primarily payroll related, associated with the merger of Waterford City and County Councils at €3.87m. In addition, the Committee has indicated that further savings, in the range of €1.3m to €5m, can be made in operational and administrative expenses. The amalgamation of authorities will also have implications both for local authority revenue and costs , including some one-off costs associated with the transition to the new arrangements.
As indicated in the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government, Putting People First, the primary purpose of local authority unification is to strengthen the effectiveness of local government in the areas concerned and its capacity to promote their development. The Committee indicated, in addition to the estimated financial savings, that the benefits from a merged authority, particularly with regard to its potential impact on economic and social development, outweigh any transitional costs involved and provide the best long-term option for local government in Waterford.
An Implementation Group, which has been appointed to oversee and guide the reorganisation process in Waterford, is due to produce an Implementation Plan (in accordance with its terms of reference) by end June 2013.
182. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the target for each county council separately regarding employment of persons with disabilities in the special category in each county council; if that target is being achieved in each county council; the total number of employees in that category in each county council currently; the percentage of the total workforce in each county council this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24606/13]
View answer183. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the target of his Department and subsidiary offices throughout the country regarding employment of persons with disabilities in the special category; whether the target is being achieved; the total number of employees in that category currently and the percentage of the total workforce in his Department that it represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24613/13]
View answer185. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the target for each town council separately regarding employment of persons with disabilities in the special category; if the target is being achieved in each town council; the total number of employees in each town council currently and the percentage of the total workforce in each town council that this represents, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24711/13]
View answer187. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total target for each city council separately regrading employment of persons with disabilities in the special category; if that target is being achieved in each city council; the total number of employees in each city council currently and the percentage of the total workforce in each city council that this represents, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24754/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 182, 183, 185 and 187 together.
Under the Disability Act 2005, civil and public sector bodies are obliged to meet a target of 3% employment of staff with disabilities, unless there are good reasons for not doing so. The National Disability Authority (NDA) reports on achievement of this obligation across the public service on a yearly basis.
The total number of employees for my Department, local authorities and agencies under the aegis of my Department, the number of persons with disabilities and the percentage of staff they represent, as of 31 December 2011, is set out in the table. Data for town councils are collected as part of the county council figures. The figures for 2012 are currently being finalised and will be available shortly.
|
Department |
Total Staff |
No of Staff with Disability |
% of Staff with a disability |
|
Environment, Community and Local Government |
810 |
33 |
4.1% |
|
Council |
Total Staff |
No of Staff with Disability |
% of Staff with a disability |
|
Carlow County Council |
331 |
8 |
2.4% |
|
Cavan County Council |
441 |
31 |
7.0% |
|
Clare County Council |
839 |
41 |
4.9% |
|
Cork County Council |
2,529 |
79 |
3.1% |
|
Donegal County Council |
1,012 |
33 |
3.3% |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
1,140 |
45 |
3.9% |
|
Fingal County Council |
1,547 |
61 |
3.9% |
|
Galway County Council |
958 |
32 |
3.3% |
|
Kerry County Council |
1,385 |
71 |
5.1% |
|
Kildare County Council |
998 |
41 |
4.1% |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
576 |
24 |
4.2% |
|
Laois County Council |
396 |
12 |
3.0% |
|
Leitrim County Council |
295 |
14 |
4.7% |
|
Limerick County Council |
716 |
27 |
3.8% |
|
Longford County Council |
313 |
13 |
4.2% |
|
Louth County Council |
716 |
45 |
6.3% |
|
Mayo County Council |
1,265 |
73 |
5.8% |
|
Meath County Council |
703 |
27 |
3.8% |
|
Monaghan County Council |
438 |
20 |
4.6% |
|
Offaly County Council |
444 |
16 |
3.6% |
|
Roscommon County Council |
487 |
21 |
4.3% |
|
Sligo County Council |
521 |
11 |
2.1% |
|
South Dublin County Council |
1,400 |
45 |
3.2% |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
516 |
15 |
2.9% |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
685 |
26 |
3.8% |
|
Waterford County Council |
502 |
17 |
3.4% |
|
Westmeath County Council |
496 |
36 |
7.3% |
|
Wexford County Council |
915 |
46 |
5.0% |
|
Wicklow County Council |
800 |
24 |
3.0% |
|
Cork City Council |
1,459 |
57 |
3.9% |
|
Dublin City Council |
6,400 |
311 |
4.9% |
|
Galway City Council |
465 |
23 |
4.9% |
|
Limerick City Council |
518 |
13 |
2.5% |
|
Waterford City Council |
432 |
27 |
6.3% |
|
Total |
32,638 |
1,385 |
4.2% |
|
Agencies |
Total Staff |
No of Staff with Disability |
% of Staff with a disability |
|
An Comhairle Leabharlanna |
16 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Irish Water Safety Association |
6 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
An Bord Pleanala |
166 |
7 |
4.2% |
|
Environmental Protection Agency |
331 |
15 |
4.5% |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
14 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Local Government Computer Services Board |
83 |
4 |
4.8% |
|
Local Government Management Services Board |
30 |
5 |
16.7% |
|
Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland |
49 |
1 |
2.0% |
|
Heritage Council |
14 |
1 |
7.1% |
|
Dublin Docklands Development Authority |
19 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Limerick Regeneration Agencies |
6 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
PRTB |
36 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency |
40 |
1 |
2.5% |
|
National Building Agency |
52 |
2 |
3.9% |
|
BMW Regional Assembly |
13 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
South East Regional Assembly |
23 |
0 |
0.0% |
