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Tuesday, 9 Jul 2013

Written Answers Nos. 395-402

Water and Sewerage Schemes Status

Questions (395)

Michael McNamara

Question:

395. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that the Doolin sewage treatment plant will be included in the current water services investment programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33349/13]

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Written answers

The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Clare. The Programme includes contracts under construction and to commence to the value of some €41 million in County Clare during the period of the Programme.

The Programme aims to prioritise projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth. A key input to the development of the Programme was the assessment of needs prepared by local authorities, including Clare County Council, in response to my Department’s request to the authorities in 2009 to review and prioritise their proposals for new capital works in their areas. These were subsequently appraised in my Department in the context of the funds available and key criteria that complemented those used by the authorities. Inevitably, through this process, certain projects that had been proposed had to give way to others that were more strategically important at that time.

In May 2013, Clare County Council submitted an application to my Department to have the Doolin Sewerage Scheme included in the Programme. My Department is currently assessing this application against the relevant selection criteria under the Programme and a decision will issue to the Council as soon as possible.

Housing Adaptation Grants Funding

Questions (396)

Tom Fleming

Question:

396. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review Kerry County Council's 2013 housing grant allocation that has been reduced by a massive 56% on the 2012 allocation; if he will allocate additional funding to County Kerry and take into consideration the huge volume of priority one applications that cannot now be processed due to the cuts in funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33384/13]

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Written 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, and 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. Kerry County Council was allocated €1,445,971.

A small capital reserve was set aside to deal with any acute or particular difficulty which might arise in the operation of the schemes over the course of the year. Following requests from 13 local authorities for supplementary funding, I subsequently approved additional allocations totalling €1.2 million. Kerry County Council applied for additional funding from this reserve and was notified on 22 April 2013 of a supplementary allocation of €114,693, bringing the Council’s overall allocation for 2013 to € 1,560,664. I am continuing to keep the position in regard to funding under active review.

Rural Development Programme Funding

Questions (397)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

397. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding has been released for a festival (details supplied) in County Kildare; if not, when it is expected that funding will be released; if the release of funding is prioritised with particular reference to the fact that certain events are expected to shortly take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33396/13]

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Written answers

My Department recently completed a full review of expenditure under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 in order to apportion the remaining funding among all the Local Development Companies (LDCs) contracted to deliver the Programme. The Programme had been reduced in size due to a change in the EU co-funding rate. County Kildare LEADER Partnership (CKLP), the LDC charged with the delivery of the LEADER elements of the RDP in Co Kildare, was notified in May 2013 of its revised allocation of €10,642,073 under the Programme. At that time €8.5 million had been spent/committed and it was a matter for the Board of CKLP to allocate the remaining funding.

Question No. 398 answered with Question No. 365.

Property Management Company Issues

Questions (399)

Simon Harris

Question:

399. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the operation of management companies effectively weakening local democracy and the ability of locally elected public representatives assisting persons owing to the fact that in some areas large amounts of public space, roadways, drainage, sewage and so on may not be taken in charge by the council and are left in charge of a private management company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33471/13]

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Written answers

My Department has no function in relation to the operation of property management companies. The Multi Unit Developments Act 2011, which falls under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality, regulates the management and operation of such companies. Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires that where a development for which permission is granted under the planning Acts includes the construction of two or more houses and the provision of new roads, open spaces, car parks, sewers, water mains or service connections, and the development has been completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority in accordance with the planning permission and any conditions to which the development is subject, the authority shall, where requested by the developer or the majority of house owners, initiate the procedures to take the development in charge.

Section 180 was amended in the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 to provide that a planning authority may take in charge an unfinished estate, at the request of the owners of the housing units, at any time after the expiration of the planning permission, in situations where enforcement actions have commenced or where the planning authority consider that enforcement action will not result in the satisfactory completion of the estate by the developer. Planning authorities have also been empowered to take in charge part of an estate or some, but not all, of the facilities in an estate.

Motor Tax Collection

Questions (400)

Simon Harris

Question:

400. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the circumstances (details supplied) where the motor tax liability based on CO2 emissions can be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33472/13]

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Written answers

An emissions-based motor tax system was introduced for private vehicles registered from 1 July 2008. Private vehicles registered before that date pay motor tax on the basis of engine capacity. I have no plans at present to review the basis of taxation for either category of vehicle.

Property Management Company Issues

Questions (401)

Simon Harris

Question:

401. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rules of law in place governing the operation of management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33473/13]

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Written answers

My Department has no function in relation to the operation of property management companies. The Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011, which falls under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality, regulates the management and operation of such companies.

Prison Accommodation

Questions (402)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

402. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the transfer of all current inmates of St. Patrick's Institution to Wheatfield Prison, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33409/13]

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Written answers

The Deputy will be aware that last week I announced Government approval for my plan regarding the future accommodation of prisoners currently detained at St Patrick's Institution. In line with the recommendation of the Inspector of Prisons and in order to effect the changes necessary in regime and culture and to ensure the safe and secure custody, I am satisfied that the complete closure of St. Patrick’s and the dispersal of all prisoners and staff is now required. Pending the development of new facilities in Oberstown in mid 2014, for which the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has responsibility, this will in the interim involve the transfer of all 17 year olds currently serving a sentence in St. Patrick’s Institution to a dedicated Unit in Wheatfield Prison and the transfer of the 18 to 20 year old population to Wheatfield also.

With the full co-operation and support of everyone involved, it is anticipated that this can be achieved within six months. A dedicated Project Board has been established by the Irish Prison Service to oversee this transition. It is proposed that prisoners will continue to be committed for a period of detention to St. Patrick’s Institution. They will be accommodated in a dedicated committal and assessment unit for up to 24 hours (B Wing). From here, prisoners will be dispersed to Wheatfield Prison where 150 young offender spaces will be provided. Staff assigned to this unit will receive specific training on working with young-adult prisoners.

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