Written Answers Nos. 137 - 144
137. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form on a county basis a breakdown of vacancy rates on local authority housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42826/13]
View answer138. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form on a county basis a breakdown of vacancy rates on voluntary housing association stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42827/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.
My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie
Data relating to vacancy rates in local authority housing stock and voluntary housing association stock are not included in this range. However, vacancy rates in local authority housing stock are collected annually as part of the Local Government Management Agency’s review of local authority service indicators. Electronic copies of the reports, including the most recent report for 2011, are available on the Local Government Management Agency’s website – www.lgma.ie.
139. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form on a county basis a breakdown of the total local authority housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42828/13]
View answer140. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form on a county basis a breakdown of the total voluntary housing association housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42829/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.
My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department’s website , www.environ.ie
. Data relating to local authority housing stock, broken down by county, are in cluded in this range. Although my Department does not specifically collate data on the total quantity of voluntary housing association housing stock, data relating to all units provided under the voluntary housing schemes, broken down by county, are also included in this range.
141. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a review is underway regarding the unfair and inequitable shared ownership scheme for previous purchasers of affordable and non-affordable homes; if the rental equity held by local authorities on these homes has been amended to reflect the dramatic changes in market values over recent years; if it is proposed to devise a mechanism for the conversion of rental payments by purchasers to mortgage type repayments each month; the total number of homes that were purchased under the shared ownership scheme in all local authorities since its inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42864/13]
View answerThe Government’s 2011 housing policy statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including the shared ownership scheme, in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act. That review is available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie and the period for public submissions closed on 27 September 2013.
Earlier in 2013 , I asked the Housing & Sustainable Communities Agency to conduct a standalone review of the shared ownership scheme, including identification of the main difficulties and recommendations for mitigating measures. I have received an interim draft of the review from the Agency and I intend to issue a circular letter to local authorities this month with preliminary recommendations arising from the review.
A number of issues have been identified that need further detailed financial analysis in order fully to assess the impact on local authority finances of possible mitigating measures. This additional work is underway and I expect to be in a position to address other aspects of the matter in the coming months.
Statistical information on the numbers of homes purchased under the shared ownership scheme, as well as other affordable housing schemes, can be found on my Department’s website, www.environ.ie
142. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the Castletownbere sewerage scheme; when he expects the project works to commence; the expected timetable for its completion; if funding will be provided by his Department to complete the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42865/13]
View answerThe Castletownbere Sewerage Scheme is included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 (WSIP) as a scheme at p lanning. This scheme, when completed, will provide for the upgrading of the existing sewage collection system and the installation of a Wastewater Treatment Plant serving Castletownbere and its environs.
Cork County Council submitted a Preliminary Report for the scheme to my Department in July 2010. Following examinations, this was not approved , and my Department responded to Cork County Council in March 2011. I understand that a revision of the Preliminary Report is being prepared.
The Preliminary Report, when completed and approved, will make recommendations on the necessary upgrading of the sewage collection network and the provision of a Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Preliminary Report will also outline the costs and the time scale for the delivery of the proposed works.
Irish Water will be responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure from 1 January 2014, and is currently preparing a Capital Investment Plan for 2014 – 2015 . This Plan is expected to take account of the transition of projects that are included in the current WSIP into the new Investment Plan.
143. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of houses repossessed by local authorities during the course of 2013; if these repossessions were forced or voluntary; if the properties were mortgaged or rented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42884/13]
View answerMy Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie
Data on number of houses repossessed by local authorities are included in this range. R epossessions in that dataset relate to mortgaged units only . The data are broken down by area and by forced and voluntary repossessions.
144. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of females who hold the position of Director of Service or County Manager within each local authority here at the present time; the percentage of the total overall this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42885/13]
View answerThere are 33 City and County Managers of which 4 or 12% are women . As at June 2013, there were 190 Directors of Service in local authorities. This represents a reduction of 72 WTE or 27% since 2008 and meets the recommended level from the Local Government E fficiency Review Group’s Report, July 2010.
While information regarding staffing levels in local authorities is routinely gathered , specific information on the gender of local authority employees is not . Local Government competitions at senior level are held by the Public Appointments Service in co-operation with my Department and the relevant local authorities, all of whom are committed to the highest standards of customer service and comply with equality and other relevant legislation and codes of practice.
