Written Answers Nos. 674-695
674. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the actions that will be taken to resolve a housing issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [46219/13]
View answerUnder my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, funding is provided to local authorities for a range of measures to improve the quality and standard of the social housing stock.
This year, my Department is providing funding of over €62 million to Dublin City Council in respect of their 2013 social housing programme. This includes €31m for regeneration projects in Ballymun and at a number of other locations in Dublin City. Funding is also being provided for the refurbishment of tenanted and vacant units at a number of locations, the energy retrofitting of older properties and the provision of extensions and adaptations to meet the specific needs of older tenants or persons with a disability.
Local Authorities are directly responsible for addressing housing need within their administrative areas and do so using a range of supply options supported with funding from my Department including permanent social housing, long-term leased units, units leased under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and voluntary and co-operative housing units. It is a matter for each authority to determine how the accommodation needs of individual tenants or housing applicants are met. As Minister, I am precluded from becoming directly involved in individual cases.
675. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if those who refuse to pay water charges will be sent to jail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46264/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out a commitment to the introduction of water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. Irish Water will be provided with the power to charge for water services in legislation which is currently in preparation.
Irish Water will be required to have a range of options in place to assist householders who have difficulties in paying their bills. Affordability issues will be addressed by my Department, in consultation with other stakeholders, in the context of developing a water pricing framework. It is important to distinguish between people who cannot afford to pay and people who refuse to pay. It would be expected that Irish Water would pursue payment from customers who refuse to pay even when they have the financial capacity to do so, and a range of options will also be put in place to this end, as is normal practice with other utility service providers.
676. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made on the plans to regulate the social housing sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46279/13]
View answerA range of reforms have been introduced in recent years in the provision and management of social housing, and some further initiatives are under way.
Firstly, reforms have been introduced under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, notably in relation to the assessment of eligibility for social housing support, the allocation of local authority housing, the introduction of anti-social behaviour strategies, homelessness action plans and incremental purchase schemes for new local authority houses and existing local authority apartments. The on-going implementation of the 2009 Act will result in further reform in areas such as local authority rents and tenancies.
Proposals are also being prepared in my Department for the General Scheme of a new Housing Bill that will underpin a new scheme of Housing Assistance Payments, an incremental purchase scheme for existing local authority houses and a revised repossession procedure for local authority housing.
The Government approved in principle the transfer of responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with an established housing need from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to local authorities using a new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) in March 2013. On 18 July 2013, the Government approved the introduction of HAP including the provision of funding to the local authorities to cover the costs of accommodating HAP claimants. My Department and the DSP continue to work closely on the legal, policy and operational issues involved in developing and introducing HAP.
Approved housing bodies (AHBs) are organisations approved by my Department, under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, to provide social housing support in conjunction with local authorities. The Department is working to create a regulatory framework for such bodies that will provide support and assurance to the sector itself and to its external partners.
As a first step, my Department has developed, in consultation with the AHB sector, a voluntary regulation code as a precursor to a statutory regulatory framework for the sector to support its long-term development. The voluntary regulation code, Building for the Future, was published in July 2013 and will assist housing bodies to improve their governance, management and financial capabilities as we move towards statutory regulation which, it is hoped, will be in place by 2016.
In addition, the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants in the private rented sector will soon be extended to the AHB sector through the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 which has been passed by Dáil Éireann, and which is currently before the Seanad.
Finally, the Part V housing supply provisions in Section 93 of the Planning & Development Act 2000 have played a significant role in the delivery of social and affordable housing since its introduction and there are many people in good quality housing today as a direct result of the Part V supply mechanisms. However, Part V was designed for a housing market radically different to that which we now have, and the Government is undertaking a full review of Part V – the public consultation phase of the process has recently concluded. Future policy decisions will be informed by the outcomes of this review and consultation process.
677. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the large geographical disparity in outcomes between the dog pounds where over 1% are killed in Leitrim pound in comparison to over 80% in north Tipperary; the action he will take to see standardisation in the re-homing ethos in all pounds; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that new passport and rabies stipulation will result in an increased killing rate of dogs in pounds as rescue groups are full up with healthy dogs waiting for 21 days after rabies vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46305/13]
View answerThe number of dogs in local authority pounds put to sleep has been reducing consistently over the years. Having been at 27,570 in 1998, the number in 2012 was 4,500, itself a reduction of some 20% on the 2011 figure. I welcome this dramatic reduction and compliment the dog control services around the country for this positive development.
I am keen to see good practices across all aspects of the dog control function of local authorities, recognising that this is a matter first and foremost for the authorities themselves.
To highlight good practice and encourage local authorities to improve outcomes in these areas, my Department facilitates regular meetings of staff involved in the dog control function. These meetings have covered the issue of engagement by local authorities with animal welfare groups. My Department has also communicated directly with city and county managers on these issues. I am aware of the new passport requirements now in place, and while these may present new challenges, I am hopeful that local authorities and animal welfare organisations will further develop their relationships and we will continue the notable reduction in the number of dogs put to sleep.
678. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person purchases a property where the prior owner was late registering for the septic tank charge, if it jeopardises the new owner's eligibility for the grant for remediation work. [46328/13]
View answer685. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider a matter (details supplied) regarding septic tanks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46453/13]
View answerI propose taking Questions Nos. 678 and 685 together.
A purchaser of a property may subsequently apply for grant aid once they meet the eligibility criteria set down in the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library. The criteria include the requirement that the treatment system serving the property was originally registered before the prescribed date of 1 February 2013. The only exception to this concerns properties which have a treatment system constructed or installed after 1 February 2013; in such cases the owners should register their systems within 90 days of the connection of the premises to the treatment system.
679. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a location (details supplied) in County Kerry will be dealt with as a priority sewerage mains extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46334/13]
View answerI assume the question refers to a group sewerage scheme. Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. In December 2012 I announced an increase in the grant for group sewerage schemes to €6,500 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. The previous rate of grant available was €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the cost, whichever was the lesser.
I propose, in the first instance, to carry out a number of pilot schemes based on the increased grant level. My Department asked local authorities to include in their requests for funding under the 2013 Rural Water Programme proposals for pilot group sewerage schemes which might be viable based on the increased grant. Following an examination of the proposals received, with particular regard to the environmental justification provided and the estimated costs, I have approved grant assistance towards pilot schemes in nine different counties. A proposal received from Kerry County Council for Tullig, Castleisland, which had an estimated cost of €250,000, was not selected as a pilot scheme. Progress on the selected pilot schemes will be reviewed in due course with a view to deciding how best to proceed with the grant scheme.
680. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an appeal against a decision not to grant final approval for a Leader funding application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; when a decision will be made on the appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46360/13]
View answerFollowing agreement with the European Commission, Ireland has adopted a definition of rural areas for the purpose of LEADER funding as all of the country other than the urban areas defined as hubs and gateways in the National Spatial Strategy. The use of this definition, rather than a population density calculation, ensured that LEADER funding would available to a greater proportion of Ireland’s rural areas than would otherwise have been the case.
For the purposes of implementing the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013, all areas within the following are excluded:
- The City Council boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick
- The Borough Council boundaries of Kilkenny, Sligo and Wexford
- The Town Council boundaries of Athlone, Ballina, Castlebar, Cavan, Dundalk, Ennis, Killarney, Letterkenny, Mallow, Monaghan, Mullingar, Tralee, Tuam and Tullamore.
The project in question is situated within the Town Council boundary of Cavan town and cannot therefore be approved. My Department’s decision in relation to this appeal was notified to Cavan Monaghan LEADER Partnership on 10 October 2013.
681. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it has been brought to his attention that where a cathaoirleach-mayor requisitions a special meeting of a local authority under Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act and the meetings administrator and city-county manager refuse to issue a notification for the meeting, then a valid meeting of the local authority cannot take place; if it has been brought to his attention that there is no mechanism in the Local Government Act 2001 whereby the cathaoirleach-mayor can compel the meetings administrator and city-county manager to issue a notification for a meeting so requisitioned; in the interests of local democracy and local self-government, if he will consider introducing legislation which will allow the cathaoirleach-mayor to directly issue notification for such a meeting to councillors in cases where the meetings administrator and city-county manager refuse to issue a notification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46397/13]
View answer706. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the formal calling of a council meeting must be done by notice from a meetings administrator; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the acting deputy Sligo county manager (details supplied), failed to ensure that notification was issued to the elected councillors for statutory meetings of Sligo Borough Council in October and November 2013, and that the acting deputy Sligo county manager failed to ensure that notification was issued to councillors for borough council meetings requisitioned by the Mayor of Sligo for 21 October and 4 November 2013; if the assistant secretary of his Department has appointed a person as Sligo county manager temporarily from 4 November 2013 until a permanent appointment is made; if the assistant secretary of his Department has received assurances from the person that they will carry out their statutory duties as Sligo county manager and ensure that notification for meetings of Sligo Borough Council are issued to councillors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46911/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 681 and 706 together.
Part 6 and Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2001 set out the legal provisions with regard to the meetings and proceedings of local authorities, including the requisition of special meetings and the role of the meetings administrator. Paragraph 6 (5) of Schedule 10 sets out the circumstances where the meetings administrator shall issue a notification of the meeting, along with the agenda, when a requisition for a special meeting of the local authority is made. As this provision is mandatory, along with requirements to provide public notice of meetings which are requisitioned, I do not propose to provide that the Cathaoirleach may issue this notification to the elected members.
I am aware of allegations of inappropriate behaviour at meetings of the Sligo Borough Council and the potential implications of such behaviour for the health and well-being of staff attending these meetings. Any meeting of a local authority must be held in compliance with all relevant legal obligations, including the obligation on an employer to ensure that employees work at all times in a safe environment. Ms Dorothy Clarke has been appointed as temporary County Manager for Sligo in accordance with the provisions of section 145 of the Local Government Act 2001, inter alia with the responsibility to discharge the duties of manager for Sligo Borough Council.
682. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 18 must pay arrears of €536 when they have not been driving their car since June 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46407/13]
View answerThe Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013. The primary purpose of the Act is to replace the system whereby a vehicle is only declared off the road when the owner next goes to tax it with a system under which the vehicle must be declared off the road in advance. This is aimed at closing an evasion loophole, costing taxpayers approximately €55m per annum, which was facilitated through the use of retrospective declarations.
The Act provided for a three month transition period from 1 July 2013 to 30 September 2013 to allow vehicle owners to bring their motor tax status up to date by making both a retrospective and prospective off-road declaration.
There was extensive public notice of the Act’s coming into force and widespread awareness-raising of the new arrangements from before the start of the transition period. Advertisements giving notice of the proposed changes were run in national and local newspapers in the first week in July and again in the second week in September. Local radio ads were run over the course of a week in July and both national and local radio ads were again run over the course of a week in mid-September. The changes have also been highlighted in a number of media articles over the course of that period.
A specific procedure was also put in place to allow those who were abroad or incapacitated to put their motor tax affairs in order by nominating a friend or relative to attend at a Garda Station on their behalf to have the required form stamped in respect of a past period of non-use, if the vehicle owner was not in a position to do so. This arrangement was also publicised at the time.
The new arrangements, only allowing for a future declaration, are fully in force since 1 October 2013 and exemptions are not provided for in individual cases, given that vehicle owners generally who did not avail of the transition arrangements must now pay arrears in motor tax where these arise, and the necessity generally of maintaining a consistent approach in the application of the legislation.
683. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding that will be made available to Longford and Westmeath County Councils to enable them to complete estates which are unfinished, and for which no bonds or other finance might be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46435/13]
View answerThe Government has provided an additional €10 million in Budget 2014 to assist the most problematic unfinished housing estates. Using this additional resource, I intend to develop a fund for the resolution of certain unfinished housing developments that have not been possible to resolve up to this point. The precise criteria under which the fund will be disbursed will be finalised shortly. However, I envisage that the fund will operate in a carefully targeted and evidence led fashion to aid the resolution of occupied developments , and in a way that will stimulate more significant investment by the owners of these developments, including generating additional employment through the resolution works.
684. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the recent referendum voting turnout, if he will arrange for appropriate research to be carried out on the reasons persons vote and the reason persons did not vote, to ascertain the factors that may be considered to ensure greater voter interest in further constitutional referendums in the future. [46438/13]
View answerI have no immediate plans to arrange for research to be carried out into the reasons people voted or did not vote at recent referendums.
In June and July 2013 I established Referendum Commissions in relation to the proposals for amendments of the Constitution - Abolition of Seanad Éireann and Court of Appeal – which were put by referendum to the decision of the people on 4 October 2013. The two Referendum Commissions effectively operated as one and in accordance with section 14 of the Referendum Act 1998, the Commission will be submitting a report to me in relation to its performance of the functions assigned to it in relation to the referendums. These functions include the promotion of public awareness of the referendums and encouraging the electorate to vote at the polls. I will be laying copies of the report before each House of the Oireachtas following its submission to me by the Referendum Commission. I understand that the report will contain some details of post-referendum research undertaken by the Commission. While the main purpose of the research is to assess the effectiveness of the various elements of the Commission’s information campaigns, it also explores reasons for voting in the recent referendums.
Previous Referendum Commission reports, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library, include similar analysis undertaken in relation to previous referendums. In addition, over €5million in State funding under the Electoral Acts is made available annually to political parties to fund a range of activities including research, education and training. It would, therefore, be open to those political parties to use these funds to carry out research of the type proposed.
687. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the number of local authority mortgages being issued to persons from 2008 to 2013, inclusive, by local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46497/13]
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 the number of local authority mortgage approvals are included in this range; however these data are not broken down by local authority. The information requested is set out in the following table.
|
- |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 to date |
|
County Councils |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Carlow |
1 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Clare |
4 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Cork |
2 |
4 |
8 |
9 |
6 |
2 |
|
Donegal |
7 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
DL/Rathdown |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Fingal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
15 |
12 |
|
Galway |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kerry |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Kildare |
0 |
0 |
13 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
5 |
10 |
16 |
13 |
8 |
|
Laois |
4 |
4 |
6 |
11 |
14 |
11 |
|
Leitrim |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
Limerick |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
|
Longford |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Louth |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
2 |
|
Mayo |
5 |
8 |
15 |
20 |
14 |
17 |
|
Meath |
0 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
8 |
|
Monaghan |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
|
North Tipperary |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
10 |
1 |
|
South Dublin |
1 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
|
South Tipperary |
0 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
|
Waterford |
0 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
15 |
1 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
|
Wexford |
16 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
8 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
City Councils |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Cork |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
Dublin |
1 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
3 |
|
Galway |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
Waterford |
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
15 |
3 |
|
TOTAL |
50 |
65 |
92 |
110 |
174 |
99 |
689. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the work Irish Water is carrying out to alter domestic water supply connections; the reason 15 mm fittings are being replaced with 25 mm fittings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46605/13]
View answerThe Water Services Act 2013 designated Irish Water as the metering authority. The technical specification of fittings being used in the metering programme is an operational matter for Irish Water and I have no role in the matter.
690. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the grants available for a local community group wishing to buy a local building for use as a community centre with the aim of combating social exclusion in the local rural area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46608/13]
View answerOne of the objectives of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 is to identify and provide appropriate amenity and leisure facilities to local communities not otherwise available to them. To date over €58 million has been committed under the Programme’s Basic Services measure which provides funding for community centres.
The current Programme is nearing full commitment but my Department is currently preparing for the next Programming period 2014-20 which is expected to be operational in 2015.
691. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total revenue in 2013 to local authorities from the non-principal private residence tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46653/13]
View answer715. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown by local authority in tabular form of the amount each received in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, from the non-principal private residence charge; the way he intends to compensate for this loss of revenue in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46926/13]
View answer716. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following the end of the non-principal private residence charge in 2014, if each local authority will receive a top-up of its local government fund general purpose grant equal to the amount of revenue previously received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46927/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 691, 715 and 716 together.
The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on non-principal private residences. The self-assessed charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties.
I understand that the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge has raised €388.22m to date over the 5 years of its operation, €69.69m of which is in respect of the 2013 liability. The attached table, based on data provided by the Local Government Management Agency, details Non-Principal Private Residence Charge revenue raised by local authority area by liability date as of 31 October 2013.
The local government funding model will change considerably in 2014. 2013 is the final year of the operation of the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge. Under the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012, commencing in 2014 the Minister for Finance will pay into the Local Government Fund an amount equivalent to the Local Property Tax paid into the Central Fund during that year; this revenue will be allocated to local authorities from the Fund. In addition, the establishment of Irish Water and its financial relationship with the local government sector will have a considerable impact on local authority financing.
The 2014 Local Government Fund General Purpose Grants will be announced in due course.
|
County/City Council |
2009 - €m |
2010 - €m |
2011 - €m |
2012 - €m |
2013 - €m |
Total - €m |
|
Carlow |
0.79 |
0.79 |
0.76 |
0.79 |
0.71 |
3.84 |
|
Cavan |
0.99 |
0.98 |
0.97 |
0.99 |
0.91 |
4.84 |
|
Clare |
2.56 |
2.42 |
2.37 |
2.29 |
2.10 |
11.74 |
|
Cork City |
3.08 |
3.03 |
2.82 |
2.76 |
2.57 |
14.25 |
|
Cork County |
6.80 |
6.68 |
6.40 |
6.12 |
5.62 |
31.62 |
|
Donegal |
3.78 |
3.71 |
3.46 |
3.33 |
3.14 |
17.42 |
|
Dublin City |
15.47 |
15.26 |
14.72 |
14.15 |
12.82 |
72.41 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
3.65 |
3.66 |
3.47 |
3.41 |
3.24 |
17.43 |
|
Fingal |
4.12 |
4.12 |
4.06 |
3.96 |
3.65 |
19.90 |
|
Galway City |
2.71 |
2.70 |
2.59 |
2.54 |
2.31 |
12.86 |
|
Galway County |
2.52 |
2.48 |
2.35 |
2.31 |
2.11 |
11.77 |
|
Kerry |
3.80 |
3.68 |
3.48 |
3.41 |
3.20 |
17.58 |
|
Kildare |
2.47 |
2.43 |
2.34 |
2.36 |
2.14 |
11.73 |
|
Kilkenny |
1.05 |
1.05 |
1.02 |
1.03 |
0.94 |
5.09 |
|
Laois |
0.79 |
0.82 |
0.79 |
0.78 |
0.73 |
3.91 |
|
Leitrim |
0.77 |
0.75 |
0.71 |
0.70 |
0.65 |
3.58 |
|
Limerick City |
1.52 |
1.48 |
1.39 |
1.38 |
1.24 |
7.02 |
|
Limerick County |
1.69 |
1.66 |
1.60 |
1.58 |
1.44 |
7.97 |
|
Longford |
0.71 |
0.69 |
0.63 |
0.67 |
0.55 |
3.25 |
|
Louth |
1.54 |
1.50 |
1.39 |
1.36 |
1.20 |
6.99 |
|
Mayo |
2.65 |
2.57 |
2.46 |
2.40 |
2.14 |
12.22 |
|
Meath |
1.70 |
1.72 |
1.65 |
1.61 |
1.46 |
8.15 |
|
Monaghan |
0.61 |
0.61 |
0.59 |
0.58 |
0.54 |
2.93 |
|
North Tipperary |
0.98 |
0.97 |
0.92 |
0.92 |
0.84 |
4.62 |
|
Offaly |
0.77 |
0.79 |
0.74 |
0.74 |
0.65 |
3.68 |
|
Roscommon |
1.01 |
0.99 |
0.94 |
0.94 |
0.84 |
4.73 |
|
Sligo |
1.57 |
1.53 |
1.44 |
1.42 |
1.25 |
7.22 |
|
South Dublin |
2.84 |
2.99 |
2.85 |
2.79 |
2.51 |
13.99 |
|
South Tipperary |
1.19 |
1.15 |
1.07 |
1.09 |
1.00 |
5.50 |
|
Waterford City |
1.10 |
1.09 |
1.02 |
1.02 |
0.93 |
5.16 |
|
Waterford County |
1.07 |
1.04 |
0.99 |
0.96 |
0.86 |
4.91 |
|
Westmeath |
1.42 |
1.42 |
1.38 |
1.37 |
1.25 |
6.84 |
|
Wexford |
3.13 |
3.01 |
2.93 |
2.87 |
2.71 |
14.65 |
|
Wicklow |
1.83 |
1.78 |
1.72 |
1.65 |
1.47 |
8.45 |
|
Total |
82.66 |
81.56 |
78.01 |
76.29 |
69.69 |
388.22 |
692. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in detail the precise amount of grant aid allocated to Westmeath County Council under all housing heads provided by his Department to the local authority for each year since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46688/13]
View answerDetails of the funding provided to Westmeath County Council under the various measures included in my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme for the years 2011 and 2012 and the funding allocated in 2013 are set out in the following table:
|
Measure |
2011- Outturn |
2012- Outturn |
2013 - Allocation |
|
Local Authority Housing |
1,339,432 |
2,916,450 |
1,746,348 |
|
Capital Assistance Scheme |
213,733 |
590,314 |
211,876 |
|
Traveller Accommodation |
247,170 |
95,622 |
Nil |
|
Remedial Works |
273,517 |
454,800 |
Nil |
|
Adaptations and Extensions |
152,809 |
102,113 |
161,727 |
|
Energy Efficiency |
758,853 |
209,468 |
630,247 |
|
Private Housing Grants |
1,330,789 |
988,155 |
653,376 |
|
Pilot of Mortgage to Rent |
Nil |
Nil |
591,243 |
693. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the amount of funding provided by his Department to Westmeath County Council for new sewage schemes; sewage improvement schemes; water improvement and upgrading schemes for each year since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46689/13]
View answerThe current Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013, a copy of which is in the Oireachtas library, lists a number of contracts to continue construction and to start in Westmeath during the life of the programme. The information requested, on water and wastewater expenditure, is set out in the following tables.
|
Water and Wastewater projects |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
Total |
|
Athlone Drainage Relief Study |
€836,838.22 |
€11,672.40 |
€165,725.24 |
€1,014,235.86 |
|
Kilbeggan Sewerage Scheme -Phase1 |
€300,540.30 |
|
|
€300,540.30 |
|
Lough Owell Water Treatment Plant -DBO Contract |
€890,261.57 |
€524,971.21 |
|
€1,415,232.78 |
|
Water Supply to Royal Canal from Lough Ennel |
|
€576,473.62 |
|
€576,473.62 |
|
TOTAL |
€2,027,640.09 |
€1,113,117.23 |
€165,725.24 |
€3,306,482.56 |
|
Water Conservation projects |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
Total |
|
Westmeath Water Conservation (non scheme specific) |
|
€92,877.07 |
|
€92,877.07 |
|
Westmeath water Conservation Stage 3 - Countywide Watermains Rehabilitation |
€2,305,724.17 |
€869,228.90 |
|
€3,174,953.07 |
|
Westmeath Water Conservation Stage 3 Phase 1 Athlone Watermains Rehabilitation |
€183,841.48 |
€82,306.37 |
|
€266,147.85 |
|
Westmeath Water Conservation Stage 3 Phase 1 Mullingar Watermains Rehabilitation |
€183,841.48 |
€113,656.42 |
€613,564.36 |
€911,062.26 |
|
TOTAL |
€2,673,407.13 |
€1,158,068.76 |
€613,564.36 |
€4,445,040.25 |
In addition, payments totalling €1.333 million and €0.979 million were paid to Westmeath County Council in 2011 and 2012 respectively under my Department’s Rural Water Programme. The Council has been notified of a block grant allocation of €1.117 million under the Programme for 2013. Responsibility for the administration of this Programme, which includes group water schemes, group sewerage schemes and small public water and sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The selection and approval of individual schemes for advancement and funding under the programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant allocations provided, is therefore a matter for local authorities. Accordingly, information on individual schemes is available from the County Council.
694. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an application to Mayo North East Leader Partnership Company Teoranta by an organisation (details supplied) in County Mayo. [46693/13]
View answerFollowing agreement with the European Commission, Ireland has adopted a definition of rural areas for the purpose of LEADER funding as all of the country other than the urban areas defined as hubs and gateways in the National Spatial Strategy. The use of this definition, rather than a population density calculation, ensured that LEADER funding would available to a greater proportion of Ireland’s rural areas than would otherwise have been the case.
For the purposes of implementing the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013, all areas within the following are excluded:
- The City Council boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick
- The Borough Council boundaries of Kilkenny, Sligo and Wexford
- The Town Council boundaries of Athlone, Ballina, Castlebar, Cavan, Dundalk, Ennis, Killarney, Letterkenny, Mallow, Monaghan, Mullingar, Tralee, Tuam and Tullamore.
I understand from MNELP that an application was received from the promoter in question but as the location of the proposed project is inside the Town Council boundary of Ballina the application cannot be progressed.
695. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a grant application to Mayo North East Leader Partnership Company Teoranta by an organisation (details supplied). [46694/13]
View answerIn line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, the LAGs are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in the context of the local development strategy of the individual groups and in line with the Programme’s Operating Rules and EU regulations. The LAG for the area referred to in the question is Mayo North East LEADER Partnership (MNELP).
EU Regulation requires that a percentage of claims are subject to inspection and in this case part of the project costs were deemed ineligible for funding. The promoter appealed the decision to the Department Appeal Panel, which subsequently upheld the original finding. Payment in respect of the eligible amount is expected to issue in the coming days.
