Thursday, 19 Dec 2013

Written Answers Nos. 210-224

Local Government Fund

Questions (210)

Kevin Humphreys

Question:

210. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the allocations of general purpose grants from the local government fund to each local authority for 2013 and 2014, respectively; the net increase awarded to each local authority; the amount of non-principal private residence charge collected in each local authority; if each local authority has been compensated for the loss of NPPR income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54814/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The local government funding model will change considerably in 2014. 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. The funding to be provided to local authorities for the provision of water services in 2014 will be governed by Service Level Agreements between Irish Water and individual authorities. The following table, based on information supplied by the Local Government Management Agency on 16 December 2013, sets out the revenue received by each local authority to date in respect of the 2013 Non-Principal Private Residence Charge liability date. The 2014 General Purpose Grant allocations take into account the fact that 2013 is the final year of operation of the Charge.

The information requested concerning General Purpose Grant allocations is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. However, for a number of reasons, it is inappropriate to make direct comparisons between the General Purpose Grant allocations made in 2013 and those made in 2014. Among the reasons involved is the fact that a large component of the cost base of each local authority, namely the operational cost of delivering water services, is transferring to Irish Water and therefore direct local authority funding needs are lower in 2014. In addition, 2014 General Purpose Grant allocations have been made on a city and "county at large" basis, whereas separate town council allocations were made in previous years.

County/City Council	2013 €m
Carlow	0.72
Cavan	0.95
Clare	2.14
Cork City	2.60
Cork County	5.74
Donegal	3.19
Dublin City	13.04
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown	3.27
Fingal	3.73
Galway City	2.39
Galway County	2.19
Kerry	3.26
Kildare	2.17
Kilkenny	0.95
Laois	0.75
Leitrim	0.66
Limerick City	1.25
Limerick County	1.46
Longford	0.56
Louth	1.23
Mayo	2.26
Meath	1.50
Monaghan	0.56
North Tipperary	0.85
Offaly	0.66
Roscommon	0.87
Sligo	1.32
South Dublin	2.55
South Tipperary	1.01
Waterford City	0.94
Waterford County	0.87
Westmeath	1.29
Wexford	2.78
Wicklow	1.53
Total	71.25*

* Difference due to rounding.

Landfill Sites

Questions (211)

Anthony Lawlor

Question:

211. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his Department's budgetary plans for 2014 regarding the Kerdiffstown landfill remediation project; the plans going forward with regard to the recommendations of the remedial options report published in July 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54830/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently managing the Kerdiffstown landfill site, including works such as leachate and odour management. My Department continues to fund this work and will provide support for the ongoing remediation of the site again in 2014.

I understand that the EPA signed a contract on 27 February 2013 for the provision of site management services and for the development of an options report for the future remediation of the site. This Kerdiffstown Landfill Remediation Project Remedial Options Report, which is vital to ensuring that the best technical, environmental and most cost-effective solution for the site is chosen, was finalised in July. The EPA then carried out a consultation process on the report with the local community and elected representatives. In the context of the feedback received on the report, the EPA is currently examining the report recommendations and, following its consideration and advice, I will bring a recommended course of action to Government for approval.

Local Government Fund

Questions (212)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

212. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding streams that made up the local government general purposes grant fund in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; if the entire fund was allocated in each of those years; if not, the reason for same and where those funds went; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54833/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I assume that the Question refers to the Local Government Fund. The Local Government Fund accounts are audited on an annual basis by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Full details of all income and expenditure in respect of the years 2008 to 2012 are available from the audited accounts of the Fund, published on my Department's website, www.environ.ie.

A summary of the income and expenditure for the years 2008 to 2012 is detailed in the following table. The most recent audited accounts of the Fund are for the year 2012.

Income	2008 €	2009 €	2010 €	2011 €	2012 €
Motor Tax Income	1,055,317,645	1,056,324,243	1,021,366,254	1,011,629,770	1,052,863,980
Exchequer Funding	548,703,000	443,000,000	241,403,000	175,000,000	0
Bank Interest	6,724,300	1,398,401	1,077,139	2,368,653	602,193
Other income	0	0	0	429,377	0
Household Charge	0	0	0	0	113,914,055
Total Income	1,610,744,945	1,500,722,644	1,263,846,393	1,189,427,800	1,167,380,228
Total Expenditure from Fund	1,623,675,409	1,460,911,265	1,243,170,548	1,148,312,897	1,148,145,567
Surplus/(Deficit) for the Year	(12,930,464)	39,811,379	20,675,845	41,114,903	19,234,661

The estimated income to the Local Government Fund in 2013, as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2013 is €1,119 million. This includes estimated Motor Tax Receipts of €1,109 million, which contribute 99% of the Fund's income in 2013. The balance of the Fund income is made up of interest earned from LGF monies invested with the National Treasury Management Agency and Household Charge receipts paid in 2013 in respect of 2012. A balance is maintained in the Local Government Fund from year to year for cash flow purposes and also to account for variations in forecast income. Any surplus balance after all commitments have been met at year end is carried forward as an opening balance for the subsequent year.

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Questions (213)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

213. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of housing units that have been tenanted in 2012 and 2013 from the 4,000 units identified by National Asset Management Agency in 2011 as suitable for social housing; and the targets for further tenanting from these units for the remainder of 2013 and for 2014. [54870/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

NAMA continues to work closely with my Department, and with the Housing Agency, local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in relation to the delivery of social housing. To date, NAMA has identified almost 4,370 residential properties, controlled by its debtors and receivers, under this initiative as being potentially available for social housing. Demand has been confirmed by the local authorities for just under 1,980 of these properties with a further 176 properties currently being evaluated, bringing the total that may be deemed potentially suitable to just over 2,150. The local authorities have confirmed that of the properties identified, 1,413 are considered unsuitable by reference to sustainable planning and housing policy or are located in areas with no demand. More than 800 other properties have been sold or privately let by their owners or receivers since they were identified by NAMA. There is considerable complexity in dealing with multiple property transfers with varying degrees of difficulty attached to them. In the main, this is due to the complexities of getting agreement from multiple parties operating within an environment subject to a range of legal and financial constraints.

Within this context, significant progress has been made with 179 properties delivered from the NAMA portfolio for social housing purposes by the end of 2012. By end November, 2013, that number had increased to 369 properties delivered, with contracts signed in respect of a further 104 properties. This brings the overall total number of residential properties completed or committed to social housing at that point to 473 properties. It continues to be my Department's objective to maximise the delivery of social housing using all resources available, and I expect considerable further progress will be made in delivery of units for social housing from the NAMA portfolio in 2014. Once the agreements are signed and the units are made available for social housing the allocation or tenanting of such units is a matter for the local authorities in the areas in which they are located. My Department does not hold data in relation to the tenanting of properties.

The next quarterly updates in relation to the delivery of NAMA sourced units will be available at www.housing.ie.

Fire Stations Provision

Questions (214)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

214. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide funding in the 2014 budget for the construction of a new fire station for the town of Kenmare, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54923/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.

The existing fire station in Kenmare was built in 1977 and the fire brigade responds to some 60 call-outs per year. In 2008, approval was conveyed to the Council in respect of a new fire station to proceed to planning stage and I understand that planning permission was granted. In February 2009, Kerry County Council was advised that the proposal was being viewed in the context of budgetary constraints. Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as one of the key national priorities for the fire services capital programme. In that context and in order to deliver cost efficiencies, a programme involving fire authorities aggregating demand and jointly procuring 17 fire appliances is currently nearing completion.

Given the constraints on public finances, further support from my Department's fire services capital programme to replace Kenmare fire station will have regard to national priorities, the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide, Kerry County Council's priorities, the extent of previous investment in Kerry fire service, the value for money offered by proposals and the status of existing facilities in relation to the area risk categorisation.

Noise Pollution Legislation

Questions (215)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

215. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update with respect to forthcoming noise legislation; the reasons such legislation appears to be taking an inordinate amount of time to prepare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54931/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to take further steps to address noise pollution, inter alia, through the introduction of fixed payment notices (also known as on-the-spot fines).  The development of new noise legislation by my Department is being considered in the context of this commitment. I expect to bring the General Scheme of the Bill to Government for consideration in 2014. However, as indicated in the Government Legislation Programme published on 18 September 2013, it is not possible at this time to indicate when the Bill will be published, having regard to other priorities in the area concerned and the broader range of legislative priorities to be progressed across my Department's remit.

Currently, a person experiencing noise nuisance may contact their local authority, which may initiate proceedings on grounds of noise nuisance under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992. This Act also provides for any person, or group of persons, to seek an order in the District Court to have noise giving reasonable cause for annoyance abated. The procedures involved have been simplified to allow action to be taken without legal representation. A public information leaflet, A Guide to the Noise Regulations, outlining the legal avenues available to persons experiencing noise nuisance, is available on my Department's website www.environ.ie.

Priory Hall Development

Questions (216)

Billy Timmins

Question:

216. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the issue of insurance cover under the HomeBond scheme was examined in the case of the Priory Hall housing development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54944/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

HomeBond is a private limited company which provided a structural guarantee scheme to purchasers of new homes. Since November 2008 the scheme is underwritten by Allianz Insurance. My Department is aware that the builder/developer of Priory Hall was a member of HomeBond and that the apartment units at Priory Hall were registered for cover under the structural guarantee scheme.

The question of whether a claim may be made under the HomeBond scheme is a matter for Dublin City Council and its legal advisers in respect of the apartment units currently in its ownership or which it is planned will come into its ownership in accordance with the recently agreed Priory Hall Resolution Framework. The same position applies for other owners in relation to their interests. I have no function in relation to this aspect of the matter.

Unfinished Housing Developments

Questions (217)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

217. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he expects to have resolved all outstanding issues with ghost estates; his plans regarding demolishing those which are uninhabitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54948/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

I expect to continue to make significant progress in 2014 in addressing the legacy issue of unfinished housing developments. I chair a National Co-ordinating Committee, which was established as a response to the report of the advisory group on unfinished housing developments and which has harnessed the expertise and goodwill of the construction and banking sectors, local authorities, residents representatives and NAMA to ensure that significant progress has been made since its establishment. Local authorities are continuing to pursue developers and others to comply with their obligations under planning regulations.

Predominantly developer/funder/receiver funded site resolution processes will remain the main vehicle to tackle unfinished developments. 553 developments have been brought to a resolution point in this way over the past 12 months alone. I expect that such processes will continue to make significant inroads into the remaining 992 inhabited unfinished developments. Additionally, I have secured a Special Resolution Fund of €10 million in 2014 to address the completion of infrastructure on developments which could not be resolved because of absences of, or inadequacies in, planning securities and other unforeseen cost and risk issues. The fund will be operated by the local authorities and will be carefully targeted mainly to address difficulties in public infrastructure that have arisen on certain developments included in the Department's National Housing Development Survey 2013.

It is also necessary to explore resolution of those developments which appear to be commercially unviable due to location, build quality, commercial demand or other factors and where the most prudent course of action may be to seek the agreement of owners/funders to clear all or part of the site. Accordingly, the National Coordinating Committee established a group to oversee the development of a strategy for these residual developments and to work with stakeholders in identifying and agreeing such sites for full or partial clearance, thereby improving the lives of existing residents and removing dangerous structures from public access. Some forty such developments have been initially identified and fall to be addressed by the relevant owners, receivers and funders.

Responsibility for the clearance of unviable estates remains the responsibility of the funders and I welcome their participation in this pragmatic approach which will further underscore a return to a properly functioning property market.

Building Regulations Amendments

Questions (218)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

218. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to update the building regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54950/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Building regulations, which are primarily concerned with the safety and well-being of persons in and around buildings, set down mandatory performance standards for buildings. The statutory requirements are set out in twelve parts (classified as parts A to M) included under the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997-2013. Technical guidance documents (TGDs) are published to accompany each of the twelve parts in order to demonstrate how the statutory requirements may be achieved in practice.

Building regulations and accompanying TGDs are subject to on-going review and my Department's current work programme includes a number of such reviews as follows:

- Part B (Fire Safety) is currently undergoing a full review and proposals for a revised Part B/TGD B will be released for public consultation in 2014;

- A full review of Part C/TGD C ( Site Preparation and Resistance to Moisture) will commence in 2014;

- Part E/TGD E (Sound) is currently open to public consultation with a closing date for submissions set at 14 February 2014; definitive proposals for amended Part E regulations will then be finalised for signature into law by late 2014/early 2015;

- Part J /TGD J (Heat Producing Appliances) and Part K /TGD K ( Stairways, Ladders, Ramps and Guards) have both been fully reviewed and subject to public consultation following which definitive proposals for amended regulations and accompanying TGDs will be recommended to me for consideration and signature into law early in 2014;

- Part L/TGD L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) in respect of buildings other than dwellings is currently being reviewed with a view to being ready for public consultation in mid-2014; (Part L requirements for dwellings were upgraded in 2011).

Election Management System

Questions (219)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

219. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ensure that photographic ID will be the only identification allowed by voters in elections in order to prevent electoral fraud; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54963/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Electoral law provides for measures in connection with voter identification and the prevention of personation that are designed to strike a proper balance between the requirement to maintain the security and integrity of the electoral process while providing a necessary degree of flexibility to ensure that voters entitled to vote may do so. At the polling station, the returning officer or the presiding officer may, or if required by a personation agent shall, request any person applying for a ballot paper to produce a specified identification document. The range of documents includes commonly accepted forms of photographic ID including a passport, a driving licence and an employee identity card. Other types of specified documents, such as cheque books or cards, birth or marriage certificates, which are not photographic ID, must be accompanied by further documentation which establishes the address of the holder in the constituency.

If a person fails to produce a required document, or if the returning officer or the presiding officer is not satisfied that the person is the person to whom the document relates, they are not to be permitted to vote. My Department has considerably strengthened its recommendations to returning and presiding officers about the frequency of document checking. Prior to 2002, the recommended frequency was 1 in 20; in 2002 this was increased to 1 in 4. I consider that the current arrangements strike a reasonable balance between accessibility to the system and its security and integrity. I have no plans to require photographic ID as the only form of identification at elections.

Housing Grant Payments

Questions (220)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

220. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the housing grants available to householders living in Dublin; the cost of these grant schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54969/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. Three separate schemes are available; the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme:

The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability assists people with a disability to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. Eligible works include the provision of access ramps, stair lifts, accessible toilet and shower facilities, wheelchair access and extensions. The maximum grant available under the scheme is €30,000.

The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme is available to fast track grants of up to €6,000 to cover a basic suite of works to address the mobility problems of a member of a household. Qualifying works include the provision of stair lifts, level access showers, access ramps, grab rails and some minor adaptation works to the fabric of the house such as adaptation of downstairs room/closet to provide sanitary facilities etc.

The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme provides grants of up to €10,500 to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. Grant-eligible works include structural repairs or improvements, re-wiring, repairs to or replacement of windows and doors, provision of water supply and sanitary facilities, provision of heating, cleaning, painting etc.

Dublin City Council's overall allocation under the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability for 2013 amounted to € 5,512,886. In the case of extensions and adaptations to the local authority social housing stock, my Department allocates capital funding each year towards the cost of necessary works to meet the needs of persons with a disability. In 2013, my Department will recoup €640,000 to Dublin City Council for this measure. The detailed administration of these schemes, including the assessment, approval and payment of grants to applicants under the various grant measures, is the responsibility of the City Council.

Leader Programmes Funding

Questions (221)

Brendan Smith

Question:

221. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if additional funding will be provided to the Cavan-Monaghan Leader programme before the end of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54993/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

In May 2013, Cavan Monaghan LEADER was awarded a revised allocation under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 of €9,923,866 and my Department is keeping the funding position under constant review. I will review the options available regarding any funding that may become available for re-distributing to Local Development Companies in the coming weeks.

Freedom of Information Requests

Questions (222)

Seán Fleming

Question:

222. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department in 2012 and to date in 2013; the number of requests for which a search and retrieval fee was sought; the maximum fee sought by his Department in respect of a request received; the number of requests not proceeded with following the non-payment of the search and retrieval fee sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55000/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

My Department's Freedom of Information request process adheres to the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003. The information requested is set out in the following table.

-	2012	2013 (to date)
Number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests received:	184	98
Number of FOI requests where search and retrieval fees were sought:	20	10
Maximum search and retrieval fee sought:	€252.18	€209.50
Number of FOI requests not proceeded with following non-payment of search and retrieval fee:	0	1 (and 2 pending receipt of payment)

Housing Issues

Questions (223)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

223. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is encouraging foreign investors to build new homes in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55010/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The provision of new homes generally, other than those provided for social housing, involve commercial considerations in which I, as Minister with responsibility for social housing, have no direct function. Investment in housing for private sale is primarily a matter for the market. My Department is in the process of assessing the amount of residentially zoned undeveloped land in the Dublin area, and in the rest of the country, as part of the Housing Land Availability Survey. Through this exercise, and the implementation of the National Spatial Strategy, Regional Planning Guidelines and local authority plans, I believe that the planning process is in a good position to respond to all investment initiatives in the housing sector.

In terms of social housing provision, the Government's housing policy statement, published in June 2011, clearly identifies that the priority for Government is to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support in all local authority areas. I am determined to ensure that the social housing programme is optimised in terms of resources and focus to maximise the response to social housing need. This must be achieved in a context in which public expenditure necessarily continues to be constrained. Nonetheless, in July 2012 I announced details of a three-year funding programme of €100 million to deliver some 800 new units of voluntary and local authority owned social housing.

In addition to the €525.8 million in housing programme expenditure provided for in my Department's Abridged Estimate for 2014, Budget 2014 provides a further €50 million to fund infrastructural investment primarily in the housing area, including €30 million for the State house building programme; €10 million for an unfinished housing estate resolution project; and an additional €10 million for housing adaptation grants. When this is taken into account, funding for housing for next year is effectively maintained at 2013 levels.

Delivery of social housing continues to be significantly facilitated through more flexible funding models such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme and leasing but the Government is also committed to developing other funding mechanisms that will increase the supply of permanent new social housing. Such mechanisms include options to purchase, build to lease and the sourcing of loan finance by approved housing bodies for construction and acquisition. In addition, my Department and the Housing Agency are engaged with NAMA to ensure continued delivery of housing units for social purposes. Approved Housing Bodies will also play a key role in 2014 in the delivery of social housing and in particular in their capacity to attract external financial investment.

In spite of our challenging economic circumstances, I expect the final output across all social housing programmes for 2013 to be in the region of 5,000 new housing units, and it is provisionally estimated that in the region of 5,000 units will also be provided for social housing in 2014.

Litter Pollution

Questions (224)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

224. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he intends to adopt to tackle illegal dumping and general littering in the countryside; if he will reconsider ruling out a container-glass bottle deposit retention scheme; the measures he proposes in the areas of littering from moving vehicles and dog waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55069/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I am aware of the problems caused by illegal dumping, which is first and foremost a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law. While enforcement action in this area is a matter in the first instance for local authorities, my Department has taken a number of actions to address the issue. In 2012, I introduced a once-off Litter Enforcement Grants Scheme, targeted specifically at the issue of fly-tipping and small-scale illegal dumping, encouraging local authorities to enhance their existing enforcement activities, through measures such as the purchase of CCTV equipment to allow for the effective monitoring of known litter black spots. I also launched, again in 2012, a national campaign in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency and supported by the print media, to highlight the economic value of our environment and encouraging the public to report all incidences of illegal dumping to the Agency's National Environmental Complaints hotline at 1850 365 121. Existing penalties, available under the Litter Pollution Acts for litter offences, range from an on-the-spot fine of €150, to a maximum fine of €3,000 on summary conviction and a maximum fine of €130,000 on conviction on indictment. The maximum fines for continuing offences are €600 per day for summary offences and €10,000 per day for indictable offences. A person convicted of a litter offence may also be required by the court to pay the local authority's costs and expenses in investigating the offence and bringing the prosecution. Penalties for more serious dumping offences provided for under the Waste Management Acts are also substantial. Persons who are found to be responsible for, or involved in, the unauthorised disposal of waste are liable to a maximum fine of €3,000 on summary conviction and/or imprisonment for up to 12 months, and to a maximum fine of €15 million on conviction on indictment and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years.

Finally, as part of the root-and-branch review of all aspects of the Producer Responsibility Initiative model in Ireland that I initiated in 2012, my Department published a report earlier this year on packaging in which the possibility of a packaging levy was considered. My Department also completed a consultation process with stakeholders on this issue. Following completion of the consultation process and the receipt of the consultants' report, I decided, after careful consideration, not to proceed with the introduction of a packaging levy at this time. The primary reason for my decision is that the introduction of a packaging levy is likely to generate a number of regulatory costs to business and the public sector with few identifiable benefits, given our very successful packaging recovery and recycling performance to date in Ireland. In addition, the consultants' report does not recommend the introduction of a Deposit and Refund scheme as to establish such a scheme is inappropriate, in view of the operation of the existing packaging scheme (Repak) and policies concerning household waste collection, plus the high administrative costs of introducing such a system.

The report is available on my Department's website and can be accessed at: http://www.environ.ie/en/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,34038,en.pdf.