Pat Deering
Question:486. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the Commission for Economic Development of Rural Areas report will be launched. [55283/13]
View answerRural Development Policy
Questions (486)
Written answers
The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) was launched in October 2012 by Minister Coveney and me. The aim of the Commission was to carry out an extensive public consultation and research exercise on the future economic potential of rural Ireland and how best to channel funding and resources between 2014 and 2025. The most significant element of the Commission’s work was the extensive consultation process, conducted between January and June of 2013, and comprising three different elements; a series of public meetings, meetings with relevant stakeholders and experts, and a written submission process that involved the completion of an online questionnaire and/or written submissions.
I received the final report of the Commission late last year. I am currently examining the contents of the report with a view publication in the coming weeks.
Water Charges Administration
Questions (487)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:487. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to Irish Water, the person that will be responsible for the collection of payment for water from members of what were previously private group water schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55286/13]
View answerWritten answers
With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services. Irish Water will not collect charges from any households not connected to a public water supply including private group schemes.
My Department will remain responsible for the overall policy and funding of the non-public water sector, including the group water sector. Over the past decade, substantial improvements have been made in the group water sector, reflected in improved infrastructure and management and leading to greater compliance with drinking water standards. This has been accomplished through a partnership approach between my Department, the local authorities and the group water sector itself, with the important involvement of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes. This co-operative approach will be maintained as the reform of water services provision is progressed.
Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility
Questions (488)
Billy Timmins
Question:488. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the rental accommodation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55318/13]
View answerWritten answers
The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is targeted at those households who have been in receipt of Rent Supplement from the Department of Social Protection for 18 months or more and who have been assessed by a housing authority as having a long-term housing need. Decisions on the eligibility of specific persons for social housing support, which includes RAS, are a matter solely for the housing authority concerned.
Being a recipient of RAS does not debar an individual from taking up any form of employment. The essence of the scheme is that the full and contracted rent for the accommodation provided to a household is paid in full by the housing authority to the landlord. RAS tenants for their part make a specific contribution to the housing authority based on the authority’s own Differential Rents Scheme. RAS therefore does not act as a disincentive to work.
In the context of an individual’s eligibility for social housing support generally, the provisions of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 set out the procedures for the assessment of applicants for social housing support. Regulation 22(1) of the 2011 Regulations provides that a household with alternative accommodation that would meet its housing need is ineligible for social housing support. Paragraph (2) of the Regulation clarifies that paragraph (1) does not operate to exclude from eligibility for social housing support an applicant who owns accommodation that is occupied by his or her spouse, from whom he or she is formally separated or divorced. Under the enactment, a deed of separation is sufficient to set aside this ineligibility ground and it is not necessary to await judicial separation or divorce to get a decision on social housing support in these cases.
Finally, eligibility for Rent Supplement and to its continued receipt is entirely a matter for my colleague the Minister for Social Protection.
Fire Service
Questions (489)
Seán Crowe
Question:489. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the boundary changes within the Kildare fire service, notably Athy; and if these changes were reportedly made by using Google maps. [55362/13]
View answerWritten answers
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, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981.
In February 2013 I published Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) as national policy for the future direction of fire services in Ireland. The document was prepared by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in my Department through a collaborative process, which included consultation with stakeholders. The intention is to ensure that Ireland continues to manage its fire risk effectively in accordance with current international best practice and that the successful approaches to fire safety, under which the downward trend in the level of fire loss recorded annually, continues.
Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) confirms that the nearest available resource (in terms of speed of arrival) should be deployed to emergency incidents irrespective of administrative boundaries. It is expected that each fire service will undertake a review in the context of the recommendations contained in Keeping Communities Safe and, where any changes are required, decisions on these will be for the relevant local authority to make, in this case Kildare County Council.
Local Government Reform
Questions (490, 493)
Seán Crowe
Question:490. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for the transition of town councils such as Athy Town Council to the municipal district; and the services and business that will take place in the Athy Town Council building when the new municipal district starts. [55363/13]
View answer
Simon Harris
Question:493. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the provisions that are in place in terms of local government reform measures to ensure the cultural identity of towns can be protected and retained following the abolition of town councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1003/14]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 493 together.
The Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government sets out Government policy decisions in relation to a range of local government reform measures including a more effective, coherent and comprehensive system of sub-county municipal governance, encompassing both urban and rural areas, to strengthen local government within counties and address weaknesses and anomalies in the current system.
The Local Government Reform Bill 2013 provides the legislative basis for the structural reforms set out in the Action Programme. The Bill provides that the local authority for a county will become the successor authority, for all purposes, of each town council in the county. Local authority elected members will perform a significant range of statutory functions at municipal district level, including relevant local authority functions in relation to civic and cultural matters. Responsibility in relation to buildings and other assets of town councils will rest with the successor authority in each case.
Water Pollution
Questions (491)
Seán Crowe
Question:491. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rivers and waterways here into which the chemical chromium VI is released; and the levels of this heavy metal that are released. [55364/13]
View answerWritten answers
Chromium VI and Chromium III are listed as specific substances in the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009. These Regulations contain Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for substances discharged to waters.
In accordance with these Regulations, monitoring of Irish surface waters is undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and by local authorities. Metals, including total chromium in all its forms, are monitored in rivers on a monthly basis at 173 surveillance sites.
There is extensive monitoring of chromium discharges, covering both relevant industrial facilities and municipal wastewater treatment plants. In instances of chromium discharges, Chromium III is the predominant type. In accordance with the Regulations, measurement of the concentrations of Chromium VI is only required when monitoring detects total chromium levels above the EQS set out in the Regulations. Where exceedances occur an assessment should be made of the potential discharges of Chromium VI into the relevant water body. Where there is a risk of Chromium VI contamination, speciation studies must be carried out. To date no rivers have exceeded their annual average EQS although a limited number of elevated total chromium samples have been detected. However, these are generally related to single samples from sites.
Validated data extracted from the national Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) indicates that in 2010 - 2012 approximately 307Kg of chromium and its compounds were released to Irish surface waters. 198.3Kg of this was estimated to be derived from municipal wastewater treatment plant returns using a modelling tool based on averaged flows and concentrations.
Departmental Staff Data
Questions (492)
Bernard Durkan
Question:492. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which agency staff have been used in his Department in each of the past five years to date for the purpose of answering and transferring calls on their switchdesk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55433/13]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has had a contract in place for the provision of telephone switch services in each of the past five years. The service was delivered by three staff until 2011; since 2012 the service has been provided by two staff. This contract is in place to assist my Department in meeting its commitment to providing a quality service to customers in line with our Customer Charter.
Question No. 493 answered with Question No. 490.
Commencement of Legislation
Questions (494)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:494. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 142 and 143 of 12 December 2013, when Chapter 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 will be commenced. [1010/14]
View answerWritten answers
Commencement of Chapter 4 of the 2009 Act is dependent on the new local authority rent charging provisions of section 31 of the 2009 Act coming into operation. The elected members of each local authority are required to make a rent scheme under section 31 before the rent charging provisions of the enactment can be commenced. I intend shortly to bring the rent scheme provisions of section 31 into operation and to prescribe the date by which each housing authority must make its first rent scheme. I will bring the rent-charging provisions of section 31 into force in early-2015 when all authorities have made their rent schemes, following which consideration can be given to bringing Chapter 4 of the 2009 Act into force, having regard to progress on the phased introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme.
Local Authority Funding
Questions (495)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:495. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide funding for stoves to local authorities such as Kerry County Council (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1030/14]
View answerWritten answers
Under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock, including the compilation and implementation of on-going maintenance programmes and the carrying out of responsive repairs and alterations to rented properties, is a matter for individual authorities. In addition to revenue funding local authorities may also use available internal capital receipts to fund improvement works to houses, including the replacement of open fires with stand-alone stoves for space heating where appropriate.
This year, my Department will be introducing a new capital grant scheme with funding of €15 million for the refurbishment of vacant local authority houses. The suite of grant-eligible works will include the provision of stoves for space heating. Details of the new measure will be announced shortly.
Question No. 496 answered with Question No. 484.
Housing Data
Questions (497)
Simon Harris
Question:497. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of undeveloped land that is in the ownership of local authorities for the purpose of providing local authority housing and a breakdown of this information for each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1047/14]
View answerWritten answers
For the past number of years my Department has compiled statistics on various aspects of housing including statistics on the supply of housing land. A recent survey on the availability of housing land shows 13,707 hectares of serviced land was available for housing at July 2012 and of that 525 hectares was owned by local authorities and earmarked by them for social and affordable housing programmes.
Details of the full survey are available at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/ under the page Latest House Building and Private Rented Statistics.
The breakdown of the 525 hectares owned by local authority is as follows:
|
Local Authority |
Local Authority owned zoned serviced land earmarked for social and affordable development |
|
- |
Hectares |
|
Carlow County Council |
25 |
|
Cavan County Council |
9 |
|
Clare County Council |
48 |
|
Cork County Council |
24 |
|
Cork City Council |
33 |
|
Donegal |
0 |
|
Dun Laoghaire – Rathdown County Council |
14 |
|
Fingal County Council |
44 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
40 |
|
Dublin City Council |
0 |
|
Galway County Council |
12 |
|
Galway City Council |
19 |
|
Kerry County Council |
12 |
|
Kildare County Council |
40 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
0 |
|
Laois County Council |
0 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
2 |
|
Limerick County Council |
12 |
|
Limerick City Council |
0 |
|
Longford County Council |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
17 |
|
Mayo County Council |
23 |
|
Meath County Council |
16 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
3 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
4 |
|
Offaly |
0 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
15 |
|
Sligo County Council |
23 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
38 |
|
Waterford County Council |
0 |
|
Waterford City Council |
0 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
9 |
|
Wexford County Council |
1 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
42 |
All suitable sites owned by Local Authorities will be considered in the context of future social housing building programmes.
Local Authority Staff
Questions (498)
Simon Harris
Question:498. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the new role of a chief executive of a local authority; the functions this role will administer; the main differences between this position and that which it is replacing of county manager; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1049/14]
View answerWritten answers
Fundamental changes are being made to the role of the manager within the system of local governance and the balance of powers between the executive and the elected council, through a range of new provisions in section 51 of the Local Government Reform Bill 2013. The Bill provides for the replacement of the traditional city and county manager position by a new post of "chief executive". The change from manager to chief executive, which reflects modern terminology, is an important aspect of clarifying the appropriate roles of the executive in implementing policy of the council as, in effect, the board of directors of the authority. In that context, elected members will have the power of decision over the appointment of the individual recommended by the Public Appointments Service for the chief executive post in their authority, while retaining the independence of the selection procedures of the Public Appointments Service.
More importantly, the change to a chief executive post is accompanied by a range of significant provisions to give substance to the rebalancing of roles. For example, there are increased obligations on the chief executive to provide additional advice and assistance to elected members in the discharge of their roles at council and municipal district levels and in various committees. Chief executives will be obliged to have regard to the views of elected members while policy options are still in formation and will have to assist elected members in the development of new policies at an early stage of the policy development process. Chief executives will also have to prepare monthly management reports for the elected members, which will be placed on the council agenda for follow-up as the members consider appropriate.
The powers of the elected members in overseeing the implementation of policy by the chief executive are also being strengthened, including specific provision for oversight and superintendence of action taken pursuant to directions of the elected council. Where members are not satisfied with the chief executive's approach to implementation of their policy, they may request a report in which the chief executive must indicate what new or different actions may be pursued or other possible adjustment to the policy.
The chief executive will continue to discharge executive functions, as the county or city manager has heretofore.
Fire Stations Provision
Questions (499, 511)
Tom Fleming
Question:499. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to previous parliamentary questions, if he will provide the necessary funding in 2014 to replace the fire station in Kenmare, County Kerry, with a new one; if he is aware that a new fire station was previously promised and is long overdue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1074/14]
View answer
Brendan Griffin
Question:511. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a new fire station will be built at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1297/14]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 499 and 511 together.
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 reviewed 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.
Housing Regeneration
Questions (500)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:500. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 653 of 5 November 2013, if he will provide an update on whether a regeneration project in Dublin 17 (details supplied) will be included in the Department’s remedial works programme for 2014 in light of the strong commitment from Dublin City Council and its readiness to progress the project. [1095/14]
View answerWritten answers
Work is currently underway in my Department on preparing the capital allocations under the various housing measures which comprise the Social Housing Investment Programme for 2014. I intend to announce details of these allocations as soon as possible.
As part of this process, I am reviewing the existing levels of contractual commitments on approved housing projects and the potential to approve new projects to proceed to construction in 2014. Funding for the remediation of Buttercup estate is being considered in this context. To date, €833,000 has been recouped to Dublin City Council in respect of demolition and related works at Buttercup Park.
Flood Prevention Measures
Questions (501)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:501. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if appropriate investment will be given to Dublin City Council in the form of financial assistance with capital improvement works to remove the potential risk of flooding that continues to exist in some areas to the north of Dublin city around the River Naniken catchment. [1096/14]
View answerWritten answers
I have no responsibility for, or role in relation to, managing or dealing with capital improvement works relating to flooding.
Local Authority Staff Recruitment
Questions (502)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:502. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of unemployed persons in County Kerry who will be given positions on a temporary basis in county council works such as drainage schemes and general outdoor maintenance during 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1098/14]
View answerWritten answers
The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in March 2009 in response to the financial crisis. My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities, and any exceptions to the moratorium in local authorities require sanction from my Department.
Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each City and County Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for City and County Managers, in the first instance, to ensure that the moratorium is implemented while the appropriate service levels are maintained.
My Department examines all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence.
My Department has not received a staff sanction request from Kerry County Council for temporary staff in relation to drainage schemes and general outdoor maintenance.
Water Services Provision
Questions (503)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:503. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way in which he proposes to put the onus of responsibility on home owners to identify a problem with their water supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1105/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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. The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake this metering programme.
As part of the metering programme, my Department, in conjunction with Irish Water, is currently working on a proposal regarding customer-side leakage. Implementation arrangements have yet to be worked out with Irish Water. Full details on the approach to addressing customer-side leakage will be announced in advance of the introduction of the charges.
Social and Affordable Housing Provision
Questions (504)
Anthony Lawlor
Question:504. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which was published on 30 July 2013, if the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency has provided a stand-alone analysis of the shared ownership scheme, including identification of the main difficulties and recommendations for mitigating measures; when it is expected that a change to the legislation governing affordable housing schemes, including the shared ownership scheme, will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1182/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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. Details regarding the review are available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie; the period for public submissions closed on 27 September 2013 and submissions made by a variety of interested parties are now under consideration. I expect to be in a position to formulate future policy approaches and actions, taking account of the consultation process, early in 2014.
In addition, 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. While I have received an initial draft of the review from the Agency a number of issues have been identified that need further detailed financial analysis in order to fully assess the impact on local authority finances of possible mitigating measures. This additional work is underway and I expect to make further recommendations to bring the review process to a conclusion in the very near future.
Pending full conclusion of this review, my Department recently issued a circular to local authorities setting out some of the options that might be explored to alleviate the difficulties of those in shared ownership distress. These include clarification on renting of rooms and the announcement of the nationwide extension of the Local Authority Mortgage-to-Rent (LAMTR) scheme following the successful completion of a pilot scheme in two local authority areas. To support the national rollout of LAMTR, with the support of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Housing Finance Agency, I will be allocating an additional €20m to the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) fund in 2014 to significantly expand the capacity of that resource to assist shared ownership households in mortgage distress.
NAMA Social Housing Provision
Questions (505)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:505. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 213 of 19 December 2013, if he will confirm that the 369 properties delivered by the end of November 2013 as referred to in the response were tenanted by that date; and if not, the number of these properties that had tenants living in them as of November 2013. [1184/14]
View answerWritten answers
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.