Wednesday, 15 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 518-529

Local Authority Funding

Questions (518)

Simon Harris

Question:

518. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding his Department has provided to a local authority to renovate and repair a property (details supplied) in County Wicklow; when the application was lodged for this funding; when the funding was awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1422/14]

Written answers

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

Under my Department’s Social Housing Programme, funding is provided to local authorities for the acquisition of properties to meet local housing need. In December 2013, my Department recouped €118,999 to Wicklow County Council in respect of the cost of acquiring a property at 2 Bramble Corner, Cooldross, Kilcoole. This included a contribution of €5,000 towards legal and refurbishment costs.

Question No. 519 answered with Question No. 483.

Local Government Reform

Questions (520)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

520. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has changed the policy on local government whereby Oireachtas Members are entitled to receive copies of agendas, minutes, policy documents, budgets and so on from their relevant local authorities; the reason, if the policy has not changed, such documentation is not routinely provided by Kildare County Council to all Oireachtas Members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1568/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

There has been no change in policy in relation to the provision of relevant documentation to members of the Oireachtas, who may request such documents under the Local Government Act 2001 (Section 237A) Regulations, 2003. The implementation of this policy is a matter for the relevant local authority in each instance, and I understand that Kildare County Council will contact you directly.

Motor Tax Yield

Questions (521)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

521. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is concerned by dropping annual overall motor tax revenues; if he is concerned that the figures will continue to drop with more lower emission vehicles coming on the roads; his views that a reformed system of motor tax calculation is needed, in view of the fact that owners of older cheaper cars are paying multiples of what owners of new top of the range cars are paying; if he will consider moving entirely to a fuel consumption linked pay as you go system; if he will see the fairness merits of this as well as the administrative burden it would save; if he will consider the freedom such a system would give to State agencies to focus on anti-laundering and organised criminal activity in the fuel industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1582/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Income from motor tax is kept under regular review, with rates and bands adjusted in a budgetary context as is deemed necessary.

It is not intended to seek to replace the current system of motor tax with additional taxation on motor fuel. Motor tax receipts for 2013 were in the order of €1.1bn. Maintenance of the tax base to that order would require an increase in fuel excise rates of at least 20 cent per litre, with direct negative impacts on the rate of inflation and economic competitiveness. Goods vehicles and other high usage and high mileage vehicles, such as public service vehicles and buses, would have higher costs under a pay-as-you-drive system. There would be other distributional effects, including on those with longer distances to commute.

An increase in fuel duty of this order could lead to an increase in cross-Border fuel purchasing, further depressing the tax base and requiring a compensatory adjustment, either in further increases in fuel prices or elsewhere in the tax system, to make up the shortfall. There is significant potential for an increase in fuel laundering and related organised criminal activity. The benefits of fuel based tax would have to be weighed against these issues, and many others, before the change proposed could be contemplated.

Building Regulations Compliance

Questions (522)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

522. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding ARAE registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1608/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

New Building Control (Amendment) Regulations will from 1 March 2014 strengthen the arrangements in place for the control of building activity, by requiring greater accountability in relation to compliance with Building Regulations in the form of statutory certificates of design and construction, lodgement of compliance documentation, mandatory inspection during construction and validation and registration of statutory certificates.

The statutory certificates of compliance must be signed by a registered professional i.e. a person who is included on the statutory registers of architects or building surveyors maintained in accordance with parts 3 and 5 respectively of the Building Control Act 2007 or on the register of chartered engineers established under the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland (Charter Amendment) Act 1969. Architects, Building Surveyors and Chartered Engineers are the construction professions typically involved in the design of construction works in Ireland and reference to these professions in regulation is entirely appropriate.

Depending on their personal circumstances it may be open to persons who have been working in the design and surveying of buildings for ten or more years prior to the commencement of the registers to seek inclusion on either of the statutory registers referred to which would enable a person to sign statutory certificates of compliance as provided for under the new regulations when they come into effect on and from 1 March 2014.  There is no question of persons who are not included on the statutory registers being permitted to sign certificates of compliance.

I understand that the RIAI has made a number of modifications to the technical assessment process following the publication of the independent report on registration arrangements prepared by Mr Garrett Fennell last year.  The cost of the course provided by ARAE Ltd, a campus company based in UCD, is considerably less than the €20,000 indicated.  It is open to the individual concerned to deal directly with the RIAI and/or ARAE Ltd ., as appropriate, in relation to the circumstance of the particular case.

Housing Grant Payments

Questions (523)

Denis Naughten

Question:

523. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of grants approved and drawn down, respectively, for each local authority in each of the past three years under the housing aid grant for older persons; the corresponding figure for such grants under €8,000 and over this figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1610/14]

Written answers

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

Information on the numbers of grants paid by local authorities under the Housing Aid for Older People grant scheme over the past 3 years is set out in the following table:

LOCAL AUTHORITY	2011	2012	2013
CARLOW COUNTY COUNCIL	171	113	45
CAVAN COUNTY COUNCIL	92	54	63
CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL	326	71	147
CORK COUNTY COUNCIL	805	956	177
DONEGAL COUNTY COUNCIL	277	116	90
DUN LAOGHAIRE/RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL	46	27	30
FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL	95	79	7
GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL	346	378	258
KERRY COUNTY COUNCIL	479	372	112
KILDARE COUNTY COUNCIL	289	114	166
KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL	246	148	104
LAOIS COUNTY COUNCIL	85	104	25
LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL	63	59	11
LIMERICK COUNTY COUNCIL	169	92	98
LONGFORD COUNTY COUNCIL	165	105	75
LOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL	79	7	18
MAYO COUNTY COUNCIL	430	419	393
MEATH COUNTY COUNCIL	67	67	15
MONAGHAN COUNTY COUNCIL	80	104	76
NORTH TIPPERARY COUNTY COUNCIL	97	53	23
OFFALY COUNTY COUNCIL	79	30	62
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL	159	84	34
SLIGO BOROUGH&COUNTY COUNCIL	110	153	10
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL	50	34	23
SOUTH TIPPERARY COUNTY COUNCIL	236	107	80
WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL	69	37	12
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL	246	182	75
GALWAY CITY COUNCIL	82	81	72
WATERFORD CITY COUNCIL	75	42	24
WATERFORD COUNTY COUNCIL	63	65	4
WESTMEATH COUNTY COUNCIL	112	93	53
WEXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL	267	220	108
CORK CITY COUNCIL	330	86	216
LIMERICK CITY COUNCIL	226	206	109

The average amount of grant paid in 2011, 2012 and 2013 was € 4,162, € 4,106 and €3,995 respectively.

Leader Programmes Funding

Questions (524)

Brendan Smith

Question:

524. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the proposals he has to provide further funding to the Cavan-Monaghan Leader programme following the reduction in May 2013 of the original allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1642/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

On the 20 December I announced an additional €4 million under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP). Funding of €1 million is being targeted at the Gaeltacht areas which suffered a loss of funding when Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta went into liquidation in 2011 and €3 million to the areas which experienced a reduction of greater than 15% in the revised allocation awarded in May 2013. The €3 million was apportioned using the relevant Local Development Company’s original percentage of the Programme. In this regard, Cavan Monaghan LEADER was awarded an additional €237,632. In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development it is a matter for the Board of the LDC to decide on what projects should be funded with this additional funding.

Housing Adaptation Grant Data

Questions (525)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

525. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide detail of the allocations to local authorities for private housing grants for 2013; the grant schemes to be covered by these allocations; and if he will provide a breakdown of the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 allocations by grant scheme and by local authority. [1647/14]

Written answers

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

Details of the allocations to local authorities in respect the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability over the period 2011 to 2013 are set out in the table. There are three distinct measures under this scheme, Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability, Housing Aid for Older People and Mobility Aids Grants. It is a matter for the Local Authority as to how they apportion their overall all allocation between the three measures. The schemes are funded by 80% recoupments available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority.

-	2011	2011	2012	2012	2013	2013
Local Authority	Exchequer Allocation	Local Authority Contribution	Exchequer Allocation	Local Authority Contribution	Exchequer Allocation	Local Authority Contribution
Carlow	€1,579,211	€394,803	€1,179,211	€294,803	€634,081	€792,601
Cavan	€1,500,000	€375,000	€1,050,000	€262,500	€880,847	€1,101,059
Clare	€2,865,000	€716,250	€1,100,552	€275,138	€1,237,486	€1,546,858
Cork	€5,542,819	€1,385,705	€6,629,387	€1,657,347	€3,814,922	€4,768,653
Donegal	€853,239	€213,310	€815,517	€203,879	€778,088	€972,610
Dun Laoghaire /Rathdown	€809,571	€202,393	€888,482	€222,121	€740,471	€925,589
Fingal	€1,822,713	€455,678	€1,657,892	€414,473	€1,460,348	€1,825,435
Galway	€2,147,000	€536,750	€1,900,000	€475,000	€1,438,098	€1,797,623
Kerry	€3,607,218	€901,805	€2,606,292	€651,573	€1,358,026	€1,697,533
Kildare	€2,852,228	€713,057	€1,620,000	€405,000	€1,739,898	€2,174,873
Kilkenny	€2,107,131	€526,783	€1,494,000	€373,500	€1,190,906	€1,488,633
Laois	€936,874	€234,219	€867,862	€216,966	€384,826	€481,033
Leitrim	€537,493	€134,373	€555,044	€138,761	€229,861	€287,326
Limerick	€1,707,849	€426,962	€1,378,764	€344,691	€1,269,913	€1,587,391
Longford	€1,000,000	€250,000	€994,860	€248,715	€577,400	€721,750
Louth	€994,374	€248,594	€949,012	€237,253	€963,068	€1,203,835
Mayo	€2,274,400	€568,600	€2,060,173	€515,043	€2,160,404	€2,700,505
Meath	€1,187,042	€296,761	€857,766	€214,442	€499,545	€624,431
Monaghan	€1,250,000	€312,500	€1,200,000	€300,000	€711,729	€889,661
North Tipperary	€1,313,209	€328,302	€960,000	€240,000	€497,939	€622,424
Offaly	€1,406,000	€351,500	€700,000	€175,000	€551,663	€689,579
Roscommon	€1,511,000	€377,750	€783,401	€195,850	€616,597	€770,746
Sligo (Borough and County)	€1,188,614	€297,154	€1,106,822	€276,706	€343,280	€429,100
South Dublin	€1,265,658	€316,415	€1,782,647	€445,662	€1,229,012	€1,536,265
South Tipperary	€2,800,000	€700,000	€2,489,371	€622,343	€1,057,262	€1,321,578
Waterford	€1,200,235	€300,059	€795,813	€198,953	€378,996	€473,745
Westmeath	€1,064,631	€266,158	€790,524	€197,631	€522,701	€653,376
Wexford	€2,219,619	€554,905	€2,153,418	€538,355	€1,070,672	€1,338,340
Wicklow	€949,408	€237,352	€763,835	€190,959	€543,301	€679,126
Cork City	€2,190,333	€547,583	€1,399,793	€349,948	€1,491,600	€1,864,500
Dublin City	€6,951,464	€1,737,866	€7,614,654	€1,903,664	€4,410,309	€5,512,886
Galway City	€834,870	€208,718	€872,682	€218,171	€417,504	€521,880
Limerick City	€1,639,000	€409,750	€1,520,000	€380,000	€931,256	€1,164,070
Waterford City	€700,322	€175,081	€662,225	€165,556	€353,930	€442,413

I intend to increase the level of funding available for the grant schemes in 2014. Details of the capital allocations to local authorities will issue very shortly

Local Authority Charges Collection

Questions (526)

Seamus Kirk

Question:

526. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding distressed companies in liquidation regarding arrears due to respective councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1662/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

As with all local charges, the invoicing and collection of due amounts is a matter for the local authority concerned to manage in the light of prevailing local circumstances and in accordance with normal accountancy procedures. In accordance with the Local Authority Accounting in Ireland Code of Practice and Accounting Regulations, issued by my Department in December 2009 under section 107 of the Local Government Act 2001, local authorities are required to make provision for doubtful debts and to write off known uncollectable debts.

Local Elections

Questions (527)

Kevin Humphreys

Question:

527. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which he intends to make and publish regulations under the Local Elections Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure Act 1999 regarding allowable election expenditure during the forthcoming 2014 local elections; if he will provide a detailed outline of the forthcoming regulations; if he envisages a similar expenses regime being permitted as was the case that applied during the 2009 local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1670/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Provision is made in Part 2 of Schedule 2 of the Local Government Reform Bill 2013 for amendments to the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act 1999, ‘the 1999 Act’, to change the spending limit provisions at local elections. This Bill is currently before the Oireachtas.

Spending limits were first introduced for the 2009 local elections and were based on a sliding scale. The relevant provisions are contained in section 12A of the 1999 Act. Depending on the population of the local electoral area in a county or city council the limit is either: €15,000, €13,000, €11,500 or €9,750. All town and borough council electoral areas have the same spending limit of €7,500.

The Local Government Bill 2013 provides for the revision and replacement of the current arrangements, by amending section 12A of the 1999 Act and setting three new population bands with spending limits of €13,000, €11,500 and €9,750, respectively. It is intended that these limits would apply at the 2014 local elections. A summary of the current population bands and spending limits, and the proposed revisions, is set out in the table.

Population bands and spending limits at the 2009 local elections

Proposed revisions for the 2014 local elections

Local electoral area	Candidate spending limit	Local electoral area	Candidate spending limit
Population in excess of 32,500	€15,000	Population in excess of 35,000	€13,000
Population between 22,501 and 32,500	€13,000	Population between 18,001 and 35,000	€11,500
Population between 12,001 and 22,500	€11,500	Population of 18,000 or less	€9,750
Population of 12,000 or less	€9,750
Borough or town council	€7,500

Section 12B of the 1999 Act provides that the period for the reckoning of election expenses, during which the spending limits apply, is to commence between 50 and 60 days prior to polling day. The date of commencement of the spending period is set out in an order made me, as Minister, before the election. Election spending incurred during this period must be reported to the local authority concerned and must be below the specified limit. In complying with this provision, there is a requirement to submit a statement of donations and expenses within 90 days of polling day on a form which is prescribed by me in regulations. The necessary regulations are to be put in place after the Local Government Reform Bill 2013 is enacted.

The definition of what constitutes ‘election expenses’ is contained in section 6 of the 1999 Act, with a description of the relevant expenses that are covered set out in the schedule to the Act. I have no plans to amend this definition in advance of the 2014 local elections.

Commercial Rates Calculations

Questions (528)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

528. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the commercial rateable valuation and amount of paid parking income by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1674/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The Commissioner of Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters, including the method of valuation.

I assume the question refers to t he Net Effective Valuation (or Net Annual Value where a local authority area has undergone a revaluation) which is the cumulative total of all valuations of rateable premises in a local authority area as provided to the rating authority by the Commissioner of Valuation in his statutory role. Local authorities publish the Net Effective Valuation (or Net Annual Value) in their annual budgets. The latest available data for 2013 are set out in the table.

The Annual Financial Statement of each local authority provides an analysis of income from goods and services. Local authority income from parking fines and charges in respect of 2011, the latest year for which audited information is available, is also set out in the table.

County Councils	Net Effective Valuation 2013	Parking Fines/Charges 2011
Carlow	87,200	0
Cavan	194,000	14,025
Clare	495,272	260,969
Cork	1,286,500	202,355
Donegal	306,227	382,307
Fingal*	823,445,300	2,106,504
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown*	497,413,914	4,401,776
Galway	359,000	737,661
Kerry	260,112	74,885
Kildare	676,209	1,053,257
Kilkenny	231,734	0
Laois	186,043	803,315
Leitrim	79,669	121,790
Limerick	484,077	30,008
Longford	72,129	0
Louth	146,380	222,570
Mayo	196,675	364,866
Meath	373,013	15,687
Monaghan	116,028	0
North Tipperary	118,304	166,134
Offaly	157,761	3,190
Roscommon	151,750	0
Sligo	70,000	0
South Dublin*	757,000,000	949,401
South Tipperary	138,686	2,482
Waterford	107,404	22,220
Westmeath	192,753	1,276,670
Wexford	267,570	403,553
Wicklow	225,857	424,009
City Councils	-	-
Cork	876,167	9,349,867
Dublin	5,595,750	30,746,560
Galway	532,724	3,783,238
Limerick	407,620	1,651,803
Waterford	283,212	2,539,804
Town & Borough Councils	-	-
Clonmel	105,560	1,688,120
Drogheda	178,783	1,670,177
Kilkenny	108,451	2,001,002
Sligo	97,500	2,044,151
Wexford	119,054	1,176,923
Arklow	42,350	381,327
Athlone	88,129	461,340
Athy	38,819	205,207
Ballina	58,764	788,341
Ballinasloe	33,070	180,435
Birr	18,907	82,820
Bray	97,989	1,111,462
Buncrana	29,728	153,860
Bundoran	15,530	138,233
Carlow	64,356	698,013
Carrick on Suir	17,941	201,958
Carrickmacross	19,758	10,990
Cashel	12,457	348,263
Castlebar	57,569	1,008,733
Castleblayney	15,150	0
Cavan	26,770	554,649
Clonakility	16,750	18,299
Clones	7,492	560
Cobh	11,126	0
Dundalk	207,897	1,184,612
Dungarvan	53,217	368,382
Ennis	83,144	1,395,542
Enniscorthy	26,069	473,532
Fermoy	16,900	300,482
Kells	10,870	339,847
Killarney	111,205	1,211,624
Kilrush	11,848	91,569
Kinsale	16,754	299,466
Letterkenny	67,395	304,948
Listowel	19,918	134,531
Longford	47,290	1,103,470
Macroom	14,725	134,951
Mallow	33,905	309,902
Midleton	26,805	62,590
Monaghan	46,592	650,249
Naas	118,375	805,485
Navan	77,135	1,049,693
Nenagh	58,624	520,527
New Ross	20,678	468,726
Skibbereen	13,500	22,471
Templemore	7,458	40
Thurles	39,500	451,658
Tipperary	26,144	156,027
Tralee	120,887	1,665,321
Trim	13,296	259,374
Tullamore	66,965	705,148
Westport	43,370	192,505
Wicklow	26,495	480,388
Youghal	21,480	104,026

An asterisk (*) denotes a local authority where a revaluation has taken place.

Water Charges Exemptions

Questions (529)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

529. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if an exemption on water meter charges will be given to families who are providing care for children with disabilities at home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1703/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

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. An interdepartmental working group has been established to advise the Government on the appropriate method for addressing water poverty and water affordability issues which may arise with the introduction of domestic water charges. The Water Affordability Working Group will examine the issues arising for those with specific medical conditions, which require high water usage, in the course of its work.

The Group comprises my Department and the Departments of the Taoiseach, Social Protection, Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance. The Group is to prepare a report for consideration by the Government to enable decisions on the proposed approach to be taken in advance of proposed public consultation by the Commission for Energy Regulation on the approach to the design of domestic water tariffs during 2014.