Written Answers Nos. 157-166
158. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15882/14]
View answerI have no responsibility for, or role in relation to, the management, operation or maintenance of water services infrastructure. From 1 January 2014 Irish Water has responsibility for the delivery of these services and for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. It is currently preparing a Capital Investment Plan for 2014 – 2016. The further progression of all water services capital projects is now a matter for Irish Water.
My Department asked Irish Water to put in place specific arrangements to address the queries which public representatives may have in relation to matters pertaining to the operation of water services under the new utility. I understand that Irish Water has made contact with Oireachtas members to outline the arrangements for addressing such queries in a timely manner.
159. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the discussions he has had with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in relation to the importance of ensuring that mountain rescue teams are properly funded, in view of the work of Comhairle na Tuaithe and the growth in hill walking and mountain climbing in Ireland and their importance to the tourist industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15905/14]
View answerI have not had discussions with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in relation to the funding of mountain rescue teams. It is important that those partaking in activities in upland areas should be aware of the rugged terrain and possible changes in weather conditions that may pertain in such areas. My Department and Comhairle na Tuaithe fully endorse the principles of Leave No Trace which is an Outdoor Ethics Education Programme designed to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. My Department continues to be a main funder of Leave No Trace. One of the principles of Leave No Trace is to plan ahead and prepare as anyone entering upland areas for recreational purposes should be aware of the risks involved and take all the necessary precautions to minimise such risks.
In 2007 a Funding Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector was developed. This Scheme amalgamated and replaced previous Schemes operated under the White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity. Applications under this new Scheme were invited from community and voluntary organisations that operate at a national level with evidence of a nationwide membership. This Scheme ceased at the end of 2010 and a new three year funding Scheme commenced in July 2011. This Scheme will cease in June 2014, with a new Scheme commencing from 1 July this year. Applications for this Scheme were received during February 2014, and the assessment process is currently on-going.
Funding under the Scheme provides for core operating costs, comprising staffing, administration and on-going running costs, and priority has been given to organisations providing key services to the disadvantaged. Mountain Rescue Ireland successfully applied for funding under both the 2007 and 2011 Schemes. The funding amounts provided in each of the past five years are contained in the table below.
|
Year |
Funding provided |
|
2009 |
€72,000 |
|
2010 |
€64,800 |
|
2011 |
€60,600 |
|
2012 |
€70,000 |
|
2013 |
€65,940 |
160. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding available from his Department for persons wishing to set up soup kitchens. [15948/14]
View answerStatutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities. The purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are prescribed in Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988.
161. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the rental accommodation scheme programme, including the rents that are being paid across the country, broken down by county council, and with comparisons of rents being paid in 2012 and 2013; if RAS tenants have current notices to quit, and to provide details by county council; and the way he sees the councils fulfilling their duty of care to RAS tenants in situations where landlords terminate the tenancy. [15950/14]
View answerIn the period since the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) commenced in late 2005 up to the end of January 2014, some 48,173 households have been transferred by local authorities from Rent Supplement to RAS and other social housing options. The amount of rent paid to private landlords through RAS is a matter for individual authorities, having regard to the need to obtain value for money. Based on data provided by local authorities who made returns to my Department for 2012, the average monthly rent paid by them to a private landlord in 2012 is as set out in the following table broken down by different category of units:
|
Year |
1 bed unit |
2 bed unit |
3 bed unit |
4 bed unit |
|
2012 |
€467 |
€557 |
€639 |
€709 |
A similar exercise for 2013 is currently under way with authorities submitting their RAS financial data to my Department. Once all the individual returns are received, the data will be compiled and assessed.
My Department does not hold information on the number of households in RAS at any given time that have notices to quit. RAS is administered by local authorities who engage directly with tenants and landlords on an on-going basis. Accommodation provided under the scheme is governed by the terms of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended. The grounds upon which a tenancy in the private rented residential sector may be legally terminated are clearly set out in the 2004 Act. The Act provides the main regulatory framework for the private rented residential sector and provides for security of tenure. It also specifies minimum obligations for landlords and tenants under a tenancy.
As the RAS is now deemed to be a social housing support, local authorities retain the responsibility to source further accommodation for a RAS household, should the dwelling that the household is living in become unavailable through no fault of their own. Local authorities, with the cooperation of the tenants, will make every effort to source alternative accommodation as quickly as possible.
162. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department has any records of a person (details supplied) who disappeared during the troubles of 1919-1923; and if so, if he will release these records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15820/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold any lists of victims who disappeared during the War of Independence or the Civil War. As the Deputy will be aware I have previously advised him in a reply to a Parliamentary Question by him on the 21st January that if he has any information relating to such issues it should be brought to the attention of An Garda Síochána who will make the necessary inquiries.
163. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will examine a stamp 4 application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15706/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy was written to on 12 November 2013 in reply to his application. However, from the details given by the Deputy it would appear that this person has changed address in the meantime and failed to comply with his obligation to inform his local immigration officer or INIS of this change. He should be advised to contact INIS immediately in this regard.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
164. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the duration of the merchant agreement where payment by debit or credit card is accepted for services provided by his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department to the public; when the term of the agreement will end; if the merchant agreement is awarded by way of tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15742/14]
View answerThere are two areas within my Department where payment by credit and debit card is accepted for services provided. There are different merchant agreements in place in both cases neither of which have a definite expiry date.
In relation to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, when it began to accept on-line debit and credit card payments in 2006, it was decided to use the on-line payments service offered by the Local Government Computer Services Board and the merchant rates which were associated with that service. The current arrangements are under review.
In the case of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, a bank account was put in place to facilitate customers to pay their non-national registration fees following a tender competition. The credit and debit card facility was incorporated in the original agreement with the successful tenderer.
165. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider granting new pub licences to establishments which held a pub licence for many years, but in cases where that pub was sold and the licence transferred to a different location and the old pub may have been sold again to a new owner, if he will consider granting a pub licence to the new owner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15751/14]
View answerThe Government Legislation Programme provides for future publication of a Sale of Alcohol Bill which will update the law relating to the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol in licensed premises by repealing the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2011, as well as the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2008, and replacing them with provisions more suited to modern conditions. The Bill will provide an opportunity to consider whether the current statutory requirement whereby an application for a new public house licence must show to the satisfaction of the court that the holder of an existing licence will consent to its extinguishment if and when a new licence is granted to the applicant should be retained in its current form.
Unfortunately, due to the complex nature of the proposed Bill, I am not in a position to state when it will be published. However, it is my intention to proceed quickly with enactment of the legislation following publication.
166. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made to date on the processing of subsidiary protection applications since the introduction of new regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15752/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, last November I introduced new Regulations, the European Union (Subsidiary Protection) Regulations 2013 (SI No. 426 of 2013), governing the processing of subsidiary protection applications. Under the new Regulations responsibility for the investigation of such applications now rests with the Refugee Applications Commissioner. Following the commencement of the new Regulations, persons with applications for subsidiary protection on hand with my Department under the previous subsidiary protection regime, were contacted by letter to explain the new arrangements for the processing of their applications, including the arrangements with regard to personal interviews.
A panel of legally qualified persons has been established to assist the Commissioner with the investigation of these applications and training has been provided in conjunction with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The process of interviewing applicants is well underway following the commencement of interviews on 12 December 2013.
To date over 1400 applicants have indicated their wish to proceed with their applications. By the end of March 2014, interviews had been scheduled in respect of some 360 applicants. The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner has advised that the process of issuing recommendations in relation to subsidiary protection status has begun.
The Refugee Applications Commissioner announced on 19 March 2014 that, in accordance with the new Regulations, he is according priority to certain classes of applications for subsidiary protection. I am informed by the Commissioner that two processing streams have been established to be run concurrently, one prioritising for interview scheduling mainly on the basis of oldest applications first, the other prioritising for interview scheduling the following classes of applicants, also mainly on the basis of oldest cases first:
- unaccompanied minors in the care of the HSE
- applicants who applied as unaccompanied minors, but who have now aged out
- applicants over 70 years of age, who are not part of a family group
- applicants with medico-legal reports indicating likely well-foundedness
- applicants from the following countries which on the basis of country of origin information, protection determination rates in EU member states and UNHCR position papers indicate the likely well-foundedness of their applications, viz., Afghanistan, Chad, Eritrea, Iraq, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Syria.
