Wednesday, 9 Apr 2014

Written Answers Nos. 121-126

Motor Tax Collection

Questions (121)

Simon Harris

Question:

121. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider rectifying the substantial additional cost which motorists who tax their vehicles on a quarterly or biannual basis must pay as opposed to those who tax their car annually in view of the fact that many people find that they are not in a position to pay the full amount in one lump sum and the fact that administrative costs for motor taxation are lessened in view of the fact that motorists now apply for their tax disc online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16984/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Motor tax is payable on an annual, half-yearly or quarterly basis. The Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act 1952 provides that the rate of duty for a quarterly tax disc must not exceed 30% of the annual duty applicable and sets no upper limit for a half-yearly disc. The rates of duty currently applicable to the quarterly and half-yearly discs are 28.25% and 55.5% of the annual rate, respectively. These relativities have remained generally constant since the 1960s.

Non-annual transactions make up over two-thirds of all motor transactions processed. Tax rates for these vehicles take account of the extra workload for the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) and motor tax offices, and the resultant higher administrative and printing costs. In addition, reminders are issued on each renewal. While costs may have reduced in respect of those paying on-line, they are not negligible.

The estimated annual income from the increased charges for half-yearly and quarterly vehicle licences is in the region of €50m. A loss in income from this source would have a negative impact on the Local Government Fund and consequently on grant allocations to local authorities from the Fund, and would have to be borne elsewhere in the motor tax system, or through the taxation system generally.

I have no plans to adjust the basis for paying motor tax on a half-yearly or quarterly basis.

Departmental Reports

Questions (122)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

122. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the CEDRA, the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17000/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I expect the Report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas to be published within the next week. Once published the report will be available on my Department’s website, www.environ.ie and the website of the Commission, www.ruralireland.ie.

Wastewater Treatment Facilities Inspections

Questions (123)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

123. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of private wastewater schemes broken down by county that were inspected to date under the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012; the number that required remedial work broken down on the same basis; the number of applications received for grants for the upgrade of these systems following inspection also broken down on the same basis; the number of grants approved and the number paid out, broken down on a county basis; the total grants approved to date; the total grants paid to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17002/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 assigns responsibility to the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) to make a National Inspection Plan for domestic wastewater treatment systems. The National Inspection Plan 2013: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems was adopted and published by the EPA in February 2013. The Plan provides for a minimum of 1,000 inspections to be carried out by the water services authorities (which are the 34 county and city councils) in the 12 month period up to July 2014. Details of the minimum number of inspections to be carried out in each county are included in the Plan. The Plan is available on the Agency’s website ( www.epa.ie )

Neither I nor my Department have any direct role in monitoring the implementation of the EPA’s Plan by the local authorities . However, I can confirm that the EPA has conducted an interim review on the implementation of the National Inspection Plan for septic tanks and other on-site waste water treatment systems for the period July 2013 to February 2014 . The EPA report contains a breakdown , by county , of inspections that have taken place and the number of non-compliant treatment systems for which advisory notices were issued . The report is also available on the Agency’s website .

Applications for grant aid in respect of remediation works are submitted to, and processed by , the local authorities who then seek recoupment of the amounts paid from my Department. To date, no applications for recoupment of grants made by the local authorities towards the remediation of failing domestic wastewater treatment systems have been submitted to my Department.

Traveller Accommodation

Questions (124)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

124. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Traveller accommodation upgrades and provision is eligible for housing regeneration funding in view of the extremely poor accommodation of many Travellers; if it is intended to take a national planned approach to the provision of Traveller housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17005/14]

Written answers

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

In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes, designed to meet the accommodation needs of Travellers, rests with individual housing authorities. My Department’s role is to ensure that there is an adequate legislative and financial system in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation.

Accommodation for Travellers is provided across a range of options including standard local authority housing and Traveller-specific accommodation such as group housing and halting site bays funded under my Department’s housing programme, private housing assisted by local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies, private rented accommodation and through their own resources. It is open to Travellers to opt for any form of accommodation, including Traveller-specific accommodation, and local authority programmes are intended to reflect these preferences.

My Department currently supports an ambitious programme of regeneration projects at six locations nationally which seek to address the causes of disadvantage in large social housing estates and flat complexes through holistic programmes of physical, social and economic regeneration. Regeneration projects are generally designed to meet the needs of all residents within a defined regeneration area including, in many instances, Traveller families. Given that there is a dedicated funding stream already in place for the provision and refurbishment of Traveller-specific accommodation, it is not intended that regeneration funding will be provided for such purposes.

My Department also provides funding for accommodation related supports for Traveller families which operate in tandem with the capital programme. In total, over €6 million is being provided for Traveller-specific accommodation purposes this year.

In accordance with the 1998 Act, housing authorities are statutorily required to prepare and adopt multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes for their areas. The authorities are currently concluding their arrangements for the next round of programmes which must be adopted by the end of April 2014 and which will run from 2014 to 2018. These programmes will provide a road map for investment by housing authorities in Traveller accommodation over the next five years. My Department, in consultation with the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, will continue to monitor progress by authorities in adopting their new programmes and in implementing the associated strategies. Housing authorities will also be required to carry out a mid-term review of their programmes and to identify any obstacles to delivery and ways of overcoming these.

Commissions of Inquiry

Questions (125)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

125. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a risk analysis was carried out in 2008 when new ICT systems were put in place in Garda stations and other Garda offices; if he will provide the results of that analysis; if the analysis indicated that telephone and other conversation recording equipment was being used inappropriately; if this was brought to his or his Department's Secretary General's attention; if so, the reason such information was not acted upon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16832/14]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has decided to set up a statutory Commission of Investigation into the recording of telephone calls in certain Garda stations. In this regard the Government yesterday agreed the terms of reference for the Commission and it will examine extensively matters of public concern relating to the issue of recording of conversations in Garda stations. The terms of reference are available on the Government News Service website (www.merrionstreet.ie).

The Government has decided to appoint Mr. Justice Niall Fennelly, currently serving as a Judge of the Supreme Court, as Chair of the Commission of Investigation. The terms of reference were finalised in consultation with Mr. Justice Fennelly.

It would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment in relation to matters which will be addressed in the context of the Commission of Investigation.

Garda Retirements

Questions (126)

Brendan Smith

Question:

126. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a Garda, who has reached the age of 50 years, is eligible to retire on a full pension even though they do not have full 30 years service, some nine months short of 30 years, by purchasing out the outstanding service or if there is any other option available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16833/14]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that there is no facility for members to purchase any shortfall of service where they have reached the age of 50 and do not have 30 years service.

In April, 2005 the Minister for Finance announced the introduction of cost neutral early retirement for the public service. The scheme allows public servants to retire early with immediate payment of superannuation benefits, subject to an actuarial reduction to take account of the early payment of the gratuity and the longer period over which the pension would be paid.

The scheme is available to members who were serving on or after 1 April, 2004. To be eligible to apply for cost neutral early retirement, a member must have an entitlement to a preserved superannuation benefit at age 60 and be aged at least 50 at the time of retirement.

Members who meet the above criteria have the option of waiting until age 60 and receive a preserved pension and lump sum in the normal way, or applying for immediate payment of preserved pension and lump sum, both of which will be actuarially reduced.