Written Answers Nos. 122-129
122. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason for the delay in clarifying the commitment to provide the first-fix-free in the case of leaks from water pipes on private property following the installation of water meters; and if he will now provide clear guidance to Irish Water in this regard, in order that such leaks can be dealt with speedily by the responsible agency. [17165/14]
View answerThe 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 assigned 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, the implementation arrangements for which will have to be worked out with Irish Water.
123. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will take steps to investigate whether there are any illegal puppy farms operating here; the person who has responsibility for enforcement of the puppy farm legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17191/14]
View answerThe Dog Breeding Establishments Act, 2010 came into force on 1 January 2012 and it requires all dog breeding establishments to register with the relevant local authority, pay a registration fee and meet a minimum set of veterinary, welfare and other standards.
It is an offence under the Act to operate an unregistered dog breeding establishment.
The implementation of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act is the responsibility of local authorities.
124. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the process of making representations to Irish Water; if there will be a point of contact to deal with representations; if Irish Water will be required to respond to parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17254/14]
View answer
The House should note that the sale of loan books to unregulated third parties Bill, listed in the Government’s legislative programme, is intended to address concerns surrounding the continued applicability of the code after the sale of loan books to unregulated entities. The Government is committed to bringing forward legislation to protect mortgage holders and will work with other interested parties to achieve the best solution for consumers. Officials in the Department of Finance are actively examining this with the Central Bank and the Attorney General's office with a view to bringing forward legislation to address the issue. It is intended this legislation will apply to all loans which were issued by a regulated financial service provider and subsequently transferred to an unregulated purchaser.
Section 2 provides for certain payments from the Central Fund. Specifically, it is to provide a legislative basis for Ireland to make transfers to an intermediate account operated by the ESM, European Stability Mechanism, on behalf of the euro area member states. These transfers are to be in an amount equivalent to the income that accrues to the Central Bank of Ireland from the securities market programme, SMP, portfolio of Greek Government debt. The Bill provides that these transfers may take place up to 2026. However, as the amount in 2026 will be quite small, it is proposed that this will be paid in 2025.
In November 2012, as part of the package of measures designed to help Greece, it was agreed by the euro area member states that the securities market programme related income of member states would be transferred to Greece under certain conditions. Euro member states agreed in January 2013 that the ESM would be the agent for making such payments. It has, accordingly, established an intermediate account into which the euro area member states can place an amount equivalent to the income on the SMP portfolios accruing to their national central banks as and from budget year 2013. Member states under a full financial assistance programme are not required to participate in the scheme while in a programme. As Ireland exited its EU-IMF programme of financial assistance in December 2013, the measure now applies to it. The next transfer date for this measure is 1 July 2014, the earliest date by which Ireland could be required to make its payment of €31 million for 2014 and the necessary legislation will need to be in place by that time.
As is widely known, Greece is benefiting from its second programme of financial assistance, arising from the serious budgetary and economic problems it has experienced and its resulting inability to secure international funding at sustainable rates. On 27 November 2012, the most recent in a series of packages to assist Greece was agreed to by euro area Finance Ministers. It is designed to provide further assistance for Greece in putting its economy on a path to sustainable growth and its domestic finances on a sound footing. It was agreed in the context of the statement by euro area Heads of State and Government on 21 July 2011, reiterated in October 2011, that the Greek situation was different from that of other countries, therefore requiring an exceptional response.
One of the measures agreed to in November 2012 was the SMP measure, the subject of section 2. As Ireland has successfully exited its programme, we are now liable to make payments under this process, beginning in 2014. Legislative provision needs to be made to permit these payments to be made. The full package of measures agreed to in November 2012 includes a debt buy-back of bonds held by private investors; a reduction of 100 basis points in the interest rate margin on the Greek loan facility, bringing it to 50 basis points; the cancellation of the guarantee commitment fee on EFSF, European Financial Stability Facility, loans; the extension of maximum maturities of the loan to Greece by 15 years to 30; deferral of the interest payments on Greece's EFSF loans for ten years; and that member states will pass on to Greece's segregated account an amount equivalent to the income on the SMP portfolio accruing to their national central banks as and from budget year 2013. Again, member states, under a full financial assistance programme, are not required to participate in this scheme for the period in which they receive financial assistance.
The Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Act 2013 provided for the interest rate reduction and the maximum maturity extension. The debt buy-back, successfully completed in December 2012, and the cancellation of the guarantee commitment fee did not require either the amendment of existing legislation or the introduction of new legislation here. It is also important to note that, as before, these concessions to Greece are to accrue in a phased manner and conditional on a strong implementation of the agreed reform measures in the programme period, as well as in the post-programme surveillance period. The current SMP measure, with the deferral of interest rates previously agreed to, provides an additional level of financial conditionality both during the existing programme and also in the period of post-programme surveillance which will apply when Greece emerges from its programme.
In Ireland, on the other hand, we have exited our programme. We are, therefore, subject to both the normal fiscal and economic policy co-ordination and oversight which applies to all EU and euro member states. We are also subject to post-programme surveillance but without the added potential financial sanctions which can apply to Greece as part of these measures. Both Greece and the other euro area member states agree that it is only through the full and strict implementation of the fiscal consolidation and structural reform measures included in their programme that Greece will regain competitiveness and be able to fund itself through the international markets.
Some ask why Ireland is not seeking or being offered the Greek package or one similar to it. It is important to differentiate between Ireland and Greece in this case. Ireland's situation differs in fundamental aspects of fiscal and economic performance from that of Greece. The approach to these issues is, accordingly, fundamentally different. Greece's public debt prospects are of a different order of magnitude to Ireland's. Notwithstanding significant private sector involvement in March 2012 in its autumn forecast later that year, the European Commission forecast that the Greek debt-to-GDP ratio would worsen, reaching over 188% in 2013. This outlook, with a worse than expected economic and fiscal performance up to that point, was what prompted a reconsideration of Greece's debt sustainability in November 2012. Even after the series of measures agreed to and taking account of the impact of structural reforms in raising both growth and revenue in the coming years, Greek public sector debt could amount to around 124% of GDP by 2020. The corresponding Department of Finance assessment of Ireland's public debt, published in the budget last October, is that the debt-to-GDP ratio peaked at 124% in 2013 and will decline thereafter.
The Greek economy has suffered a recession that was more severe than anticipated, with GDP declining by 23.5% from 2008 to 2013. Notwithstanding its difficult path, some welcome signs of recovery are emerging. On the fiscal side, Greece will record a primary surplus for 2013 which it expects to be larger than originally envisaged. Recent data support expectations that Greece should return to growth in 2014. Confidence indicators continue to improve, while hard data releases suggest the first signs of recovery. Structural reforms undertaken in labour and product markets have underpinned improved competitiveness leading to expectations for strengthened exports and investment. In addition, Greece's bond yields have also dropped sharply recently.
There is, nevertheless, some distance to go towards recovery. A critical difference between the two economies in this regard relates to the importance of international trade. In Greece exports amount to the equivalent of about 25% of GDP, resulting in export growth not being in a position to provide much by way of offset to the contractional effect of fiscal austerity. In Ireland, by contrast, exports amount to the equivalent of over 100% of GDP, meaning that the growth in exports can provide a powerful offset to the impact of fiscal consolidation on economic activity.
125. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 402 of 11 March 2014, when the figures on the Garda Operation Learner Driver, in particular the recent operation that took place on 6 February 2014, will become available. [17026/14]
View answerI am advised by the Garda authorities that figures are not available with respect to the recent operation referred to. As the Deputy is aware, there are three further such operations planned for 2014 and I have asked that figures be collated with respect to each such operation as it takes place.
126. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there is currently no analyst within An Garda Síochána to examine statistics on road traffic incidents; and if a member of An Garda Síochána will urgently be appointed to this vacant position. [17027/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that there is currently one analyst within An Garda Síochána who examines statistics on road traffic incidents.
127. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drivers that have been summonsed to court for failure to pay a fixed charge penalty notice within 56 days of receipt of the notice during 2013 and to date in 2014. [17028/14]
View answer128. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drivers who, following failure to pay a fixed charge penalty notice, within a period of 56 days of receipt of the notice were consequently summoned to court in 2013 and to date in 2014; and the number of convictions obtained on foot of the summonses served to the drivers who failed to pay fixed charge notices within 56 days. [17029/14]
View answer129. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drivers who received a fine in substitution for additional penalty points being imposed on their national vehicle driver file following a failure to pay a fixed charge penalty notice within 56 days of receipt of the notice. [17031/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 127 to 129, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the table below provides details of the number of defendants summonsed to appear before the court in 2013 and 2014 and convicted for failure to pay a fixed charge penalty notice within 56 days of receipt of the notice.
|
Year |
No. of defendants summonsed to Court |
No. of defendants convicted |
|
2013 |
47,967 |
11,055 |
|
2014 to date |
14,666 |
3,326 |
Note: These figures do not include penalty point offences which require mandatory court appearances. They refer to summonses issued for courts dates in the years in question, rather than the date on which the summons issued.
Road traffic legislation, which is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, provides that if the fixed penalty notice is paid the driver is liable for the penalty points attaching to the offence. If the driver does not pay the fixed penalty notice and the case goes before the court, the number of penalty points is automatically doubled in the event of a conviction. There is no provision in the legislation to allow for a fine in place of penalty points.
