Written Answers Nos. 190-195
190. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a landlord or former tenant will bear responsibility for any unpaid water bill when the tenant leaves the residence rented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37478/14]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 584 of 30 September 2014. The position is unchanged.
191. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the percentage of vacant positions on State boards under the aegis of his Department that were filled from the panels created through open application by the Public Appointments Service by year from 2011 to date in 2014. [37488/14]
View answerSince July 2011, my Department’s website has been used as the primary mechanism for seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced persons, for consideration as members or chairpersons of the boards of State bodies under my Department’s aegis.
It should be noted that in the case of certain appointments, statutory selection procedures must be followed or nominations must be sought from independent nominating panels before appointments are made by the Minister or the Government, as appropriate. In addition, in the case of a number of Boards, not all of the appointments to the body concerned are made by the Minister, and in some situations appointments are made with the consent of another Minister.
Details in relation to the mechanisms applicable to appointments made since 2011 are being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
In line with a recent Government Decision, a Revised Model for Ministerial Appointments to State Boards, brought forward by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, is being put in place, operating through the Public Appointments Service, and will govern relevant future appointments.
192. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to increase the supply of housing in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37516/14]
View answerThe Government’s Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector, published in May 2014, aims to build a competitive, innovative and sustainable construction sector. It provides for a National Framework for Housing Supply to be established on a statutory footing with an annual National Statement of Projected Housing Supply and Demand published every June. The Housing Agency has been asked to take the lead in implementing this Action.
The proper management of all State land is critical; accordingly, both lands that have been transferred to the Housing Agency and local authority held lands suitable for development will be the first sites considered in any future targeted social housing building programme. In line with the commitments under Construction 2020, a Housing Supply Co-ordination Task Force for Dublin has been established with an immediate focus on addressing supply-related issues.
The Review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts, which provides for social and affordable housing supply, has been completed by the Housing Agency, at my Department’s request, and has recently been submitted to Government. It is anticipated that any legislative changes required on foot of the review will, be incorporated into the General Scheme of a new Planning Bill, which is expected to be published shortly.
My intention is that the Social Housing Strategy, required under Action 8 of “Construction 2020” and now in preparation, will be both challenging and innovative, and will provide the basis for an enhanced approach to social housing provision in Ireland. The Strategy will contain clear measurable actions that are to be taken to increase the supply of social housing and, most importantly, reduce the number of people on waiting lists over the next five years. I expect that the Strategy will be ready for consideration by Government in the coming weeks.
I expect the final output across all social housing programmes for 2014 to be in the region of 6,000 units. The number and method of delivery of social housing units in future years will be determined in the course of the annual Estimates process and will be informed by the Social Housing Strategy.
193. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if vacancies in Irish Water were subject to open competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37517/14]
View answerSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels.
Irish Water is currently recruiting to build up its internal capabilities and the recruitment of staff is an operational matter for the organisation. It was agreed by the Steering Group for the Water Sector Reform Programme that, to ensure skills within the sector were fully availed of in building up the new organisation, competitions for positions below the senior management team level, in asset management, capital delivery and operations would be restricted to staff in the partner organisations i.e. Bord Gáis Éireann, local authorities and my Department in the first instance. Open competitions are held for all other positions and details of these are available on Irish Water’s website www.water.ie.
I understand from data supplied to my Department by Irish Water that 519 staff have been recruited up to 30 September 2014. Of these, 153 have been recruited from local authorities, 88 from Bord Gáis and 5 from my Department.
194. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an application to Mayo north east Leader by a company (details supplied); when a decision will issue; if it will be expedited due to the delay to the planned completion date and the uncertainty that is being caused to the local community and the contractor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37524/14]
View answerThere are 35 Local Development Companies (LDCs) contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) throughout the country. In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development the LDCs are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in the context of the local development strategy of the individual groups and in line with the Programme’s Operating Rules and EU regulations.
The only exception to this is the requirement to seek final approval from my Department in respect of projects that request funding of €150,000 or more. The assessment of these higher value projects usually involves detailed consultations between my Department and the relevant local development company.
A letter of approval in relation to this project was issued by my Department to MNELP on 1 October 2014.
195. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total amounts allocated annually under the capital assistance scheme in each year of its operation to date; the total amount spent in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37541/14]
View answerThe Capital Assistance scheme provides support, through the local authorities, towards the approved costs of housing bodies in providing accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need, including older people, people with an intellectual, physical or mental health disability, homeless people, returning emigrants and victims of domestic violence. While initial annual allocations under the Capital Assistance Scheme for each year of its operation since 1985 are not readily available in my Department, the following table sets out the actual expenditure incurred under the scheme for each year up to 2013.
Capital Assistance Scheme
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
1985 |
€8,336 |
|
1986 |
€0 |
|
1987 |
€603,621 |
|
1988 |
€6,323,609 |
|
1989 |
€8,747,189 |
|
1990 |
€11,863,163 |
|
1991 |
€13,138,065 |
|
1992 |
€14,133,898 |
|
1993 |
€14,981,373 |
|
1994 |
€16,394,905 |
|
1995 |
€18,552,045 |
|
1996 |
€14,677,630 |
|
1997 |
€10,333,240 |
|
1998 |
€14,933,734 |
|
1999 |
€17,566,591 |
|
2000 |
€31,975,403 |
|
2001 |
€54,798,918 |
|
2002 |
€78,126,000 |
|
2003 |
€95,864,000 |
|
2004 |
€86,554,713 |
|
2005 |
€80,661,308 |
|
2006 |
€99,361,424 |
|
2007 |
€113,765,517 |
|
2008 |
€156,290,000 |
|
2009 |
€158,512,741 |
|
2010 |
€113,647,625 |
|
2011 |
€38,039,748 |
|
2012 |
€58,044,354 |
|
2013 |
€36,694,334 |
