Written Answers Nos. 559 - 574
559. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the capital expenditure programme for Irish Water in the years from 2015 to 2020; the way this expenditure programme will be funded; if the Exchequer will be required to contribute to the funding of this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46320/14]
View answerPrior to 1 January 2014 capital funding for public water services was provided from my Department’s Water Services Investment programme (WSIP) and Rural Water Programme (RWP). Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Some €239m has been provided to Irish Water in 2014 in respect of its core capital programme in 2014. A capital contribution of €185m was made in August 2014 from the Central Fund and a further €54m was advanced by way of a convertible loan. It is intended that a further €406m will be provided to Irish Water in respect of capital investment in 2015 and 2016.
Details of Irish Water’s costs, including capital costs, are outlined in their revenue and water charges plan which was reviewed by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Details of the review and the CER’s decision are available at www.cer.ie.
A note on the financing of Irish Water in 2015 and 2016, including details of Irish Water’s capital spending has been published on my Department’s website at http://www.environ.ie/en/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,39557,en.pdf.
Irish Water has published its Capital Investment Plan 2014-2016 and this is available online at
http://www.water.ie/news/proposed-capital-investme/Proposed-Capital-Investment-Plan-2014-2016.pdf.
Irish Water is working on a five year investment plan and a twenty five year Water Services Strategic Plan. The CER will determine the level of capital investment after 2016, taking account of the twenty-five year Water Services Strategic Plan being prepared by Irish Water which will be submitted during 2015 for Ministerial approval.
560. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which the various local authorities continue to receive adequate provision to meet the disabled persons housing adaption grant requirements; the numbers currently awaiting approval throughout the various local authorities countywide with particular reference to County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46346/14]
View answerCapital allocations to local authorities amounting to €38.4 million under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability were announced on 16 January 2014. Every local authority received increased funding for these grants in 2014 compared to the 2013 allocations. My Department provides 80% funding for these schemes, with a 20% contribution from the local authority . The 2014 funding for this scheme for Kildare County Council is €2,274,787, of which €454,957 is to be provided by the local authority. The detailed administration of these schemes, including the assessment, approval and payment of grants to applicants under the various grant measures, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. My Department does not monitor the number of applications awaiting approval across all local authorities on an on-going basis.
561. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which it is expected that Irish Water will be in a position to make the necessary investment in the provision of storage, treatment and transmission of an adequate and appropriate water supply of the required quality in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46347/14]
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 including the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water has published its proposed Capital Investment Plan 2014-2016 and this is available online at http://www.water.ie/news/proposed-capital-investme/Proposed-Capital-Investment-Plan-2014-2016.pdf. The plan identifies where Irish Water considers investment in infrastructure is necessary for the effective performance of its functions, including compliance with Water Framework Directive requirements, improving sewage treatment and collection infrastructure in accordance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, responding to judgments of the European Court of Justice and achieving environmental and public health objectives arising from various regulations and EPA reports dealing with water quality.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives and has contacted all Oireachtas members to provide details of an improved level of service which it is aiming to provide. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a new dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
562. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications received in his Department for funding from Kildare County Council to complete development works in unfinished housing estates within the past three years to date in 2014; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to respond to such applications in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46348/14]
View answerBudget 2014 contained a special provision, in the form of a targeted €10m Special Resolution Fund (SRF), to assist further in addressing the legacy of unfinished housing developments. The SRF was designed to encourage the resolution of the remaining tranche of unfinished developments identified in the National Housing Development Survey 2013 and, particularly, those developments not likely to be resolved in the normal way through solely developer/owner/funder action because of the presence of specific financial barriers. The SRF was particularly targeted to address the remaining unfinished developments with residents living in them and, in particular, any developments that local authorities identified, for the purposes of the Local Property Tax waiver, as in a seriously problematic condition. In December 2013, my Department wrote to local authorities seeking proposals for funding support under the SRF and the deadline for receipt of applications was 28 February 2014. All submissions were evaluated by my Department in accordance with the criteria circulated to the local authorities. On 2 May 2014, allocations from the Special Resolution Fund were announced and 86 developments were approved for funding. The following link contains a list of all developments approved for SRF funding: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/ FileDownLoad,37996,en.doc.
Kildare County Council submitted four applications for funding from the Special Resolution Fund, of which one was approved for the sum of €75,000. The approved project is underway, with 50% of the total approved funding drawn down to date.
Separately to the SRF, the Public Safety Initiative (PSI), which was launched by my Department in March 2011 and wound down on 30 November 2014, provided funding to address immediate public safety issues in unfinished housing developments. The types of works approved under the PSI included the fencing off of unsecured and hazardous areas, capping of pipes, installation of street lighting and other works to secure sites. Under the PSI, my Department approved funding allocations totalling €4.3m to local authorities. Kildare County Council submitted five applications for funding from the Public Safety Initiative scheme, of which one was approved for the sum of €15,477, all of which has been drawn down.
563. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which reduction targets in respect of carbon emissions continue to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46349/14]
View answer571. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which carbon reduction targets have been achieved in each of the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46357/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 563 and 571 together.
Ireland is on course to comply with its greenhouse gas emission reduction target for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol in the commitment period 2008 to 2012. For each year between 2013 and 2020, Ireland has an ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction target under the 2009 EU Effort-Sharing Decision (406/2009/EC) . The extent of the challenge posed by these emission reduction targets is well understood by the Government, as reflected in the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development and the General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill , both of which were published in April this year. The National Policy Position provides a high-level policy direction for the adoption and implementation by the Government of plans to enable the State to move to a low-carbon economy. Proposed statutory authority for the plans is set out in the General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill, which I expect will be published the coming weeks.
In anticipation of the planned legislation, work is already underway on developing a low-carbon plan - the National Low-Carbon Roadmap to 2050 - the primary objective of which will be to track implementation of measures and identify additional measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and progress the overall national low-carbon transition agenda. As I am satisfied that Ireland is on course to comply with the annual mitigation targets in the first half of the 2013 to 2020 compliance period, the immediate focus of the national low-carbon road-mapping process will be the compliance challenge in the years 2017 to 2020.
564. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of persons currently on the various local authority housing lists throughout the country, with particular reference to County Kildare; the extent to which rent increases in the private sector are making it impossible for such families to exist or remain in their homes; if urgent provision will be made to meet their requirements. thus preventing a further escalation in homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46350/14]
View answerThe most recent statutory Assessment of Housing Need was undertaken in May 2013. It identified 89,872 households which qualified for social housing support. Of the 89,872 households recorded as in need of housing as at 7 May, 2013, there were 2,808 households recorded having a housing need due to living in an institution, emergency accommodation or hostel. Full details of the 2013 Housing Need Assessment, including information on County Kildare, are available on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,34857,en.pdf.
On 20 May 2014, the Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness was published in which the Government's approach to delivery on its objective of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 was outlined. A copy of this plan is available on my Department's website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/.
This plan sets out a range of measures to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households and mobilise the necessary supports. Progress in implementing the plan is reported quarterly through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and a copy of the Quarter 3 Progress Report is also available on my Department's website at the link provided above.
I am conscious of the difficulties caused by rising rents and the problem of sourcing suitable accommodation. Part 3 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 deals with rent and rent reviews. Under the Act, rent may not be greater than the open market rate and may be reviewed (upward or downward) only once a year unless there has been a substantial change in the nature of the accommodation that warrants a review. Tenants must be given 28 days’ notice of the new rent and may ask their landlord to review the rent if they feel it exceeds the market rate for the property. Disputes about any aspect of rent may be referred to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PTRB).
The fundamental reason behind the rise in rents is a lack of supply. Increasing both public and private housing supply is, therefore, a critical issue. In this regard, the Social Housing Strategy 2020: Support Supply and Reform, approved by Government and published last week, builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and provides a clear governance structure, which as Minister I will personally oversee, to ensure delivery of all actions. The Strategy commits to supplying 35,000 additional social housing units at a cost of €3.8 billion over the next 6 years, as well as meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through local authority provision via the private rented sector using the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Schemes, in effect providing a road map to accommodate all those currently on Housing Waiting Lists by 2020.
565. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he continues to take to address serious anomalies in respect of shared ownership housing loans which he inherited with particular reference to an annual increase in the cost of rental equity which made the cost of a loan for persons in that income category to be seriously disadvantaged when compared with higher income groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46351/14]
View answerIn 2013, the Housing Agency was asked to conduct a standalone review of the shared ownership scheme, including identification of the main difficulties and recommendations for mitigating measures. While an initial draft of the review was received from the Agency, a number of issues have been identified that need further detailed financial analysis in order to fully assess the impact on local authority finances of possible mitigating measures. For example, full information on the status of each local authority’s loan book is required in order to accurately determine the implications of any possible solutions to shared ownership issues for local authority debt management generally. This substantial data collection project involving my Department, the Local Government Management Agency and the local authorities themselves is under way. It will be a number of months before sufficient data has been collected in order to complete the requisite analysis to finalise the review. Pending full conclusion of this review, my Department issued a circular letter to local authorities setting out some of the options and interim actions that might be explored to alleviate the difficulties of those in shared ownership distress, such as allowing use of the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process and room rental for Shared Ownership mortgage holders. It is accepted that these proposals are not a complete solution to the issues that arise for such mortgage holders but are intended as an interim measure pending the outcome of the review.
566. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he expects to be in a position to provide the necessary funding to meet the requirements of group water and sewerage schemes throughout County Kildare in the current year, with particular reference to meeting the needs set out and prioritised by the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46352/14]
View answerResponsibility for the administration of my Department’s Rural Water Programme, under which funding is provided for group water and group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The selection, prioritisation and approval of individual scheme proposals for advancement and funding under the programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant allocations provided is, therefore, a matter for the local authorities. My Department notified Kildare County Council of block grant allocations totalling €123,500 towards group water schemes and €32,500 towards Group Sewerage Schemes in April 2014. Information relating to progress on the schemes involved is a matter for Kildare County Council.
567. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which river or waterway pollution has been reported or detected in each of the past four years to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46353/14]
View answerThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), local authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute monitor rivers, lakes, transitional/coastal waters and groundwater quality under the Water Framework Directive on a three-year cycle. This extensive monitoring programme provides a good overview of current water quality and trends as they develop. It is understood from the Environmental Protection Agency, that in the monitoring period up to 2012, rivers and groundwaters have shown a slight improvement, lake waters have shown a slight disimprovement, while transitional and coastal waters generally remained stable. There has been a notable decline in the incidence of serious pollution events in rivers from 39 sites in the 2004-2006 period, to 20 sites in the 2007-2009 period and currently down to 11 sites. However, the period has also been marked by a steady decline in the number of river sites at the highest ecological status. The EPA's 3-yearly comprehensive report on water quality for the 2010-2012 period will be available by the end of December 2014. Results for 2013 and 2014 are expected to be made available in early 2015.
The EPA and local authorities respond to water quality incidents and complaints on an on-going basis. Details of recent incidents are available on the EPA website, www.epa.ie.
568. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the degree to which monitoring continues to take place in respect of air and water pollution; if particular trends have become noticeable arising from this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46354/14]
View answerAir quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFE Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The EPA has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants based on data obtained from the 29 monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality network. The EPA also publishes an annual report on air quality, based primarily on the monitoring requirements of the CAFE Directive. The most recent report, Air Quality in Ireland 2013 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, which is available on the EPA website at http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/air/quality/#.VHxgeWyvkdV, was published in October 2014 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2013, compared to the CAFE Directive standards as well as assessments in relation to more stringent World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for the protection of human health.
Downward trends have been identified for many pollutants and Ireland currently meets all EU standards for air quality but exceeds WHO air quality guidelines for particulate matter in some areas. Particulate matter levels are of concern, particularly during the winter heating season in areas where the sale of smoky coal is permitted. As a result, levels of particulate matter in smaller towns are similar or higher than those in cities, where smoky coal is banned. To help protect our good air quality the Irish consumer must become more aware of their choice in home heating fuel and the potential impact that choice can have on air quality in their locality and on human health.
Nitrogen dioxide levels (NO2) levels showed a slight increasing trend in the years 2008 2010. During this period, NO2 levels were close to the CAFE limit value at traffic- congested areas in Dublin City and Cork City. However, NO2 levels decreased from 2010-2012. This downward trend may have stabilised in 2013. To further reduce NO2 levels in cities, we must develop and implement policies to reduce travel demand, emphasising sustainable transport modes such as cycling, walking and public transport and improving the efficiency of motorised transport.
In respect of monitoring of water quality, the EPA, local authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute collectively monitor rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters, and groundwater quality under the Water Framework Directive on a three-year cycle. This extensive national monitoring programme, covering 13,000 km of river channel, 222 lakes, 128 transitional and coastal water bodies and 205 groundwater monitoring locations, provides a good overview of current water quality and trends as they develop.
Rivers and groundwaters have shown a slight improvement up to 2012. Lake waters have shown a slight disimprovement, while transitional and coastal waters generally remained stable. There has been a notable decline in the incidence of serious pollution events in rivers from 39 sites in the 2004-2006 period, to 20 sites in the 2007-2009 period and currently down to 11 sites. However, the period has also been marked by a steady decline in the number of river sites at high ecological status.
A new national update covering the 2010-2012 period will be available by the end of December 2014. Results for 2013 and 2014 will also be made available in early 2015. In the meantime, this year the EPA has published regional reports covering the south east, Louth/Monaghan and Galway/Mayo/Sligo, including information from 2012 monitoring, and regional reports covering 2013 monitoring are due to be published in the coming weeks. The EPA and local authorities respond to water quality incidents and complaints on an ongoing basis. Details of recent incidents are available on the EPA website and can be accessed at: http://www.epa.ie/news/incidents/recent.
Additional information is available at: http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/indicators/00061_EPA_SoE_2012.pdf.
Comprehensive reports on water quality are published by the EPA and are available for download at http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/waterqua.
569. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he continues to monitor sales of property by the National Asset Management Agency with a view to identifying the extent to which such residential property has been acquired by first-time home buyers; the proportion of such disposals that have gone to investors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46355/14]
View answerMy Department is working closely with NAMA, the Housing Agency, local authorities and approved housing bodies in relation to the delivery of social housing. Detailed information in relation to the delivery of NAMA sourced units, including a full breakdown by county, by local authority and by Approved Housing Body, of units delivered on a quarterly basis, is available on the Housing Agency’s website: www.housing.ie/NAMA.
NAMA's housing activity, other than in relation to social housing, is a matter for NAMA itself.
570. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he expects Kildare County Council to be in a position to draw down the necessary funding to meet the urgent local authority housing requirements, with particular reference to identifying properties that may be purchased in each town or village, thereby addressing the most serious aspects of the housing issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46356/14]
View answerThe funding provided to local authorities under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme supports a range of initiatives for the development of new social housing units, the acquisition of additional units and the upgrade of existing social housing stock to ensure that it continues to be available for social housing purposes. Through these initiatives, Kildare County Council is advancing a wide range of projects with funding in excess of €15 million committed by my Department, of which over €8 million will contribute to both the acquisition and build of social housing units throughout the county.
The planning and development of these projects and the drawdown of funding on completion is a matter for the Council to progress and my Department will continue to liaise with them in that regard.
Looking ahead, the planning of new social housing units will involve my Department working with each individual local authority. As housing authorities, local authorities are responsible for the identification of their area’s social housing need and the development of the appropriate responses. My Department will continue to liaise with Kildare County Council on additional projects that could be advanced in 2015 and beyond to meet the social housing need in the county.
572. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when was the last time the Local Appointments Commission advertised for a local authority officer with a disability to fulfil the 3% quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46365/14]
View answerPart 5 of the Disability Act 2005 outlines the obligations on public service bodies to employ people with disabilities. There are three interlinked requirements. Firstly , public bodies must, insofar as practicable, take all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities. Secondly, unless there are good reasons to the contrary, at least 3% of their employees must be people with disabilities. Finally, on an annual basis, public bodies must report to the statutory Monitoring Committee and to the Minister of their parent Department on the number of people with disabilities in their employment and the measures they are taking to support them in employment. A Monitoring Committee was established in 2007 to monitor compliance by local authorities and public bodies under the remit of my Department with Part 5 of the Disability Act. The members of this Monitoring Committee (including a person representative of people with disabilities) were appointed for a 3 year term and have met regularly. The Committee has reviewed employment targets to determine levels of compliance with the Government’s 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities and has reported each year in relation to compliance by the local authorities and public bodies under the aegis of my Department to the National Disability Authority (NDA) and to the Minister.
Based on returns for 2013, there are only four Local Authorities who are not in full compliance with the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities. This is due to retirement of relevant staff members, limited engagement by staff in the staff census process and the ongoing moratorium on public sector recruitment limiting the ability of local authorities to recruit new staff, including people with disabilities.
Information in respect of competitions advertised by the Public Appointments Service is not collected by my Department.
573. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of State board appointments that have been made under the aegis of his Department in 2014 without being advertised; the number that have been made of persons who had not formally applied for consideration for the particular appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46546/14]
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. Positions have, where appropriate, been listed on the Department’s website and, more recently, on stateboards.ie on a case by case basis as vacancies arise. The details of appointments made during 2014, up to 30 October are being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
574. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of fish that have passed through a fish counter (details supplied) in County Clare in the past 12 months [45845/14]
View answerA fish pass was incorporated to the flood relief scheme through the Office of Public Works contract in 2013 and a Logie counter was installed by IFI. I am advised by IFI that as the counter is located beside two sluice gates which salmon can traverse when open, the counter will, when the necessary validation process is complete, contribute a partial count.
As the Deputy will appreciate, a fish counter is a complex piece of electronic equipment operating in a static position within a highly fluid and mobile body of water. The water-body itself is subject to a multiplicity of water levels, weather and other environmental conditions in any operational year.
As is the case with all new counter installations, a research programme, over a number of years will be required to estimate the level of the partial count before the data can be reliably used as a direct index of returning salmon population.
In line with the statutory protection and conservation imperatives, it is long-standing IFI policy not to make verified and reliable fish counter data public in the current operational year as such data can be used by those who wish to engage in illegal activity such as poaching to target particular events and times.
I am advised that some 450 “up-river movements” were recorded by the, as yet, unverified counter in 2014. However, I am also advised of the need to exercise extreme caution in relation to this raw data as these movements would, include movement of debris and other material, and a variety of fish species. The ability to disaggregate salmon movements within the overall metric will require the completion of the scientific programme and subsequent installation of a video verification array.
I understand that it is not appropriate, at this stage to draw reliable conclusions as regards salmon movements from the counter at present. Once the substantiated estimate of partial count is established in the required research programme, a video verification process will be implemented. However, the fish counter currently provides important information, from a protection perspective, on run timing and when fish enter the system.
As the counter is only active since the end of last year and requires at least three years of data for inclusion in the Independent Standing Scientific Committee for Salmon advice process, the current method of assessing the status of the river is through Catchment Wide Electrofishing (CWEF) surveys.
The data used currently by the Standing Scientific Committee is the CWEF results for the Fergus River which is returning an average of 7.45 fry, well below the required Scientific Committee’s threshold of 17 salmon fry per catchment average to consider facilitating a catch and release fishery.
The following represents the CWEF surveys carried out:
Catchment Wide Electrofishing Surveys
|
Year |
Average Fry per 5 minute fish |
|
2013 |
5.89 |
|
2010 |
6.84 |
|
2009 |
4.10 |
|
2007 |
12.96 |
