Written Answers Nos. 591-607
591. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the precise statutory provision which enables Irish Water to charge a connection fee for the connection of new developments to a public water main and-or sewer, which replaced the former power of local authorities to charge development contributions in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8159/15]
View answerThe Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provided for the transfer of responsibility for the provision of public water services from the local authorities to Irish Water. The Act provides that Irish Water shall charge each customer for the provision of services provided by it in accordance with a water charges plan to be approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Section 22(5) of the Act provides that a water charges plan may make provision for a charge in respect of the provision of a service connection (within the meaning of the Water Services Act 2007) to or in respect of a premises. In its decision on Irish Water’s Water Charges Plan, published in October 2014, the CER stated that, until it made a decision on Irish Water’s new connection charges, Irish Water should continue to apply rates equivalent to the water and wastewater related development levies which were applied by the local authorities at 31 December 2013.
The CER is currently working with Irish Water to develop a high level work plan for the year ahead and this will include the new approach to connection charges. This plan will be published in the coming weeks. A more detailed work plan outlining the consultation schedule will be published later this year.
592. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the results of the public tendering process, to select local programme implementers to deliver the social inclusion and community activation programme in each area, will be released; and the reason the due date for release of the tender process results has been delayed. [8168/15]
View answerMy Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) superseded the Local Development Social Inclusion and the Community Development Programmes in 2010. LCDP is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State and is being implemented on a transitional basis until the end of March 2015, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) on 1 April 2015. In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP is subject to a public procurement process, which is in its final stages. The results of the tender process will be released over the coming week in line with commitments previously given that tenderers would be informed of the outcome of their tender by end February 2015.
I am satisfied that the procurement process, which is nearing completion, is in line with good practice and I look forward to the commencement and roll out of SICAP on 1 April 2015.
593. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of persons exiting emergency homeless accommodation to take up accommodation in the private rental sector in 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015. [8171/15]
View answerTraditionally it has been difficult to quantify the number of homeless persons on an ongoing basis; this is in part a consequence of the volatility within this cohort of housing need. Prior to 2014 national data on homelessness was available through Housing Needs Assessment reports, which were generally carried out every three years, or through the CSO’s special Census report, Homeless Persons in Ireland , which was published in 2012. The Housing Needs Assessment reports break down the categories of housing need, including in respect of homelessness but only where an application had been made to a housing authority. The Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS) was developed as a single integrated national data information system on the use of homeless services and is provided through Dublin City Council as a national shared service. The PASS system allows housing authorities to produce good quality, timely data in relation to homelessness and how it is addressed and, in quantifying its ongoing dynamics, supports the development and implementation of appropriate policy responses.
PASS was initially piloted in the Dublin Region and was rolled-out on a national basis during 2013, which means that 2014 was the first year for which PASS produced composite national data on homelessness. Quarterly reports from lead housing authorities are published on my Department's website as soon as they are available. These quarterly reports provide a range of data on homelessness, including details of Individuals moved on to independent living. These reports are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/
594. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report to Dáil Éireann on the current implementation of his national housing and homeless strategy, in view of the fact that there is now no emergency accommodation available for families presenting as homeless in the Dublin area, and that up to four homeless families a day are presenting to the Dublin City Council homeless section alone. [8174/15]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. The purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are prescribed in Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Housing authorities provide monthly reports on homelessness in which identify the number of people utilising State-funded emergency accommodation on a regional and county basis. These monthly reports also provide details of the numbers of new families presenting as homeless in the Dublin Region each month; there were 47 such families presenting in January 2015. The details provided by housing authorities are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/
A range of measures are being taken to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households and mobilise the necessary supports in order to deliver on the Government's target of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. These measures have been identified in the Government's Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness and in the Action Plan to Address Homelessness. Progress in implementing these plans is reported through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. The plans and progress reports are also available on my Department's website at the link provided above.
597. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a local authority is required to adopt and publish rules in relation to succession to tenancy; and the actions that can be taken against a local authority which does not adopt or publish such rules. [8180/15]
View answerIt is a matter for each housing authority, as part of its housing management functions, to determine the conditions in relation to succession to local authority tenancies in its area. I understand that the conditions vary from one authority to another, but any prospective successor would typically have to have resided in the property for a specified period, prior to the death of the family member, and have been included in the family household details for rent assessment purposes for a minimum period.
I will keep the issue of succession under consideration in the context of future housing policy and legislation.
599. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reduce the level of motor tax paid for periods of less than one year, so there is not a financial disadvantage for motorists taxing their vehicle for periods of less than one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8184/15]
View answerMotor tax is payable on an annual, half-yearly or quarterly basis. The rates applicable for the half-yearly and quarterly options are 55.5% and 28.25% of the annual charge, respectively. These relativities have remained generally consistent since the 1960s. The differential takes account of the extra workload for staffing in motor tax offices and the National Vehicle and Driver File Unit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and the resultant administrative costs and printing costs that arise, including the issuing of renewal notices. Each quarterly renewal of motor tax follows the same administrative procedures as the annual renewal process. Consequently, renewing on a quarterly basis generates four times the workload of an annual renewal for the equivalent period.
600. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will devise a policy which will allow inter-transfers for local authority tenants between the various county and city councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8191/15]
View answerThe practice of a household receiving social housing support from one housing authority that wishes to transfer to another housing authority area, is currently operated on an informal basis by agreement between housing authorities. The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 includes a commitment to examine the possibility of introducing a “housing passport”. This measure has the potential to enhance significantly the responsiveness of the social housing system to changing housing needs by allowing households in receipt of, or qualified for, social housing support in one local authority area to transfer to, or be allocated, social housing in another local authority area.
601. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if landowners who are subject to a historic land sterilisation order have a right to have the order partially lifted by means of a review of that order, in view of the fact that the agricultural land in question is protected under designated zoning in a county development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8196/15]
View answerI understand that the Question relates to a form of condition which is sometimes attached to a planning permission - also known as a “sterilisation agreement” - under section 47 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, between a planning authority and a person with a legal interest in land for the purpose of restricting or regulating the further development or use of land, permanently or for a specific period. The decision as to whether to grant a planning application, with or without conditions, is a matter for the relevant planning authority or An Bord Pleanála as appropriate and I have no role in relation to the matter. Any decision to remove an inurement clause attached to a grant of permission is similarly a matter for the relevant planning authority.
602. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding will be made available for localities (details supplied) currently being provided with inferior quality drinking water due to their geological conditions but which water technically qualifies as acceptable, according to the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014; if he will address the matter; if consideration will be given to allowing connections to be made with alternative sources from superior geological locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8200/15]
View answerThe Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from each customer in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers. The Water Charges Policy Direction issued to the CER in July 2014 referred to a number of matters relating to domestic water charges , including where the quality of water services provided by Irish Water to its customers is impaired or where services are reduced or restricted. Where customers are subject to a drinking water restriction notice, the affected customers will receive a 100% discount to the water supply portion of their bill for the duration of the restriction. However, as neither hard water nor the substances associated with it , including lime, require the restriction of a supply, discounts would not apply in such cases.
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. The further progression of all water services capital projects , whether in County Kerry or elsewhere in Ireland, is now a matter for consideration by Irish Water.
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.
605. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Dáil Éireann constituency electoral register for the year 2015-16, provided to Deputies, may be provided in the same computer disk format as in previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8266/15]
View answerThe requirements on local authorities, as registration authorities, in relation to the publication and provision of copies of the electoral register are set out in rules 13, 14 and 25 of the Second Schedule to the Electoral Act 1992, as amended. Under rule 25, where any document is required to be published in accordance with the Second Schedule to the Electoral Act 1992, the document may be published in such manner as the local authority consider desirable for the purpose of bringing the contents to the notice of persons interested. When publishing the register of electors, the local authority is also required under rule 13(4) to send a copy to each member of the Dáil in relation to their constituency. The format in which that copy is sent is a matter for the local authority. Under rule 14(3) a local authority may provide to any person a copy of the register in printed form or in electronic format on payment of a fee. The electronic format in which a copy of the register may be provided in such cases is not specified in the Act.
606. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the incremental tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority dwellings will be operational; the discounts that will apply for tenants; the way this will relate to household income; the way the discounted related charge on the property will gradually expire over a period; when regulations outlining the new scheme will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8300/15]
View answerThe Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, includes a commitment to introduce the new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses provided under Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 by the second quarter of this year. The scheme will operate along the lines of the incremental purchase model. As with the existing incremental purchase sales schemes for local authority apartments and newly built local authority houses, Part 3 of the 2014 Act provides that, where the tenant purchaser complies with the conditions of the sale of the house, the incremental purchase charge on the property will reduce annually by the equivalent of 2% of the value of the property, thus eliminating the entire charge by the end of the charge period. Where the tenant purchaser, with the consent of the housing authority, resells the dwelling within the charge period, he or she must pay to the council the value on the date of resale of the remaining incremental purchase charge on the property.
Full details of the new scheme, including the income related discounts available to tenant purchasers, will be set out in regulations that I will make in advance of its introduction.
607. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to reduce the public service obligation levy on charities and sporting organisations due to the increased costs in the public service obligation levy, which directly impact sporting bodies and charities nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7848/15]
View answerThe Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy is the support mechanism used for two very important objectives. Firstly, it supports electricity generation which was constructed for security of supply purposes, including peat generation. Secondly, it supports the development of renewable electricity which is important for both security of supply and for reducing carbon emissions from electricity generation. The levy is designed to compensate electricity suppliers for the additional costs they incur by purchasing electricity generated by these producers. It has been in place since 2001. The legal basis for the PSO levy and its method of calculation are set out in Regulations made under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (S.I. 217 of 2002). The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) determines the PSO levy which is a charge on all electricity customers without exception. The annual PSO levy amount for 2014/2015 is €335.4 million. This equates to €64.37 per annum for residential customers, €221.66 per annum for small to medium sized business customers and €34.20/kVA for medium and large customers.
While I fully understand and appreciate concerns about the cost of the PSO levy to customers, the development of renewable energy in Ireland, supported by the renewable part of the PSO, will enable Ireland to reduce its fossil fuel dependency and vulnerability to rises in fossil fuel prices. The PSO levy is also vital to enable Ireland to meet its 2020 40% target for electricity generated from renewable sources by 2020, which in turn is important for the achievement of Ireland's 16% EU 2020 target for renewable energy.
The biggest driver for the levy rise for this year is the lower predicted wholesale market electricity price, which is estimated to be around 10% lower than last year. This results in lower predicted market income for the PSO plants and, therefore, a higher levy is required to cover their allowed costs. The lower wholesale electricity price is being driven by lower international gas prices which in turn drives up the PSO levy. However, lower gas and wholesale prices also reduce the wholesale cost of electricity that suppliers pay. In turn, suppliers are in a position to reduce their retail prices and potentially offset the PSO levy increase. Increased competition in the retail electricity market has led to a number of suppliers reducing their retail prices of late and I welcome these developments. The CER is tasked with retail market monitoring and executes this role vigorously to ensure competition leads to the fairest prices for customers.
