Written Answers Nos. 250-258
250. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if groups contributing more than 50% of the cost of a Leader project will have to advertise tenders on e-tenders or if they will be allowed to proceed on the basis of receiving five tenders for a project in view of the extra cost e-tendering puts on project promoters under the Leader programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10826/15]
View answer251. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if under the new Leader programme community groups will receive a grant for preliminary costs such as project design fees, feasibility studies, business plans and preparation of documentation for e-tendering even if a project does not proceed in view of the very excessive costs involved in these processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10827/15]
View answer252. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the maximum grant under the new Leader programme for non-commercial projects; his plans to retain the €500,000 limit grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10828/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 250 to 252, inclusive, together.
Public Procurement Guidelines require that contracts awarded by any private entity, which are subsidised 50% or more by a public body, must be subject to public procurement and where the value exceeds certain thresholds, www.etenders.gov.ie must be used. Projects subsidised less than 50% are not subject to full public procurement; however, the European Regulations governing the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme require an assessment of the reasonableness of costs and accordingly some level of public procurement will be required, depending on the value of the contract.
My Department is currently developing the management systems and operating rules that will be required to ensure the most effective implementation of the 2014-2020 Programme. These will include determining eligible costs, rates of aid and maximum grant levels such as those described by the Deputy. Full details will be available before Local Development Strategies become operational in Autumn 2015.
253. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the appeal of a decision by his Department to revoke an application which was approved by Mayo North East Leader Partnership by an organisation (details supplied) and deemed ineligible for funding. [10855/15]
View answerIn line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, Local Action Groups (LAGs), in this case Mayo North East Leader Partnership, are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in the context of the LAG’s local development strategy and in line with Programme’s Operating Rules and EU regulations.
The EU Regulations governing the Programme require that a certain percentage of claims are subject to Department inspection/audit. The project referred to in the details supplied was subject to such an inspection and was deemed ineligible for funding by my Department. This decision was subject to the full appeals procedure including my Department’s Appeal Panel, which upheld the finding of ineligibility. It is a matter for the project in question to appeal this decision to the Office of the Ombudsman, if they so wish.
254. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the expert advice he has received on the introduction of rent controls or rent stabilisation measures in the private rental market; the information he has received on the potential costs of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10859/15]
View answerThe Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) published two major reports on the private rented sector in 2014, entitled Future of the Private Rented Sector and Rent Stability in the Private Rented Sector. Both reports are available on the PRTB website at http://www.prtb.ie/docs/default-source/pdf-manuals/future-of-the-private-rented-sector.pdf?sfvrsn=0 and http://www.prtb.ie/docs/default-source/pdf-manuals/rent-stability-in-the-private-rented-sector.pdf?sfvrsn=0.
The rent stability report includes an examination of rent regulation regimes in other countries and puts forward a series of policy options in relation to rent stability for consideration. These range from options in relation to rent control at one end of the spectrum through to measures aimed at increasing awareness of tenant rights under the existing legislation at the other. The report provides indicative costs for the range of rent stability options proposed, where applicable.
The Social Housing Strategy 2020 provides the basis for a concerted and coordinated approach to social housing provision and contains an action plan with detailed objectives and timelines. It includes a commitment to developing a national policy on the private rented sector aimed at increasing investment in and supporting the supply of good quality, secure and affordable accommodation in the sector. Both reports referred to above, together with a forthcoming National Economic and Social Council (NESC) report on the development of the private rented sector, will be important inputs to the process of considering possible further policy and legislative initiatives.
I recognise that the time-lag in terms of ramping up supply to match demand is fuelling a marked increase in rents, especially in Dublin and the other major cities, leading to difficulties, particularly for lower-income households. The Government is monitoring the rental market closely and is considering policy options in relation to achieving greater rent certainty. My overriding objective in relation to rents is to achieve stability and sustainability in the market for the benefit of tenants, landlords and society as a whole.
255. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 18 of 4 March 2015, if he will instruct local authorities to direct a designated amount of funding to home improvements and extensions of tenants' homes in view of the lack of funding for this which is contributing to lengthy waiting lists; and his views that by directing this funding to extensions and home improvements, he will contribute to alleviating the lengthy local authority housing waiting lists. [10861/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 18 of 4 March 2015 which sets out the position in this matter.
256. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding development levies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10863/15]
View answerThe charging of development contributions is intended to allow local authorities to recoup some of the costs to public funds of servicing land for private development. Without such contributions, this servicing would not proceed or the full cost would have to be borne by the taxpayer. Income from development levies must be ring-fenced to pay for facilities servicing new development, for example, for roads, footpaths, public lighting and open spaces.
Development contributions are levied on the basis of a development contribution scheme approved by the elected members which sets out how contributions are to be applied in their respective functional areas. The level of contribution and the types of development to which development contributions should apply, is therefore determined at local authority level in accordance with the powers vested in elected members in this connection.
The type of development contribution scheme referred to in the Question relates to a supplementary development contribution scheme, drawn up under Section 49 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2014, which is designed to facilitate a particular public infrastructure service or project, in this case the Metro North, which was adopted by Dublin City Council in 2013. This scheme will run until 31 December 2015 unless extended by Council resolution and with the agreement of the National Transport Authority. The scheme runs concurrently to Dublin City Council’s Development Contribution Scheme 2013-2015.
257. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department will confirm receipt of e-mail correspondence from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; if he will reply to the points raised as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10870/15]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received the e-mail correspondence referred to by the Deputy; however the matters raised in the e-mail are not within the remit or function of my Department.
258. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department and agencies, organisations and authorities under the remit of his Department have a role or function in respect of public health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10876/15]
View answerMy Department has an important role in relation to policy and legislation which impacts on public health, including in relation to water and air quality. In addition, local authorities, as well as some agencies under the remit of my Department such as the Environmental Protection Agency, have a role in respect of public health. Their activities include the discharge of both statutory functions as well as the promotion of health in communities.
