Thursday, 12 Mar 2015

Written Answers Nos. 268 - 276

Water Services Provision

Questions (268)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

268. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the lacuna in the law relating to the maintenance of sewage systems serving private residences where a blockage occurs but not all residents on the group system agree to share the cost of repair; if Irish Water is empowered to issue legal notices to residents in this situation regarding their responsibilities, and, if not, whether he will undertake to legislate to provide Irish Water with such powers or alternatively to restore powers to environmental health officers to act on behalf of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10966/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Section 62 of the Water Services Act 2007 enables a water services authority to inspect a sewer or drain, and either direct the owner to carry out any necessary remedial works, or carry them out itself and recover its costs. The functions under section 62 were transferred to Irish Water under the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013.

In relation to private wastewater treatment systems the position is that Section 91 of the Water Services Act 2007 provides a water services authority with the power to intervene where a private waste water system is being operated or managed in such manner as to cause, or be likely to cause, a risk to human health or the environment. The functions under section 91 were transferred to Irish Water under the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013.

My Department, as part of a wider overhaul of the taking in charge process, is seeking to determine the number of residential developments with developer provided stand-alone wastewater treatment plants and/or water treatment systems that are not connected to public water and waste water networks. Many of the developments in question have not yet been taken in charge by the relevant local authority because they are unfinished. In some cases the developments may be completed but not to the standards required under the planning permissions granted. My Department has commenced a pilot project focusing on the situation in a number of local authority areas in order to get a clear overview of the nature of the problems which exist in the developments in question, and identifying possible solutions and associated costs required to alleviate those problems.  The information garnered from the pilot project will subsequently be used by my Department to inform the development of a co-ordinated approach to the taking-in charge by local authorities of developments with developer-provided water services infrastructure and, where appropriate, the transfer of such infrastructure to Irish Water.

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Administration

Questions (269, 274, 275)

Michael McGrath

Question:

269. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an individual mortgage-to-rent case in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Cork; the next steps in the process; the estimated timeframe for its completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10980/15]

Michael McGrath

Question:

274. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of mortgage-to-rent transactions that have been fully completed to date; the number currently at an advanced stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11021/15]

Michael McGrath

Question:

275. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on raising the maximum house values attaching to the mortgage-to-rent schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11022/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 269, 274 and 275 together.

There are currently two mortgage-to-rent schemes in operation through my Department.

A scheme exists whereby a local authority (LA) can acquire ownership of properties with unsustainable local authority mortgages, thus enabling the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (LA-mortgage-to-rent). The other scheme provides for an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to acquire ownership of a property with an unsustainable private mortgage, which also enables the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (AHB-mortgage-to-rent). Both schemes are designed to assist families with income difficulties whose mortgages are now unsustainable, and where there is little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances in the foreseeable future.

To be eligible for the AHB-mortgage-to-rent scheme a household must have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process, agree to the voluntary surrender of their home, be in negative equity, and be deemed eligible for social housing in accordance with section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009.

In order for a property to be considered under the AHB-mortgage to rent scheme it must be purchased by an Approved Housing Body for less than €220,000 (per property) in the Greater Dublin Area and €180,000 (per property) in the rest of the country. These limits were determined by a working group which took account of available market data and the current social housing acquisition limits. These limits are considered to be reasonable in respect of the income bracket that is targeted by the scheme.

A total of 2,748 cases had been submitted by the end of March 2015 under the AHB-mortgage-to-rent scheme. Of these 1, 866 were deemed ineligible or terminated during the process, of which 277 cases were not progressed because the household in question was deemed to be over or under accommodated. Agreement on the sale could not be agreed on a further 42 cases.

Of the remaining 840 cases submitted, 85 have been completed, 176 are currently with the lenders and the remaining 579 are being actively progressed. My Department has issued funding approval in respect of 117 cases.

The Local Authority Mortgage to Rent scheme, which was rolled out nationally in February 2014, allows local authorities to offer the mortgage to rent scheme to local authority mortgage holders with unsustainable mortgages. To date, 81 households in distress with local authority mortgage arrears have been assisted through the scheme. My Department has invited the submission of the first tranche of 2015 LAMTR claims from local authorities by 30 April 2015.

As regards the individual case referred to, I refer to the reply to Question No 555 of 27 January 2015 in which I outlined that an application for provisional approval was received by my Department on 9 June 2014 and that this provisional approval was granted the following day. I understand from the Housing Agency that lender’s consent has since been received and the case has now been issued to the panel of Approved Housing Bodies to seek a purchaser.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (270)

Clare Daly

Question:

270. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that his Department set aside an allocation of €1 million in additional funding for Sligo County Council in 2014, conditional on a financial plan being agreed between his Department and the council by the end of February 2014; that the draft financial plan was submitted by the council to his Department on 24 November 2014, with a further draft being submitted in December 2014; that his Department would not release the additional €1 million to the council in 2014 because of the failure of the council management to submit a sustainable financial plan within the timeframe allowed by his Department and that his Department, therefore, decided to release only €250,000 additional funding to the council in 2014; if he will provide the council with the balance of €750,000 for 2014 when a plan is agreed; if an additional allocation of €1 million funding will be set aside for 2015 to assist the council move to a more sustainable financial position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10992/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority.

The continued deterioration of Sligo County Council’s financial position is of serious concern to me. While it is a matter for individual local authorities to manage their own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner, my Department is in regular consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position, including in relation to the agreement of a long term financial plan; this process is ongoing.

€1m of the general purpose grant allocation to Sligo County Council for 2014 was conditional on a realistic and achievable plan which charts a path to long-term financial sustainability being agreed between my Department and the Council. Following a meeting with my Department on 27 March 2014, wherein a draft financial plan was submitted, it was decided to provide Sligo County Council with €250,000 of this €1m. In the absence of a detailed plan being finally agreed before the end of 2014 no further payment was made to Sligo.

A similar amount of €1m has been included in the 2015 Local Property Tax allocation to Sligo County Council. Payment of this remains conditional on the plan being agreed and discussions with the Council, in this context, are ongoing.

Waste Management Regulations

Questions (271)

Finian McGrath

Question:

271. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide support in respect of a food manufacturing business (details supplied) at risk of losing jobs due to waste dumping near a site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10994/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Issues concerning the enforcement of waste management legislation are a matter for the appropriate regulatory authority and should therefore be pursued with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the relevant local authority, as appropriate.

The Office of Environmental Enforcement within the EPA has a mandate to deliver enhanced environmental compliance, both through enforcement of Agency licences issued to waste, industrial and other activities, and also through the supervisory role which it exercises in respect of the environmental protection activities of local authorities.

It is a matter for local authorities to set and attach specific conditions to a waste facility permit, or certificate of registration and for the Environmental Protection Agency to set and attach such conditions as may be necessary in relation to a waste licence. I have no function in relation either to the setting of operating conditions or their enforcement and under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996 as Minister, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the Environmental Protection Agency or a local authority, in particular circumstances, of a statutory function vested in it.

Fire Service

Questions (272)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

272. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update regarding his Department's review of Dublin Fire Brigade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11013/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

My Department has not undertaken any review of Dublin Fire Brigade.

The Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management maintains routine contact with Dublin City Council’s Fire Brigade, which provides fire services on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities. The role of the National Directorate is to develop and support the provision of consistent and effective fire services in Ireland; in that context, the policy document Keeping Communities Safe, (KCS) was published in February 2013.

KCS has introduced national norms and standards for fire services for the first time in Ireland. The approach set out is in line with international best practice and local authority fire service provision can now be benchmarked against these national norms and standards. As a first step, each fire service has undertaken an ‘Area Risk Categorisation’ (ARC) process as recommended in KCS. This is based on analysis of relevant data-sets for each fire station area, with areas being graded across five bands from very high to very low risk categories in accordance with the evidence. Fire services are using a risk management approach, which includes fire prevention and fire protection in buildings as well as response in terms of numbers of fire appliances and fire crews in an area, to manage the identified fire risk.

An external validation of the ARC process has been undertaken by the National Directorate to ensure that it is carried out consistently by all fire services. This validation process involves a one-day review of the draft ARC prepared by each authority. The ARC process for the Dublin area has been undertaken by the management of Dublin Fire Brigade area and the process has been validated by the National Directorate. The conclusions reached through the ARC process are as determined by Dublin Fire Brigade management.

The National Directorate’s involvement is a validation process and is not a review of Dublin Fire Brigade. I am confident however that the process is contributing to the development of high quality and effective fire services for the people of the Dublin area.

Priory Hall Development

Questions (273)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

273. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update regarding the redevelopment of Priory Hall, Dublin 13; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11015/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The first three phases of the remediation works for Priory Hall are ongoing and planning of the subsequent phases is advancing. I understand from Dublin City Council that marketing agents have been appointed to advise on a marketing strategy for the overall complex.

Questions Nos. 274 and 275 answered with Question No. 269.

Renewable Energy Incentives

Questions (276)

Michael Colreavy

Question:

276. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if European funding will be made available to semi-State companies for the development of renewable energy here. [10731/15]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

There are a number of sources of European Union funding that could be available for renewable energy projects led by commercial sector developers, including commercial semi-State companies. These sources include the Connecting Europe Facility, European Structural and Investment Funds, and the recently announced European Fund for Strategic Investment. These funds are available to major infrastructure projects including "Projects of Common Interest" considered to be important to the development of the EU Internal Energy Market. Additionally, renewable energy research and innovation is an area which is eligible for funding through the EU's Horizon 2020 programme. It is a matter for individual companies to pursue these funding options.