Written Answers Nos. 270-279
270. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that correspondence sent to a sports club (details supplied) in County Cork regarding the Sports Capital Programme contains erroneous details of previous applications; the reason this inaccurate response was provided; if the matter will now be corrected as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12520/15]
View answerOfficials in the Department have examined records for the organisation referred to by the Deputy and an error was discovered in relation to a 2001 allocation. The allocation was recorded on www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie as being “closed – fully drawn down” when it should have been recorded as "withdrawn". I am not aware of any erroneous correspondence being sent to the organisation.
The error occurred when grant information was being transferred to a new IT system. The records have now been corrected.
271. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide additional funding in 2015 to Monaghan County Council for the non-national road network, in view of the serious deterioration in road conditions throughout the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12616/15]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
The economic reality of recent years has meant significant reductions in roads budgets across the board. My Department has allocated a total of €294 million for regional and local roads in 2015, €7.1m of which has been allocated to Monaghan County Council.
Funding for regional and local roads in 2015 has now been allocated.
It is important to reiterate that the role of Exchequer grants for regional and local roads is to supplement local authorities in their spending in this area and it is also open to Monaghan County Council to fund additional work from its own resources.
272. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of pieces of legislation that were submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by her Department since 2011; her plans to allow pre-legislative scrutiny for any upcoming pieces of legislation from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12407/15]
View answerFive General Schemes of Bills have been submitted by my Department for pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas. The scrutiny process has been competed in two cases – the proposed National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill and Official Languages (Amendment) Bill. It has also been indicated to my Department that no scrutiny process is envisaged in the case of the proposed Heritage (Amendment) Bill. In two other cases – the proposed National Cultural Institutions Bills (Nos. 2 and 3) – a decision is awaited as to whether pre-legislative scrutiny is to be carried out.
I intend to follow this approach also in the case of future legislation.
273. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé i gceist airgead a chur ar fáil i mbliana do scéim na mbóithre pobail a bhí ann i rith thréimhse an Rialtais deiridh trínar cuireadh airgead ar fáil d’Údarás na Gaeltachta le caoi a chur ar bhóithre portaigh agus bóithre eile trí mheascán d’obair scéimeanna ar nós an scéim sóisialta tuaithe agus deontas airgid; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [12427/15]
View answerMar is eol don Teachta, tá buiséad caipitil mo Roinne don Ghaeltacht laghdaithe le roinnt blianta anuas. Chomh maith leis sin, tá na scéimeanna faoina gcuirtí maoiniú ar fáil d'obair fheabhsúcháin ar bhóithre curtha ar fionraí. Sa chomhthéacs sin, níl sé beartaithe maoiniú a chur ar fáil d'Údarás na Gaeltachta le haghaidh bóithre. Leis an allúntas atá ar fáil don Ghaeltacht, tá mo Roinn ag díriú ar infheistíocht caipitil a bhaineann leis an bpleanáil teanga agus le forbairtí sa réimse sin, ar nós na gcoláistí Gaeilge, áiseanna réamhscolaíochta agus infreastruchtúr Gaeilge i gcoitinne.
274. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if persons who own turbary rights or fee simple in bogs that are subject to a ban on cutting under present conservation legislation are entitled automatically to compensation; if not, the categories of persons entitled to compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12428/15]
View answerUnder the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 and the Wildlife Acts, compensation may be payable where a person has been refused consent by me, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, for a prescribed activity within a designated site that he or she had been undertaking in the five year period prior to the refusal.
However, compensation schemes have generally been put in place, where required, without the need to undergo a formal process under the relevant legislation. Such schemes include a comprehensive compensation scheme for those affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog habitat.
The qualifying criteria for this cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme are that:
- The claimant must have a legal interest in one of the raised bog special areas of conservation or natural heritage areas – ownership or turbary right;
- The claimant must have been the owner or entitled to exercise turbary rights on the land in question on 25 May 2010;
- The turbary on the site must not be exhausted;
- The claimant must have been cutting turf on the land in question during the relevant five year period; and
- No turf cutting or associated activity is ongoing on the property.
The closing date for the receipt of applications under the scheme generally has passed for raised bog special areas of conservation. However, my Department will continue to accept late applications under the scheme for the time being.
275. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will review the level of benefit-in-kind being attributed to an employee of her Department (details supplied) in County Kerry, in view of the possibility that her Department may have considerably over-valued the rental value of the property that she lives in; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12485/15]
View answerI am advised that my Department had an independent professional valuation of the property in question carried out. Following communication with the occupier in relation to the level of benefit-in-kind proposed, a subsequent independent internal appeal was processed, which determined that the original decision of my Department was reasonable and should stand.
276. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on an application for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting scheme in a special area of conservation (details supplied) in County Roscommon. [12489/15]
View answerThe individual referred to in the Deputy's Question claims to have inherited land within a raised bog special area of conservation from his father and has applied for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme.
I am advised that the father of the individual in question sold his interest in land in a raised bog special area of conservation under the voluntary bog purchase scheme, administered by my Department. An incentive payment of €6,000, available under the scheme, was also made to him at the time of purchase, on the condition that he permanently cease domestic turf cutting on sites included in special areas of conservation.
My Department will be in contact with the individual referred to in the Deputy's Question in relation to his application as soon as possible.
277. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on an application under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon. [12490/15]
View answerAn application for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has been received by my Department from one of the individuals referred to in the Deputy's Question. I am advised that payments of €1,500 in respect of Year 1 of 15 (2012), €1,518 in respect of Year 2 of 15 (2013) and €1,521 in respect of Year 3 of 15 (2014) have been made to this applicant. In addition, a once-off payment of €500 has been made to the applicant in respect of the signing of a legal agreement under this scheme.
Officials of my Department have been in contact with the other individual referred to in the Deputy's Question and a third family member in relation to additional applications for compensation in respect of the same bog plot. Correspondence has recently been received in relation to these applications and is being assessed within my Department. Departmental officials will be in contact with these applicants in relation to the matter shortly.
278. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the formal submission received, if she will provide funding for a World War One memorial at the Market House in Ballybay in County Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12652/15]
View answerMy Department received a representation from the Deputy in relation to this matter last week.
The proposal is under consideration within my Department and a reply will issue shortly.
279. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by her Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if she will indicate which Department, Agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13106/15]
View answerI am advised that, since its establishment on 2 June 2011, no contract was awarded by my Department to the company referred to by the Deputy, either singularly or as part of a joint bid or consortium.
With regard to agencies/bodies under the aegis of my Department, the Deputy will appreciate that the matters raised are part of the day-to-day operational responsibilities of the bodies in question. I am arranging, therefore, for the terms of the Deputy's Question to be transmitted to the heads of relevant bodies with a request that they provide information, to the extent feasible, directly to the Deputy.
