Jonathan O'Brien
Question:153. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policies on funding of student unions for third level institutes. [13501/15]
View answerStudent Unions Funding
Questions (153)
Written answers
My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal disbursement of funding is then a matter for the individual institution.
My Department, or the HEA, does not provide funding to the Union of Students in Ireland and has no role in relation to it, including any audit function with respect to its funding. As the Deputy may be aware, the Student Contribution, which is payable by students who qualify for free fees funding, includes certain student service activities including student union services.
A working group was set up by the HEA, at the request of my Department, in 2011 in order to agree a definition for student services for reporting purposes and to update the former HEA Framework of Good Practice for the Provision of Student Services. A revised Framework was subsequently introduced in 2011 by the HEA. The working group agreed a list of areas and activities to be included under the definition of student services and this includes student union activities.
Third Level Institutions
Questions (154)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:154. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of persons who have served as members of the board of the National College of Art and Design, at any time since 2006. [13502/15]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the table.
National College of Art and Design Members of An Bord 2003 – 2015
|
Years |
Director (ex officio) |
Nominated by Minister |
Academic Rep |
Student Rep |
|
May 2012 – March 2015 |
Prof. Declan McGonagle |
Mr. Sean O'Laoire, Chairperson |
Mr. David Caron |
Ms. Aoife Soden |
|
Mr. Peter Johnson |
Mr. Paul O’Brien |
Ms. Adrienne Eacrett, |
||
|
Ms. Suzanne McDougall |
Mr. Oliver Whelan (appointed 17/09/13 following retirement of Mr. Carron) |
Mr. Octavian Fitzherbert (appointed 07/03/14 replaced Ms. Aoife Soden |
||
|
Ms. Helen Steele |
||||
|
Ms. Lucy McCaffrey |
||||
|
Ms. Orla Flynn |
|
Years |
Director (ex offico) |
Nominated by Minister |
Academic Rep |
Student Rep |
|
Mar 2009 – Mar 2012 |
Prof. Declan McGonagle |
Mr. Joe Mulholland, Chairperson |
Ms. Theresa McKenna |
Ms. Aoife Goodman |
|
Ms. Orla Flynn |
Mr. Andrew Folan |
Mr. Francis Wasser |
||
|
Mr. Mick McDonagh |
Mr. David Fagan (appointed 16/11/09 replaced Mr. Wasser) |
|||
|
Ms. Chris Byrne |
||||
|
Mr. Liam Crowley |
||||
|
Ms. Catherine Fitzgerald |
|
Years |
Director (ex offico) |
Nominated by Minister |
Academic Rep |
Student Rep |
|
Mar 2006 – Mar 2009 |
Prof. Declan McGonagle |
Mr. Joe Mulholland, Chairperson |
Mr. Andrew Folan |
Ms. Jennifer Caffrey |
|
Ms. Mairín Quill |
Ms. Therese McKenna |
Mr. John Brennan |
||
|
Ms. Marie Bourke |
||||
|
Mr. John Sherwin |
||||
|
Mr. Liam Crowley |
||||
|
Mr. Mick McDonagh |
|
Years |
Director (ex officio) |
Nominated by Minister |
Academic Rep |
Student Rep |
|
Feb 2003 – Feb 2006 |
Mr Colm Ó Briain, Director |
Mr. Charlie Hennessy, Chairperson |
Mr. Frank Bissette |
Mr. Robert Corish |
|
Dr. Fionnuala Doyle-O’Neill |
Dr. Niamh O’Sullivan |
Mr. John Brennan |
||
|
Mr. Ciaran MacGonigal |
||||
|
Ms. Patricia Oliver |
||||
|
Ms. Betty Newman Maguire |
||||
|
Ms. Mairín Quill |
Question No. 155 answered with Question No. 148.
Third Level Facilities
Questions (156)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:156. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on an agreement between the National College of Art and Design and Diageo which would allow students the use of buildings owned by Diageo. [13504/15]
View answerWritten answers
Third level institutions are autonomous bodies and day-to-day operational issues regarding accommodation are a matter for the institution concerned.
Question No. 157 answered with Question No. 148.
Questions (158)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:158. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons employed in third level educational institutions who are paid in excess of €100,000, €150,000, €200,000 and €250,000; the names of the institutions employing them; the numbers in each institution earning above that figure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13506/15]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table.
|
Emp- loyer |
NUIG |
NUIM |
UL |
TCD |
DCU |
UCC |
UCD |
DIT |
IT- TRALEE |
CICE |
DIAS |
LIT |
WATER- FORD IT |
DUN- DALK IT |
IT SLIGO |
IT CORK |
NCAD |
IT BLANCH |
MARY IMMAC |
IT CARLOW |
GMIT |
IT TALL- AGHT |
RIAM |
MATER DEI |
ATH- LONE IT |
Total |
|
100,000- 150,000 |
115 |
56 |
87 |
107 |
69 |
123 |
238 |
11 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
865 |
|
150,000- 200,000 |
15 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
4 |
19 |
31 |
1 |
90 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
200,000- 250,000 |
13 |
0 |
7 |
12 |
0 |
21 |
10 |
63 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Over 250,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Appointments to State Boards
Questions (159)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:159. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of all State appointments, open to direct choice by her, since her appointment. [13507/15]
View answerWritten answers
Since my appointment in July 2014, one direct ministerial appointment to a State board of a non-commericial body under the aegis of my Department has arisen. In March 2015, I appointed Ms Rosemary Adaser to the board of Caranua (the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund).
Ms Adaser's appointment was made in accordance with the new procedures recently put in place by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) for making appointments to State Boards in accordance with guidelines drawn up by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The process of making direct ministerial appointments to the boards of a number of other non-commercial bodies under the aegis of my Department, in accordance with the new PAS procedures, is also underway. These bodies include, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the State Examinations Commission (SEC), An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG), National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), Irish Research Council and the Grangegorman Development Agency (GGDA). On making appointments to these boards, the details of same will be published by my Department.
For the Deputy's information, comprehensive information in relation to the composition of the State boards of non-commercial bodies under the aegis of my Department is available on my Department's website (http://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Agencies/) and this information is updated as appointments are made.
Educational Disadvantage
Questions (160)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor
Question:160. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the decision of her Department to suppress a concessionary post in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, under the delivering equality of opportunity in schools band 2. [13520/15]
View answerWritten answers
Budget 2012 provided for the phased withdrawal of approximately 428 posts allocated to some schools under disadvantage programmes prior to the introduction of DEIS in 2005. Due to conflicting reports of posts being lost in these schools, my Department produced a report on the impact of the withdrawal of these legacy posts from DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 Schools. Following the Government's decision of 21 February 2012 in the matter, a number of schools continued to retain disadvantaged legacy posts from previous disadvantage schemes on a year to year basis and only where warranted, based on the enrolment of the previous 30th September.
The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is available on the Department website.
I will arrange for the information sought by the Deputy in relation to the school to which she refers to be forwarded to her separately.
School Transport Administration
Questions (161)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:161. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that students in County Donegal do not have to travel over a mountain road to get to their nearest school, that common sense will prevail and that they may continue to attend the traditional secondary school for their area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13533/15]
View answerWritten answers
The purpose of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest education centre.
Children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes.
Distance eligibility is determined by measuring the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the relevant education centre and a variety of methods may be used to calculate this measurement including a specially designed GIS mapping system.
The shortest traversable route between a child's home and the relevant education centre may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route, and it is not necessarily the route that the school bus takes.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, under the terms of the scheme, may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and the payment of the annual charge.
The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
Questions (162)
Seamus Kirk
Question:162. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine an anomaly in the higher education grants scheme whereby an applicant who is fostered will be assessed on that person's own income position, while an applicant who is in guardianship will be assessed on that person's guardian's income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13545/15]
View answerWritten answers
In the case of a fostered applicant it is the State that is offering the protection and care in circumstances where the parents have not been able to, or are unlikely to, provide the care that the child needs. Such students may be assessed as dependent students, with reference to their own income, where they satisfy the conditions of Article 21(3) of the Student Grant Scheme, irreconcilable estrangement.
A student with a guardian appointed under the Guardianship of Children Acts 1964 to 1997 may also be assessed with reference to Article 21(3) where sufficient evidence of irreconcilable estrangement is demonstrated. The instances of estrangement are less likely for this category of student.
Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
Questions (163)
Michael Creed
Question:163. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 815 of 24 March 2015 if she will acknowledge the anomaly that exists in the classification of illness benefit as a short-term payment which is not included as an eligible payment for the special rate of student grant despite being payable for up to 104 weeks and the inclusion of carer's benefit as an eligible payment despite having a maximum payment duration of 104 weeks; and if consideration will be provided to review a decision on an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [13562/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Social Protection describes Illness Benefit as a short-term payment for insured people who cannot work due to illness. Carer's Benefit is described as a payment for insured people who have recently left the workforce and are looking after certain people in need of full-time care and attention.
Eligibility for a social welfare payment is a matter for the Department of Social Protection.
It may be more appropriate, for the person referred to by the Deputy, to have their welfare payment reviewed by the Department of Social Protection. Where it is established that an alternative long-term payment should be awarded, such as Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension, both of which are eligible payments for the special rate of grant, the application of the person in question may be reviewed under the change of circumstances provision of the Student Grant Scheme.
English Language Training Organisations
Questions (164)
Róisín Shortall
Question:164. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of English language colleges operating in each of the last ten years and currently in 2015, by county; and the current number of students in each college. [13567/15]
View answerWritten answers
Provision of private education, including English language training, is not subject to mandatory regulation in the State. Therefore any person is free to set up a private college of education or an English language school without having to come under the oversight of the Department or any of its agencies. The majority of English language schools in Ireland are privately run and there is a diverse range of English language courses on offer which vary considerably in duration and intensity.
The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of English language schools is only available to my Department in respect of those that have gone through a recognised quality assurance process. Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) operates ACELS (Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services), which is a voluntary scheme that grants recognition to English language teaching organisations annually.
Currently there are 98 English language organisations nationwide holding ACELS recognition. The breakdown of these organisations by county is easily accessible on an interactive map available at: http://www.acels.ie/search.htm. It should be noted that many of these 98 organisations are not sole English language training providers. Some also operate additional seasonal centres for juniors, typically in the summer. Others operate only as seasonal providers during the summer with junior programmes. Some other providers offer a mixed provision of programmes including further and/or higher education programmes in addition to English language courses.
With regard to student numbers, the majority of English language training organisations operate a system of 'rolling enrolment' i.e. students may enrol at regular intervals onto courses, typically every Monday of a new week or per fortnight. Language school enrolments are very often short-term, and because of this, ACELS does not require providers to supply student enrolment numbers. As a result, it is not possible to provide the Deputy with the current number of students in each of these organisations.
The number of recognised English language training organisations which have voluntarily submitted and gained recognition through the ACELS scheme fluctuates annually. However over the last 10 years, QQI estimates that this number has been within a range of 95-120 organisations, comprising approximately 130-160 centres either permanent or temporary nationwide.
There are currently 24 non-ACELS English language training providers listed on the internationalisation register for immigration purposes offering other English language training awards, mainly UK aligned. There may also be other non-ACELS English language training organisations operating domestically which are not on the internationalisation register. Typically, these are regional seasonal operators offering junior courses, who have relationships with other EU schools/agents and don't see a need to gain ACELS recognition.
English Language Training Organisations
Questions (165)
Róisín Shortall
Question:165. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements in place to ensure the bona fides of English language colleges. [13571/15]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland has a strong reputation for delivery of high-quality English language tuition. Many thousands of students from the EU and around the world come to Ireland for full-time or short-term programmes. The vast majority of providers of English language training in the State operate to a high standard and are motivated by the desire to enable learners to reach their potential. However, it is evident that a minority of providers do not operate to the same standards, with serious implications for students and the reputation of the wider international education sector.
For this reason, I announced robust regulatory reforms to the international education sector together with the Minister for Justice and Equality on 2nd September 2014. These reforms include specific measures to ensure the bona fides of English language colleges.
A key pillar of these reforms is a strengthened and more integrated inspection regime of providers of international education including English language colleges, which entails an enhanced inspection function for the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) which will be linked to Revenue, the Department of Social Protection and the National Employment Rights Authority.
A new quality assurance process to control entry by English language providers to the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) - the list of eligible programmes for immigration purposes - is being finalised by officials from my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality and will be submitted to Government shortly for approval.
Another key pillar of the regulatory reforms is the International Education Mark (IEM) and related Code of Practice. The IEM was proposed in Ireland's International Education Strategy 2010 - 2015 as a means of enhancing the quality and promotion of international education in Ireland. The IEM confirms that a provider has demonstrated their capacity and commitment to provide a high-quality educational experience to international students. The Code of Practice includes requirements relating to the protection of enrolled learners, treatment of fees and tax compliance, and will also address other 'non-academic' issues such as recruitment, marketing and accommodation. Providers of English language training will have to demonstrate compliance with the Code before being authorised to use the Mark.
The Mark will be used both as a driver of quality assurance within institutions, including English language colleges, and as a marketing tool to underpin the promotional activities of Enterprise Ireland in seeking to attract international learners to Ireland. In addition, the Mark will be used for immigration purposes. From 2016 it will become a requirement that providers wishing to recruit English language students from outside the EEA have authorisation to use the Mark. English language providers authorised to use the Mark will also be subject to ongoing monitoring and review.
School Enrolments
Questions (166)
Terence Flanagan
Question:166. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school places (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13602/15]
View answerWritten answers
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.
This Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Existing equality legislation, which outlaws discrimination in relation to the admission of a student, makes provision for exemptions to apply in the case of single sex schools and in the case of schools where the objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values.
The Equality legislation provides that any primary or post primary school that has this objective may, where it has more applicants than places available, admit a student of a particular religious denomination in preference to other students.
The legislation also provides that a school whose objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values can refuse to admit a student who is not of that religion only where the school proves that this refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year.
The Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS can be contacted at 01-8738700.
The Deputy will be aware that Government gave approval in March last year for drafting the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill. The Bill is on the Government legislative programme for publication in the Spring/Summer session.
The objective of the Admissions to School Bill is to provide an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent. The framework proposes new powers for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and the Child and Family Agency to designate a school place for those children who cannot get any school place.
The draft Bill does not propose changes to the existing equality legislation. However, the draft Bill will provide for schools to explicitly state in the school's admission policy that it will not discriminate against an applicant for admission on the grounds of disability, special educational needs, sexual orientation, family status, membership of the traveller community, race, civil status, gender or religion.
The draft Bill will also provide for schools to publish an enrolment policy which will include details of the school's arrangements for students who do not want to attend religious instruction.
Motor Tax Rates
Questions (167)
Derek Nolan
Question:167. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify the correct motor tax amount for a vehicle registered after 2008 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13536/15]
View answerWritten answers
Private vehicles registered after 1 July 2008 are taxed on the basis of CO2 emissions. Private vehicles registered between January and June 2008 are taxed either on the basis of engine size or CO2 emissions, depending on which basis carried the lowest tax for the vehicle at the time. In this instance, I understand that the correct basis of taxation is on CO2 emissions.
Building Regulations
Questions (168)
Dessie Ellis
Question:168. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to address the serious issue of the presence of mica in building blocks used in housing construction; if a similar process will be initiated to deal with this as was done in the case of pyrite; and if an investigation to ascertain the causes, and identify the source of the problem, will be carried out. [13428/15]
View answerWritten answers
While I fully appreciate and acknowledge the extremely difficult and distressing situations that householders have to deal with when faced with the consequences of poor workmanship or the use of defective materials, in general, building defects are matters for resolution between contracting parties, i. e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier and/or their respective insurers. In the event that the parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation the option of seeking redress in the Courts can be considered. In this context, I believe that the parties responsible for poor workmanship and/or the supply of defective materials should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected homeowners.
Having regard to the particular circumstances concerning the presence of muscovite mica in concrete blocks used in the construction of dwellings in north Donegal, my Department has recently received a number of test reports that were commissioned by several of the affected homeowners to ascertain the particular cause of the structural problems impacting on their homes. These test reports are currently being reviewed by my Department and a report will be prepared for my consideration in the matter shortly.
Social and Affordable Housing Provision
Questions (169)
Dessie Ellis
Question:169. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of dwellings he plans to deliver for housing in 2015; and if he will provide a breakdown of numbers, size and location in each local authority area. [13429/15]
View answerWritten answers
In 2015, I expect that 7,400 social housing units will be delivered across all 31 local authority areas, broken down as follows:
- 3,000 units under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative - leases, rental agreements and agreements with Approved Housing Bodies to facilitate leasing, build and acquisition
- 2,000 Rental Accommodation Scheme
- 1,400 to be built or acquired by local authorities and approved housing bodies
- 1,000 Remediating void properties to return them to productive use.
In addition, a target of 8.400 units has been set for the provision of social housing supports in 2015 under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).
Each local authority has responsibility for identifying their area’s social housing need and responding as required, including planning and undertaking new social housing developments to meet this need.
Delivery proposals for the years 2015 to 2017 have been sought and obtained from all local authorities and their proposals are being assessed in my Department. The precise details of the 2015 delivery will be agreed on a local authority by local authority basis, with funding allocations provided in respect of the approved proposals.
Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure
Questions (170)
Dessie Ellis
Question:170. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on housing spending for 2015; the amount of this that comes from the €3.8 billion promised for housing over the next six years; where this money has been spent; and if he will provide a breakdown of where the remainder is expected to be spent in the coming months. [13430/15]
View answerWritten answers
Budget 2015 marked a significant change in the trajectory of social housing funding and the total housing provision for 2015 will result in an investment of almost €800 million across a range of housing programmes. It is estimated that some €61.5 million (gross) will be spent on a range of housing programmes by the end of March with expenditure expected to accelerate as the capital programmes come on stream. The full 2015 monthly expenditure profiles for my Department are published by the Department of Finance at www.finance.gov.ie.
Through the funding available in 2015, I expect that some 7, 400 new social housing units will be provided across a range of housing programmes as follows:
- 1,400 units to be built or acquired by local authorities and approved housing bodies;
- 3,000 units under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative;
- 1,000 vacant local authority units will be returned to use; and
- 2,000 new Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) units.
In addition, a further 8,400 households will be assisted through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).
The Social Housing Strategy 2020 builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list.
Pillar 1 of the Strategy targets the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units over the period to 2020. The cost to the Exchequer of building, acquiring, or leasing these 35,000 units is estimated over the period to 2020 to be €3.8bn. Significant Exchequer funding is being allocated to ensure that the early phases of the Strategy will be delivered.
Housing Provision
Questions (171)
Dessie Ellis
Question:171. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he expects to deliver 5,000 new housing units under the rental accommodation scheme, the social housing leasing initative and others schemes from the private market, in view of the severe shortage of private rental properties and the slowing of private housing construction. [13431/15]
View answerWritten answers
I am fully aware of the many challenges facing both the private and public housing sectors. Increasing housing supply is a critical issue and that is why, in May 2014, the Government published Construction 2020 - A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector. While the Strategy’s overarching objective is to put the construction sector as a whole on a sustainable footing, it sets out a strategic approach to the provision of housing, through the delivery of specific, time-bound actions. My Department is the lead Department for a range of actions, in the areas of housing and planning.
Under the relevant actions in the Strategy national targets for delivery of social housing on a local authority by local authority basis for 2015 are to be agreed, and work on targets for subsequent years initiated, by quarter 1 2015. This process is well underway and all local authorities have submitted delivery proposals, across all delivery mechanisms, for the years 2015 to 2017, including their programmes in respect of the leasing scheme and Rental Accommodation Scheme. These have been examined in my Department and the final targets are currently being finalised.
Total housing provision for 2015 will result in an investment of almost €800 million across a range of housing programmes. With significant investment supporting the Strategy and commitment from local authorities to reach their delivery targets, I expect that some 7,400 new social housing units will be provided in 2015 with 3,000 units being provided under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative and 2,000 new units under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).
Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure
Questions (172)
Dessie Ellis
Question:172. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a figure for the total capital spend on housing for the years 2008 to 2014; and the number of social housing units delivered from this spend. [13432/15]
View answerWritten answers
The funding provided by my Department to local authorities through the capital initiatives to support social housing development from 2008 to 2014 is as follows:
|
Year |
Capital Expenditure |
|
2008 |
€ 1,515,499,000 |
|
2009 |
€ 1,160,499,000 |
|
2010 |
€ 830,066,000 |
|
2011 |
€ 485,048,000 |
|
2012 |
€ 397,197,394 |
|
2013 |
€ 295,165,258 |
|
2014 |
€ 299,635,956 |
A wide range of housing statistics are published on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15291,en.xls. These statistics include the number of social housing units delivered each year through initiatives funded through my Department.