Written Answers Nos. 184 to 191
184. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the degree to which the various local authorities continue to monitor unfinished housing estates, with a view to achieving completion at an early date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16101/15]
View answerThe management and administration of issues relating to unfinished housing developments is a matter for individual local authorities. Each local authority has appointed an Unfinished Housing Development co-ordinator; contact details can be found on the Housing Agency’s website at www.housing.ie.
With the assistance of local authorities, my Department has conducted an annual national housing survey of unfinished housing developments during the summer months to monitor progress since 2010. The number of unfinished housing developments has decreased by approximately two-thirds from nearly 3,000 in 2010 to 992 in 2014. It is expected that with the aid of the €10m Special Resolution Fund (SRF) for unfinished housing developments, a further 74 developments should be resolved in the months ahead. The SRF has already positively contributed to 12 developments inspected under the 2014 Annual Survey being removed from the list of Unfinished Housing Developments. Overall in 2014, 271 unfinished housing developments were resolved.
The detailed findings of the annual surveys, annual progress reports and other useful publications and information in relation to Unfinished Housing Developments are available on the Housing Agency’s website at:
http://www.housing.ie/Our-Services/Unfinished-Housing-Developments.aspx .
As Minister for Housing and Planning and Co-ordination of Construction 2020, I now chair the National Coordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments. The Committee comprises senior representatives of the key stakeholders, including the local authorities, banking and construction industries, NAMA, the Health and Safety Authority, residents and officials from my Department. The Committee was established to drive and oversee the implementation of the recommendations of Resolving Ireland’s Unfinished Housing Developments – Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, published in May 2011.
The Committee has adopted a collaborative approach amongst its constituent members to promote the work of resolving the housing situation faced by residents of unfinished housing developments. The development of Site Resolution Plans (SRPs), agreed between residents, developers, funders and local authority personnel for the finalisation of works on site to render estates as habitable as possible, have been pivotal in resolving a large number of estates. The 2014 National Housing Survey shows that, of the 1,263 estates inspected, there were 587 estates going through the SRP process. This collaborative approach serves the best interests of all concerned and is an effective tool in the resolution process. Further information on Site Resolution Plans is available in section 3.4 of the Guidance Manual on Managing and Resolving Unfinished Estates, August 2011 which is available at the following link:
http://www.housing.ie/Our-Services/Unfinished-Housing-Developments/Guidance-Manual-on-Resolving-Unfinished-Housing-De/Guidance-Materials/Guidance-Manual_Managing-and-Resolving-Unfinished.aspx .
185. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when it might be expected that provision will be made by the various interested parties for the completion of the development at the Waterways, Sallins, County Kildare, with particular reference to the alleviation of any issues affecting outstanding works; the extent to which such works have been identified, and responsibility attributed to the various parties involved; the extent to which the reason for ongoing delays havs been noted and identified; the remedial action proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16102/15]
View answerThe finalisation of any outstanding planning related matters affecting the development concerned are a matter for Kildare County Council and I have no function in such matters. Following the insertion of subsection (2A) into section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, by the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010, planning authorities are not prevented from taking in charge any housing estate even if it has not been completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority in accordance with the planning permission. The decision as to whether an estate should be taken in charge is ultimately a matter for the elected members of the local authority having regard to a report prepared by the Planning Section of the local authority and the associated funding obligations of taking the estate in charge.
I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 30 on today’s Order Paper on the taking in charge of housing estates by local authorities.
186. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the degree to which various air pollutants continue to be monitored and identified; the extent to which such pollutants may be on the increase, for whatever reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16103/15]
View answerAir quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFE Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The EPA has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants, based on data obtained from the 29 monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality network.
The EPA publishes an annual report on air quality, based primarily on the monitoring requirements of the CAFE Directive. The most recent report, Air Quality in Ireland 2013 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, was published in October 2014 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2013, compared to the CAFE Directive standards, as well as assessments in relation to more stringent World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for the protection of human health.
I welcome the fact that downward trends have been identified for many pollutants and that Ireland currently meets all EU standards for air quality, while noting that Ireland exceeds WHO air quality guideline values for particulate matter (PM) in some areas. Particulate matter levels are of concern, particularly during the winter heating season in some areas where the sale of smoky coal is permitted. Because of this, levels of particulate matter in smaller towns can often be similar to, or higher than, those in cities where the sale and use of smoky coal is banned. To help protect our good air quality, consumers must become more aware of their choice in home heating fuel and the potential impact that this choice can have on air quality in their locality and on human health.
188. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown, in tabular form, for each local authority in the State, indicating the amounts spent in each of the past seven years on road, street and related signage and signposts; the amounts received by each company contracted by the State in that period to make said signage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16177/15]
View answerThe information requested is not available in my Department. Responsibility for matters relating to roads rests with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
190. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures that will be enacted to protect consumers in cases where the customers of some mobile telephone companies are receiving unsolicited text messages and are being charged for such messages at exorbitant rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16172/15]
View answerThere are statutory provisions in place in both general consumer law and sector specific legislation to protect retail users of electronic communication services from incurring arbitrary charges for the provision of electronic communications services, including charges for receiving unsolicited texts which do not form part of a contracted service.
Under current European regulations, electronic communications service providers are obliged to notify any proposed changes of retail charges to customers not less than one month prior to the date of implementation of any proposed change and of their right to withdraw without penalty from the contract if they do not accept the notified changes. These obligations apply to all electronic communications services providers.
Customers can also incur charges for texts received as part of a premium rate service where users agree to receive and pay for such a service. Premium rate services providers are bound by a code of conduct established by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as provided for in the Communications Regulation (Premium Rate Services and Electronic Communications Infrastructure) Act, 2010. This code, among other things, requires that premium rate services providers send free messages to subscribers which state the basis for calculating charges including charges for each message received and charges for each message sent. The periodic message should be sent each time an end user spends a maximum of €20 on the subscription service and advise the subscriber how to unsubscribe from the service by sending/replying "STOP" to the short code which is used to charge end-users of the service.
Any mobile phone user who has received unsolicited texts or has incurred excessive charges for receiving texts should contact ComReg, the independent market regulator, directly. ComReg can be contacted by post at Block DEF, Abbey Court, Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1 or by phone at 01-804 9707 or 1890200035 for business related issues or 01-8049668 or 1890229668 for other consumer issues or by e-mail to businessconsumers@comreg.ie for business related issues or consumerline@comreg.ie for other consumer issues or send a text with the word COMREG to 51500.
191. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has had discussions with the directors and management of Bord na Móna regarding the future terms and conditions of employment of`employees at the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16001/15]
View answerThe matter raised by the Deputy is an operational one for Bord na Móna. Bord na Móna is facing significant business challenges in the context of the deregulation of the electricity market and increasingly competitive and challenging environments across all its business areas.
I understand that in order to ensure its continued success, the company is implementing a programme to transform all areas of its operations and structure, the key objective of which is to improve business effectiveness and efficiency. In that regard, I have been advised that management and union representatives are currently involved in discussions under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission on a range of issues relating to business transformation in the company. These discussions include areas related to the terms and conditions of employees. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on this matter while these discussions are in progress.
As a matter of routine, I regularly meet with the Chair and management of the company on a range of policy issues but I have not had discussions with them regarding the specific matter referred to by the Deputy.
