Written Answers Nos. 524-547
524. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress to date regarding the taking in charge of housing developments which have developer-provided wastewater service infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17215/15]
View answerAs was acknowledged by my Department in Circular Letter PL 5/14 regarding the taking in charge of housing estates, which issued to planning authorities on 5 November 2014, there is an issue in relation to some stand-alone developer-provided water services infrastructure in certain estates, which in many cases may require upgrading and remediation and which must be addressed before the taking in charge process in respect of relevant estates can be completed.
In anticipation of possible issues in this regard, my Department, in conjunction with the Water Services Transition Office, sought information in 2013 from each local authority on the number of such residential developments that are located within their respective functional areas and this has given a better understanding of the extent of these developments nationally.
Further to this information request, my Department has commissioned a representative sample of local authorities to undertake a more detailed technical examination of these developments in order to obtain a clearer view on:
- the types of such water services infrastructure that are in place;
- the condition of such infrastructure; and
- the scale of works and investment costs that might be required for remediation of any defects or problems, including prospects for successful enforcement action.
This pilot exercise has a number of objectives including identifying alternative optimal solutions, and developing indicative cost estimates, for any works that might be required. It is intended that this exercise will facilitate the development of a national strategy, including funding options, to address problems in relevant residential estates with stand-alone developer-provided infrastructure.
Where a planning authority is satisfied that a housing estate has been completed in accordance with the terms of its planning permission and is minded to take the development in charge and, having established that Irish Water is willing to receive water services related assets post taking in charge, then there should be no impediment in the taking in charge process relating to such estates.
It is anticipated that the pilot study referred to will be completed later this year and this will inform the development of a timetable for the taking in charge of relevant developments with stand-alone developer provided water services infrastructure.
525. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to deal with the regressive nature of the motor taxation system, as it applies to both pre and post-2008 registered cars, and the use of the option to pay either three-monthly, six-monthly or annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17275/15]
View answerMotor tax on cars registered prior to 2008 is based on engine capacity. Motor tax on cars registered since 2008 is based on CO 2 emissions. I do not consider that either basis of taxation is regressive. In the case of cars taxed on engine capacity, the banding is structured so that the level of tax payable increases as the engine size increases. In the case of cars taxed on the basis of CO2, the banding is structured so that higher emitting cars attract a higher rate of tax than lower emitting ones. The move to CO2 has been effective in reducing emissions - 95% of all new vehicles purchased are now in the lowest emitting A and B bands, which carry the lowest tax rates. Overall, the average emissions from new cars purchased in Ireland in 2013 was 121g CO2/km, down from 164g CO2/km in 2007, before the CO2 system was introduced, meaning that the country has already reached the EU target of 130g CO2/km for 2015.
In respect of the payment periods for motor tax, the rates applicable for the half-yearly and quarterly options are 55.5% and 28.25% of the annual charge, respectively. These relativities have remained generally consistent since the 1960s.
The differential takes account of the extra workload for staff in motor tax offices and the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the resultant administrative costs and printing costs that arise, including the issuing of renewal notices. Each quarterly renewal of motor tax follows the same administrative procedures as the annual renewal process. Consequently, renewing on a quarterly basis generates four times the workload of an annual renewal for the equivalent period.
I have no plans currently to review the basis for paying motor tax on a half-yearly or quarterly basis.
526. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to implement the programme for Government commitment (details supplied) to place a public service obligation on private waste collectors, including a fee waiver scheme for low-income households; and if he does not plan to honour this commitment, the reason for same, and when this decision was taken. [17293/15]
View answerAmong the measures included in the Government’s national waste policy, A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, which was published in July 2012, was the establishment of an inter-Departmental working group to report to Government with options on minimising the impact of waste charges on low-income households.
The working group, which comprises representatives of my Department and the Departments of Social Protection; Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance; and the Tánaiste's Office, submitted its second report to Government in July 2013. Government considered the report and, given the complexity of the issues involved, including the fact that the vast majority of households have moved away from local authority collection and have engaged private waste collectors on whom it would be difficult to impose any obligation to provide a waiver system, mandated the working group to continue to examine the issue, with a view to submitting a third report to Government in due course.
Given that the vast majority of local authorities no longer collect waste and that the market is now serviced by a diverse range of private operators, where the fees charged and services offered vary across the country, it is becoming increasingly apparent that introducing a national waiver scheme in the context of an open market for waste collection would be highly complex.
527. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the publication of the revised wind energy guidelines; the reason for the delay in their publication; when he expects the new guidelines to be published; if the new guidelines will apply to strategic infrastructure development projects, where the planning application has already been submitted to An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17353/15]
View answer534. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the new planning guidelines for wind farm developments will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17424/15]
View answer539. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which recent increases in the scale and capacity of onshore wind turbines has been considered in the ongoing review of departmental guidance in relation to the minimum siting distances of such turbines from domestic dwellings, schools and other sensitive receptors; the extent to which the national landscape strategy is being linked to same; the types of mitigating requirements being considered in relation to shadow flicker and noise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17507/15]
View answer564. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the recently put together Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland wind atlas has been provided to An Bord Pleanála; if it will have an influence on the putting together of revised wind turbine guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17752/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 527, 534, 539 and 564 together.
In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines.
These draft revisions proposed:
- The setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,
- A mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations, and
- The complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.
A public consultation process was initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the Guidelines, which ran until February 21 2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this period.
It is intended that the revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines will be finalised as soon as possible. In this regard, account has to be taken of the extensive response to the public consultation in framing the final guidelines. Further work is also advancing to develop technical appendices to assist planning authorities with the practical application of the noise measurement aspects of the Wind Guidelines.
The revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006, when finalised, will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála must have regard to guidelines issued under Section 28 in the performance of their functions under the Planning Acts.
The existing Wind Energy Development Guidelines (2006) provide guidance to planning authorities on aesthetic considerations in relation to the siting and design of wind energy developments in the landscape. In this regard, my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has the lead Ministerial responsibility for developing the National Landscape Strategy, with input from my Department, along with other Departments and State Bodies. I understand that the National Landscape Strategy 2015-2025 is expected to be published in the coming weeks. The question of the development of guidelines, under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, for planning authorities in relation to the practical implementation of the Strategy will be considered in due course.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) Wind Atlas is a digital map of Ireland's wind energy resource. It provides detailed information on wind speeds (calculated for different heights above ground level on a 100m horizontal grid basis), electricity transmission and distribution networks for specific locations around Ireland at national and county levels.
It is understood that SEAI completed its Wind Atlas in 2003, and an updated version, the Wind Atlas 2013 will be viewable on-line when software upgrades have been completed. In the interim, the SEAI makes the new wind atlas data-sets available, on request, to professional Geographical Information Systems users and other organisations.
SEAI advise that the concept of average wind speed for a county has no practical application in the context of planning an individual wind energy development project.
528. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will make regulations for a tenant purchase scheme in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17362/15]
View answer540. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on progress in introducing a new tenant purchase scheme for local authorities; when this will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17513/15]
View answer560. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will introduce a new tenant purchase scheme at an early date, in view of the fact that many tenants who were not in a position to avail of previous purchase schemes wish to apply for new scheme to purchase their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17698/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 528, 540 and 560 together.
Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 includes a commitment to make the Regulations necessary for its introduction, in the second quarter of 2015, which will set out the full details of the new scheme. It is expected that the new scheme will commence at the earliest possible date following the making of the Regulations.
529. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of local authority houses that were built, on a county basis, in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17384/15]
View answerMy Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy. It includes data on the number of local authority houses built, broken down by year, and those data are available on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15291,en.xls by clicking “Social Housing Outputs” under the Social Housing Supports heading.
Social housing is key priority for this Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for it in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. The total targeted provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, will address the needs of the circa 90,000 households on the housing waiting list.
The social housing targets that I recently announced for all local authorities are out to 2017 and include almost 7,500 units that will be capital-funded and 15,400 current-funded units. My announcement also contained provisional funding allocations which are sufficient to deliver the targeted units.
Following on from the target setting process, on 5 May 2015, I announced the first major direct build social housing programme under the Social Housing Strategy, with over 100 separate housing projects across all 31 local authorities. Details are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm.
530. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he or his Department officials are concerned regarding the recent announcement made by Ulster Bank on 27 April 2015 regarding persons in long-term mortgage arrears; if there are concerns regarding the impact this will have on the social housing waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17385/15]
View answerIn order for a household to qualify for social housing support, a housing authority must carry out an assessment to establish whether the household meets specified eligibility requirements and has a housing need. The housing need criteria, as prescribed in the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, includes a household that has a mortgage that is deemed to be unsustainable under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process. My Department has advised housing authorities that, upon receipt of written confirmation from the lender that a household’s mortgage has been deemed unsustainable, an authority may consider the household to have a housing need.
Social housing is a key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. The Strategy 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. Importantly, the Strategy restores the State to a central role in the provision of social housing.
The total targeted provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, will address the needs of the 90,000 households on the housing waiting list in full and, importantly, provides flexibility to meet potential future demand. In committing to provide these 35,000 new social housing units, at a projected cost of €3.8 billion, the strategy marks a fresh start for social housing in Ireland.
The 2013 housing assessment figures are the most up-to-date figures available on waiting list numbers, which are subject to on-going fluctuation due to households being allocated housing and new households applying for housing support. In order to ensure that the most up to date and comprehensive data is available on an on-going basis, relating to the numbers applying for social housing support, the Strategy includes a number of actions to standardise assessment and increase the regularity of assessments including undertaking the summary of social housing assessments on an annual basis from 2016 onwards. In this regard, the numbers on the social housing waiting list will be kept under review.
531. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the authority given to local authorities to pass personal public service numbers to Irish Water in view of the assumption that tenants would have to have provided their consent first. [17404/15]
View answerSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels.
Under the Water Services Acts 2007-2013, Irish Water has statutory powers to request its customers and certain specified persons or bodies to provide it with information so that Irish Water can perform its functions under these Acts, including the collection of data to develop its customer database. In particular, section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to obtain information on its customers from other third parties as listed in the section, including a local authority, the Revenue Commissioners, the Private Residential Tenancies Board, the Property Services Regulatory Authority, the Local Government Management Agency, the Minister for Social Protection or any other person or body to be prescribed by the Minister.
Irish Water is required to manage all personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. Irish Water has an on-going engagement with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner which has worked closely with Irish Water to agree the process for the capture, storage and usage of customer data.
532. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it is the local authority or the voluntary housing organisation which own the homes rented to tenants by organisations such as Cluid or the National Association of Building Co-operatives; his views on the role of voluntary housing organisations in tackling the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17414/15]
View answerApproved housing bodies (AHBs) are organisations approved under section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 to provide social housing support in conjunction with local authorities. These organisations include voluntary housing associations.
The ownership of homes being rented to tenants by AHBs varies, depending on the scheme under which the dwelling was provided. Since the late 1980s, approximately 27,000 units of accommodation have been provided by AHBs under capital funding schemes underpinned by mortgages. More recently, a scheme was introduced that provides an up-front capital payment of up to 30% of the property value to facilitate AHBs in raising private finance to acquire or build new social housing units. The capital advanced is repayable at the end of a payment and availability agreement, usually after 30 years. Under the terms of these various funding schemes, AHBs are the de facto owners of the properties and are required to make them available for social renting for the duration of the mortgage or, as the case may be, the availability agreement.
In addition, under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme, AHBs can purchase, construct or lease housing units and make them available for social housing. AHBs can also manage unsold affordable units on behalf of a local authority. These unsold affordable units remain in the ownership of the local authority, while those in leasing arrangements remain either in private ownership or are in the ownership of the NAMA special purpose vehicle (SPV).
Social housing is key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for it in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. AHBs have a key role to play in the provision of social housing and this is recognised in the Strategy.
533. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any scheme, grant or contribution available at present to assist families with the cost of building a home for family members with severe disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17421/15]
View answerMy Department does not have a grant scheme specifically to support the building of a new house where there are family members with disabilities.
535. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on current methods for checking and confirming the electoral register; the measures open to citizens who feel that they were unjustly removed from the register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17444/15]
View answerIn law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local authority as a registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register. This involves the carrying out of house-to-house or other local enquiries, including in many cases delivering registration forms to households for completion.
The draft register is published on 1 November each year and is generally available for examination at post offices, Garda stations and local authority offices and on-line at www.checktheregister.ie up to 25 November. The public are invited through national and local advertising campaigns to check the draft during this period to make sure that they are correctly registered and to bring errors or omissions in the draft to the attention of the local authority. Any person wishing to correct their details on the register may do so by completing form RFA1, which is available from registration authorities or to download from www.checktheregister.ie.
Any person may claim to have a correction made to the draft register following its publication. The claim must be made to the registration authority by 25 November and it may include, in particular, a claim to have the name of a person added or deleted. Such claims are ruled on, in public, by the appropriate county registrar and interested parties must be given notice of the time and location of the proposed hearing. An appeal may be made in the Circuit Court against the decision of a county registrar. The final register is published on 1 February and comes into force on 15 February that year until 14 February in the following year.
Eligible voters not included in the register of electors can apply to their local authority for inclusion in the supplement to the register up until 15 days (not including Sundays, Good Friday or Public Holidays) before polling day at a particular election or referendum.
536. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when funding that is required for disabled persons’ grants and elderly persons’ grants will be made available to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17465/15]
View answerExchequer funding of over €37 million was provided by my Department to local authorities in 2014 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Combined with an additional 20% contribution by individual local authorities, there was an overall spend last year of €46.3 million in this area. I am pleased to confirm that the 2015 amount will increase by some 10% to give a combined spend of €50.5 million. The 2015 allocations are currently under consideration in my Department and will issue to local authorities very shortly.
537. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the social housing targets issued to local authorities by his Department for the period 2015 to 2017, detailing the total number of units to be delivered by each council and the breakdown of these units by construction and acquisition that is under the social housing current expenditure programme and the rental accommodation scheme; if he will provide the housing assistance payment targets for each relevant local authority, for the period 2015 to 2017; and when those local authorities which do not currently have housing assistance payment targets will be given these targets. [17484/15]
View answerSocial housing is key priority for this Government, as evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for it in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. The total targeted provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, will address the needs of the circa 90,000 households on the housing waiting lists.
Of the supply of over 35,000 additional social housing units out to 2020 under the Strategy, almost 12,200 are to be delivered through capital-funded programmes, namely local authority housing construction and acquisitions, the Capital Assistance Scheme and the return of vacant social housing units to use. Social housing targets have been set for each local authority out to 2017 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
On 5 May 2015, I announced the first major direct build social housing programme under the Social Housing Strategy. This announcement covers over 100 separate housing projects across all 31 local authorities and details are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm.
The new social housing units covered in that announcement – more than 1,700 in total - will be built by local authorities. Local authorities may also acquire new social housing units where suitable units are available and where their acquisition would provide value for money. My Department does not prescribe the exact number of units that local authorities must build or acquire within their overall targets.
Social Housing units are also delivered under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) through:
- Local Authority units leased or rented;
- Approved Housing Body units constructed, acquired or leased; and
- NAMA special purpose vehicle owned units.
There is no specific breakdown of the individual local authority targets between these delivery mechanisms, however it is expected that 1,000 units from the 3,000 national SHCEP target will be delivered by Approved Housing Bodies in 2015. Each Local Authority is best placed to determine how best to meet their individual SHCEP targets using all the delivery mechanisms available to them and taking account of the housing circumstances in their area.
The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. The HAP scheme will bring all social housing supports provided by the State under the aegis of local authorities. The scheme will remove a barrier to employment by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain full-time employment. HAP will also improve regulation of the rented accommodation being supported and provide certainty for landlords as regards their rental income.
Further to the enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 on 28 July 2014, the first phase of the HAP statutory pilot commenced with effect from 15 September 2014 in Limerick City and County Council, Waterford City and County Council and Cork County Council. HAP commenced in Louth, Kilkenny, South Dublin and Monaghan County Councils from 1 October. Subsequently, on 18 December, Dublin City Council became part of the statutory HAP pilot, with a specific focus on accommodating homeless households. Dublin City Council is implementing the HAP pilot for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of all 4 Dublin local authorities.
There are now over 1,600 households in receipt of HAP across the local authority areas taking part in the statutory pilot scheme.
During the legislation’s passage through the Oireachtas in July 2014, an undertaking was given that a progress report would be prepared for the relevant Oireachtas Committee. I can confirm that data from the pilot sites has been gathered and I submitted a report to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht last month. Based on the findings of that review, consideration is currently being given to the sequencing of a further cohort of local authorities to commence HAP on an incremental basis this year.
The Strategy is based on a multi-annual approach to delivery over two phases:
- Phase 1, building on Budget 2015 announcements – a target of 32,000 HAP/RAS units by end 2017;
- Phase 2, 2018-2020 – a target of 43,000 HAP/RAS units by end 2020.
Further to this, the delivery target for the HAP scheme in 2015 is 8,400.
538. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to update the planning laws in line with Ireland's obligations towards informing communities as set out in the Aarhus Convention; the timeframe for realising such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17506/15]
View answerThe Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the associated Regulations fully meet the requirements of the Aarhus Convention. All applications for permission or approval for development under the planning code include a full public consultation process.
541. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the ongoing review of the shared ownership scheme, in particular, if his Department is considering a change to the current index-linked rental payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17523/15]
View answerThe Shared Ownership Scheme, first introduced in 1991 and amended in January 2003, was designed to facilitate access to home ownership to those who were unable to buy a home outright with a conventional mortgage. The Scheme offered an option to purchase up to half of a property with a standard annuity mortgage, with the balance to be rented from the local authority. The initiative worked well for the majority of borrowers and 16,500 people were facilitated in owning their own home in this way. The Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including the Shared Ownership Scheme, given the changes in the property and lending markets.
My Department, with the assistance of the Housing Agency, the Housing Finance Agency and the Local Authority Housing Loans Management Group, is currently reviewing the operation of the Shared Ownership Scheme for existing borrowers. The objective is to seek to address, if and where appropriate, difficulties arising for some shared ownership borrowers. Pending the outcome of the review, my Department issued a circular letter to local authorities setting out some of the options and interim actions that might be explored to alleviate the difficulties of those in shared ownership arrangements, such as allowing use of the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process and room rental. It is accepted that such proposals are not a complete solution to the issues that arise for such mortgage holders but they are intended as an interim measure pending the outcome of the review referred to above.
My Department’s latest guidelines for local authorities in dealing with mortgage arrears within the local authority sector Dealing with Mortgage Arrears – A Guide for Local Authorities (June 2014) is available on my Department’s website at:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,30943,en.pdf.
542. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he will take in relation to research (details supplied) showing that restricting certain breeds of dogs has no bearing on protecting the public, and that the only way forward is to hold the owners responsible. [17526/15]
View answer543. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if consideration will be given to strengthening the current Control of Dogs Acts, in view of the fact that the number of persons hospitalised for dog bites rose by 50% between 1998 and 2013, and a new study shows that the incidence of such cases here is much higher than in other European countries; if further consideration will be given to a recent research paper published in the Veterinary Journal, which argues that the current legislation controlling dangerous dog breeds is not only ineffective in reducing such hospitalisations, but could be making the problem worse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17547/15]
View answer559. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of studies showing a higher rate of hospitalisations from dog bites (details supplied) here in comparison to other European Union States, if his Department is reviewing the situation; if measures are being considered, including legislative change, to deal with the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17691/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 542, 543 and 559 together.
The overall thrust of dog control legislation is to place the onus on dog owners and those in control of dogs to act responsibly by keeping their dogs under effectual control, irrespective of breed. Such responsible dog ownership is the key to reducing incidences of dog biting and other problem behaviours.
The Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 set out a range of requirements for all dog owners or any other person in charge of a dog. In particular, section 9 of the 1986 Act requires the owner or any other person in charge of a dog to accompany it and keep it under effectual control in any place other than the premises of the owner, the premises of the person in control of the dog, or other premises with the consent of the owner of the premises. Section 21 of the 1986 Act provides that the owner of a dog shall be liable in damages for damage caused in an attack on any person by the dog; it is not necessary for the person seeking damages to show a previous mischievous propensity in the dog, or the owner's knowledge of such previous propensity, or to show that such injury or damage was attributable to neglect on the part of the owner.
In addition to the foregoing, the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 (as amended) set out further requirements that owners of specific breeds of dogs have to follow, namely that such dogs must be muzzled and led, on a sufficiently strong leash or chain not exceeding 2m in length by a competent person over 16 years of age when in a public place. Several jurisdictions have addressed the matter of restrictions of particular breeds of dogs in a similar way to Ireland. England, Northern Ireland, France and New Zealand all have similar restrictions on specific breeds of dog.
I have no plans to amend the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 in respect of these matters in view of the requirement for all dog owners and those in control of dogs to keep their dogs under effectual control, and the strict liability for damages that attaches to the owner should damage be caused to a person by a dog.
544. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that item No. 11 on the agenda issued on 7 April 2015 for the April monthly meeting of Sligo County Council was to consider the annual financial statement of the council for the year ended 31 December 2014; that the annual financial statement was not circulated to the elected members of the council; that the council was therefore obliged to adopt a motion deferring consideration of the statement until its May monthly meeting, in order to allow the council executive to circulate the statement; that there is a requirement that the council's statement be prepared by 1 April each year, and that section 108 of the Local Government Act 2001 requires that, as soon as practicable after the preparation of the statement, the statement along with a report by the chief executive shall be sent to each member of the council; if he will consider introducing additional legislation or regulations to ensure that section 108 of the Act is complied with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17581/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 139 of 29 April which sets out the position in this matter.
545. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the instruction he has given, written, electronically or verbally, to county returning officers in relation to the appointment of presiding officers and staff in polling booths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17622/15]
View answerThe primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local returning officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums, including the selection, appointment and training of polling station and count staff in accordance with the relevant provisions of electoral law.
My Department routinely issues guidance to Returning Officers in advance of each election and referendum. The guidance emphasises that the smooth conduct of polls is dependent on maintaining a cadre of sufficiently skilled and experienced people. Having regard to that overall objective, returning officers are advised to employ competent and efficient persons as polling staff and asked to give consideration, where possible, to employing suitable persons who are unemployed, particularly for the position of polling clerk where the responsibilities of the post can be fulfilled under the guidance of the Presiding Officer.
546. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the amount of funding that has been allocated to each local authority, since the announcement of Social Housing Strategy 2020. [17630/15]
View answer547. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the amount of funding for housing construction that has been released to each local authority by his Department since the announcement of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. [17631/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 546 and 547 together.
The social housing targets that I recently announced for all local authorities are out to 2017 and include almost 7,500 units that will be capital-funded and 15,400 current-funded units. My announcement also contained provisional funding allocations which are sufficient to deliver the targeted units. Details in tabular form are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
On 5 May 2015, I announced the first major direct build social housing programme under the Social Housing Strategy. This announcement covers over 100 separate housing projects across all 31 local authorities and details are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm.
Since the launch of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014, almost €90 million has been drawn down by local authorities under my Department’s two main capital programmes for the delivery of additional social housing units. Details of this funding from 26 November 2014 to 30 April 2015 are outlined in tabular form.
|
- |
Local Authority Housing (€) |
Capital Assistance Scheme (€) |
|
Carlow County Council |
1,499,037 |
--- |
|
Cavan County Council |
990,466 |
102,150 |
|
Clare County Council |
538,172 |
144,765 |
|
Cork City Council |
1,975,001 |
--- |
|
Cork County Council |
1,727,116 |
188,604 |
|
Donegal County Council |
2,511,939 |
400,000 |
|
Dublin City Council |
10,868,120 |
11,970,329 |
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown |
1,260,195 |
85,365 |
|
Fingal County Council |
7,866,633 |
2,671,158 |
|
Galway City Council |
856,763 |
--- |
|
Galway County Council |
2,937,476 |
406,917 |
|
Kerry County Council |
974,847 |
--- |
|
Kildare County Council |
4,112,999 |
412,000 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
305,992 |
34,933 |
|
Laois County Council |
2,950,518 |
225,136 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
67,257 |
--- |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
106,768 |
--- |
|
Longford County Council |
288,768 |
75,000 |
|
Louth County Council |
1,696,304 |
241,836 |
|
Mayo County Council |
621,700 |
--- |
|
Meath County Council |
1,605,925 |
435,090 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
1,169,103 |
247,056 |
|
Offaly County Council |
1,665,575 |
170,000 |
|
Sligo County Council |
2,602,213 |
640,202 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
7,857,852 |
1,252,875 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1,223,564 |
--- |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
2,821,407 |
1,598,469 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
1,376,342 |
--- |
|
Wexford County Council |
1,939,218 |
1,188,226 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
709,032 |
--- |
