Written Answers Nos. 591 - 609
591. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of staff employed in each level 5 position in each local authority in the years 2012 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24707/15]
View answerThe information requested is set out in the following tables on a whole time equivalent basis (WTE).
|
Level 5 Local Authorities |
December 2012 WTE |
December 2013 WTE |
|
Galway City Council |
435.33 |
419.86 |
|
Waterford City Council |
344.18 |
335.58 |
|
Carlow County Council |
276.09 |
265.37 |
|
Cavan County Council |
380.90 |
370.10 |
|
Laois County Council |
342.70 |
341.93 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
26 6.15 |
258.98 |
|
Longford County Council |
289.75 |
289.80 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
385.05 |
369.83 |
|
Offaly County Council |
388.60 |
379.70 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
434.80 |
414.59 |
|
Sligo County Council |
453.98 |
429.28 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
450.36 |
447.85 |
|
Waterford County Council |
447.06 |
446.06 |
Following the amalgamation of North and South Tipperary County Councils and Waterford County and City Councils on 1 June 2014, the remaining Level 5 local authorities are set out in the table below.
|
Level 5 Local Authorities |
December 2014 WTE |
March 2015 WTE |
|
Galway City Council |
410.10 |
405.40 |
|
Carlow County Council |
264.86 |
265.40 |
|
Cavan County Council |
360.55 |
356.55 |
|
Laois County Council |
348.57 |
359.62 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
253.09 |
250.55 |
|
Longford County Council |
272.85 |
270.57 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
362.74 |
362.35 |
|
Offaly County Council |
376.00 |
373.00 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
407.89 |
407.06 |
|
Sligo County Council |
414.44 |
407.95 |
592. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the total allocation of funding to be provided by his Department to each regeneration project in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24708/15]
View answerMy Department provides funding for regeneration projects at a number of locations and details of the funding envisaged for 2015 is set out as follows:
|
Regeneration Project |
Allocation |
|
Limerick |
€28m |
|
Tralee |
€2.9m |
|
Cranmore Estate (Sligo) |
€2.0m |
|
Dublin City |
€15m |
|
Cork City Northwest |
€7m |
|
Cox’s Demesne Estate (Dundalk) |
€2.4m |
|
Ballymun |
To be determined |
In relation to Ballymun, my Department is actively engaging with Dublin City Council in respect of required funding for Ballymun Regeneration for 2015, following which a funding provision will be determined.
593. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to a club (details supplied) in County Limerick which organises activities for older persons in the area, the immediate stream of funding available for this type of group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24709/15]
View answerThe Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020 will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of sustainable rural communities. Funding for the activities referred to in the question may be eligible under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The selection process for Local Action Groups to deliver the Programme has commenced and will be finalised in the coming months.
In line with the community led approach of LEADER, the Local Action Groups are the final decision makers in relation to projects for each local area. In order for a project to be eligible, it must be consistent with the needs that are identified in the relevant areas Local Development Strategy. These Local Development Strategies will be developed by the Local Action Groups from August onwards and will involve public consultation. I envisage that LEADER funding will become available in some rural communities in late autumn.
In addition, my Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department. The maximum grant per beneficiary for equipment is as follows:
- Monitored personal alarms (with pendant) - €250
- Additional pendant/Re-installation - €50
The annual monitoring costs (generally between €60 - €80 per annum) are borne by the beneficiary.
594. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are ways to block rogue builders from any further involvement in the construction industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24711/15]
View answerAny consumer engaging a builder to undertake building works on their behalf should as a minimum satisfy themselves that the builder is competent to undertake the works concerned (on the basis of having satisfactorily undertaken similar works for others); is tax compliant; is compliant with relevant requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act; and is prepared to sign a contract which may be enforced by civil means should that be necessary. The Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) has been established by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) as a register of builders and contractors. Participation in the register is voluntary at present. I understand that over 600 building and contracting entities are currently included on the register and that a further 900 are at various stages of the registration process. Under the Construction 2020 strategy, the Government has signalled its commitment to placing the register on a statutory footing in 2015. This is seen as an essential consumer protection measure giving consumers who engage a registered builder the assurance that they are dealing with a competent and compliant operator. Legislative proposals in this regard are currently being prepared by my Department with a view to their being presented to Government for consideration in the near future.
595. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if exemptions from water charges are available to persons who suffer from Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or other debilitating conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24712/15]
View answerA new water charging regime was announced by the Government on 19 November 2014. The capped annual charges will be €160 for single adult households and €260 for all other households until the end of 2018. All households now know what their capped bills will be until the end of 2018, which is particularly important for larger households or those with high usage due to medical needs. In addition, a water conservation grant of €100 per year will be available to qualifying households. The Department of Social Protection is administering the grant on behalf of my Department, which will be available to households (principal private dwellings) that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process on or before 30 June 2015.
The water conservation grant replaces the tax rebate and social protection measures previously announced and is a more straightforward means of addressing water issues for all households on equal terms and will reduce households’ outlay on water services both now and in the future.
The charges structure was revised with a view to making it simpler and fairer, providing more clarity and certainty to households. The overall cost for those who register with Irish Water, net of the €100 water conservation grant, is either €1.15 a week for single adult households or €3 a week for all others. Water supply will not be reduced under any circumstance.
When it comes to payment, a range of easy pay options are in place, including direct debits, electronic funds transfer, payment by cash at any retail outlet with a paypoint or payzone sign or a post office where a bill can be paid in full or part payments of a minimum of €5 can be made. Irish Water intends to shortly participate in the Household Budget scheme. This facility, operated by An Post on behalf of the Department of Social Protection, provides customers with a facility to have their household utility bills and social housing rents deducted directly from their weekly social welfare payment.
596. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for a change to electoral law to allow residents in the State who are not Irish citizens a right to vote in referenda; his views on such a change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24713/15]
View answerSubject to age and residency requirements, a registered elector's citizenship determines the polls at which he or she is entitled to vote. Irish Citizens alone are entitled to vote in Presidential elections and referendums. While electoral law is subject to ongoing review, I have no proposals at present to extend the current arrangements for voting by non - Irish citizens in referendums.
597. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the Irish Environmental Network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24714/15]
View answerThe Environment Fund was established by the Waste Management (Amendment) Act, 2001 and is managed by my Department. Income accrues to the Environment Fund from two sources – the plastic bag levy and the landfill levy. Both of these economic instruments are designed to encourage changes in behaviour; to tackle littering of plastic bags and to reduce over-reliance on unsustainable landfill as a waste disposal method. The rates of both levies have been increased as necessary in recent years in order to achieve those policy objectives. The two levies have been extremely successful in reducing plastic bag usage and in reducing tonnage to landfill, but, as a consequence of its success strictly from an environmental behaviour perspective, revenues to the Fund have been declining in recent years. Compared to €65.7m revenue to the Fund in 2012, total revenue to the Fund dropped to some €46m in 2014. The latest indications are that revenue from the landfill levy, which is the largest component of the Environment Fund, will suffer a further significant decline in 2015. Accordingly, the capacity of the Environment Fund to continue to support environmental initiatives and organisations is under increasing pressure.
In this context of a reduced Fund, I am currently giving careful consideration to the 2015 allocations and I hope to be in a position to announce these allocations in the very near future.
598. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on whether any geo-engineering programmes in North America, or elsewhere, are affecting Ireland; whether there are any such projects being carried out in Irish airspace; if he will report on the chemicals being sprayed over the country and the reason; whether tests for dangerous metals have been carried out on rainwater and soil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24733/15]
View answerI am not aware of any instances where geo-engineering is being undertaken or planned in this country, or of any geo-engineering programmes elsewhere affecting the Irish environment. I am similarly unaware of any spraying of chemicals over Ireland. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants, based on data obtained from the monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality net work. Deposition of metals to ground through precipitation is included in the EPA’s monitoring programme, and does not indicate grounds for concern in this area. The results of this monitoring which can be found in the EPA’s most recent report, Air Quality in Ireland 2013 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, which was published in October 2014 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2013. This latest report, and previous years’ reports, are available on their website: www.epa.ie.
599. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the national policy towards professionalising the private rental sector, to include issues such as investment, and the standards and regulations being developed by his Department and the Housing Agency as part of Construction 2020; and when publication of the policy is expected. [24765/15]
View answerThe private rental sector has grown to become a major component of the housing market meeting the accommodation needs of approximately one-fifth of all households. Close to one-third of households living in the sector are in receipt of housing support in the form of rent supplement or other State support and so the sector is of key importance for the provision of social housing also. This is recognised in the Social Housing Strategy 2020 goal to meet the needs of 75,000 households in the sector, primarily through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. Following on from the commitment in Construction 2020 to develop a national policy towards professionalising the private rental sector, the Social Housing Strategy includes an action (Action 35) to continue work on the development of this policy with the aim of increasing investment in and supporting the supply of, good quality, secure and affordable rental accommodation. The timeline for this is the fourth quarter 2015.
The governance structure established to ensure that the actions in the Social Housing Strategy are overseen and delivered includes five workstreams or working groups, each with a specific focus. The development of the policy on the private rented sector is taking place in the context of Workstream 5 which includes officials from my Department and the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform as well as representatives of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), the Housing Agency and the local authority sector.
In the period since the publication of Construction 2020, a number of reports on the future of the private rented sector have been published. Notably these include two reports by DKM Economic Consultants, commissioned by the PRTB, and a series of reports from NESC including Social Housing at the Crossroads: Possibilities for Investment, Provision and Cost Rental and most recently, Ireland’s Private Rental Sector: Pathways to Secure Occupancy and Affordable Supply.
The latter report calls for more secure occupancy for tenants, including greater rent certainty as well as measures to increase the supply of rental housing. The recommendations put forward in these reports will be considered carefully in the context of framing a national policy on the private rented sector. My overriding objective in relation to rents is to achieve stability and sustainability in the market for the benefit of tenants, landlords and society as a whole.
600. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will restore the Drogheda Borough Council and make it more accountable to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24876/15]
View answerPolicy decisions to replace town authorities with a new model of municipal governance were designed to strengthen local government within counties and to address widely acknowledged and long-standing weaknesses and anomalies in the previous system, including the problems of divided administration between town and county authorities, for example, in relation to matters such as planning, rating and charges. Municipal districts and borough districts, where they arise, now cover the entire territory of counties, reflecting European norms and ending the anomaly of small towns having municipal status and dual representation, while some larger centres and rural areas lacked any sub-county governance. As well as creating a more rational and comprehensive structural arrangement, the new system will, over time, result in more effective and community-focused decision making and implementation with improved accountability and responsiveness to local needs. Moreover, under the new arrangements, there is full integration of local authority resources across each county and elimination of duplication both in administrative and electoral terms.
A further important rationale for the new system is a more appropriate assignment of local authority functions. The performance of different functions by members at county and municipal or borough district levels will result in greater effectiveness than the previous parallel town and county system, which involved a significant element of duplication. The division of functions between county and district has been determined on the basis of what is most relevant to each level. Local matters are to be dealt with at municipal or borough district level, while those of wider strategic application are being decided at county level, without duplication between county and district jurisdictions.
It is important to bear in mind in relation to the new sub-county governance arrangements that we are in the very early stages of reform. Municipal and borough districts only came into operation on 1 June 2014 and 2015 will be the first full year of their operation. Against this background, I have initiated an evaluation process on the operation of the new structures through a broadly based advisory group which my Department has recently reconvened together with a working group for engagement with the Association of Irish Local Government, both of which played an important role in the early stages of the local government reform process. The groups will give particular consideration to how the new governance arrangements are impacting on towns and whether any adjustments are needed in light of experience to date, including civic aspects, such as the status of mayors of borough and municipal districts and the economic and community development of towns.
In parallel with this review, I have recently announced the establishment of statutory committees to review local government boundaries in a number of towns, including Drogheda, where there is a significant overspill of population into another county. The committee examining Drogheda is due to report to me by end November 2015.
601. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the actions arising from the report of the task force, that concluded its work in 2010, on the planning and land use implications of the siting and location of adult entertainment venues; the main recommendations of the report; the recommendations which were not accepted; the recommendations on which there was no follow-up action; and if he will undertake to publish the report forthwith. [24892/15]
View answerThe Task Force on Adult Entertainment referred to was established by a previous Minister in 2007 and met twice in 2007 and a third time in January 2008. Following the deliberations of the Task Force, at that stage, the main thrust of the emerging recommendations was the introduction of a national licensing regime applied to Adult Entertainment activity under the proposed Casino regulation then being brought forward by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (including a requirement for production of a tax compliance certificate) and the introduction of a new special restricted film classification by the Irish Film Censors Office to encompass certain DVDs and videos. In the event however, a final Report was not submitted to the Minister and the Government and it may be that these recommendations are no longer relevant or are overtaken by events.
Planning law has been amended a number of times in recent years, but no amendment has been made in relation to the siting of adult entertainment venues. I will reflect on whether it is appropriate to make any changes to planning law in this area; this will need to take account of the fact that planning is largely concerned with the appropriateness of a particular development in terms of its land use impacts, such as amenity, visual impact, noise, traffic, overlooking, environmental effects, etc. It is unclear that adult shops have any such additional land use impacts as distinct from other shops, such that they should be governed by planning law; however, I will consider the matter further.
602. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the huge disparity in the percentage of dogs killed in various pounds (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24898/15]
View answer603. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason there is no standardisation between dog pounds; the reason there are no universal standards of operation, as some pounds will not re-home dogs on the restricted breed list; and the section of the Control of Dogs Act which permits this discrimination based on breed. [24899/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together.
The operation of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 to 2010, including the establishment and maintenance of shelters for dogs seized, accepted or detained, the rehoming policy in respect of dogs not claimed by or on behalf of the owner and the destruction of dogs in a humane manner, are matters for each local authority and I have no function in the matter.
Section 11(7) of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 gives the local authority discretion, after 5 days, to dispose of or destroy in a humane manner stray dogs unclaimed by their owners. Section 12(1) gives the local authority discretion for the disposal or destruction in a humane manner for unwanted dogs accepted from their owners. Section 16(5), inserted by section 7 of the Control of Dogs (Amendment) Act 1992, provides for the disposal or destruction, after 5 days, of dogs seized by the local authority where the dog warden has reasonable grounds for believing an offence is being or has been committed. Section 18(4) provides that the local authority shall humanely destroy a dog by order of a Court. Section 22 provides for the humane destruction by Court order of dangerous dogs.
Other than provisions in relation to the disposal of dogs, enabling local authorities to arrange for such dogs to be sterilised and a prohibition on the disposal of dogs for the purposes of animal experimentation, there are no further requirements set out in the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 in relation to the disposal or humane destruction of dogs.
By virtue of sections 31(1) and 11(12) of the Control of Dogs Act 1986, I may, by regulation, vary the number of days in the waiting period before the disposal or humane destruction of stray dogs. I have no powers in the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 to make any other regulations relating to the disposal or destruction of dogs.
604. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the outcome of ongoing talks which are taking place between his Department and Donegal County Council regarding the issuance of a foreshore licence for a location (details supplied) in County Donegal; when it is expected that a licence will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24902/15]
View answerMy Department wrote to Donegal County Council on 18 December 2014 to advise that, on the basis of legal advice furnished to the Department, it is not possible to include a covenant providing for sub-leasing in the proposed lease of an area of reclaimed foreshore at Burtonport Harbour between the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the County Council. In that correspondence, Donegal County Council was asked to inform my Department how it wishes to proceed in the matter. A response to that correspondence is awaited.
605. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 1025 of 9 June 2015, his views on whether he answered the question asked; the course of action he recommends should be taken where persons whose names were not on the register of electors were provided a vote on the day of the election and referendum; if he will confirm that a local authority, issuing a letter to provide a vote to a person who was not named on the register of electors, was an action outside of the law; if he has any concerns regarding allegations in this regard; if his Department will investigate any such allegations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24911/15]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that I would have concerns regarding any actions taken by a registration authority, or by any other person, that would compromise the integrity of the ballot at an election or a referendum. If the Deputy has concerns about the legality of any actions taken in these regards he should take the matter up with the enforcement authorities. In the meantime I have asked my Department to communicate again to registration authorities and returning officers the importance of compliance with the extensive and detailed provision for the registration of electors and for the taking of the poll at an election or referendum that is made in the Electoral Acts.
606. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the capital assistance schemes available, as administered by his Department, for local community groups to develop community-based facilities for meetings, training, and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24952/15]
View answerThe Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020, will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of sustainable rural communities. Funding for community based facilities such as the one referred to in the Question may be eligible under the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The selection process for Local Action Groups to deliver the Programme has commenced and will be finalised in the coming months.
In line with the community led approach of Leader, the Local Action Groups are the final decision makers in relation to projects for each local area. In order for a project to be eligible, it must be consistent with the needs that are identified in the relevant areas Local Development Strategy. These Local Development Strategies will be developed by the Local Action Groups from August onwards and will involve public consultation. I envisage that Leader funding will become available in some rural communities in late autumn.
607. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with reference to the local property tax exemption for residential properties that have been certified as having significant pyritic damage, if the cost of obtaining such certification can be recouped by homeowners, through his Department or through the pyrite remediation scheme. [24957/15]
View answer608. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Revenue Commissioners require homes included in the pyrite remediation scheme (details supplied) to provide independent certification of pyritic damage when applying for an exemption from local property tax. [24958/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 607 and 608 together.
Section 10A of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 (as amended) provides for a temporary exemption of at least three consecutive years from the charge to Local Property Tax (LPT) for residential properties that have been certified as having “significant pyritic damage”.
To avail of the exemption, the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Pyrite Exemption) Regulations 2013 require that a liable person be in a position to demonstrate ‘significant pyritic damage’ to his/her property, i.e. the property must –
(a) have a Damage Condition Rating of 2 or a Damage Condition Rating of 1 (with progression) established on foot of a Building Condition Assessment carried out by a competent person under and in accordance with I.S. 398 -1:2013 Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and Categorisation Protocol, and
(b) have sub-floor hardcore material classified, by the appropriate competent person(s), as susceptible to significant or limited expansion, established on foot of testing the sub-floor hardcore material.
The legislation in this area is consistent with the recommendation set out in the Report of the Pyrite Panel (July 2012), which recommended that an exemption from the LPT should be provided for dwellings where damage from pyritic heave is proven by testing. The costs associated with meeting these requirements are a matter for those who wish to avail of the exemption; they cannot be recouped from my Department. However, where a property is accepted into the pyrite remediation scheme, the costs incurred by a homeowner in respect of a Building Condition Assessment may be recouped from the Housing Agency, subject to a maximum of €500.
In addition, having particular regard to the costs associated with testing, my Department is engaging with the Department of Finance in order to explore possible alternatives to the requirement for testing. In this context, my colleague, the Minister for Finance, has initiated a review of the operation of the LPT. I understand that the review will primarily have regard to recent residential property price developments, the overall yield from LPT and the desirability of achieving relative stability in LPT payments. The review will also address a number of issues which have arisen in relation to the efficient and effective administration of the LPT, among which is likely to be the matter of the operation of the pyrite exemption provisions. Further discussions in this matter will take place in due course between my Department and the Department of Finance.
609. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the responsibilities of the Pyrite Resolution Board in relation to repair of roads, footpaths, and pipework within an estate adversely affected by the presence of pyrite. [24968/15]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme by the Pyrite Resolution Board for certain dwellings affected by pyrite damage. In this regard, the scheme is first and foremost a works scheme aimed at remediating dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave in the subfloor hardcore material.
Remediation works are carried out in accordance with I.S. 398-2:2013 Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material - Part 2: Methodology for remediation works, published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland in January 2013, which sets out a clear methodology for the remediation of dwellings affected by pyrite in the subfloor hardcore.
Under the scheme, remedial works are typically confined to the removal of hardcore from under the ground floor of the dwelling and from within 500 mm of the perimeter of the dwelling. Where this area is covered by a footpath, the footpath will be reinstated. In general, the repair of roads, footpaths and pipework in estates affected by pyritic does not fall within the scope of the pyrite remediation scheme and as such their repair is not the responsibility of the Pyrite Resolution Board. Any defects in, or damage to, the general infrastructure of an estate would be a matter for the parties responsible for the maintenance of such infrastructure.
