Thursday, 16 Jul 2015

Written Answers Nos. 1-35

Local Authority Housing Provision

Questions (11)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

11. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he has engaged directly with the various local authorities with a view to identifying the extent to which the various initiatives taken by the Government in respect of local authority housing are in the course of implementation; if, in view of the ever-increasing and urgent demand in respect of the number of applicants on local authority housing waiting lists and ongoing homelessness, he accepts the necessity for further measures to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28940/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Social housing is a key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. The total targeted provision under the Strategy is 110,000 social housing units, which includes the delivery of 35,000 additional social housing units and the accommodation of up to 75,000 eligible low-income households primarily through the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme.

Targets for the delivery of units, under both the capital and current expenditure programmes, have been set for each local authority out to 2017. There has been significant engagement between my Department and local authorities in finalising these targets and that engagement is continuing as progress on delivery is achieved. Full details of the targets are available on my Department's website, the web link for which is as follows: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm

On 5 May last, I announced €312 million of funding for the first phase of a direct build local authority construction programme, which will result in an additional 1,700 social housing units by 2017.  Further announcements on the delivery of new social housing projects will be made in the coming weeks and months.

With regard to direct engagement with local authorities, I met personally with the Chief Executives of the local authorities as recently as this week to discuss progress on implementation of targets to date. In addition, my Department has undertaken a number of information workshops and seminars on the Social Housing Strategy with both officials and Elected Members of local authorities. A clear governance structure has been put in place for the Social Housing Strategy to drive delivery. I, along with my colleague Minister of State Paudie Coffey, co-chair the overall Oversight Group for the Strategy and there is active participation by senior officials from local authorities at all levels in the governance arrangements for the Strategy more generally.

Homeless Accommodation Funding

Questions (12)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

12. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will increase funding to the Dublin regional homeless services in view of a report by Dublin City Council citing a shortfall of €18.5 million in funding for homeless services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29008/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

€37.16 million has been allocated to the Dublin Region for 2015 in respect of costs incurred by housing authorities with regard to accommodation and related services for the homeless. This is an increase of 19% on the region's initial allocation of €31.32 million in 2014 and represents over 70% of all the homelessness funding allocated by my Department to housing authorities nationally.

The Dublin housing authorities are estimating total homeless related expenditure of €68m in 2015. While this is an increase of €12m on 2014, an amount almost €20m greater than that provided in 2014 has been requested. The bulk of the additional costs envisaged relate to emergency accommodation in hotels. A range of initiatives are currently underway, including public awareness campaigns, tenancy protection services, the HAP Homeless Pilot, prioritised allocations and targeted acquisitions which are aimed at mitigating entry into homelessness and reducing the need for hotels for emergency accommodation. In my view, it is prudent to await the impact of these initiatives before determining what level of additional funding may be required by the Dublin region homeless services for the remainder of the year.

The City Council are now proposing to allocate a further €5.1m from their own resources with further proportionate amounts to be provided by the other Dublin authorities. My Department will continue to engage with the Dublin authorities regarding the extent of their requirement for possible further Exchequer contributions, which will be addressed towards the end of Quarter 3 in the light of expenditure actually incurred at that stage.

In addition to ensuring that appropriate emergency responses are put in place, it is of critical importance that steps are taken to prevent, as far as possible, families presenting as homeless in the first instance. In that regard, I am determined to achieve stability and sustainability in the private rental market for the benefit of tenants, landlords and society as a whole. The regulation of rent raises many complex economic and legal issues and I have to be satisfied that any measures proposed are balanced and have the desired effect on the rental market while being fair to landlords and tenants alike.  Ultimately, any decision in relation to rent certainty is a matter for Government and it is my intention to bring proposals to Government for consideration as soon as the necessary preparatory work has been completed.

Property Tax Exemptions

Questions (13)

Clare Daly

Question:

13. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has had any discussions with the Department of Finance over the past 12 months in order to enable home owners with houses containing pyrite to claim their exemption for local property tax without an infill test, with particular reference to offering assistance to the Department of Finance in relation to how the pyrite remediation scheme operates; how information from that source could be made available to the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28733/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

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 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.

Local Authority Housing Provision

Questions (14)

Brian Stanley

Question:

14. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority houses to be completed in 2015. [28989/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, 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.  The Strategy will support an additional 35,000 new units to be delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies through a combination of building, purchase and leasing schemes.

I expect that a total of 7,400 new social housing units will be delivered in 2015. 3,000 units will be delivered under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme including leases, rental agreements and agreements with Approved Housing Bodies to facilitate leasing, build and acquisition. 2,000 units are to be delivered through the Rental Accommodation Scheme, 1,000 vacant properties will be returned to productive use and 1,400 units will be delivered through direct build and acquisition by local authorities and approved housing bodies. In addition to this 7,400, I expect over 8,000 households to benefit from the Housing Assistance Payment.

On 5 May last, Minister Kelly and I announced €312 million of funding for the first phase of a direct build local authority construction programme, which will result in an additional 1,700 social housing units by 2017.  Details of these projects are available on my Department's website at the following web link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm

Further announcements on the delivery of new social housing projects will be made in the coming weeks and months.

All local authorities have been advised of their targets for social housing delivery in the period 2015 -2017. The detailed targets for each authority are published on my Department's website. In summary, over €1.5 billion will be invested in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes, delivering some 22,900 units. This reflects the top priority this Government has accorded to achieving a significant ramp up in social housing, which will continue in the months ahead.

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Questions (15)

Seán Kyne

Question:

15. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has analysed the data on the pilot operation of the housing assistance payment scheme, with a view to introducing the scheme to other local authorities areas such as those in counties Galway and Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28997/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

Further to the enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 on 28 July 2014, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) has been rolled out to all categories of households in 13 local authority areas on a pilot basis. Dublin City Council is also implementing a HAP pilot for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of the 4 Dublin local authorities. There are now over 2, 6 00 households in receipt of HAP across the local authority areas taking part in the statutory pilot.

During the legislation's passage through the Oireachtas in July 2014 an undertaking was given that a progress report on the first phase of the HAP pilot would be prepared for the relevant Oireachtas Committee. In that regard, a report was submitted to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht at the end of April 2015, and an information session for Oireachtas members and their staff was held on 23 June 2015. Based on the findings of the report, the second phase of the HAP statutory pilot has recently commenced with the HAP scheme becoming operational in Donegal County Council on 25 May 2015, in Offaly County Council on 15 June 2015 and in Carlow, Clare and Tipperary County Councils and Cork City Council from 29 June 2015.

Consideration is currently being given to the sequencing of a further cohort of local authorities to commence HAP on an incremental basis this year. I can confirm that my Department is in contact with the local authorities in Galway and Mayo with a view to commencing the HAP scheme in these administrative areas later this year.

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Questions (16)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

16. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the provision of new social housing in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28717/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

In April 2015, I announced targets and provisional funding allocations out to 2017 for the delivery of social housing for all local authorities, including a target for Dublin of 6,849 units. This target will be supported by €507m of investment in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes.

The Dublin Social Housing Delivery Taskforce has been established under the Government's Social Housing Strategy published in November 2014 and is carrying out its role in driving the delivery of social housing across the four Dublin local authorities. I announced a major social housing construction programme on 5 May 2015, which included 566 new units across the four Dublin authorities, at a cost of over €116m. This was the first phase of direct-build projects to be announced under the Social Housing Strategy and further announcements will be made shortly. The targets for social housing in Dublin also include returning 344 vacant units to productive use in 2015.

Additional social housing units for the Dublin area are also targeted under both the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme. In relation to the latter, where a local authority can exceed its target, it should be possible to fund additional units with the agreement of the Department.

The Social Housing Strategy also provides for a public private partnership programme to invest €300 million in social housing. Work on identifying sites is currently underway and it is intended that the first bundle of PPP sites will have a focus on delivery in the Greater Dublin area.

Property Tax Exemptions

Questions (17)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

17. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on his Department's investigations into homes affected by mica in County Donegal; if he supports an exemption for property tax for all those affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28986/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier and/or their respective insurers and I firmly 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.

In the event that the contracting parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation, the option of seeking redress in the Courts can be considered. In this context, my Department understands that legal proceedings have been instigated in a number of cases relating to this problem.

I fully appreciate and acknowledge the extremely difficult and distressing situations that certain homeowners in Donegal are facing on account of damage to the structural integrity of their homes. It was against this background that I agreed to visit a number of the affected homes earlier this year; my Department also met with a number of the affected homeowners in early December 2014.

At my Department's request, copies of test reports on the affected concrete blocks, which had previously been commissioned by a number of homeowners, were made available to my Department in order to provide a more detailed and scientific insight into the problems that have emerged in Donegal. A technical report has been prepared for my consideration and I intend to complete my consideration of this matter shortly.

Taxation policy, including issues relevant to the local property tax (LPT), is primarily a matter for the Minister for Finance. The legislation governing the administration of the LPT provides for only a limited number of exemptions from that tax. There is no specific exemption for properties affected by mica and I understand that there are no plans to introduce such an exemption. LPT operates on a self-assessment basis ; it is a matter for the property owner, in the first instance, to calculate the tax due based on his or her assessment of the market value of the property. When making an assessment on the value of a property, issues such as the presence of mica should be taken into account by the property owner.

Water Charges Administration

Questions (18)

Paul Murphy

Question:

18. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on any planned information plans by his Department related to tenants living in rented accommodation and the payment of water charges. [29007/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall charge each customer for the provision by it of water services.  The customer is defined in the Act as the occupier of the premises in respect of which the water services are provided.  There are no plans to change this policy.

Section 47 of the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 includes a provision which would require the owner of a dwelling, supplied with services by Irish Water, to provide details of the occupier of the dwelling to Irish Water.  This would apply whether the dwelling was owner occupied or occupied by a tenant.  However, the provisions would not apply where the details of the occupant have already been provided to Irish Water.  The Bill also provides that any agreements for the occupation of a property entered into after the enactment of the legislation would be deemed to include a provision that the occupier would be liable for any charges payable to Irish Water.  

The provisions relating to water services in the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015 are focused on providing certainty regarding the identity of the customers using water services.  They do not include any new obligations for tenants. Moreover, they will ensure that tenants are eligible to obtain the water conservation grant, to assist them in reducing consumption and ultimately the cost of paying for water services.

As indicated by the Government in May, it is the intention that similar to the provisions that will apply in relation to a change in ownership for owner occupiers, it will be a requirement for future tenancies to demonstrate that water charges have been discharged before deposits are returned. The legislative underpinning for this approach is being considered in the context of more fundamental reform of the deposit regime to provide protections to tenants; I expect legislative proposals in that regard to be brought forward in the Autumn.

Water Charges Yield

Questions (19)

Barry Cowen

Question:

19. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the knowledge his Department has on the compliance rates for Irish Water bill payment; if his Department is concerned about low compliance rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28996/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The main aspects of the Irish Water funding model are set out in a detailed fact sheet published on my Department's website. In 2015 Irish Water expected billed income from domestic customers to total €271m and from non-domestic customers to total some €229m, giving a total billed income from customers of €500m. The first bills began issuing to Irish Water domestic customers in April this year.

The compliance data released by Ervia earlier this week in relation to the first billing cycle indicate that 46 % of domestic water charges have been collected to date, with €30.5m of the €66.8m regulated domestic income for the first billing cycle received to 10 July 2015.

Irish Water has indicated to me that as a utility sending out bills for the first time, this progress compares well with other utility collection experience and they are satisfied with the rate of collection at this stage. I concur with this view and would like to acknowledge and thank all of those who have paid to date and those who are continuing to engage with Irish Water in relation to payment. The introduction of a new charge takes a period of time to bed down fully, but this level of payment represents an encouraging start, to what is a long-term project. A significant income stream has now been established allowing Irish Water to implement an expanded capital investment programme.

Leader Programmes Administration

Questions (20)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

20. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made to date with the roll-out of the Leader programme for 2014 to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28713/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland is conducting a two stage process for the selection of Local Development Strategies to support the delivery of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme for the 2014-2020 programme period.

Under stage one of the selection process, any entity who wished to be considered as a Local Action Group was invited to submit an expression of interest. For the purposes of the new programme, there are 28 sub-regional areas in Ireland and 45 separate expressions of interest were received. A single expression of interest was received in 19 of the 28 areas and at least 2 expressions of interest were received in the remaining 9 areas.

As the Deputy will be aware, I established an Independent Evaluation Committee to evaluate the expressions of interest received. The Evaluation Committee recently met and the following is the outcome of this stage of the process. Of the 45 expressions of interest received, 1 was formally withdrawn before assessment. Of the remaining 44, 42 met the minimum criteria and the Evaluation Committee decided that these should proceed to the next stage of the process, which is the preparation of Local Development Strategies for their areas. Those who were successful in this process have been notified and have been invited to attend workshops and presentations in Tullamore, Co. Offaly this morning. The purpose of the event is to set out in detail what is expected in terms of the content and quality of Local Development Strategies.

A minimum of 6 months will be allowed for the preparation of Local Development Strategies. However, I expect that not all areas will require the full 6 months to prepare their strategies. Indeed, I am hopeful that many areas will have their strategies approved and be in a position to begin delivery on the ground by Autumn 2015.

In areas where a single strategy is submitted, the Evaluation Committee will review and evaluate these strategies with a view to ensuring that the strategies meet the required standard. In areas where entities do not come to an agreement and multiple strategies are submitted, it will be a matter for the Evaluation Committee to make a decision on which Local Development Strategy best meets the needs of the community. In this situation, the Evaluation Committee will not make a decision on the successful strategy until all strategies for that sub-regional area have been submitted for assessment.

Electoral Reform

Questions (21)

David Stanton

Question:

21. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to extend postal voting rights to persons who are due to be abroad on holidays on polling day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29000/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

In order to be able to vote at elections and referendums, a person's name must be entered in the register of electors for a constituency in the State in which the person ordinarily resides.

Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of certain categories of person who are entered in the register of electors - whole-time members of the Defence Forces; members of An Garda Síochána; Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses or civil partners; electors living at home who are unable to vote because of a physical illness or a physical disability; electors whose occupation, service or employment makes it likely that they will be unable to vote in person at their local polling station on polling day and full-time students registered at their home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State; certain election staff employed at the poll outside the constituency where they reside; and electors who because of the circumstances of their detention in prison pursuant to an order of a court are likely to be unable to go in person on polling day to vote.

While electoral law is subject to ongoing review, I have no proposals at present to extend existing arrangements for postal voting. In responding to the recommendation of the Convention on the Constitution in their fourth report, that there should be greater access to postal voting, the Government proposed that an Electoral Commission be tasked in due course with considering the issue and advising in detail on the electoral and operational implications, including costs, of implementing change in this area.

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Questions (22)

Barry Cowen

Question:

22. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details on the level of progress being made on social housing provision targets for 2015; the number of social housing units that have been constructed to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28994/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

As part of the targets of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, I expect that some 7,400 new social housing units will be provided in 2015, as follows: 1,400 units built or acquired by local authorities and approved housing bodies (AHBs); 3,000 units under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP); 1,000 vacant local authority units to be returned to use; and 2,000 new Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) units.

In addition, I expect a further 8,400 households to be assisted through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

Information on built or acquired units is available up to quarter 1 of 2015 and shows 216 delivered at that point. While information is not currently available re vacant units returned to use, I am confident this target will be met in full.

To the end of June 2015, 557 units have been delivered through SHCEP, with a further 947 approved for funding. These are a combination of units leased by local authorities and AHBs, including units leased from NAMA's Special Purpose Vehicle, and purchased or built by AHBs under this programme.

There have been 539 new transfers to the RAS to 30 April 2015, which is 27% of the 2015 target, while more than 2,600 households are now supported by HAP throughout the pilot areas.

Given the annual cycle of allocations, the bulk of delivery in any given year is heavily weighted towards the second half of the year. I am confident that the overall target of 7,400 units set for 2015 will be delivered.

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Questions (23)

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

23. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will require local authorities, when undertaking planned maintenance and energy efficiency measures in council housing, to allow tenants the option of a solid fuel range with back boiler and radiators instead of an oil-fired central heating system, which sees vulnerable individuals in risk of fuel poverty being unable to afford to fill their tank with fuel and consequently unable to heat their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28719/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including heating systems and the achievement of energy efficiency, is a matter for each relevant local authority, and it is open to local authorities to address maintenance or improvements to their housing stock from within their own resources.

My Department operates certain funding programmes to support local authorities in the development and improvement of social housing, including improving energy efficiency. Local authorities are currently undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting on the least energy efficient social houses, with funding support from my Department. €77 million is being provided over the period 2013-2015 for improving the energy performance of older local authority housing stock, resulting in improved comfort levels and Building Energy Ratings in over 30,000 local authority homes to date. This also results in warmer homes and lower energy bills for local authority tenants, thereby providing a significant benefit for those at risk of fuel poverty.

Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility

Questions (24)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

24. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will raise the income limits for applicants to qualify to get onto the social housing lists, particularly in County Donegal, in recognition that applicants above the limits cannot secure finance to provide for their own housing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28764/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 introduced a new standard procedure for assessing applicants for social housing in every housing authority. The aim of the new system is to move closer to a transparent, consistent and fairer approach to eligibility for social housing. The Regulations include maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy.

The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of income needed to provide for a household's basic needs plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. The limits also reflect a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced by this Government prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn and thereby promote sustainable communities.

Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all housing authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI and the universal social charge. Most payments received from the Department of Social Protection are assessable. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and housing authorities also have discretion to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once off.

As a result, the threshold for a two adult/two children household in Co. Donegal is €27,500 net income after tax, PRSI and USC, with higher limits applying to larger households.

I am satisfied that the current income limits generally provide for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households unable to provide accommodation from their own resources. However, these limits will be considered in the context of the review of social housing assessment procedures currently being undertaken by my Department, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda outlined in the Social Housing Strategy 2020.

Electoral Commission Administration

Questions (25)

Brian Stanley

Question:

25. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on further proposed changes to the constituency boundaries between counties Carlow and Laois; if he will provide a full list of the members of the Carlow Boundary Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28998/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I announced the establishment of statutory committees on 19 June 2015 to review local government boundaries in Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda and Waterford. In the case of Carlow, the committee has been asked to carry out a review of the boundary between County Carlow and County Laois and to make recommendations with respect to that boundary and any consequential recommendations to the area of the Municipal District of Carlow that it considers to be necessary in the interests of effective and convenient local government.

Full details in relation to the committees, including membership and terms of reference, are available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentReform/News/MainBody,41934,en.htm

Animal Welfare

Questions (26)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

26. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the management of dog pounds going out to tender for the first time, the steps he will take to ensure the welfare of pound dogs will be to the highest standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25949/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The management of dog pounds contracted by local authorities is a matter in the first instance for the owner of the pound and then the local authority concerned.

The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, the responsibility for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, applies to all animals, including those in dog pounds.

Fire Stations Provision

Questions (27)

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

27. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the priority his Department has provided to the provision of a new fire station in Crossmolina in County Mayo, which is the number one priority for the local fire authority, Mayo County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28718/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003.

My Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy and guidance and the provision of capital funding, including the recoupment (within the overall funding available) of costs incurred by fire authorities in relation to approved construction projects and the purchase of fire appliances and equipment. The current priority for capital funding is supporting the fire appliance fleet. In this regard, Mayo Fire Service received a new appliance in 2013 under a joint-procurement initiative. I have recently announced details of another such joint-procurement programme.

Under the 2007 Capital Programme, approval in principle was given for a new fire station at Crossmolina, at an estimated cost of €1 million. On foot of this, Mayo County Council submitted an updated cost plan and contract documents for approval to proceed to the next stage of development. However, in light of financial constraints it was not possible to proceed with this project.

As part of the announcement of a new capital programme this year, I indicated that it is proposed to engage further with County and City Councils, as appropriate, to review proposed fire station projects. Requirements for new stations, or enhanced facilities at existing stations, will be re-appraised with a view to developing value-for-money projects, while still meeting the necessary functional requirements of a retained fire station. In light of the fact that Crossmolina is Mayo County Council's priority project, my Department will be liaising with the Council regarding the project.

The provision of funding to bring agreed projects to construction stage will be considered within the constraints of existing commitments and available resources under future capital programmes, and will have regard to national priorities, the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide, the extent of previous investment in Mayo fire service, the value for money offered by proposals and the status of existing facilities in relation to the area's fire risk categorisation.

Building Regulations

Questions (28)

Seán Kyne

Question:

28. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the revised building regulations, including lists of prescribed persons permitted to sign off and certify housing construction, in particular the construction of one-off housing, will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28988/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The review of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 following the first twelve months of their operation is now well advanced. The impact of the regulations on the cost of single dwellings (including self builds) forms an important element of this review. Some 170 submissions were received during the public consultation process which concluded on 15 May 2015. A report prepared by my Department following its review of the submissions received is currently under consideration. I expect to conclude the review speedily, with a view to ensuring that any changes deemed appropriate will be effected as a matter of priority.

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Questions (29)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

29. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the information supplied to him regarding the steady rise in the number of homeless persons in the Dublin commuter belt region, if he will consider extending the Dublin Homeless Executive model to those areas in the immediate hinterland of the four Dublin local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28762/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I refer to the reply to Question No. 226 of 8 July which sets out the position in this matter.

Homeless Accommodation Funding

Questions (30)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

30. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will explain the recent announcement of funding of €37 million for homeless services in Dublin, when the promised figure last November was €55 million; the impact this will have on bringing empty units across the city back into use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28991/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I refer to the reply to Question No. 12 on today's Order Paper.

Wind Energy Guidelines

Questions (31)

Brian Stanley

Question:

31. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the new guidelines on wind farms will be published; and if they are likely to contain minimum set-back distances from dwelling houses. [29002/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setbacks 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 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 public consultation process.

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.

Water Charges Administration

Questions (32)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

32. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on any discussions held with tenants' rights organisations in relation to the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015. [29009/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I refer to the reply to Question No. 18 on today's Order Paper, which sets out the position in this matter. The Bill does not impact on tenants' rights and I have not held any discussions with tenants' rights organisations on its provisions.

Private Rented Accommodation Price Controls

Questions (33)

Dessie Ellis

Question:

33. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to tackle unaffordable rents in the private housing market. [29005/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The most recent data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) for Q1 2015 show that on an annual basis, nationally, rents were 6.9% higher than in Q1 2014. Rents for houses were 6.5% higher, while apartment rents were 7.8% higher than in the same quarter of 2014.

These annual rates of increase were driven mainly by the Dublin market. Overall, in the 12 months to the end of Q1 2015, rents were higher by 9.6% in Dublin (with house rents up by 9% and apartment rents higher by 10.8%). Annual growth in rents for the market outside Dublin was more subdued. In the 12 months to the end of Q1 2015, rents were higher by 5.3% (with house rents up by 5.7% and apartment rents higher by 5.2%).

A shortage of supply is at the heart of rising rents and the Government is addressing this on a number of fronts. Construction 2020: A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector, published last year, is aimed at addressing issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any bottlenecks that might impede the sector in meeting residential and non-residential demand are addressed. Construction 2020 also commits to identifying and implementing further improvements to the planning system to facilitate appropriate development.

Addressing the supply shortfall in housing will take time but in the period since the publication of Construction 2020, some welcome signs of recovery in the sector have become evident. Particularly notable in this regard is the increase in the number of house completions in 2014 to 11,016 units nationally – an increase of 33% on the 2013 figure. The latest figures for new house completions show that 4,566 units were completed to the end of May 2015, up almost 16% on the corresponding figure for 2014.

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 total targeted provision under the Social Housing Strategy 2020 of 110,000 social housing units includes the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and 75,000 units through the private rented sector supported mainly through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

There has been a number of relevant publications in recent times with suggestions and options in relation to addressing issues in the rental sector, notably the report produced for the PRTB by DKM Economic Consultants, Rent Stability in the Private Rented Sector and the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) report Ireland's Rental Sector: Pathways to Secure Occupancy and Affordable Supply. Stakeholders representing landlords and tenants have also been vocal on this topic.

The regulation of rent raises many complex economic and legal issues and I have to be satisfied that any measures proposed are balanced and have the desired effect on the rental market while being fair to landlords and tenants alike. Ultimately, any decision in relation to rent certainty is a matter for Government and it is my intention to bring proposals to Government for consideration as soon as the necessary preparatory work has been completed.

Irish Water Remit

Questions (34)

David Stanton

Question:

34. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to transfer responsibility for maintenance and upkeep of private sewers and lateral drains to Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28999/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provided for the transfer of water services functions from the water services authorities to Irish Water. The Act also provided for the transfer of water services property from the water services authorities to Irish Water. In this regard, the ownership of public sewers transferred to Irish Water on 20 January 2015.

The Water Services Act 2007 defines a drain as a pipe that is not owned, vested or controlled by a water services authority. Accordingly, there is no legal basis for the transfer of drains, or responsibility for their maintenance, to Irish Water.

Septic Tank Inspections

Questions (35)

Mick Wallace

Question:

35. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are measures in place to assist a septic tank owner who suspects a problem with the functioning of a tank, which may result in an environmental or health risk, to obtain a local authority inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29010/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Section 70 of the Water Services Act 2007 places a duty of care on the owner of a premises to ensure that their waste water treatment systems are kept so as not to cause, or be likely to cause, a risk to human health or the environment, including waters, the atmosphere, land, soil, plants or animals, or create a nuisance through odours. The duty of care provisions have been augmented by the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 and associated regulations. Any person whose treatment system fails an inspection or, in the absence of an inspection, considers that their treatment system constitutes, or may constitute, a risk to human health or the environment is responsible for having any necessary remediation works carried out without delay.

Local authorities carry out inspections of septic tanks and similar systems for a variety of reasons, including water quality issues at drinking water sources or within designated shellfish or bathing water catchments and arising from reports of pollution from members of the public. Separately, inspections are carried out based on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Inspection Plan 2015–2017: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems which uses a risk-based methodology for the selection of systems for inspection taking into account factors such as densities of individual treatment systems across the numerous hydrological and geological settings in Ireland and the locations of sensitive groundwater or surface water receptors. Selection of treatment systems for inspection under the EPA's plan is carried out by the local authorities using an IT system developed by the EPA. Householders cannot request inspections of their own treatment systems, nor are inspections under the plan carried out based on third party complaints.