Written Answers Nos. 1432-1450
1433. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a list of the 28 organisations he met, as outlined in a recent response to a parliamentary question (details supplied); if he will also list the 58 organisations mentioned that requested meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31213/15]
View answerOwing to the scope of my remit as Minister, I receive representations, including requests for meetings, from a wide range of parties, such as public representatives, local and voluntary groups and private individuals and organisations. In response to Question No. 219 of 2 July, I set out, to the extent that it was possible to collate such information, that I had received 56 meeting requests from such groups and that 28 meetings took place.
The following table provides a list of the organisations that requested meetings with me and identifies the meetings that took place.
|
Name of private external lobbying group |
Number of meeting requests submitted |
Number of meetings held |
|
AILG |
1 |
1 |
|
IRISH COMMERCIAL PEAT PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION |
1 |
0 |
|
AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE |
1 |
1 |
|
ARCHITECTS ALLIANCE |
1 |
1 |
|
ASSOCIATION OF FARM CONTRACTORS |
1 |
1 |
|
CERBERUS (DAN QUAYLE) |
1 |
1 |
|
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FEDERATION |
5 |
3 |
|
DUBLIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE |
2 |
1 |
|
ERNST & YOUNG on behalf of CENTER PARCS |
1 |
1 |
|
ERVIA |
2 |
2 |
|
FRANK LAHIFFE – IRISH PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOC. |
2 |
1 |
|
IFA |
2 |
1 |
|
INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL AUCTIONEERS & VALUERS |
2 |
1 |
|
IRISH CONCRETE FEDERATION |
1 |
1 |
|
IRISH COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL HOUSING |
1 |
0 |
|
IRISH CREAMERY MILK SUPPLIERS |
1 |
1 |
|
IRISH HOTEL FEDERATION |
1 |
1 |
|
IRISH MORTGAGE HOLDERS ASSOCIATION |
2 |
1 |
|
IRISH ROAD HAULAGE ASSOCIATION |
2 |
1 |
|
IRISH TYRE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION |
2 |
1 |
|
IRISH WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION |
1 |
1 |
|
IWTRA |
2 |
1 |
|
JOHN BRYEN DRURY – CEMENT MANUFACTURERS IRE |
1 |
1 |
|
MALCOLM BROWN on behalf of COOLEMORE STUD |
1 |
1 |
|
MURRAY CONSULTANT on behalf of CAIRNS HOMES |
1 |
0 |
|
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF RETAIL NEWSAGENTS |
1 |
0 |
|
NATIONAL INSULATION ASSOCIATION IRELAND |
1 |
0 |
|
NATIONAL OFF-LICENCE ASSOCIATION |
1 |
0 |
|
PROPERTY INDUSTRY IRELAND (IBEC) |
1 |
0 |
|
RESIDENTIAL LANDLORDS ASSOCIATION |
1 |
1 |
|
SLR CONSULTING on behalf of IRISH WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION |
1 |
0 |
|
APEX Housing Association |
1 |
0 |
|
CPL Fuels Ireland Ltd |
1 |
1 |
|
Independent Tyre Wholesaler and Retailer Association |
1 |
0 |
|
Cré |
1 |
0 |
|
Glenties Windfarm Information Group |
1 |
0 |
|
Irish Planning Institute |
1 |
0 |
|
Havelock Square Residents Association |
1 |
0 |
|
RTPI Ireland |
1 |
0 |
|
Ivor Fitzpatrick and Co Solicitors |
1 |
0 |
|
Heneghan PR |
1 |
0 |
|
One Eighty Degrees Retail & Property Strategists |
1 |
0 |
|
IMPACT |
1 |
1 |
1434. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps being taken, including financial initiatives, to improve housing supply for qualified applicants for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31223/15]
View answerSocial housing is a 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. The Strategy targets the provision of over 110,000 social housing units to 2020, 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. This will address the needs of all households on the housing waiting list, with flexibility to meet potential future demand. The Strategy also includes a commitment to increase the regularity of the Summary of Social Housing Assessments by undertaking it on annual basis from 2016 onwards, which will support the continuous monitoring of social housing delivery against need.
On 1 April 2015, I announced provisional funding allocations totalling €1.5 billion for all local authorities, to meet an ambitious delivery target of 22,882 social housing units out to 2017. Details of the individual targets set for local authorities can be found on my Department’s website at:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
To date in 2015 some €493 million has been allocated, to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies, for the construction and acquisition of over 2,900 units, full details of which can be found on my Department’s website at the following links:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm and http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,42225,en.htm.
In addition, over €91 million worth of housing investment, across a range of housing schemes to bring vacant social housing units back into productive use and to improve housing for people with disabilities, as well as retrofitting homes to improve energy efficiency, was announced in May 2015. Full details of the allocations made to local authorities are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/GeneralNews/MainBody,41581,en.htm.
Further announcements, in relation to project approvals, in line with the Strategy targets, will be made in due course.
The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), a key component of the Strategy, is also progressing at pace, with almost 4,000 households now in receipt of HAP across the local authority areas taking part in the statutory pilot scheme. HAP is now available to all qualified households in 13 local authority areas. Consideration is currently being given to the sequencing of a further cohort of local authorities to commence HAP in the coming months.
With regard to financial initiatives, the Strategy includes a commitment to commence work on a financial vehicle, to be known as the Strategic Housing Fund, to raise funding for the social housing sector. Work on the development of this new funding model has commenced and is being progressed under the Finance Work Stream of the Strategy’s governance structure. This group, which has been put in place to develop the financial aspects of the Strategy, is chaired by my Department and comprises a range of key stakeholders including the Housing Finance Agency, the National Development Finance Agency and the Departments of Finance and of Public Expenditure & Reform.
Arising from the opportunity offered by the Strategy, a range of developers, investors, financiers and others expressed interest in being involved in the provision of social housing. A protocol was put in place in March 2015 under the auspices of the Finance Work Stream to facilitate individuals and entities seeking to engage with the State to provide investment for the delivery of social housing. A single point of contact for submitting proposals, the Social Housing Proposals Clearing House Group has been established, operating through my Department, under the oversight of the Finance Work Stream. Interested parties may contact the Clearing House at newfundingmodels@environ.ie.
The Strategy also provides for a €300 million programme of investment in social housing via the Public Private Partnership model, which is expected to deliver 1,500 housing units; work is advancing with site selection well underway.
Finally, the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, a key deliverable for my Department under Construction 2020, was commenced with effect from 1 September 2015. The Act revises Part V arrangements on social and affordable housing to maximise the opportunity for the delivery of social housing units and also secure the principle of integrated mixed tenure developments. Importantly, the practice of developers making cash payments in lieu of housing units is no longer an option under the new legislation.
1435. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the pilot schemes for the housing assistance payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31250/15]
View answerThe first phase of the statutory pilot for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme commenced in September 2014 and has been introduced incrementally to 13 local authority areas to date - Limerick City and County Council; Waterford City and County Council; Cork, Louth, Kilkenny, South Dublin, Monaghan, Donegal, Offaly, Carlow, Clare and Tipperary County Councils; and Cork City Council. Dublin City Council is also implementing the HAP pilot scheme for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of all four Dublin local authorities. To date, there are almost 4,000 households supported by HAP across these local authority areas. Consideration is currently being given to the sequencing of a further cohort of local authorities to commence HAP in the coming months. On 16 December, 2014, I issued a statutory direction to all authorities involved in the HAP statutory pilot, instructing them to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefitting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support, should they wish to do so, through the transfer option. I also directed that HAP recipients, who apply to go on the transfer list, should get full credit for the time they spent on the waiting list and be placed on the transfer list with no less favourable terms than if they had remained on the waiting list. In practice, housing authorities inform HAP recipients in writing of their entitlement to apply to go on the transfer list when they are approved for HAP. As of 31 August 2015, 17 households had transferred from HAP to other forms of social housing support.
1436. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has considered the needs of members of the public who are not in a position to avail of online services in the closure of local motor tax offices, in particular if this has been considered for the closure of offices in the South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown local authority areas; if any re-opening of offices is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31251/15]
View answerWhile 75% of all motor tax transactions in Dublin are now made online, motor tax applications can be made by post, as well as by presenting in person at Dublin City Council’s Smithfield Office. The location and number of motor tax off ices in Dublin is a matter for Dublin City Council, which administers the service on behalf of the three other Dublin local authorities.
1437. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if planning authorities and-or local authorities have any discretion to allow oral hearings for third parties to a planning application, under the Planning and Development Acts 2000–2012 and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001-2012; if not, his plans to consider same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31271/15]
View answerPlanning legislation provides that any person or body, on payment of the appropriate fee, may make a submission or observation in writing to a planning authority in relation to a planning application within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt of the application by the planning authority. The legislation does not provide discretion for planning authorities to hold oral hearings in relation to planning applications. I have no plans to amend the legislation in this regard.
However, a person or body who makes a submission on a planning application to a planning authority may appeal the decision of the planning authority to An Bord Pleanála (the Board). The Board may, at its own discretion, hold oral hearings in relation to cases being considered by it.
1438. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of revenue received per county council area through dog licence fees for each of the last five years, set out in tabular form. [31303/15]
View answer1439. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of dogs which had licences purchased for them during each of the last five years; the number of dogs he estimates that are not currently licensed. [31304/15]
View answer1443. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of funding allocated to each county council dog pound during each of the last five years. [31308/15]
View answer1444. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rate of expenditure of each county council dog pound during each of the last five years. [31309/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1438, 1439, 1443 and 1444 together.
My Department does not provide funding to local authorities for the provision and maintenance of shelters for dogs. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities are responsible for operating and managing dog control and licensing services in their administrative areas and my Department has no involvement in this process. Proceeds from the sale of licences, less the commission charged by An Post, are available to local authorities to assist in funding their dog control functions.
Certain statistics concerning local authority dog control functions are published on my Department’s website. These statistics include the number of dog licences issued per local authority area, as well as details of the aggregated income generated and expenditure incurred annually by each local authority in respect of their dog control activities. This information is currently available up to 201 4 at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/DogControl/.
The information sought in relation to the revenue generated from dog licence fees specifically and the rate of expenditure on dog pounds is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproport ionate amount of time and work. Details in respect of the number of unlicensed dogs is not available.
1440. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of dogs put to sleep by each county council pound during each of the last five years. [31305/15]
View answer1441. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of dogs claimed from each county council pound during each of the last five years. [31306/15]
View answer1442. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the guidelines that set out the standard and conditions each county council dog pound must operate under; the persons responsible for ensuring these conditions are complied with; if any of the county council dog pounds have breached these conditions during the last five years and the repercussions of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31307/15]
View answer1446. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost for a county council dog pound to put a dog to sleep; and the cost of keeping a dog in the same pound for a period of four weeks. [31311/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1440 to 1442, inclusive, and 1446 together.
My Department has no direct role in the management or operation of local authority dog pounds. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities are responsible for operating and managing dog control and licensing services in their administrative areas, including the management of dog pounds or shelters. Accordingly, the cost of operating and managing these pounds is a matter solely for local authorities and is one in which my Department has no role.
The enforcement of welfare standards regarding all animals, including dogs seized, accepted or detained under the Control of Dogs Acts, is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and my Department has no direct role in this regard.
Certain statistics concerning local authority dog control functions are published on my Department ’s website . These statistics include the number of rehomed or reclaimed dogs, as well as the number put to sleep by each local authority pound. This information is currently available up to 2014 at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/DogControl/.
1445. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any investigations into the practice of illegally selling dogs through county council dog pounds have been conducted during the past ten years; the detail of those investigations; and the outcome of same. [31310/15]
View answerThe management and operation of dog pounds is a matter solely for local authorities and is a matter in which my Department has no role. I am not aware of any instances of, or investigations into, the illegal sale of dogs through local authority dog pounds.
1447. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if possession of a dog licence alone is considered proof of ownership of a dog. [31312/15]
View answerSection 1 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 provides that the owner of a dog includes the occupier of a premises where the dog is kept or permitted to live or remain at any particular time unless the occupier proves to the contrary. Section 2 of the Act provides, however, that any person who keeps or is in possession of a dog must be in possession of a valid dog licence. Accordingly, the possession of a dog licence alone might not be considered as proof of ownership a dog in all instances.
1448. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of areas that have bans on rent allowance applications and the building of Part V obligations; and when these bans will be lifted given the need for social housing build. [31341/15]
View answerThe Minister for Social Protection is responsible for the policy and operation of the Rent Supplement Scheme, formerly the Rent Allowance Scheme, and I have no function in the matter. In relation to the operation of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, informed by an extensive public consultation process and an independent in-depth review, a number of amendments to Part V were included in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 which came into force on 1 September 2015. The principal objectives of the 2015 amendments are to:
- maximise the opportunity for the delivery of social housing units;
- secure the principle of integrated mixed tenure developments;
- address weaknesses in aspects of the existing legislation identified in a number of court judgements; and
- enhance the economic viability of developments.
It is currently open to local authorities to agree with developers to have their Part V obligations fulfilled in a number of ways, including:
- the transfer of ownership of land, subject to the planning application, to a local authority for the provision of housing;
- the building and transfer of ownership to the local authority, or persons nominated, of completed social housing units on the land, subject to the planning application;
- the transfer of ownership to the local authority, or persons nominated, of completed social housing units on other land, not subject to the planning permission; and/or
- the long term leasing of properties.
My Department has advised local authorities of the commencement of the new provisions and the new requirements in that regard.
The Part V provisions are a key component of the range of delivery mechanisms required to achieve the targets set out in the Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020.
1450. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of companies and-or entities that have been selected to deliver the Leader programme in various parts of the country; the names of these entities; the names of the areas and the number of areas where there will be an open tender to select the entity to deliver this programme; when it is intended to have the selection of entities to deliver the programme completed; the date it is hoped to sign the first contracts for the delivery of the Leader programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31361/15]
View answerAs 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 2014-2020. Stage one is complete but stage two is still on-going and therefore no entity has been selected to deliver LEADER in any area. 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 (EOI). 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 two expressions of interest were received in the remaining nine areas. Following a number of facilitated meetings the number of areas with multiple EOIs has reduced to six and the current position is set out in the following table.
All applicants have been given a minimum of 6 months for the preparation of Local Development Strategies. I expect that not all areas will require the full 6 months and I am hopeful that many areas will have their strategies submitted, assessed and approved and be in a position to begin implementing their strategies by Autumn 2015.
In areas where a single strategy is submitted, an Independent Evaluation Committee will review and evaluate these strategies with a view to ensuring that they 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 Independent 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.
|
Sub- Regional Area |
Expression of Interest |
|
Carlow |
Carlow LCDC |
|
Cavan |
Cavan Leader (LCDC) |
|
Clare |
Clare LCDC |
|
Clare Local Development Company |
|
|
North Cork |
North Cork LCDC |
|
South Cork |
South Cork LCDC |
|
South & East Cork Area Development Partnership Ltd |
|
|
West Cork Development Partnership (Macroom Area)* |
|
|
West Cork |
West Cork LCDC |
|
West Cork Development Partnership* |
|
|
Donegal |
Donegal LCDC |
|
Dublin |
Dublin Rural LAG |
|
Galway |
Galway LCDC |
|
FORUM Connemara Ltd |
|
|
Kerry |
Kerry LCDC |
|
Kildare |
County Kildare Local Action Group (Kildare LCDC/County Kildare LEADER Partnership) |
|
Kilkenny |
Kilkenny LCDC |
|
Kilkenny LEADER Partnership |
|
|
Laois |
Laois LCDC |
|
Leitrim |
Leitrim LCDC |
|
Limerick |
Limerick LCDC |
|
Longford |
Longford LCDC in partnership with Longford Community Resources |
|
Louth |
Louth LCDC |
|
Mayo |
Mayo LCDC |
|
Moy Valley Resources |
|
|
IRD Kiltimagh |
|
|
Meath |
Meath LCDC |
|
Monaghan |
Monaghan LCDC |
|
Offaly |
Offaly LCDC |
|
Roscommon |
Roscommon LCDC |
|
Sligo |
Sligo LCDC |
|
Tipperary |
Tipperary LCDC |
|
Waterford |
Waterford LCDC |
|
Westmeath |
Westmeath LCDC |
|
Wexford |
Wexford LCDC |
|
Wicklow |
County Wicklow LCDC/County Wicklow Partnership |
*West Cork Development Partnership has been requested to decide which area it wishes to develop an LDS for.
