Written Answers Nos. 554-572
554. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance available from her Department to a person (details supplied) in respect of building work carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33356/15]
View answerA building project is a complex arrangement of contractual relationships between the client, the main contractor, specialist sub-contractors, domestic sub-contractors, suppliers of materials, suppliers of plant etc. In general all sub-contractors employed on education sector building projects are employed directly by the Main Contractor or indirectly by the Main Contractor through other sub-contractors. It is a matter for all sub-contractors to agree terms and conditions and a schedule of payments with the Main Contractor as their direct employer. The specific issue outlined in the details provided by the Deputy involves a contractual matter between two private companies. As such my Department has no authority to intervene in this matter. I can, however, confirm that all monies due to be paid under the terms of the main contract have been paid to the main contractor.
558. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on an application for funding for a new school (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33425/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
559. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on an application for emergency works submitted by a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33430/15]
View answerMy Department does not currently have a live Emergency Works application for the school to which the Deputy refers.
560. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update and timescale for the extension works for Lucan Community College, Lucan, County Dublin. [33437/15]
View answerThe building project referred to by the Deputy is included in the Five Year Construction Programme to proceed to Tender and Construction. The original design team appointed to the project had reached completion of Stage 1 of Architectural Planning. As part of that work and following an assessment of the current accommodation, it was agreed by the Department that extensive additional refurbishment works to the existing school will also be required. The Department approved a significant increase in the scope of works for the project to incorporate those refurbishment works. Arising from this expansion in the scope of works it was necessary to commence a tender exercise for the appointment of a new design team to take the project forward from this point. This process, which was conducted by the ETB, was completed and the new Design Team have been authorised to proceed to Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning, which is the developed Design Stage. Earlier this year, the Department met with officials from the ETB regarding progression of the project. Following this meeting, further information was requested from the ETB and its Design Team, which is currently under review by my Department. Upon successful completion of Stage 2(a) the project will progress to complete Stage 2(b), Detailed Design, which includes the application for Statutory approvals and the preparation of Tender Documents for Contractors. Following completion of stage 2(b) the project will then be progressed to tender and construction. However, until such time as planning permission has been secured and the project has progressed to and completed tender stage, it will not be possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the completion of the construction stage of the project.
561. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if regular meetings were, or are, being held in Government Buildings on water charges and Irish Water with his departmental officials and advisers in attendance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32766/15]
View answerMy Department holds regular briefing and update meetings on water sector reform issues for senior officials and Ministerial advisors from relevant Government Departments. These meetings, which are also attended by Irish Water, are usually held in Government Buildings.
Water sector reform is also discussed under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Infrastructure and Climate Change.
562. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the situation regarding the pension-related deduction whereby retained firefighters, who are also employed by their respective local authority, have the deduction made from their wages even though they will not avail of a pension on retirement from the fire service; and his plans to resolve this anomaly. [32837/15]
View answerIn 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service. Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of actual service (up to a maximum of four times the annual retainer). All retained fire-fighters appointed after 1 January 2013 must join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 states that any public servant who is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme, or receives a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme, is subject to a deduction from their remuneration. Additional pension benefits do not arise as a result of this deduction.
The payment of the retirement gratuity to retained firefighters who are not members of the LGSS is a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme and, as such, all retained fire-fighters, whether members of a public service pension scheme or not, are subject to the deduction outlined in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. Responsibility for this legislation rests with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
Where a retained firefighter is also employed by a local authority in another position, he or she would be a member of the LGSS in respect of that position and would receive a pension and retirement lump sum at retirement based on the pensionable remuneration and length of service for that position.
563. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence regarding an organisation (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33007/15]
View answerThe projects referred to in the Question delivered the Community Development Programme from 2002 to 2009. My Department provided funding on an interim basis to the projects in question up to 2012 in order to ensure the continuity and future delivery of a range of services and supports.
With effect from 2012, responsibility for the management, administration and funding of these projects transferred to Údarás na Gaeltachta, which is a body funded from the Vote of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Since 2012, my Department has had no connection, contractual or otherwise, with the projects in question.
564. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a water conservation grant will be paid to a person (details supplied); his plans to rectify an anomaly in the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33232/15]
View answerThe eligibility criteria for the Water Conservation Grant are set out in the Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) Regulations 2015. Persons who register with Irish Water, as required under Section 5(2)(a) of the Water Service Act 2014, on or before 30 June 2015 shall be eligible to receive the grant in 2015 if they were normally resident at the principal private residence on that date. These criteria were widely communicated by my Department, on www.watergrant.ie and in the print and radio media.
I will be making further regulations to provide for the eligibility criteria for the 2016 Water Conservation Grant in due course.
565. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the annual revenue derived from the non-principal private residence tax in the last year of its operation before it was replaced by the local property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33392/15]
View answerThe Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence.
The self-assessed charge was set at €200 per annum. Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect NPPR Charges, and late payment fees due to it and all Charges and late payment fees imposed and payable to a local authority are under the care and management of the local authority concerned. Proceeds from the charge are retained by local authorities and contribute to the provision of local services.
Based on data provided by the Local Government Management Agency, I am informed that €88,360,652 has been collected from the Charge in 2013.
566. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the revenue that would be generated from reintroducing the non-principal private residence charge at the rates of €200, €250, €300 and €350. [33449/15]
View answerThe Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence.
The self-assessed charge was set at €200 per annum. Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect NPPR Charges, and late payment fees due to it and all Charges and late payment fees imposed and payable to a local authority are under the care and management of the local authority concerned. Proceeds from the charge are retained by local authorities and contribute to the provision of local services.
Based on data provided by the Local Government Management Agency, I am informed that 390,549 properties are registered by their owners as liable for the NPPR Charge for 2013, the last year of the charge.
567. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter regarding the provision of housing (details supplied) under the national housing strategy for people with a disability; the progress made in achieving these priorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32744/15]
View answerStatutory responsibility for the provision of housing in individual cases is a matter for the relevant Housing Authority, in this case Dublin City Council, and I have no function in the particular case referred to. The contact point in Dublin City Council is the Housing Allocations Section, which can be contacted on 01 222 2203.
The National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD) 2011–2016 was jointly published by my Department and the Department of Health, and sets out the Government’s broad framework for the delivery of housing for people with disabilities through mainstream housing policy.
Implementation of the Strategy is being driven primarily by the Housing Agency, which has a key role in ensuring uniformity of approach at local level. A dedicated Housing Subgroup, chaired by the Housing Agency, is in place to oversee and drive implementation. The Subgroup includes representatives from my Department, the HSE, Department of Health, local authorities, the Irish Council for Social Housing and various disability organisations.
In order to achieve a coordinated approach to service delivery, housing authorities are required to establish Housing and Disability Steering Groups (HDSGs) in each of their areas to facilitate integrated and timely responses to the housing needs of people with disabilities. The Steering Groups are chaired by Directors of Housing Services and include representation from the HSE and the key disability organisations. The majority of housing authorities have now established HDSGs, with support and guidance provided by the Housing Agency.
The preparation and delivery of a 5-year Strategic Plan in each county/city area is a key task for the Steering Groups. The Strategic Plans are informed by the identified housing needs and by broader formalised consultation with relevant statutory agencies, service user groups and disability organisations. The Plans will form an integral part of the local authority Housing Service Plans and will promote and support the delivery of accommodation for people with disabilities using all appropriate housing supply mechanisms. Strategic Plans received to date are currently being collated by the Housing Agency into a draft National Plan.
568. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he is taking to ensure that adequate funding is provided to local authorities to deal with the demand for the housing aid for older persons scheme, the mobility aids housing grant scheme and the housing adaptation grant for persons with a disability; to reduce and streamline application processing times; and if he will review the current means test for these schemes, given that the current system places an unfair financial burden on applicants. [32796/15]
View answer582. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to allocate further funding towards housing adaptation, mobility and housing aid for the elderly grants to compensate for the cuts local authorities have experienced in these grants since 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33155/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 582 together.
I am aware of the social benefit accruing from the Housing Adaptation grant schemes in terms of facilitating the continued independent occupancy of their own homes by older people and people with a disability. For that reason, I increased the funding available for the schemes in 2015 which, at €50.5 million, is an increase of some 10% on last year. I trust that this increase will enable local authorities to deliver an increased level of service to their citizens. I expect that some 8,000 households will benefit under the schemes in 2015.
My Department works with local authorities to ensure a full drawdown of their allocation. Through careful management of my Department’s housing budget in 2014, additional funds were made available to local authorities with high levels of grant activity. I will be applying the same scrutiny to the capital budget for 2015 and, in the event of savings arising , these grants will be a priority for supplementary funding.
At local level, the detailed administration and processing of these Schemes, including the assessment, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority.
The income limits for the scheme were last amended in 2014 arising from the recommendations of a review group and I have no plans to revise them further. A priority for the scheme is to spread the benefits as widely as possible and ensure fairness and value for money in their operation. The scheme is therefore more sharply focussed towards households with greatest needs, especially lower income households.
569. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide assurances that funding will be maintained for the seniors alert scheme which provides safety and security to vulnerable person living in the community, at a nominal monitoring charge; his views on extending the scheme to include assistive technology devices such as motion sensors, GPS tracking devices, etc., which will provide additional security for persons who have physical or cognitive difficulties and are living at home. [32797/15]
View answerMy Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing funding for 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 monitoring costs (generally between €60 - €80 per annum) are not funded under the Scheme and are borne by the beneficiary. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of Pobal. Pobal’s management and administrative services for the Scheme included an invitation to tender for the supply and installation of personal monitored alarms. The tender process, which was led by Pobal, is now complete. The tender included a requirement for suppliers to set out their value added services, including the supply of smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms and any other security devices. Following on from this, a panel of regional suppliers have now been contracted to provide base units, which can be landline or GSM, and pendants.
My Department will, over the coming months, examine options to provide additional security devices under the scheme. In the meantime, Pobal is in the process of introducing the local community and voluntary groups to a new service model for the scheme. This will reduce the administrative burden on groups so that they are free to focus on engaging with the older people in the community.
The funding allocated for the Seniors Alert Scheme in 2015 was €2.35m and this allocation is sufficient to meet current demands on this very worthwhile scheme.
570. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding substandard affordable housing; the way such housing was able to meet the building regulations and pass the building inspection (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32923/15]
View answerThe property referred to in the Question is part of a local authority scheme of social and affordable housing units. Responsibility for the procurement of such developments and for their compliance with all statutory obligations is a matter for the relevant housing authority, in this case Fingal County Council. I note that the matters raised in the Question have already been the subject of detailed engagement between the homeowners concerned and the Council. This has already resulted in necessary repair works being undertaken and it is understood that Fingal County Council may initiate legal action on foot of the problems that arose in relation to this scheme. Given that the statutory powers in this instance rest with the Fingal County Council, in their role as Housing Authority, which is at all times independent in the use of those statutory powers, it would not be appropriate for me as Minister to intervene in the handling of any individual cases.
571. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form for each of the past 24 months, the number of households on local authority housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32960/15]
View answerThe results of the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments, published by the Housing Agency in 2013, and accessible at the link below, provide details of the number of households qualified for social housing support on a local authority by local authority basis. http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,34857,en.pdf
The 2013 results are the most up-to-date figures on housing lists, which are subject to ongoing fluctuation as new households are approved to join the lists while other households come off the lists when they are accommodated. In order to have the most up to date position on housing needs, the Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, includes a commitment to undertake the Summary of Assessments on an annual basis from 2016 onwards.
572. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of voids in each local authority. [33004/15]
View answerGeneral statistics on local authority housing stock, including vacant social housing units, are published annually by the Local Government Management Agency. The most recent such statistics are the Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2013 which are available on the Agency’s website at the following link: www.lgma.ie/en/serviceindicators/2004to2013.
