Written Answers Nos. 252-263
252. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount spent in each year from 2010 to 2014 on the housing adaptation grant; the number of persons who benefitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33848/15]
View answer253. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount spent in each year from 2010 to 2014 on the mobility aid schemes for older persons; the number of persons who benefitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33849/15]
View answer254. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount spent in each year from 2010 to 2014 on the housing aid for older persons scheme; the number of persons who benefitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33850/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 252 to 254, inclusive, together.
The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability were introduced on 1 November 2007. Information on Exchequer funding provided by my Department to each local authority for these schemes, and the numbers of beneficiaries, is available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/, by selecting ‘Social and Affordable Housing’, ‘Housing Adaptation Grants by Area 2008 to date’.
255. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the capital allocation for housing to local authorities in each year from 2011 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33851/15]
View answerThe funding provided by my Department to local authorities through the capital initiatives to support social housing development from 20 11 to 2014 is as follows:
|
Year |
Capital Expenditure |
|
2011 |
€485,048,000 |
|
2012 |
€397,197,394 |
|
2013 |
€295,165,258 |
|
2014 |
€299,635,956 |
256. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the annual cost of carrying out inspections of private rental properties in each year from 2010 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33854/15]
View answerMinimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for enforcing the regulations rests with the relevant local authority, supported by a dedicated stream of funding allocated by my Department from the monies set aside from the registration fee income received under section 137 of the Residential Tenancies Act and held by the Private Rented Tenancies Board (PRTB) in a fiduciary capacity. Details of the amounts paid to each local authority in respect of the years 2010 to 2015 are available on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,23156,en.pdf.
257. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of a current review into the effectiveness of the Control of Dogs Act 1998 regulations being conducted by Veterinary Ireland; if he has been informed of its findings and recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33860/15]
View answerI am advised that Veterinary Ireland is undertaking an in depth policy review at present, which includes, inter alia, an examination of the effectiveness of the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998. While the review is a matter solely for Veterinary Ireland, I understand that it will not be finalised for some time yet. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on the matter at this time.
258. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of a petition currently calling on his Department to implement a compulsory dog breed-neutral policy of re-homing for dog breeds affected by his Department's current Control of Dogs Act 1998 regulations; if he has been approached by, or met with, Dogs Trust Ireland or the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recently regarding this specific topic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33861/15]
View answer259. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that a petition of over 2,500 signatures is calling for his Department to implement a compulsory breed-neutral re-homing policy in all dog pounds; that the breeds currently listed on his Department's Control of Dogs Act 1998 regulations are being affected in this way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33863/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together.
The rehoming policy in respect of dogs in local authority shelters, for dogs seized, accepted or detained for the purposes of the Control of Dogs Acts, is a matter for each local authority and one in which my Department has no role. Accordingly, my Department does not intend to introduce a compulsory rehoming policy and I have had no meetings with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Dogs Trust Ireland or any other bodies on the matter.
260. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to review the current staffing levels at Inland Fisheries Ireland, given the reduction in these levels from 440 to 291 in five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33859/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 99 and 1550 of 22 September 2015.
261. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department has any plans to extend broadband cover to a certain location in County Cork (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33718/15]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) is a Government initiative which aims to deliver high speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of accelerated commercial investment by telecoms operators, and a proposed State intervention to provide high speed broadband to those parts of the country where the commercial sector will not invest. On Tuesday 29 September the Government approved an allocation of €275m for the National Broadband Plan, which will provide the initial stimulus required to deliver the Government's intervention. Combined with commercial investment, this will ensure that 85% of Ireland's premises have high speed broadband by 2018, with 100% coverage by 2020.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The map shows Ireland with two colours, BLUE and AMBER and was developed based on the most up to date information available at the time of publication. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services by the end of 2016 and includes part of Fountainstown in County Cork.
The areas marked AMBER represent those areas where the State intends to intervene to ensure those areas will have access to high speed broadband services. My Department's map indicates that 32% of premises in Fountainstown will be covered by the NBP intervention, which means that all other premises in the area will have high speed broadband of at least 30mbps by the end of 2016.
My Department is currently in the process of updating the Map, taking into consideration any new information received or operator announcements made of any new plans in 2016 and beyond. We expect to publish an updated version of the Map before the end of this year.
I would encourage members of the public to consult both my Department's map and the information being provided by the commercial operators on their respective websites to establish the precise situation regarding their individual premises.
The NBP proposed Intervention Strategy document, which was published on 15 July last, sets out a series of detailed proposals by Government in respect of the proposed State intervention. It sets out the key elements of the intervention - what services are proposed and how they will be delivered. It outlines various aspects of the proposed intervention including the type of network envisaged, the minimum speeds being demanded, the length of the contract for services, and whether the network should be public or privately owned.
It is intended that the network will be built out as quickly as possible and engagement with industry stakeholders has indicated that this could be achieved within 3-5 years of the contract award. This will allow us to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland will have access to high speed services, by 2020 at the latest.
262. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of commercial and residential premises in County Mayo that will benefit from the roll-out of next-generation broadband, the timeline for the roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33769/15]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) is a Government initiative which aims to deliver high speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of accelerated commercial investment by telecoms operators, and a proposed State intervention to provide high speed broadband to those parts of the country where the commercial sector will not invest. On 29 September the Government approved an allocation of €275m for the National Broadband Plan, which will provide the initial stimulus required to deliver the Government's intervention. Combined with commercial investment, this will ensure that 85% of Ireland's premises have high speed broadband by 2018, with 100% coverage by 2020.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The map shows Ireland with two colours, BLUE and AMBER and was developed based on the most up to date information available at the time of publication. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services by end 2016.
The areas marked AMBER represent those areas where the State intends to intervene to ensure those areas will have access to high speed broadband services.
This exercise identified 33,336 premises that will be covered by commercial operators (27,640 residential and 5,696 business) by the end of 2016. 50,831 premises currently fall within the NBP intervention area (39,218 residential and 11,613 business).
My Department is in the process of updating the Map, taking into consideration any new information received or operator announcements made of any new plans in 2016 and beyond. We expect to publish an updated version of the Map before the end of this year.
The NBP proposed Intervention Strategy document, which was published on 15 July last, sets out a series of detailed proposals by Government in respect of the proposed State intervention. It sets out the key elements of the intervention - what services are proposed and how they will be delivered. It outlines various aspects of the proposed intervention including the type of network envisaged, the minimum speeds being demanded, the length of the contract for services, and whether the network should be public or privately owned.
It is intended that the network will be built out as quickly as possible and engagement with industry stakeholders has indicated that this could be achieved within 3-5 years of the contract award. This will allow us to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland will have access to high speed services, by 2020 at the latest.
263. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to meet the chief executive officer of Iarnród Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33664/15]
View answerI have periodic meetings with the Chief Executive Officer of Iarnród Éireann. While I have no immediate plans at present to meet with him there is, of course, regular interaction between my Department and the CEO and his management team.
