Written Answers Nos. 638-657
638. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she will take to reduce the class sizes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 7; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36123/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.
The Deputy will be aware that I have made provision in Budget 2016 for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year. These posts will provide for an improvement in the staffing schedules at primary and post primary levels, enhance the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their teaching time, an improvement to the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level and additional resource posts to meet special education needs. My priority for additional investment has been to see smaller classes introduced at primary level and I am pleased that Budget 2016 will deliver this important measure. From next September the primary staffing schedule will operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. This positive development will require approximately 300 additional teaching posts in primary schools. The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
639. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide assistance to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 7 which was built in the 1950s and requires maintenance work and an end to the use of pre-fabricated buildings. [36124/15]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has plans to replace the prefabricated accommodation at the school to which she refers. Officials, including members of my Department's technical staff, recently visited the school for the purposes of preparing a building project brief for delivery by a design team. When the project brief is completed, it will be agreed with the school and the project will be advanced for delivery thereafter.
640. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school placement for a person (detailed supplied) in Dublin 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36131/15]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, children with special educational needs may be enrolled in a mainstream school and attend all mainstream classes and receive additional teaching support through the learning support and/or resource teacher. If they have assessed care needs they may be supported by a special needs assistant.
In respect of children who cannot be accommodated in mainstream education, they may be enrolled in special classes or special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided.
As such, a pupil may have access to a number of different placement options in a locality. However, the enrolment of a child to a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) can assist parents to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs.
Parents may contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs and to seek assistance in identifying placement options, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie. The SENO can also advise parents in relation to supports which may be available to support children with special educational needs, including special transport arrangements which may be made available.
The NCSE has published a Guide for Parents and Guardians of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs on Choosing a School. This guide is also available at www.ncse.ie.
Finally I wish to explain that, for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school, or for children with special educational needs for whom a school placement or preschool placement is not available, my Department may provide a compensatory educational service through the Home Tuition scheme. Details of the scheme are available on my Department's website www.education.ie.
641. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a proposal for a school (detailed supplied) in Dublin 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36132/15]
View answerIn February of this year I announced that a new primary school would be opening in September 2016 in the Drumcondra/Marino (Dublin 1) area as well as in Goatstown/Stillorgan and in Cabra/Phibsborough (Dublin 7).
My Department runs an open patronage determination process to decide who will operate the schools. I plan to announce a patronage determination process for these new schools before the end of this year or early next year. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply under this process, including those proposing Irish-medium education. In applying for patronage, the patrons must provide evidence of parental demand from within the area for the type of school proposed and this will be considered by my Department in awarding patronage.
Details of the criteria for the establishment of new schools is available on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School.
642. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a detailed report on the implementation of the European Globalisation Fund programmes for Lufthansa Technik Airmotive and Pratt Whitney Aerospace in Rathcoole in County Dublin, including the number of eligible participants in both schemes; the funding for these schemes by European Commission and Irish Government contributions; the total spend to date; the deadline by which the European Commission portion of the funding must be spent; the number of participants who have received support from each programme; the average spend per participant for each programme; the type of support they have received; the level of participation of not in education, employment or training in each programme; and her views that all of the European Commission funding provided for both programmes will be spent by the deadline. [36128/15]
View answer644. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will publish all reports produced to date on the implementation of the European Globalisation Fund programmes for Lufthansa Technik Airmotive and Pratt Whitney Aerospace in Rathcoole in County Dublin on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund Ireland website. [36130/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 642 and 644 together.
The Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland (LTAI) EGF programme received final approval from the EU authorities in April 2015 and will run until 19 September 2016. The overall programme allocation is some €4.15m including an EU contribution of €2.49m.
An independently chaired consultative forum was established to offer advice and views on the implementation of the LTAI EGF programme and my Department produces implementation reports which are reviewed by the forum. Two implementation reports have been produced to date on this programme which provide the detail sought by the Deputy in terms of overall participation, uptake of particular measures and labour market status of affected populations of both redundant workers and young persons not in employment, education or training. Copies of these reports are being issued to the Deputy and published on the dedicated website www.egf.ie.
These implementation reports do not contain financial data. The level of final approved expenditure on EGF programmes is only known when all claims are duly made by the various service providers such as SOLAS, Education and Training Boards, Local Enterprise Offices, Higher Education Institutions and the Department of Social Protection who are generally carrying such expenditure under their own budgets. Though interim claims may be made, it is usual for claims to be made to the Department for relevant EGF services in their entirety at the end of the programme. 60% of approved eligible EGF expenditure is provided by the EU and the balance is provided through national sources including voted Department expenditures and the National Training Fund. As the LTAI EGF programme ends on 19 September 2016, expenditure will be eligible until that date with the exception of third level expenditure which may be eligible in certain instances until 19 March 2017. A final report will be presented to the European Commission by my Department on the implementation of the EU financial contribution of €2.49m by 19 March 2017.
My Department submitted an EGF application for a programme of measures in support of 108 workers made redundant at the PWA International Ltd. (Pratt Whitney) facility in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin and for up to the same number of persons under 25 years not in employment, education or training on 19 June 2015. The application is currently undergoing inter-service consultation within the European Commission and, if approved by the College of Commissioners, must also be duly approved by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. Similar services are currently being provided to the redundant PWAI workers as are being provided under the LTAI EGF programme though these are being funded entirely through national sources in anticipation of subsequent EU approval. As this recent application has not yet been approved, no formal implementation report has been prepared to date. Subject to the approval of this application, implementation reports will be published on www.egf.ie.
643. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the moneys in nominal and percentage terms of total allocation from the European Commission, for each programme returned to the European Commission unspent in each of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund funding programmes run under the previous and current Government, in tabular form. [36129/15]
View answerThe following table shows the initial allocation and actual expenditure figures for each of the seven completed programmes co-funded by the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in Ireland to date.
The European Commission's Ex-post evaluation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) published in August 2015, indicates that across the 73 completed EGF programmes in various member states which were evaluated, the average budget implementation rate was 55%. While the average return of unused EU financial contribution under the EGF was 45%, this varied widely on a programme by programme basis between 0% to 97% reimbursements. Overall across the 7 closed Irish programmes, the average budget implementation rate was 60%.
Final Expenditure on EGF Programmes
|
EGF Programme |
Programme Allocation |
EU Contribution |
% EU |
Actual Expenditure |
EU Contribution |
EGF Budget used % |
Amount Returned |
|
DELL |
€22,817,000 |
€14,831,050 |
65% |
€13,619,598 |
€8,852,739 |
59.7% |
€5,978,311 |
|
Waterford Crystal |
€3,955,159 |
€2,570,853 |
65% |
€3,089,633 |
€2,008,261 |
78.1% |
€562,592 |
|
SR Technics |
€11,455,174 |
€7,445,863 |
65% |
€4,504,198 |
€2,927,729 |
39.3% |
€4,518,134 |
|
NACE 41 Construction |
€19,522,829 |
€12,689,838 |
65% |
€12,618,893 |
€8,202,280 |
64.6% |
€4,487,558 |
|
NACE 43 Construction |
€33,329,459 |
€21,664,148 |
65% |
€20,249,086 |
€13,161,906 |
60.8% |
€8,502,242 |
|
NACE 71 Construction |
€2,135,107 |
€1,387,819 |
65% |
€1,810,636 |
€1,176,913 |
84.8% |
€210,906 |
|
Talk Talk |
€5,392,765 |
€2,696,382 |
50% |
€3,793,765 |
€1,896,883 |
70.3% |
€799,499 |
645. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the number of places on the Momentum programme by 20%. [36013/15]
View answerI am informed by SOLAS that the estimated cost of training a participant in the current Momentum programme is approximately €3,200. Based on that figure the cost to increase the number of places in the current round of the Momentum programme by 20% would be €3.84 million euro.
Payment of contractor fees is administered using a deliverables and outcome based funding model which means that payments are made to project providers on a per-person basis as specific milestones are reached. In order for a contractor to achieve the 100% per-person fee the participant must complete all classroom and work placement elements and be offered supports for six months after their completion. In addition, the participant must obtain full-time employment at the end of the programme and the project must be closed with submission of the required reports and documentation.
646. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if persons (details supplied) in Dublin 22 who have received a notice to quit, but who are unable to source alternative rent supplement accommodation in their own local authority can be considered for rent supplement in another local authority. [36168/15]
View answerThe policy and operation of rent supplement is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. The details of the particular case highlighted in the Question have been forwarded to the Department of Social Protection for further consideration.
In order to qualify for rent supplement, a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out and the person is deemed by a housing authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support. In all other cases, a person who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by the housing authority. Only when the person has been assessed as being eligible for and in need of social housing support, does the person become eligible for consideration for rent supplement. There is no entitlement to rent supplement pending the completion of this assessment.
I understand that it is the Department of Social Protection’s policy that an assessment of eligibility for social housing support should generally be carried out by the relevant local housing authority in the area where a claim to rent supplement is made and the person intends to reside. This ensures that the relevant local authorities are made aware of and can take responsibility for the long-term housing needs of rent supplement tenants living within their administrative area. This reflects both the responsibility of local authorities in providing long-term housing supports and the temporary income support nature of rent supplement.
It is in this context that the Housing Assistant Payment (HAP) scheme, which is operational in the South Dublin County Council area, is being introduced on a pilot basis across local authorities. The implementation of the HAP scheme is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. HAP provides for the transfer of responsibility for long term recipients of rent supplement who have a recognised housing need from the Department of Social Protection to the local authority sector, thus bringing all long-term social housing supports provided by the State together under the local authority system.
To be eligible for HAP, a person must first apply for and be approved for social housing support by the relevant local authority. Upon its introduction in a local authority area, HAP will replace rent supplement for those with a long-term housing need and who qualify for social housing support; rent supplement will no longer be an option for applicants in such cases. If a household is already on the local authority’s housing list and currently in receipt of rent supplement, the household will be eligible for HAP. Such households, who are in receipt of rent supplement in local authorities areas where HAP is operational, are incrementally transferring from rent supplement to HAP support.
647. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to a motion passed at a meeting of Meath County Council (details supplied) in October 2015, if he will request An Bord Pleanála to defer any decision in relation to this matter; if so, if he will do so immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36290/15]
View answerAn Bord Pleanála is the independent statutory body assigned responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and certain other matters under the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, and for the determination of applications for strategic infrastructure development including major road and railway projects. Under section 30 of the Act, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular planning case with which a planning authority, including An Bord Pleanála, is or may be concerned.
648. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views that it is unfair and discriminatory that persons must be living in the principal private residence on 30 June 2015 in order to be eligible for the water conservation grant; his further views that this especially discriminates against students whose tenancy agreements generally run from September to May; if she will make arrangements to alter this eligibility rule; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36340/15]
View answerThe legislative basis for the Water Conservation Grant is set out in Section 5 of the Water Services Act 2014 and statutory regulations under the section, inter alia, provide for the general administrative procedures for the scheme. 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 and I have no proposals to amend the regulations.
The Department of Social Protection is administering the 2015 Water Conservation Grant on behalf of my Department. I will be reviewing the operation of the 2015 scheme when all payments have been finalised by that Department. Following this review, I will set down the administration arrangements for the 2016 Grant scheme in regulations under the Water Services Act 2014.
649. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government due to the increasing number of homeless persons, if he will ensure access to all necessary supports, such as housing support, clinical support, and support towards community re-integration in order prevent persons from losing their tenancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36386/15]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. The HSE are responsible for the provision of healthcare supports to the homeless while the Department of Social Protection oversees issues relating to social exclusion.
A range of measures are being taken to address homelessness by securing a supply of accommodation to house homeless households and mobilise the necessary supports in order to deliver on the Government's target of ending involuntary long-term homelessness. These measures have been identified in the Government's Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness (May 2014) and in the Action Plan to Address Homelessness (December 2014). Progress in implementing these plans is reported through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. The plans and progress reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/
These Plans represent a whole-of-Government approach to dealing with homelessness and the implementation of measures identified in these plans is being overseen by a group of senior officials drawn from key State agencies concerned including my Department, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Health Service Executive, Tusla the Child and Family Agency, the Irish Prison Service and housing authorities.
Funding from my Department for emergency accommodation and homeless services is provided to housing authorities on a regional basis under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. In Budget 2016 I have secured funding of €70 million for these purposes - an increase of 32% on the 2015 allocation of €53 million and a 55% increase on the 2014 allocation of €45 million.
The Department of Social Protection plays a key role with regard to income maintenance for homeless people; under the social welfare system homeless people have entitlement to the full range of social welfare schemes, including supplementary welfare allowance, subject to the normal qualifying conditions. The Department of Social Protection, including through its Homeless Persons Unit and Asylum Seekers & New Communities Unit in Dublin, works closely with local authorities, Government agencies and the non-governmental sector in assisting homeless persons to access private rented accommodation. Furthermore Rent Supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals with the scheme currently supporting approximately 63,800 people at a cost of over €298 million in 2015, with over 15,300 tenancies awarded this year. In view of the difficulties experienced by persons as a result of the limited supply in the private rented market, the Department of Social Protection has implemented a range of preventative measures assisting some 4,200 rent supplement households throughout the country to retain their accommodation. The Department, in conjunction with Threshold, operates a special Protocol in the Dublin and Cork areas where supply issues are particularly acute, with plans to extend this arrangement to Galway City; of the 4,200 cases supported some 1,350 were supported following intervention under the Protocol. Also, under the Exceptional Needs Payments scheme assistance may be provided towards rent deposits or rent in advance; over 1,960 payments have issued to date in 2015 at a cost of almost €1.1 million.
650. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to amend the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 as it applies to cases (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36147/15]
View answerThe provisions of the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013 and following a three month transition period, have been fully in force since 1 October 2013. The Act provides that, if a declaration is not made in the month of expiry of an existing motor tax disc or an existing declaration of non-use, a minimum of three months motor tax, along with any arrears due, must be paid in relation to the vehicle before a declaration of non-use can be made. It is the responsibility of vehicle owners to ensure that a timely declaration is made or the appropriate tax is paid. There are currently no plans to introduce further changes to the legislation in question.
651. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total capital expenditure on water services, excluding water metering, for each year from 2011 to 2015. [36204/15]
View answerSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. This includes capital expenditure on water and waste water services but excludes expenditure on the rural water programme.
Total voted capital expenditure on water services in the years 2011 to 2015 is set out in the following table. From 2014 onwards, only expenditure in relation to broader water quality issues, e.g., implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the Rural Water Programme have been financed through the Vote of my Department.
|
Water Services Investment Programme and Water Quality |
Rural Water Programme |
Total Exchequer Spending on capital projects |
|
|
2011 |
€350m |
€79m |
€429m |
|
2012 |
€268m |
€40m |
€308m |
|
2013 |
€225m |
€34m |
€259m |
|
2014 |
€8.6m |
€16m |
€24.6m |
|
2015 |
€6.2m (est) |
€17.5m (est) |
€23.7m(estimated) |
Capital expenditure by Irish Water is set out in a number of documents, including the financial accounts for 2014, the Business Plan for 2014-2021 and documentation submitted to the Commission for Energy Regulation. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
652. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to request lower emission reduction targets than those of our European Union counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36284/15]
View answer655. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding lower emission reduction targets for 2030 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36332/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 655 together.
In October 2014, the European Council agreed on the 2030 climate and energy policy framework for the European Union. The European Council endorsed a binding EU target of an at least 40% domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The target will be delivered collectively by the EU in the most cost-effective manner possible, with the reductions in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and non-ETS sectors amounting to 43% and 30% by 2030 compared to 2005, respectively.
All Member States within the Union will participate in this effort, balancing considerations of fairness and solidarity. Whilst Member State targets for 2030 are yet to be agreed, it is known that targets will be in the range of a 0% to 40% reduction relative to 2005, and that targets for Member States whose GDP per capita are above average should be adjusted to reflect cost effectiveness in a fair and balanced manner. A Commission proposal on this matter is expected towards the end of the second quarter of 2016.
653. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has assessed the conditions in Traveller accommodation, including the safety of such accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36307/15]
View answerIn accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes designed to meet these needs rests with the individual housing authorities. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
The tragic loss of life in Carrickmines highlights the critical importance of fire safety in local authority Traveller accommodation. Accordingly, on 13 October 2015 my Department wrote to all local authority chief executives instructing them that a programme to review fire safety in such accommodation should be initiated without delay to ensure that practical and appropriate fire safety measures, which can contribute to preventing loss of life and serious injury in local authority traveller accommodation, have been applied systematically across the country.
A targeted Community Fire Safety initiative will also be put in place, aimed at promoting awareness of measures which provide protection from the dangers of fire. The initiative will be targeted at fire safety in all types of local authority Traveller-related accommodation and engage the full resources across the local authority. My Department is engaging with Traveller organisations at national level to secure support for this initiative.
654. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when his Department will issue the housing assistance payment transfer list regulations to local authorities; and the reason for the delay. [36313/15]
View answerOn 16 December, 2014, I issued a statutory direction to all authorities involved in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) statutory pilot, instructing them to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefiting 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 19 October 2015, 23 households have transferred from HAP to other forms of social housing support.
The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 includes a commitment to examine the system of assessment and allocation of social housing support and make recommendations in this regard. The examination is underway and recommendations for changes to the system of assessment and allocation will be brought forward, in due course, including recommendations that may require changes to Regulations.
656. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to a Topical Issue on the matter, his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the waste tyre industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36339/15]
View answerOn 10 June 2015, my Department met with the Deputy and Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, along with representatives from the Irish Tyre Wholesalers and Retailers Association (ITWRA), to discuss the development of new producer responsibility arrangements for waste tyres. My Department had a further meeting with representatives of the ITWRA on 24 June, and a number of further contacts were made by my Department over the course of the Summer. However, I understand that the ITWRA has now withdrawn from further discussions – either as part of the Tyres Working Group or through the informal channel maintained by my Department even after the ITWRA withdrew from that working group - and has announced plans to launch a legal challenge against the planned introduction of a producer responsibility initiative for waste tyres.
Nonetheless, the door remains open to the ITWRA to return to discussions. My Department has repeatedly invited the ITWRA to re-engage with the Tyres Working Group and actively assist in the design of proper arrangements for dealing with waste tyres, in line with the producer responsibility model and the polluter pays principle. It is a matter for the ITWRA as to whether to accept that invitation.
657. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason for the delay in processing the proposed extension of the Clonburris special development zone boundary, first submitted to his Department by South Dublin County Council in July 2014; and when he will agree the designation of the proposed boundary. [36342/15]
View answerSouth Dublin County Council is seeking to amend the 2006 Government Order that designated 180 hectares of land at Clonburris as a Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), by extending the SDZ boundary to incorporate an additional 100 hectares of land. Section 166 (1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) provides for the making of such an Order by the Government when so proposed by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
In 2008, a Planning Scheme for the designated lands was approved by An Bord Pleanála. Although this Planning Scheme remains in force, none of the residential or commercial development originally envisaged on the lands commenced due to the general economic downturn and collapse of the residential market. However, recovering economic conditions have resulted in a proposal by South Dublin County Council to request the designation of an additional 100 hectares of land as part of the SDZ so that a new planning scheme can be drawn up for the area that responds to changed economic circumstances, takes advantage of infrastructural investment in the area and potential for further investment and achieves sustainable place-making and high quality urban design.
The legislative process for Strategic Development Zone designation requires that I consult with the relevant development agency or planning authority on the proposed designation. Consultations on technical and environmental aspects to the incorporation of the additional area as part of the SDZ have been recently concluded and I expect to bring to the matter to Government in the very near future.
