Written Answers Nos. 520-529
520. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason he met a bidder during the tendering process for a contract to supply personal alarms to older persons; why no minutes of the meeting were taken; and if this meeting during the period the tenders were being evaluated contravened the rules of the tender process. [39020/15]
View answer522. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will declare the tender process for the Telecare tender null and void, as a result of meetings held during the tender process between his office and the organisation (details supplied) that ultimately received the contract. [39091/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 522 together.
My Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards 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 scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department. My Department undertook to consider new approaches to the Seniors Alert Scheme in 2014 and arising from this, it was decided that the scheme be managed by Pobal, given that organisation’s significant experience delivering programmes on behalf of Government.
A meeting between Minister Kelly and Deputy Brendan Ryan was scheduled for 10 December 2014, to discuss the Senior Alerts Scheme. While it was not indicated that any other people would be attending the meeting, Deputy Ryan was, in fact, accompanied by two people who were part of a company that had bid in the tender process to establish a panel of preferred suppliers for the equipment needed for the supply and installation of personal monitored alarms, at what I am advised was ultimately a meeting of very brief duration.
It is important to note that the assessment of the tenders including the award of contracts under the procurement process concerned was carried out wholly separately by Pobal, an independent company, following a public advertisement on eTenders on 20 October 2014. I am satisfied that this process, including its parameters, criteria and processes, was conducted in a robust manner consistent with EU and National Procurement Guidelines.
521. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on the roll-out of a new tenant purchase scheme for local authority tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39024/15]
View answer537. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 681 of 20 October 2015, if the necessary regulations for the new tenant purchase scheme have been finalised and signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39321/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 521 and 537 together.
My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has signed the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 to enable the new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines to come into operation on 1 January 2016. The new year commencement will allow time for housing authorities to familiarise themselves with the detail of the Regulations and the new scheme and for interested tenants to make necessary preparations to apply to purchase.
A copy of the Regulations has been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and details of the new scheme will be announced shortly.
523. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a decision will be made on funding for a community group (details supplied) in County Galway through the recreational funding scheme for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39099/15]
View answerMy Department recently invited expressions of interest from a variety of organisations, agencies and groups in respect of the funding of recreational Infrastructure projects, should funding become available.
This initiative has generated a considerable amount of interest and my Department is currently carrying out a detailed assessment of each expression of interest received, including any received from the group referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. This assessment process, which I envisage will be completed over the coming weeks, will allow projects to be prioritised for any funding which is made available.
524. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) which includes positive proposals to progress and accelerate the Government's strategy to address the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39147/15]
View answerI have received similar correspondence and a submission from the Irish League of Credit Unions which contains a proposal setting out a means by which funding could be provided to Approved Housing Bodies by credit unions for the development of social housing. I welcome the willingness of credit unions to actively seek a role in financing the delivery of social housing.
The submission is comprehensive and contains some progressive and imaginative ideas. It sets out a proposal whereby the Irish credit union movement could create a dedicated funding vehicle to provide finance for social housing, in line with the aims of the Social Housing Strategy 2020.
The proposal is currently being examined by my Department and I look forward to further engagement with the Irish League of Credit Unions on the matter.
525. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his position on the introduction of a proposed new waste tyre levy or producer responsibility initiative which could see an increase in the cost of tyre disposal by 20%; the existing plans to amend current regulations for waste tyre disposal; if he will acknowledge the crippling effect such a measure will have on sectors such as haulage and agriculture and the possible adverse effects on environmental management of waste tyres and on the business of tyre sellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39149/15]
View answer526. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his position regarding the selection of Repak to operate the proposed new waste tyre levy, if implemented; if he will acknowledge the negative effect this will have on existing tyre sellers; if he will outline, in detail, any cost savings that would be made from making such a move over choosing existing licensed waste collectors to operate the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39150/15]
View answer527. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure a functioning return mechanism for end-of-life tyres is provided to operators who pay an environment management charge on truck tyres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39152/15]
View answer531. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his proposals to amend the waste tyre regime; the added cost to operators for the purchase of tyres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39184/15]
View answer549. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the ongoing negotiations regarding the introduction of a waste tyre management scheme; if he has intervened personally in these consultations to resolve the concerns of the industry; the steps being taken by his Department to resolve the impasse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39461/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 525 to 527, inclusive, 531 and 549 together.
We have a serious problem with waste tyres in Ireland. In discussions prior to the adoption of the 2007 Tyre Regulations, it was made clear that this was the last opportunity for the tyre industry to embrace environmental compliance and take responsibility for the waste it produces. If the required improvement did not happen, it was made clear to the tyre industry that the system would be reviewed and replaced with a full Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) model.
As part of a wider review of producer responsibility arrangements completed in 2014, the structural and environmental effectiveness of all aspects of the current system for managing waste tyres was assessed. The results of this examination were stark. The report, published for consultation in November 2013 and in final form in April 2014, found:
- A non-compliance rate with the Tyre Regulations of 46%,
- A lack of consistent and accurate data,
- That the current system was not tracking data flows well, and
- Between 25% and 50% of waste tyres were not accounted for with widespread illegal dumping.
In summary, this system, which has resulted in between 15 - 30 million tyres being dumped illegally, is clearly failing to provide a proper waste management system for tyres and can not be allowed to continue.
Following extensive discussions with the tyre industry, I announced my decision to establish a full PRI scheme for Tyres and Waste Tyres in Ireland on 30 January 2015. Since my decision, significant progress has been made in discussions with the tyre industry.
The new scheme will be operated by Repak with a registration and reporting role for the WEEE Register Society. Both organisations have long and successful track records under existing producer responsibility arrangements in the packaging, battery and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) areas and have been instrumental in making Ireland a top EU performer in these waste streams. The new system will provide a sustainable and environmentally focussed system for the management of waste tyres. Like existing systems for waste tyres elsewhere in the EU and for all other waste streams in Ireland, this system will respect the producer responsibility approach and be based on the polluter pays principle. These are long-standing environmental principles which are reflected in both European and domestic legislation.
There will be no new tyre tax or levy under the new system. Consumers already pay a disposal fee to their tyre retailer whenever they buy a new tyre. The model that I am introducing will formalise a charge that tyre retailers already apply but which does not currently go towards the cost of managing the waste in all cases, as it is supposed to. It is absolutely right and fair to provide a system that ensures it is properly directed in the future so that the consumer does not pay twice: once at the point of purchase and again when the taxpayer has to meet costs incurred by local authorities for the clean-up of illegally dumped tyres.
Repak ELT, which has already replaced TRACS as the sole compliance scheme for tyres as of 1 November 2015, already has over 90 members and the model that I am developing, which mirrors those arrangements which are in place in 20 other Member States, will, I am confident, enjoy the full support of all members of the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association who make up approximately 50% of the Irish tyre market.
As I have previously stated, I urge both the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) and the Irish Tyre Wholesalers & Retailers Association (ITWRA) to re-join the process and re-engage with my Department in finalising the details for the new regulatory regime. In addition, my Department and Repak ELT continue to engage with representatives from the farming, construction and haulage sectors on the new arrangements.
528. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will identify alternative funding initiatives to those initiatives under Pobal that award rural development grant funding to rural based small and medium enterprises - that is, initiatives to regenerate new and existing tourist attractions and other similar projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39165/15]
View answerThe LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020 will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of sustainable rural communities. Under the new programme, funding will continue to be distributed by Local Action Groups to rural communities in line with the local development strategies that are currently being developed within each sub-regional area in Ireland.
In preparing local development strategies, Local Action Groups have been requested to focus on economic development, enterprise development and job creation and there is potential to fund rural based small and medium enterprises, initiatives to regenerate new and existing tourist attractions, and other similar type projects referred to by the Deputy. Of course, the ultimate decision as to the projects funded under the new programme will be made by individual Local Action Groups, consistent with the local development strategy developed for their area.
In relation to rural based small and medium enterprises and other rural regeneration activities, the Deputy will be aware that I recently announced funding of over €3.7 million as part of the Rural Economic Development Zones pilot scheme. I am confident that this funding, as well as the €30 million which the Government recently announced for the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, will benefit and support the development of rural communities across Ireland.
Regarding alternative funding initiatives to those managed by my own Department, the Deputy will be aware that the Government is providing a range of supports and funding for the type of initiatives he refers to. This includes a range of activities and initiatives funded through my colleagues the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
529. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if plans are in place to change the planning regulations to make rainwater harvesting a mandatory requirement in new buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39177/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 280 of 12 November 2013 which sets out the arrangements currently in place to encourage the use of rainwater harvesting and to promote water efficiency in the built environment.
I have no plans to obligate building owners to install rainwater harvesting systems in new buildings. However, by referencing such systems in the building code, as has been done, my Department enables such systems, where used, to be designed and constructed in a safe and responsible manner and in accordance with the best available national and international guidance.
