Written Answers Nos. 199-208
199. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in cases where the original owner of a property dies, if the person who succeeds in ownership of that property is entitled to access the pyrite remediation scheme. [39926/15]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The Act also sets out the broad parameters which the Board must have regard to when establishing the eligibility criteria for the pyrite remediation scheme.
While Section 15(3) of the Act explicitly provides that an application cannot be made under the scheme by a person who purchases a dwelling on or after 12 December 2013 where that person knows, or ought to know, that the dwelling was constructed using hardcore containing reactive pyrite, there is no analogous prohibition for persons affected by a succession in title, subject to all other eligibility criteria under the scheme being met. In this regard, there would be no impediment to such a person making an application under the pyrite remediation scheme.
200. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the direction that he has provided in respect of housing allocations being prioritised for families who are regarded as homeless; if he is aware of indications that this policy is driving up the numbers in homelessness; and if he will undertake an urgent review of this policy. [39988/15]
View answerUnder a Ministerial Direction, which applies until 31 January 2016, key local authorities are required to prioritise homeless and other vulnerable households in the allocation of tenancies under their control. The four Dublin local authorities have been directed to allocate 50% of all available dwellings to such households, while the local authorities in counties Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford have been directed to allocate 30%. Under this Direction, each of the identified housing authorities must ensure that at least the relevant percentage, referred to above, of the dwellings available for allocation under Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 during the specified period will be allocated to households that are qualified for social housing support (i.e. those who are on the record of qualified households) and that, on or before 1 June 2015, have been deemed by the authority to have one or more of the following needs:
(i) was in an institution, emergency accommodation or a hostel (i.e. a homeless household within the meaning of Section 2 of the Housing Act 1988);
(ii) has an accommodation requirement arising from an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment (i.e. households where one of its members has a disability and as such is deemed to be a vulnerable household); and
(iii) was in accommodation that was unsuitable for the household's adequate housing on exceptional medical or compassionate grounds (i.e. including households the subject of domestic violence and young people leaving State care and as such deemed to be a vulnerable household).
A copy of this Direction is available on my Department's website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/.
This Direction succeeds a previous similar Direction which applied from 27 January 2015 to 26 July 2015. The qualifying date and other focused qualifying criteria, as set out above, help to guard against the Direction being a contributing factor in new homeless presentations. However, I will keep the operation of the Directive under ongoing review.
201. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that the ongoing cross-Border study into hydraulic fracturing being funded by his Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency has not been compromised, given that the lead on the project has been taken by a company (details supplied) which has links to the oil and gas industry; that the independence of the study remains, given that Queens University Belfast has withdrawn from the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39883/15]
View answerThe multi-agency trans-boundary programme of research on the potential impacts on the environment and human health from Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction projects is administered by the EPA and co-funded by the EPA, my Department and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, with oversight from a broad based Steering Committee that includes my Department. As is usual in major and broad ranging projects such as this, the project team involves a wide range of expert institutions and companies. CDM Smith is the lead consultant in the consortium engaged to carry out the programme of research and that consortium includes the British Geological Survey, University College Dublin, Ulster University, AMEC Foster Wheeler and Philip Lee Solicitors, each offering a particular specialism required by the project scope.
The Terms of Reference for this research programme were agreed by a broadly based Steering Group following public consolation which yielded more than 1,300 submissions on the draft Terms of Reference. The EPA and the Steering Committee reviewed the submissions and the draft Terms of Reference were amended and strengthened after this public consultation. I understand that the contract for this programme of research was awarded following a robust evaluation process in compliance with public procurement guidelines, where the tender submitted by the CDM Smith headed consortium was evaluated as being the strongest bid.
I am aware that there has been some comment on the fact that internationally CDM Smith has provided expert advice to oil companies involved in the development of unconventional gas resources. I should point out that CDM Smith has also provided advice to State bodies and regulatory agencies across its area of expertise.
As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, it is common that a broad range of parties will seek to draw on the specialist expertise available from a firm such as CDM Smith. The fact that disparate entities seek to draw on such expertise, is generally seen as an indicator of a company's recognised experience.
Queens University Belfast (QUB) was initially participating as part of the Research Consortium. I understand that due to a change in resources available in QUB, the tasks allocated to QUB were transferred to CDM Smith supported by the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. I also understand that QUB has had an involvement with a part of the internal review process carried out by the Consortium.
202. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 517 of 19 May 2015 and a previous parliamentary question, when the companies involved were informed that no petroleum prospecting licence was required; if moneys for applications for the licence were returned to the companies involved; the date of same; and, given that moneys were received from the companies involved, when he was specifically advised, and by whom, that the licences were not needed. [39913/15]
View answerIn July 2011, a Departmental submission to the Minister recommended that Petroleum Prospecting Licences be granted to three companies who were the holders of Licensing Options for onshore areas. The then Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte T.D., did not agree to that recommendation and questioned the strategy of issuing Petroleum Prospecting Licences to the holders of onshore Licensing Options without first deciding the wider policy position. In October of that year the former Minister requested the EPA to carry out research into the potential environmental impacts of Unconventional Gas Exploration & Extraction (UGEE); this research is ongoing. While it was communicated orally to the applicant companies that Petroleum Prospecting Licences would not be required having regard to the nature of their work programmes, the application fees were not refunded.
203. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the publication of the White Paper on Energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39927/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 67 of 10 November 2015.
204. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the Asian clam sample extracted from the River Shannon at Lanesborough in County Longford in June 2015 by Inland Fisheries Ireland; if that sample is still living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39964/15]
View answerThe 2.5 tonnes of sample material referred to by the Deputy was removed by Waterways Ireland. As the Deputy will appreciate the Asian Clam is an invasive species and indications, thus far, are that it is resilient and durable in the environment. I am advised that the expected life span out of water, as it is currently understood and estimated, has since been exceeded and therefore the likelihood is that all of these clams are dead. However, it is not possible to definitively verify that each and every individual within the sample material is non-viable without a detailed and expensive analytical examination down to the level of each individual.
IFI confirm that the material is in storage at its facility in Longford, isolated from other materials, to ensure as a priority that no bio-security risk is posed from this material while disposal advise is awaited from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
While IFI has no statutory remit in relation to invasive species, I would be happy to facilitate a detailed briefing for the Deputy from IFI on interventions to date as they relate to matters within their remit.
205. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will carry out a review of the disabled parking permit; if he will consider introducing two types of bays, one for persons in a wheelchair and a second for persons with mobility issues. [39794/15]
View answerThe disabled parking scheme is operated on behalf of my Department by the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) and the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA), which are the two bodies empowered to issue disabled parking permits. As Minister, I have responsibility for the regulations under which the scheme operates, including those which specify the dimensions of disabled parking spaces.
In 2010, my Department carried out a comprehensive review of the disabled parking scheme. This review took account of the views of stakeholders, and led to a number of changes being made. Among these changes was an expanding of the dimensions of disabled parking bays.
Disabled parking bays are designed to be larger than standard parking bays, in order to allow ease of access for people with mobility impairments, including wheelchair users. I am not aware of any need at present for a further review of the dimensions of the parking bays, or for a wider review of the scheme as a whole.
However, should the key stakeholders, in particular the DDAI and/or the IWA, were to present a case for a further review of the scheme - or indeed specific aspects of it, such as the dimensions of parking bays - I would be willing to give consideration to such a case.
206. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has agreed to re-open the national swimming programme; and if so, when it will open; and the total allocation. [39830/15]
View answerUnder the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million is provided to local authorities towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. The current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme was closed to new applicants on 31 July 2000. Since 2000, 58 projects have or are being dealt with under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme of which 50 have been completed and the other 8 projects are at various stages of the Programme.
I wish to commence the process of opening a new limited round of swimming pool allocations and I have asked my departmental officials to report back to me on this proposal as soon as possible. No further details have yet been decided.
207. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason national car test centres are not providing clear information to persons (details supplied) when booking an appointment before the due date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39843/15]
View answerThe RSA has statutory responsibility for the NCT.
With the vast majority of vehicles registered in the first half of the year, traditionally this has proved to be a particularly busy period for the National Car Testing Service (NCTS). To counter this the NCTS has put a number of demand levelling measures in place, including options to enable motorists to have their vehicle tested early.
Motorists may have their vehicle tested up to 90 days in advance of their test due date without affecting the validity period of the test certificate issued or the next test due date.
Alternatively, a vehicle may be submitted for testing more than 90 in advance of the test due date. Under this voluntary early testing option and depending on the age of the vehicle, that is whether the vehicle is subject to bi-annual or annual testing, the certificate issued will be valid for either two years or one year from the date of a successful test. Consequently, the next test due date will be reset to the anniversary of the successful test.
The RSA informs me that the NCTS makes every effort to ensure that customers understand the implications involved in taking a voluntary early test. When such a test is booked online, the NCTS website clearly displays a message to this effect. NCTS call centre agents also provide this information to customers.
208. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will revisit an application for a sports capital grant (details supplied). [39887/15]
View answerThe requirements for making an application under the 2015 Sports Capital Programme were set out in a published guide to making an application. The guide was supplemented by YouTube videos that explained the application process in detail and Department staff were also available to answer any questions. The guide stated, in relation to providing evidence of own funding, that "Local Authorities, ETBs and 3rd Level Colleges can provide a letter from their finance officer/accountant confirming that the required own funding is in place." The letter provided by the applicant referred to by the Deputy did not make it clear that the signer was a finance officer or accountant. It is the responsibility of the applicant to clearly show that the terms and conditions of the Programme have been met.
The 2015 round of the SCP is closed and all of the monies have been allocated.
