Written Answers Nos. 166-171
166. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of properties that have been successfully purchased by local authorities through the local authority mortgage-to-rent scheme, by local authority, in tabular form. [40848/15]
View answerThe Local Authority Mortgage to Rent (LAMTR) Scheme was piloted in Dublin City Council and Westmeath County Council in 2013 and rolled out nationally in February 2014. The table below sets out the number of local authority claims for related house purchases processed by my Department to date.
|
Local Authority |
Number of purchases under Local Authority Mortgage to Rent (LAMTR) Scheme |
|
Carlow County Council |
2 |
|
Cavan County Council |
3 |
|
Clare County Council |
1 |
|
Cork City Council |
0 |
|
Cork County Council |
0 |
|
Donegal County Council |
3 |
|
Dublin City Council |
69 |
|
Fingal County Council |
0 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
0 |
|
D.L.R. County Council |
0 |
|
Galway City Council |
0 |
|
Galway County Council |
0 |
|
Kerry County Council |
0 |
|
Kildare County Council |
3 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
1 |
|
Laois County Council |
4 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
0 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
0 |
|
Longford County Council |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
2 |
|
Mayo County Council |
1 |
|
Meath County Council |
0 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
0 |
|
Offaly County Council |
0 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
1 |
|
Sligo County Council |
0 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
0 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
35 |
|
Wexford County Council |
1 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
0 |
|
Total |
127 |
167. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of properties which have been successfully purchased through the mortgage-to-rent scheme, ABH and LAMTRs, since 1 July 2015, by county, in tabular form. [40849/15]
View answerThe figures presented in the table below in relation to the Local Authority Mortgage to Rent (LAMTR) Scheme represent the number of recoupment claims local authorities have made in respect of properties purchased under the scheme since 1 July 2015. Some purchases may have been completed prior to that date. In relation to the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Mortgage to Rent scheme, the figures below represent individual cases that have been approved under the Scheme since 1 July.
|
Local authority |
Approved Housing Body (AHB) Mortgage to Rent Scheme |
Local Authority Mortgage to Rent (LAMTR) Scheme |
|
Carlow County Council |
1 |
0 |
|
Cavan County Council |
0 |
1 |
|
Clare County Council |
1 |
0 |
|
Cork City Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Cork County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Donegal County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Dublin City Council |
5 |
27 |
|
Fingal County Council |
1 |
0 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
D.L.R. County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway City Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Kerry County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Kildare County Council |
0 |
2 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
1 |
0 |
|
Laois County Council |
0 |
2 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Longford County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
1 |
1 |
|
Mayo County Council |
0 |
1 |
|
Meath County Council |
3 |
0 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1 |
1 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
0 |
4 |
|
Wexford County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
14 |
39 |
168. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans in relation to noise nuisance; if future legislation will take consideration of noises that are not necessarily loud, such as constant humming noises and vibrations; if there is a time frame for his plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40853/15]
View answerThe Programme for Government includes a commitment to take further steps to address noise pollution, inter alia, through consideration of the introduction of fixed payment notices (also known as “ on-the-spot fines ”). The development of new noise legislation by my Department is being considered in the context of this commitment. However, as indicated in the Government’s Legislation Programme published in September, it is not possible at this time to indicate when such a Bill might be published, having regard to the broad range of legislative priorities to be progressed across my Department’s remit. Over many years, there have been reports of low-level, low-frequency noise, which can be perceived as a hum, from various places around the world. By its nature, low-frequency noise can be transmitted over long distances, and at low level it can be difficult to distinguish from other sources. Reported ‘hums’ have been extensively investigated in both the UK and the USA, where studies found that generally less than 10%, or even as low as 2%, of the population will experience any noise. Generally, specific noise sources have not been identified as the origin of any particular ‘hum’ and in the absence of a known noise source, no noise abatement solution or remedy can be applied.
A public information leaflet, How to Make an Environmental Complaint, has been prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assist members of the public by advising whom they should contact regarding environmental complaints and what details should be provided to help resolve the problem. This leaflet can be viewed on the Agency’s website, www.epa.ie.
169. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of pre-2008 vehicles on which motor tax was paid in 2015 to date, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40871/15]
View answerThe information requested is set out in the following table.
|
Number of private vehicles taxed on the basis of engine capacity from 1 January – 31 October 2015 |
|
|
County |
Number of vehicles |
|
Carlow |
19,129 |
|
Cavan |
20,109 |
|
Clare |
37,070 |
|
Cork |
157,581 |
|
Donegal |
40,361 |
|
Dublin |
336,842 |
|
Galway |
72,709 |
|
Kerry |
46,809 |
|
Kildare |
64,629 |
|
Kilkenny |
27,936 |
|
Laois |
22,552 |
|
Leitrim |
9,230 |
|
Limerick City & County |
59,285 |
|
Longford |
11,408 |
|
Louth |
30,853 |
|
Mayo |
38,095 |
|
Meath |
54,604 |
|
Monaghan |
15,165 |
|
Offaly |
22,317 |
|
Roscommon |
18,275 |
|
Sligo |
18,989 |
|
Tipperary |
52,264 |
|
Waterford City & County |
36,288 |
|
Westmeath |
26,202 |
|
Wexford |
47,131 |
|
Wicklow |
46,518 |
|
Total |
1,332,351 |
170. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of revenue collected from motor tax for pre-2008 vehicles in 2015 to date, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40872/15]
View answerI understand that the question relates to revenue from motor tax for the current year. Vehicles registered prior to 1 July 2008 are taxed on the basis of engine capacity. Gross motor tax receipts (including arrears payments) from vehicles taxed on engine capacity for each licensing authority for the period from 1 January to 31 October 2015 are set out below. It should be noted that Dublin City Council collects on behalf of the other Dublin local authorities, and that Cork and Galway County Councils collect on behalf of the respective City Councils. The figures for Dublin, Cork and Galway in the table therefore refer to those counties, rather than to the specific licensing authorities.
|
Licensing Authority |
Receipts 1 January 2015 – 31 October 2015
|
|
Carlow |
€8,060,511 |
|
Cavan |
€8,632,973 |
|
Clare |
€15,885,522 |
|
Cork |
€68,771,384 |
|
Donegal |
€17,558,932 |
|
Dublin |
€153,073,663 |
|
Galway |
€32,394,950 |
|
Kerry |
€20,640,634 |
|
Kildare |
€28,002,821 |
|
Kilkenny |
€12,034,243 |
|
Laois |
€9,560,142 |
|
Leitrim |
€3,975,257 |
|
Limerick City & County |
€24,585,970 |
|
Longford |
€4,829,522 |
|
Louth |
€13,041,582 |
|
Mayo |
€16,880,486 |
|
Meath |
€24,108,555 |
|
Monaghan |
€6,727,451 |
|
Offaly |
€9,399,583 |
|
Roscommon |
€7,824,570 |
|
Sligo |
€8,112,627 |
|
Tipperary |
€22,187,605 |
|
Waterford City & County |
€15,093,826 |
|
Westmeath |
€11,150,826 |
|
Wexford |
€20,128,969 |
|
Wicklow |
€21,097,948 |
|
Total |
€583,760,552 |
171. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the allocations under the mortgage arrears resolution process in 2014 and 2015 to deal with local authority housing loan arrears, by local authority; if the process has been successful in reducing the level and growth of local authority loan arrears; the available measures of progress in this regard, such as figures on the level and growth rates of arrears in each local authority, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40884/15]
View answerMy Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics, including the number and value of local authority mortgages with a breakdown of those in arrears. The statistics are available on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15295,en.xls by clicking “Mortgage Data/Arrears in Local Authorities” under the Housing Loans contents. The data illustrate a gradual stabilisation and improvement in the local authority mortgage arrears situation in recent times.
The Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) is being implemented across all local authorities. My Department issued revised guidelines to local authorities for dealing with mortgage arrears within the local authority sector in June 2014. Dealing with Mortgage Arrears – A Guide for Local Authorities is available on my Department’s website by clicking on the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,30943,en.pdf.
Extending the term of the mortgage to a maximum of 35 years and a maximum borrower age of 70, depending on the type of loan, the remaining term and the circumstances of the individual borrower, as well as adding arrears and interest to the principal amount due at the interest rate applicable to the parent mortgage, are long term resolutions available to borrowers in mortgage arrears distress. In addition, a Mortgage to Rent scheme, specifically for local authority mortgage borrowers, is also available as part of the MARP arrangements.
The Local Authority Mortgage to Rent (LAMTR) scheme is demand led and actual expenditure across local authorities amounted to approximately €6.4m in 2014. An allocation of €8m was provided in 2015.
In cases of acute mortgage arrears distress, all homeowners also have the option of seeking to avail of the legal process now in place to deal with personal insolvency. The most important step any family in arrears can take is to engage early with the Arrears Support Unit of the local authority. Solutions are available and advice should be sought as early as possible.
