Written Answers Nos. 352-373
352. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how he envisages a public consultation will take place regarding industrial turbine development and the planning guidelines relating to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12767/16]
View answer357. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, given the fact that revisions to wind turbine guidelines will be informed by best international practice, he has noted whether international best practices have changed since the Marshall Day report in 2013 commissioned by the Government; if he has noted the recommendation of a 2 km setback by the Polish National Institute for Public Health and the judgment by the Constitutional Court of Bavaria in 2016 upholding the Bavarian state setback rule of ten times tip height that has been in force since 2014 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13581/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 352 and 357 together.
In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines.
These draft revisions proposed:
- the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,
- a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations, and
- the complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.
A public consultation process was also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the Guidelines, which ran until 21 February 2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.
As outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government published last week, the Government is committed to finalising the revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines within 3 to 6 months. The revisions to the guidelines will be informed by the public consultation process and best international practice. My Department will continue to advance work on the Guidelines in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
The revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006, when finalised, will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard to guidelines issued under Section 28 in the performance of their functions under the Planning Acts.
353. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the aviation fuel pipeline to Dublin Airport; his plans to provide funding for this project over the coming years and how much funding will be required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12857/16]
View answerFingal County Council granted permission on 7 July 2015, subject to 15 conditions, for the part of the pipeline project in its administrative area. On 26 April 2016, An Bord Pleanála granted permission on appeal, subject to 33 conditions, for the part of this project in Dublin City Council’s administrative area. Both permissions are for a period of 10 years.
The development and financing of this private project is a matter for the promoters and the State has no proposals to provide any funding towards it.
354. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure the provision of requested national funding for the men's shed movement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13122/16]
View answerThe organisation in question is currently funded through the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) which aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services.
The current round of funding commenced on 1 July 2014, for a two year period. The organisation in question was allocated €175,950 for the 24 month period to 30 June 2016.
A new round of funding was advertised in January 2016, with applications due for submission in February. I intend to announce the results of this process shortly, following which all organisations currently in receipt of funding and who have applied for further funding under the new Scheme will be contacted before the end of their current funding period.
355. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the method by which the more competitive capital funding, as promised in the programme for Government to Leader groups, will be made available, and the associated timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13364/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the Leader programme will transfer to my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht shortly. In this regard, the allocation of additional funding to Leader groups, which is referred to in the new Programme for a Partnership Government, will be considered in due course. I believe there is sufficient funding allocated under the programme to meet demand in 2016 and 2017. It is likely, therefore, that the allocation of additional funding will be considered for the latter years of the programme when applications for funding and expenditure traditionally reach their peak. Notwithstanding this, any additional allocation of funding to LEADER groups will be made in accordance with EU rules and with a view to securing optimum outcomes for rural areas.
356. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of puppy farms and their locations that were inspected, closed down and subsequently re-inspected in the years 2013 to 2015, inclusive, and to date in 2016, in tabular form; his plans to address the horrors that were exposed in a recent investigation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13378/16]
View answerI assume the question refers to the so-called 'puppy farm' in County Cavan, recently referred to on a British Broadcasting Corporation Panorama investigation programme.
The regulation of dog breeding establishments is a matter for local authorities in accordance with the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 and I understand that Cavan County Council is dealing with the matter referred to in the Question.
The local authority must maintain for public inspection a register of dog breeding establishments in its functional area, which must include the name and address of the applicant seeking entry onto the register, the address of the dog breeding establishment and the maximum number of breeding bitches that may be kept at the dog breeding establishment or premises. Data collected by local authorities in relation to certain of their dog control functions, including the number of dog breeding establishments registered by them since 2012, are available on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/search/archived/current/sub-type/dog-control/type/statistics.
Statistical information of new and repeat inspections and closures carried out on Dog Breeding establishments during 2013 and 2014 is set out in Tables 1 and 2 below. The 2015 statistics are currently being finalised and will be available on my Departments website shortly. The process of collating and validating annual stats in respect of 2016 by the Department will not commence until 2017.
The Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010 provides a robust regulatory framework for, inter alia, the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments.
A joint inspection regime of dog breeding establishments, involving the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Local Authority Veterinary Service, was inaugurated last year and has inspected the majority of establishments and necessary follow up action is taken as appropriate. The discovery of individual problematic dog breeding establishments, and the taking of action by the Gardaí, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and local authorities in an integrated manner in the most serious cases, is a matter for law enforcement. That said, a working group is currently examining the legislation to determine if amendments are required.
More generally, the enforcement of welfare standards regarding all animals is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
Table 1
|
Local Authority |
Number of inspections on new premises during 2013 |
Number of inspections on already registered premises during 2013 |
No. of Improvement Notices issued during 2013 |
No. of Closure Notices issued during 2013 |
No. of cases taken to the District Court by applicant for refusal to register a premises or DBE |
No. of previously registered establishments that have ceased operation during 2013 |
Total Number of Dog Breeding Establishments registered @ 31/12/2013 |
|
Carlow |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Cavan |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Clare |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Cork City |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Cork County |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
23 |
|
Donegal |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Dublin City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/ Rathdown |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Fingal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Galway City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway County |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Kildare |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
|
Laois |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Limerick City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Longford |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Louth |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Mayo |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Meath |
13 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
|
North Tipperary |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Offaly |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
|
Roscommon |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
South Dublin |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
South Tipperary |
6 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
|
Waterford City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Waterford County |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
Wexford |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
TOTALS |
73 |
58 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
189 |
Table 2
|
Local Authority |
Number of inspections on new premises during 2014 |
Number of inspections on already registered premises during 2014 |
Number of Improvement Notices issued during 2014 |
Number of Closure Notices issued during 2014 |
Number of cases taken to the District Court by applicant for refusal to register a premises or DBE |
No. of previously active establishments known/ believed to have ceased operation during 2014 |
Total number of DBEs on LA Register @ 31/12/2014 |
|
Carlow |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Clare |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Cork City |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Cork County |
8 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
25 |
|
Donegal |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Dublin City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Fingal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Galway City |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway County |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Kildare |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
6 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Laois |
6 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Limerick City & County |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
|
Longford |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Louth |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
|
Meath |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Roscommon |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
South Dublin |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Tipperary |
3 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
Waterford City & County |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
|
Wexford |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
|
Wicklow |
9 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
|
TOTALS |
57 |
80 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
227 |
358. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the supports in place for the development and protection of county archive services to preserve local cultural patrimony. [13610/16]
View answerIt is the responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with Section 80 of the Local Government Act 2001, to make proper arrangements for the management, custody, care and conservation of their records and archives and to provide public access to their archives. Similarly, the annual cost for the storage of records and archives is a matter for each local authority and is a matter in which my Department has no role.
359. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the estimated full-year savings for 2017 from reducing local authority chief executive officer pay by 10%. [13656/16]
View answerA 10% cut in the annual salaries of the 31 Chief Executives would amount to a total annual saving of €418,000.
360. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will release Leader funding to the Avondhu and Blackwater local action groups in County Cork. [12504/16]
View answerThe first Leader contracts will issue to local action groups (LAGs), including those in County Cork, on a phased basis over the coming weeks as the respective Leader local development strategies are finalised and discussions on contract and implementation arrangements are concluded with the respective LAGs.
The new Leader Programme will be delivered in three separate sub-regional areas in County Cork, namely the North Cork, South Cork and West Cork Leader areas. The Avondhu Blackwater Partnership is an implementing partner in the three Local Community Development Committee-led LAGs that have submitted a Leader application for each of these Leader areas. In this context, funding will be delivered by Avondhu Blackwater as a partner on an LCDC-led LAG in the North and South Cork areas under the new programme once discussions on contract and implementation arrangements are concluded. I expect these discussions to commence very shortly.
The position with regard to West Cork, where two competing Leader strategies have been submitted by West Cork LCDC and West Cork Development Partnership respectively, will be determined at the next meeting of the Independent Selection Committee in mid-June. Discussions will commence with the successful LAG shortly thereafter.
361. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to create a vacant homes register in the short term to help tackle the housing crisis, given that the report form the Housing Agency indicated that there are almost 250,000 vacant properties here, excluding holiday homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12505/16]
View answerThe figures produced by the Housing Agency, drawing on Census 2011, highlight the extent of vacant properties in the country at that time. The Agency has also highlighted the importance of utilising existing housing stock to meet the housing shortage where possible. In this regard, vacant units in areas that are already serviced may provide opportunities. In order to fully ascertain the potential from vacant units more information is required on, inter alia, the up to date number of units, which will be available from this years’ census, their location and the local demand for such dwellings, the reasons the properties are vacant, any obstacles to bringing the units up to standard and back into productive use and the associated costs.
The potential to bring vacant units, in private ownership, back into productive use will be examined in the context of drafting the Action Plan for Housing. All options for the delivery of good quality houses and apartments, particularly in areas that are already serviced, are being examined by my Department.
In relation to vacant local authority units, high priority has been placed on supporting local authorities to return vacant social housing units to productive use for those on the housing waiting list. Between 2014 and 2015, some 5,000 such units were remediated with the support from the Exchequer and were made available to those on housing waiting lists. Work was also carried out by local authorities themselves on vacant houses through normal pre-letting works.
Over the last two years, my Department has provided some €60 million for this purpose. This investment is a very significant support to deal with the backlog of vacant social housing units and a key element in addressing urgent social housing need.
362. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government why customers of Irish Water are being fined for non-payment of water charges while the Government has to vote on suspending these charges for nine months. [12552/16]
View answerI will shortly bring forward draft legislation to implement water elements of the “Confidence and Supply Arrangement” agreed with Fianna Fáil in the context of supporting a minority government. This draft legislation will provide for the suspension of domestic water charges for a period of nine months, clarify the position on late payment charges during this period and provide for the establishment of an External Advisory Board to build public confidence in Irish Water.
The suspension period is to allow for the establishment of an expert Commission to consider and make recommendations on the long term funding of water services. These recommendations will be considered by a Special Oireachtas committee and, ultimately, the Oireachtas will then determine the enduring funding model for public water services into the future. In the meantime, Irish Water will continue to make improvements in the delivery of water and wastewater services and increase investment to upgrade our water infrastructure.
363. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to permit an extension for a waste collection provider where the collection vehicles fail to comply with the new measures required under the pay-by-weight system to be introduced on 1 July 2016 due to financial difficulty, unavoidable delays resulting in difficult time constraints, equipment malfunction, repair or otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12682/16]
View answer364. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the fines, licence reviews, penalisation and statutory or other disciplinary actions waste collection providers will be subject to on failing to comply with the pay-by-weight regulations due to come into effect on 1 July 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12683/16]
View answer365. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to implement a 90-day grace period from 1 July 2016 during which all waste collection providers will be immune from fines, licence reviews, penalisation and any other statuary or other disciplinary actions and afford ample time for them to address unforeseen issues with upgrades to infrastructure, equipment, vehicles and associated machinery or otherwise. [12684/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 363 to 365, inclusive, together.
Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended, there has been a requirement since 1 July 2015 for collectors to weigh household waste collected at kerbside, using approved weighing instruments and to make this information available to the householder. From 1 July 2016 , there will be a requirement to charge on a pay by weight per kilogramme basis for collecting household waste.
In circumstances where an operator does not comply with the legislation, the operator is liable to having their waste collection permit reviewed by the National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO), a process whereby an apparent breach of a waste collection permit condition is investigated. The review process allows the NWCPO to amend the permit, including removing the authorisation for non-compliant vehicles to collect household waste; to direct measures to be taken within a specified timeframe to ensure compliance with the legislation or to ultimately revoke the permit.
A person guilty of an offence under the Act for non-compliance with the requirements concerning the application of pay by weight charging shall be liable on summary conviction to a Class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment, or on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €15,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
It is not proposed to move the 1 July 2016 deadline with regard to the application of pay by weight, especially in light of the 12-month lead-in period referred to above.
366. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the commission on water charges is to be established; the nature of the applications process for members of the public to apply for membership of the commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12757/16]
View answerI will shortly bring forward draft legislation to implement water elements of the “Confidence and Supply Arrangement” agreed with Fianna Fáil in the context of supporting a minority government. This draft legislation will provide for the suspension of domestic water charges for a period of nine months and provide for the establishment of an External Advisory Board to build public confidence in Irish Water.
The External Advisory Body is to advise and improve the accountability and transparency of Irish Water and will publish advice to the Government and give quarterly reports to an Oireachtas Committee on the performance of Irish Water in implementing its business plan. The membership and other details of the Board will be set out in the draft legislation when published.
The suspension period is to allow for the establishment of an expert Commission to consider and make recommendations on the long term funding of water services. The Commission will consist of national and international experts in water services provision and financing and I intend to bring my proposals in this regard to Government shortly. The Commission’s recommendations will be considered by a Special Oireachtas committee and, ultimately, the Oireachtas will then determine the enduring funding model for public water services into the future.
In the meantime, Irish Water will continue to make improvements in the delivery of water and wastewater services and increase investment to upgrade our water infrastructure.
367. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline any review of election postering regulations by his Department, given the move by other jurisdictions to ban postering in public places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12759/16]
View answerMy Department held a public consultation on the control of postering for elections and referenda in Autumn 2008. Following on from this, a number of measures, including restricting the number of posters per candidate and the display of posters in designated areas only, were pilot-tested during the 2009 Local and European Elections. Local authorities were canvassed for their views on these measures.
Several local authorities indicated that any restriction on the number of posters per candidate would be difficult to police effectively. There were also concerns that restricting the number of posters per candidate would favour larger parties with several candidates running, while restricting the number of posters per party would disadvantage candidates with running mates. Furthermore, there were concerns that any such measures would disadvantage first-time candidates and thus interfere with the democratic process. Other concerns included the diverse geographical nature of constituencies, e.g. small urban versus large rural electoral districts.
As a result, no measures were introduced to restrict the number of posters. However, section 19(7) of the Litter Pollution Act 1997 was amended by the Electoral (Amendment) (No.2) Act 2009 to introduce a 30-day time limit prior to an election taking place, during which election posters can be displayed. Prior to this amendment, the relevant legislation had required that election posters be taken down within 7 days of an election but provided no time limit for the period prior to an election within which posters could be displayed. While not dealing directly with the number of election posters on display, this legislation ensures that posters are only displayed for a finite and reasonable period.
I am satisfied that, overall, the existing arrangements are operating quite well and therefore have no plans in the short term to revise the legislation related to the erection of election posters.
368. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide a breakdown of the 1,477 social housing current expenditure programme units (details supplied) operational in 2015. [12765/16]
View answerThe Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) (formally the Social Housing Leasing Initiative) was announced in February, 2009. Since then the Programme has been expanded a number of times to provide for new types of supply and to involve a greater range of agencies and bodies in providing accommodation. SHCEP currently supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the longterm leasing of houses and apartments from private owners, developers, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and the NAMA Special Purpose Vehicle, NARPS (National Asset Residential Property Services Ltd). Lease arrangements vary between ten and thirty years in duration and my Department recoups to local authorities the cost of the agreements that are made.
In addition, local authorities have the option to lease vacant and unsold affordable units to AHBs with the units concerned being made available to households eligible for social housing support. The interest on the loans associated with these units is recouped to local authorities by my Department under the SHCEP. The rationale for using unsold affordable units to accommodate social housing tenants in the short to medium term is to match existing vacant housing stock available to local authorities with social housing need.
In 2015, 1,477 new units became operational under the SHCEP and were made available to local authorities for social housing. The following table breaks down the ownership of the new units that became operational under SHCEP in 2015. My Department does not record information in relation to the previous use of properties coming under the SHCEP for the first time. All properties made available under the Programme are used to accommodate households from local authority waiting lists and are allocated by local authorities to tenants, in accordance with the relevant local authority’s allocation scheme.
|
Ownership of the unit funded under SHCEP |
Total number of units |
|
NARPS |
433 |
|
AHB |
430 |
|
Private property owner |
518 |
|
LA (previously unsold affordable units) |
96 |
|
Total |
1,477 |
369. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to request Uisce Éireann to provide details of the number of water meters installed in Dublin county and city, by commercial, industrial, and residential use, in tabular form. [12786/16]
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 the domestic water metering programme.
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.
370. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the remedies available to local authorities or other State agencies to ensure that property owners of derelict or inhabited buildings in need of repair, both from a structural and an aesthetic perspective, have them restored to an acceptable standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12791/16]
View answerThe Derelict Sites Act 1990 requires local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. To this end, local authorities have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require specified measures to be taken in relation to a derelict site, to impose a levy on sites which are included in the local authority’s derelict sites register, or to compulsorily acquire any derelict site. It is a matter for local authorities to determine the most appropriate use of the legislation within their respective functional areas.
Under section 8(5) of the Act, a copy of the derelict sites register for any local authority can be inspected at the offices of that authority during office hours. This positions members of the public to engage with their local authority in relation to addressing individual derelict sites.
In addition, the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, which was enacted in September 2015, introduced a vacant site levy, aimed at incentivising the development of vacant and under-utilised sites in urban areas for residential or regeneration development.
Under the provisions of the Act , planning authorities are required to establish and maintain a register of vacant sites in their functional areas with effect from January 2017. From January 2019, the Act further empowers planning authorities to charge a levy on the registered owners of sites that remain on the vacant site register in the preceding year at a rate of 3% of the market value of each site, with reduced or zero rates applying in specific circumstances.
In addition to the foregoing, the Programme for a Partnership Government proposes the examination of a number of planning reforms to regenerate derelict and under-used buildings, including:
- introducing a similar scheme to the “Living city Initiative” to regenerate town centres and villages throughout Ireland,
- the establishment of a national register of derelict sites, in addition to the new vacant site levy, to bring vacant and under-utilised sites into beneficial use for housing and urban regeneration purposes,
- mandating local authorities with better land management powers, including the possibility of additional CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) capabilities, and
- reclassifying and incentivising the use of under utilised or vacant areas over ground floor premises in towns, for both residential and commercial use.
Furthermore, the potential to bring vacant units, in private ownership, back into productive use will be examined in the context of the drafting the forthcoming Action Plan for Housing. All options for the delivery of good quality houses and apartments, particularly in areas that are already serviced, are being examined by my Department.
In relation to vacant local authority units, high priority has been placed on supporting local authorities to return vacant social housing units to productive use for those on the housing waiting list. Between 2014 and 2015, some 5,000 such units were remediated with the support from the Exchequer and were made available to those on housing waiting lists. Work was also carried out by local authorities themselves on vacant houses through normal pre-letting works.
Over the last two years, my Department has provided some €60 million for this purpose. This investment is a very significant support to deal with the backlog of vacant social housing units and a key element in addressing urgent social housing need.
In effect, there is already a considerable range of measures in place aimed at bringing derelict buildings and sites, as well as inhabited buildings in need of repair, into productive use, with potential additional measures being examined so that the issues of dereliction and vacancy can be addressed as comprehensively as possible with a view to assisting in the provision of increased housing supply.
371. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the average annual domestic water charge amount per house; the number of households in total which paid their water charges; the number in total which claimed the €100 water conservation grant; the number which paid their water charges but did not claim the €100 water conservation grant; the number of households which did not pay their water charges but did claim the €100 water conservation grant; and the cost of administering the water conservation grant and collecting the charges for each of the years 2015 and 2016 to date, in tabular form. [12795/16]
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. Irish Water customer billing and collection levels are a matter for the utility and one in which I have no function.
Irish Water has published information on bill payment levels to the end of its fourth billing cycle on its website at www.water.ie.
The fourth cycle of bills issued to customers in January and February 2016 and covered services provided in the last three months of 2015. The information published shows that at the end of March 2016, 975,000 customers, or 64% of Irish Water’s anticipated customer base, had paid all or part of their bills for services delivered in 2015. This compares to some 928,000 or 61% of the customer base at the end of the third billing cycle. Irish Water began issuing bills to their domestic customers in April 2015. Domestic revenue was €144.2m or 53% of income due from charges in 2015.
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.
To date, the Department of Social Protection, which administers the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of my Department, has made grant payments totalling €88,991,800 in respect of the 2015 Water Conservation Grant. A small number of residual payments continue to be made to householders who have an entitlement to the 2015 Water Conservation Grant. The total administration costs for the 2015 scheme, which includes once-off system development costs, are some €5.9m.
The information requested in relation to a detailed breakdown between grants paid to Irish Water and non-Irish Water customers is not available. The 2015 grant was a universal payment to support water conservation in the home and was available to all householders in respect of their principal private residence who had registered details of their water services with Irish Water before 30 June 2015.
372. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of vacant properties which currently exist in County Louth; the number of these vacant properties owned by Louth County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12808/16]
View answerStatistics on unoccupied housing across the State, including County Louth, has most recently been set out in a report by the Housing Agency, which is available at the following link: http://www.housing.ie/getattachment/Our-Publications/Latest-Publications/16-05-17-Vacant-Homes-Paper-Housing-Agency.pdf
Louth County Council had 59 vacant social housing units as at 27 May 2016, which represents 1.6% of their stock. A number of these are vacant/derelict units which the Council has recently acquired from private owners and which require major refurbishment. These units are at various stages of redesign, refurbishment or rebuild with a view to being made available as social housing. The balance of these units are being remediated by the Council through their ongoing programme to repair and re-let social housing.
373. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will consider amending the relevant clause in the tenant purchase scheme, Part 5, to enable residents of private developments to purchase their own home as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12840/16]
View answer395. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to review the stipulation in the tenant purchase scheme that a tenant must have a minimum income of €15,000 to be eligible to purchase and that social protection income can only count as a secondary source to get to the €15,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13448/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 395 together.
The new Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme and applies to all existing local authority houses, other than those classes of houses excluded under legislation. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum.
The minimum reckonable income for eligibility under the Scheme is determined by the relevant housing authority in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, housing authorities can include income from a number of different sources and classes, such as from employment, private pensions, maintenance payments and certain social welfare payments, including pensions, where the social welfare payment is secondary to employment income.
The provisions of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, are designed to enable the development of mixed tenure sustainable communities. Part V units are excluded from the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme to ensure that units delivered under this mechanism will remain available for people in need of social housing support and that the original policy goals of the legislation are not eroded over time. The continued development of mixed tenure communities remains very important in promoting social integration.
The new Scheme is in the very early stages of implementation and my Department is monitoring the operation of the scheme in consultation with housing authorities. In line with the commitment in the new Programme for a Partnership Government to make the scheme more attractive for social housing tenants and to raise new funds for housing development, I intend to undertake a review of the scheme following the first 12 months of operation. I will bring forward any changes to the terms and conditions of the scheme which are considered necessary based on the evidence gathered at that stage.
