Written Answers Nos. 114-20
114. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of and will facilitate a request by a school (details supplied) for an increase in grants to facilitate extension works, buildings and facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14008/16]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding in 2015 under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide one classroom, three resource rooms and a WC for assisted users.
The school recently applied for a grant uplift. My Officials are currently liaising with the school to ascertain how and why the application for additional funding arises. When all of the relevant information has been received from the school and reviewed the school will be informed of my Department's decision.
115. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to allow senior citizens who did not apply for the water conservation grant because they were not aware of it to apply for it now on discretionary grounds. [13855/16]
View answerThe Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) Regulations 2015 govern the operation of the 2015 Water Conservation Grant scheme. The date for registration with Irish Water for the purposes of eligibility for payment of the grant in 2015 was set at 30 June 2015.
The deadline for submitting a completed application for the grant in 2015 was 8 October 2015, which was further extended to 22 October 2015 under the Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) (Amendment) Regulations 2015. These criteria were widely communicated by my Department, on www.watergrant.ie and in the print and radio media. The 2015 grant scheme administration is now closed and I have no proposals to amend the regulations to further extend the deadline or re-open the 2015 scheme.
Under the 'Confidence and Supply arrangement' agreed with Fianna Fáil in the context of facilitating a minority government, the Government is committed to introducing and supporting legislation in the Oireachtas, within six weeks of its appointment, to suspend domestic water charges for a period of nine months from the end of the current bill cycle. This is to allow for the Oireachtas to decide on the enduring funding model for Irish Water. Under this arrangement, the Water Conservation Grant will be suspended for 2016.
Water Services legislation prohibits Irish Water from disconnecting a household from the public water supply.
116. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the net cost and savings in abolishing water charges and the water conservation grant, including its administration costs and its associated impact on the fiscal space. [13892/16]
View answerAbolishing domestic water charges would lead to an expected additional subvention requirement of up to €1.4 billion over period 2016-2021, subject to assumptions on payment levels, allowing for some reducing in customer service costs but without reflecting any costs of dismantling contracts. Some additional funding would also arise for the group water sector. Assuming the abolition of the Water Conservation Grant, savings of some €660 million would arise, again over the same period and including savings on administrative costs.
The effect on the fiscal space or budgetary room for manoeuvre as calculated under the Expenditure Benchmark is more complex to describe. The expenditure undertaken by Irish Water, which counts as general government expenditure, is already in the base level of expenditure. However, the abolishment of water charges would count as a discretionary revenue reduction for the year after the abolition occurred. The redeployment of the Water Conservation Grant as subvention to Irish Water would compensate to some degree.
117. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost of abolishing the punitive excess charge where a vehicle is taxed for less than 12 months, that is, a vehicle being more expensive when charged for six months than for 12 months. [13893/16]
View answerMotor tax is payable on an annual, half-yearly or quarterly basis.
The rates applicable for the half-yearly and quarterly options are 55.5% and 28.25% of the annual charge respectively. These relativities have remained generally consistent since the 1960s.
The current annual cost of the surcharge is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.
118. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to review voting rights of British citizens living and paying tax here to allow them to vote in referenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13931/16]
View answerBritish citizens resident in the State may vote at Dáil, European Parliament and local elections if they are entered in the register of electors for a constituency in the State in which they ordinarily reside. Only Irish citizens are entitled to vote at referendums, in accordance with Article 47.3 of the Constitution.
119. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider issuing directions to local authorities to provide a small portion of the local property tax to estates which have been taken in charge and have their own established residents associations, so as to facilitate them in maintaining open spaces, landscaping, grass cutting and other decorative works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13871/16]
View answerLocal authorities receive income from a variety of sources including grants from Central Government, Local Property Tax (LPT) proceeds, commercial rates and other locally-raised charges. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities, including funding towards the maintenance of open spaces in housing estates, in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.
120. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how he will address the first ground of the Court of Justice of the European Union's judgment in case C-50/09 in terms of legislative provisions in the area of water discharge licensing, and to ensure full compliance with Articles 2 to 4, inclusive, of the environmental impact assessment directive relating to planning and licensing decisions for wastewater treatment plants. [13906/16]
View answerThe European Commission has raised with my Department the issue of whether the 2007 Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations are in full compliance with Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive), on foot of the European Court of Justice C-50/09 judgment of 2012.
In its judgment in Case C-50/09, the Court found that Ireland had failed to transpose Article 3 of the EIA Directive and had failed to ensure that, where the planning authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) both have decision-making powers concerning a project, there is complete fulfilment of the requirements of Articles 2 to 4 of the Directive. Following the judgment, legislative amendments were made to a range of consent regimes.
However, in 2015, the European Commission brought to my Department’s attention that consideration should be given to whether the 2007 Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations also required similar amendment. My Department sought independent expert advice in this regard and, taking that advice into account, it is accepted that the 2007 Regulations will require amendment to ensure full compliance with the EIA Directive.
The expert advice has also recommended that some revisions to planning legislation may be required to ensure optimal coordination between planning authorities and the EPA. This recommendation is also accepted and consideration is now being given to identifying the most appropriate legislative vehicles to effect these changes in a timely manner.
