Written Answers Nos. 110-115
110. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the local authorities due to be revalued in 2016 as a result of the Valuation Office's global revaluation for commercial rates; and the net effect on local authority revenue of each revaluation that has been carried out or which he expects to be carried out in 2016, by local authority, in tabular form. [16287/16]
View answerLocal authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The Commissioner for Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters except appeals of valuation procedures set out under the Valuation Act 2001, as amended, which comes under the remit of an independent Valuation Tribunal. The Valuation Act 2001 comes under the aegis of the Minister for Justice and Equality.
Under Part 5 of the Valuation Act 2001, as amended, the Commissioner of Valuation is conducting a revaluation of all commercial and industrial properties throughout the State. The purpose of a revaluation is to achieve more consistent and up-to-date valuations for rating purposes. It is not the purpose of a revaluation to increase or decrease the total amount of commercial rates collected by local authorities. To date, revaluations have been completed in South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Dublin City Council, Waterford City and County Council and Limerick City and County Council. I understand that revaluations in Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath County Councils are due to be completed in 2017.
Section 8 of the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 provides that I, as Minister, can make an order directing a rating authority to limit the overall amount of income it could raise through rates in the year following a revaluation to the total amount of rates liable to be paid to it in the previous year, adjusted for inflation. Rate limitation orders have been made in each of the local authorities that have undergone a revaluation to date. While this generally serves to ensure that rates income levels are not affected by revaluations, impacts may arise from the determination of subsequent appeals against revaluation; however, information in relation to such incidences is not collated by my Department.
111. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for advice on dealing with nuisance noise caused by a dog; the provisions available in law; the remedies available if the relevant local authority is not acting on the case; his plans to strengthen the by-laws and legislation in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16359/16]
View answerWhenever a person considers a noise to be so loud, so continuous, so repeated, of such duration or pitch or occurring at such times that it gives reasonable cause for annoyance, he or she can initiate action to deal with it, for example, by engaging with the individual causing the noise to come to some mutually acceptable understanding, or by contacting their local authority, which may initiate proceedings on grounds of noise nuisance under the section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992.
Furthermore, section 108 of that Act also provides for any person, or group of persons, to seek an order in the District Court to have noise giving reasonable cause for annoyance abated. The task of the District Court is to hear both sides of the case. The procedures involved have been simplified to allow action to be taken without legal representation.
A public information leaflet A Guide to the Noise Regulations, outlining the procedural and legal avenues available to persons experiencing noise nuisance, is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/environment/noise/guide-noise-regulations.
In relation to noise nuisance from dogs, section 25 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 deals with nuisance by barking dogs. A person may be able to solve such problems in the first instance by talking to the dog owner. However, if that person doesn’t get a satisfactory response from the dog owner, they may complain to the District Court, using the form prescribed under the Control of Dogs Act. These forms are available from local authorities.
The Court may make an order, requiring the occupier of the premises in which the dog is kept to abate the nuisance by exercising due control over the dog. The Court may also limit the number of dogs that can be kept on a premises or may direct that the dog be delivered to a dog warden to be dealt with as an unwanted dog.
112. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of staff that have been recruited in the county councils' road maintenance division in 2015, in tabular form. [16365/16]
View answerMy Department works closely with all local authorities to ensure the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence.
However, under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual Chief Executive to recruit and assign staff to specific divisions.
113. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has or when he will approve an application by Galway City Council for additional funding for additional technical staff in its housing department, given the urgency to recruit additional technical staff and to progress construction of extension works to local authority houses in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16326/16]
View answerUnder section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. My Department works closely with all local authorities in relation to their overall resource requirements, including staffing, to ensure their capacity and preparedness for delivery of the ambitious targets set under the Social Housing Strategy 2020.
My Department has received 18 housing-related staffing applications from Galway City Council since 2014. All of these posts have been sanctioned except for 1 which was received on 10 June last and is under consideration.
To support the early ramping up by local authorities of their social housing programmes as envisaged in the Strategy, Circular Housing 35/2015, of 29 October 2015, advised local authorities of new arrangements in relation to the recoupment of administration and other costs associated with new build social housing projects.
All funding due to Galway City Council under the Housing Capital Programme is being paid as soon as it is claimed by the Council.
114. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rationale for the amalgamation of library services in counties Leitrim, Sligo and Roscommon, which implies a drastic reduction in library services for those counties; the cost savings of this amalgamation; and the cost of necessary new builds to compensate for the closure of small local libraries. [16332/16]
View answerThe introduction of a shared library management model for the library authorities in Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon, as outlined in the report Managing the Delivery of Effective Library Services, will not involve the closure of libraries nor will there be a reduction in the library services available in those areas.
Rather than a requirement to drive greater cost efficiency, the proposed model seeks to put in place planning and implementation arrangements that will deliver more effective and efficient public libraries with a view to securing the delivery of an enhanced quality and range of services. This will ensure the long-term sustainability of the library service in these areas.
To this end, front-line services will continue to be locally focused and people-centred, with opportunities for enhanced individual and community support services and engagement. It will secure a stronger senior management structure and increase capacity across the relevant library authorities, thus increasing the scope for developing and enhancing services to the public, and providing a broader range of services to the same high standard across the country.
115. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the assistance his Department is offering to local authorities to upgrade halting sites (details supplied). [16373/16]
View answerIn accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
In 2014, local authorities adopted the fourth round of Traveller Accommodation Programmes, with the five-year rolling accommodation programmes running from 2014 to 2018. These programmes provide a road map for local authority investment priorities over the period. They also form the basis for the allocation of funding from my Department for traveller accommodation, on foot of proposals received from local authorities and subject to approval from my Department.
Proposals for upgrading works to a temporary halting site at Capira, County Galway, were received by my Department on 13 June 2016 and are currently under consideration. I understand from Galway County Council that a proposal for a group housing scheme at Craughwell, County Galway, is currently at pre-design stage and will be submitted to my Department for consideration in due course.
