Tuesday, 28 Jun 2016

Written Answers Nos. 200-19

Social and Affordable Housing

Questions (200)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

200. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of the new units leased under the social housing current expenditure programme, SHCEP, scheme in 2015 and 2014 that were leased from private landlords and developers; the number of those that were under the Part V scheme; the number of the new SHCEP units in 2014 and 2015 that were leased from National Asset Residential Property Services Limited and to provide a similar breakdown of the total current stock under SHCEP. [18234/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Library Services

Questions (201)

Willie Penrose

Question:

201. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will suspend any proposals to amalgamate library services across county boundaries leading to a centralisation of management, with a significant negative impact for localities and where no cost-benefit analysis of such proposals has been produced to date; and if he will engage in a comprehensive way with the trade union representatives to explore worthy alternatives to these proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18240/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Proposals to introduce changes to the library management model are outlined in the report Managing the Delivery of Effective Library Services.

The proposed operating 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 Ireland. It does not involve the closure of libraries nor will it require a reduction of the library services available in those areas, in fact, the model seeks to enhance the services that are available. The proposed operating model was developed on foot of a risk assessment. A cost-benefit analysis was not carried out as the reforms were identified as a means for achieving a greater and more equitable standard of library service rather than the requirement to drive greater cost efficiency.

Over the last number of months my Department has been engaging with the respective local authorities to explore the implementation of the revised operating model. We are open to working with the local authorities concerned and if an alternative approach, that yields the same result, is suggested we will consider this and work with the parties involved to achieve the best possible outcome for all concerned.

Local Authority Expenditure

Questions (202)

Robert Troy

Question:

202. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the annual cost of the kilometerage reimbursement scheme incurred by local authority in each of the years 2011 to 2016, to date, in tabular form. [18249/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

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 manage travel expenses within their own organisation.

Information of the kind sought is not available in my Department.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (203)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

203. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the obligations on the part of public houses that also serve food to provide wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18270/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

While I have no role in relation to the regulation of public houses serving food, my Department is responsible for the Building Regulations 1997 to 2014, which provide for the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings. All new buildings must comply with the legally enforceable minimum performance standards set out in the Building Regulations.

In this regard, the Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010, and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use (2010), which came into effect on 1 January 2012, set out the minimum statutory requirements on accessibility and usability applicable to new buildings, and to existing buildings where new works, a material alteration or a material change of use is proposed.

In broad terms, the requirements of Part M aim to ensure that regardless of age, size or disability:

- new buildings other than dwellings (including multi-unit developments) are accessible and usable;

- extensions to existing buildings other than dwellings are, where practicable, accessible and useable;

- material alterations to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings, where practicable;

- certain changes of use to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings, where practicable; and

- new dwellings are visitable.

Part M of the Building Regulations aims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. Under the regulations, refreshment facilities, such as restaurants and bars, should be so designed and constructed that they can be accessed and used by both visitors and staff independently or with companions. While the number and location of sanitary facilities required in a building will be dictated by a number of factors including the nature of the building, the size of the building, the number of people who will use the building, gender ratio, patterns of use and the ease of access, under Part M, the objective is to provide independently accessible sanitary facilities that meet the needs of people with a wide range of abilities.

Traveller Accommodation

Questions (204)

Joan Collins

Question:

204. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will increase the national Traveller accommodation budget from €5.5 million to the 2008 level of €40 million as per the recommendation from the Committee on Housing and Homelessness; and when he will set up a stand-alone agency to oversee delivery of Traveller-specific accommodation. [18307/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

In 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.

The Report of the Special Committee on Housing and Homelessness, which was published on 17 June, will form a major input into the proposed ‘Action Plan for Housing’ and all of the recommendations of the Committee, including those related to Traveller-specific accommodation, are being fully considered in that regard.

Furthermore, in terms of the delivery of Traveller-specific accommodation and associated funding, the approach to be followed will be guided by the Programme for Partnership Government commitment ‘to establish a special working group to audit the current delivery and implementation of local authorities’ Traveller Accommodation Plans and consult with stakeholders on key areas of concern. The group should report a plan for the delivery of safe, culturally appropriate accommodation.

In order to progress this commitment, the Housing Agency is being asked, in the first instance, to commission an independent review of Traveller accommodation expenditure and delivery of units, having regard to the targets contained in the local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes. These are 5-year rolling programmes prepared and published by each local authority for the provision of Traveller accommodation in their areas. These programmes are subject to comprehensive local stakeholder and public consultation, including members and representatives of the Traveller community. In parallel, the composition and terms of reference of the working group to be established under the Programme for Government commitment will be scoped by the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (NTACC), which comprises key stakeholders including representatives of the Traveller community, and submitted to me for consideration. This is in accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 which provides, inter alia, that the NTACC may advise the Minister on general matters concerning the preparation, adequacy, implementation and co-ordination of traveller accommodation programmes. The independent review commissioned by the Housing Agency will provide factual information and a key platform for the working group to progress its work effectively.

While the timing of the finalisation of the work of the working group will be dependent upon its terms of reference and work programme, I will be mandating the group to complete their report in the earliest time possible.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (205, 206, 207, 208, 219)

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

205. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will make a subvention available to compensate for the net downward global revaluation, as he did with other councils that were in the same position in 2015, with regard to the impact of the 2015 global valuations on Fingal council’s budgets, which will not be felt until 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18327/16]

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

206. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the courses of action councils can take to make up shortfalls that arose from the downward revaluation of utility companies if compensation from central government will not be paid in 2017, as was the case in 2016 in relation to the impact of the 2015 global valuations on council budgets. [18328/16]

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

207. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is concerned with regards to possible shortfalls in council budgets in relation to the impact of the 2015 global valuations on council budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18329/16]

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

208. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is concerned that the companies which received downward revaluations were all highly profitable companies (details supplied) and that now small business, many of which are still struggling, could be facing hikes to their rates to compensate for the downward revaluation of many profitable companies or alternatively councils may be forced to cut back on expenditure to compensate for the loss, in relation to the impact of the 2015 global valuations on council budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18330/16]

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

219. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will be making the same subventions as listed in a table (details supplied) for 2017, in relation to the 2015 global valuations on council budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18429/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 to 208, inclusive, and 219 together.

The Commissioner for Valuation is responsible for valuation matters, including the global valuation of property of public utility undertakings und er Part 11 of the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015.

The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 come under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality. This legislation provides for global valuations of utility undertakings to be carried out by the Valuation Office every five years and entered on the central valuation list. This can result in either increases or decreases to the relevant valuation. In 2015, the Valuation Office carried out global valuations carried for Gas Networks Ireland, Iarnrod Eireann and telecommunications companies BT Ireland, Eircom, Vodafone, Three Ireland and Meteor. In November 2015, the Valuation Office issued a copy of the Valuation Certificate and a schedule setting out the apportioned value for each rating authority to my Department. The previous valuation for these utilities had taken place in 2010. The Global Valuation Certificates showed a reduction in the combined valuations for these utilities of €112m. In addition, the reduction in the global valuation of the ESB, following an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal, reduced the rates payable by the ESB from 2016.

The timing of the global valuations in 2015 caused particular difficulties for local authorities as they were published at an advanced stage of the local authority budgetary process. In this regard, my Department engaged with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and it was agreed that there would be a once-off adjustment in support from the Local Government Fund in 2016 to local authorities affected by the global valuations. The additional allocation provided was on an exceptional and once- off basis, solely for the 2016 budgetary period.

The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority. As such, it is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.

Local Authority Rates

Questions (209)

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

209. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rates due and paid by Irish Water in each local authority since its inception, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18331/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Section 12 of the Water Services Act 2014 states that public water services property is not rateable for the purposes of the Valuation Act 2001. This exemption applies to Irish Water for the provision of water supply and waste water treatment. Government subvention is not paid directly to Irish Water to fund this cost; instead, it is redirected to provide equivalent funding directly to local authorities, through the Local Government Fund, in respect of rates income foregone.

A breakdown of the amounts paid to local authorities in respect of Irish Water's infrastructure in 2014, 2015 and 2016 is set out in the table. It would be expected that similar amounts would be provided to local authorities in 2017, subject to the normal budgetary process.

Local Authority	2014 - €'000	2015 - €’000	2016 - €’000
Carlow County Council	52	49	49
Cavan County Council	24	28	30
Clare County Council	219	165	165
Cork City Council	850	712	712
Cork County Council	1,535	1,544	1,544
Donegal County Council	415	350	357
Dublin City Council	13,820	14,279	14,052
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown	3,420	3,334	3,334
Fingal County Council	6,573	5,248	5,249
Galway City Council	30	99	102
Galway County Council	50	33	35
Kerry County Council	589	253	256
Kildare County Council	2,210	2,561	2,571
Kilkenny County Council	169	22	23
Laois County Council	142	76	77
Leitrim County Council	Nil	21	22
Limerick City and County Council	762	1,948	1,988
Longford County Council	95	78	78
Louth County Council	581	586	586
Mayo County Council	198	201	201
Meath County Council	261	308	308
Monaghan County Council	96	96	11
Offaly County Council	15	Nil	Nil
Roscommon County Council	Nil	Nil	Nil
Sligo County Council	136	132	132
South Dublin County Council	8,518	6,852	6,852
Tipperary County Council	760	426	427
Waterford City and County Council	4,485	4,504	4,479
Westmeath County Council	69	69	69
Wexford County Council	130	129	129
Wicklow County Council	2, 521	2,240	2,182
Total	48,725	46,3 45	46,020

Local Authority Rates

Questions (210)

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

210. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Irish Water will be assessed as rateable or exempt from rates for 2017, in all relevant local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18332/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Local 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 Acts 2001 to 2015. Those Acts determine properties that can, and cannot, be considered for rating purposes. The Commissioner for Valuation has responsibility for all valuation matters, including determination under those Acts of relevant property for the purposes of rates.

Under Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001, as amended, the entire network used for the provision of water services by Irish Water is exempt from the payment of commercial rates.

The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 come under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Local Authority Expenditure

Questions (211)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

211. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for a breakdown of expenditure during the Ballymun regeneration programme. [18348/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Over the period 1999 to end 2015, my Department provided over €764 million to Ballymun Regeneration Limited and Dublin City Council towards the physical, social and economic regeneration of Ballymun. The funding is broken down annually as follows:

Year	Amount €	Year	Amount €
1999	6,732,405	2008	75,000,000
2000	20,346,410	2009	63,577,376
2001	59,409,394	2010	40,001,618
2002	73,856,201	2011	20,519,155
2003	72,674,400	2012	30,000,000
2004	74,288,270	2013	18,919,515
2005	98,339,979	2014	5,888,067
2006	52,815,000	2015	2,845,407
2007	48,919,930
		Total	764,133,127

Anti-Social Behaviour

Questions (212)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

212. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the definition of anti-social behaviour for council tenants; and his plans to add domestic violence to that description in the future. [18349/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

“Anti-social behaviour” is defined in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 as including either or both of the following,

(a) the manufacture, production, preparation, importation, exportation, sale, supply, possession for the purposes of sale or supply, or distribution of a controlled drug (within the meaning of the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2007),

(b) any behaviour which causes or is likely to cause any significant or persistent danger, injury, damage, alarm, loss or fear to any person living, working or otherwise lawfully in or in the vicinity of a house provided by a housing authority under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2014 or Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 or a housing estate in which the house is situate and, without prejudice to the foregoing, includes:

(i) violence, threats, intimidation, coercion, harassment or serious obstruction of any person;

(ii) behaviour which causes any significant or persistent impairment of a person’s use or enjoyment of his or her home; or

(iii) damage to or defacement by writing or other marks of any property, including a person’s home.

I have no plans at present to amend this definition.

Approved Housing Bodies

Questions (213)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

213. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the assistance he will provide to a group (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18356/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 enables housing authorities to provide assistance to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the provision of housing. Section 6 (6) of the Act empowers me, as Minister, to grant approved status for this purpose.

AHBs are independent, not-for-profit organisations. They provide affordable rented housing for people who cannot afford to pay private sector rents or buy their own homes; or for particular groups, such as older people or homeless people.

AHBs also include housing co-operatives, which are housing organisations controlled by their members/tenants who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions.

Applications for approved status will be considered from the following: Limited Companies formed by guarantee of their members and not having a shareholding, registered under the Companies Act 2014; Societies registered under the Industrial & Provident Societies Acts 1893-2014; Trusts incorporated under the Charities Acts. A body seeking to obtain, and to retain, approved status, must have as its goal the relief of housing needs, to assist with cases of poverty or hardship, including the welfare of Travellers, and the delivery and management of housing. It must have in its Memorandum and Articles of Association or registered rules, provisions preventing the distribution of any surplus, profit, bonus or dividend to its members and must ensure that its assets are applied solely towards its objects.

Further information on becoming an AHB can be found on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/voluntary-and-cooperative-housing/approved-housing-bodies-ahbs.

Irish Water Funding

Questions (214, 215)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

214. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the composition of the €522 million, including what portion is expected to come from Exchequer funding and what portion from Government borrowing or equity or debt financing, regarding the €522 million allocated for Irish Water capital investment in 2016, as per the Irish Water business plan, in tabular form. [18357/16]

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

215. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the composition of this €533 million, including what portion is expected to come from Exchequer funding and what portion from Government borrowing or equity or debt financing, regarding the €533 million allocated for Irish Water capital investment in 2017, as per the Irish Water business plan, in tabular form. [18358/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together.

Irish Water’s capital investment in the period 2016 and 2017 will be funded by a mix of debt and equity (including capital transfers from Government), with the investment programme for the period after end 2016 being subject to future review by the Commission for Energy Regulation, and Government funding being subject to future budgetary decisions.

Irish Water's costs are funded through a mix of revenue from the domestic and non-domestic sector, third party finance (including bank lending and capital markets facilities) and State support which may be in the form of both equity and subvention. The main aspects of the Irish Water funding model are set out in a detailed fact sheet published on my Department’s website at http://www.environ.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/Environment/Water/FileDownLoad%2C39557%2Cen.pdf.

The capital contribution agreed by Government for Irish Water in 2016 is €184m and this has already been paid to Irish Water to support its increased investment in public water services infrastructure. In addition, the Government is providing €479m in operating subvention to Irish Water in 2016. This subvention is in respect of the child allowance of 21,000 litres per child per annum, a product subsidy and the capping of domestic water charges at the rates set out in the Water Services Act 2014. Provision has also been made for the issue of a working capital loan of up to €58m in 2016 to cover cash flow requirements arising from time lags between billing and payment.

Irish Water's revenue shortfall arising from the proposed suspension of domestic water charges in 2016 is currently under consideration. I intend to bring my proposals on this matter to Government shortly.

Electoral Reform

Questions (216)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

216. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to introduce measures to facilitate those whose occupation necessitates them to spend extended periods of time at sea or in other destinations which does not make it possible to vote at their designated polling station nor permits them to make use of the postal vote facility in relation to voting in elections and referenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18368/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Electoral law provides that a person who is entitled to vote at an election or referendum shall vote in person at a polling station allotted to him or her unless they are included in the postal voters list or in the special voters list for the constituency concerned. While electoral law is subject to on-going review, I have no proposals at present to amend the existing arrangements for voting by persons such as those referred to in the Question.

Waste Disposal Charges

Questions (217)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

217. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a private waste company (details supplied) is subject to the current negotiations with the Government around the increase of charges; the action he will take against those companies which have increased their service charge as a means of passing additional charges onto their customers, given the 12-month suspension of charges. [18388/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I engaged actively and intensively with representatives of the waste industry in recent weeks and I have agreed a clear way forward that results in customers paying no more than they’re currently paying for waste over the next 12 months - by means of a price freeze to end-June 2017. The private waste company to which the Deputy refers is a member of a representative body which was part of that engagement and that representative body has indicated it will honour the agreement.

It is my intention that customers will from 1 January, 2017 be able to see through a dual billing process, details in their bills about the amount of waste they are disposing of, their costs under the continuation of their current price plan and details of the comparative pay-by-weight charge.

During this transition period, the Government, in partnership with the waste industry, will drive an intensive public awareness, information and promotion campaign to support customers in understanding the new system, how they can change their waste management behaviour and manage better their waste costs under a pay-by-weight system.

The above approach provides increased transparency around what charges households would incur under pay-by-weight and also provides householders with information on the operation and benefits of pay by weight along with the option to switch to pay by weight charging from 1 January, 2017.

After the transitional 12-month period, the operation of pay-by-weight and of the wider waste market will be reviewed to inform decisions in relation to arrangements beyond 1 July 2017.

Approved Housing Bodies

Questions (218)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

218. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to revert to this Deputy on a matter (details suppled); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18413/16]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Section 6(6) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 makes provision to grant approved housing body (AHB) status to housing associations. AHBs consist mainly of voluntary or co-operative organisations limited by guarantee and registered under the Companies Acts; societies registered under the Industrial & Provident Societies Acts; and/or Trusts incorporated under the Charities Acts.

The appointment of directors to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) is a matter for the Boards of such bodies and I have no role in relation to such appointments.

Question No. 219 answered with Question No. 205.