Written Answers Nos. 124-131
124. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of appointments he has made to State boards since the move to the Public Appointments Service two years ago to date; the names of those appointed and the relevant position on each board; the names of those persons on the shortlist; the date when the shortlist was provided to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20065/16]
View answerDetails in relation to the membership of State Boards under the aegis of my Department are available on the Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/corporate/transparency-data/appointments-state-boards/appointments-declg-state-boards.
In the case of certain appointments to State Boards, statutory selection procedures must be followed or nominations must be sought from independent nominating panels before appointments are made by the Minister or the Government, as appropriate. In addition, in the case of a number of boards, not all of the appointments to the body concerned are made by the Minister, and in some situations appointments are made by the Minister with the consent of another Minister. Furthermore, appointments to An Bord Pleanála and to the Board of the Environmental Protection Agency are of a full-time executive nature and are governed by statutory processes.
The names of applicants on a shortlist are covered by personal confidentiality and the public interest is not served by disclosing these names.
125. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20077/16]
View answer126. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide funding for a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20078/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 126 together.
The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.
In February 2016, my Department announced a five-year Fire Services Capital Programme with an allocation of €40 million, based on the current annual €8 million allocation, to be used for the purchase of fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, an upgrade of the Communications and Mobilisation system and improvements to Training Centres.
In 2006, a proposal by Laois County Council to build a new fire station at Rathdowney was received by my Department and approval in principle was granted to proceed to the planning stages. Laois County Council submitted design and cost plans in June 2009 for consideration by my Department. At that time, Laois County Council were asked to review those plans with a view to finding savings as it was considered that the project did not offer best value for money. There has been no further progress with this project subsequently.
The Rathdowney fire station project was not included in the current 5 year programme, but it is intended the list of priority projects to be progressed will be kept under review on an annual basis in light of progress with individual projects and the value for money being achieved. In further considering any proposal, my Department will have regard to established national priorities for funding in this area and the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide. The priorities of Laois County Council, the extent of current and previous investment in Laois Fire Services and the status of existing facilities, having regard to area risk categorisation, will also be considered.
With regard to the provision of toilet and washing facilities for a female fire-fighter, my Department has not received a request for funding from Laois County Council in respect of this matter.
127. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the thresholds above which social protection clients will be liable for local property tax deductions; and the number of such clients who are liable for deductions in the Dublin South Central constituency. [19909/16]
View answerI understand that my Department has sought clarification from the Deputy on her specific information requirement and this is awaited.
To date, deductions from social welfare payments to enable payment of Local Property Tax have been made at the request of the customer and no mandatory deductions have been imposed. It is also important to note that even where the deductions are taken at the customer’s request, such deductions cannot reduce their weekly personal rate below the basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance personal rate which is currently set at €186.00 per week.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
128. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are vacancies on the board of the Citizens Information Board; if so, when he proposes to fill these vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19917/16]
View answerThe legislative provisions governing Board membership of the Citizens Information Board (CIB) are contained in the Comhairle Act 2000, the Citizens Information Act 2007 and the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011. The legislation provides that the Board may have up to 15 members.
I have recently appointed 7 members to the Board of CIB, bringing the membership to 14. These appointments were made in accordance with the arrangements for appointment to State Boards and included a selection process, conducted by the Public Appointments Service.
I will be making arrangements to have the remaining Board vacancy filled, in accordance with the Guidelines on Appointment to State Boards and having regard to the legislative requirements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
129. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the options available to a person (details supplied) who is out of work due to illness and who is in receipt of payments under the disability allowance scheme and the living alone allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19932/16]
View answerThe rate of payment of disability allowance (DA) quoted by the deputy is the maximum rate payable for a single person who is living alone.
There are currently approximately 2,600 people in receipt of the mortgage interest supplement scheme for which the Government has provided over €7 million for in 2016. The scheme was discontinued for new applicants from 1 January 2014, with customers availing of this support prior to 1st January 2014 retaining entitlement until the closure of the scheme on 1st January 2018.
The continued payment of mortgage interest supplement does little to assist families in improving the long term difficulty in addressing their mortgage problem. The most appropriate way in which families experiencing mortgage difficulties can be supported is through on-going engagement with their lender to explore sustainable solutions.
It is expected that over the remaining period existing customers will exit the scheme through sustainable solutions being put in place with their lenders; securing employment; or exit strategies sponsored by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, such as the Mortgage to Rent Scheme.
The role of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) has been enhanced with the establishment of a new Dedicated Mortgage Arrears MABS service established to help those specifically with mortgage debt. There are now 27 specialist DMA advisors working across 24 locations countrywide, assisting borrowers to assess the options available to them, signposting them towards ISI where appropriate, or negotiating with lenders on their behalf. Together with the Insolvency Service of Ireland, MABS has a presence at every repossession court nationwide, supporting distressed borrowers who are facing loss of their home, signposting them to appropriate services, including insolvency services, or direct referral to MABS for assistance.
Guidance has recently issued to the Department’s Community Welfare Service staff to help them better inform persons experiencing financial difficulty of these additional supports.
130. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19941/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 5 February 2016.
CA is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.
As the applicant’s spouse is self-employed and the most recent set of accounts were not submitted as required with the application, the matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 9 May 2016 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied.
Once the SWI has reported, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
131. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19942/16]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 13th June 2016, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
