Tuesday, 15 Nov 2016

Written Answers Nos. 358-370

Planning Issues

Questions (358, 359)

John Curran

Question:

358. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government following the publication of his action plan for housing and homelessness four months ago, the status of the progress made to date on action 5.9, to review planning legislation to allow the change of use of vacant commercial units in urban areas into residential units without having to go through the planning process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35108/16]

John Curran

Question:

359. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government following the publication of his action plan for housing and homelessness four months ago, the status of the progress made to date on action 5.11, to establish a ministerial-led urban renewal working group; if this group has been established; when it first met and when it is expected to bring forward proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35110/16]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 359 together.

The Programme for a Partnership Government, published in May 2016, sets out the ambitious priority attached to urban regeneration by the Government, incorporating a series of specific actions aimed at facilitating the regeneration of our urban centres, many of which have been adversely impacted by our recent economic difficulties. The Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, published in July 2016, further reinforces the Government’s commitment to the area of urban regeneration.

In this context and further to Action 5.11 of the Action Plan, a Working Group, chaired by my colleague, the Minister of State in my Department with responsibility for Housing and Urban Renewal, and comprising of senior representatives from my Department, local authorities and other relevant bodies, has been established with a view to bringing forward proposals for new urban regeneration measures by the end of the year.

It is intended that the new measures will complement the existing regeneration programme under my Department’s Social Housing Capital Programme, as well as other social regeneration initiatives already under way. The inaugural meeting of the Working Group took place on 15 June last, and has met twice since with a further meeting scheduled for later this month.

As part of its deliberations and in line with the commitment in Action 5.9 of the Action Plan, the Working Group is presently reviewing planning legislation to allow the change of use of vacant commercial premises in urban areas, including vacant or under-utilised areas over ground floor premises, into residential units without having to go through the planning process.

Unfinished Housing Developments

Questions (360)

John Curran

Question:

360. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government following the publication of his action plan for housing and homelessness four months ago, the status of the progress made to date on action 5.13, to resolve unfinished housing developments in order to target opportunities for strategic acquisition and redevelopment of brownfield development sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35112/16]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Action 5.13 of Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness commits to the alignment of the social housing investment programme and ongoing work in resolving unfinished housing developments in order to target opportunities for strategic acquisition and re-development of brownfield development sites, drawing on a further 2016 National Housing Development Survey.

The 2016 survey of unfinished housing developments is currently under way. It is expected that the survey results, including a breakdown of unfinished housing developments in each local authority area, together with progress reports and additional useful information in relation to the prospects for resolving the remaining Unfinished Housing Developments, will be published by my Department before the end of this year.

Question No. 361 answered with Question No. 294.

Local Authority Staff Data

Questions (362)

Dessie Ellis

Question:

362. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of Dublin City Council employees, broken down by department and area; the number of new employees over the past five years, by department; and the number of those who are tradesmen or apprentices, in tabular form. [35118/16]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisation arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.

My Department gathers quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities and the number employed in Dublin City Council, on a whole time equivalent basis, at the end of September 2016 was 5,295. The data gathered focuses on broad numbers relating to employees, and is not broken down by department and area. Accordingly, the information requested is not available in my Department.

Water Services Infrastructure

Questions (363)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

363. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of design build operate contracts and design build contracts in water services in operation here; and the estimated cost of the remaining life of these contracts, with a breakdown of the annual cost of these contracts. [35122/16]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Since 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 design, build and operate contracts for both water and wastewater treatment plants as well as any design build contracts. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to [e-mail] or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.

In relation to the rural water services sector, design, build and operate contracts are used for water treatment plants for group water schemes. There are no design, build and operate contract based wastewater treatment plants or design build contracts in this sector.

Over 140 group water schemes operate under design, build and operate contracts. The estimated remaining life for the operate phase of these contracts is between 10 and 15 years. The annual costs are being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

EU Directives

Questions (364)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

364. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when a water extraction licensing regime will be introduced; if such a regime is required under the terms of the Water Framework Directive; and if such a register would apply to all water extraction including public and commercial operations. [35123/16]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The Water Framework Directive requires that abstractions of surface water or ground water which are likely to have a significant effect on water status must be regulated. My Department is currently examining how best to address this requirement in a proportionate and efficient way.

While no decisions will be made on any proposals in this regard until thorough public consultation is undertaken, I expect that a proportionate abstraction control regime can be developed that would effectively manage abstraction risks and pressures without imposing an unnecessary regulatory burden. Recognising the relatively low abstraction pressures in Ireland, the scale and extent of which will be set out in a draft River Basin Management Plan I expect to publish for public consultation in the coming months, it is expected that such a regime would focus on the most significant abstraction volumes and pressures, recognising that the Directive does not require the registration and licensing of private wells serving individual domestic dwellings.

Mortgage Protection Policies

Questions (365)

Seán Fleming

Question:

365. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the mortgage protection insurance scheme which charges local authority borrowers a 0.47% premium; if, in view of this high charge local authority borrowers can obtain mortgage protection insurance on the open market at more competitive prices and satisfy his Department and local authorities they have adequate mortgage protection insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35142/16]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme is overseen by the Mortgage Protection Committee which is a sub-committee of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and is representative of the CCMA, local authorities, the Housing Finance Agency and my Department. The local authority MPI scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986. One of the conditions of the scheme, which is a group policy, is that it is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to join the scheme. Altering this condition would have a negative impact on the scheme and increase the cost for all existing borrowers. A local authority housing loan applicant who is not eligible for the local authority MPI scheme must source a suitable comparable individual MPI policy from the market.

There are a number of differences between the local authority MPI scheme and standard MPI products available on the market. Standard MPI products are individually priced based on a member’s age, amongst other factors, whereas the local authority MPI scheme is a group arrangement offering a single group rate per €1,000 sum assured to all participants in the scheme.

Aside from the difference between an individual and a group rate, the following factors are the main influences on the price of the local authority MPI scheme:

i. standard mortality and morbidity factors based on population statistics;

ii. the local authority borrowers’ risk profile;

iii. the terms and conditions of the local authority MPI scheme and, in particular, the fact that all eligible local authority housing loan borrowers are accepted without medical evidence; and

iv. the claims experience of the local authority MPI scheme.

The Local Authority MPI scheme also provides extra benefits, such as;

- mortgage repayments are paid if there is a valid claim as a result of disability;

- separate to life cover, an additional €3,000 is payable in the event of a member’s death; and

- members are covered for death up to age 75 whereas standard MPI cover usually ceases at the age of 65.

The Mortgage Protection Committee which oversees the scheme endeavours to achieve a balance between the most economic rate to be charged for the scheme and the benefits provided. As part of the current re-tendering process, the Committee will seek to secure with effect from 1 January 2017, the most appropriate Mortgage Protection Insurance cover at the best value for money for local authority borrowers.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (366)

Gerry Adams

Question:

366. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection the consideration his Department has given a programme (details supplied) for funding in the context of budget 2016, noting that its current funding is set to expire in a number of weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34800/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection (Deputy Finian McGrath)

The Providing Equal Employment Routes (PEER) project was one of 14 disability activation projects (DACT), in the Border, Midlands & West region, which were jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Department of Social Protection (DSP), from the end of 2012 to April 2015. The project was delivered by the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK).

After the ending of ESF funding, as provided for in EU regulations, my Department understands that the WALK PEER project obtained additional funding from other sources. As this additional funding terminated in July 2016, and following representations from WALK regarding funding difficulties relating to the PEER project, I decided to provide some short term funding to this project to enable it to continue service provision until early next year.

Recent work by the NDA and Indecon has shown that there are gaps between what DSP employment programmes for people with disabilities offer and what for people with high support needs who want to work are provided with through the health system. Arising from these findings, Budget 2017 provides for a €2 million programme to fund pre-activation supports for people with disabilities.

While the procedures for the operation of this programme are currently being worked out, this will take into account the recommendations of a working group chaired by the NDA and comprising of the Departments of Education and Skills, Health and Social Protection, together with the HSE, which was established to develop an effective co-ordinated policy approach and interdepartmental protocols to assist individuals with disabilities, including those who require a high level of support, to obtain and retain employment. This working group is due to report by the end of the year with an implementation plan, which will assist in determining decisions relating to the provision of services of this nature at a national level.

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Questions (367)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

367. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34421/16]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are habitually resident in the State and are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.

Full-time care and attention is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.

I confirm that my department received applications for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 13 June 2016 in respect of two care recipients.

The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that the person concerned was not habitually resident in the State and that the evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied in respect of one care recipient.

He was notified on 1 November 2016 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.

To date, no request for a review or appeal has been received from the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Departmental Funding

Questions (368)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

368. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 328 of 18 October 2016, if he will clarify a matter raised by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34439/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The organisation referred to in the Deputy's question is the Irish Association of Supported Employment (IASE).

The substantive issue raised by this organisation was addressed in the PQ reply of the 18th October last, to the effect that the Department of Social Protection does not have a programme that provides core funding to national community and voluntary bodies and so there are no outstanding applications for funding from this organisation.

The communication referred to by the Deputy was a request for a meeting with me which was received from the IASE on 27th June 2016 and which was duly acknowledged. Subsequent to that the organisation was contacted by my office and a formal written reply will issue shortly.

Question No. 369 withdrawn.

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Questions (370)

Pat Deering

Question:

370. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria that must be followed and the entitlements if carers becomes sick (details supplied), if they are allowed to be sick and receive their payment; and the length of time can they be sick before their allowance is affected. [34498/16]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person whose care needs are such that they require from their carer continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months. The CA applicant must be capable of providing the necessary care to the care recipient.

My department understands that, from time to time, acute and/or short-term illnesses may affect a carer’s ability to provide full-time care and CA may continue in payment in these circumstances, unless another person takes over the caring duties and applies for CA or carer’s benefit in their own right.

If the carer sustains a more serious and/or longer-term illness, injury or disease that limits their capacity to provide full-time care and attention and/or requires a temporary stay in an institution such as a hospital or convalescent home, payment of CA can continue up to a maximum of 13 weeks.

After 13 weeks, payment will stop if a deciding officer is satisfied that the carer is no longer providing full-time care and attention due to their incapacity.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.