Written Answers Nos. 164-176
164. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if local authorities nationwide have the power to purchase, outside of the Rebuilding Ireland strategy, homes that have been made available to purchase by their owners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15833/17]
View answerUnder my Department's Social Housing Investment Programme, funding is provided to local authorities for the acquisition of suitable new and second-hand housing and apartments for social housing use. The selection of such units for acquisition is a matter for local authorities as the housing authorities for their areas, with the clear expectation that such acquisitions meet priority housing need, are suitable, good quality, value for money, sustain balanced tenure mix and are part of a broader approach to the development of new social housing for the area.
165. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15860/17]
View answerMy colleague, Minister of State Damien English, last week published the fifth annual progress report and seventh housing survey on tackling the issue of unfinished housing developments. This 2016 update report reveals a 85% drop in the unfinished developments since 2010, from nearly 3,000 to 420, with 248 developments resolved in 2016 alone.
My Department's objective is to resolve all remaining unfinished housing developments, especially those within high market demand locations. The results of the 2016 survey indicate that the parts of developments that are occupied are in the vast amount of cases now well established and finished to a good standard.
My Department engages with all local authorities, including Louth County Council, on unfinished housing developments to keep their progress under constant review. In this context, Louth County Council advised my Department last October of the development in question where there is one occupied unit within an incomplete development.
In advance of categorising the development, clarification was sought by my Department as to whether the area in question represented an ‘unfinished’ housing development as opposed to a cluster of individual or one-off homes.
Louth County Council subsequently contacted my Department on 10 January, proposing that the Department consider adding this estate to the list of unfinished housing developments as the Council had established it was an ‘unfinished’ development. However, at that stage, my Department had already completed and finalised the 2016 survey. The 2017 survey will be commenced during the Summer and at that stage, this development will be considered for survey by the Department.
166. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if business improvement districts established under the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 will be brought under the Freedom of Information Act. [15880/17]
View answerUnder the governing legislation, a Business Improvement District company is required to be limited by guarantee and formed and registered under the Companies Act. The board of directors will be made up of businesses or their representatives and nominees of the local authority. At least two thirds of the directors must be ratepayers or ratepayer representatives.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 a company (within the meaning of the Companies Act ) is not an FOI body for the purposes of the Act unless a majority of the shares are held by or on behalf of a Minister of the Government, a requirement which is not met in the case of a BID company. The Freedom of Information Act 2014 is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform; in the context of the next review of the scope of application of the FOI legislation, I will arrange for the question of the inclusion of BID companies to be considered.
167. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when a project will proceed to the next stage (details supplied); if he will ensure that this project will be given urgent consideration with a view to progressing same to construction stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15882/17]
View answerThe provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions 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 an 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.
Monaghan County Council has prioritised a fire station project in Castleblayney and this is included as part of this programme under the list of priority projects to be progressed for 2019. While a new fire station for Ballybay is not provided for in the current five-year Fire Services Capital Programme, projects are reassessed on an annual basis and priority may be adjusted to bring forward projects offering best value-for-money and to take account of the state of readiness of projects.
168. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the likely impact of a dramatic increase in rates arising from revaluation of rateable properties in County Kildare, having particular regard to the fact that many businesses are only beginning to recover from the downturn in the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15909/17]
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 Acts 2001 to 2015. The Commissioner for Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters except appeals of valuation procedures set out under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 which come under the remit of an independent Valuation Tribunal. The Valuation Acts come under the aegis of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality.
Under Part 5 of the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015, the Commissioner of Valuation is conducting a revaluation of all commercial and industrial properties throughout the State. 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 10 local authorities, including Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath County Councils are due to be completed this year with valuations to take effect for rates purposes for 2018.
I am aware of recent media reports that certain business owners have stated that they will face higher rates bills. However, it is not the purpose of a revaluation to increase or decrease the total amount of commercial rates collected by local authorities but rather to ensure that the valuations used for rating purposes are up-to-date and reflect current market conditions. With this in mind, it is possible that some ratepayers may see the rateable valuation of their properties increase while other ratepayers may see the rateable valuation of their properties decrease. Section 56 of the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015, as amended by 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 and I will be making further orders later this year in respect of the rating authorities currently undergoing revaluations.
169. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the working group review of a company (details supplied) and regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15959/17]
View answerThe Strategy for the Rental Sector, approved by Government on 13 December 2016, is structured around 4 key areas: security, standards, supply and services. The measures under these four headings will be implemented through the 29 actions contained in the Strategy.
In terms of supply, the focus in the strategy is on maintaining existing levels of rental stock and encouraging investment in additional supply. There are shortages in the supply of rental accommodation in key locations, particularly in urban areas. In some of these areas there is also significant demand for transitory short-term accommodation. In this context, providing short term rentals at higher prices may be an attractive option for landlords. However, a determination by An Bord Pleanála in a particular case has determined that the exclusive use of a residential apartment for short-term holiday lettings is a material change of use requiring planning permission.
The implications of this case have raised a number of regulatory and other related issues, such as tax liability, residential tenancy regulation, support for tourism, and planning. The Strategy for the Rental Sector provides for the establishment by my Department of a working group, comprising representatives of relevant stakeholders including local authorities, relevant Departments, public bodies and other interests in the area, with a view to providing more information on the scale and nature of the issue and full clarity regarding the appropriate regulatory approach to be adopted in relation to short-term tourism-related lettings. The working group is due to report in Quarter 2 2017.
The Rental Strategy is a set of prioritised and sequenced actions, a number of which involve interdepartmental working groups. These are being established and are commencing their work in accordance with the timeframes in the Rental Strategy. Other working groups with shorter timeframes have already started work and the working group in question will commence its work shortly, including considering its working arrangements, allowing it to report within the timeframe outlined in the Strategy.
Officials from my Department are in active discussions with organisations involved in short term letting with a view to establishing collaborative agreements within the coming weeks to ensure that those involved in such letting have all required planning permissions.
170. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to reform the commercial rates system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15961/17]
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 pursuant to the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.
Commercial rates form an important element of the funding of all local authorities. The principle of local authorities levying rates based on an independent valuation is well established and I have no plans to change this. However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century. I have asked my Department to develop proposals for the preparation of a Rates Bill to modernise and consolidate the legislation in this area. I will be bringing proposals to Government on this matter shortly.
171. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved for and granted carer's allowance. [15778/17]
View answerI confirm my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 1 February 2017. The application is currently being processed and once completed, she will be notified directly of the outcome.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
172. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15797/17]
View answerThe activation supports and services which are available to those who are long-term unemployed include the JobPath employment activation service and work experience and training schemes such as Community Employment (CE) and TÚS.
The aim of the JobPath service is to assist participants in finding sustainable full-time paid employment. It is distinct from the Community Employment scheme which provides part-time employment and training opportunities in local communities for people on a range of Social Welfare payments including long-term unemployment payments as a stepping stone back to employment. I should emphasise that Community Employment does not, nor is it intended to, provide full-time sustainable employment.
Jobseekers can only participate with one activation scheme or service at a time; this is to allow the scheme and service providers time to work with the participants and also to ensure that the best use is made of the available places.
The customer mentioned is at an early stage of his year long engagement with the JobPath service. He will continue to receive intensive individual support and assistance from his personal advisor to look for employment. At the end of 52 weeks, if he has not been successful in finding suitable employment he may, subject to an assessment by an Intreo case officer, apply for other activation supports such as CE.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
173. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will change the regulations so persons applying for jobseeker's benefit payments will be assessed on the most recent complete tax year, in order to end the inequity of contributions made by employees in the previous year not being taken into account when calculating jobseeker's benefit, for example, the relevant tax year for jobseeker's benefit applications in 2017 is 2015 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15829/17]
View answerSocial insurance benefits including jobseeker’s benefit are payments which are covered by pay related social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
To qualify for jobseekers benefit, for example, a person must satisfy the conditionality for the scheme including the contribution conditions. They must have at least 104 weeks qualifying PRSI contributions paid since they first started work and 39 weeks qualifying PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax year or, 26 weeks qualifying PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and 26 weeks qualifying PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year before the year in which your claim is made. So, for claims made in 2017, the relevant tax year is 2015.
The Revenue Commissioners collect PRSI on behalf of the Department and send this information to the Department, who then update the employee’s PRSI records. Each registered employer in Ireland is obliged by law to account each year for the Income Tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and where applicable Local Property Tax deducted from his or her employees. A special return, which is commonly known as a P35 return, is used for this purpose.
For the 2016 relevant tax year the deadline for the P35 to be sent to the Revenue Commissioners was the 15th February 2017 (23rd February 2017 if using the electronic submission facility). Therefore, the Department does not receive PRSI information in relation to a person’s contributions in the previous relevant tax year until after these dates. This means that for a person making a claim for a social insurance benefit in January or February 2017, their insurance (PRSI) record for 2016 is not yet available to my Department.
Additionally, information in relation to mistakes made or changes to the details relating to employee(s) already returned by employers on their P35 return are sent in throughout the year to the Revenue Commissioners, and onwards to the Department. Therefore it can take many months into the year before all employees PRSI details are fully updated in relation to the most recent complete tax year.
For these reasons I have no plans to change the current regulations for the assessment of jobseeker’s benefit to the most recent complete tax year.
174. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an oral hearing will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in respect of a recent appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15858/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13 March 2107. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal 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.
175. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of all plans to restructure the Citizens Information Services and MABS; the cost of this restructure, including any reports he has on the consequences this will have on service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15859/17]
View answerThe Citizens Information Board (CIB), which has statutory responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) and the Citizens Information Services (CIS) decided, on 15th February 2017, to restructure the governance arrangements of these services. The decision was communicated by the Board of CIB to all CIS and MABS Boards and to all staff on the same day. The CIB assures me that there will be no job losses, no closure of services, no change to service delivery locations and no change to the terms and conditions of serving staff during the lifetime of the restructuring programme. There will be no disruption to CIS and MABS services for those who use them.
The decision comes after a lengthy and extensive analysis of options and a detailed consultation period with all stakeholders on the need for a more streamlined governance model. The restructured governance arrangements are being implemented at local company board level only. The decision taken simply reduces the number of individual local CIS and MABS company boards from ninety three (93) to sixteen (16). A new regional board structure will be put in place which will comprise eight (8) CIS boards and eight (8) MABS boards. The valuable work carried out by the employees and volunteers working in CIS services and the employees of MABS services will continue as heretofore.
A more streamlined governance structure will result in a more targeted use of valuable staff resources, re-directed to increased front line service delivery, made possible by a reduction in the current significant administrative burden associated with maintaining ninety three (93) individual companies nationwide. The changes will bring the CIS and MABS organisations more into line with modern public service governance guidelines and requirements where significant State funding is involved.
In 2017, CIB is set to receive State funding of €54 million, of which €15 million is allocated to CIS services (including €13.1 million to the 42 local Citizens Information Services, €1.2 million to Citizens Information Phone Services and the balance, €0.7 million, to central and other supports), and €24.6 million is allocated to the network of MABS services (including €15.4 million to the 51 local MABS, €0.3m to National Traveller MABS, €2.0 million to MABS National Development Company, €3.3million to the MABS Dedicated Mortgage Arrears initiative, €3.5 million to the Abhaile service, and the remaining €0.1m to MABS central supports).
Following on from the decision of the Board, a Restructuring Implementation Group is being set up by CIB to examine all aspects of implementing the new sixteen (16) board model. This work will include examination of the establishment costs of the new structure and the potential for future savings derived from the reduction in the administrative burden associated with ninety three (93) individual local companies. Current costs are an aggregate of the costs incurred by each of the ninety three (93) local companies on items such as audit fees, professional fees (including legal services), payroll administration and board of director expenses. While cost is not the driver of the restructuring project, some efficiencies are likely to result from moving to a reduced sixteen (16) company model.
The aim of the project is to improve existing governance arrangements and optimise the benefits from operating a more modern, streamlined and customer focused service delivery model.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
176. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons claiming widow’s, widower’s and surviving civil partner’s (contributory) pension in 2015 and 2016; the number of women claimants in 2015 and 2016; the number of persons refused in 2015 and 2016 and the number of those persons that were women; the total amount paid in 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15861/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy (where available) is detailed in the following tabular statement.
Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partners Contributory pension recipients with total expenditure at 31 December in each of the years 2015 and 2016
|
2015 |
2016 |
|||||||
|
Scheme |
Male |
Female |
Total Recipients |
Expenditure €000 |
Male |
Female |
Total Recipients |
Expenditure €000 (Provisional) |
|
17,324 |
102,389 |
119,713 |
1,422,098 |
17,724 |
102,949 |
120,673 |
1,437,022 |
|
|
Total number of claims rejected |
Total number of claims rejected |
|||||||
|
Widow’s, Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension |
1,361 |
1,436 |
