Written Answers Nos. 300-319
300. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons in emergency accommodation for longer than six months in Waterford city and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6112/18]
View answerMy Department publishes reports on a monthly basis regarding the number of individuals utilising emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. These reports include a breakdown of the homeless adult population. These official homeless reports are published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These monthly reports do not include details with regard to those homeless longer than six-months.
Separately to the monthly reports, housing authorities submit quarterly reports to my Department at the regional level. For the purposes of the regional administration of homeless services Waterford is included in the South-East Region along with the counties of Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Wexford. The most recently submitted report to my Department indicates that on the last date of 2017, a total of 193 adult individuals were in emergency accommodation for longer than six months, consecutively or continuously, in the South-East Region.
301. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons sleeping rough voluntarily and involuntarily in Waterford city and county in 2016, 2017 and January 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6113/18]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services, including accommodation, rests with individual housing authorities. It should be noted that the matter referred to is an operational matter for Waterford City and County Council, in the first instance.
Official rough sleeper counts were conducted in a number of major urban centres on Census night April 2016 and no individuals were recorded sleeping on the streets of Waterford. Given that the problem of rough sleeping is limited in most urban centres, including Waterford, official counts are not collected on an ongoing basis. Nevertheless, I understand that Waterford City and County Council is aware of a small number of individuals that may engage in rough sleeping despite the availability of services including emergency accommodation. Outreach teams continue to work to try and provide solutions for this group and to encourage these persons to avail of accommodation.
302. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will report on the fire remedial works at a location (details supplied); if these remedial works have been completed; if the estate is now completely fire safe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6121/18]
View answer303. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the outstanding fire safety works being completed at residential complexes nationally; the status of these remedial works; his views on whether there are fire safety concerns for units; if so, the timeframe for making these buildings fire safe; his plans for further legislation or a commission of investigation into dangerous buildings built by developers in the Celtic tiger era; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6122/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together.
In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved: the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme. It is important to note that while my Department has overall responsibility for establishing and maintaining an effective regulatory framework for building standards and building control it has no general statutory role in resolving defects in privately owned buildings, including dwellings, nor does it have a budget for such matters.
In relation to remedial works, under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014, primary responsibility for compliance of works with the requirements of the Building Regulations, including Part B (Fire Safety), rests with the owners, designers and builders of buildings. Enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the 31 local building control authorities who have extensive powers of inspection and enforcement under the Acts.
In addition, local authorities also have extensive powers of inspection and enforcement under the Fire Services Act 1981, the Housing Acts and the Planning and Development Acts, all of which may be relevant where fire safety concerns arise in residential developments.
In August 2017, I published a Framework for Enhancing Fire Safety in Dwellings where concerns arise. The Framework is intended to be used as a guide by the owners and occupants of dwellings where fire safety deficiencies have been identified, or are a cause for concern. The Framework will also be of assistance to professional advisors both in developing strategies to improve fire safety and in developing strategies to enable continued occupation in advance of undertaking the necessary works to ensure compliance with the relevant Building Regulations.
In addition, in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and in recognition of fears expressed for fire safety, I tasked the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in my Department, in June 2017, with co-ordinating a high-level Task Force to lead a re-appraisal of fire safety in Ireland. I expect to be provided with their full and final report shortly.
In response to the many building failures that have emerged over the past decade, my Department introduced the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 9 of 2014), which require greater accountability in relation to compliance with Building Regulations in the form of statutory certification of design and construction by registered construction professionals and builders, lodgement of compliance documentation, mandatory inspections during construction and validation and registration of certificates.
A Certificate of Compliance on Completion is jointly signed by the builder and the assigned certifier. This must be accompanied by plans and documentation to show how the constructed building complies with the building regulations and also the inspection plan, as implemented.
At the end of May 2017, the Government approved the draft heads of a Bill to place the Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) on a statutory footing and the Bill was referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, and Local Government for pre-legislative scrutiny. I received the Committee’s report on 14 December 2017 and I am considering its recommendations, with a view to progressing the drafting as soon as possible.
Once it is enacted, the Bill will provide consumers who engage a registered builder with the assurance that they are dealing with a competent and compliant operator and will complement the reforms which have been made through the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations and contribute to the development of a culture of competence and compliance in the construction sector.
In relation to the Building Regulations, work has been on-going in my Department to review Part B/Technical Guidance Document (TGD) B – Fire (2006). A new Part B/TGD B Volume 2 (2017) came into force on 1 July 2017, in relation to dwellings. Important revisions in the TGD B Volume 2 include enhanced provision for fire detection and alarm systems in dwelling houses, guidance on fire safety in community dwelling houses, guidance on timber frame construction, including new provisions in respect of timber frame party walls, enhanced provisions in respect of loft conversions, new provisions for galleries in dwelling houses and other general updates. Work is currently underway on a revision to Part B/TGD B Volume 1, which will deal with all other buildings.
304. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding allocated for, and drawn down by, all local authorities for Traveller accommodation in 2017, in tabular form. [6169/18]
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.
The allocations and recoupment profiles for capital Traveller accommodation projects can vary across local authorities given the local priorities, circumstances and project timelines as set out in the TAPs. These programmes provide a road map for local authority investment priorities over the period covered. They also form the basis for the allocation of funding from my Department for Traveller accommodation.
The following table sets out the allocation versus drawdown by local authority during 2017.
|
LOCAL AUTHORITY |
ALLOCATION € |
DRAWDOWN € |
|
Carlow County Council |
207,905.41 |
71,449.98 |
|
Cavan County Council |
13,729.31 |
13,729.31 |
|
Clare County Council |
169,194.00 |
42,444 |
|
Cork City Council |
1,108,344.00 |
97,000 |
|
Cork County Council |
110,000.00 |
93,155.58 |
|
Donegal County Council |
147,612.81 |
15,100 |
|
Dublin City Council |
414,829.00 |
734,208.63 |
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council |
1,500,000.00 |
1,857,313.43 |
|
Fingal County Council |
26,847.00 |
17,420 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
1,024,289.00 |
0 |
|
Galway City Council |
209,000.00 |
95,102.48 |
|
Galway County Council |
625,000.00 |
0 |
|
Kerry County Council |
28,566.13 |
28,566.13 |
|
Kildare County Council |
80,000.00 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
582,162.00 |
563,040.21 |
|
Laois County Council |
- |
0 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
98,875.00 |
59,932.97 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
69,576.00 |
219,917.85 |
|
Longford County Council |
2,922.00 |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
237,087.00 |
220,047.99 |
|
Mayo County Council |
- |
0 |
|
Meath County Council |
129,000.00 |
5,750 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
- |
0 |
|
Offaly County Council |
847,917.00 |
101,615.93 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
52,617.00 |
123,190.92 |
|
Sligo County Council |
161,249.00 |
9,930.56 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
327,492.00 |
399,337 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
545,000.00 |
22,610.48 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
- |
0 |
|
Wexford County Council |
6,880.00 |
0 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
52,648.00 |
43,773 |
|
SUB TOTAL |
8,778,741.66 |
4,834,636.45 |
305. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the concerns that the new Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme will not help those persons who cannot afford to save for a deposit or obtain a mortgage will be addressed in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6189/18]
View answerFollowing a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, was made available from 1 February 2018. The new loan will enable credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties. The low rate of fixed interest associated with the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan provides first time buyers with access to mortgage finance that they may not otherwise have been able to afford at a higher interest rate.
To support prudential lending and consistency of treatment for borrowers, a Loan to Value ratio of 90% as per the Central Bank's prudential lending guidelines applies to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.
Therefore, to avail of the loan, applicants must have a deposit equivalent to 10% of the market value of the property. The applicant(s) must provide bank or similar statements (post office, credit union, etc.) for a 12-month period immediately prior to making an application clearly showing a credible and consistent track record of savings. The cash savings should be no less than 3% of the market value of the property. Gifts are permissible up to 7% of the market value of the property where their source is verified.
The availability of the Help To Buy Scheme for first-time-buyers offers additional assistance to purchasers of newly built properties. Up to 5% of the purchase price of properties below €400,000 could be available, which represents a significant contribution towards these deposit requirements. This should alleviate some of the challenges faced by first-time buyers in accessing the 10% deposit of the market value of the property. The initiative has been designed to provide immediate and targeted support for first-time buyers in meeting their deposit requirements and encouraging the construction of new housing units.
306. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of HAP inspections undertaken to date; the number outstanding beyond the eight month deadline, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6191/18]
View answerMinimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. All landlords, including those in receipt of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations and responsibility for the enforcement of the regulations rests with the relevant local authority.
Under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, local authorities have a strengthened legislative framework available to them, which provides for the issuing of Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices, where landlords are in breach of their obligations. Fines for non-compliance with the regulations were also increased; the maximum fine increased from €3,000 to €5,000 and the fine for each day of a continuing offence increased to €400.
Under section 12 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended), landlords are obliged to: ensure that the their property is in good condition, maintain the property to the standard it was at the start of the tenancy and reimburse the tenants for any repairs carried out on the structure.
HAP is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. Under section 41 of the 2014 Act, local authorities are required to commence the inspection process within 8 months of the commencement of HAP support being provided in relation to a particular dwelling if not already inspected within the previous 12 months. HAP may be provided on a property which is the subject of a subsisting improvement notice under section 18A of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. HAP shall not be, or shall cease to be, provided on a property which is the subject of proceedings or a prohibition notice under section 18B of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. Where a prohibition notice has come into effect, HAP may continue to be paid for 13 weeks from the date of HAP commencing or the notice coming into force, as appropriate.
Following the completion of the statutory phased roll-out of the HAP scheme in March 2017, the HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC), which provides a central transactional service for all local authorities and is operated by Limerick City and County Council, updated the ICT system used for HAP supported tenancies in order to assist local authorities in recording their compliance with their legislative obligations. I expect this module will become fully operational over the course of 2018, providing improved information in relation to inspections of HAP properties. The information reported by local authorities under the module will be kept under regular review.
Data in relation to all private rental inspections carried out by local authorities is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-building-and-private-rented/private-housing-market-statistics.
307. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the timeframe for phase two of the local infrastructure housing activation fund to be delivered; when the application process will be open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6224/18]
View answerAs part of Budget 2018, I announced that an additional €50 million Exchequer funding will be available for a second Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) call. This will, as was the case in the original LIHAF call, be subject to matching funding by local authorities, where the Department will provide 75% Exchequer funding, with the Local Authorities themselves providing 25% matching funding. This will bring overall LIHAF funding to €266 million.
Following the first phase of submissions under LIHAF in late 2016, 29 projects have now proceeded to full approval and are at varying stages of design, procurement and construction of the infrastructure concerned, with most on track to complete the infrastructure in 2019 and with housing expected to be in place either in tandem with the infrastructure where possible or otherwise quickly thereafter.
There will be a further call for proposals under phase 2 of LIHAF towards the end of Quarter 1 2018. It will be open to all local authorities to submit new projects or resubmit previous projects for consideration at that time. Following assessment and selection of successful projects, it is expected that these LIHAF 2 projects would commence towards the end of 2018.
308. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a person (details supplied) is eligible for a grant for remediation works to be carried out on a domestic wastewater treatment system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6231/18]
View answerThe Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, brought into operation a grant scheme to assist with the cost of remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed, following inspection under the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Inspection Plan, to require repair or upgrading.
The Regulations provide that, subject to the applicant meeting all qualification criteria, a local authority may pay a grant to a person who is required, following an inspection, to undertake repairs or upgrades to, or replacement of, a septic tank or other domestic waste water treatment system. Applications for grant aid are administered by the local authorities in whose functional area the particular domestic waste water treatment system requiring remediation is situated. The local authorities then seek recoupment of the amounts paid from my Department. Where a local authority pays a grant under the scheme, my Department will recoup to the local authority 100% of the amount paid.
Full details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, are set out in the explanatory leaflet and application form published on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/water/water-quality/domestic-waste-water-systemsseptic-tanks/domestic-waste-water-treatment-0.
As the person in question did not register his or her domestic waste water treatment system within the prescribed time set out in the Regulations, he or she is not considered eligible for a grant for the cost of remediation of their septic tank unless, in the case of new developments, the treatment system was entered on the relevant water services authority's register of such systems within 90 days of connection of the premises to the domestic waste water treatment system. This is addressed in Article 3A (a) of the Regulations, which are available at the following link:
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2013/si/180/made/en/print.
Householders who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the grant under the aforementioned Regulations and who wish to remediate or upgrade their on-site treatment systems may qualify for relief under the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) Scheme introduced pursuant to section 5 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 2013. The HRI Scheme covers main residence repairs, renovations and improvements, including the repair or replacement of septic tanks. The Scheme is administered by the Revenue Commissioners and full details are published on the Revenue Commissioners' website at www.revenue.ie.
309. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the guidelines and monitoring for information and graphics displayed on billboards, posters and so on at referenda and elections in view of the plan to hold a referendum; if this is governed by legislation or statutory instrument which includes processes for persons who wish to make complaints regarding material on such billboards, posters and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6244/18]
View answerSection 140 of the Electoral Act 1992 (as amended) provides that every notice, bill, poster or similar document having reference to a Dáil election or distributed for the purpose of furthering the candidature of any candidate at a Dáil election shall bear upon its face the name and address of the printer and of the publisher thereof. Section 6 of the Referendum Act 1994 (as amended) provides that these requirements also apply to every notice, bill, poster or similar document used during a referendum campaign.
The Electoral Acts do not regulate the content of advertising for political purposes, including election posters, either within or outside of electoral or referendum campaigns. However, one of the main functions of a Referendum Commission, which is an independent body established under section 2 of the Referendum Act 1998, is to explain the subject matter of referendum proposals and communicate these explanations to the electorate.
310. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of the proposed merger and relocation of the State agencies (details supplied) to his Department. [6256/18]
View answerThe Government’s Public Service Reform Plan included a proposal to merge the Valuation Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Property Registration Authority to provide an opportunity for more efficient and effective delivery of land, spatial data and property administration services in Ireland.
One of the key milestones of the merger project centres around progressing the statutory basis for the new body and in January 2015 the Government approved the General Scheme of the Tailte Éireann Bill.
In July 2017 the Taoiseach announced the transfer of functions for the oversight of these bodies and the related merger project from the Department of Justice and Equality to my Department. In December 2017 the relevant Ministerial Transfer Orders, which took effect from 1 January this year, were made.
The task of merging these bodies into a single entity is a challenging project. I welcome the previous work undertaken by the Department of Justice and Equality in progressing the Tailte Eireann Bill. My Department will continue working with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to finalise the Bill, with a view to its publication later this year.
In the meantime, the administrative arrangements associated with the merger will continue to be progressed.
311. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department has commissioned economic or regulatory impact assessments of the risks to sectors under the purview of his Department following the decision of the UK to exit the EU and the various types of future relationships that might result; if he will provide a copy of such studies conducted; the persons or body commissioned to conduct this research; the cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6308/18]
View answerBrexit-related contingency planning at both a domestic and an EU level is focused on three areas: preparing for a no-deal scenario or so-called “disorderly Brexit”; preparing for a transition period based on the “status quo”; and preparing for the future EU-UK relationship.
While the outcome of the December European Council and the move on to Phase 2 has lessened the likelihood of a disorderly Brexit, very detailed work on a no-deal or worst-case-scenario is advancing intensively through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This work is also informed by ongoing stakeholder engagement. Separately, a new preparedness unit in the European Commission is considering EU-level responses.
All this work provides a baseline scenario for the policies and sectors impacted, which can then be adapted as appropriate in light of developments in the EU-UK negotiations. In this regard, it is welcome that the direction of travel is now firmly towards achieving a “status quo” transition period. Agreement on a “status quo” transition will provide certainty to individuals and businesses while also aiming to avoid any cliff edge effects between the UK leaving the EU and a future relationship agreement coming into force. The period will provide time for businesses and citizenship to prepare for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU based on the outcome of the negotiations on the framework for the EU’s future relationship with the UK. In this respect, the expectation is that the European Council will adopt additional Guidelines at its meeting on 22-23 March 2018 on the framework for the future EU-UK relationship. These guidelines – as well as further clarity on the UK position, which has been sought by the European Council – will provide a clearer picture of the direction of travel in the negotiations.
The Government’s contingency planning continues to be firmly grounded in the extensive work and outreach that has already been undertaken by individual Departments and agencies, as well as by stakeholder organisations, academics and others. Much of this is in the public domain.
In so far as my Department is concerned, the National Planning Framework for Ireland 2040 is due to be finalised shortly and, along with the Capital Plan and other long-term Government strategies, will play an important role in preparing for the consequences of Brexit.
In May 2017, my Department and the Economic and Social Research Institute commenced a three-year programme of collaborative research. The output of the research programme will be a series of published papers concerning housing economics and related topics. Part of this programme will include work on estimating housing demand, including examining the implications for the housing market of changes in population levels which might arise over the medium term. Net migration, whether due to Brexit or other factors, will be one of the variables considered. The first outputs from the programme in relation to estimating medium to long-term housing demand are expected in mid-2018.
312. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the additional budget for 2018 or other years, provided to his Department and all agencies and bodies within his remit to plan or prepare for Brexit; the number of additional staff who have been recruited to work on this policy area in each body, agency and his Department; the number of dedicated staff planning and working on Brexit matters in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6325/18]
View answerMy Department’s priorities are, primarily, of a domestic focus and, as such, no additional funding was sought in 2018 for Brexit-related matters nor has there been a requirement to recruit additional staff to work specifically on Brexit policy in 2018.
While there is no requirement at this point in time for staff members to be assigned on a full time basis to Brexit matters, a team of three in the Assistant Secretary led Corporate and Business Support Division, headed by a senior official at Principal Officer level, is involved directly at various times in planning and working on Brexit matters, with input from relevant line units and experts across the organisation, as necessary. Brexit related matters are also kept under regular review by the Department’s Management Board.
My Department plays a full role in the network of working groups established to ensure a whole of Government response to the challenges of Brexit, particularly in relation to issues concerning North-South cooperation and the Common Travel Area.
Information in relation to Brexit funding, planning and staffing by agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency. Arrangements have been put in place by each agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is as follows:
|
Agency |
Email address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
Ervia /Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
oireachtas@osi.ie |
|
Property Registration Authority |
reps@prai.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
oireachtasmembersqueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Office |
reps@valoff.ie |
313. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the involvement his Department has had in respect of contracts with a company (details supplied) that provide public private partnership contracts; the nature of the contract; if it was for capital construction or service supply; the duration of each contract; the value of fee commitments; the alternative arrangements he has made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6342/18]
View answerThe Social Housing Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme involves an investment with a capital value of €300 million. It is to deliver 1,500 social housing units in total, via three bundles.
The first bundle comprises six sites and will provide over 500 units in the Greater Dublin Area. A contract notice for this bundle was published on 12 May 2017 in the Official Journal of the European Union and expressions of interest were submitted by five candidates. Based on a detailed evaluation of these submissions, the following three candidates have been shortlisted to tender;
- BAM PPP PGGM Cooperative U.A.;
- Comhar; and
- Torc Housing Partnership.
Details regarding these tenderers are available on the National Development Finance Agency website at http://www.ndfa.ie/social-housing-bundle-1-shortlist/.
The company referred to is not part of any of the consortia shortlisted to proceed to tender.
314. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to improve the limited criteria that pertain to planning regulations for afforestation in view of the serious concerns of many persons and communities in areas such as west County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6385/18]
View answerThe principal Planning and Development Regulations 2001 were amended in September 2011 by the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 to provide that initial afforestation shall be exempted development.
The justification for exempting this form of activity from the requirement to obtain planning permission is because such activity was subject to a separate statutory development consent system under the European Communities (Forest Consent and Assessment) Regulations 2010, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The 2010 Regulations were subsequently revoked and have been replaced by the Forestry Regulations 2017, following the commencement of the Forestry Act 2014. Similar to the 2010 Regulations, the 2017 Regulations make specific provision for public consultation in the application and approval processes relating to afforestation developments.
I have no proposals to further amend the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 in this regard, but taking account of wider planning and development considerations, my Department will continue to monitor and keep under review general development activity, in consultation with local authorities, relevant Departments and Agencies and other stakeholders.
315. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the persons on State boards under the aegis of his Department who are also serving on other State boards; the persons on State boards under the aegis of his Department who have served previously on other State boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6466/18]
View answerAs Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, I am responsible for appointments to the boards of relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department. All appointments are made in accordance with the requirements of the governing legislation and the Government Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards.
Full information of the kind sought by the Deputy is not held by my Department. However, details of the current membership of State Boards under the aegis of my Department are published on
http://www.housing.gov.ie/corporate/transparency-data/appointments-state-boards/appointments-declg-state-boards.
The current membership of all State Boards is published on the www.Stateboards.ie website.
316. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will report on his Department's strategy statement and its commitments on delivering key infrastructure, including housing. [6002/18]
View answerReporting on implementation of my Department's Statement of Strategy is done, primarily, through Annual Reports. The most recently published such report is for 2016 and is available at: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/annual_report_2016_english.pdf.
In accordance with the Public Service Management Act 1997 and following my appointment to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in June 2017, a new Strategy Statement was prepared for the period 2017-2020. This has just been approved by Government, prior to its publication and laying before the Houses of the Oireachtas in the usual way. It will also be published on my Department's website shortly.
The Strategy Statement is closely aligned with the commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government and with the actions set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. Progress updates on the actions under Rebuilding Ireland are published regularly on the Rebuilding Ireland website at: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news-page/.
317. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the request by a school (details supplied) for a language assistant will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6119/18]
View answerIn order to ensure that the Language Assistants Scheme is operating in the best possible way to support both the language planning process and the Gaeltacht Education Policy, my Department will be seeking tenders to carry out a review of this scheme in the coming weeks.
It is hoped that, following this review, my Department will be in a better position serve the demand from Gaeltacht-based schools for language assistants under the scheme for the 2018/19 school year.
318. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of staff in her Department and agencies or bodies under her aegis seconded in each of the years 2012 to 2017; and the grade number, pay scale and length of time each member of staff has been serving while under secondment in tabular form. [6211/18]
View answerThe information sought is not readily available, but will be compiled and forwarded to the Deputy, in accordance with the timeline set out in Standing Orders.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
319. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 357 of 31 January 2018, the number of the 20,164 individual archaeological excavation licences issued by the National Monuments Service under section 26 of the National Monuments Act 1930 since 1995 that resulted in the discovery of remains or features of archaeological interest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6232/18]
View answerData relating to the numbers of discoveries of remains or features of archaeological interest arising solely from archaeological excavations licensed under Section 26 of the National Monuments Acts 1930 is not compiled or categorized separately by my Department. New archaeological discoveries come to light from a number of sources, including excavations. The total of recorded archaeological sites and monuments now numbers in excess of 140,000 and is added to regularly.
My Department issues archaeological licences under the terms of the National Monuments Acts having full regard to its Policy and Guidelines on Archaeological Excavations first published in 1999.
All excavation licences are issued on the basis that the investigations are for the purpose of searching for archaeological features and to provide for their subsequent recording or protection. A standard licence condition requires a report to be submitted to my Department on the results of each investigation. Summary reports are published in the independent Excavations Bulletin which contains certain annual data on archaeological discoveries made through individual excavations. Data from the Bulletin is available from 1969 onwards at www.excavations.ie.
