Written Answers Nos. 282-306
282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which a current review of entitlements is likely to affect a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46418/18]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax free payment which provides additional income support to employees, with children, on low earnings. The applicant, in order to qualify for working family payment, must be engaged in full-time remunerative employment as an employee for no less than 38 hours in a fortnight.
An application to renew the Working Family Payment (WFP) was received from the person concerned on 18 September 2018. As a result of information contained in this application their entitlement was reviewed. The result of this review is that their WFP will remain in payment. The person concerned has been advised of the requirement to notify the Department when her employment ceases for the school holidays.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
283. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position in regard to the restoration of payment and arrears due in respect of a jobseeker's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46420/18]
View answerThe person concerned was notified by my Department on the 15th of August 2018 that they had a debt of €198.00. The correspondence stipulated to the person concerned that this debt would be recovered by a reduction in their weekly payment of 15% of his personal rate and that the deductions would begin 3 weeks from the date of the letter.
The person concerned was afforded the opportunity to comment on the method of payment or to advise the Department of any facts or circumstances which were relevant to the repayment.
The customer concerned repaid the debt in full over a 7 week period, and has been in receipt of his full entitlement of €198.00 per week since October 24th.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
284. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the action which can be taken to ensure an appropriate payment in accordance with their entitlement is made in the case of a person (details supplied); the last occasion they were in receipt of a weekly payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46425/18]
View answerThe person concerned was last paid a weekly Jobseeker's Allowance on 13th December 2016 and last paid a weekly Supplementary Welfare Allowance on 6th September 2017. She has appealed the decisions to disallow both payments and the appeal process is currently underway. In the meantime, she has received a number of Exceptional Needs Payments, including on four occasions during October 2018.
In light of the concerns raised by the Deputy, I have made arrangements for an officer of the Department to call out to see the customer as a matter of urgency.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
285. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a reduction in the commercial rates levied on a vacant business premises (details supplied) in County Kerry will be considered in order to incentivise a new business to lease the premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46215/18]
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 2001-2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied to the valuation for each property determined by the Valuation Office, to obtain the amount payable in rates, is decided by the elected members of each local authority in the annual budget and its determination is a reserved function.
The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Valuation Acts 2001-2015 and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative. The statute does not accord the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government any function in this regard.
Legislative provision is made for the refund of rates paid on vacant commercial properties in certain circumstances. The Local Government Act 1946 provides that where a property is unoccupied on the date of the making of the rate, the owner becomes liable for rates. However, the owner is entitled to a refund if the property is vacant for specified purposes, these being if the premises are unoccupied for the purpose of additions, alterations or repairs; where the owner is bona fide unable to obtain a suitable tenant at a reasonable rent; and where the premises are vacant pending redevelopment. The collection of rates and the determination of eligibility for a refund in this context are matters for each individual local authority.
The Local Government Act 1946 provided that the owner was entitled to a 100% refund in most local authority areas. Separate legislation governed refunds in the cities of Dublin, Limerick and Cork, where the same criteria for refunds applied but only 50% of the rates paid were refundable.
With effect from 1 June 2014, when the relevant provision commenced, the Local Government Reform Act 2014 gives discretion to the elected members of individual local authorities to vary the level of rates refunds that apply in individual local electoral areas within the authority’s administrative area. The Local Government (Financial and Audit Procedures) Regulations 2014 provide that the decision to alter the rate of refund should be taken at the annual budget meeting and that the rate of refund decided in respect of the relevant local electoral area shall apply to eligible persons for the year to which the budget relates. The absence of a decision to vary the refund means that the existing legislative provisions regarding the rate of refunds apply (either 100% or 50% as set out above). Guidance has been provided to local authorities and elected members in that regard.
286. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the steps he is taking in order to cease sewage discharges into the Dublin Bay biosphere from the Howth peninsula with reference to a recent Environmental Protection Agency report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46250/18]
View answerThe EPA issues a report on urban waste water treatment in Ireland every year. The latest report is based on the assessment of effluent monitoring results from 1,100 waste water treatment plants reported to the EPA by Irish Water and on enforcement activities carried out by the EPA during 2017.
Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level, including investment in wastewater treatment plants, and Irish Water’s primary function is to provide clean safe drinking water to customers and to treat and return wastewater safely to the environment. Irish Water takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment, and meeting customer requirements.
Following actions taken by Irish Water, the EPA has found that the number of priority urban areas where waste water treatment needs to improve is down to 132 from 148 in 2016. Of 44 towns and villages where raw sewage was being discharged in 2016, 6 are now connected to treatment plants. The remaining 38 towns and villages, with a population equivalent of 88,000 people, will be connected by 2021.
The River Basin Management Plan 2018 - 2021 outlines what Ireland is doing to protect and improve our waters. Among a broad suite of measures, the plan provides for €1.7 billion worth of investment by Irish Water in 255 urban wastewater projects which are designed to achieve compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD). Of the urban areas where works are required, the majority will be compliant by end 2021, including Ringsend which is the single largest wastewater treatment plant in the country, accounting for 41% of the total wastewater load.
Irish Water has developed a long term investment perspective in order to strategically address the deficiencies in the public water and wastewater system. It is optimising investment decisions to ensure that they utilise scarce capital by making investments that deliver the best possible improvements for these communities. Building water and wastewater treatment plants and upgrading or building water and wastewater networks as necessary will require significant investment.
If the Deputy has more specific queries in relation to waste water services issues, Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
287. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the allocation of emergency funding has been set up in case of a bad winter similar to that in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46164/18]
View answerSince 2009, my Department has made financial support available to assist local authorities in meeting the costs of clean-up and necessary immediate works associated with significant severe weather emergency events, including flooding. This is in recognition of the exceptional nature of activities carried out by local authorities in responding to these types of emergencies and the fact that the costs of these un-programmed activities cannot be met from within existing resources.
Funding of repair of public infrastructure is undertaken by the relevant Department in line with its sectoral responsibility. Capital costs associated with infrastructural damage, such as damage to the roads network, are therefore not included under the above arrangements.
It is important to note that my Department does not have a standing fund for the recoupment of local authority costs associated with severe weather response activities but rather the funding is made available, in the first instance, from savings identified elsewhere in the Department's budget.
As previously, should further severe weather events occur in winter 2018 and where the costs of the local authority response cannot be met from within their existing approved resources my Department will endeavour to identify savings to fund un-programmed costs and, if necessary, engage with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on securing further funding.
Since 2009, my Department has made a total of €95m available in this way to local authorities, including €9.4m following the cold weather and snow of February/March 2018.
288. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason for the delay in the introduction of a rental deposit protection scheme; when the scheme will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46178/18]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provides for, among other things, the establishment of a Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
There have been significant changes in the rental market since the 2015 scheme was first envisaged and designed. For example, the draft scheme was originally intended to be financed by the interest payable on deposits lodged; this is no longer viable, given current financial market conditions. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that disputes relating to deposits are no longer the most common dispute type referred to the RTB. Financing the operation of the scheme is an important consideration, particularly in terms of ensuring that the likely outcomes of a new scheme are achieved efficiently and effectively and that the best value from public funds is secured. Careful consideration is therefore required to introduce any necessary reforms and enhancements to the 2015 scheme, with a view to considering whether and how to introduce a re-designed scheme that is fit for purpose and suitable for current and future rental and financial markets.
Attention also needs to be given to the resources that would be required to establish a Deposit Protection Scheme at this time. On foot of the consideration of the existing provisions and other related matters, any necessary legislative changes will be brought before the Oireachtas at the earliest available opportunity.
289. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of an application by Westmeath County Council (details supplied) for supplementary funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46180/18]
View answerUnder the Disabled Persons Grants Scheme, capital funding is provided to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to the existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants. My Department has recently given funding approval for the construction of extensions to 2 local authority houses in Ballynacarrigy and Castletowngeoghegan, Co. Westmeath. It is now a matter for the local authority to put arrangements in place for the necessary works to be carried out.
290. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if it is now a legal requirement to have a clerk of works on all building developments; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46192/18]
View answerThere is no statutory requirement for a clerk of works on building developments.
In response to the many building failures of the past, my Department introduced the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 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.
Statutory certificates of compliance, where relevant, must be given at commencement (design only) and completion and must be signed by a registered construction profession (i.e. an architect or a building surveyor or a chartered engineer who is included on a statutory register maintained respectively by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland or Engineers Ireland). The statutory certificate of compliance on completion must also be signed by the builder. In effect, the statutory certificate of compliance on completion certifies that a building is compliant with all relevant requirements of the Building Regulations.
Previously local authorities were generally exempt from building control requirements; this general exemption was removed by the Building Control (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2015 with effect from 1 September 2015 following a review of the 2014 Regulations after 12 months of operation. As a result of this, the design and assigned certifier roles for local authority projects must be undertaken by a registered construction professional (i.e. an architect, a building surveyor or a chartered engineer), who may be an employee of a local authority or whose services may be procured by way of public tender. These inspection and certification roles are statutory obligations.
Finally, in the context of public works contracts, the roles, responsibilities, functions and powers of the parties to the Contract (i.e. the Employer and the Contractor) are clearly set out. These generally include obligations under Building Regulations, Building Control Regulations, Health and Safety Legislation, appropriate supervision, quality assurance procedures, monitoring of the quality of works etc. Specific arrangements, in this regard, are a matter for the contracting authority, depending on the size, complexity and risk of the project.
291. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of a foreshore licence for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46213/18]
View answerMy Department wrote to the person concerned on 24 August 2018 last clarifying the legal standing on appurtenant and profit-à-prendre rights to harvest wild seaweed and the interaction of these rights with the Foreshore Act and specifically applications to harvest wild seaweed.
My Department outlined that in order to consider an application to harvest wild seaweed, it is now necessary to incorporate into the process a mechanism whereby applicants will need to undertake a search of the Land Registry folios in respect of the area of the foreshore they want to harvest in. They will need to identify the folios of all land bordering that part of the foreshore and, with the exception of urban land and housing estates, within one mile of the foreshore in question. It will be necessary to examine all such folios to ascertain if they contain any entries showing a right to take seaweed from that part of the foreshore.
To date there is no record of a reply from the person concerned.
292. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the changes to statutory regulations or legislation he is considering in relation to the planning, procurement and construction of social housing by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46255/18]
View answerThere is a complete programme of planning, procurement and building regulations that apply to social and non-social housing equally. I have no plans at present to introduce any changes to statutory regulations or legislation in the areas identified by the Deputy that would apply to social housing only.
293. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the overall level of funding to local authorities in each of the years 2011 to 2017, inclusive, and to date in 2018. [46281/18]
View answer294. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the level of funding to each of the local authorities in each of the years 2011 to 2017, inclusive, and to date in 2018. [46282/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 294 together.
My Department has a broad agenda, including providing necessary housing and planning supports in partnership with local authorities. To deliver on this agenda, my Department allocates significant resources to local authorities.
The table below details funding to local authorities from my Department as it was configured in each year from 2011 to 31st October 2018. The figures include funding from the Departmental Vote, the Local Government Fund and, from 2011 to October 2016, the Environment Fund, before it transferred to the responsibility of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment.
Central Government funding of local government is a complex matter, with transfers coming from a wide range of Departments and Offices, not solely from my Department, for a variety of purposes. Some streams of funding are delivered directly from funding departments to local authorities, while others are routed through departmental agencies. Some elements of funding are project-specific, giving rise to changes in funding from one year to another, depending on a project's progression. The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) reports on the Central Government funding of local authorities as part of his Annual Report, which provides an overview of the funds flowing from and through central government sources to local authorities and the purposes for which funds have been provided. The relevant part of the most recent report can be viewed at the link below.
https://www.audit.gov.ie/en/Find-Report/Publications/2018/2017-Annual-Report-Chapter-04-Central-government-funding-of-local-authorities1.pdf.
|
CITY / COUNTY COUNCIL |
2011 € |
2012 € |
2013 € |
2014 € |
|
CARLOW |
34,263,148.50 |
30,195,251.06 |
22,387,022.00 |
18,956,112.32 |
|
CAVAN |
32,118,654.13 |
28,114,786.05 |
34,031,343.12 |
21,581,645.00 |
|
CLARE |
36,617,901.17 |
27,766,033.56 |
28,761,263.88 |
22,142,471.92 |
|
CORK CITY |
57,652,004.53 |
52,194,154.74 |
49,685,381.48 |
38,246,297.21 |
|
CORK COUNTY |
121,299,921.17 |
106,132,251.44 |
91,800,189.14 |
33,143,384.94 |
|
DONEGAL |
87,580,656.16 |
56,005,369.56 |
52,647,318.64 |
40,160,006.92 |
|
DUN LAOIGHAIRE / RATHDOWN |
60,034,754.90 |
65,832,792.92 |
45,956,379.07 |
22,309,977.15 |
|
DUBLIN CITY |
267,559,048.25 |
245,157,120.42 |
232,877,786.22 |
156,084,315.38 |
|
FINGAL |
93,966,322.77 |
74,685,490.77 |
74,597,101.92 |
39,872,772.51 |
|
SOUTH DUBLIN |
68,788,394.78 |
64,416,298.47 |
61,203,054.41 |
42,184,410.07 |
|
GALWAY CITY |
29,147,213.94 |
25,483,100.68 |
19,857,842.93 |
15,180,995.46 |
|
GALWAY COUNTY |
86,844,670.45 |
51,767,835.08 |
59,838,382.94 |
31,559,260.64 |
|
KERRY |
59,830,683.60 |
50,799,605.42 |
48,721,269.93 |
26,885,121.86 |
|
KILDARE |
88,413,616.58 |
74,963,114.93 |
63,825,198.28 |
29,501,197.62 |
|
KILKENNY |
36,679,125.54 |
35,245,728.39 |
30,398,286.51 |
21,574,873.15 |
|
LAOIS |
31,578,208.74 |
25,940,553.69 |
28,307,196.33 |
20,213,998.26 |
|
LEITRIM |
21,095,129.25 |
19,326,004.89 |
20,048,340.49 |
12,030,473.17 |
|
LIMERICK |
115,006,662.52 |
94,745,777.03 |
92,536,278.18 |
68,056,183.71 |
|
LONGFORD |
27,280,472.53 |
26,493,663.33 |
27,065,525.62 |
15,090,852.42 |
|
LOUTH |
40,346,515.80 |
41,324,544.22 |
33,254,495.40 |
24,827,303.62 |
|
MAYO |
65,741,775.71 |
56,142,537.24 |
56,129,137.94 |
37,832,735.80 |
|
MEATH |
50,459,868.49 |
45,028,842.42 |
40,703,223.20 |
20,109,398.72 |
|
MONAGHAN |
37,055,444.11 |
25,816,895.25 |
26,954,471.97 |
23,079,895.38 |
|
OFFALY |
42,649,428.46 |
28,255,622.50 |
25,579,520.94 |
15,589,024.73 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
32,890,927.72 |
28,115,994.26 |
23,830,433.52 |
17,657,261.50 |
|
SLIGO |
45,032,243.03 |
33,403,741.65 |
25,694,556.69 |
24,767,582.61 |
|
TIPPERARY |
78,009,333.96 |
78,916,259.76 |
74,794,852.25 |
39,734,204.79 |
|
WATERFORD |
64,332,599.33 |
63,877,342.82 |
49,532,703.00 |
42,847,985.42 |
|
WESTMEATH |
34,306,260.87 |
29,143,483.16 |
29,694,545.45 |
22,307,706.34 |
|
WEXFORD |
53,126,746.58 |
46,653,589.02 |
37,684,069.73 |
27,885,223.41 |
|
WICKLOW |
53,495,716.76 |
45,940,094.16 |
41,309,124.04 |
20,997,011.35 |
|
TOTALS |
1,953,203,450.33 |
1,677,883,878.89 |
1,549,706,295.22 |
992,409,683.38 |
[Table cont]
|
CITY / COUNTY COUNCIL |
2015 € |
2016 € |
2017 € |
31 Oct 2018 ACTUALS € |
|
CARLOW |
17,274,626.90 |
19,513,494.75 |
25,514,940.08 |
22,397,546.60 |
|
CAVAN |
23,079,036.45 |
20,158,514.53 |
23,880,377.44 |
21,588,687.12 |
|
CLARE |
25,830,710.00 |
21,077,157.26 |
36,290,369.59 |
27,318,248.39 |
|
CORK CITY |
65,059,060.21 |
72,200,029.82 |
65,116,893.14 |
67,658,069.57 |
|
CORK COUNTY |
53,141,916.54 |
69,348,563.03 |
85,481,710.04 |
70,224,710.64 |
|
DONEGAL |
39,168,728.53 |
39,991,834.12 |
52,548,180.06 |
36,656,298.97 |
|
DUN LAOIGHAIRE / RATHDOWN |
54,918,560.21 |
54,483,987.06 |
75,840,394.06 |
53,231,004.30 |
|
DUBLIN CITY |
227,518,276.84 |
277,002,869.15 |
350,321,114.01 |
298,584,476.86 |
|
FINGAL |
75,922,698.42 |
53,273,520.07 |
97,173,196.07 |
82,971,953.46 |
|
SOUTH DUBLIN |
43,900,266.87 |
71,833,084.13 |
86,252,371.20 |
87,889,906.42 |
|
GALWAY CITY |
15,757,011.34 |
18,657,333.82 |
25,772,357.96 |
22,351,602.36 |
|
GALWAY COUNTY |
31,579,401.65 |
33,513,224.68 |
33,657,218.14 |
33,817,907.90 |
|
KERRY |
28,317,913.78 |
33,453,847.31 |
41,365,574.45 |
44,468,545.61 |
|
KILDARE |
47,961,092.45 |
60,061,842.34 |
81,612,662.38 |
86,758,595.73 |
|
KILKENNY |
26,728,044.93 |
28,513,875.49 |
37,754,532.70 |
35,004,663.16 |
|
LAOIS |
20,361,005.75 |
20,564,372.83 |
27,497,644.18 |
18,238,465.55 |
|
LEITRIM |
11,625,850.19 |
14,156,826.66 |
12,418,006.98 |
12,196,374.17 |
|
LIMERICK |
76,794,896.72 |
125,209,375.02 |
239,023,688.93 |
290,588,982.12 |
|
LONGFORD |
14,442,713.10 |
15,410,859.91 |
16,726,316.82 |
14,336,553.54 |
|
LOUTH |
29,533,062.56 |
33,353,650.19 |
31,692,082.20 |
27,397,610.69 |
|
MAYO |
38,201,068.16 |
44,846,520.59 |
45,545,927.74 |
35,309,921.96 |
|
MEATH |
29,007,585.88 |
43,508,138.00 |
45,553,095.77 |
45,108,420.37 |
|
MONAGHAN |
21,516,274.19 |
23,980,152.58 |
31,740,875.90 |
22,063,302.58 |
|
OFFALY |
17,383,752.19 |
18,254,465.69 |
20,571,914.51 |
17,878,746.38 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
16,613,650.94 |
18,937,936.55 |
22,616,421.15 |
14,012,012.90 |
|
SLIGO |
25,087,142.14 |
25,553,121.36 |
28,728,546.29 |
21,987,983.11 |
|
TIPPERARY |
50,464,778.18 |
55,151,864.36 |
62,051,935.59 |
54,797,462.80 |
|
WATERFORD |
48,936,723.01 |
48,025,153.87 |
44,992,439.75 |
43,222,244.46 |
|
WESTMEATH |
20,224,801.05 |
25,166,944.73 |
28,144,126.30 |
25,917,897.01 |
|
WEXFORD |
30,650,897.13 |
35,565,585.22 |
46,181,329.32 |
48,104,433.55 |
|
WICKLOW |
33,747,830.68 |
31,047,151.98 |
27,107,000.21 |
45,778,068.67 |
|
TOTALS |
1,260,749,376.99 |
1,451,815,297.10 |
1,849,173,242.96 |
1,727,860,696.95 |
295. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of contracts tendered by each local authority in each of the years 2011 to 2017, inclusive, and to date in 2018. [46283/18]
View answerThe information requested is not available in my Department and I have no function in this matter. In accordance with section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001 contractual issues are a matter for the Chief Executive of the local authority.
296. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of procurement officers in each local authority charged with the responsibility of preparing, tendering and awarding procurement contracts in each of the years 2011 to 2017, inclusive, and to date in 2018. [46284/18]
View answer297. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the annual cost of procurement officers in each local authority charged with the responsibility of preparing, tendering and awarding procurement contracts. [46285/18]
View answer298. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the estimated cost of employing one specialist procurement officer within a local authority annually with the relevant and necessary qualifications and experience. [46286/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 296 to 298, inclusive, together.
Under sections 149 and 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of such local authority and the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.
My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels and pay and pension costs. To this end, my Department gathers quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities and data on pay and pension costs. However, the data does not provide details of the role and function of individual staff. Therefore, my Department is not in a position to provide details of the number of procurement officers and related salary costs in each local authority. This information may be available directly from individual local authorities.
In general the role of procurement officer is remunerated at administrative officer level and a summary of the salary scale of the relevant grade is outlined in the table below.
|
Point |
1 October 2018 |
|
1 |
€48,978 |
|
2 |
€50,176 |
|
3 |
€51,576 |
|
4 |
€52,979 |
|
5 |
€54,384 |
|
6 |
€55,637 |
|
7 |
€56,922 |
|
8 |
€58,166 |
|
9 |
€59,405 |
|
LSI 1 |
€61,534 |
|
LSI 2 |
€63,672 |
299. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the necessary legal provisions are in place to enable local authorities approaching the development of large land banks such as Poolbeg and Ballymastone to provide cost rental housing on those lands in view of the support of Dáil Éireann for cost rental housing expressed in the approval of the motion of 6 March 2018 and his statement that cost rental is a key part of housing strategy. [46294/18]
View answerThe development of publicly owned residential lands for social and affordable housing is a top priority for this Government. As part of that process, I am determined that cost rental homes become a major part of our rental landscape in the future, making a sustainable impact on housing affordability, national competitiveness, and the attractiveness of our main urban centres, as places to live as well as work.
Cost rental makes up a very important element of housing systems in other cities but is a relatively new concept in Ireland. Therefore, in order to progress cost rental in Ireland, two cost rental pilot projects are being delivered on sites at Emmet Road, Inchicore, and at Enniskerry Road, Dundrum. The Emmet Road site can accommodate some 330 cost rental homes and the project is being delivered by Dublin City Council working with my Department. The Enniskerry Road site will deliver 50 cost rental homes and that project is a joint venture between two Approved Housing Bodies working with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the Housing Agency.
Cost rental will initially be managed on an administrative basis and my Department is preparing a draft administrative cost rental scheme in collaboration with the Housing Agency and the local authorities involved in the pilot project. My Department is also leveraging the expertise and advisory services of the European Investment Bank. The invaluable learning from these pathfinder projects will inform further cost rental projects to be rolled out across other suitable sites. In this regard, it is open to local authorities to pursue cost rental on appropriate sites and I would encourage them to examine this option. The National Development Finance Agency is assisting local authorities in this appraisal.
In order to support local authorities further to prepare their sites for affordable housing, including cost rental, the Government recently committed, under Budget 2019 to provide €310 million under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) over the period 2019 to 2021. The funding is available for key facilitating infrastructure, on local authority sites, to support the provision of affordable homes to purchase or rent.
It is important that local authorities identify the most appropriate development options for each of their sites, taking account of all of the available funding streams. For example, the site at Ballymastone, comprising approximately 36 hectares in local authority ownership, will be opened up for residential development as a result of the €14.16 million funding awarded under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF). This LIHAF project, the Donabate distributor road, is due for completion in mid-2019.
Fingal County Council is proposing a mixed-tenure development for the area, with the capacity to accommodate approximately 1,200 homes. In this regard, the Council commenced the procurement process, via a competitive dialogue procedure, on 12 October.
With regard to the Poolbeg site, in May 2016, the Government designated Poolbeg West as a Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) because of its potential to deliver a large proportion of the extra homes needed in the centre of Dublin. My Department is committed to working with the City Council and the receiver of the SDZ in order to secure additional social and affordable housing from this site over and above Part V obligations as laid out in the adopted planning scheme and I understand that the receiver is engaging with Dublin City Council on the development of the site. There is currently an appeal to An Bord Pleanála in relation to the Poolbeg SDZ planning scheme and the progress of development of the site will be dependent significantly on the nature and timing of the decision of the Board.
Finally, the new Land Development Agency (LDA) will contribute significantly to the delivery of affordable housing. All of the State land developed by the LDA will include 40% social and affordable homes to purchase or rent.
300. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of loan approvals for house purchases in each year since 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46344/18]
View answerMy Department has published statistics on loan approvals for house purchases from 1970 to the end of 2016. These statistics provide annual and quarterly breakdowns by type of property and can be found at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-prices-loans-and-profile-borrowers/mortgage-market-statistics .
More recent data on loan approvals are published by Banking and Payments Federation Ireland.
301. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the way in which he has progressed the accessibility of voting and voter information for persons with disabilities. [46364/18]
View answerRecognising that people with disabilities have particular needs, my Department endeavours to ensure that the voting process is as accessible and inclusive as possible.
The Electoral Acts provide for a range of measures to meet the needs of people with physical disabilities, including:
- The requirement on local authorities, in making polling schemes, to appoint as polling places areas where at least one polling station will be accessible to wheelchair users;
- The requirement on Returning Officers, where practicable, to provide polling stations which are accessible to wheelchair users and to give public notice of all polling stations which are inaccessible to wheelchair users not later than eight days before polling day. In guidance to Returning Officers, my Department has suggested that consideration should be given to providing suitable ramps in the case of polling stations that cannot be reached without negotiating steps;
- The requirement on Returning Officers to put in place arrangements to facilitate the marking and placing in the ballot box of ballot papers by wheelchair users. In guidance to Returning Officers, my Department has suggested the provision at each polling station of an appropriately located table and chair to facilitate this requirement;
- The requirement on Returning Officers to ensure, where practicable, that the place appointed for the counting of votes is accessible to wheelchair users.
If an elector anticipates difficulty in gaining access to his or her polling station, he or she may apply in writing to the Returning Officer for authorisation to vote at another polling station in the same constituency. Furthermore, a person with a physical disability or illness which prevents him or her from going to the polling station can vote by post if he or she applies to be included in the postal voters list which is drawn up each year as part of the register of electors. A person residing in a hospital, nursing home or similar institution who has a physical disability or illness which prevents them from going to the polling station, can vote at the hospital or nursing home if they apply to be included in the special voters list which is drawn up each year as part of the register of electors. In order to be entered on the postal or special voters list, a person must apply to the appropriate local authority by 25 November each year. After that date, an application for inclusion on the supplement to the postal or special voters list may be made.
Currently there are a number of options available to assist voters with a visual impairment, or who are otherwise so physically incapacitated or are unable to read or write to such an extent that they are unable to vote without assistance. They may avail of companion voting or they may seek the assistance of the Presiding Officer. In addition, in the referendum last May, my Department provided ballot paper templates for use by vision impaired voters for the first time. These are devices that can be attached to ballot papers to enable vision impaired voters to vote in secret. Having being introduced in May for the first time, the use of the ballot paper templates was continued in the recent presidential election and referendum.
Other measures in place to assist such voters include the requirement to have on display at the polling station a large print version of the ballot paper and the inclusion of candidates' photographs and party emblems on the ballot paper.
While comprehensive arrangements are in place to assist participation in the electoral process by individuals with physical disabilities, nonetheless my Department continues to seek to improve these arrangements and to have regard to the special needs of such persons.
302. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the EUROSTAT classification of approved housing bodies as on balance sheet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46401/18]
View answerIn April, the Minister for Finance published the Draft Stability Programme Update (SPU) for 2018. This included an analysis of the financial impact of the Eurostat decision to reclassify the majority of Tier 3 Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) as part of the local government sector. This was an important first step in the Government's assessment as to the impact of the Eurostat decision.
Following the SPU, further work has been on-going in order to fully assess the implications of the reclassification decision. My Department is continuing to engage with the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, with technical support from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) and the Housing Agency (HA), in order to ensure that AHBs can continue to fulfil their full potential in the delivery of the targets set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan.
My Department is also engaging with the AHB sector and constructive discussions have taken place with representative bodies from the sector on the issue. The sector itself has engaged its own research on the matter, and my Department is evaluating that research as part of its ongoing wider consideration on the issue.
The AHB representative bodies have committed to continue to undertake further research and analysis into this issue over the coming months. This will assess the options available to create the necessary conditions to allow this classification decision to be revisited in the future. An important part of this exercise will be to examine what measures could be taken to develop the AHB sector in such a way so that it could be reclassified as being off the Government’s balance sheet in the longer term.
As previously noted, the Government continues to see a central role for the voluntary housing sector in contributing to delivery of social housing under Rebuilding Ireland. It is committed to using all mechanisms and schemes, including through the AHB sector, to ensure that we maintain the momentum towards meeting the ambitious 50,000 social housing target under the Action Plan.
303. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position regarding the working group comprising officials from planning authorities and his Department which was established to review and revise the 2005 planning guidelines on sustainable rural housing; if the review has concluded; if he has engaged with the European Commission on proposed changes to the guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46402/18]
View answerFollowing engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the 2013 European Court of Justice ruling in the "Flemish Decree" case, a working group was established in May 2017 to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. The objective is to ensure that rural housing policies and objectives contained in local authority development plans comply with the relevant provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The working group comprised 3 senior officials from the Planning Division of my Department and 6 senior officials from the Planning Divisions of local authorities nominated by the Local Government Management Agency. The Group met on three occasions: 18 May, 13 June and 28 June 2017.
Taking account of the working group's analysis and recommended outcome, my Department has been engaging with the European Commission on the matter with a view to issuing to planning authorities, by the end of this year, revisions to the 2005 Rural Housing Guidelines that take account of the relevant ECJ judgment. It may be possible to finalise the Guidelines earlier than that, subject to the completion of outstanding work.
304. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the proposed location of the headquarters of the regeneration and development agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46403/18]
View answerTogether with the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, I signed the Establishment Order for the Land Development Agency (LDA) on 13 September 2018.
The Establishment Order is an initial and enabling measure to get the LDA up and running as quickly as possible, ahead of the provision of a more comprehensive primary legislative basis for the Agency and its intended scope of powers and operations. As is common in Agency start-ups of this kind, the Land Development Agency is currently operating from temporary offices. These are located at Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin. A decision on the location of more permanent accommodation will be made in advance of enactment of the primary legislation next year.
305. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of staff in An Bord Pleanála in each of the years 2008 to 2017, inclusive, and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46404/18]
View answer306. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the budget of An Bord Pleanála in each of the years 2008 to 2018, inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46405/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together.
My Department engages with An Bord Pleanála on an ongoing basis to ensure that it has the appropriate resources to perform its broad range of functions. The Board currently has a complement of 11 members and has over 150 other staff employed.
Section 116 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides for the payment to the Board in each financial year of a grant of such amount as the Minister may fix, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The grant goes towards financing the administration and general expenses of the Board.
While the grant-aid funding provides for the majority of the Board’s annual income, the Board also generates income from fees charged. Section 144 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides for the determination of fees payable to the Board, subject to the approval of the Minister. In the main, these fees are payable to the Board by parties in respect of Strategic Infrastructure and Strategic Housing Development applications, appeals, referrals, oral hearing requests and certain other matters which are submitted for determination by the Board under the Planning and Development, Water Pollution and Building Control Acts.
The following table sets out the number of whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff employed by An Bord Pleanála on 31 December for the years 2008 to 2017 and at 31 October 2018, in addition to the operating budget for the Board over the same period. The 2018 grant aid figure represents the amount provided in the 2018 Revised Estimates for Public Services. Through ongoing and planned recruitment processes, the Board's staff complement is expected to increase further in 2019.
|
Years |
Staffing* (WTE) |
Grant aid |
Miscellaneous Income (including income from fees) |
Total Operating Budget |
|
|
|
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
2008 |
179.50 |
15.098 |
6.250 |
21.348 |
|
2009 |
167.50 |
15.331 |
4.406 |
19.737 |
|
2010 |
163.00 |
13.565 |
3.307 |
16.872 |
|
2011 |
158.10 |
13.724 |
3.446 |
17.170 |
|
2012 |
145.80 |
12.897 |
2.485 |
15.382 |
|
2013 |
144.10 |
11.793 |
2.658 |
14.451 |
|
2014 |
142.40 |
12.138 |
2.620 |
14.758 |
|
2015 |
138.40 |
14.886 |
2.579 |
17.465 |
|
2016 |
142.10 |
14.405 |
2.987 |
17.392 |
|
2017 |
156.10 |
17.100 |
3.026 |
20.126 |
|
2018 |
159.9** |
17.244 |
4.583 |
21.827 |
*Staffing figures are inclusive of Board members
**WTE staffing as of 31 October 2018
This information, and other related statistics, are available in An Bord Pleanála's Annual Reports, which can be accessed on the following link: http://www.pleanala.ie/publications/index.htm .
I am satisfied that the Board has the necessary resources to deliver effectively and efficiently on its important statutory mandate and functions.
