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Thursday, 29 Nov 2018

Written Answers Nos. 227-249

Exceptional Needs Payment Eligibility

Questions (227)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

227. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment will be made available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49996/18]

View answer

Written answers

The person concerned contacted the Community Welfare Service on 22/11/2018. An application form for Supplementary Welfare Allowance issued to the person concerned on the same date. The application will be assessed upon receipt of completed documentation and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Illness Benefit Payments

Questions (228)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

228. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the correct level and amount of illness benefit payable in the case of a person (details supplied). [49997/18]

View answer

Written answers

The person concerned is in receipt of his full entitlement under the Illness Benefit scheme and any arrears due for his dependent wife and child have issued.

The claim is medically certified up to the 21st December 2018 and further payments will automatically issue up to that date.

If after the 21st December 2018 the person concerned remains ill and unfit for work, a further medical certificate should be submitted to the Department as soon as possible in order for further payments to issue.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Invalidity Pension Eligibility

Questions (229)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

229. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an application for an invalidity pension claim will be processed in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49998/18]

View answer

Written answers

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred on 26 November 2018 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 hearing.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Questions (230)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

230. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if, in cases of persons in receipt of jobseeker's allowance who may occasionally have access to one day's employment only, they can receive consideration in the social welfare payment other than full reduction in lieu in view of the fact that attendance at a single day's employment has associated costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50013/18]

View answer

Written answers

My Department’s main social welfare schemes for people who are unemployed are the jobseeker’s allowance and the jobseekers benefit schemes. Both schemes provide significant support to individuals so that they can work up to 3 days a week and still retain access to a reduced jobseeker’s payment. The 2018 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseeker’s schemes of €2.17 billion.

Where a claimant or their spouse or partner has earnings from insurable employment, earnings less PRSI contributions, pension contributions and trade union subscriptions are assessed as means under jobseekers allowance. I want to advise the Deputy that a disregard of €20 per day is being applied, which can cover associated costs, to the earnings for each day worked subject to a maximum of €60 per week (3 days). The balance is then assessed at 60%. A person working four or more days a week will not qualify for jobseeker’s allowance.

The current days based system can also provide significant income supports to jobseekers who are part-time workers or casually employed. For instance an individual can earn a little over €20,190 per year and still retain a small jobseeker's allowance payment, while the equivalent threshold for an individual with a qualified adult is almost €34,700 if they are both working.

I trust that this information clarifies the matter for the Deputy if he has a particular case that should be examined, the details should be provided to my Department.

Disability Allowance Applications

Questions (231)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

231. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when disability allowance will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50014/18]

View answer

Written answers

The officials have contacted the Deputy's office to discuss this PQ, if the Deputy wishes to supply information including a PPS number I will have the matter examined.

Dietary Allowance Administration

Questions (232)

Lisa Chambers

Question:

232. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the annual cost of the dietary supplement allowance for the five years running up to its abolition in 2014. [50030/18]

View answer

Written answers

Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition. There are currently 2,500 in receipt of diet supplement at a cost of €1.4 million in 2018.

Following the outcome of a review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute commissioned by the Department during 2013, the scheme has been closed to new applicants from 1 February 2014. This independent research showed that the average costs across all of the retail outlets of the diets supplemented under the scheme can be met from within one third of the minimum personal rate of social welfare payment, i.e. the SWA rate which was then paid at €186 per week. The weekly rate of SWA is €196 and will increase to €201 from March further to Budget 2019. The diet supplement scheme was discontinued for new applicants on the basis of this evidence and I have no plans to reverse this decision.

Existing recipients continue to receive the diet supplement at the current rate of payment for as long as they continue to have an entitlement to the scheme or until their circumstances change.

In cases of particular hardship, officials continue to have the legislative power to award a SWA payment in cases of exceptional need. Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to financial support should contact their local Community Welfare Service who may be able to offer assistance.

The annual cost of the dietary supplement allowance for 2009 to 2013 is provided in the attached tabular statement.

Tabular Statement: Expenditure on Dietary Supplement 2009 to 2013

Year

Expenditure

€000

2009

4,606

2010

4,300

2011

3,996

2012

3,690

2013

3,084

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Questions (233)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

233. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 611 of 20 November 2018, if 340,000 self-employed contributors will be eligible for jobseeker’s benefit when introduced in late 2019; if not, the estimated number of eligible contributors that will join; the reason the number quoted in her Budget 2019 departmental press release indicated a much smaller figure (details supplied); the estimated cost of extending the benefit in 2019; and the full year to cost of extending this benefit. [50037/18]

View answer

Written answers

The new scheme for the self-employed, which I announced as part of the 2019 Budget measures, will extend a PSRI insurance based benefit to the self-employed who lose employment. This measure builds on other significant improvements for the self-employed in recent years such as access to invalidity pension and treatment benefits in Budget 2017.

Applicants will have to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the new scheme including, satisfying a PRSI contribution requirement and have sustained a substantial loss of employment and as a consequence, a significant loss of income. The statutory conditions and requirements for the scheme are being worked through by officials at this time.

It is difficult to estimate the numbers of self-employed that will apply and qualify for the new scheme. The expected take up and costs for this scheme are reliant on the labour market as it evolves and the overall performance of the economy. It is estimated that some 1,000 could benefit from the scheme in 2019 and approximately 6,500 could benefit at any point in time in a full year. It is intended that the scheme will be introduced in November 2019 with an estimated cost of approximately €2 million. The cost in 2020 which will be the first full year of the scheme year is estimated at approximately €31 million.

I trust that this is of assistance.

Social Insurance

Questions (234)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

234. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of extending carers and illness benefit to eligible self-employed class S PRSI contributors in 2019; and the full year cost of extending these benefits, in tabular form. [50038/18]

View answer

Written answers

The issue of extending additional social insurance benefits to the self-employed paying class S PRSI was considered in the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance fund (SIF) as at 31 December, 2015, which I published on the 18 October 2017. The review, required by legislation, was carried out by independent consultants, KPMG. It examines the projected income and expenditure of the SIF over the course of the 55 year period from 2016 to 2071.

As part of the review the independent consultants were required to project the additional PRSI expenditure if invalidity pension and illness, jobseeker’s and carer’s benefits were extended to class S self-employed workers and the PRSI contribution rates required to provide these benefits on a revenue neutral basis.

The Actuarial Review calculated the first year cost in 2018 and the cost of the schemes out to 2071. The table below shows the estimated cost of extending carer's and illness benefits in the first year and the estimated cost by 2025 as follows:

First Year

2025

Carer's Benefit

€3m

€6m

Illness Benefit

€40m

€108

The review indicates that, where these benefits are extended to the self-employed, the class S rate of PRSI contribution would need to increase substantially in order to ensure that the benefits are delivered in a revenue neutral manner. It estimates that when expenditure on the additional benefits is considered over the entire projection period, PRSI rates would need to increase by 94% under a scenario of no subvention from the exchequer. This is equivalent to an increase of the Class S contribution rate from the current 4% rate to 7.8%.

This increased contribution is attributable to the costs of extending these additional benefits to PRSI class S contributors. It does not take account of the value to PRSI class S contributors of access to the range of existing benefits, and in particular State pension contributory. The consultants estimated that the typical cost of State pension (contributory) on its own is of the order of 10% to 15%, depending on other factors including rate of average earnings and date of commencing paying PRSI. Adding in the other benefits referenced the total class S rate of contribution to ensure revenue neutrality would be of the order of 20% per annum.

Self-employed workers who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year, are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. This provides them with access to the following benefits: State pension (contributory), widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension (contributory), guardian’s payment (contributory), maternity benefit, adoptive benefit, paternity benefit and treatment benefit. Entitlement to invalidity pension was extended to the self-employed from December 2017. As you aware extension of jobseeker's benefit was announced in Budget 2019.

This compares favourably with employees who, in general, are liable to the class A rate of 4%. In addition their employers are liable to PRSI at the rate of 8.6% on weekly earnings up to and including €376 or at the rate of 10.85% where weekly earnings exceed €376. Accordingly the combined rate of PRSI rate paid in respect of class A employees is 12.6% or 14.85%, depending on the level of weekly earnings. These class A employees are entitled to the full range of social insurance benefits.

The findings of the Review will play an important role in informing the overall debate on policy developments in relation to the SIF in the years ahead, including the financial sustainability of the Fund given the expected demographic challenges and consideration of extending the scope of benefits for workers generally, including the self-employed.

Illness Benefit Applications

Questions (235)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

235. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an illness benefit payment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50044/18]

View answer

Written answers

The letter received by the person concerned dated the 8th November 2018 regarding Illness Benefit inadvertently issued and can be ignored. The Department apologises for any confusion this may have caused.

The person concerned was paid Invalidity Pension up to 12/9/18. She has returned to work. An entitlement to Partial Capacity Benefit has been considered, and a Deciding Officer determined that the person concerned does not have an entitlement to Partial Capacity Benefit. A letter advising her of this, and her right of appeal, issued to her on 21st November 2018.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Community Employment Schemes Funding

Questions (236)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

236. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason funding is being stopped for a youth employment programme (details supplied) in Dublin 11; if she will respond to an invitation from the group to meet with them; if she will reconsider this decision and reinstate funding for this important scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50051/18]

View answer

Written answers

Re-Engage Youth Employment Programme was a pilot initiative funded under the Department’s Community Employment programme (CE) over the past three years. The programme engages young people in Ballymun in a number employment, education and training activation supports. The initiative brings a number of real benefits to the participants.

Officials from the Department are in on going contact with BRYR management to explore how best the target group for this programme can be supported.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Urban Development

Questions (237, 246)

John Lahart

Question:

237. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of a project (details supplied); if funding has been secured; when the project will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49846/18]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

246. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount announced in budget 2019 for the urban regeneration and development fund in 2019 to fund a number of initial projects. [50039/18]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 246 together.

The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched as part of Project Ireland 2040, to support the compact growth and sustainable development of Ireland’s five cities, regional drivers and other large urban centres. I initiated the first call for proposals under the Fund in July 2018 and the deadline for submission of applications was 28 September. A total of 189 applications were submitted to my Department and on 26 November I announced the successful applicants for funding, details of which are available on my Department's website at www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/urdf_-_2019_funding_allocations_0.pdf.

Projects with a value of €100 million have been approved in principle through this process, and having regard to likely draw down of funds, a provision of €71m has been made available through my Department’s Vote in 2019 to fund projects for delivery in 2019.

The proposal in question did not receive an allocation for this round of funding. However, the URDF is a rolling fund, with €2 billion available to 2027, and it is my intention to announce a second call for proposals under the Fund early in 2019.

Commercial Rates Exemptions

Questions (238)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

238. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the estimated cost of providing full relief from commercial rates for all registered childcare providers here. [49889/18]

View answer

Written answers

Local 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 and all rates income accrues to the local government sector. Local authority total gross rates income is reported in the Income and Expenditure Account of their Annual Financial Statements. However, as this data is not categorised by the different types of property used for business purposes, information in relation to the rates contributed by registered childcare providers is not available in my Department.

Foreshore Issues

Questions (239)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

239. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of the public notices issued informing the public of the receipt on 1 March 2016 of the application for a foreshore lease (details supplied) on Galway Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49910/18]

View answer

Written answers

All of the information in respect of the foreshore lease applications for the Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site, at Spiddal, Co. Galway can be viewed on my Department’s website by selecting the following application link:

www.housing.gov.ie/planning/foreshore/applications/overview?title_1=Marine+Institute&field_date_received_value%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=&field_application_status_tid=All&field_fa_county_tid=All&items_per_page=20&=Apply.

Since taking over the Foreshore functions in 2010 my Department makes available to the public, through the website, all of the information relating to such foreshore applications that come before me for determination.

Foreshore Licence Applications

Questions (240)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

240. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of all costs incurred in the processing of foreshore lease application (details supplied) made by SEAI for an offshore site in County Mayo including all public notifications, all public and prescribed bodies consultations, statutory assessment processes and reports in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49911/18]

View answer

Written answers

The costs incurred by my Department, beyond the normal staffing administration costs for the processing of a particular application which are not itemised separately, are the legal costs associated with the drafting of the lease and the cost associated with the statutory requirement to publish the Notice of Determination for the foreshore lease in Iris Oifigiúil.

The legal costs incurred in the preparation of the foreshore lease documents for this lease are being recouped from Sustainable Energy Authority Of Ireland (SEAI) and to date, my Department has recouped €43,154.39. The cost of the notice in Iris Oifigiúil was €305.00.

Foreshore Licence Applications

Questions (241)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

241. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of all costs incurred in legal representation fees involved in challenges to consenting decisions made by his Department relating to foreshore and land planning decisions in the lifetime of this Government to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49912/18]

View answer

Written answers

My Department does not directly incur legal representation costs involved in defending challenges to foreshore consent decisions. Such costs are borne by the Chief State Solicitor's Office and accordingly, the information sought by the Deputy is not held by my Department.

My Department does not make decisions in relation to land planning consents. Decisions in relation to land planning applications are made by the Local Authorities and An Bord Pleanála.

Planning Data

Questions (242)

Bríd Smith

Question:

242. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of planning applications for the development of social housing by local authorities and approved housing bodies in each of the years 2010 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form. [49915/18]

View answer

Written answers

Overall planning statistics are collated and available on my Department’s website at this link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/planning/statistics/planning-statistics-1.

It is not possible to extract specific Approved Housing Body (AHB) applications from this data.

In most cases Local Authorities use the Part 8 process for Local Authority own development, which is not a planning application, and data on Part 8 cases is not collated in the planning statistics as these applications are a matter for each relevant Local Authority.

Construction projects listed in the Social Housing Construction Status Report include projects which are both within and outside the Part 8 process. Non-part 8 projects include those being advanced by Approved Housing Bodies and projects by private developers that are being secured on a turn-key basis by local authorities.

The latest Construction status report, which relates to the position at end Q2 2018, is available at the following link:

http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-latest-social-housing-construction-report/.

Local Authority Housing Data

Questions (243)

Bríd Smith

Question:

243. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number on social housing waiting lists nationally; the number of applicants (details supplied); and the number of cases in which the applicant is applying for a family; and the size of families on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49916/18]

View answer

Written answers

Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area are provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published SSHA, carried out this year, details the number of households on all local authority waiting lists as at 11 June 2018.

The results of the SSHA are available on my Department’s website and include breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories, including household composition. The 2018 report also includes the results of the 2017 summary for comparative purposes. Full details in relation to the 2018 assessment are available on my Department's website at the following link:

Local Authority Housing Data

Vacant Sites Levy

Questions (244, 245)

Darragh O'Brien

Question:

244. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of vacant site levy registrations appealed to An Bord Pleanála; the number of market valuation appeals; and the number of payment appeals; the number appeals rejected, accepted and yet to be decided, respectively. [49984/18]

View answer

Darragh O'Brien

Question:

245. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of vacant site levy registrations in place; the estimated value of the sites; the estimated vacant site levy revenue due in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49985/18]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.

Under the vacant site levy provisions in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, planning authorities are empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market value of relevant vacant sites where a site exceeds 0.05 hectares in area, was in the planning authority’s opinion vacant or idle in 2018, and is in an area identified by the planning authority in its development plan or local area plan for residential or regeneration development. As signalled in Budget 2018, the rate of the levy has been increased to 7% for sites on a local authority vacant sites register from 2019 onwards.

My Department does not maintain a central register of vacant sites, as each local authority administers the vacant site register in respect of their functional area. As provided for under the Act, the register in respect of each local authority is available for inspection at its offices and online on its website. However, on foot of a recent review of the on-line vacant site registers across all local authority areas, I understand that there are collectively almost 300 individual sites currently on the local registers. Over 140 of these sites were entered on the local vacant site registers on 1 January 2018 and will therefore be subject to the levy in 2019, unless development works are activated in the interim.

Based on the current legislative provisions and a recent review of the sites currently listed on local authority registers, it is estimated that the levy proceeds nationally could be €9m in 2019 (applying the current 3% levy rate on the overall market value of sites of €300m) and €28.2m in 2020 (applying the increased 7% levy rate on the overall market value of sites of over €400m). The latter estimate for 2020 is based on the number of sites currently included on the local vacant site registers and in respect of which market valuations have been attached to the registered sites. It is expected that the number of registered sites in respect of which market valuations will be obtained will increase in the coming months which should result in an increase in the estimated levy proceeds nationally for 2020.

Owners of vacant sites may make an appeal to An Bord Pleanála against the entry of a site on the register, the notice of entry on the register and the demand for payment of the levy by a planning authority. An appeal can also be made to the Valuation Tribunal against a planning authority's determination of the market value of a site.

To date, 137 appeals have been made to An Bord Pleanála as follows:

Appeal

Received

Disposed (formally decided)

Otherwise Disposed (Invalid/ Withdrawn)

Appeal rejected (Entry confirmed)

Appeal accepted (entry to be cancelled)

Appeal yet to be decided

Entry on the register

122

80

13

43

37

29

Notice of entry on register

15

1

1

1

0

13

There have been no appeals to the Board against the demand for payment of the levy as under the provisions of the Act, 1 January 2019 is the earliest date on which a demand for payment can be made in respect of a site on the register in 2018.

In addition, to date there have been 9 appeals submitted to the Valuation Tribunal against market valuation determinations made by planning authorities. One appeal has been withdrawn and the other 8 appeals remain to be decided.

Question No. 246 answered with Question No. 237.

Compulsory Purchase Orders

Questions (247)

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

247. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has considered buying or compulsorily purchasing a site (details supplied) in view of the fact that it is an important historic landmark in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49867/18]

View answer

Written answers

The property referred to by the Deputy is included in the statutory Record of Monuments and Places and, as such, is protected under the National Monuments Acts.

Because of the resource implications, the State is only ever in a position to acquire, maintain and present to the public a relatively small number of heritage properties and monuments. My Department makes such acquisitions from time to time in exceptional circumstances in line with their archaeological, architectural, historical or other special significance.

There are already approximately 1000 national monuments in State care which demand very extensive resource allocations, both in terms of funding and personnel. The care, maintenance and presentation of each of these national monuments is undertaken by the Office of Public Works in consultation and with the advice of my Department’s National Monuments Service. Against the background of the resources needed to service the extensive portfolio of monuments already in State care, I regret that it is not possible at present to consider adding this particular site to that list.

National Parks and Wildlife Service

Questions (248)

Paul Murphy

Question:

248. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has considered acquiring an estate (details supplied) in County Wicklow in view of its strategic importance, its use by hillwalkers, climbers and the public in general; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49897/18]

View answer

Written answers

As outlined in my responses of 18th September, (Parliamentary Question No. 823), and 02 October (Parliamentary Question No. 69) there is no change to my Department's position. The sale and any apportionment of the property into lots is a commercial matter for the vendor.

While the lands in question would represent a significant addition to the stock of publicly owned heritage properties and lands, my Department could, as stressed previously, only consider acquiring this property if the price fell to within a certain range, or in the context of a donation or bequest. This is known to the Vendors. Through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), my Department manages a property portfolio in respect of national parks and reserves of approximately 87,000 hectares. These important biodiversity areas are located all around the country including a large area of County Wicklow, and the 5,000 hectares of lands in Glenasmole purchased in recent years.

Clearly, the Glenasmole purchase of 5,000 hectares sets a precedent, and although the circumstances pertaining are very dissimilar, it is certainly a market factor. As the Deputy will no doubt appreciate, it would not be appropriate of me to seek to negotiate indirectly or publicly. Suffice it to say that I am aware of the public-good value of this property, balanced across a range of demands across my Department.

With regard to the use of the area by hillwalkers, climbers and the public in general, as I have stated previously, I have no statutory function regarding the provision of access to private lands. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the Estate has allowed a permissive access to its hugely popular walking route for many decades and I would hope that this would continue under any new ownership arrangements and my Department has conveyed this desire directly to the vendors and their agent.

As outlined in my earlier replies, my Department's relationship with the Guinness Estate here, and more generally, has been positive. It is one of mutual respect and good neighbours, and indeed often working together on shared issue of interest. These include herd management and husbandry, habitat oversight, film-making, signage, visitor accommodation, trail maintenance and designation management. Indeed, for the most part, the boundary between the private estate and the National Park is invisible to the visitor and tourist, with pre-imminence being given to the idyllic shared land, lake and mountainscape.

Irish Coursing Club

Questions (249)

Clare Daly

Question:

249. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if footage of a coursing event (details supplied) in November 2018, in County Limerick available to view on a website will be reviewed; her views regarding the coursing industry; her plans in relation to same in view of the evidence that it is beyond regulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49944/18]

View answer

Written answers

The meeting in question in Co. Limerick was not attended by officials of the National Parks and Wildlife service of my Department. My Department is examining the footage in question in the context of compliance with the conditions of the licences granted to the Irish Coursing Club.

Last season officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department monitored some 35 coursing events, which was a significant increase in the level of monitoring compared to the 17 meetings monitored during the 2016/17 season. While it is not possible to provide 100% attendance at coursing meetings my Department endeavours to attend as many meetings as possible as staffing resources will allow.

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