Written Answers Nos. 307-313
307. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the cost of providing the HAP scheme 2016 to 2018; the cost of the RAS scheme 2016 to 2018; the cost of the provision of social housing by each local authority area in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3681/19]
View answerExpenditure details in respect of the provision of social housing through build, acquisition and leasing programmes and under the HAP and RAS schemes for the period 2016 to 2018 are set out in the table.
The breakdown of the build, acquisition and leasing by each individual local authority over the period in question is not readily available. However, if the Deputy is concerned about a specific local authority or local authorities, I will have the matter explored further on receipt of the relevant information.
|
Delivery Stream |
2016 Expenditure €m |
2017 Expenditure €m |
2018 Expenditure €m |
Total |
|
Build, Acquisition & Lease |
462.09 |
802.0 |
1,268.84 |
2,532.93 |
|
RAS |
130.99 |
142.84 |
143.34 |
417.17 |
|
HAP |
57.7 |
152.69 |
276.60 |
486.99 |
308. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of occasions he departed from the recommendations of the local electoral boundary committee in making local electoral boundary statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3684/19]
View answer309. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason for each individual occasion he departed from the recommendations of the local electoral boundary committee in making local electoral boundary statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3685/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together.
I established two independent Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees (No. 1 and No. 2) in December 2017 to review and make recommendations on local electoral areas (LEAs) having regard to, among other things, the results of Census 2016 as well as the commitment to consider reducing the size of territorially large local electoral areas and ensuring adequate levels of representation for towns and urban areas.
The committees were not specifically tasked with defining municipal districts (MDs), save where it was considered necessary, as it was intended that MDs would largely remain unchanged.
The recommendations in the local electoral area boundary committee reports (No.’s 1 and 2) in respect of LEAs were accepted in full. The overall policy objectives have, in the main, been met, particularly in relation to the creation of distinct town-based or urban electoral areas for large urban areas with populations in excess of 15,000.
I have accepted the recommendations of the report in relation to municipal district configuration which are in line with overall policy objectives, with four exceptions in counties Tipperary, Sligo, Wexford and Kerry, where the desired policy objective of an urban focus was not fully realised in the Committee's proposal and, in the case of Wexford, to better reflect coastal alignment of local electoral areas.
310. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for events in specific recognition of Cumann na mBan members and their service in view of the commemorative events and decade of centenaries taking place. [3572/19]
View answerAs the Minister with responsibility for leading the Decade of Centenaries commemorative programme, my priority is to ensure that the Government's approach to the remembrance of the significant historical events and related themes of the period from 1919 to 1923 is appropriate, measured, respectful, inclusive and sensitive to the different perspectives that persist on the events of this period.
The founding of Cumann na mBan on 2 April 1914 was a very significant development and was a salient date in the centenary commemorative calendar under the Decade of Centenaries. In seeking to ensure that the commemorative programme is authentic and comprehensive, I am particularly interested in ensuring that the vital role of women in making and shaping our national shared history will continue to be acknowledged and lead to a deepening of the public awareness and understanding of the role.
The history and achievements of Cumann na mBan have previously been commemorated under the State commemorative programme, specifically with a conference at the National Museum Collins Barracks in April 2014 and a commemorative stamp issued by An Post the same year. In 2016 the State commemoration to honour the role of women in the Easter Rising was led by President Higgins at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on International Women's Day. On 6 February last year I marked the date of passage of the legislation introducing the voting rights for women and their right to stand in parliamentary elections with the publication of the Mná1916 book by my Department, a copy of which I shared with each member of the Houses of the Oireachtas. The story of Cumann na mBan is also featured in both the Decade of Centenaries website and Century Ireland, the online contemporary newspaper of the Centenary programme supported by my Department.
The Decade of Centenaries commemorative programme 2019-2023 will be based on a four strand approach comprising:
- A State Ceremonial Strand which will comprise a limited number of symbolic acts of national commemoration focusing on themes of remembrance and reconciliation and on the commemoration of all of those who lost their lives during this period.
- An Historical Strand which will comprise a diverse range of activities designed to encourage authentic historical enquiry about this period and promote the use of primary archival sources. Initiatives will be developed in collaboration with State partners, National Cultural Institutions, institutions of learning and other stakeholders.
- A Community Strand, which will involve a collaborative approach – similar to that adopted for the 1916 centenary commemorations – between the State, local authority network and community organisations, including in Northern Ireland where appropriate.
- The Creative Imagination Strand, which will continue to encourage artistic and creative expression in remembrance of the significant historical events of the period from 1919 to 1923 and all of those who lost their lives.
The development of Cumann na mBan and it's significant contribution to the nation over the course of this historical period will continue to be recognised through these four commemorative strands.
311. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps that need to be taken to change ferry times on Sherkin Island by 15 minutes to facilitate schoolchildren who attend classes on the mainland following the closure of the school on the island; if her attention has been drawn to fact that the ferry operator is refusing to facilitate the request; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3537/19]
View answerIt is a requirement of contracts in place between my Department and private ferry operators that a timetable be agreed between the operator and representatives of the island community.
Specifically in relation to Sherkin Island, my officials have been in contact with both the operator and island representatives in relation to moving the 2pm Monday to Friday sailing to 2:15pm during the school term and talks are ongoing to seek a satisfactory resolution to the issue.
312. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of a file in the case of a person (details supplied); when the person will receive outstanding payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3584/19]
View answerAn application for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has been received by my Department from the individual referred to in the Deputy’s Question. With respect to 36 raised bog natural heritage areas, the qualifying criteria for the scheme are that:
- The applicant must have had a legal interest (ownership or a turbary right (right to cut turf)) in one of these sites on 25 May 2010 and must have had the right to cut and remove turf from the property on that date;
- The applicant must have been cutting turf on the land in question during the relevant five year period up to 14 January 2014;
- The turf resource on the site has not been exhausted; and
- No turf cutting or associated activity is ongoing on the property.
My Department is examining the application in view of the qualifying criteria for the scheme. I am advised that an inspection of the plot of bog in respect of which the applicant has applied for compensation is scheduled to be undertaken shortly. My Department will be in a position to further process the application when this inspection has been completed.
313. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of meetings she has attended since the beginning of September 2018 with her officials to discuss and prepare for Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3593/19]
View answerBrexit is a standing agenda item on my Department’s Management Board and Ministerial Management Board agenda. Ongoing coordination of the Department's response to Brexit including participation in inter-Departmental preparations for Brexit is overseen by an internal Working Group chaired at Assistant Secretary level and comprising officials from across the Department. This Working Group is supported by the Department's Corporate Governance and Coordination Unit. In addition to these meetings I meet regularly with senior Department officials in relation to individual policy areas. As the Deputy will appreciate, the potential impact of Brexit is also addressed in these meetings.
