Written Answers Nos. 263-282
263. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to maintain Covid-19 payments and or wage subsidy schemes to those involved in the entertainment industry until such time that mass gatherings are permitted (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14351/20]
View answer266. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will ask the Ministers for Social Protection, Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Finance to respond to the request by those artists, workers and crew in the arts and live entertainment and their representative organisations to maintain the pandemic unemployment payment and the temporary wage subsidy scheme and to provide other supports and grants for those in that sector who, because of public health and social distancing requirements, have no prospect of a return to viability for the foreseeable future and to maintain those supports until full recovery in the sector is achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14561/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 266 together.
The Government operates two universal supports for all sectors including the entertainment industry. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme allows employers to retain staff and it is operated by the Revenue Commissioners. I understand that over 64,400 employers are registered for the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme with the Revenue Commissioners. Those employers have around 405,000 employees being supported by the Scheme. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme has been extended to 31 August 2020.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is available to those who become unemployed as result of the pandemic and it is operated by the Department of Social Protection and Rural Development and the Islands. I understand that as of 30 June up to 439,000 people were in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment and these are now required to confirm their eligibility for the receipt of the payment. The PUP has been extended to 10 August 2020. Further details of this are available on the gov.ie website at the following link
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6c9cf-daily-briefing-on-the-governments-response-to-covid-19-wednesday-1st-july-2020/#pup-recipients-confirmation-of-continued-eligibility
In addition to these income supports there are jobseekers benefit and jobseekers assistance schemes as well as Jobseekers Assistance for Self-Employed Artists. Further detail of these schemes can be accessed at the following link
https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/
The continuation of these income supports and other issues will be considered as part of the Government’s July stimulus package to boost the economy after the coronavirus.
264. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to support the country and Irish music industry following Covid-19; if the industry will receive sufficient national airplay from broadcasters to ensure the survival of the industry; the support package she has in place to support artists that continue to be out of work as a result of Government restrictions; her plans to support Irish artists, specifically traditional and country music artists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14399/20]
View answerThe Government has a number of universal supports in place for all sectors including the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme for employers operated by the Revenue Commissioners and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment operated by the Department of Social Protection and Rural Development and the Islands. In addition to these there are jobseekers benefit and jobseekers assistance schemes as well as Jobseekers Assistance for Self-Employed Artists. Further detail of these schemes can be accessed at the following link https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/4cf0e2-covid-19-coronavirus-information-for-employers-and-employees-test/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0b6a34-advice-for-employers-and-employees/
The Arts Council is the main route through which the Government funds the arts and artists in Ireland. The 2020 allocation to the Council is €100 million and it includes an additional €20 million allocated last month. The Arts Council has indicated that it will allocate the additional funding to bursaries and commissions to artists and arts organisations.
With to the question of airplay, I understand that traditional and contemporary arts are among the categories set out the Broadcasting Act, 2009 as being eligible for funding under the Sound and Vision Scheme which is supported by 7% of TV licence fee receipts.
There are a number of factors which must be taken into account when considering the feasibility of introducing broadcasting content quotas. The potential benefit to the Irish artistic industry must be balanced with the rights of broadcasters, subject to their contractual or regulatory obligations, to determine the type of content they wish to broadcast and to maximise their commercial revenue particularly in the context of the current media climate. Importantly, the introduction of broadcasting quotas would need to be consistent with EU law.
My Department has also supported a range of initiatives to bring cultural and creative content to the public during the period of restrictions. These include Culture Ireland's Ireland Performs initiative, the Courage programme in partnership with Other Voices, as well as the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions. These measures has showcased the work of artists to large national and international audiences and provided opportunities for paid work for artists and other arts workers at a time when few alternative opportunities were available.
265. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will publish the Departmental briefing paper on her role, remits and powers afforded to her upon appointment to the Cabinet. [14521/20]
View answerI can confirm that this material will be published on my Department's website over the coming weeks.
267. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding provided for the aggregated housing upgrade scheme; the amount spent to date; the progress to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14327/20]
View answerAs part of the Just Transition proposals for the midlands region, Budget 2020 made provision for €20 million to fund energy efficiency upgrades to local authority houses in the affected midland counties as a pilot programme. The programme also envisages the grouping of housing upgrades together so opportunities for retrofitting will arise for private housing with support from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
This programme is being developed under a Retrofit Taskforce and as well as my Department, the preparatory work also involves the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment and the SEAI. All involved are working with the relevant local authorities to identify areas of sufficient concentration of local authority housing requiring energy upgrades.
Significant preparatory work has been completed to date, including a framework for the retrofit works and the identification by the local authorities of their selected areas of housing to be retrofitted. However, the cessation of many construction-related activities due to Covid has had a significant impact on the work of the local authorities on this programme as essential preparatory work to survey local authority homes for the retrofit works was affected.
The adoption by the County and City Management Association (CCMA) of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for internal work to housing, has allowed the surveying work to proceed and as this is completed, it is expected that the retrofit works will commence on some local authority homes in August.
In light of the Covid-related delays and the fact that local authorities are currently completing the essential surveying work on their properties, there has been no funding drawn down so far by the local authorities, although I understand that costs have been incurred in the surveying work. I expect that as the surveying work is completed and the retrofitting work commences, local authorities will draw down the funding from my Department.
268. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when it is planned to reimburse councils for the loss of rates since March 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13760/20]
View answer269. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if an adequate compensation package will be put in place for local authorities in order that they can continue the day to day running of counties (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13796/20]
View answer272. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position on the collection of commercial rates arising from the Covid-19 lockdown; and if a rate holiday will be granted for 2020 to the end of 2021. [13853/20]
View answer328. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will ensure any shortfall in funding experienced by local authorities due to businesses being unable to pay their rates due to Covid-19 will be filled by his Department in order that this shortfall does not cause a reduction in local services. [14554/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 269, 272 and 328 together.
I intend to continue supporting measures taken by my Department to assist local authorities with the financial difficulties they are experiencing since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the outset and to minimise cash flow challenges, my Department arranged for the early payment of Local Property Tax (LPT) to all local authorities. As a short term measure, €136m was made available to local authorities as cash flow support in early April, in order to ensure that vital services that local authorities deliver can be maintained. This support was comprised of the early payment of the LPT allocation ordinarily paid from the Local Government Fund in May and July. Further to these measures, my Department recently arranged for the early payment of 50% of each local authority’s individual Payroll and PSPR allocation, amounting to €54.8m. This interim payment would ordinarily be paid later in July.
My Department has previously engaged with the Departments of the Taoiseach, Public Expenditure and Reform, and the former Departments of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and Transport, Tourism and Sport in relation to commercial rates and local authority funding issues, as well as the role that local authorities may be in a position to play in supporting economic recovery.
On 2 May 2020, a waiver of commercial rates was announced to all businesses that have been forced to close due to public health requirements, from 27 March 2020, for a three-month period. The costs involved to be met by the Exchequer. The administration by local authorities of this measure will be by way of a credit in lieu of commercial rates. My Department is currently preparing further guidance on the scope and application of the waiver for local authorities.
The approved Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, commits to setting out how commercial rates will be treated for the remainder of 2020, as a priority action for the new Government.
It is recognised that some additional costs are being incurred by local authorities in relation to Covid-19. Local authorities have been advised to capture all related costs in their financial systems to aid future financial analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on the local government sector. In order to support the sector generally, I will ensure my Department continues to keep local authority income, expenditure and cash flow generally under review and will continue to work with all local authorities, both collectively and individually, on issues arising.
270. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the Pyrite Resolution Board will take responsibility for ongoing damage to dwellings in County Limerick, caused from the time of first notification. [13818/20]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency.
The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive pyrite in the subfloor hardcore material and not to damage arising in any other circumstances.
The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” for affected homeowners who have no other practical option to obtain redress and is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are available on the Board’s website at www.pyriteboard.ie.
It is a condition of eligibility under the Scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2 to ensure that the resources focused on dwellings which are most severely damaged by pyritic heave. There are no proposals to amend this eligibility criterion.
I understand that the Pyrite Resolution Board has been made aware of pyrite in the hardcore in a number of dwellings in Limerick and is in the process of making a proposal to include Limerick City and County Council area in the Pyrite Remediation Scheme.
Any amendments which the Board consider are required to the Scheme will be given full consideration in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
271. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a submission from Kilkenny County Council on its financial circumstances due to the Covid-19 crisis has been received; the range of financial supports that will be made available to the council to assist in stabilising its financial position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13851/20]
View answerI am unaware of any specific request from Kilkenny County Council to my Department in relation to its financial circumstances due to the Covid-19 pandemic. My Department is engaging directly with the County and City Management Agency in respect of the local government sector as a whole, on commercial rates and impacts on other income.
Regarding the range of financial supports that will be made available to the sector, I intend to continue supporting measures taken by the Department to assist local authorities with the financial difficulties they are experiencing since the outbreak of Covid-19.
It is recognised that some additional costs are being incurred by local authorities in relation to Covid-19. Local authorities have been advised to capture all related costs in their financial systems to aid future financial analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on the Sector.
At the outset and to minimise cash flow challenges, my Department arranged for the early payment of Local Property Tax (LPT) to all local authorities. As a short term measure, €136m was made available to local authorities as cash flow support in early April, in order to ensure that vital services that local authorities deliver can be maintained. This support was comprised of the early payment of the LPT allocation ordinarily paid from the Local Government Fund in May and July. Further to these measures, my Department recently arranged for the early payment of 50% of each local authority’s individual Payroll and PSPR allocation, amounting to €54.8m. This interim payment would ordinarily be paid later in July.
On 2 May 2020, a waiver of commercial rates was announced to all businesses that have been forced to close due to public health requirements, from 27 March 2020, for a three-month period. The costs involved to be met by the Exchequer. The approved Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, commits to setting out how commercial rates will be treated for the remainder of 2020, as a priority action for this new Government.
In order to support the local government sector generally, I will ensure that my Department will continue to keep local authority income, expenditure and cash flow under review and will continue to work with all local authorities, both collectively and individually, on issues arising.
273. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1997 outlined a central funding model for water services and removed the power of local authorities to make charges for supply of water for domestic purposes; the funding per year estimated by his Department to be made available for the provision of water services through this new funding model; the funding made available to date for the provision of water services as a direct result of the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13854/20]
View answerThe Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1997 removed the power of a local authority to make charges for domestic water services. Subsequently, the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 provided Irish Water with the power to charge for water services. The Water Services Act 2017 discontinued charges for domestic customers of Irish Water with the exception of charges for network connections and excess use of water services.
The Local Government Act 1998 established the Local Government Fund. The Fund historically provided local authorities with finance for funding some of their day-to-day activities, including elements of water services costs, through General Purpose Grant allocations. Central Government funding was also provided for capital investment programmes, through the Water Services Investment Programme (WSIP). The total capital allocation from the WSIP over the period 2000-2013 is estimated at €5 billion or an average of over €357 million per annum.
Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The allowed funding requirement for Irish Water is determined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), as the independent economic regulator of Irish Water. As the funding of domestic water services is disbursed through my Department’s Vote, it is provided on foot of the annual estimates and budgetary processes having regard to the CRU determination.
State funding of Irish Water in respect of operating subvention, capital contributions and replacement revenue in lieu of the suspension and abolition of domestic water charges amounted to some €5.5 billion between 2014 and 2019 or an average of over €900 million per annum. The 2020 Revised Estimates provision for Irish Water is almost €1.2 billion in respect of domestic water services.
The new Programme for Government commits to fund Irish Water’s capital investment plan for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis and deliver the €8.5 billion funding package committed to in Project Ireland 2040.
274. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if planning applications relating to proposed developments on State-owned land that are submitted to a local authority by State bodies, such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service under the auspices of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, are required to be published publicly in regional newspapers and viewable free of charge in public buildings such as those at local authority headquarters, county libraries and or post offices; the penalties that exist for non-compliance with such planning requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13855/20]
View answerPart 4 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 specifies, in accordance with Section 33 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the provisions with respect to applications for permission for development of land. An applicant is required to publish a notice of proposed development in an approved newspaper and erect or fix a site notice on the land or structure where the proposed development would be situated. The planning application is to be available for inspection at the offices of the planning authority and a submission or observation may be made in writing to the planning authority within a period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.
In May 2020, new Planning and Development (Section 38) Regulations 2020 were signed instructing planning authorities to upload all planning application documents onto their internet websites within 5 working days of receipt, subject to exceptional circumstances. Compliance with the regulations is required to process applications. Public participation is a crucial element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and is also a requirement under the UN Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation on Decision Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention) and the European Union Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 2011/92/EU in relation to specific types of developments.
275. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will review the social housing policy to give tenants who suffer from a long-term illness but have personal savings the ability to purchase their home from the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13857/20]
View answer291. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of the incremental purchase scheme; the local authorities operating the scheme; and the number and price of units delivered annually to date for each of the local authorities. [14104/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 291 together.
The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme, which came into operation on 1 January 2016, is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
The minimum reckonable income for eligibility under the scheme is determined by the relevant local authority in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the 2014 Act. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, local authorities include income from a number of different sources and classes, such as from employment, private pensions, maintenance payments and certain social welfare payments, including pensions, where the social welfare payment is secondary to employment income.
In determining reckonable income, the income of all tenants of the house, including adult children that are joint tenants, is included, as is the income of the spouse, civil partner or other partner / co-habitant of a tenant who lives in the house with them, thus ensuring the appropriate level of discount is applied to the purchase price.
The minimum income criterion was introduced in order to ensure the sustainability of the scheme. Applicants must demonstrate that they have an income that is long-term and sustainable in nature. This ensures that the tenant purchasing the house is in a financial position, as the owner, to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, in compliance with the conditions of the order transferring the ownership of, and responsibility for, the house from the local authority to the tenant.
The financing of any house sold under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is a separate matter from the eligibility criteria for the scheme. If the tenant is deemed eligible under the scheme, he or she may fund the purchase of a house from one, or a combination, of his/her own resources or a mortgage provided by a financial institution or a local authority house purchase loan.
My Department publishes information on the sale of local authority houses each year. This can be accessed on my Department's website at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics.
In line with the commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, a review of the operation of the first 12 months of the Tenant Purchase (Incremental) Scheme has been recently finalised and a full report has been prepared setting out findings and recommendations.
The Programme for Government commits to maintaining the right of social housing tenants to purchase their own home with some changes to eligibility. The review and the commitments in the Programme for Government are being examined as part of the work on the broader social housing reform agenda.
276. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount spent on providing accommodation for homeless families and persons in hotels and bed and breakfasts in each local authority area from June 2017 up to and including June 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13878/20]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin and support the statutory responsibility of housing authorities to provide emergency accommodation for homeless persons..
My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Under Exchequer funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from own resources. Furthermore, housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless-related services outside of the Exchequer funding arrangements provided by my Department. Therefore, the precise amounts spent by housing authorities on homeless services, as well as the types of accommodation, are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
Financial reports from each of the regional fora, setting out total expenditure on homeless services are published on my Department’s website at the following link; https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data. Reports for 2017, 2018 and 2019 are available at this link. The reports for quarters 1 and 2 2020, will be published in due course. The table below sets out Exchequer funding provided to housing authorities for 2017 – 2019.
|
Year |
€m |
|
2017 |
109 |
|
2018 |
139 |
|
2019 |
165 |
277. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will clarify the situation regarding a housing complex (details supplied); if his Department has received an application for funding for a redevelopment of some apartments there; the status of the proposed development; and the funding stream which is available for the complex and its development. [13882/20]
View answerUnder my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), funding is available to Approved Housing Bodies (AHB's) towards the provision of accommodation for people with disabilities, the elderly and homeless who are social housing qualified by way of application through the local authority to my Department.
My Department also provides funding under the Capital Advance Leasing Facility scheme, again by way of application through the local authority, to assist AHB’s in accessing finance through the Housing Finance Agency or elsewhere for the purchase, construction or refurbishment of units that will be made available for social housing purposes under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme.
In 2009 capital funding was provided for the provision of 41 independent living units at St. Anne’s Ballinteer for elderly people under my Department's CAS. I understand that CABHRU Housing Association intends to develop the existing communal facilities into a further 6 units however, no application for funding has been made to my Department as yet. The progression of the project to funding application stage is a matter for the local authority and the AHB.
278. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the costings carried out on the programme for Government; and if he will provide documents on those costings. [14033/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government agreed in June 2020 includes a number of commitments that are relevant to my Department. My Department will be developing proposals to give effect to these commitments and such proposals will be costed in the normal manner with due regard to budgetary considerations and the annual Estimates process.
The briefing materials provided by Government Departments, including my Department, to political parties as part of Government formation discussions have been published by the Department of the Taoiseach and the documents are located at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7b927-programme-for-government-documents/
279. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the external consultancy organisation or provider which delivered diversity and inclusion training within his Department from 2018 to date; the costs associated with such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14058/20]
View answerThe Department’s People Strategy 2018-2020 (WELL - Wellbeing, Engagement, Learning and Development and Leadership) was developed in partnership with staff and sets out the strategic priorities, objectives and actions to engage, support, develop and lead staff. The strategic goals identified under the ‘WELL’ Strategy reflect the evolving nature of working life in the Department and the diversity of needs, motivations and experiences that are a feature of the modern workforce.
Under the heading of Leadership, the Department committed to enhance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In 2020, the Department ran remote Disability Awareness Training provided by Ability Focus and costing €1,107, supporting commitments under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021.
Many other measures to support diversity and inclusion have been provided through the Department's own resources since 2018, including:
- The Department has been involved in the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme since 2018, offering graduates with disabilities a 6 month work placement within the Department.
- In 2019, the Department established its LGBT+ staff network, which organises events and talks on a continuous basis and is chaired by an Assistant Secretary General.
- The Department supports the Job Shadow Day initiative on an annual basis, as part of the national project with brings people with disabilities and local employers together for one day. For the last number of years, we have teamed with the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK).
- Since 2019, the Secretary General has given his supports to the 30% Club, which promotes gender equality on boards and senior management, fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
- In 2019, the Department facilitated the North East Inner City (NEIC) workplace programme, which provides students in Dublin inner city schools with access to and insight into professions and career paths outside their existing network of contacts. We are continuing to engage with this initiative during the current Covid crisis.
- The Department is currently finalising its Universal Design and Accessibility Policy and Action Plan, which aims to demonstrate the Department’s commitment to accessibility, the principles of Universal Design and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities.
In addition, the Department has a Disability Liaison Officer who provides support to staff with disabilities on an ongoing basis, providing reasonable accommodations as appropriate. The Department complies with all central policy and guidance; in this respect, the Civil Service People Strategy 2018-2020 commits to review and revise the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion policy, which the Department will fully support in due course.
280. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the expenditure his Department incurred in respect of external legal fees in each of the years from 2016 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14075/20]
View answerMy Department seeks, where possible, to minimise legal costs and avails of the services of the Chief State Solicitor's office, the Attorney General's Office and the State Claims Agency in terms of the provision of legal advice and representation of the Department in court cases.
The following table sets out details in relation to external legal services provided directly to my Department by legal firms from 2016 to date in 2020. The table does not include costs associated with the Planning Tribunal.
|
Company name |
Details of legal fees / services |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
2016 |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
||
|
A&L Goodbody |
Legal advice on Water Abstraction |
23,985 |
23,985 |
|||
|
A&L Goodbody |
Legal advice on Water and Planning Guidance |
01 |
||||
|
Arthur Cox |
Legal Advice on Foreshore Consent Issues |
4,045 |
83,623 |
113,110 |
33,070 |
|
|
Arthur Cox |
Professional Fees in relation to Land Development Agency |
102,716 |
171,146 |
|||
|
E. C. Gearty |
Legal Fees incurred by Longford County Council in relation to Elfeet piggery |
6,775 |
||||
|
Eversheds Sutherland |
Legal advice - PPP Bundles (procurement/tenders) |
157,554 |
260,529 |
48,922 |
167,200 |
22,407 |
|
Geoffrey Fox |
Drafting of EU (Planning and Development) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2018 |
43,050 |
||||
|
Hannah Godfrey BL |
Payment of fees for legal services during 2018; Judicial Review Casey v Min Housing, Planning and Local Government |
11,236 |
||||
|
Hugh O’Neill SC |
Facilitation fee for settlement of Atlantic Shellfish Case. |
10,250 |
||||
|
Paul Gilligan SC |
Payment of legal fees for mediation at court case involving Sea Fibre Networks & Celtic Connect V Min for Housing, Planning & Local Govt |
12,300 |
||||
|
McCann Fitzgerald |
Professional services relating to 2015 supplier dispute |
2,568 |
||||
|
McKeever Solicitors |
Witnessing signature of an affidavit |
10 |
||||
|
Patrick Butler SC |
Independent non-statutory review of files held by the Department |
8,610 |
||||
|
Patrick Butler SC |
Preparation of report as authorised person under S. 224 of the Local Government Act 2001 |
39,475 |
||||
|
Philip Lee Solicitors |
Legal opinion on HAP Scheme |
10,322 |
||||
|
TOTAL |
€223,696 |
€488,864 |
€397,656 |
€224,265 |
€22,407 |
1 Invoice awaited
281. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of funding for the Cork event centre; and the engagement that has taken place with the local authority in the past two months in relation to the matter. [14085/20]
View answerThe Cork Event Centre is included as a commitment under Project Ireland 2040 and it underlines the Government’s objectives around urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated quality of life standards, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre.
It was agreed in the context of Budget 2020 that responsibility at central Government level for making the grant aid support available for the project would transfer to my Department. In that context, funding was allocated to my Department to support the project.
Responsibility for the advancement of proposals for the development of the Cork Event Centre remains, in the first instance, a matter for Cork City Council. My Department has had no recent contact from the City Council on the matter.
282. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the functions and agencies that fall within the remit of his Department; the functions or agencies that were previously under remit of his Department that are now not within the remit of his Department; and the functions and agencies covered by the heritage remit of his Department. [14087/20]
View answerThe statutory transfer of functions process to give effect to the changes in respect of the heritage portfolio is underway, with the aim of completing the transfer as soon as possible, guided by the Transfer of Functions Guidelines and Best Practice Handbook. The effective date of the transfer will be determined by the Transfer of Functions Order.
Accordingly, the functions and the State bodies under the aegis of my Department remain the same for the time being. The relevant State bodies are as listed in the following table.
|
An Bord Pleanála |
|
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum) |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
|
Ervia |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency (Housing Agency) |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
|
Irish Water |
|
Land Development Agency |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
|
Property Registration Authority |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
|
Valuation Office |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
|
Water Advisory Body |
