Written Answers Nos. 59-83
59. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the qualification criteria for the outdoor dining grant announced by Fáilte Ireland; if this grant will allow restaurants to carry out capital works to provide outdoor dining facilities; if it will apply in every area of the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12259/21]
View answer65. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the outdoor dining grant will be inclusive of all businesses impacted by Covid-19. [12370/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 65 together.
I am advised by Fáilte Ireland, that contrary to some reports, the proposed Outdoor Dining Scheme is still in development and has not been finalised. As the development of the scheme is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland, I have referred the Deputies' questions to them for further information. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
60. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 1 October 2020, if the revised scéim pobal Gaeilge has been launched (details supplied). [12281/21]
View answerI understand that Foras na Gaeilge has issued correspondence to all recipients of SPG in November 2020 and again in February 2021, to apprise them of ongoing developments relating to the scheme.
In that correspondence Foras na Gaeilge confirmed that the funding under the current scheme would be extended to 31 December 2021. Current grant recipients were also informed that decisions regarding the next iteration of the scheme would be taken in April 2021, pending a decision by the North South Ministerial Council on the body's baseline budget.
Foras na Gaeilge has also met with Glór na nGael, their lead organisation responsible for the development of Irish at community level to apprise them of ongoing developments.
Once finalised, the Scheme will be advertised publicly.
61. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if funding or grants are available in circumstances (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12288/21]
View answerThe July Stimulus and Budget 2021 provided a significant package of tax and fiscal measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors. In regard to tourism, these measures include:
- The first phase of the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme was launched on 11th February by Fáilte Ireland to help strategic tourism business survive the pandemic and drive recovery. The Scheme will contribute to the fixed costs of identified tourism businesses that are not eligible for CRSS to support their survival. It will provide an equitable level of payment to the CRSS for qualifying businesses and the first phase will cover businesses such as tourism attractions, activity providers, and caravan and camping sites.
- A €26m adaptation fund for the tourism sector to adapt their premises to meet COVID-19 safety requirements.
- In addition, the Government has introduced a number of horizontal measures that have been of assistance to the tourism sector including the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), tax warehousing, and the Commercial Rates waiver. In regard to the CRSS, as at 25 February 2021, Revenue Commissioners’ data shows that €329m was paid out under CRSS, of which approximately 63% (€206m) was in respect of the tourism and hospitality sector.
The measures introduced have been critical in assisting tourism businesses to survive the hugely challenging situation brought about by the pandemic. Unfortunately, the evolution of the pandemic in Ireland and elsewhere has meant that our tourism sector has remained in survival mode.
On 23 February the Government published COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 The Path Ahead . The Government also decided to support businesses, including tourism businesses, by extending the COVID Restrictions Support Scheme, the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, and the current commercial rates waiver for a further three months. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment was also extended until end-June.
The Government has also committed to publishing a National Economic Recovery Plan. As part of the Plan the Government will consider more targeted measures to help re-boot those sectors, such as tourism, who will face particular challenges during the recovery phase when the economy reopens.
In regard to further information on supports for the sector in question, I have referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
62. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her Department has strategies in relation to areas (details supplied). [12314/21]
View answer63. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the responsibility the Arts Council has in relation to dance; and the proportion of Arts Council funding that has been given to dance each year over the past ten years. [12315/21]
View answer64. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the responsibility the Arts Council has in relation to Irish dancing; and the proportion of Arts Council funding that has been given to Irish dancing each year over the past ten years. [12316/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 63 and 64 together.
My Department published Ireland’s first ever national cultural policy framework, Culture 2025 – A National Cultural Policy Framework to 2025 in January of last year. A key objective of this policy is to increase access to and participation in the arts. Primary responsibility for promoting practice of the arts, including dance, rests with the Arts Council under the Arts Act 2003.
The strategic context for the Arts Council’s support of dance and all other artforms and areas of arts practice is set out in Making Great Art Work: Arts Council Strategy (2016 –2025). It describes how the Arts Council will lead the development of the arts in Ireland. The strategy has five priority areas: the artist; public engagement; investment strategy; spatial and demographic planning; and developing capacity. The Arts Council's current dance policy, Dance Policy and Strategy 2018, is aligned to the key objectives and desired outcomes of Making Great Art Work .
Dance is a widely practised artform in Ireland and covers activities which range from highly trained professional dancers who earn their income from their art to people of all ages engaging in various forms of dance as a hobby.
The Arts Council supports dance across a number of genres through grant programmes and awards, and invests in future developments through special initiatives devised in partnership with others. The Arts Council have in place a number of schemes and initiatives for the particular support of dance and a list of dance organisations funded by the Arts Council can be viewed on the website at the following links http://www.artscouncil.ie/Arts-in-Ireland/Dance/Links/ . The Arts Council’s current dance policy is published on its website at this link http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/Dance_Policy_2018(1).pdf
My Department, in the context of its overall mission to promote, nurture and develop Ireland's culture and arts, delivers further supports for dance including through Creative Ireland initiatives. While the focus of the Programme is on creativity as a strategy, dance has featured in that regard. Under Pillar II Enabling Creativity in Every Community (or Creative Communities), the Creative Ireland Programme partnered with each of the 31 local authorities to deploy creativity as a strategy for wellbeing, social cohesion and economic development. In doing so, Creative Communities has enabled local authorities to support a significant number of dance-related projects across a wide range of dance forms.
In addition, my Department provides funding to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), which is the largest organisation involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music and dance. CCÉ has hundreds of branches in every Irish county including in small towns and villages. My Department provides annual funding to CCÉ for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish dance, Irish traditional music and culture.
Culture Ireland creates and supports opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present and promote their work, including dance, at strategic international festivals and venues, and develops platforms to present outstanding Irish work to international audiences, through showcases at key global arts events, including the Edinburgh Festivals.
My Department does not have responsibility for oversight of the commercial provision of dancing in the State.
66. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the date on which the live performance support scheme will open for 2021; the amount available under the fund for 2021; and her plans to increase the amount that was available in 2020. [12389/21]
View answerAn allocation of €50 million was made in Budget 2021 for the live performance sector. It is envisaged that the rollout of this funding would include measures such as a grant scheme along the lines of the pilot Live Performance Support Scheme.
Officials in my Department have gained valuable insights from this scheme and will apply these learnings when allocating funding this year. Other measures are also under consideration including those which have emerged from engagement with the sector and with stakeholders. This engagement is ongoing and further details and decisions will be announced shortly.
67. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of funding for a walkway (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12402/21]
View answerThe Sports Capital and Equipment Programme is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country.
The 2020 round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme closed for applications on Monday 1st March. By the closing date, 3,106 applications were submitted seeking over €200m in funding. This is the highest number of applications ever received.
The scoring system and assessment procedures are currently being finalised and all applications, including the application referred to by the Deputy, will be assessed in accordance with these. Given the large number of applications received this assessment process is likely to take several months. As soon as this process is complete all applicants will be informed of the outcome of the assessment of their application.
68. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12287/21]
View answerI am advised that my Department is liaising with the Department of the Taoiseach in relation to the activity referred to in the Deputy's Question.
Any undertaking of the activity would be subject to public health COVID-19 pandemic guidelines and any health and safety protocols issued by the relevant associations, as well as the Birds and Habitats Directives.
69. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend the hedge cutting season in recognition of the recent level of rainfall. [12305/21]
View answerThe dates for the cutting of hedges are set down in primary legislation. Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts Act prohibits the cutting of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. I do not have the discretion to extend this period into March.
There is provision in the legislation for certain exemptions in respect of cutting vegetation in the ordinary course of agriculture or forestry, for health and safety reasons, the destruction of noxious weeds and for cutting roadside hedges for road safety reasons.
As the dates are set out in primary legislation, I have no power or discretion to vary these dates. The season may only be extended by primary legislation enacted by the Oireachtas.
70. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has received and or requested a risk assessment report in relation to the closure of the construction sector as a result of public health advice. [12201/21]
View answer71. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of constructions sites and projects that remained open and or operational for January, February and March 2021, by county. [12202/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 71 together.
The Government announced that additional public health restrictions would apply under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 on 6 January 2021. The additional restrictions required all construction activity to cease from 6pm on Friday 8 January, with a number of exceptions, whcih are set out in The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 (as amended).
The decisions in relation to the enhanced restrictions followed advice from NPHET that the situation with the virus had deteriorated to the point where there was an absolute need to reduce the level of mobility and congregation in order to reduce all opportunities for transmission. The construction sector had responded well to the challenges presented by COVID-19 during 2020 with effective protocols put in place. However, the trajectory of the disease was such that the Government took the decision that most construction should cease with effect from 8 January 2021. The Regulations in place provide for certain exemptions to allow the continuation of certain essential construction activity. The exemptions were based on decisions taken by the Government and extend beyond the remit of my own Department.
On 23 February, the Government announced that the current level 5 restrictions will remain in place until 5 April 2021, when the easing of restrictions relating to construction will be considered.
The Housing Agency is mantaining a register of projects, which have been designated as essential social housing projects under the Regulations. The table below sets out the number of projects designated in each local authority.
|
Local Authority |
No. of Projects Designated |
|
Carlow County Council |
10 |
|
Cavan County Council |
4 |
|
Clare County Council |
5 |
|
Cork City Council |
19 |
|
Cork County Council |
29 |
|
Donegal County Council |
7 |
|
Dublin City Council |
23 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
12 |
|
Fingal County Council |
14 |
|
Galway City Council |
6 |
|
Galway County Council |
10 |
|
Kerry County Council |
12 |
|
Kildare County Council |
31 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
7 |
|
Laois County Council |
13 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
6 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
15 |
|
Longford County Council |
4 |
|
Louth County Council |
18 |
|
Mayo County Council |
5 |
|
Meath County Council |
10 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
11 |
|
Offaly County Council |
2 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
5 |
|
Sligo County Council |
3 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
13 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
3 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
12 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
12 |
|
Wexford County Council |
16 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
20 |
|
Total |
357 |
72. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if persons (details supplied) who have outstanding renovation works on their home from before 31 January 2021 are exempt from Covid-19 restrictions. [12242/21]
View answerThe Government announced that additional public health restrictions would apply under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 on 6 January 2021. The additional restrictions required all construction activity to cease from 6pm on Friday 8 January, with a number of exceptions. These measures are set out in The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 (as amended).
With regard to private housing development, the Regulations provide that housing and construction works ongoing on 8 January could continue where the works required to render the property capable of occupation were scheduled for completion by 31 January 2021. The Regulations also provide for the supply and delivery of essential or emergency maintenance and repair services to businesses and homes (including electrical, gas, oil, plumbing, glazing and roofing services) on an emergency call-out basis.
On 23 February, the Government announced that the current level 5 restrictions will remain in place until 5 April 2021, when the easing of restrictions relating to construction will be considered.
73. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the types of heating systems installed in new public and social housing in the past three years for which figures are available; and the breakdown by percentage of heating type in these new dwellings including air source, electrically powered heat pumps and other types of heating such as gas and oil. [12298/21]
View answerThe Central Statistics Office publish the statistics for dwellings based on Building Energy Rating data on a quarterly basis. This data includes the main space heating fuel for dwellings by construction period. The Q4 2020 report is available at the following link on the CSO Website:
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/dber/domesticbuildingenergyratingsquarter42020/
There is no specific data available on space heating fuel used in new social housing.
74. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to establish a comprehensive redress scheme for houses affected by historic defects and pyrite as recommended by the 2018 Safe as Houses report by the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government; if so, the progress that has been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12313/21]
View answerIn general building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved, the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme.
The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defective housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses".
In this regard, my Department is actively engaging with key stakeholders and I have had several meetings with stakeholder representative groups on this matter over recent months. My Department is currently working to establish the structures to examine the issue of defective housing in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government.
I recently appointed Mr Seamus Neely, former Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, to the position of Chair to the independent working group.
In addition, I brought a Memorandum for the Information of the Government to Cabinet recently to note the establishment of a working group with the appropriate expertise to examine the issue of defective housing. It is intended to hold the inaugural plenary working group meeting shortly.
In regard to the working group’s deliberations, the group will seek to engage with a range of interested parties, including homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals and industry stakeholders, among others.
Separately, Government is supporting homeowners of dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave and defective concrete blocks through the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. Budget 2021 provides funding of €40 million to fund both initiatives.
In addition, the ongoing building control reform agenda, with its many initiatives, already provides a comprehensive roadmap for embedding a culture of real compliance within the construction industry. The reform agenda includes:
- Amendments made to the Building Control Regulations;
- Establishment of the National Building Control Office; and
- The ongoing development of new legislation through the Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill.
75. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Land Development Agency has yet to acquire any sites on which it is currently working or if all the projects are currently partnerships between the Agency and the relevant landowner. [12322/21]
View answerThe Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of the Land Development Agency Bill.
On establishment, the LDA had access to an initial tranche of 8 sites that have near term delivery potential for approximately 3,400 new homes. As most sites are currently at the pre-planning stage, the exact delivery potential for each site will only be finalised as final plans are put in place and planning permission is sought. The sites concerned are as follows:
1. Central Mental Hospital Site, Dundrum
2. Hampton, Balbriggan
3. Hacketstown, Skerries
4. Devoy Barracks, Naas
5. Former Meath Hospital, Dublin City Centre
6. St. Kevin's Hospital, Cork
7. Columb Barracks, Mullingar
8. Dyke Road, Galway
Seven of these sites will be developed directly by the LDA while Dyke Road will be developed in partnership with the relevant authority. It is currently envisaged that ownership of these seven sites will not transfer to the LDA until the LDA Bill is enacted. The Bill was recently published and is currently going through Second Stage in Dáil Éireann.
The absence of the primary legislation is not preventing the LDA from progressing these sites. In addition, because the sites are public lands, rather than lands in private ownership, the issue of ownership and transfer is not an obstacle to early progress. The LDA has entered into pre-sale agreements with the land owners, as appropriate, to ensure that it has full access to the sites to carry out necessary pre-construction activities. Significant preparatory work is already underway in relation to the sites, with feasibility, planning and other preparatory works already initiated.
For example, the LDA has secured planning permission for 597 units at Shanganagh in conjunction with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and has submitted a Strategic Housing Development application for the St. Kevin’s Hospital site in Cork City in December 2020. The LDA intends to submit planning applications for other sites in 2021.
The LDA is also working in partnership with other local authorities around the country. It is running a design review of the Sandy Road Regeneration Project in Galway which has the potential for up to 1,000 homes, and it is also working with Limerick City and County Council on a site near Colbert Station, funding a masterplan of the site. A Cork Docklands Delivery Office was also established by Cork City Council in partnership with the LDA. The focus of this office is on supporting and catalysing the Cork Docklands area. In conjunction with Dublin City Council the LDA has recently opened an early stage consultation on a site at St. Teresa's Gardens with potential for 700 housing units. Further information on this is available at www.donoreproject.ie .
76. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which national policy objective 58 in the national planning framework (details supplied) is being overseen and implemented; if he will provide a progress report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12381/21]
View answer77. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which regional planning objective 7.22 of the Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (details supplied) is being overseen and implemented; if he will provide a progress report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12382/21]
View answer78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which regional planning objective 7.23 of the Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (details supplied) is being overseen and implemented; if he will provide a progress report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12383/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 76, 77 and 78 together.
The National Planning Framework (NPF) sits at the top of a hierarchy of statutory spatial development plans, the purpose of which is to ensure the sustainable development of urban and rural areas, secure balanced regional development and to support and co-ordinate proper planning and development throughout Ireland. This national-level planning policy is implemented at the regional level through statutory Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) for each of the three Regional Assembly areas.
Subsequent to the NPF, a RSES was accordingly prepared by the Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA) and formally adopted in June 2019. Section 25A of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended requires relevant specified public bodies, and each local authority within the Regional Assembly area, to prepare and submit a report to the Regional Assembly every 2 years, setting out progress made in supporting the objectives set out in the Strategy that are relevant to that body.
Further to this, the Regional Assembly must prepare a monitoring report every 2 years to report on progress made in implementing its RSES, including in relation to actions specific to the relevant public bodies, and submit the report to the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC). Following consideration of the monitoring report, the Commission may make recommendations to the Minister in relation to relevant measures to further support the implementation of the RSES.
The first EMRA RSES monitoring report is currently being prepared by the Regional Assembly for publication in June 2021. Following the finalisation of the RSESs, all local authorities have commenced, or are shortly to commence, the statutory review of their County or City Development Plan and this process will be ongoing in 2022. In accordance with Section 12 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, it is a statutory obligation of each local authority to ensure that the County Development Plan is consistent with the national and regional development objectives of the NPF and the relevant RSES. Since April 2019, the assessment of all statutory local authority development plans, including variations to development plans and local area plans, is undertaken by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR). The statutory oversight role of the OPR includes ensuring that local authority plans are consistent with relevant national and regional policies.
I am satisfied that there is sufficient in-built scope in the current statutory processes, including biannual reporting between the regional assemblies and relevant public bodies and local authorities in monitoring progress in relation to the implementation of the RSES, and the interaction between the county development plans and RSES, to take account of any changes that may be required to reflect and maintain appropriate planning and sustainable principles over the lifetime of the RSES.
79. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons who applied for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan from 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the number who were successful by county council that operated the scheme in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12384/21]
View answer91. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of Rebuilding Ireland loans issued through local authorities over the past three years to date by month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12440/21]
View answer92. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications received by local authorities for Rebuilding Ireland loans in each of the past three years to date; the number approved and rejected, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12441/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 91 and 92 together.
The Housing Agency provides a central support service which assesses applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications. Each local authority must have in place a credit committee and it is a matter for the committee to make the decision on applications for loans, in accordance with the regulations, having regard to the recommendations made by the Housing Agency.
The most recent figures, as at the end of February 2021, from the Agency on the numbers of applications that it has assessed and recommended for approval/decline for each local authority since the scheme began, are included in the below table:
|
Local Authority |
Applications Assessed |
Recommended to Approve |
Recommended to Decline |
|
Carlow County Council |
101 |
37 |
64 |
|
Cavan County Council |
31 |
12 |
19 |
|
Clare County Council |
127 |
54 |
73 |
|
Cork City Council |
353 |
154 |
199 |
|
Cork County Council |
621 |
306 |
315 |
|
Donegal County Council |
90 |
38 |
52 |
|
Dublin City Council |
892 |
539 |
353 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
184 |
101 |
83 |
|
Fingal County Council |
1002 |
563 |
439 |
|
Galway City Council |
144 |
75 |
69 |
|
Galway County Council |
261 |
91 |
170 |
|
Kerry County Council |
261 |
100 |
161 |
|
Kildare County Council |
318 |
156 |
162 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
121 |
62 |
59 |
|
Laois County Council |
182 |
87 |
95 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
37 |
8 |
29 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
208 |
117 |
91 |
|
Longford County Council |
91 |
45 |
46 |
|
Louth County Council |
218 |
92 |
126 |
|
Mayo County Council |
119 |
44 |
75 |
|
Meath County Council |
410 |
256 |
154 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
97 |
29 |
68 |
|
Offaly County Council |
79 |
33 |
46 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
84 |
38 |
46 |
|
Sligo County Council |
101 |
42 |
59 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
515 |
265 |
250 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
198 |
87 |
111 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
185 |
69 |
116 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
74 |
42 |
32 |
|
Wexford County Council |
264 |
122 |
142 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
345 |
153 |
192 |
|
Total |
7713 |
3817 |
3896 |
The next stages in the process are approval and drawdown from the local authority.
My Department regularly publishes information on the number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower (and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount).
Figures for 2019 and the first two quarters of 2020 are available at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/42d2f-local-authority-loan-activity/#local-authority-loans-approvedpaid
80. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there has been an update to the 1987 Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government document A Policy for the Provision and Maintenance of Parks, Open Spaces and Outdoor Recreation Areas by Local Authorities; if not, if this remains the only national advice specifically for local authorities providing for parks, open spaces and outdoor recreational activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12411/21]
View answer83. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it is still the case that guidance (details supplied) applies in terms of green space provision in urban areas. [12414/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 83 together.
The 1987 guidance on the Provision and Maintenance of Parks, Open Space and Outdoor Recreation Areas by Local Authorities has not been updated by virtue of the fact that it has been superseded by provisions in the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act).
In terms of new planning developments, Section 10(2)(j) of the 2000 Act provides that a local authority, in making their county development plan, shall include objectives for the preservation, improvement and extension of amenities and recreational amenities.
More generally, in terms of existing developments, Section 67 of the Local Government Act 2001 is the primary legislative, statutory and regulatory framework for the provision of public green space. This provides that a local authority may take measures or engage in activities that it considers necessary to promote the interests of the local community in relation to matters such as general recreational and leisure activities, including the provision of parks and open spaces.
81. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legislative, statutory and regulatory framework for the provision of public green space in urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12412/21]
View answer82. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there has been an audit of public green space provision in Dublin commuter belt areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12413/21]
View answer86. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the type and number of engagements his Department has had with the HSE and Public Health regarding public green space provision in urban areas in 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12417/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 81, 82 and 86 together.
While the Minister for the Housing, Local Government and Heritage has responsibility for policy, legislation, Oireachtas accountability and, at a broad level, oversight, in respect of the local government system, local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions.
Section 67 of the Local Government Act 2001 is the primary legislative, statutory and regulatory framework for the provision of public green space. This provides that a local authority may take measures or engage in activities that it considers necessary to promote the interests of the local community in relation to matters such as general recreational and leisure activities, including the provision of parks and open spaces.
In the context of proposed new development, the preparation of statutory development plans is a central function of a planning authority undertaken in accordance with sections 9-13 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). The zoning of land for particular uses, including for open amenity space, is a reserved function of the planning authority. In preparing development plans, consideration and decisions on the zoning of particular lands is therefore a matter for the elected members and is required to be consistent with established statutory national and regional planning policy and legislation, including the National Planning Framework, Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) and statutory Ministerial planning guidelines as appropriate. In this regard, guidance in relation to amenity and quality of life issues, including, inter alia, public open spaces and area-wide green space strategies, is set out in the Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas – Guidelines for Planning Authorities published by my Department in 2009.
Accordingly, in line with their statutory role as outlined above, decisions in relation to auditing public green space and engagement with the HSE/Public Health on related issues are matters for individual local authorities.
