Written Answers Nos. 185-204
185. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if information will be provided on the notifications or directions submitted by his Department to An Bord Pleanála in view of the policy statement on the importation of fracked gas produced on 18 May 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35425/21]
View answer186. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the policy statement on the importation of fracked gas, including a current ban on liquefied natural gas terminals pending a security review in view of An Bord Pleanála’s decision to permit an application for planning from a proposed liquefied natural gas development (details supplied) as a strategic infrastructure project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35427/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.
The Programme for Government set out that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas and committed to developing a policy statement to establish that approach. On 18 May, the Government's Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas was published.
The policy statement provides that pending the outcome of a review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems being carried out by my Department, it would not be appropriate for the development of any LNG terminals in Ireland to be permitted or proceeded with.
The review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems is focusing on the period to 2030 in the context of ensuring a sustainable pathway to 2050. The review includes a technical analysis which will help inform a public consultation. It is planned that the technical analysis will be published and the public consultation undertaken in the second half of this year. The review, once completed, will be submitted to Government.
The Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas was notified to An Bord Pleanala following its approval by Government. Section 34 of the Planning & Development Act requires An Bord Pleanala (or any planning authority) to consider the proper planning and sustainable development of an area with regard being had to relevant Government policies such as the Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas.
I am aware of a recent decision by An Bord Pleanala that determined a project, which would include an LNG facility, would constitute a strategic infrastructure development. This decision clarifies the type of development involved and therefore which planning authority any potential application should be made to. It does not provide any approval in relation to the development of the project itself. If this, or any similar, project were to be the subject of a planning application, it is as part of that process that the Government's policy statement is relevant.
187. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the warmer homes scheme will currently consider applications from pensioners that are on qualifying payments, have medical conditions, other than respiratory in nature, but have had previous minor work done under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35451/21]
View answer189. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the SEAI can consider a person (details supplied) for inclusion in the warmer home schemes despite having had some minor energy efficiency work completed some years ago; if consideration is given to the health and age of such applicants and the nature and limitations of any previous work done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35453/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 189 together.
The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. In order to qualify for support, applicants must own and live in their home which was built and occupied before 2006 and must be in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Age and health status are not part of the eligibility criteria for the Warmer Homes Scheme.
To date over 143,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their homes to an adequate level. The approximate average value of the energy efficiency measures provided to households under the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme was €14,800 in 2020.
Individual applications to the Warmer Homes Scheme are an operational matter for the SEAI and as Minister I have no role in such matters. However, in reference to the case raised by the Deputy, I have been informed by the SEAI that the home in question received works in 2015 under the Warmer Homes Scheme and was not eligible for wall insulation at the time.
There are currently over 7,800 homes on the Warmer Homes work programme and the scheme operates nationally on a first come, first served basis. These homes have not previously received any free upgrades under the scheme and for that reason are the priority to receive upgrades. My Department is in regular contact with the SEAI in relation to the operation of the Scheme. Recommendations on the implementation of changes to the scheme to better target those most in need will be finalised shortly.
It is important to note that I have secured additional resources this year to expand the capacity of the SEAI to deliver the scheme. Funding for the energy poverty retrofit schemes has also increased to over €109 million in 2021. This is an increase of €47 million on the 2020 allocation. In addition, delivery capacity has increased due to a new, broader contractor panel that commenced at the end of 2020.
The Deputy may wish to note that there are other grants and schemes available from Government that could assist their constituent if there is an urgent need. These include the Department of Social Protection Urgent Needs Payment available through the Community Welfare Service at local DSP offices and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Aid for Older People Grant Scheme which is administered by the Local Authorities.
188. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the percentage breakdown of the work done under the energy efficiency schemes administrated by the SEAI between work categorised as shallow, deep and deep heat by the SEAI since 2010, in tabular form.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35452/21]
View answerThe Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). To date over 143,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme leaving them better able to afford to heat their homes to an adequate level. The approximate average value of the energy efficiency measures provided to a household under the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme was €14,800 in 2020.The retrofitting categories set out in the question are only used by SEAI in relation to the Warmer Homes Scheme.
Categorisation of measures under the scheme began in 2018 and as such, data is only available since then. The table below reflects the breakdown of works completed from January 2018 to June 2021.
|
Category |
Breakdown |
|
Shallow |
61% |
|
Deep |
22% |
|
Deep Heat |
17% |
It is important to note that the breakdown has evolved significantly since the changes to the scheme in 2018. The table below reflects the breakdown of only those works completed in 2021 to date, and highlights the transition of moving to deeper measures:
|
Category |
Breakdown |
|
Shallow |
26% |
|
Deep |
41% |
|
Deep Heat |
33% |
190. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of recent power outages in the Rush and Lusk areas of north County Dublin; the frequency and reason for these outages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35498/21]
View answerThis is an operational matter for the Board and Management of ESB as regulated by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and not one in which I, as Minister, have a statutory function.My Department did, however, contact ESB and I understand the position to be as follows. This is a rural line in an area that has experienced significant, relatively recent, population and urban load growth. ESB Networks has been progressively upgrading power and services on this line, including the fitting of network automation devices that have helped continuity of supply. They are also carrying out a circuit split adjacent to Swords to enhance power availability in the area.
ESB Networks have also recently completed extensive visual line checks to identify where vegetation and trees have been coming into conflict with the line. Where identified, they have had contractors on site to address though there have been issues around access to a number of landholdings. ESB will continue to progress this work in the coming months.
191. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the provision of an annual support towards the cost of pay by weight bin changes for homes which have a family member using incontinence pads; the options open to families whose waste contractors have never been contacted regarding the annual support of €75 per person to be made available for persons with lifelong or long-term medical incontinence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35606/21]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question 31323 of 15 June 2021. The position is unchanged.
192. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is considering changes to the Electronic Commerce Act 2000 to allow the use of digital signatures on documents in property transactions; and the status of this proposal. [35619/21]
View answerThe Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has powers to make Regulations to widen the scope of the Electronic Commerce Act 2000 which is the primary legislation governing the use of electronic signatures in Ireland. In practical terms, the Act provides that an electronic signature has the same legal standing as a handwritten signature. Certain laws - set out at section 10(1) of the Act – relating to sectors under the remit of other Ministers, were excluded at the time of enactment, including the matter referred to by the Deputy.
Legislation under the remit of the department is kept under review as appropriate and certain criteria must be satisfied in order to make Regulations extending the scope of the Electronic Commerce Act, such as technology advancement and that any change would be in the public interest. In the first instance, it would be a matter for the relevant Minister to propose that a change is required, and to indicate that the relevant conditions set out in the Act can be satisfied, after which such a proposal would be considered by my Department. Responsibility for land law and conveyancing in general is a matter for the Minister for Justice.
My Department is currently working to progress a discrete proposal put forward by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to enable the Property Registration Authority use electronic signatures in aspects of the land registration process.
193. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if it is planned to provide incentives such as low-interest loans or other incentives to businesses to encourage them to invest in the offshore renewable energy business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35763/21]
View answerMy Department is currently developing terms and conditions for the first offshore wind auction to be held under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), which will support the first phase of offshore wind development in Ireland. The RESS incentivises private sector investment in renewable energy production by awarding, via competitive auction, long-term support premiums for renewable electricity produced. It is our flagship renewable electricity scheme intended to support the achievement of our renewable electricity ambition. My Department does not offer loan incentives to renewable energy developers. Instead projects are typically financed through commercial banking arrangements.
My Department supports Enterprise Ireland’s ongoing work to develop an offshore wind business cluster for Irish companies to enable them to develop the skills and experience they need to compete in the Irish, British and European offshore wind markets.
194. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Transport if the full amount allocated under the alternatively fuelled heavy duty vehicle purchase grant scheme has been distributed to applicants; if not, the amount that remains to be distributed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35432/21]
View answerProviding a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of the Irish Government. The Programme for Government commits to 7% average annual emissions reduction to 2030; ultimately, the goal is for a zero-emission mobility system by 2050. Decarbonisation of heavy-duty vehicles will be key to achieving this objective in the transport sector.
To promote the decarbonisation of the heavy-duty sector, my Department launched a new Alternatively-Fuelled Heavy-Duty Vehicle (AFHDV) Purchase Grant Scheme on 15 March 2021.The Scheme, which is administered by TII, is intended to help bridge some of the difference in purchase price between conventional heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) and those powered by alternatively-fuelled power-trains. To accord with EU State Aid rules, grant levels under the Scheme are calculated as a percentage of the difference in price between a conventionally-fuelled diesel HDV and its alternatively fuelled equivalent. Maximum grant levels for eligible vehicles depend on the size of the enterprise applying for the grant.
€2m was allocated to this scheme in 2021 and to date, over €1.96m has been committed under this fund. Given the excellent response to the initiative, my Department has allocated an additional €1m in funds this year to assist the heavy-duty vehicle sector in its transition to zero-mobility.
195. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport when a person (details supplied) will receive a driver test appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35512/21]
View answerThe driving test is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority.
Individual cases are a matter for the Authority and the question in relation to this case is being referred to it for direct reply.
I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
196. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport if a driver theory test can be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35515/21]
View answerThe driving theory test is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority.
Individual cases are a matter for the Authority and the question in relation to this case is being referred to it for direct reply.
I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
197. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport when a person (details supplied) will receive a driver test appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35516/21]
View answerThe driving test is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority.
Individual cases are a matter for the Authority and the question in relation to this case is being referred to it for direct reply.
I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
198. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport the reason an area (details supplied) does not have a summer service; if the matter will be re-examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35616/21]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. Therefore, the issue raised is a matter for the NTA in conjunction with the relevant transport operator. I have, therefore, forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
199. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport the status of a driver test application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35623/21]
View answerThe driving test is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority.
Individual cases are a matter for the Authority and the question in relation to this case is being referred to it for direct reply.
I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
200. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the process for persons to obtain the EU Digital COVID Certificate; if persons will receive their certificate in advance of 19 July 2021; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35633/21]
View answerArrangements for the production and issuance of the EU Digital Covid Certificates are being progressed by the Department of Health, the HSE and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. Questions on these matters should be addressed to the relevant Minister.
201. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the pass rate at each NCT test centre for the most recent annual report; the reason for the variation in pass rates between centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35702/21]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No.477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation and oversight of periodic roadworthiness testing in the State.
Accordingly, I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.
202. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to amend the law to allow taxi drivers have licensed taxi vehicles that are up to 12 years old in view of the financial difficulties caused by the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35756/21]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including vehicle age limits, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
At the start of the pandemic, the NTA, the independent statutory regulator for the SPSV sector, immediately extended age limits for taxis and hackneys and has since done so twice more. The most recent extension, made last month, ensures no vehicle will be forced to exit the fleet due to age limits in 2021. I trust that the Authority will keep this issue under review as society and the economy reopens and passenger demand returns.
203. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance the number of forensic accountants employed by the Revenue Commissioners in 2020; and the associated wage costs. [35446/21]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that while membership of a professional accountancy body is among the eligibility requirements in its recruitment to senior management tax specialist posts, there has been no requirement for targeted recruitment of forensic accountants to Revenue.
Of the c. 250 Revenue staff who are qualified accountants, three have undertaken the Diploma in Forensic Accounting with the Chartered Accountants of Ireland, supported with sponsorship and refund of academic fees totalling €9,800. While these three staff members are not employed in a specialist capacity, all are engaged in Revenue core business of assessment and collection of taxes and duties. The full year wage cost for these three officers in 2020 was €182,392.
204. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance the VAT implications for a registered charity building an animal shelter as a new build; if exemptions are available on the VAT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35448/21]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the rules on VAT are subject to EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. VAT is charged on the supply of goods and services, and taxable entities must register for the tax, and pay VAT in respect of the goods and services that they supply to their customers, with a deduction for the VAT on their inputs and purchases. It is a fundamental feature of the EU and national arrangements that the liability to VAT depends on the nature of the goods and services being supplied; it does not differ according to the circumstances of a particular customer or purchaser.
Under the EU VAT Directive, non-profit groups that are engaged in non-commercial activity are either exempt from VAT or outside the scope of the tax; this means that they do not register for VAT, they do not have to pay VAT on the goods or services they provide, and, by extension, they cannot recover the VAT they have incurred on their inputs and purchases.
Where an organisation acquires or builds a new facility such as an animal shelter, then the price it is charged by its suppliers (e.g. for the construction and fit-out) would normally include VAT. In the type of circumstances referenced by the Deputy, where the organisation is a charity that is probably exempt from VAT, then the organisation would not have the possibility to recover the VAT that it incurs in getting the new facility. Such non-recovery is a general feature of VAT exemption and there is no provision in either European law or Irish VAT law that would allow for VAT recovery or for having the transaction excluded from VAT.
Finally, the Deputy may be interested to know that – separate to the tax code – since 2018 there is a grant scheme under which charitable organisations can apply for a payment from an annual €5m grant fund, based on the level of VAT costs that they have incurred, and based on the proportion of their funding which comes from non-public sources. Claims can be submitted annually by charities that are registered with the Revenue Commissioners, hold a charitable tax exemption (CHY) under s207 Taxes Consolidation Act (TCA) 1997, and are registered with the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA). Additionally, they must hold a Tax Clearance Certificate and be in possession of a set of audited accounts for a financial year which ends no earlier than in the calendar year to which the claim relates.
