Written Answers Nos. 224-233
224. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the swimming pool in the Garda Training College in Templemore cannot be used by local schools to teach local children how to swim, given they have done so for more than 40 years. [56078/22]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the responses to PQs 54397/22, 54398/22 and 54410/22 in which you will note that decisions around the opening and closing of the swimming pool at the Garda Training College Templemore and access to the College facilities are a matter for An Garda Siochana and the College authorities.
225. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number and locations of sites he has visited that could be considered for modular homes for refugees, Ukrainians and Irish social housing tenants, in tabular form. [56095/22]
View answerThe issues raised by the Deputy are in the first instance the responsibilities of my Cabinet colleagues, Ministers O'Gorman and O'Brien.
226. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cé na deontais nua nó meadaithe atá ar fáil do theaghlaigh a choinníonn scoláirí faoi scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge i mbliana agus i 2023 [55915/22]
View answerD’fhógair mé le gairid go bhfuil iarratais á nglacadh anois ag mo Roinn ar dheontas tosaithe aon uaire ar fiú suas le €6,000 ó theaghlaigh a chláraíonn den chéad uair chun lóistín a chur ar fáil do chóras na gcoláistí Gaeilge. In éindí leis an dara ardú in imeacht bliana ar an deontas a íocann mo Roinn le lucht lóistín an chórais faoi Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge de chuid na Roinne, d'fhógair me an beartas faoi leith seo le gairid mar thaca breise do chóras na gcoláistí Gaeilge. Is é cuspóir an deontais ardaithe seo - ar fiú suas le €6,000 é nó 80% den chostas inghlactha cibé acu is lú - tuilleadh teaghlaigh cháilithe Ghaeltachta a spreagadh chun lóistín a chur ar fáil do lucht freastail na gcoláistí Gaeilge.
In éindí le costais faoi leith maidir le fearais maolaithe agus measúnú dóiteáin a bheith san áireamh chun críche deontais, beidh troscán áirithe inghlactha feasta faoi.
Ní call dom a rá gur cúis áthais dom go bhfuil iarratais á nglacadh anois ag an Roinn ar an deontas ardaithe seo atá trí oiread níos mó ná mar a bhí sé. De thoradh seo agus n-arduithe ar fiú 20% iad a d’fhógair mé cheana ar an deontas a íoctar le lucht lóistín an chórais faoi Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge de chuid na Roinne, táim sásta go bhfuil mo Roinn ag cabhrú go suntasach le bonn níos láidre fós a chur faoi earnáil na gcoláistí Gaeilge.
227. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an bhfuil i gceist aici scéim a bhunú le teaghlaigh gurab í an Ghaeilge a dteanga baile a mhealladh go dtí an Ghaeltacht [55916/22]
View answerNíl sé beartaithe ag mo Roinn a leithéid de scéim atá luaite ag an Teachta a bhunú. É sin ráite leanfaidh an Roinn, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge agus eagraíochtaí éagsúla Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge a fhaigheann cúnamh ón státchiste ag cur chun feidhme an raon leathan scéimeanna, bearta, cláir agus tacaíochtaí atá idir lámha cheana féin chun cúram a dhéanamh de chur chun cinn na Gaeltachta mar fhearann dúchais na teanga.
Tugtar spléachadh faoina bhfuil ar bun agus beartaithe maidir leis seo uile sa tríú tuairisc bhliaintúil (2021) ar fheidhmiú Phlean Gníomhaíochta an Rialtais don Ghaeilge - a foilsíodh ar 3 Samhain 2022.
228. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the plans, if any, she has to Improve Lough Derg's capacity to attract tourists, in light of the views expressed by the Ministers for Transport and Environment, Climate and Communications regarding its potential as a tourism destination. [56084/22]
View answerMy Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy and implementation of that policy is a matter for the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, as well as certain other bodies. With specific regard to the development of tourism product offerings, such as Lough Derg, these are operational matters for Fáilte Ireland in line with its tourism development functions. I have referred this question to them for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
229. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it is intended now to proceed with legal action in relation to the filling in of foreshore without permission in a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55914/22]
View answerMy Department is aware of on-going issues at the location referred to. These matters were first brought to our attention in April 2014 on foot of a Circuit Court Litigation between private parties. My Department is not a party to the litigation and is endeavouring to establish the current position.
Legal Advice has been sought in relation to the in filling of foreshore without permission and the Foreshore Unit of my Department is continuing to work with the CSSO in terms of establishing the appropriate next steps in this matter.
230. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to any difficulties with persons accessing the check the register website and in registering to join the electoral roll; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55923/22]
View answerThe Electoral Reform Act 2022, enacted on 25 July, delivers the legislative underpinning for a range of significant electoral reforms set out in the “Programme for Government – Our Shared Future”. Provisions commenced on 13 October under S.I. No. 512 of 2022, included those provisions necessary for the introduction of the new processes in relation to electoral registration.
The main changes to the process include the introduction of rolling (continuously updated) registration; the use of PPSNs in the registration process; and a move to individual registration. Together, these reforms will make it easier for people to register to vote and update their details, while enabling more effective management of the register by local authorities in order to deliver a more accurate register.
In support of making it easier for people to engage with the process, the www.checktheregister.ie site was upgraded. People can now use checktheregister.ie to:
- register for the first time;
- confirm their details by adding their PPSN, date of birth and Eircode;
- update their name or address; or
- download forms.
A major awareness campaign was launched on the 7 November asking the general public to visit checktheregister.ie and update their details with their date of birth, PPSN and Eircode and informing those not already registered or those who wish to pre-register that they can now do so online. As of 9 November, over 10,000 applications were recorded as having been received via checktheregister since 13 October. There have been no particular difficulties reported to my Department with regard to accessing the site or registering on the website.
As with the previous iterations of the site, if an elector has voted before and is unable to find their record on www.checktheregister.ie they can try any of the following:
If a person has changed their name since they last registered, search under their previous name.
If a person have changed address since they last registered, search under their previous address.
Leave the Eircode field blank while searching- the electoral register might not have a person's Eircode details yet
If an elector still cannot find their details, they should contact their own local authority directly for further assistance.
231. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if each local authority is required to have in place a housing and disability steering group; if the names and contact details of the members of local authority housing and disability steering groups are required to be in the public domain; if the agenda and minutes of housing and disability steering group meetings should be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55931/22]
View answerI launched the second joint National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027, on 14 January 2022 together with Minister O’Brien and Ms. Anne Rabbitte, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Disability. The new Strategy sets out the vision for the cooperation and collaboration of Government Departments, state agencies and others in delivering housing and the related supports for disabled people over the next five years.
The Housing and Disability Steering Groups (HDSGs) established by all 31 local authorities under the previous Strategy are reaffirmed under the NHSDP 2022-2027 as the most effective forum for delivery of the outcomes of the Strategy at the local level.
HDSGs are chaired by the Directors of Services in the local authority and membership includes representation from the Health Services Executive, Disabled Persons Organisations and Approved Housing Bodies. Publication of minutes, agendas and membership details is a matter for each local authority.
The HDSGs are required under Housing for All to submit a quarterly report on their strategic plans for the housing for disabled people to the Chief Executive and the Strategic Policy Committee. This requirement is also being incorporated into the Implementation Plan for the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People. The preparation of the Implementation Plan is at an advanced stage and will be completed by year end.
232. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will order the preservation of the recently discovered souterrain at lands in Corballis, Donabate, as set out in section 8 (1) of the National Monuments Act 1930, especially given the writing on the walls within the souterrain, which may be ogham or futhark and is of historic importance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55948/22]
View answerI welcome the Deputy’s interest in the protection of our archaeological heritage. I can assure him that my Department is aware of the important discovery he refers to and an officer of my Department has inspected it. I understand that the site has now been covered over and fenced off under professional archaeological supervision, with this having been done by the owners or person proposing to develop the lands. I am advised that a proposal for development of the lands is before An Bord Pleanála. While I am generally precluded from intervening in cases before An Bord Pleanála, for the purposes of answering this question regarding exercise of powers under the National Monuments Acts I would note that I understand the proposal for development would provide for the preservation in-situ of the archaeological enclosure feature within which the souterrain is situated.
Regarding the specific question asked as to whether I will exercise powers under section 8(1) of the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended), I would note that the making of a Preservation Order under that provision requires me, as Minister, to not only be of the opinion that the monument in question is a national monument within the meaning of the National Monuments Acts, but also that it must appear to me that the monument is in danger of being or is actually being destroyed, injured or removed, or is falling into decay through neglect.
In the circumstances as known to me, which includes the understanding that the in-situ preservation of the souterrain is provided for in the development proposal, I do not consider that the making of a Preservation Order would be justified in this case.
233. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 337 of 18 October 2022, if he can confirm that his Department has agreed annual targets for new private rental homes and new affordable homes separate to the averages set out in table 2 on page 31 of the Government’s housing plan; and, if not, if he intends to agree such annual targets. [55950/22]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 337 of 18 October 2022 which sets out the position in relation to the annual average number of new private rental homes required to meet the total annual average target of 33,000 homes under Housing for All.
I also refer the Deputy to the Housing for All Action Plan Update which was published on 2 November 2022. Specifically, page 9, section entitled “Planning the required number of homes”, sets out the Government’s approach to reviewing current targets and projections including the refreshing of the overall national housing targets and the subsets of social, affordable and market delivery, having regard to progress already made, to ensure that the overall housing need is met in line with the original vision of Housing for All.
With regard to affordable housing, annual national delivery targets were published in Housing for All (Figure 3, page 32) for the year 2022 to 2030 inclusive. This overall target of 54,000 affordable homes comprises some 36,000 affordable purchase homes, as well as 18,000 cost rental homes. Overall targets within affordable delivery streams will be revised per the approach set out above.
Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland (September 2021) and the Housing for All Action Plan Update (November 2022) can be accessed on my Department’s website at the respective links:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/ef5ec-housing-for-all-a-new-housing-plan-for-ireland/
www.gov.ie/en/publication/da0d1-action-plan-update-and-q3-2022-progress-report/
