Written Answers Nos. 641-660
641. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the funding available to an individual (details supplied) who is representing Ireland at an underage level at the upcoming European Championships; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28223/23]
View answerSport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. Sport Ireland does not provide direct funding for clubs or individuals but channels funding through the relevant National Governing Bodies of Sport, in this case Basketball Ireland. There is no mechanism by which Sport Ireland can allocate funding outside of this process.
The athlete mentioned by the Deputy should engage with Basketball Ireland to see if they can assist or advise in any way. My Department does not have discretionary funding available to it to provide direct financial assistance.
642. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide a breakdown of the total sports capital funding distributed since the programme's inception, by year, in tabular form. [28274/23]
View answer643. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide a breakdown of how much horse racing and/or greyhound racing received in sports capital funding since the inception of the sports capital programme, by year, in tabular form. [28275/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 642 and 643 together.
The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. The first sports capital grants were provided in the early 1970's and responsibility for such grants has rested in various Government Departments in the interim period. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.
A list of all allocations under SCEP rounds since 2000 is published on my Department's website at: - www.gov.ie/en/collection/471ed5-sports-capital-allocations/. In addition, following the most recent rounds of the Programme, a Review has been published. These Reviews include, inter alia, statistical information on the breakdown of allocations. The 2020 Review was published last month and can be found at the following link:-
www.gov.ie/en/publication/84105-review-of-sports-capital-and-equipment-programme-2020/
Projects related to horse racing and dog racing are not eligible for funding under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme and have never been so funded.
644. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the security protections in place for remote workers within civil and public service organisations to safeguard against personal information of members of the public in audio, text and electronic form being inadvertently exposed to unauthorised third parties within the remote setting; if she can provide a copy of the remote working best practice guidelines for civil and public service workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28640/23]
View answerThe Department’s Policy in relation to Blended Working has been developed in conjunction with the Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations as prepared by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform which, at section 5.3 and appendix J, sets out obligations, particularly in relation to Security, Confidentiality, Secrecy and Standards of Behaviour.
In addition the Department takes its lead from the NCSC Working from Home Guidance Advisory (2020-04-08) www.ncsc.gov.ie/pdfs/WFH-Advisory.pdf .
The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the bodies under the aegis of the Department are operational matters for those bodies and is not something for which I have direct, day-to-day responsibility.
645. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses in Galway city and Galway county that have been upgraded through the retrofitting programme for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27058/23]
View answerSince 2013, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Over the period 2013-2021, Galway City Council and Galway County Council received almost €7 million in funding to carry out energy upgrade works on 3,804 properties.
In response to the Programme for Government commitment, my Department launched a newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Programme in 2021 for local authority owned housing. This new programme set a BER performance requirement of “B2” or cost optimal level. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding being made available for insulation, windows and doors and heating upgrades, specifically the installation of a Heat Pump and associated works. Under the new programme, 151 properties have been retrofit in Galway City Council and Galway County which received funding of over €5 million.
An annualised breakdown of the funding provided and the number of properties upgraded under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit programme for the years 2013-2021 is available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/.
My Department also introduced the Midlands Retrofit Programme in 2020, in which Galway County Council were included. A further 56 properties were retrofit in Galway County to a BER of B2/ Cost Optimal Equivalent and these figures are in addition to the National Retrofit Programme. Details of the Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/.
646. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if changes made by his Department now require a tenant to have resided in their home for ten years before accessing this scheme in relation to the tenant purchase scheme for local authority tenants, or if years previously spent on social housing supports, and so on, count towards this ten-year period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27059/23]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or eligible joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme.
The Government approved a number of amendments to the scheme on foot of a review in 2021 and these came into effect on 1st February 2022.
The amendments included requiring an applicant tenant or, in the case of applications from joint tenants, both tenants to be in receipt of social housing support for a minimum of 10 years to be eligible to purchase their home under the scheme. Accordingly, time in receipt of support under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and Housing Assistance Payment scheme can count towards the 10 year requirement.
Rent supplement is not a social housing support. Accordingly, time spent in receipt of this support is not reckonable for the purposes of meeting the 10-year criterion.
647. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the restrictions currently in place for civil servants and public servants contesting local government elections. [27060/23]
View answerSection 13 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides for disqualifications from local authority membership. This includes, under Section 13(1)(g), a member of An Garda Síochána or a whole-time member of the Defence Forces.
Section 13(1)(h) provides that a civil servant who is not by terms of employment expressly permitted to be a member of a local authority shall be disqualified from local authority membership. The Department of Finance circular 09/2009 Civil Servant and Political Activity (ref.: E109/33/09) clarifies that civil servants in the craft, state industrial and manual grades and grades below clerical grades may stand for election to local authorities. The circular further clarifies that civil servants in the clerical grades and non-industrial grades with salary maxima equal to or below the Clerical Officer maximum may stand for election to local authorities, subject to permission being given by their Department. In addition, the circular states that special advisers and other personal appointees of Ministers, Ministers of State, Parliamentary office holders and the Attorney General, holding temporary unestablished positions may contest local elections. The circular may be found at the following address: circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/finance/2009/09.pdf.
Section 13(1)(h)(i) of the 2001 Act provides that a person employed by a local authority, the HSE or the Child and Family Agency and is not the holder of a class, description or grade of employment designated by the Minister by order under section 161(1)(b) of the 2001 Act shall also be disqualified from membership of a local authority.
In 2004, the then Minister for Environment, Local Government and Heritage, under Section 161 of the 2001 Act, signed the Local Government Act 2001 (Section 161) Order 2004 which provided that the disqualification set out in Section 13 would not apply in respect of “every class, description or grade of employment the maximum remuneration for which on the last date for receipt of nominations at a local election does not exceed the maximum remuneration for the grade of Clerical Officer”. (Section 161 of the 2001 Act refers to restrictions on local authority employment and membership of a local authority). A circular issued to local authority employees in this regard in May 2009 (ref.: LG(P) 06/09).
Section 13(1)(h)(ii) of the 2001 Act provides that a person employed by the Health Service Executive and at a grade or of a description of employment designated by order of the Minister for Health and Children shall be disqualified from local authority membership. The making of such an order is a matter for the Minister for Health.
648. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will re-examine the rates of HAP payment in the light of the experience of a person (details supplied) who is struggling to pay rent of €1,150 per month and has been offered a HAP payment of €13.76 a month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27074/23]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support available for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. Eligible households can source their own accommodation in the private rental sector which should be within the HAP rent limits provided to them by the local authority.
Since 11 July 2022 each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit or up to 50% in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. It should be noted that it is a matter for the local authority to determine if the application of the discretion is warranted on a case by case basis and also the level of additional discretion applied in each case.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review and closely monitors the level of discretion being used by local authorities, taking into account other sources of data, including Residential Tenancies Board rent data published on a quarterly basis.
In relation to the case raised, the day-to-day operation of the HAP scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority.
649. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is an intention to increase the housing adaption grant for people with disabilities, which has a maximum grant of €30,000 or 95% of the cost of the works up to the maximum grant amount of €30,000, in view of the increased costs in construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27098/23]
View answer653. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the review of the housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability will be published.. [27164/23]
View answer707. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated full-year cost if the budget for housing adaptation grant for people with a disability increased by 12.5%. [27628/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 449, 653 and 707 together.
My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to support the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability which supports older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The grants are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority.
The funding available for these grants in 2023 has increased by almost €2 million on the original 2022 provision to a total of €83.125 million which includes an Exchequer funding provision of €66.5 million together with a €16.625 million contribution from local authorities. Increasing funding by 12.5% would cost an additional €8.3125 million to the Exchequer and additional funding of almost €2.08 million to fund the contribution by the local authorities.
Housing for All commits to reviewing the grants scheme and a report on the review has been prepared by my Department. The review was informed by engagement with external stakeholders, including the Department of Health, the HSE, the Disability Federation of Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association. Among the areas which the review considered are the income thresholds and the grant limits. On foot of the careful consideration of the Review report, I have asked my Department to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on the Review report.
650. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he or his Department have had any correspondence or discussion with officials from Northern Ireland in relation to defective slurry/effluent tanks built and operated in Northern Ireland which discharge into waterways feeding into the South; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27109/23]
View answer651. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can detail how compliance with EU nitrates directives and other environmental protection regulations are enforced or monitored along the Border counties when potential harmful discharges into waterways may be occurring in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27111/23]
View answer652. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can detail in the event of pollution and damage being caused to waterways in the Republic of Ireland from effluent originating in Northern Ireland the actions his Department or the State can take at EU level or with UK authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27113/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 650 to 652, inclusive, together.
My Department and I have not received any correspondence or had discussions with officials from Northern Ireland in relation to defective slurry/effluent tanks.
In terms of protecting our water resources, primary responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exercises general supervision in relation to the performance of these functions by local authorities.
My Department is currently preparing Ireland’s third-cycle River Basin Management Plan, which will be a strategic government plan that will outline the national policies and high-level goals that will protect and restore our natural waters. The aim of the next plan is the identification and implementation of the “right measure in the right place”, with targeted measures to both restore and protect all waterbodies, which will be supported by the integrated catchment approach through the development of catchment management plans by the Local Authorities Waters Programme (LAWPRO). This new revised and strengthened River Basin Management Plan will advance Ireland’s commitment to the implementation of the Water Framework Directive.
Following the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU), retained EU law came into effect in the UK on 1 January 2021, preserving environmental standards in domestic UK legislation, and ensuring parity with EU standards at point of exit. With the Water Framework Directive transposed into UK law, the agencies in Northern Ireland are continuing with the implementation of their river basin management plan.
Currently, Ireland shares two river basin districts (RBD) with Northern Ireland. The Neagh Bann International RBD has 35 shared waterbodies. The North Western International RBD has 85 shared waterbodies. Substantial areas lie within cross-border river basins in Ireland, with waters in each jurisdiction flowing into or through the other jurisdiction.
Question No. 651 answered with Question No. 650.
654. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the proposed policy to help protect and provide more allotments and community gardens in Ireland; the timeline for when the policy is expected to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27170/23]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 395 of 30 May 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.
655. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider a policy proposal to help local people obtain a rental property (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27179/23]
View answerUnder the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended (the Act), new development for use as a holiday home or homes requires planning permission.
It is considered that change of use of a permitted holiday home to a place of permanent residence would be a material change of use that requires planning permission.
If the owner of a holiday home proposes that the premises be used as place of permanent residence, they may lodge a planning application to the relevant planning authority for a change of use from holiday home to residential use. It is a matter for the planning authority to decide such applications on a case-by-case basis.
Holiday homes are often located in relatively more remote areas and/or may be on land which is specially zoned for such development in the Development Plan and/or Local Area Plan, e.g. a “resort” zoning. Different design layouts and standards may also be applied to holiday homes than to permanent residential development and the planning authority’s policies on rural housing may also apply differently to holiday homes than to permanent residential development, all of which the planning authority would have to consider, in addition to the local housing needs requirements policy as set out in the authority's Development Plan, when making a decision on a change of use application.
These are matters that it would not be appropriate to address through primary legislation and I have no plans to amend the existing provisions in this regard at this point in time.
656. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will set out the timeline for proposed referenda due to take place this year, including the introduction of relevant legislation and dates for the holding of the referenda. [27180/23]
View answerThe scheduling of referendums is a matter for the Government in the first instance. I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 10 and 11 answered by the Taoiseach on 3 May 2023 which set out the position in this matter.
657. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the names of solicitors and their firms who have received payments from An Bord Pleanála who they have lost Judicial Review cases to; the amount of moneys paid to those solicitors and their firms in those cases for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27192/23]
View answerAn Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
My department does not hold the specific information requested by the Deputy. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
658. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is on target to complete action 2.10 of Housing for All to examine a system of holding rental deposits by the end of Q2 2023; and if he will make a statement on the anticipated process following its completion.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27196/23]
View answerWork is underway in my Department to complete Action 2.10 of Housing for All,which requires an examination for the creation of a system of holding rental deposits, informed by best international experience.
The measure will be reported on in the context of the next Housing for All quarterly progress report. It should be noted that my Department is also carrying out a broader review of the private rented sector in Ireland which will inform longer term policy in relation to the sector.
659. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount that has been paid out under the vacant property refurbishment grant since it was established, broken down by county. [27201/23]
View answer701. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons who have applied for the derelict property grant, by county; and the amount paid out under the grant in each month since the grant scheme was established, by county, in tabular form. [27479/23]
View answer702. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons who have applied for the vacant property refurbishment grant, by county; and the amount paid under the grant in each month since the grant scheme was established, by county, in tabular form. [27480/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos 659, 701 and 702 together.
Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.
In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.
Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas.
My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which can be accessed at the following link: Vacancy grant statistics
660. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement his Department has had with officials in Longford County Council in relation to the exceptional and severe fiscal challenges faced by LCC following the closure of ESB Lough Ree Power Station, Lanesboro, County Longford, and the resulting loss of income. [27216/23]
View answerMy Department is aware of the funding pressures on local authorities generally, but specifically the negative impact on the commercial rates income caused by the closure of Lough Ree power station in Longford. My Department continues to engage with Longford County Council in this regard. It is recognised that the authority was very reliant on commercial rates from the now closed power station, and that it accounted for approximately 16% of the commercial rates receipts for the county in 2019. To alleviate this negative impact, my Department has provided compensatory funding to the local authority at a cost of €1.4m in 2021 and €1.3m in 2022. Further funding has been confirmed and this arrangement will continue in 2023, with support of €1.3m being secured for this year.
The Government is making a significant contribution of €481.3 million in 2023 to support the local government sector. A large portion of this figure, €287.2 million, will go towards assisting local authorities with the cumulative effect on pay costs arising from the National Pay Agreements and the unwinding of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation. It also includes support of €60m, the purpose of which will be to assist Longford County Council and other local authorities in meeting the increasing costs, and in particular increasing energy costs, involved in providing a wide range of services. Longford County Council has been provisionally allocated €660k in this regard.
Across all schemes and funding sources, the Department has provided €30.7m in 2020, €48.5m in 2021 and €36m in 2022 to Longford County Council. Included in this is the unprecedented level of support provided by central Government to local authorities during 2020 and 2021 in respect of the COVID -19 pandemic.
A comprehensive review of the current LPT baselines is nearing conclusion, and is expected to be completed in advance of the local authority budget process for 2024. My Department has engaged with key stakeholders and, in the course of this review, submissions were invited for consideration from other interested parties. Any proposed changes to the current model will need to take into account the needs and resources of all local authorities, which will be considered within the parameters of the national fiscal and budgetary situation.
This review is taking into account the overall funding position of all local authorities, which includes the potential of each authority to raise income locally. The position of Longford County Council will be examined following the conclusion of the baseline review, and this Department will continue to engage with the authority in this regard.
