Written Answers Nos. 43-54
43. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education for an update on the schools building programme at a school (details supplied) in County Meath; when works will commence and be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48999/23]
View answerThe project for the school referred to by the Deputy currently has planning permission and will, along with a number of other projects, be brought to the level of employer-led design with a Design Team assigned to do so under the supervision of my Department’s Project Manager.
My Department’s Project Manager recently completed the Design Team appointments for this programme and it is expected that the project will progress to tender in mid-2024.
My Department will continue to liaise with the school and its patron body in relation to interim accommodation requirements pending delivery of the permanent accommodation for the school.
44. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49009/23]
View answerThe criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in my Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).
To qualify for an award of incremental credit, a teacher and their prior work experience being claimed must satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in the relevant circular. An award of incremental credit cannot be made where the eligibility criteria is not satisfied.
When an application for incremental credit is received in the Department, it is checked to ensure that it is fully completed. Applications are managed in date received order.
Applications can take up to 20 weeks to be fully processed but most are dealt with well within this timeframe. Factors that impact on this processing time include incomplete application forms and conflicting information on the application form. Please be advised that if a teacher meets the criteria set out in Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers, incremental credit will be awarded and any monies due paid accordingly.
With regard to the teacher to which you refer, I wish to confirm that an application for an award of incremental credit has been received by my Department and is currently being processed.
45. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education , further to Parliamentary Question No. 281 of 26 September 2023, when her Department expects to receive the second tender report for a school (details supplied); when the school can expect to be contacted on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49014/23]
View answerThe large scale capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is part of a joint campus project with another primary school and a post-primary school. My Department authorised the Design Team to retender the project as the first tranche of tenders were deemed unviable. The Design Team applied for a new planning permission due to a change in the Planning Acts introduced by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in Sept 2021 which removed the option to extend a planning permission. Following a Request for Further Information from the Local Authority, the grant of planning permission has been received.
In parallel, the Main Contractor Tender report was received and reviewed by my Department and the Tender report in respect of the Reserve Specialist Contractors was received and is currently under review.
When this review is complete, My Department will be in contact with the School Authorities and the Design Team regarding further progression of the project.
46. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais cén uair a dhéanfar cinneadh ar iarratas ó bhunscoil (sonraí tugtha) le haghaidh Cóiríocht Scoile Bhreise (foirm ASA) a cuireadh chuig an Roinn tamall ó shin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [49019/23]
View answerIs féidir liom a dheimhniú go bhfuil iarratas ar chóiríocht bhreise scoile faighte ag mo Roinn ón scoil a bhfuil an Teachta ag tagairt di.
Is éard is cuspóir le scéim cóiríochta breise scoile mo Roinne ná a chinntiú go bhfuil cóiríocht riachtanach maidir le gnáthsheomraí ranga agus cóiríocht do dhaltaí a bhfuil riachtanais oideachais speisialta acu ar fáil le freastal ar na daltaí atá ar an rolla gach bliain, sa chás nach féidir leis an gcóiríocht atá ann cheana féin freastal ar na riachtanais sin.
Is é príomhfhócas acmhainní mo Roinne le deich mbliana anuas agus don tréimhse atá le teacht ná acmhainn bhreise ríthábhachtach a sholáthar chun freastal ar an déimeagrafach níos airde. Mar sin féin, tá mo Roinn ag obair i dtreo béim níos mó a chur ar uasghrádú agus ar athchóiriú an stoic scoile atá ann cheana agus béim ar leith a chur ar spriocanna gníomhaithe ar son na haeráide.
Bhí oifigigh ó mo Roinn i dteagmháil le húdarás na scoile agus nuair a bheidh freagra faighte ar ais againn uathu, rachfar ar aghaidh leis an iarratas agus eiseofar an cinneadh go díreach chuig údarás na scoile.
47. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media why the recently advertised position of Secretary General for her Department does not require that applicants have a capacity to do their work in Irish as well as well as English, as this Department has responsibility for the Gaeltacht and Irish language, and there are Department offices where the main working language is Irish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48973/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the role of the Secretary General for my Department encompasses a wide ranging brief which includes the promotion and preservation of the Irish Language.
In specific reference to the Deputy’s question, I wish to advise that in recognising the responsibility of my Department for the preservation and promotion of the Irish Language, potential candidates are advised in the information and booklet for this campaign that it is anticipated that the person appointed will be able to conduct Departmental business through Irish, or have the capacity to acquire such an ability within a reasonable timeframe.
My Department will fully support the successful candidate in attaining the level of competence required should this be necessary.
My Department continues to encourage, promote and offer Irish Language training to all staff.
48. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to outline the provisional timelines of announcements for the sports capital and sports capital equipment programme 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48920/23]
View answerThe 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. 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.
The latest round of the SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday 8 September. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications is now underway but it is clear that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications and it is likely that the total number will exceed the previous record 3,106 applications submitted under the last (2020) round.
Work is now underway on finalising the "Scoring Assessment and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round and I hope to have this published shortly. Simultaneously, I also plan to publish the full list of all applications received. Once these documents are published, the detailed assessment work can commence. In this regard, it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on the assessment of the capital applications with the allocations likely to be announced later in 2024. As with all recent rounds of the Programme, an appeals mechanism will be available to any unsuccessful applicants.
49. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what he is doing to ensure that city and county councils process the vacant property refurbishment grant applications in a timely manner and communicate decisions with applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48982/23]
View answerData in relation to grant applications, including processing times, is monitored on an on-going basis by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department, which is in regular communication with the Vacant Homes Officers, now in place in all local authorities and part of whose role it is to oversee administration of the grant.
My Department acknowledges the administrative overheads in delivering both the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Ready to Build scheme and initial support funding of up to €180,000 is available to each local authority to support their administration of the schemes.
50. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings; when this is likely to be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48983/23]
View answer51. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the code of practice for the remediation of fire safety defects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48984/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 51 together.
Since the receipt of Government approval in January of this year, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013 on a statutory footing.
Key to this has been the development of a Code of Practice for the Remediation of Fire Safety Defects , in the context of the Fire Services Acts, which I published on 25 July at www.gov.ie/en/publication/95159-code-of-practice-for-the-remediation-of-fire-safety-defects/. The purpose of this Code of Practice is to support the development of a reasonable and practicable approach to resolving fire safety defects and to ensure a consistent approach nationwide to remediation. While it does not contain recommendations, it enables stakeholders such as Owners’ Management Companies (OMCs) and industry to align their work with its provisions. Going forward the Code of Practice will be a key document to support the operation of the remediation scheme and will be subject to periodic review.
Importantly, it also provides guidance to OMCs, building professionals and local authority building control / fire services, including guidance on interim safety measures, in the context of the Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003. My Department continues to work with the local authority sector, particularly Fire Services, to establish the necessary processes and structures to implement the Code of Practice.
The Housing Agency will play a central role in the remediation scheme when it becomes operational. It launched an Expression of Interest Portal on its website in July 2023 which serves as a platform for OMCs to share information about their developments with The Housing Agency. The Housing Agency have also included resource links on its website. I strongly encourage OMCs to indicate their potential interest in the future remediation scheme by inputting information on their developments on the portal. It should be noted that this portal, which is subject to conditions of use, is not a formal registration mechanism for the future remediation scheme.
My Department is working closely with the Housing Agency and key stakeholders to facilitate the provision of funding for interim fire safety measures on an administrative basis. I expect to be in a position to announce more details of this in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, work is advancing on drafting the required legislation, which will include the scope, eligibility and conditions of the remediation scheme. While I am working on the development of the scheme as a matter of priority, sufficient time is required to draft the legislation to ensure that the scheme is fit for purpose, provides value for tax payer’s money and contains appropriate oversight and governance measures. It is expected the draft legislation will be published in 2024. It is intended that subject to the legislative process, the statutory scheme will be in place shortly thereafter.
52. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the final capital allocations in 2023 for local authority social housing, capital assistance scheme and capital loan facility; and to set these final capital allocations for 2023 against the capital allocations for each of the three heads for 2024, in tabular form. [48903/23]
View answerThe data requested is set out in the following table.
|
Subhead |
2023 Allocations |
2024 Allocations |
|||||
|
2023 REV €000 |
2023 Capital Carryover €000 |
2023 LPT €000 |
Total 2023 Allocation €000 |
2024 AEV €000 |
2024 LPT €000 |
Total 2024 Allocation €000 |
|
|
A.3 Local Authority Housing |
1,184,101 |
240,000 |
78,549 |
1,502,650 |
1,331,100 |
78,000 |
1,409,100 |
|
A.7 Capital Assistance Scheme |
137,000 |
137,000 |
140,000 |
140,000 |
|||
|
A.11 Capital Advance Leasing Facility |
309,599 |
309,599 |
315,000 |
315,000 |
In respect of the 2024 allocations, the Revised Estimates Volume for the Public Service (REV) will be published in mid-December and will set out the final detail on the 2024 subhead allocations for the Housing programmes, taking into account both the programme level allocations announced in Budget 2024 and any additions that may arise. Accordingly, the 2024 allocations presented above may vary.
Budget 2024 provides for continued record investment in Housing with €4.1bn in Exchequer funding for the delivery of housing programmes, comprising Capital funding of €2.6bn and Current funding of €1.5bn. The Capital provision of €2.6bn will be supplemented by Land Development Agency (LDA) investment and Housing Finance Agency (HFA) lending, resulting in an overall capital provision of over €5bn in 2024.
Furthermore, additional National Development Plan Capital funding for 2024 will be reviewed in the coming months.
Detailed information in respect of the Housing elements of Budget 2024 are set out in the 2024 Expenditure Measures Report, which is available at the following link: gov.ie - Budget 2024: Expenditure Reports (www.gov.ie)
53. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to seek advice for a person (details supplied) in respect of the very concerning condition of their home; if he will outline what schemes or processes are available in such a circumstance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48910/23]
View answerI commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The new scheme is now open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/service/8002e-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.
Section 5 of the Act contains details on the process for the inclusion of additional local authority areas into the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme. This statutory designation process can commence upon a request by a local authority or by myself, as Minister to the Housing Agency, and whereby the Agency thereafter carries out technical testing of dwellings in a given local authority administrative area. As soon as practicable after the completion of any testing, the Housing Agency shall make a recommendation to me whether an order to designate the whole or part of a local authority's administrative area should or should not be made by the Government.
The Housing Agency act as technical agents on behalf of the local authorities under the Enhanced Grant Scheme. Applications received by a local authority will be referred to the Housing Agency to review the 'Building Condition Assessment Report' and determine if the home has met the 'damage threshold' for entry to the scheme.
54. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline his Department is working towards in publishing annual housing adaptation grant waiting lists, in view of the commitment in the Housing Options for our Ageing Population policy statement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48914/23]
View answerMy Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. This scheme assists eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.
The Housing Options for an Ageing Population policy statement includes a commitment by my Department to work closely with local authorities to review the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme and the waiting lists in place for adaptations and publish this data on a yearly basis to identify any barriers and gaps at local and national level and help to streamline the process to ensure timely intervention.
My Department developed a new recoupment claim form which was implemented by local authorities on a phased basis throughout 2022. The new form captures data on the date a valid application is received, approved and paid by a local authority. This will allow the Department to calculate the average length of time that it will take a local authority to approve valid applications and issue grant payments over the 12 month period of 2023 taking account that local authorities submit recoupment claims in batches at various stages throughout the year. This approach will ensure that all local authorities are correctly represented in the resulting data to be available for publication by early 2024 in respect of 2023.
