Tuesday, 12 Dec 2023

Written Answers Nos. 427-440

State Bodies

Questions (434)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

434. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated year one cost to and full year cost to establish MARA. [55023/23]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Darragh O'Brien)

The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) was established, and its functions commenced, on 17 July 2023.  MARA is an independent agency in the performance of its functions in accordance with the Maritime Area Planning Act.

Up to year-end 2023, the focus of operations is to build on the pre-establishment work of my Department, embedding both the governance structures and consenting regime of the agency.  Funding provision is made in my Department's Vote for the establishment of MARA.  The estimated projected expenditure for 2023 is approximately €2.3 million.  The budget provision for MARA for 2024 is €7.3 million.

Departmental Funding

Questions (435, 436)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

435. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost of funds provided to complete hedgerow surveys; the average cost per successful applicant to complete a hedgerow survey; and the median cost per successful applicant to complete a hedgerow survey in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form, as part of the local biodiversity action fund. [55035/23]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

436. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost of funds provided to local authorities to complete hedgerow surveys; the average cost per local authority to complete a hedgerow survey; the median cost per local authority to complete a hedgerow survey in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55036/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 435 and 436 together.

My Department does not have responsibility for hedgerow surveys. Teagasc has undertaken hedgerow mapping on a national scale, and a number of local authorities have commissioned hedgerow surveys at county level.

The Local Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF) operated by my Department provides funding to assist local authority biodiversity officers, or heritage officers in local authorities without a biodiversity officer, with the implementation of projects that promote actions contained in the National Biodiversity Action Plan. A fund of €3m was made available in 2023, double the amount available in 2022. 11 local authorities have used the funding to carry out hedgerows survey from 2020 to 2023, as outlined below.

	2020	2021	2022	2023	Overall
Total	€ 12,250	€ 32,400	€ 30,000	€ 111,938	€ 186,588
Average hedgerow award per successful applicant	€ 12,250	€ 16,200	€ 30,000	€ 13,992	€ 16,963
Median hedgerow award per successful applicant	€ 12,250	€ 16,200	€ 30,000	€ 16,741	€ 15,500

Question No. 436 answered with Question No. 435.

Departmental Properties

Questions (437)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

437. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant and derelict properties and sites that are owned by his Department; his plans to bring each of these properties and sites into use; where no plans are in place, the reasons why; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55049/23]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

There are no vacant and derelict properties or sites under the ownership of my Department.

It is the role of the Office of Public Works (OPW) to provide office accommodation to all Government Departments. The OPW owns or leases the buildings which my Department occupies.

The information requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is set out in the following table:

An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
An Fóram Uisce	[e-mail]
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority	[e-mail]
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	[e-mail]
Ervia	[e-mail]
Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Heritage Council	[e-mail]
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Land Development Agency	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
Maritime Area Regulatory Authority	[e-mail]
National Oversight and Audit Commission	[e-mail]
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	[e-mail]
Office of the Planning Regulator	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Tailte Éireann	[e-mail]
Uisce Éireann	[e-mail]
Valuation Tribunal	[e-mail]
Waterways Ireland	[e-mail]

Referendum Campaigns

Questions (438)

Duncan Smith

Question:

438. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the Government commitment to stage a referendum on water ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55067/23]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Public ownership is a core principle governing the development of water services and the Government has given its full commitment to holding a referendum on ownership of water services It is important to note that the establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022.

I have previously committed to bringing forward a referendum proposal on public ownership of water services for consideration by Government in conjunction with the anticipated recommendation of a proposed referendum on housing.

The Housing Commission has submitted its report and recommendations to me in respect of a constitutional change on housing. A minority report was also recently submitted to me by a small number of members. I am now considering both reports and will shortly bring proposed next steps in that process to Government. I intend to take a similar approach to the proposed referendum on water ownership.

In this way, it is intended that definitive proposals, including next steps and timelines, for referendums on water and housing will be considered by Government in due course.

Local Authorities

Questions (439)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

439. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider using net pay to calculate eligibility for local authority housing adaptation grant thresholds rather than gross pay in order to support working taxpayers who have become ill and require adaptation works in the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55090/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Housing for All commits to reviewing the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability 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. Written submissions were also invited and considered as part of this process. Among the areas the review considered are the income thresholds (including the means test provisions) and grant limits, and the application and decision-making processes including the supplementary documentation required.

On foot of my consideration of the Review report, my Department shared the report and supplementary analysis with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and is engaging with that Department on the recommendations in the report with a view to bringing forward amendments to the relevant Regulations governing the schemes.

Turf Cutting

Questions (440)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

440. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55118/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Malcolm Noonan)

The Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme was established in 2011 for domestic turf cutters affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog SACs and was extended in 2014 to include domestic turf cutters affected from raised bog Natural Heritage Areas. It is comprised of a payment of €1,500 per annum, index-linked, for 15 years, or relocation, where feasible, to a non-designated bog, together with a payment of €500 on the signing of a legal agreement under the scheme.

In relation to the matter in question, the National Park and Wildlife Service of my Department will be in contact with the applicant shortly to progress the application.