Parliamentary questions

Register of Electors

Ruth Coppinger

564. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures his Department has taken to increase awareness of voting registration before 25 November 2015; and if he will take additional measures to that effect. [40290/15]

Local Authority Expenditure

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

565. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost of installing fully accessible toilets, including a hoist and a changing bench, in 50 public amenities. [40330/15]

Air Pollution

Patrick O'Donovan

566. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the timeframes with regard to the smoky coal ban he announced on 20 September 2015 and that will come into force nationwide ahead of the start of the 2017 heating season, as indicated by him at the recent announcement in Foynes by a company (details supplied) of its intention to commence construction of a low-smoke manufacturing fuel plant. [40393/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Maintenance

Joan Collins

567. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts he has allocated to Sligo County Council for adaptations and extensions to social housing, for each of the years 2013 to 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40416/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Maintenance

Joan Collins

568. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts Sligo County Council has drawn down for adaptations and extensions to social housing from his Department, for each of the years 2013 to 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40417/15]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Data

Paul Murphy

569. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of landlords who have withdrawn from the rental accommodation scheme before the landlord's contract with the local authority came to an end, by local authority area, for each of the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40424/15]

Private Rented Accommodation Provision

Dara Calleary

570. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the procedures in place to protect tenants in private rented accommodation whose homes have been taken over by receivers; if there is a statutory period of notice to be provided to such tenants in the event of the receiver deciding to sell the property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40428/15]

Local Authority Rates

Pearse Doherty

571. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reduction in rates payable by local authorities and by the State as a result of the revision of the global valuation on utilities in tabular form; if it is appropriate that this measure was taken, considering small and medium businesses cannot avail of these global revisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40441/15]

Foreshore Licence Applications

Helen McEntee

572. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of foreshore leases which fell due for rent review and the actual number of rent reviews that were finalised by the State in each of the years 2011 to 2015 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40480/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Thomas Pringle

573. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for further details, including background information, on the companies (details supplied) which made submissions to his Department, and which met with the social housing clearing house group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40487/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Thomas Pringle

574. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the last date for submissions from interested groups to submit to the social housing clearing house group; if these submissions will be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40488/15]

Air Pollution

Patrick O'Donovan

575. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the timelines regarding the ban on smoke-emitting coal that he announced on 20 September 2015, that will enter into force ahead of the start of the 2017 heating season, as indicated by him at the recent announcement in Foynes in County Limerick at which a company (details supplied) announced its intention to commence construction of a low-smoke manufacturing fuel plant; if current powers available to him will allow for this timeframe; the legislative requirements to enact the ban; the status of notification to the European Commission in this regard, and of the public consultation announced by him on 28 September 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40519/15]

Fire Service Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

576. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that the abolition of town councils has resulted in their former staff, who also work for the fire service, being instructed to work in county council areas which are outside the permitted 1.5 kilometre radius of their designated fire station; that this might result in the loss of experienced fire fighters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40530/15]

Housing Regeneration

Michael Conaghan

577. Deputy Michael Conaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the proposals for the refurbishment of the housing complex for elderly persons at Jamestown Court in Inchicore, Dublin 8, for which planning permission was granted by Dublin City Council in June 2015; and when the necessary sanction will be given to enable the refurbishment work to proceed. [40541/15]

Motor Tax Collection

Pearse Doherty

578. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will introduce legislation following a recent Supreme Court ruling on the applicability of the rules on motor tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40549/15]

Local Authority Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

579. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the impediment to local authorities borrowing for social housing construction still exists; if so, the rationale for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40552/15]

Local Authority Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

580. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the impediments to local authorities borrowing for social housing construction. [40553/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Andrew Doyle

581. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the special purpose vehicle announced under the social housing strategy will be put in place; how it will be rolled out; how it will interact with local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40571/15]

Local Authority Rates

Peadar Tóibín

582. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will fill the €21 million funding gap remaining after the reduction in the global commercial rates revaluation to ensure that local authorities are not left underfunded. [40576/15]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration

Sean Fleming

583. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide any circulars, memoranda, explanatory notes or information provided to local authorities in respect of implementing and operating Statutory Instrument No. 484 of 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40629/15]