Parliamentary questions

Merchandising of Coal

Joe McHugh

496. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on changes in the merchandising of all coals from 1 May 2013; the way these changes will impact on different merchants with different sized turnover and different distribution methodologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8267/13]

Septic Tank Grants

Pat Deering

497. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a commencement date has been set for the septic tank upgrade grant in view of the fact that the current situation is causing uncertainty resulting in very few tanks and systems been sold at this time with a knock on effect on suppliers. [8273/13]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Robert Dowds

498. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any recruitment moratorium for fire and emergency services; and if so, whether it is possible to say at what point that moratorium will be brought to an end. [8280/13]

Local Authority Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

499. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the Pullen and others versus Dublin City Council section 62 Judgement, when he intends to bring forward legislation to facilitate local authorities in refusing to house applicants who are involved in drug dealing and severe anti-social behaviour. [8293/13]

Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists

Dessie Ellis

500. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons currently on the housing waiting list for the Ballymun and Finglas area of Dublin city. [8295/13]

Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists

Dessie Ellis

501. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons currently on housing waiting lists for local authorities across the State; the reason they were assessed as having a housing need; and if he will provide a breakdown by local authority and the number of applicants currently waiting over five years and over ten years respectively. [8296/13]

Household Charge Purpose

Michael McCarthy

502. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will stipulate in percentage terms the amount of the revenue raised from the household charge that has gone directly to local authorities for the purposes of local services; if he will provide a breakdown of the total amount of revenue provided to each local authority in respect of the household charge only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8305/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

503. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which Lough Foyle was first designated as coastal waters for the purposes of the EC Urban Waste Water Directive; and the guidelines that were used at the time. [8309/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

504. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the identification of the outer limits of estuaries here was subject of a report by the Environmental Protection Agency to his Department in 1995 when UK guidelines were accepted in defining Lough Foyle as coastal waters; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that in the UK this sea classification for the Severn and Humber estuaries was overruled in a judicial review in January 1996 against the UK DoE; and the reasons the EPA has not recategorised Lough Foyle as estuarine waters despite the repeated requests of local residents to do so. [8310/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

505. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that if Lough Foyle is not reclassified as estuarine waters it will be subsumed into the Water Framework Directive in May of this year; the measures he will take to ensure this does not happen; and the measures he will take to ensure that this reclassification happens in a timely manner prior to final submission for inclusion in the WFD this coming May. [8311/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

506. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if during discussions between the Irish and British Governments regarding the question of jurisdiction over the Foyle and Carlingford estuaries, if the rules of environmental protection are being built into any proposed agreement; and if any proposed agreement will protect against the use of estuaries for polluting discharges. [8312/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

507. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether the Ramsar designation for the entirety of Lough Foyle based on the Ramsar Convention would be beneficial for the Lough and its surrounding communities; his plans to ensure this designation is awarded to Lough Foyle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8313/13]

Fire Safety

Dominic Hannigan

508. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that a risk assessment was undertaken to substantiate the new Critical Attendance Standard Policies within the Keeping Communities Safe Policy Document; if he will confirm that a copy of the risk assessment will be made publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8314/13]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

509. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it is possible for local authorities to recoup 100% of the grant aid made available to voluntary housing associations under the housing adaptation grant for people with a disability scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8343/13]

Fire Safety

Terence Flanagan

510. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will engage with union representatives to discuss their concerns regarding the Keeping Communities Safe document and the impact this will have on firefighter safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8351/13]

Prompt Payments

Alan Farrell

511. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ensure that all local authority bodies achieve 100% compliance to pay outstanding bills and invoices within 15 days in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8428/13]

Property Taxation Collection

Terence Flanagan

512. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if moneys collected from the local property tax will be ring-fenced for each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8437/13]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Jack Wall

513. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a request from Athy Town Council, County Kildare regarding a housing repair (details supplied). [8510/13]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Catherine Murphy

514. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures which will be promoted during the Irish Presidency of the European Union to promote policies to keep the EU towards meeting its declared carbon reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8591/13]

Regeneration Projects Funding

James Bannon

515. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on funding for a regeneration project (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8621/13]

Regeneration Projects Funding

James Bannon

516. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on funding for the regeneration plan for Granard, County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8622/13]

Commercial Rates Calculations

James Bannon

517. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to change the legislation in order to introduce a tiered system of rates, which is needed to help support small businesses, where the present system of percentage reductions in all council budgets, 2008 to 2012 favour the large ratepayers as much as the small ones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8624/13]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Mattie McGrath

518. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of loans that have been provided to and agreed directly with approved housing bodies by the Housing Finance Agency in the provision of new finance for social housing; and the number of homes that have been completed with such finance to date in view of the fact that almost 100,000 households are in need of social housing. [8644/13]

Departmental Expenditure

Jim Daly

519. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 472 of 12 February 2013, if he will compile and present, in tabular form, the cost to each local authority in assessing the means of applicants for the various schemes administered by that local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8691/13]

Energy Conservation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

520. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the eligibility criteria for attic house insulation has been changed. [8710/13]

Energy Conservation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

521. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons who were due to have their attics insulated were told they were no longer eligible due to new legislation brought in stating that attics with sloping ceilings cannot be insulated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8711/13]

Homeless Persons Supports

Simon Harris

522. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the services and supports in place for homeless persons in an area (details supplied) in County Wicklow; the funding that has been provided by Government for such services in this area; if consideration will be given to making an outreach service providing hot food available to those who are unable or unwilling to attend a homeless centre of shelter; the Government policy in relation to tackling homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8794/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Michael McCarthy

523. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to an ongoing sewerage issue at a school (details supplied) in County Cork; the assistance being extended to rectify the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8823/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Joe McHugh

524. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which Lough Foyle was first designated as coastal waters for the purposes of the EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive; and the guidelines that were used at that time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8833/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Joe McHugh

525. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with reference to the identification of the outer limits of estuaries in Ireland as a subject of a report by the Environmental Protection Agency to his Department in 1995 in which the UK guidelines were accepted in defining Lough Foyle as coastal waters, and with reference to the UK's sea classification for the Severn and Humber estuaries which was overruled in a judicial review in January 1996 against the UK Department of the Environment and ruled that the proposals were not within the spirit of the directive, the reason the EPA has not revised the classification of Lough Foyle from coastal waters back to the very proper and historically accepted estuarine waters, despite the requests of concerned residents in the Lough Foyle area to do so. [8834/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Joe McHugh

526. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether, if the current classification of Lough Foyle as coastal waters is not revoked immediately and returned to estuarine/transitional waters, this contentious classification and therefore the looser environmental protection of the Foyle estuary associated with it, will be subsumed into the Water Framework Directive in May of this year; if he will outline the measures that he will take to ensure this will not happen; if he will ensure that the relevant officials take immediate action to reclassify Lough Foyle as estuarine waters, prior to final submission for inclusion in the WFD in May this year. [8835/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Joe McHugh

527. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with reference to the Ramsar designation for the entirety of Lough Foyle as a recognised and desired objective by the Ramsar Convention and its implications for such designation for both the Lough and its surrounding communities, the action he will take to assist in obtaining this designation for Lough Foyle. [8836/13]

Wastewater Treatment Issues

Joe McHugh

528. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with reference to the ongoing discussions between the UK and Irish governments on the question of jurisdiction over the Foyle and Carlingford estuaries, if the communities around these Estuaries will be assured that rules of environmental protection are built in to any contemplated agreement which will protect against use of these estuaries for polluting discharges, when open water is adjacent, and in particular from diverting polluting discharges away from open water and into the estuarine waters under any circumstances. [8837/13]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Eoghan Murphy

529. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is familiar with Dublin City Council's proposals to energy retrofit Glovers Court, Dublin 2; and his views on whether these proposals will come to fruition. [8838/13]

Water Charges Exemptions

Anthony Lawlor

530. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if allowances will be made in terms of water charges for persons who suffer from a medical condition, bearing in mind that many persons need to use high volumes of water to deal with their condition; if a list has been compiled by his Department which outlines such medical conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8874/13]

Leader Programmes Funding

Seán Kyne

531. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of funding available to the LEADER programme from 2014-2020 in the context of the recent agreement of the EU's new Multi Annual Financial Framework; and if he will clarify the changes, if any, proposed in the funding model. [8985/13]

Property Management Companies

Shane Ross

532. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of 7 February 2013, if he will respond regarding management charges (details supplied) and the fact that even when property values have declined, management rates remain the same; his views on whether this is a matter of serious concern; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8776/13]

Prison Staff

Robert Troy

533. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when those who have been recruited for the Irish Prison Service will be called for training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8062/13]

Garda Transport Data

Shane Ross

534. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of cars bought for An Garda Síochána in the past two years, 2011 and 2012 and January/February 2013; the model of each car; the cost of each car and the level/grade in the Garda to which each car was allocated; the number of cars that were allocated to gardaí on the beat; the number that were purchased for gardaí at senior level including Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, all Assistant Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Communications, District Commissioner, Head of Garda Internal Audit, Head of Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Executive Director of Finance and Services, Executive Director ICT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8084/13]

Garda Transport Provision

Shane Ross

535. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí at any level that are entitled to the use of State purchased cars; the number of the Garda fleet that are specifically allocated to one person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8085/13]

Deportation Orders Re-examination

Bernard Durkan

536. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider a request to revoke a deportation order in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8103/13]

Prisoner Health

Bernard Durkan

537. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which the health condition of a person (details supplied) continues to be monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8104/13]

Immigration Status

Bernard Durkan

538. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 162 of 17 January 2013, wherein the change of application for status was refused on the basis that the applicant had permission to be in the State on Stamp 3 conditions up to 17 February 2013 but had no entitlement to the change of status requested given that they had made their application in good time to enable the authorities to assess their application and having particular regard to the suggestion contained in the reply that they may apply again for change of status; if their circumstances have changed as their permission is due to expire soon; if he will further clarify entitlement to upgrade of status and/or eligibility for naturalisation in their case and that of their spouse (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8105/13]

Asylum Applications

Bernard Durkan

539. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will review the file in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8106/13]

Ministerial Appointments

Shane Ross

540. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the details of all appointments made by him to all State agencies, commercial bodies and all other appointments made by him since taking office, including the State owned banks and the judiciary. [8123/13]

Ministerial Appointments

Shane Ross

541. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the details of the qualifications of all the appointees made by him to all State agencies, commercial bodies and all other appointments made by him since taking office including the State owned banks and judiciary for the appointments they have accepted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8141/13]

Ministerial Appointments

Shane Ross

542. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of appointees and the percentage of appointments made by him to all State agencies, commercial bodies and all other appointments made by him since taking office including the State owned banks and the Judiciary that were subject to a public applications process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8159/13]

Residential Institutions Issues

Robert Dowds

543. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on his consideration of issues relating to the Bethany Home and the redress issues surrounding that home, in view of the completion of the Magdalen Laundries report. [8203/13]

Employment Rights

Mary Lou McDonald

544. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality following the recently published Migrant Rights Centre Ireland Report December 2012 Part of the Family, which illustrates the way the unregulated au pair system is being used to facilitate cheap childcare and that leaves au pairs without basic protections, his plans to address the issue of au pairs here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8225/13]

Prison Committals

Ciara Conway

545. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide in tabular form the number of convictions that have resulted in citizens being jailed due to the non-payment of fines for 2008, 2009, 2010, 20011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8274/13]