Vol. 553 No. 2
638 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will provide funding for Dublin City Council to provide central heating for homes of tenants which do not have this facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13504/02]
The management, maintenance and improvement of their rented dwellings, including the installation of central heating, is in principle the responsibility of local authorities to be financed from their own resources. However, where capital funding is provided under remedial or regeneration schemes operated by my Department for the upgrading of local authority dwellings the provision of central heating may form part of the work undertaken. To date, such funding has been provided to Dublin City Council under the following schemes: the remedial works scheme which assists local authorities in carrying out major essential works to dwellings in designated estates; the special area regeneration programme which consists of a once-off programme of upgrading high density older flat complexes; and the redevelopment of a number of seriously rundown flat complexes involving a mix of new building, refurbishment and, where appropriate, demolition and replacement. My Department has provided some €210 million to Dublin City Council under these schemes to date, in addition to the major programme of regeneration of Ballymun.
Local authorities may also seek my Department's approval to use their internal capital receipts which are surplus to the requirements of the local authority housing construction and remedial works scheme programmes for the provision of central heating in their rented housing stock. Apart from the foregoing, there is no specific funding mechanism available from my Department for the installation of central heating in local authority rented dwellings and Dublin City Council has been advised to this effect.
Question No. 639 answered with Question No. 633.
640 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will allocate additional funds to Meath County Council to allow the council to set up a parks department within the council which is urgently required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13507/02]
The establishment and resourcing of particular departments within a local authority are matters for the authority itself. In 2002 an amount of €17.715 million in general purpose funding has been allocated to Meath County Council from the local government fund. The 2002 allocation is more than 82% greater than the initial allocation for 1997 and an increase of almost 19% on the 2001 baseline allocation. General purpose grants from the local government fund are additional to grants for specific purposes and supplement authorities' income from local sources such as commercial rates. It is a matter for authorities themselves to decide how these general purpose grants should be spent.
641 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when funding will be allocated to Wexford City Council in respect of remedial works at Wolfe Tone Villas, Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13510/02]
Some €851,360 has been paid to Wexford Borough Council under my Department's remedial works scheme in respect of refurbishment works at this estate. The council's proposals for environmental works at the estate are currently under discussion with my Department. A decision on the eligibility of these proposals will be made on conclusion of the discussions.
