Vol. 1034 No. 5
95. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to previous visits, the position regarding the improvement of facilities on An Blascaod Mór; if these improvements will be in place for the 2023 visitor season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10531/23]
Baineann an cheist seo leis an mBlascaod Mór. An féidir leis an Aire Stáit aon nuacht a thabhairt don Teach faoin scéal?
Tá caomhnú agus cosaint an Bhlascaoid Mhóir fós ríthábhachtach d’Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí. Tá feabhsaithe beartaithe ag an oifig don séasúr atá le teacht i mbliana agus cinnteoidh sé sin go bhfuil rochtain shábháilte ag cuairteoirí. Cuirfear tús arís le seirbhísí báid do chuairteoirí i mí Aibreán 2023, ag braith, dár ndóigh, ar an aimsir áitiúil. Tá Oifig na n-Oibreacha Poiblí ag obair i dtreo comhaontú a thabhairt chun críche le húinéir talún áitiúil chun áiseanna leithris a sholáthar do chuairteoirí agus tá an oifig ag tnúth na leithris seo a oscailt ar an oileán do chuairteoirí i rith séasúir an tsamhraidh. Tá ceist fhadtéarmach na n-áiseanna á cur chun cinn freisin.
Tá saibhreas bithéagsúlachta agus fiadhúlra ar an mBlascaod Mór agus tá staidéar bonnlíona bithéagsúlachta críochnaithe ag Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí le déanaí. Soláthróidh an staidéar sin sonraí luachmhara ar na gnáthóga agus na speicis atá ar an oileán. Cabhróidh sé le hOifig na nOibreacha Poiblí a chinntiú go ndéantar bithéagsúlacht an oileáin a chosaint amach anseo.
Most visitors to the An Blascaod Mór take great care not to cause any damage, as the Deputy will appreciate, to the biodiversity or the heritage buildings on the island. During the winter, the OPW has produced a leaflet, following a suggestion made by the Deputy previously, to explain to visitors how to protect the wildlife and heritage on the island. This leaflet will be provided to the boat operators to share with visitors as they disembark on the island. The boat operators will also provide visitors with up-to-date information on the island.
During the winter, the OPW also prepared a tender package for the new conservation management plan. This plan will guide the development and care of the island in future. This tender will issue in the coming weeks as access is required to the island. It is anticipated that a successful tenderer will be appointed by mid-2023 and the plan will consider the elements of conservation, heritage protection, archaeology, transport planning, marine biology and environmental ecology, among others, in relation to the island.
Maith thú. Tá na hábhair sin go léir an-tábhachtach. Tá mé buíoch den Aire Stáit. Tháinig sé chuig an oileán, thug sé aird ar na fadhbanna atá ann agus tá a dhícheall á dhéanamh aige iad a réiteach. Tá mé fíorbhuíoch as sin. I thank the Minister of State for that positive and comprehensive response on several fronts to the issues raised. Fair play to him. He came down to Dún Chaoin before, but last autumn he went out to the island as well. In fairness, the Minister State is familiar with that territory. He was there before in a previous phase in his life. It is necessary to go out there to fully appreciate the island and to understand the issues in play. The first of these is the lack of public conveniences on the island given there are so many visitors. This issue is a no-brainer and one that must be addressed. In fairness to the Minister of State, it is one he has directed his attention towards. Equally, Kerry County Council needs to come to the table in this regard. On the land side of the pier in Dún Chaoin, there are no such public conveniences. I will speak on the other issues in my next contribution.
Tuigimid in Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an oileán, ní hamháin d’oidhreacht agus do stair áitiúil iarthar Chiarraí ach de bharr an tsaibhris bithéagsúlachta atá ar an oileán freisin. Ar an ábhar sin, tá sé an-tábhachtach domsa, ní hamháin mar Aire Stáit le freagracht speisialta maidir le hOifig na nOibreacha Poiblí ach freisin mar Aire Stáit na Gaeltachta, dul chun cinn a dhéanamh sna rudaí atá leagtha amach ag an Teachta sa Dáil ar maidin.
We will work with Kerry County Council. The fact that I am now also the Minister of State with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht helps in this context as well. This is not only an important element in terms of heritage, biodiversity, literature and everything else in this context, but it is also a hugely important asset for the people of the Gaeltacht. My Department, the OPW, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Kerry County Council will form a high-level official group to work on the issues on the island, including disembarking. Regarding this aspect, I previously said in the House that it is not up to satisfaction, according to my standards certainly and for anybody who has mobility problems. Something needs to be done about this.
This is very important. We are all only passing through. The island was there long before any of us and it will be there long after all of us. It is incumbent on all of us, especially those of us who are public representatives, to try to improve the retention and preservation of our heritage while we have an opportunity to do so. It is important that we get things right, such as the conservation management plan. This is very important. Equally, it is important that we get a landing facility in place that is appropriate for the island to make it safer for people to disembark and land there. Additionally, there is a need for visitors to have an awareness of the wildlife and heritage on the island. The measure taken in this regard is a small one. It did not take a huge effort, but it is important that there is this awareness. The Minister of State will remember the conversation we had with the lovely couple who were keeping an lóistín over the summer and the terrible stories they had to relay to us concerning how irresponsible a very small minority of visitors were concerning the wildlife on the island. If there was general awareness in this regard, it could prevent much of this type of thing from happening. Having the relevant information distributed is important in this regard, as well as having the co-operation of the people operating the boat services.
I am reminded that during my last visit to the island with Deputy Griffin, the Dáil on the island was pointed out to me. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach will be familiar with this too. I then asked about the name of a strand that was within sight and earshot where more than one or two seals were roaring and bawling. The person who was with us said, "Well, we call that the Seanad". Small improvements have been made on the island and hopefully this year people travelling long distances should be able to go to the toilet. This is a basic thing and the OPW is committed to making this change this year.
On a wider issue, this island is of huge international significance also, not only nationally but internationally. It has to be safe, we have to protect it, and we have to hand it on to the next generation in as good, if not better, a condition, than we received it. I pay tribute to the OPW staff working in Ionad an Bhlascaoid. It is a magnificent visitor attraction even for people who cannot go to the island and the investment there will stand the test of time. For anyone who has not been there, I urge them to consider visiting. Hopefully, this year we will see a marked improvement in respect of the visitor facilities and a plan going forward with all State agencies, including an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, which will help in the overall capital delivery programme for An Blascaod Mór.
96. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the OPW will install CCTV at the national monument at Clare Abbey, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10569/23]
117. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the Office of Public Works will install CCTV cameras to help deter vandalism at Clare Abbey, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10274/23]
Will the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW arrange for CCTV to be installed at the national monument at Clare Abbey, Clarecastle, County Clare?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 117 together.
The matter concerning the proposed installation of CCTV at Clare Abbey has been previously raised in discussions with the local authority and local stakeholders and in my presence as well during a visit to the abbey. The deployment of security measures across the national heritage estate is kept under constant review by OPW. Security measures, where deemed necessary, must be proportionate to address a real, pressing and substantial problem. The installation of security measures in rural settings can pose a challenge in terms of available infrastructure and the visual and physical impact on the site. As such, physical security measures are not always a feasible option. There are also a number of other considerations prior to any interventions at the site.
The OPW has taken local concerns on board and engaged a caretaker for the site. I understand that the incidence of vandalism and littering has decreased since the engagement of the caretaker. The OPW works closely with An Garda Síochána and the local authority in addition to relying on the local community to alert us to issues as they arise and we are grateful to them for doing so.
The OPW will also continue to maintain Clare Abbey as mandated under national monuments legislation and will respond to any alerts regarding anti-social behaviour as soon as information is brought to its attention.
I have an open mind in respect of what both of them have asked for, notwithstanding the limitations on putting in infrastructure. I am certainly open to any suggestions, as is the OPW, that either or both Deputies may make on this question.
The Minister of State is a regular visitor to County Clare and indeed to Clare Abbey and I have been there with him. In fairness, a working group was set up between the OPW, Clare County Council, and the local stakeholders, including the Tidy Towns committee. I welcome the Minister of State's intervention, commitment and provision of the resource of a caretaker for Clare Abbey. In 2022, and in 2021, there were more than 60 incidents of fly-tipping with waste just thrown out on the side of the road have been recorded and reported to Clare County Council. It is very important that CCTV be provided in the vicinity of Clare Abbey in order that the culprits who are at this day in, day out, can be caught.
I pay enormous tribute to the chairperson of Clarecastle Tidy Towns committee, Mr. Christy Leyden, and the team of volunteers who work at this day in, day out. Their hearts are broken because of the wanton destruction that is happening because of this fly-tipping. CCTV is an answer and we are looking for the Minister of State's support towards providing this to stamp out this unwanted activity.
I echo much of what Deputy Carey has said. This is a beautiful Augustinian abbey founded by Domnall Mór Ua Briain in the year 1195, who was king of Thomond. It is a fabulous building and it is almost a millennium old. It is, unfortunately, being damaged every weekend by antisocial behaviour, with people smashing beer bottles off headstones, cider parties; you name it, there is every kind of shenanigans going on there. It is grossly unfair to people like Christy Leyden and his committee who keep that place tidy but also to people who have family members buried there.
The Minister of State visited the site, and we are all very grateful for that, but CCTV has to be the answer. I cannot see any barrier to it. This is an OPW building here at Leinster House and we have a litany of CCTV cameras. A wireless system could also be installed. I did so myself on our farm at home two weeks ago and it took approximately an hour and a half. They are all battery operated and it does not in any way damage the integrity of an old, special, national monument building. We ask that the Minister of State might consider this and fast-track it.
I thank the Deputies. Returning to Deputy Carey's original comment with respect to County Clare, the OPW has put a fairly big footprint in the county in the past number of years with the work we have done in Cloonlara, Ennis, Springfield, Lahinch and Kilkee on the flood risk side, notwithstanding all of the other issues we have. I acknowledge both Deputies for the support they have given the communities with the engagement that OPW has had, including in places such as Quin.
One of the issues that has been raised in my Department and is something that we will give further consideration to is data storage and collection, particularly CCTV footage and who would be the data controller. We have had a particular issue previously in the past, for instance, which Deputies will be aware of, in respect of the Limerick CCTV scheme.
I have an open mind on this. Where wireless and solar cameras are available, sometimes they can provide low resolution. We want to ensure that the obvious deterrent would be a people presence in the area. That has worked with the caretaker but I take the point made by Deputy Carey that 60 incidents of fly-tipping comes at a cost then to the local authority, the local community and the Tidy Towns groups, together with everybody else who has to clean it up. To be honest, the muck savages who are doing this in the first place are of no benefit to the people in County Clare and are certainly adding other than a significant cost that has to be borne by some body to clean up all of their mess, filth and the dirt they leave after them. This is not unique to Clare Abbey and we have had issues in County Meath also where some great luminaries go in and scratch their names on national monuments. So and so was here. Fair play to them but in a 1,000 years their name will be scratched on to it but the monument will have been destroyed. I will use this opportunity again to mention that the OPW has asked people, where possible, to engage with an Garda and the local authorities but I will certainly ask that a further engagement takes place between Clare County Council, OPW and an Garda of foot of the suggestions which have been raised by both Deputies here in the Dáil.
That is the first time that I have heard muck savages used in that context and it is probably giving them too much recognition.
If that is unparliamentary language, a Cathaoirligh Gníomhaigh, I will-----
It is not but it is just giving them too much recognition.
I recognise the work of the Minister of State and the OPW. In that area, the Ennis flood relief scheme, is very welcome. This multi-million euro project has been completed and formally opened by the Minister of State. I recognise his strong support for the River Fergus greenway, which was a tremendous success. We are looking to extend that greenway down to the Quay in Clarecastle also.
Could the Minister of State give a commitment that the OPW will provide some resource and that a joint venture will be entered into between Clare County Council and the OPW, whereby the OPW would provide money to pay for the installation of CCTV cameras? He will be aware of the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act which passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas in July past. I understand that the County and City Management Association must do some work to bring that into being. An amount will be needed and if the Minister of State could give that commitment here today, I would welcome it.
I also thank the Minister of State for his engagement today and for his frankness on this issue. I can think of one major building in Dublin that will shortly, probably, have its CCTV infrastructure removed. I daresay that the Chinese Communist Party might take more joy out of watching the shenanigans and the goings-on on the River Fergus than they might in this Chamber. Sometimes it can be more enlightening.
On a serious note, there is an issue here. I cannot see any GDPR, funding, planning, conservation or protection barriers to this. It needs a decision and such a decision to put up cameras could happen quickly, just like I did in the past week on my farm. They were put up in a matter of hours and are capturing footage. Only last weekend we had to ring the local gardaí. This can be very effective and can also be a deterrent. This would make a significant difference. This is an old building and unless we take affirmative action now to deal with it, this will only perpetuate and prolong this problem and we will be back here again and again.
I suggest we should take down the Chinese cameras in Leinster House and bring them down to Clare. They would be very welcome in their new home in Clare Abbey.
With a national monument of this nature, ducting and underground cabling can be quite a difficult issue, especially if it involves high-resolution cameras. There is no power source at that location. Taking all that into consideration, the only commitment I will give is that we will re-engage with Clare County Council and An Garda Síochána on this. If we put up cameras, there needs to be a way to store the information and the use of that information must be in compliance with the laws on data storage. Deputies Carey and Cathal Crowe will appreciate that. However, other measures can be looked at in the short term. Lighting some of these national monuments does not come without its problems. If they are habitats for bats and things like that, we are not allowed put up floodlights, which often irks local communities but that is the reality. We need to have cognisance of what we are allowed to do within the context of the law with regard to national monuments. However, it is not tolerable that a national monument is being used as an open dump, as Deputy Carey said. I have heard plenty of anecdotal and local information about the severity of this from the people we met when we were down there. We will take it seriously and we will re-engage.
The site is proximate to one of the biggest investments that we made in Munster, the Ennis south flood relief scheme, and I am glad it has been acknowledged here today. Together with the three schemes in Ennis now, it protects a town of 25,000 people, the largest in Munster. It gives that town the potential to grow even further and link the greenway, which is on top of the embankments created by the OPW, directly into the site of Clare Abbey. I encourage Clare County Council to improve the signage. The more people that we get in there and off the motorway, the less likely it is that people will take it upon themselves to deliver their rubbish there. These people from County Clare or wherever are arriving, unwelcome, and tipping their crap all over the place. Instead, they should take it home and put it into their own dustbins.
97. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will detail the efforts being made under the national development plan for growing population centres, such as Swords, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10258/23]
I ask the Minister to detail the efforts being made under the national development plan, NDP, for growing population centres, including the county town in the fastest growing community in Europe, Swords.
I thank the Deputy for raising this. As he will be aware, the NDP, published in October 2021 provides a detailed and positive vision for Ireland over a decade, involving total public investment of €165 billion.
The urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, was established to deliver more compact and sustainable development, as envisaged under this project. It currently partially funds 132 projects across the country. Focusing on Swords town, one URDF project was approved and provided funding of €375,000 to complete the development of a strategy to improve the resilience of the local economy and provide for an enhanced living environment. The draft sustainable Swords strategy, including the draft public realm and transport strategy, was published for public consultation in 2022. It was presented and agreed by the members of the Deputy's local council in December 2022.
In addition to this, the Fingal county development plan seeks to achieve a minimum of 30% of housing in Swords by way of compact growth. In 2023, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications will progress the delivery of its world-class connectivity and communications plan, the national broadband plan. Swords town is an area where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services.
In addition, transport connectivity is vital for the entire country, but particularly for an area growing as fast as the one the Deputy referred to. BusConnects is an important plan for our city. As the Deputy knows, a new network delivery plan is under way, which includes within it a stronger spine of public transport, including Swords, which is estimated to be delivered in 2024.
The Minister, Deputy Harris, has approved for Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETBs the next stage in developing a college of the future to be located in Swords with a proposal to serve 1,000 full-time students.
I do not need to sell the importance of investment and intervention in support of the activities of the local authority to my fellow northsider because I know how acutely aware the Minister is of this. I had the privilege of being with him at the announcement of the NDP in November 2015 at Heuston Station. I was not in position to attend the most recent iteration, which provided nearly a 40% increase in the overall budget. Part of the problem is that Swords is almost a city with in excess of 40,000 people. It has a unique characteristics and national importance because of the proximity of Dublin Airport. Over many decades and many governments there has been a lack of investment in critical infrastructure. While the motorway is there and operational, I believe that BusConnects will not be delivered until 2024. Metro is eight years away. There is so much to be done in this community and I want to ensure that the NDP under the Minister's control is delivered in an appropriate way for what is an emerging city.
I will certainly work with the Deputy on that. I am very familiar with all of the issues in Swords that he mentioned. I am also very much aware of the impact that population growth has had on the existing infrastructure, such as schools, public transport and all the issues he touched on. The projects I have outlined in my answer, particularly from a transport point of view can make a difference to the issues he raised in terms of the future quality of life for the community within Swords. I will certainly work with him to ensure that the projects I mentioned are delivered within the deadlines. I assure him of my commitment to the metro project. While I know it is still some way away, the impact it will have on the communities he represents will be so profound and so significant, it is vital we stick with that project, which, as he knows, I am committed to doing.
Quality of life is key to all of this. We can spend as much money as we like, but if we do not improve the quality of life for the people already there, Swords will no longer be the vibrant county town it is. Of course, I recognise that it takes time for these projects to get out of the blocks, through planning and all the rest of it. I am acutely aware that consideration of metro, for instance, is currently before the board and a decision is due on or about 26 May. I am very aware of €50 million investment by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in the college of the future in Swords, which will be transformational in terms of educational choices that students across Dublin's north side will make in the near future. There have been almost generations of lack of investment particularly in transport infrastructure, but I cast no stones at any particular government. I know these projects are in the schedule, but I am keenly focused on assisting the Minister in ensuring they are delivered.
Because some of these projects are so big, it takes a long time to do them. Even with that recognition, I know many commuters feel that we have been talking about projects such as the metro for a long time and they want to see reality. I fully take the Deputy's points regarding the different projects he has raised on behalf of his constituents. He can be assured that I will work with him to do all I can to ensure the projects that we have referred to are happening and there are signs of visible progress for the communities he represents.
99. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will outline the cost-of-living supports announced last week; the estimated number of people who will benefit from these supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10402/23]
I ask the Minister to outline how many people will benefit from the cost-of-living supports announced last week and to make a statement on the matter.
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. In recognition of the effect that high energy prices and the cost of living are having on families, businesses and the most vulnerable, the Government last week announced a package of measures amounting to almost €1.3 billion, almost €500 million of which relates to expenditure measures to help people on fixed incomes like pensioners and social protection recipients, including carers and people with disabilities.
The package provides a €200 lump sum for long-term social welfare recipients, which refers to lone parents, low-income families, carers, those on disability payments and pensioners. The measures also provide targeted support to families with children through a one-off lump sum of €100 in child benefit per child and a one-off €100 increase in the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. Additionally, this package provides reduced charges for school transport, waives the fees for those sitting the junior and leaving certificate and extends the hot school meals programme to all DEIS primary schools.
These measures have to be seen in light of the broader measures announced in the budget last year and ongoing measures that remain in place. They include the €200 lump sum I referred to, which will be paid in April, and many changes that will happen and will be permanent. Changes have been made to tax bands to ensure anybody earning €40,000 per year no longer pays the higher rate of income tax. Changes are being made in childcare fees aiming to put in place reductions of up to a quarter for families dealing with the high cost of childcare. Changes have been made to the eligibility for fuel allowance. Core social welfare rates have been increased.
While, understandably, the focus of the Dáil is on the temporary and one-off measures raised last week, those measures I referred to are permanent and we aim to build on them in the budgets ahead. All are designed to help with the rising cost of living, which we know is making a big difference to the living standards of families and citizens.
I thank the Minister. Last week's announcement is welcome, especially for older people. I am concerned that, while he has agreed to extend the VAT reduction from 13.5% to 9% until 31 October, we are hearing of many retired people receiving electricity bills in excess of €1,000. Electric Ireland, for instance, is passing on a reduction to the commercial sector but is not dealing with private individuals as regards reductions. Has the Department had any engagement with the utility suppliers on passing on reductions? The cost of oil and gas is coming down but they are not passing it on to householders. Will this be taken up with them?
I reiterate what the Taoiseach has said on the matter. I understand changes in energy markets are passed through at different speeds to different kinds of customers. Businesses experienced sharp increases in electricity bills before households. I know one energy provider put the cost of energy up in January. I understand that just as the bills went up quicker for some customers, they will also go down quicker.
For households generally, as the Taoiseach has said and I have said on a number of occasions, we expect that as improvements happen in the cost of sourcing energy into our country, it will feed through into an improvement in the affordability of energy for households. It cannot take months for the price of bills to go up and years for the price to go down if we are seeing stability or improvement in the affordability of energy to the companies who supply it to Ireland. We will monitor the situation closely. We have had, through the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, engagement with energy companies across the end of last year and will see whether further engagement is needed and whether steps such as a windfall tax can play a role in dealing with a higher level of profit, if that becomes apparent.
Can a time period be set within which those reductions can be seen? Will they be seen within three months for homeowners and people on small incomes? It is important to work on that over the next three months.
We will work on this in the weeks and months ahead. I do not feel I can put a timeframe on when we expect bills to come down. It is not my role to do so. I re-emphasise the expectation we have that, given the vast amount of our country’s money the Government has spent - €9 billion since January 2022 - to help with the rising cost of living, which for much of its duration was driven by energy costs, it is vital that if and when we see improvement in the cost of energy to companies supplying Ireland, it is passed on as soon as possible to hard-pressed households and businesses, who are struggling with rising costs and turning, understandably, to the Government for further help.
100. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on the allocation of funding to address coastal erosion in east Cork; if further funding is available for coastal erosion that is gradually getting worse near Youghal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10297/23]
I ask about coastal flooding and erosion. The Minister will be aware that east Cork is a coastal region, and the Minister of State recently visited on this matter. What plans do the Departments have to procure additional funding to bolster our coastal defences? Unfortunately, due to global warning and contributing factors, there is a declining level of protection of our local coastline. I know the Minister of State is aware because he has been down to visit with me and my constituency colleague in government, Deputy Stanton. What is the Department trying to do to solve these issues?
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is of huge importance to our Department and the Government as a whole. The Government has established an interdepartmental group on managing coastal change to scope out an approach to the development of a national co-ordinated and integrated strategy to manage the projected impact of coastal change on our coastal communities, economies, heritage, culture, environment and the land. The inter-departmental group is jointly chaired by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the OPW, and will shortly bring forward options and recommendations to the Government for consideration.
The local authorities can carry out coastal protection works using their own resources. If necessary, they may put forward proposals to the relevant Departments for funding of appropriate measures or apply to, in my Department, the OPW under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme.
I am happy to advise the Deputy that, under this scheme, Cork County Council has been approved funding of €68,445 to undertake coastal protection repairs to the existing sea wall at Coastguard Cottages, Roche's Point in east Cork. Cork County Council procured and appointed a consultant and it is envisaged that the project will be constructed and completed in the second quarter of this year.
Two further applications submitted under this scheme by the council are currently under consideration by our Department. One application is to protect the access and cul-de-sac road to six houses near Whitegate, which I saw with the Deputy and Deputy Stanton. The council and the OPW are due to meet imminently to discuss the project with a view to progressing the application.
Cork County Council recently submitted an application for a coastal erosion risk management study. The proposed study area covers approximately 9.5 km of coastline from Youghal to Greenlands strand at Ring. This includes a specific area of concern, that is, access to Pilmore Cottages, Pilmore in Youghal. This study area also forms part of the OPW’s ongoing national pilot coastal monitoring survey programme and the OPW’s survey data will be used for that shortly.
I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response, particularly in regard to the items on the agenda on the day he visited. It is great that they have been followed up. Notwithstanding that information, there is a broader context to this, which is that the Minister of State needs to be funded in the work he does. All who represent coastal communities or areas with flooding issues due to rivers know those works are extraordinarily expensive.
There are a couple of issues I would love to reference on the floor of the Dáil to give the Department a heads-up. Youghal town is lucky to have such beautiful scenery and beaches but, particularly along the front strand, there are serious problems with the hydrophonic wall. That protects a number of residences along the coastal section of road on the front strand.
My sincere worry about that is that hydrophonic walls cost extraordinary amounts of money to replace. It costs hundreds of thousands to do sections of them. Is there any scheme the local authority could apply for to fund hydrophonic coastal protection and hydrophonic walls, as they are expensive?
Without getting in to the specifics of this issue, Deputies will have heard me say often that the single biggest threat to this country is from the sea. Coastal communities are living in the terrifying situation that we have witnessed in the past number of years where the Atlantic and the south seas unleash unbelievable, horrific amounts of energy on to communities. The damage it causes and the costs associated with that damage are getting worse. We know that. Some parts of the country with sandy soils are especially vulnerable, whereas other areas are well protected with strong rock. The Office of Public Works has the fund available. I do not know the specifics of the case the Deputy is raising, but we would certainly consider any application that is made under that scheme for the protection of properties on coasts. This House and local authorities will have to answer some very difficult questions in the not-too-distant future about the sustainment and management of our coastal communities into the future.
We are aware of that need. I wish to say words of support. All of us acknowledge the costings of the works that need to be done to get the coastline ready for what will happen in the next two or three decades are extraordinary. They are in the hundreds of millions, no doubt, and may be in the billions. We support the Minister of State and I hope his good colleague, the Minister, who is seated beside him, will be forthcoming in the upcoming budget to further support those works. The other issue that is important to reference is in the east Cork area. A number of farmers' agricultural land is under extraordinary risk on the western bank of the River Womanagh. I know the Minister of State went down to see that for himself, but if the bank bursts, several hundred acres will be put under water by the sea and it will threaten the village of Ballymacoda. We cannot allow this to occur, but there are statutory implications and problems we need to get around. The Department could look at this during the calendar year because I am quite concerned about it. The Minister of State and I saw a number of the weak points on the bank on the day we visited. If that bank bursts, the ramifications will be incredibly serious. It is important to put that on the record.
Officials from the OPW, with Cork County Council which is the lead agency for the protection of the bank, were present on the day. I know discussions are continuing. It would be disingenuous for me to say we will be able to protect every acre of land into the future. That is not possible. It is no accident that most people in this country live in coastal communities. It is a settlement strategy which goes back to the Vikings and even further back. Those communities will be in a very vulnerable situation for the next 50 to 100 years. I am not suggesting that the House or the Department plan for a five-year impact of climate change but we have to start looking at a 50- to 100-year impact. Unfortunately, there will be cases, and they are already happening, where we will see people out of their houses because of climate change. By grasping the nettle and dealing with that issue, the Oireachtas and society would do those communities a much greater service than pretending we can incrementally address problems as they come up because we cannot do so. I seek the support of all Deputies, in a non-confrontational way, to bring forward suggestions in that manner.
101. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when flood defence construction works will advance in the upper River Lee area for Inchigeelagh, Ballingeary and Ballyvourney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10537/23]
Tá mé ag éileamh ar an Aire Stáit tuairisc a thabhairt ar an obair atá idir lámha aige chun cosaint a thabhairt do phobal Bhaile Bhuirne, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, Inse Geimhleach agus Baile Mhic Íre ó na tuilte. Is cúis buartha é do phobal go mbeadh baol ann ón tuile. Tá obair planned le fada. Will the Minister of State give us an overview of the planned works in the upper River Lee, the River Sullane, Ballyvourney, Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh?
Ta Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí, i gcomhpháirtíocht le Comhairle Contae Chorcaí, ag dul i ngleic go réamhghníomhaíoch leis an rogha is fearr a chur chun cinn le haghaidh scéim faoisimh thuilte inmharthana do Bhaile Bhuirne agus Baile Mhic Íre, a chosnóidh 90 réadmhaoin ó riosca suntasach ó thuilte. Cork County Council, which will act as the lead authority for the scheme, is currently engaging with the Office of Public Works to define the scope of the consultancy brief, after which the procurement of a consultant will follow. I was glad to have the opportunity to visit these communities with Deputy Moynihan recently.
In the interim, Cork County Council has been approved funding of €187,248 in October 2018, under the OPW’s minor works scheme. This funding is for the provision of temporary flood defence measures, including sand-bag defence structures and raising the ground level.
Malachy Walsh and Partners, MWP, consulting engineers, have been commissioned by Cork County Council to complete the design of the interim flood relief measures in Ballyvourney. This work is now well under way and a detailed design is expected to be completed by the end of quarter 1 of this year, with the intention of going to tender for construction shortly thereafter. The proposed flood relief scheme at Ballingeary is in tranche 2. It will be progressed at a projected cost of approximately €3.1 million and will be revised during the options development stage. The proposed scheme consists of flood walls and embankments and will protect 46 properties when completed.
The proposed flood relief scheme at Inchigeelagh is also in tranche 2. It will be progressed at a projected cost of more than €2.5 million and will be revised during the options development stage. The proposed scheme consists of flood walls and embankments and will protect 28 properties when completed.
Once consultants are appointed to progress these schemes, consultation with statutory and non-statutory bodies, as well as the general public, will take place at the appropriate stages to ensure that all parties have an opportunity to input into the development of the schemes. These schemes will be funded from the Government's allocation of €1.3 billion to our Department up to 2030. The most immediate issue is the reports that are due back from MWP, which will hopefully allow, in the Ballyvourney case, progress to be made this year and beyond.
Works on the River Sullane have been planned for a number of years. There was an exhibition in the Abbey Hotel. I acknowledge that quite a bit of background work is being done, between surveys and reports. However, there is a struggle to get temporary works carried out in the area. The OPW has handed over the lead role to Cork County Council. What prompted that move? Tá an-chuid oibre déanta le fada an lá ag tabhairt le chéile tuairiscí agus go leor eile chun an plean seo a thabhairt chun cinn i gcomhair an tSuláin agus cosaint a thabhairt do phobal Bhaile Bhuirne. Is ábhar buartha é nach bhfuil aon rud le feiceáil fós ar an láthair, fiú obair shealadach. Tuigim go bhfuil an chomhairle contae ag tógáil róil cheannasaigh maidir leis an togra seo. An bhféadfadh leis an Aire Stáit soiléiriú dúinn cén fáth go bhfuil an OPW ag seasamh siar agus go bhfuil an chomhairle contae ag tógáil an ról ceannaireachta sin?
Níl an OPW ag seasamh siar in aon chor. It would not be unusual for us to appoint local authorities as the lead agents in some schemes and for us to be the lead agents in other areas. In County Limerick, which is my home area, Limerick City and County Council is the lead authority for a number of the schemes we are developing. The OPW leads in some cases. It is not the case that we are stepping backwards.
With regard to the wider issue the Deputy raises, reports must be produced on schemes and consultation on and examination of schemes are required to ensure they fulfil the criteria, especially around the environmental regulations. This is a sensitive area ad the rivers in question are especially sensitive, as the Deputy knows better than I do. We wish to make sure Cork County Council has the necessary documentation ready to proceed to develop a scheme and that it will succeed. In the absence of that, I should say there is nothing stopping the council bringing forward interim measures, especially in the villages that have been identified by Deputy Moynihan in Cork north west, if it wishes to do so. The OPW always has an open mind about the supports that are available to the local authorities, in the absence of a completed scheme. We will work with the council on that basis.
Ballingeary has suffered flooding from both the Lee and Bunsheelin rivers over many years. When they flood it impacts on householders, businesses and the road, but also the defective sewage treatment plant, which results in flooding in amenity areas such as football pitches. Has that been factored in to the case for promoting or pressing forward a scheme in Ballingeary?
I understand temporary works, including the removal of gravel from the river and clearing of vegetation, were carried out a number of years ago. While that is useful, it is only a temporary measure and the vegetation will grow back again. Tá géarghá go mbrúfaí ar aghaidh le córas Bhéal Átha an Ghaorthaidh chomh maith. An gcuirtear san áireamh go bhfuil éifeachtacht an chórais séarachais lochtach chomh maith, agus go gcuireann sé sin isteach go mór ar chúrsaí sa dhúthaigh? Tá gá le go mbrúfar ar aghaidh leis na scéimeanna seo. An féidir leis an Aire Stáit tuairisc a thabhairt ar na hiarrachtaí i gcomhair Bhéal Átha an Ghaorthaidh? Bheinn buíoch as sin.
The Deputy is right with regard to households and the impact flooding has on businesses and amenities. The day I visited with the Deputy, I saw first-hand the impact it could have on communities. These communities are leading through a bottom-up approach. They are being supported in no small way by Údarás na Gaeltachta, chomh maith le Roinn na Gaeltachta a bhí in aonach linn nuair a bhíomar ann cúpla seachtain ó shin. The Deputy is right. Any of the temporary measures taken, by their nature, are temporary. We have to look at providing much longer term protection for properties. The degree to which water levels have risen in the River Lee catchment area, and the tributaries flowing into it, will be taken into account by Cork County Council.
The Deputy raised the issue of sewage treatment works, which is an asset of Irish Water. I will revert to him on that by email or in writing.
103. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will outline how he intends to ensure the crucial posts across the public sector are filled, in particular in the cities, given the unaffordability of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10594/23]
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, has sanctioned a campaign of industrial action due to the unsafe staffing levels we are facing in our hospitals, as it has been saying it would do for several years. The situation has been getting worse and worse. Patient safety is being put at risk. Staff morale is on the floor. This is all to do with the inability to recruit and retain nurses and other health workers. Much of that relates to our failure to provide affordable housing for nurses and other public sector workers. What is the Minister going to do about this?
The question tabled by the Deputy, in written format, referred to general levels of recruitment in our public services, as opposed to the health sector in particular. I will respond to the question the Deputy asked on the floor in the context of the health sector.
We have approximately 20,000 more people working in our health service than we did before the pandemic. That figure is at odds with the narrative put forward by the Deputy regarding our inability to recruit within our health services and keep the people who are working in them. We have more people working in the health services than we have ever had. Successful recruitment is at a higher level now than it has been in recent years. More people are working in our health service than previously. One of the reasons for that has been the public sector wage agreement, which was agreed when our country was at a moment of great uncertainty. The agreement was reached due to the work of the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, and in recognition of the contribution our public servants made to our country during the pandemic and the need to give them clarity and certainty regarding where they stand. In addition, we were cognisant of the impact the rising cost of living was having on them.
As for what we are doing to deliver more homes, the Deputy knows the answer to that question, although I know in advance of our exchange that he finds the measures to be inadequate. They include the building of nearly 30,000 homes last year; a record level of commencements of new homes in December and January; the building of more social houses than at any other point since the 1970s; and a 45% increase in the rate of housing completions compared with the previous year. The Government knows we need to do more. We need to keep on building homes, and we will take all the steps we can to deliver that.
The problem is that there is no sense from the Government about the emergency we are facing. The INMO does not take industrial action lightly. According to its statements, the reason nurses and midwives feel compelled to take industrial action is that 10,000 patients were left waiting on trolleys during the month of February. They make this absolutely clear. For example, the president of the INMO said:
Safe staffing should not be a pipe dream for nurses. Patients should be made aware of the severity of the staffing deficits our members are trying to work through. Hospital management in each location cannot keep trying to fill from an empty cup.
Her statement goes on. This is now increasingly true of teachers and workers in a series of other professions which are having difficulty recruiting and retaining. Central to that, but not the only issue, is the following issue. The Minister referred to the new housing that has been built. In the area around St. Vincent's University Hospital, every newly completed apartment block that is coming on stream, because they are private for-profit apartment blocks, cost between €2,500, €3,000, €3,500 and €4,000 per month to rent. How is a nurse, a teacher or anybody else expected to pay that? They might as well not have built that stuff because people cannot afford it.
The Deputy said that we might as well not have built it. Is that his attitude?
What good is it if people cannot afford it?
We might as well not have built it.
At that price.
Is that the Deputy's response to the great housing crisis and difficulty we are in?
At that price.
I accept it is a rent level that would be unaffordable for many people. I accept that but it is affordable for some. People will either live in them or rent them. Any increase in housing, any new house or apartment built and provided to somebody, is progress. It is also the reason our level of social housing output, the level of new homes being built by our approved housing bodies and local authorities, is at its highest since the 1970s. This is happening in tandem with that. We appreciate that more needs to be done. We appreciate more homes need to be made available speedily. The Deputy's reaction says an awful lot about his attitude towards housing. Let me emphasise, in relation to those homes being built, that we need more social and affordable homes as well, and that is happening.
This deserves a longer debate but let us at least start the debate. If labour, which is in short supply, is busy building a private development that will cost €3,000 in rent per month, it means the short-supply labour is not building the public and affordable housing. That is what it means in reality when we do not have enough construction workers. We are getting investor-led, profit-driven, unaffordable development that nurses and teachers - all the workers we need - cannot afford, not even the workers who build it. There is an opportunity cost there because it means these workers are not building the public and affordable housing we actually need for nurses, teachers and others, so that they can afford to live in Dublin or the big urban centres and, therefore, work in our health service. I stand over that argument. The Celtic tiger proves it. We had record housing output that nobody could afford and the economy went over a cliff as a result.
I accept we need to make progress in delivering even more homes. The Government is at pains to recognise that. However, in the Deputy's world view, there is no role for the private sector in delivering those homes. Homes built in this country by the private sector are built at a profit, and we need those homes to be built. We need a private sector that can build more homes, and in building those homes they make a profit. In tandem with that, we need the private sector to deliver homes at more affordable prices. That is why the Government has brought in a variety of schemes, which I am sure the Deputy has opposed, to enable the private sector to deliver homes at a lower price. It is also why we have the biggest plans for the delivery of more homes through our local authorities and approved housing bodies since the 1970s.
106. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the work that the construction sector group is currently undertaking to advance the roll-out of modern methods of construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10530/23]
This question asks about the construction sector group that is currently undertaking the roll-out of modern methods of construction, MMC, if the Minister of State would like to discuss the issue.
The latest version of the national development plan, NDP, capital investment tracker provides updates on over 270 projects and 140 programmes, including almost 100 projects costing in excess of €50 million. Driving productivity and increasing innovation in construction sector capacity is imperative to the Government to deliver on the projects outlined in the NDP. The construction sector group and its subgroup are working on seven actions to increase this innovation and productivity. These include the build digital project to increase digital adoption and the establishment of the construction research centre, known as Construct Innovate, to enhance research in the construction sector, along with MMC.
An MMC leadership and integration group, led by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, has been set up. This group will ensure a co-ordinated approach between new and existing entities of MMC and will focus on the risks, challenges and barriers to promote MMC. The group has commenced mapping the existing ecosystem for MMC.
In addition, an MMC working group was established by the Construction Industry Federation, CIF, consisting of member companies from the housing, specialist mechanical and engineering services, civil engineering, modular manufacturers and general contracting companies. CIF, under the construction sector subgroup, has published reports to identify key market requirements to drive the adoption and implementation of MMC on a wider scale for both domestic and export markets. In addition, the CIF has launched the MMC smart off-site association to support the full ecosystem of companies operating in this space.
Furthermore, the demonstration park for MMC at Mount Lucas is progressing positively. The project management team, chaired by SOLAS, has been put in place and includes the Departments of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and the Laois-Offaly education and training board, ETB. Major themes to be embedded into the demonstration park include productivity, innovation, cost reduction and sustainability. The expected delivery date for the park is the fourth quarter of 2023. The demonstration park is collaborating with the build digital project and Construct Innovate.
The National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, is now offering certifications on the construction stage and sign-off on MMC products and building system installation compliance under building regulations. This will improve residential construction product assessment processes and ease certification of new building methods, the introduction of sustainable construction materials and oversight of on-site installation.
The construction sector group was established by the then Department for Public Expenditure and Reform in 2018 and was a collaborative effort on the part of State and industry. Things like that are very welcome, especially if they serve a public purpose. The group has tried to promote the transition to sustainable construction, known commonly as MMC. The group has produced many good reports. The technology testing centre in Galway has opened, which I welcome. I understand what the Minister of State has said and the matters he has outlined but we need to be realistic that the transition has been frustratingly slow. I sometimes wonder if we are making any real and significant progress at all. Does the Minister of State feel we are making progress or does he feel it is happening at a very slow pace?
I know that progress is being made but there are two sides to it. There is a commercial imperative to do this for reasons of efficiency and progress in technology. The Government also has to provide support through educational schemes, as we have laid out, and bring the different partners together. Ireland is famous for its construction. We have built a lot of major projects abroad over the years. There is a strong tradition in the sector. However, if we stick with that tradition of on-site construction and the use of traditional methods, we will not get the innovations we see in other countries. The major problem in this country, and the primary focus of the Government, is the housing crisis. A large part of the answer to that crisis will be MMC, including modular housing and off-site construction. That will result in efficiencies and greater delivery of services.
I completely agree with the Minister of State about the role that MMC can play. However, we know that the percentage of homes being built by MMC remains very small. I do not think the State has created the demand for MMC. We know the industry itself is still in its infancy and it will not grow sufficiently fast unless we are willing to nurture it. That means creating the demand for those services and seeking the help of those services to deliver homes. There are approximately 100 MMC providers in the State but only approximately one quarter of them provide complete housing solutions. We can see the impact of MMC in other countries. Some countries have begun turning away from building data centres. Given that one of the benefits of MMC is that they are far more environmentally friendly, this highlights the shortcomings of the current approach. Dublin City Council, the local authority that has done the most in terms of MMC, previously had a framework agreement for MMC suppliers to tender for the delivery of homes but that is no longer available. We need to have that focus coming from the State as well.
I agree with everything the Deputy has said. We can look at other countries and recognise that in some cases they are more advanced in their construction methods than we are. That is not only true in Europe but also in Asia. I have spoken to people in China responsible for social housing delivery and so on through off-site construction. Part of what is happening now is that because the State has clearly laid out its financial investment plans for the coming decade under Housing for All and the NDP, there is a clear market for companies that are involved in MMC and have many years of experience of building, for example, apartment blocks off-site to come to Ireland and invest here. We have clearly laid out that 30,000 homes were completed in Ireland in the past calendar year. We are going to be delivering that quantity every year until 2030. We are creating a market supported by the State, working with the private sector, where there will be an enormous quantity of construction activity that can support a major investment by an MMC provider in Ireland. Providing that guarantee of spending will attract the right players into the country.
108. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on the legislation he will bring forward this year in relation to the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10528/23]
This question relates to an update of the legislation the Government will be bringing forward in respect of freedom of information, FOI, requests.
I thank the Deputy. A review of the FOI legislation is currently taking place. This review will form the basis for any changes to the legislation that I expect the Government to bring forward later in the year. To answer the Deputy directly, given the confines of time, I expect it will be during this year that the review will conclude and I will be in a position to bring forward any improvements or changes to legislation that are merited.
An issue I have raised with the Minister previously, and that I hope he will look it, relates to the appeals process. We are all aware that people sometimes put in FOI requests that are refused or the information is redacted and after an appeal, that information becomes available. We need to consider that in terms of transparency. FOI is there to provide as much transparency as possible. That kind of thing should not be seen as creating barriers for people to get that information. Most people look at it in good faith and do not take that approach, but a good provision in the updated Bill would be that the Department has to refund appeals that are upheld. We could then see the amount of money that is spent on the refunding of appeals and we would have a clear indication. It can only be of benefit for us to know which Departments are not engaging as proactively in the FOI process as they should be.
As the Deputy is aware, my predecessor as Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, published a comprehensive update regarding the work that is under way on the FOI legislation. The legislation is actively used at the moment. The annual volume of requests doubled between 2014 and 2019. The drop-off in the use of FOI legislation during the pandemic has now ceased and we are seeing a further upward trend in the number of applications being made.
Approximately four out of every five requests submitted are granted in full or in part. That rate is consistent from year to year. This legislation is well used but, in spite of that, I am aware that only 25% of requesters and 40% of public servants agree that the freedom of information system is fully fit for purpose. It is because of all of those points that the review of this legislation that is under way is very much merited. The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot prejudge at this point what the outcome of that review will be and therefore cannot say what recommendations I may bring forward. However, as I said in my opening answer, I expect that the work will be done and any changes recommended during the year.
