Written Answers Nos. 424-444
424. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the persons that are maintaining the National Asset Management Agency properties; if he will outline the tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56323/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe properties identified by NAMA for consideration for social housing purposes are part of the security for loans that NAMA has acquired. In the majority of cases properties remain in the ownership of the original borrowers. The remaining properties are controlled by receivers appointed by NAMA. Once a demand has been identified by the relevant local authority NAMA makes contact with the relevant property owner/receiver to determine if the properties are still available and to discuss how these properties can be best utilised.
425. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason maintenance paid to an ex-spouse or partner is not considered as disregard of means when making decisions on eligibility for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56324/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMaintenance received from an ex-spouse or partner is considered as income in line with the terms of the Household Means Policy, issued in March 2011 under Regulation 17 of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011. This Policy sets out the manner in which housing authorities will assess the means of applicant households for the purpose of determining the household’s ability to provide accommodation from its own means and by extension its eligibility, or otherwise, for social housing support. The Policy also contains a list of sources of income to be disregarded for the purposes of assessing income. These are very specific payment types and include , for example, child benefit and mobility allowance and other similar payment types which, unlike maintenance payments received, would not typically be classified as household income.
426. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the redevelopment of an estate (details supplied) with particular reference to the current builder, his continued involvement with the work and timescales for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56350/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department approved funding in February 2010 for a programme of works including the refurbishment of some tenanted dwellings, the demolition of a number of existing units and the provision of a small number of new units at Ballylynch, Carrick-on-Suir. My Department understands that a receiver was appointed to the construction company carrying out the works in April 2012. The local authority is currently in the process of selecting a new contractor to complete the works. The procurement of a replacement contractor is a matter for the contracting authority, in this case Carrick-on-Suir Town Council.
427. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No.1131 of the 18 September 2012, if he has considered the report of the independent financial consultant engaged by Sligo County Council to review its critical financial position; the response of his Department to the recommendations made by the independent consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56358/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No. 373 of 4 December which sets out the position in this matter.
428. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the names of the members of the Local Government Workforce Planning Group; the terms of reference of the group; the dates of meetings of the Group since it was established; the funding that is provided for the group; the source of the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56361/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Workforce Planning Group was made up as follows:
Barry Quinlan: Principal Officer, Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Daniel McLoughlin: Manager – Westmeath County Council
Hubert Kearns: Manager – Sligo County Council
Conn Murray: Manager – Limerick City and County Council.
Peter Caulfield: Director of Service – Fingal County Council.
Frank Curran: Director of Service – Waterford County Council.
Mary Pyne: Assistant Manager – Dublin City Council.
John Flynn: Director of Service – Kerry County Council.
Paul Dunne: Local Government Management Agency.
The Terms of Reference for the Group’s work were as follows:
-How the recommendations contained in the Local Government Efficiency Review report with particular reference to senior and middle management might be addressed.
-The impact on local authorities of the staff recruitment moratorium, the incentivised early retirement scheme and the Employment Control Framework.
-The current and short-term workforce demographics in the context of maintaining a workforce equipped to meet on-going organisational and sectoral requirements including succession planning.
-There was no direct funding for the Group which was supported in terms of data gathering and analysis by the local government Programme Management Office for Reform and the Local Government Management Agency.
The Group met regularly between October 2011 and October 2012. The Workforce Planning Study is available on my Department’s website.
429. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the names of the members of the Local Government Efficiency Review Implementation Group; the terms of reference of the group; the dates of meetings of the group since it was established; the funding that is provided for the group; the source of the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56362/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Government Efficiency Review Implementation Group was established on 29 April 2011. The Implementation Group is independently chaired by Mr. Pat McLoughlin (Chief Executive, Irish Payments Services Organisation, and former chairperson of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group). In addition to the Chair, the members of the Implementation Group are as follows:
-Mr. Des Dowling, Assistant Secretary, Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
-Mr. Garrett Fennell, Managing Director, GFC Consulting Ltd.
-Mr. David Hearn, Consulting Partner in Charge, Deloitte
-Ms. Anne O’Keeffe, Former Director, Office of Local Authority Management.
The terms of reference are: the Group will consider and report periodically to the Minister in relation to the following matters:
-The prioritisation of those recommendations of the Local Government Efficiency Review Report that will yield the earliest and greatest financial gains;
-Action planning in the local government sector and updates on progress in relation to prioritised recommendations;
-Further measures, where necessary, to achieve implementation and/or enhance efficiency; and,
-The delivery of services in the most efficient and cost effective manner.
In carrying out its work the Group will:
-Engage as it considers necessary with local authority stakeholders, including representative associations for councillors and managers, to further refine the approach to implementation of efficiency measures;
-Take account of the work already underway through various fora in the implementation of recommendations and Government policies on local government reform and the current state of the public and local government finances generally and The Transforming Public Services Programme and the Public Services Agreement 2010 – 2014; and,
-Make regular reports to the Minister with its initial report to be made within six months.
The Minister may from time to time provide further advice or direction to the Group in carrying out its work. The Group held meetings on 2 June 2011, 28 June 2011, 9 September 2011, 17 October 2011, 23 November 2011, 12 December 2011, 11 January 2012, 26 January 2012, 31 January 2012, 21 February 2012, 7th March 2012, 18 April 2012, 12 June 2012, 24 July 2012, 10 September 2012, 2 October 2012, 8 November 2012 and 10 December 2012. The members of the Group are working on a pro bono basis (except for reasonable travel and subsistence expenses). Members, however, have not submitted any travel and subsistence claims in respect of work on this Group.
430. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the total number of staff employed by Sligo County Council on 1 January 2012; the grade and job title of every staff member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56363/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe total number of staff employed by Sligo County Council on 31 December 2011 on a whole time equivalent basis (WTE) was 488.74. This represents a reduction of 127 WTE or 21% from the June 2008 figure of 615.9. The most recent figure available, for end September 2012, shows a further reduction to 462.38 WTE, indicating that staff numbers at the Council have reduced by 25% since 2008. My Department does not collect information in relation to the grade and job title of every individual staff member in each local authority.
431. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which he intends to review the salary grading structure of the public service as it affects his Department as committed to in the programme for Government. [56384/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraPay policy in the public service is dealt with at central level by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
432. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a list of the city and county managers that have taken office since 27 July 2012. [56394/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraOne City and County Manager has been appointed, following an open competition by the Public Appointments Service, since 27 July 2012 as indicated in the following table.
|
Local Authority |
Manager |
Date of Appointment |
|
Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council |
Mr. Conn Murray |
15/08/12 |
In accordance with Section 145 (4) of the Local Government Act 2001 where a position of manager becomes vacant a temporary manager is appointed by me pending the permanent appointment of a manager for the local authority. In this regard, the following temporary managerial appointments have been made since 27 July, 2012.
|
Local Authority |
Temporary Manager |
Date of Appointment |
|
Louth County Council |
Ms. Joan Martin |
15/08/12 |
|
Meath County Council |
Mr. Brendan McGrath |
04/09/12 |
|
Wexford County Council |
Mr. Adrian Doyle |
01/12/12 |
433. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any concerns have been conveyed to him in relation to non-payment, underpayment or late payment for work done on projects funded by his Department since his appointment in March 2011. [56417/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department sanctions funding under a variety of capital programmes in the housing, water services, environmental, fire services, libraries and other areas; the relevant projects are implemented primarily by local authorities who act as contracting authorities in most instances.
It is the responsibility of the relevant contracting authority to ensure that procurement guidelines are complied with and that the relevant provisions of public works contracts, including provisions relating to employee protection and payment terms, are fulfilled.
I am aware in general of difficulties in regard to these issues on construction contracts. On public works contracts, more stringent requirements are contained in the new public works contracts, introduced in 2007, to protect workers. In recognition of difficulties in this regard in the construction sector, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce new legislation to protect small building subcontractors who have been denied payments from bigger companies. My colleague Brian Hayes TD, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, is addressing, in the context of the Construction Contracts Bill 2010, the issue of non-payment to construction sector contractors, subcontractors and sub-subcontractors in respect of all contracts.
434. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will approve the proposed new allocations scheme for Dublin City Council's housing department in order to facilitate DCC to move away from a points based system to a time on the list system; if he will also indicate when the new system will come into operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56420/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, the making and amendment of an allocation scheme is a reserved function for each housing authority and does not require Ministerial approval. The Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011, which came into effect on 1 May 2011, specifically provide that a housing authority may specify in its allocation scheme that the order of priority for the allocation of dwellings is to be determined on the basis of time on the list.
‘Time on the list’ is a more transparent system for operating a housing list than the point based system operated by many authorities, and I expect this to be reflected in the outcome of a review that I intend to undertake of allocations policy and the 2011 Regulations as part of the on-going programme of social housing reform.
435. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a housing in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56426/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal Authorities are directly responsible for addressing housing need within their administrative areas and do so using a range of supply options including permanent social housing, long-term leased units, units leased under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and voluntary and co-operative housing units. It is a matter for each authority, in this case Kilkenny County Council, to take decisions on individual cases in accordance with their scheme of letting priorities. As Minister, I am precluded from becoming directly involved in individual cases.
436. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any planned cuts to the RAPID scheme emanating from Budget 2013 or any cuts planned in the future. [56480/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraA reduction of €2 million in administration costs in RAPID current funding for 2013 is one of a number of measures which will be necessary to adhere to my Department’s current expenditure ceiling for the coming year. I will, however, be providing for capital expenditure of €2 million for RAPID projects in 2013.
437. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to old tenant purchase annuities schemes which were disbanded, many tenants are now unable to purchase their properties as they cannot acquire loans; his plans to reintroduce the scheme as it would allow tenants to purchase their homes and pay off a loan rather that renting forever; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56499/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra438. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to the present system whereby when a local authority puts a price on a property for a tenant of theirs the price only lasts for a period of 12 months; his views on whether it would be more sensible to extend this to a period of 24 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56500/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 438 together.
It is my intention to replace the tenant purchase scheme with a new scheme based on the incremental purchase model for tenants of existing local authority housing. Legislation is required to underpin the new model which I will introduce as soon as possible. I have no plans to change the requirement that tenant purchasers fund the cost of acquiring dwellings, net of State discount s, from their own resources, including from mortgage s provided by financial institution s or housing authorities . In this connection, it is of critical importance that authorities apply sound lending criteria in deciding whether to advance house purchase loans in individual cases. My Department and individual local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that mortgage lending is prudentially based and that the capacity of a borrower fully to service a loan over the full term is realistically assessed and stress-tested.
Under the terms of the 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme, the value of the property is based on current market value. I consider it appropriate that valuations last for a period of 12 months only , due to potential market value fluctuations over a longer period. There is a clear obligation on housing authorities to ensure that proper valuations, reflecting the real market value of properties, are obtained for each property.
439. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the formations of the EU Councils of Ministers on which he sits; the number of meetings of that Council held from 9 March 2011 to date in 2012; the number of those meetings he attended; the number attended by a Minister of State; the number attended by an Irish official; and if he will provide the names of those who attended in tabular form. [56546/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn my capacity as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, I sit on the European Council of Environment Ministers. In the period from 9 March 2011 to date in 2012 , the European Council of Environment Ministers met formally on eight occasions and informally on four other occasions. I attended all of these meetings. The dates of these meetings and a record of Ministerial attendance are set out in the tables below. In general, the Assistant Secretary in the Environment Division, and relevant officials depending on the meeting agenda, also attend, along with officials from the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU.
|
Date of Formal Council Meeting |
Ministerial Attendance |
|
14th March 2011 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
21st June 2011 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
19th December 2011 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
9th March 2012 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
11th June 2012 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
25th October 2012 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
17th December 2012 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
Date of Informal Council Meeting |
Ministerial Attendance |
|
24th - 26th March 2011 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
11th -12th July 2011 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
18th - 20th April 201 2 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
|
7th - 8th July 2012 |
Minister Phil Hogan |
440. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when upgrade works will be completed on a sewage treatment plant (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56577/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Athenry Sewerage Scheme - Network and Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade Contracts - are included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 - 2013 as two contracts to start during the lifetime of the Programme, at an estimated cost of over €11.6 million.
My Department approved Galway County Council’s Design Review Report for the scheme in May 2012. I understand that the Council is currently preparing a Brief for the appointment of consultants to draw up Contract Documents for the scheme.
441. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of house holders who have not paid the 2012 household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56590/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the Household Charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the Household Charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The Household Charge is on a self-assessment basis and it is a matter for an owner of a residential property on the liability date to determine if he or she has a liability and, if so, to declare that liability and pay the Charge.
The Local Government Management Agency is administering the Household Charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. I understand, from data provided by the Agency, that as of Friday 14 December the number of registrations, including waiver registrations, for the Household Charge is in the order of 1.12m. Given an overall estimate of 1.6m liable properties for the charge, this represents a compliance rate in excess of 69% with just under 0.5m liable properties yet to register. I urge any liable person who has not yet paid the Charge to contact their local authority as a matter of urgency.
The Household Charge will be abolished, effective from 1 January 2013 in respect of any liability date occurring on or after that date. However, liable owners who have not paid the Charge and accrued late payment fees due in 2012 will continue to be liable. Failure to declare and/or pay the Household Charge remains an offence. Household Charge liabilities which have not been discharged will become Local Property Tax (LPT) liabilities. From 1 July 2013, any outstanding Household Charge will be increased to €200 and added to LPT due on the property. In effect, the arrears of the Household Charge will be converted into LPT; the Revenue Commissioners will pursue this additional liability when the LPT system is fully operational. Interest and penalties under the LPT system will apply to the additional €200.
442. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider introducing a system whereby persons who wish to tax their car, may do so on a monthly basis, rather than the minimum three months requirement that is proving increasingly difficult for households; if he will take into consideration the fact that the recently proposed 15% increase in motor tax in Budget 2013, will make it impossible for many households to pay this tax on a quarterly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56609/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no plans currently to introduce a monthly payment option for motor tax. The current half-yearly and quarterly payment options incorporate a surcharge to cover the higher administrative costs involved in processing such applications. The estimated annual income from the increased charges for half-year and quarterly vehicle licences is in the region of €20m. Were a monthly pro-rata system to be introduced, the loss in income would have to be compensated for elsewhere in the motor tax system, or through the taxation system generally. It would also have a negative transitional impact on the flow of income to the Local Government Fund and consequently on grant allocations to local authorities from the Fund. In considering options for a monthly payment option, regard would also have to be had to the set-up costs in the motor tax system, and increased ongoing administrative and financial costs and controls.
443. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money spent to date on the seniors alert scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56616/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra444. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money allocated for 2013 for the seniors alert scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56617/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 444 together.
The amount of money spent to date on the Seniors Alert Scheme since 2004 is just over €23.5 million. Funding of €1.15 million is being allocated for the scheme in 2013. My Department is making some changes to the scheme to ensure that it remains targeted at the most vulnerable.
