Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Written Answers Nos. 152-161

Inland Fisheries

Ceisteanna (152, 153)

Michael Moynihan

Ceist:

152. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a breakdown between sea angling, coarse angling and game angling in terms of numbers of the general public and tourists taking part each year in each activity; the revenue generated for the State by each activity; the contribution of each activity in jobs, tourism business, and income for local communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20818/13]

Michael Moynihan

Ceist:

153. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide the official national figures for salmon and sea trout caught and killed by rod and line for the most recently available five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20819/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Fergus O'Dowd)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that there is a wealth of data on angling in Ireland available on the Inland fisheries Ireland (IFI) website, which may be accessed at www.fisheriesireland.ie. In relation to the specific data sought by the Deputy concerning national figures for salmon and sea trout caught by rod and line, I am advised by IFI that in the time available it has not been possible to compile this data for inclusion in this reply. However, in order to help the Deputy, I have asked IFI to provide the specific detailed data requested by the Deputy as soon as possible.

In relation to the economic impacts of angling and related activities, I am pleased to advise the Deputy that IFI will shortly be presenting to me, prior to publication, a comprehensive study of the inland and sea angling sectors which I understand will provide breakdowns into the respective categories of angling sought by the Deputy. I will provide a copy of the report to the Deputy upon publication.

Local Authority Housing Mortgages

Ceisteanna (154)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

154. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of mortgage accounts issued by local authorities; the total value of the balance on these accounts at the end of December 2012; the number and the percentage in arrears over 90 days for local authorities and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20602/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Jan O'Sullivan)

My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie.

Data on the number of house purchase mortgages approved an d paid out by local authorities up to end 2012 are included within this range. Data on the total number of local authority mortgages outstanding, the total value of the accounts and the arrears arising are available up to Q3 2012 and the data for the remainder of 2012 will be published in due course.

Register of Electors Issues

Ceisteanna (155)

Dominic Hannigan

Ceist:

155. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any plans to extend the right to vote in general and presidential elections to EU nationals living here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20683/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Subject to age and residency requirements, a registered elector’s citizenship determines the polls at which he or she is entitled to vote. British citizens may vote at Dáil, European Parliament and local elections; EU citizens may vote at European Parliament and local elections; non-EU citizens may vote at local elections. Irish citizens alone are entitled to vote at Presidential elections and referendums.

In so far as Presidential elections are concerned, I have no proposals at present to advance the constitutional amendment that would be required to extend the right to vote to EU citizens resident here. In so far as Dáil elections are concerned, I may by order provide for EU citizens ordinarily resident in Ireland to be registered as Dáil electors on a reciprocal basis where I am satisfied that a Member State grants Irish citizens resident in their country the right to vote at parliamentary elections there on an equal basis with its own nationals. No such order has been made to date, and the matter will be kept under review, as required.

Question No. 156 answered with Question No. 30.

Question No. 157 answered with Question No. 39.

Question No. 158 answered with Question No. 29.

Leader Programmes Funding

Ceisteanna (159)

Michelle Mulherin

Ceist:

159. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the value of contracts that have been submitted for approval by Mayo North East Leader Partnership to him and which may be funded under the Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2007 to 2013 as recently announced by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20563/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Following a thorough examination of project activity under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) I announced on 24 April 2013 the lifting of the embargo on project approvals.

The completion of this review has facilitated the issuing of RDP contracts for approximately €42 million worth of projects which have been approved by the Board of the Local Development Companies (LDCs) and have all the necessary requirements in place.  The LDCs contracted to deliver the LEADER elements of the RDP have been allowed two weeks to notify my Department as to whether all of the projects within this €42 million are ready to proceed.

Only projects over €150,000 are submitted to my Department for approval and currently my Department has three such projects from Mayo North East Leader Partnership. Of the recently announced €42 million worth of projects approved by the Boards of the LDCs, €571,112 relates to Mayo North East Leader Partnership. I have informed Mayo North East Leader Partnership of my decision in principle to allow a limited resumption of its activities under the Rural Development Programme once contracts and administrative procedures have been agreed with my Department and put in place. Under the new arrangements, MNELP will continue to be the deciding authority for the approval of projects and the Department will carry out the administrative checks required under the European Commission Regulations.

Local Government Reform

Ceisteanna (160, 161)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

160. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason at a time when there will be reductions in town councillors elsewhere, the number of councillors in Dublin county is proposed to increase by more than 50; if he will explain this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20621/13]

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

161. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason it is necessary to increase the number of councillors in the Dublin area by up to 50 seats at a time when all town councils are being abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20622/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos.160 and 161 together.

I announced the establishment of an independent Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee on 15 November 2012 to carry out a review of local electoral areas. An objective in this context is to achieve a better balance and consistency in representation ratios and, having regard to the terms of reference for the review, logically, there is a strong case for reducing the degree of representational imbalance currently in the Dublin authorities. The terms of reference specify, therefore, that the number of members for Dublin City shall be fixed at 63 and for every other area, including the Dublin counties, shall be subject to a minimum of 18 members and, other than for Cork County, a maximum of 40.

The Action Programme for Effective Local Government - Putting People First sets out Government decisions for a range of measures in relation to local government reform, including a decision to replace town councils with a new comprehensive model of municipal governance based around principal towns to strengthen local government within counties and address weaknesses and anomalies in the current system.