Written Answers Nos 31-38
31. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the overseas visits for St. Patrick's Day of the Ministers of State at his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20296/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister of State in my Department, Jan O'Sullivan, represented the Government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 16 to 19 March as part of the Government’s Promote Ireland programme . The main purpose of Minister of State O’Sullivan ’s visit was to attend and address the Annual Jeddah Economic Forum, the theme of which this year was ‘Housing the Growing Population’. On St. Patrick’s Day the Minister of State met with some committee members of the Riyadh Irish Society and then addressed a reception hosted by the Society for Irish people living and working in the Riyadh area.
The table below outlines some of the highlights of Minister of State O’Sullivan’s visit.
|
Event |
|
Meetings on behalf of Enterprise Ireland with the Al Mogel Group, Nas Airlines, Jeddah Development Urban Regeneration Company and the National Water Company |
|
Interviews with local media in Riyadh and Jeddah |
|
Meetings with representatives from the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
|
Dinner with Irish business leaders based in Jeddah |
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Visit to King Abdullah Economic city and contract announcement for Irish company , CES Energy |
32. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money allocated to each LEADER company for projects to date; the amount sanctioned to date; and the amount of expenditure incurred, broken down by company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20462/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below details the level of project funding committed to date by each Local Development Company (LDC) contracted to deliver Axes 3 & 4 (the LEADER elements) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP). The table also contains the level of project expenditure and the administration costs to date for each LDC.
|
Local Development Company |
Project Commitments |
Project Expenditure |
Administration Expenditure |
|
Avondhu Blackwater Partnership Ltd. |
€4,217,856.00 |
€3,471,667.57 |
€1,240,218.08 |
|
Ballyhoura Development Ltd. |
€14,397,570.13 |
€5,644,660.42 |
€2,052,391.17 |
|
Carlow County Development Partnership Ltd |
€3,486,286.22 |
€2,825,291.50 |
€1,302,230.88 |
|
Cavan-Monaghan LEADER |
€6,360,474.06 |
€3,073,576.34 |
€1,604,916.72 |
|
Cill Dara Ar Aghaidh Teo |
€5,536,583.26 |
€2,160,155.87 |
€1,745,436.65 |
|
Clare Local Development Company Ltd. |
€10,672,838.00 |
€5,575,292.00 |
€2,008,827.86 |
|
Co Kilkenny LEADER Partnership |
€6,718,144.63 |
€4,208,113.84 |
€1,684,381.55 |
|
Co Wicklow Community Partnership |
€3,827,696.00 |
€2,583,822.00 |
€1,340,763.39 |
|
Co. Sligo LEADER Partnership Company Ltd |
€6,609,682.37 |
€4,462,725.51 |
€1,323,213.66 |
|
Comhar na nOileán Teoranta |
€2,796,223.99 |
€1,867,173.18 |
€876,494.11 |
|
Donegal Local Development Company Ltd. |
€6,445,049.98 |
€4,392,646.55 |
€1,789,219.58 |
|
Fingal LEADER Partnership Co. |
€2,090,787.45 |
€832,053.50 |
€912,664.47 |
|
FORUM Connemara Ltd. |
€2,787,184.90 |
€1,942,331.25 |
€1,048,666.10 |
|
Galway Rural Development Company |
€7,314,714.01 |
€4,643,174.14 |
€1,699,262.81 |
|
Inishowen Development Partnership |
€4,971,804.58 |
€3,435,869.88 |
€1,027,812.37 |
|
IRD Duhallow Ltd. |
€9,222,328.87 |
€4,158,979.60 |
€1,449,990.62 |
|
Laois Community and Enterprise Dev |
€6,021,970.44 |
€2,836,357.24 |
€1,216,883.51 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Co Ltd |
€5,857,689.52 |
€3,386,169.21 |
€1,448,649.53 |
|
Longford Community Resources Ltd |
€4,509,771.14 |
€2,634,263.01 |
€1,021,055.30 |
|
Louth LEADER Partnership |
€3,065,427.59 |
€2,281,955.42 |
€1,203,877.47 |
|
Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Co. |
€4,019,323.71 |
€2,809,326.07 |
€1,337,279.62 |
|
Meath Community Rural and Social Dev. |
€7,380,118.87 |
€3,419,316.77 |
€1,959,918.77 |
|
Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta |
€4,169,606.03 |
€1,968,042.53 |
€1,403,708.53 |
|
North East Kerry LEADER Partnership Teo |
€4,838,331.10 |
€2,812,306.29 |
€1,494,885.88 |
|
North Tipperary LEADER Partnership |
€8,883,179.35 |
€4,631,301.98 |
€1,290,738.64 |
|
Offaly Integrated Local Dev Co. Ltd. |
€7,289,530.66 |
€4,051,501.58 |
€1,422,861.87 |
|
Roscommon Integrated Development Company |
€6,183,255.60 |
€3,499,828.90 |
€1,733,954.55 |
|
South and East Cork Area Dev Ltd. |
€5,649,396.50 |
€3,465,612.61 |
€1,389,972.85 |
|
South Kerry Development Ltd. |
€4,244,208.82 |
€2,598,284.13 |
€1,816,206.94 |
|
South Tipperary Local Development Co Ltd |
€8,908,969.94 |
€4,616,855.68 |
€1,390,640.33 |
|
South West Mayo Development Company Ltd |
€5,386,617.79 |
€4,202,031.59 |
€1,665,566.67 |
|
Waterford LEADER Partnership Ltd. |
€6,749,222.54 |
€4,256,769.57 |
€1,510,904.64 |
|
West Cork Development Partnership Ltd. |
€7,561,699.58 |
€4,491,793.15 |
€2,018,256.49 |
|
West Limerick Resources Ltd |
€4,591,408.42 |
€2,961,958.78 |
€1,461,086.47 |
|
Westmeath Community Development Ltd |
€4,128,919.41 |
€2,248,937.96 |
€1,426,614.07 |
|
Wexford Local Development |
€7,653,302.16 |
€4,770,790.77 |
€1,489,812.15 |
|
Total |
€214,547,173.62 |
€123,220,936.39 |
€52,809,364.30 |
33. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to improve the support structures for tenants and landlords experiencing disputes through the Private Residential Tenancies Board and other bodies in view of the increase in those renting privately. [20483/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Residential Tenancies Act 2004 sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector.
My Department conducted a review of the Act in 2009 with a specific emphasis on whether the Act best supports the PRTB’s key functions and on whether legislative amendments would support either the achievement of additional operational efficiencies by the PRTB in the delivery of those functions or the broader good working of the private rented sector. The outcomes of the review were announced in April 2010 and the drafting of the General Scheme of a Bill to give effect to the recommendations of the review was approved by Government in July 2011. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012 was published on 19 July 2012 and passed Second Stage in the Dáil on 24 January 2013. It builds on what has been achieved by the Residential Tenancies Act and the PRTB, and provides for the further development of the rental sector into the future.
Among the main issues addressed by the amending legislation are –
- the extension of the remit of the Residential Tenancies Act to Approved Housing Body tenancies;
- the Board of the PRTB to be reduced from 15 to 12 members;
- the separation of the governance and quasi-judicial functions of the Board;
- the merger of the PRTB and the Rent Tribunal; and
- the simplification and streamlining of the mediation process.
While the Bill addresses a wide range of issues, there are some other aspects still under development which I hope to bring forward for consideration during the Bill’s passage through the Oireachtas. In particular, I am keen to progress a number of key on-going concerns within the private rented sector such as the over holding of rented property by tenants and the illegal retention of tenants’ deposits by landlords.
On foot of the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011 to introduce a tenancy deposit protection scheme I asked the PRTB to commission research on such a scheme and to report back to me with recommendations. The final report and recommendations were submitted to me on 12 November 2012 and I am examining the report with a view to providing for the establishment of a tenancy deposit protection scheme in the context of the Oireachtas consideration of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012.
Question No. 34 answered with Question No. 22.
35. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the time frame for a plebiscite on a directly elected Dublin Mayor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20446/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe specific question of introducing an office of directly elected mayor for the Dublin Metropolitan Area is considered in the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government in the context of other governance issues. A key conclusion in that regard is that such an office should not be simply inserted as a further layer of governance and administration in addition to the current local government structures. The establishment of an office with more far-reaching powers, functions and budgetary capacity would be likely to require significant changes in existing local government arrangements. The implications in this regard and the changes required at local government level would need to be considered carefully.
The approach to be taken in relation to local governance for Dublin must take account of the foregoing factors. The Action Programme indicated that a special forum or colloquium of the elected members of Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin County Councils and Dublin City Council would be convened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin to consider the options for local governance in Dublin, including the potential for a directly elected Mayor for a Dublin Metropolitan Area. It is intended that proposals arising from the colloquium will be put for decision through a plebiscite in 2014, which I envisage will be held alongside the local elections. This will provide for suitable democratic debate and consultation on all dimensions of the issue.
I have recently written to the Lord Mayor of Dublin setting out matters which I consider would need to be addressed by the elected members of the four local authorities when developing proposals to be put before the electorate in the plebiscite.
36. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money in the dormant accounts fund, less the reserve; the number of commitments entered into that have not been paid out broken down by year of sanction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20467/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Dormant Accounts Acts provide for an annual transfer by credit institutions and insurance undertakings of monies in accounts determined to be dormant into the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF). Since its establishment in April 2003 to the end of March 2013, the transfers to the DAF have totalled some €678.5m, including €38.7m in interest. Funds reclaimed since April 2003 total some €255.4m.
The value of the DAF at the end of March 2013, net of liabilities, was some €85m. This figure excludes €56.8m maintained in a Reserve Account to meet future reclaims by account holders and to cover expenses associated with the operation of the DAF.
Details of the projects to which funding has been allocated to date and a summary of the status of the DAF are available on my Department’s website.
The amount of commitments entered into by my Department under Dormant Accounts measures yet to be drawn down by beneficiary organisations are €1,078,781 in 2006, €113,265 in 2007, €805,588 in 2008, zero in 2009, and €20,867 in 2010.
37. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total estimated cost of additional councillors in Dublin under Putting People First. [20445/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the basis of the terms of reference of the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee, the total cost of allowances for additional councillors in the Dublin local authorities is currently estimated to be circa €1.5 million per annum. This additional cost will arise from reducing the degree of representational imbalance currently in the Dublin authorities and should also be viewed in the context of overall savings in allowances, which are currently estimated at €3.68 million per annum, that will arise from the reduction of 1,627 local authority members nationally to 950.
38. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on his visit to Boston; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20295/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI attended the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Boston, Massachusetts and Rhode Island from March 13 to 18 as part of the Government’s Promote Ireland programme. I carried out over twenty separate engagements over the five days, meeting with many of the key contacts in the political, business and local community. The emphasis was on helping to promote trade, tourism and investment-related activity with Ireland and meeting with members of the Irish community abroad.
In particular, I had substantive meetings with the Massachusetts Senate President and State Treasurer, and the Mayors of Boston and Newport , and I met with five members of Congress. I also met with a significant number of Irish companies working in the Boston area as well as all three local organisations who receive support through the Emigrant Support Programme promoted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
I attended a lunch hosted by Enterprise Ireland attended by 20 Irish companies who are operating in the Boston area - many being small high tech businesses providing niche services to the significant number of US multi nationals in the area. I was invited as a keynote speaker at a number of events including the ‘American Irish Partnership’ where I emphasised the Government’s key economic messages and promoted The Gathering.
The table below outlines some of the highlights of the itinerary.
|
Date |
Event |
|
Thursday 14 March |
Breakfast with representatives of an Irish Property Company to discuss promotion of recovering Irish property market to US investors |
|
Visit and tour of Boston College |
|
|
Enterprise Ireland lunch with 20 Irish Companies operating in the Boston area. |
|
|
Attend Massachusetts State Senate ceremony hosted by Senate President, Therese Murray. |
|
|
Meeting with US company interested in business opportunities in Ireland |
|
|
Evening reception hosted by the ‘American Ireland Fund’ |
|
|
Friday 15 March |
Speech at ‘American Irish Partnership’ St Patrick’s Day breakfast. |
|
Visit to ‘Irish Immigration Center’ |
|
|
Speech at the Annual Order of Hibernians lunch in Lawrence |
|
|
Visit to Lowell to meet with contacts from the University’s ‘Centre for Irish Studies’, the City Council and the Irish Community. |
|
|
Attend Irish Consulate’s reception at Boston Federal Courthouse |
|
|
Saturday 16 March |
Breakfast meeting with Mayor and local dignitaries at Newport City Hall, Rhode Island and attended Parade in the City |
|
Visit to Irish Cultural Center in Canton |
|
|
Met with dignitaries attending the West Roxbury Irish Social Club St. Patrick’s Day dinner. |
|
|
Attended the annual St Patrick’s Dinner in Boston |
|
|
Sunday 17 March |
Presented the ’Ambassador’s Medal’ at a breakfast function in Holyoke, Western Massachusetts. |
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Marched in St Patrick’s day parade |
|
|
Speech at 276 th anniversary dinner of the ‘Charitable Irish Society’ |
|
|
Monday 18 March |
Meeting with Irish Pastoral Centre |
