Written Answers Nos. 113-118
113. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a county breakdown of the amount of money spent and units upgraded under the improvement works in lieu of local authority housing scheme in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [48484/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Improvement Works in Lieu (IWIL) scheme allows local authorities to improve or extend privately owned accommodation which is occupied or intended to be occupied by an applicant approved for social housing as an alternative to the provision of social housing.
Under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, funding i s provided to housing authorities in respect of the IWIL scheme and for the provision of necessary adaptations or extensions to properties to meet the needs of tenants with a disability (DPG) . It is a matter for each local authority to decide the specific level of funding to be directed to each of these measures out of the allocations provided. Details of the amounts recouped to local authorities for the period 2010 to 2012 and the initial allocations for 2013 are set out in the following table.
IWIL's & DPG's
|
Local Authority |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
Initial Allocation 2013 |
|
Carlow County |
€287,000 |
€510,677 |
€611,758 |
€45,311 |
|
Cavan County |
€121,762 |
€207,331 |
€76,328 |
€49,356 |
|
Clare County |
€214,452 |
€172,458 |
€155,630 |
€54,358 |
|
Cork City |
€921,083 |
€858,066 |
€168,262 |
€114,561 |
|
Cork County |
€862,330 |
€300,741 |
€124,209 |
€135,162 |
|
Donegal County |
€418,786 |
€308,044 |
€161,231 |
€83,010 |
|
Dublin City |
€843,295 |
€430,587 |
€1,661,596 |
€300,000 |
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County |
€300,835 |
€329,224 |
€631,463 |
€80,150 |
|
Fingal County |
€304,331 |
€681,627 |
€189,249 |
€83,581 |
|
Galway City |
€0 |
€204,782 |
€92,647 |
€53,249 |
|
Galway County |
€82,977 |
€167,241 |
€103,356 |
€54,812 |
|
Kerry County |
€327,538 |
€488,555 |
€263,369 |
€76,811 |
|
Kildare County |
€344,838 |
€459,256 |
€194,318 |
€70,058 |
|
Kilkenny County |
€147,181 |
€348,203 |
€302,575 |
€52,065 |
|
Laois County |
€162,185 |
€183,362 |
€106,504 |
€50,742 |
|
Leitrim County |
€70,000 |
€122,195 |
€32,398 |
€37,512 |
|
Limerick City |
€200,000 |
€ 109,821 |
€85,187 |
€64,488 |
|
Limerick County |
€299,558 |
€ 383,677 |
€106,798 |
€51,977 |
|
Longford County |
€140,450 |
€ 155,213 |
€113,001 |
€49,066 |
|
Louth County |
€463,913 |
€525,808 |
€159,804 |
€71,166 |
|
Mayo County |
€434,092 |
€282,041 |
€306,383 |
€52,418 |
|
Meath County |
€244,568 |
€190,112 |
€155,059 |
€62,586 |
|
Monaghan County |
€96,802 |
€77,773 |
€136,436 |
€42,375 |
|
Offaly County |
€146,000 |
€306,797 |
€74,320 |
€47,063 |
|
Roscommon County |
€187,845 |
€94,173 |
€240,889 |
€42,023 |
|
Sligo County |
€166,445 |
€213,996 |
€149,725 |
€50,679 |
|
South Dublin County |
€285,417 |
€312,831 |
€340,845 |
€138,854 |
|
Tipperary North County |
€120,862 |
€305,242 |
€555,027 |
€47,932 |
|
Tipperary South County |
€317,202 |
€332,048 |
€196,350 |
€61,288 |
|
Waterford City |
€196,889 |
€154,555 |
€324,029 |
€63,241 |
|
Waterford County |
€115,878 |
€210,088 |
€136,808 |
€47,264 |
|
Westmeath County |
€132,151 |
€152,809 |
€102,113 |
€46,571 |
|
Wexford County |
€150,000 |
€439,946 |
€353,279 |
€78,122 |
|
Wicklow County |
€351,292 |
€158,323 |
€291,983 |
€80,994 |
|
Total |
€9,457,957 |
€10,177,602 |
€8,702,929 |
€2,438,845 |
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 houses improved as part of the scheme are included as part of that range.
114. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a county breakdown of the local government fund allocations in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the estimated distribution for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48488/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI assume that the Question refers to general purpose grants from the Local Government Fund. General purpose grants are my Department’s contribution towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers.
The information requested is set out in the table which details the total general purpose grant allocations from the Local Government Fund for all local authorities in each county. The allocations for 2010 and 2011 take account of income from pension related deductions which was collected and retained by local authorities. General purpose grants for 2014 will be announced in due course.
|
County |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
- |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
Carlow |
13,052,513 |
11,659,271 |
9,865,448 |
9,826,750 |
|
Cavan |
19,057,097 |
17,268,005 |
14,854,931 |
14,745,113 |
|
Clare |
16,913,007 |
15,338,891 |
12,372,506 |
12,159,289 |
|
Cork |
80,062,339 |
71,568,486 |
56,166,379 |
53,795,875 |
|
Donegal |
41,482,713 |
38,610,158 |
32,869,501 |
32,667,843 |
|
Dublin |
177,483,982 |
158,221,861 |
118,005,053 |
113,290,760 |
|
Galway |
45,483,346 |
41,164,039 |
34,775,191 |
33,796,527 |
|
Kerry |
31,155,831 |
28,201,886 |
23,073,286 |
22,238,923 |
|
Kildare |
27,741,406 |
25,950,930 |
21,822,765 |
22,244,748 |
|
Kilkenny |
21,101,616 |
19,087,909 |
16,379,600 |
16,309,147 |
|
Laois |
16,823,589 |
15,143,352 |
13,189,788 |
13,070,064 |
|
Leitrim |
14,489,435 |
13,479,217 |
11,809,261 |
11,952,743 |
|
Limerick |
34,319,130 |
30,994,565 |
25,651,934 |
25,933,791 |
|
Longford |
15,005,245 |
13,862,073 |
12,126,650 |
12,318,890 |
|
Louth |
21,514,636 |
19,284,802 |
15,928,387 |
15,502,375 |
|
Mayo |
38,527,684 |
35,138,739 |
30,415,727 |
30,134,270 |
|
Meath |
28,946,385 |
26,950,195 |
22,864,713 |
22,472,343 |
|
Monaghan |
17,469,505 |
16,104,582 |
14,022,824 |
13,983,408 |
|
Offaly |
17,404,185 |
15,934,486 |
13,711,364 |
13,564,713 |
|
Roscommon |
20,110,463 |
18,490,254 |
15,967,965 |
15,828,208 |
|
Sligo |
19,283,451 |
17,894,726 |
15,659,616 |
15,584,848 |
|
Tipperary |
48,545,024 |
44,157,076 |
38,229,570 |
37,971,172 |
|
Waterford |
30,521,544 |
28,149,265 |
23,820,851 |
24,264,808 |
|
Westmeath |
21,797,165 |
20,082,314 |
17,313,127 |
17,287,004 |
|
Wexford |
25,060,333 |
23,081,588 |
19,708,352 |
19,217,103 |
|
Wicklow |
26,648,377 |
24,181,327 |
20,395,212 |
19,839,289 |
115. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the timeframe for the retention of 80% of locally raised property tax revenue in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48521/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has indicated an intention to move to 80% retention of all Local Property Tax receipts within the local authority area where the Tax is raised. The establishment of Irish Water presents local government with significant organisational and financial challenges in 2014. In this context, it has been necessary to defer defining the proportion of the proceeds of the Local Property Tax to be retained in each local authority until 2015.
116. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce an obligation for homeowners to test their properties for the presence of radon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48525/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra118. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will introduce a grant aid scheme to address the widespread high incidents of radon gas in homes, particularly in County Kerry where one home has been found with 26 times the acceptable level of the cancer causing radon gas, and of the 446 homes tested in the past year, one in six homes have radon levels in excess of the acceptable level; if he will take into consideration that homes are being devalued and all households are subject to the local property tax, and if he will immediately introduce a scheme to assist hard-pressed householders as the average cost of installing a system to address the problem is in the region of €850, with an annual running cost of €100; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48531/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 118 together.
The Government’s approach to radon, which is similar to that in the majority of EU Member States, is to concentrate efforts on increasing public awareness of the risks posed by radon in the home. Through support for the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland’s radon advice and awareness work, my Department is supporting efforts to raise public awareness of the risks posed by radon. Householders, particularly those in known high radon areas, have been strongly encouraged to have their homes tested for radon and to undertake remediation works where necessary.
Since 1998, the Building Regulations require all new buildings to incorporate radon protection measures at the time of construction. In October 2004, an updated edition of Technical Guidance Document C on Part C of the Building Regulations ( Site Preparation and Resistance to Moisture ) was published, incorporating enhanced radon prevention measures for new buildings commencing on or after 1 April 2005. This guidance document is aimed at ensuring that radon protection measures are carried out more effectively. Copies of the guidance documents are available on my Department’s website – www.environ.ie.
If a dwelling is found to have a high radon level, remediation work may be recommended. Technical guidance on radon remediation techniques is available in a booklet issued by my Department, Radon in Buildings - Corrective Options , which is also available on my Department’s website. The RPII has also issued guidance, Understanding Radon Remediation - A Householders Guide, available on the Institute’s website at www.rpii.ie, together with a list of companies who can provide a radon remediation service and offer specific advice and recommendations. In addition, the RPII can be contacted for radon advice on free-phone 1800 300 600.
A working group from a number of Government Departments and Agencies, including the RPII and the Health Service Executive, is currently finalising a report on the development of a national radon strategy which will shortly be presented to me. I understand the report will make a series of recommendations regarding increasing awareness of radon. There are no plans at present to establish a scheme of grant assistance for radon remediation.
117. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider a request from the South West Mayo Development Company for €1.4 million in extra funding to support projects in the county; if he will acknowledge that SWMDC took an 18% reduction in funding earlier this year, despite having to take on extra work owing to the reorganisation of MFG territory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48530/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraSouth West Mayo Development Company (SWDC) is contracted on behalf of my Department in relation to the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. During 2011, the European Commission approved a change in the maximum co-funding rate from 55% to 85% for the LEADER elements of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2007 – 2013. This had the effect of reducing the available funding under the Programme from €427 million to an estimated €370 million.
It was therefore necessary to carry out a comprehensive review of the level of commitments and expenditure across the Programme in order to apportion the remaining funds among the Local Development Companies (LDCs), taking into account the level of commitments already entered into.
The redistribution of funding was conducted in as fair and equitable a manner as was possible and in the case of SWDC the revised allocation represents a decrease of 17.5% from their original allocation. Many of the other LDCs experienced similar or higher reductions.
In addition to the revised allocation which SWDC received it was also allocated a further €341,111 for the former MFG territory which it took over in 2012.
I am committed to the continued monitoring of this situation and my Department will review all commitments and expenditure levels later this month to ensure, in so far as is possible, that all available Programme funding is committed by end December 2013; allocations will again be revised if there is funding available for re-distribution.
