Written Answers Nos. 137-146
137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a specific breakdown, in tabular form on a county basis, of where the Dormant Accounts Fund was spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15810/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Dormant Accounts legislation, balances on dormant accounts with banks, building societies and An Post and the net encashment value of certain life assurance policies are paid into the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is managed by the National Treasury Management Agency. The primary purpose of the legislation is to re-unite the original account holders with their moneys, including all interest due. In addition, the legislation also provides that disbursements from the fund may be made for charitable purposes or for purposes of community benefit.
Since its establishment in April 2003 to the end of 31 January 2014, the transfers to the Dormant Accounts Fund have totalled some €724m, which includes interest earned of approximately €39.26m. Funds reclaimed in that period by account holders amounted to around €273.58m. €277.62m of disbursements have been approved, with €252m already expended by a large number of community groups and organisations under a range of measures administered by Pobal on behalf of a number of Government Departments and agencies. The detailed information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
138. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will arrange for Irish Water to provide an update on the plans for the Rathmines-Pembroke drainage scheme; when consultants will be appointed to carry out the drainage study; if the River Swan will be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15696/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No. 266 of 4 March 2014 which sets out the position in this matter.
Irish Water has put in place specific arrangements to address the queries which public representatives may have in relation to matters pertaining to the operation of water services under the new utility. I understand that Irish Water has made contact with Oireachtas members to outline the arrangements for addressing such queries in a timely manner.
139. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government where, under the Planning and Development Acts, planning permission already exists for the demolition of a structure, if a planning authority has the power to add that structure to the record of protected structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15697/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder section 54 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, a planning authority may add to its record of protected structures a structure, a specified part of a structure or a specified feature of the attendant grounds of a structure, where the authority considers that the addition is necessary or desirable in order to protect a structure, or part of a structure, of special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest.
It is unlikely, therefore, if planning permission exists for the demolition of a structure, that it would be added to the record of protected structures. However, the making of an addition to a record of protected structures is a reserved function of the elected members of the relevant planning authority and I have no role in the matter.
140. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown by departmental or Estimate Vote source of all central Exchequer funding to be received by Dublin City Council in 2014, whether as grants, through the Local Government Fund as a block grant, or through the SLA with Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15698/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority. Dublin City Council's budget is available on its website, www.dublincity.ie.
The Revised Estimates Volume for Public Services 2014, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, provides for €889 million in funding this year to be expended in support of the Department's programmes which include protecting the environment, providing necessary housing supports and fostering community and rural development, in partnership with local government and other local development bodies.
It is not possible at this juncture to predict final allocations to be made to individual local authorities for 2014, including Dublin City Council, with any degree of precision across functional areas. Allocations will ultimately depend on a variety of factors including progress on individual projects, availability of alternative sources of funding, drawdown of funding and expenditure patterns throughout the year.
While the total amount to be allocated to Dublin City Council has not been set, the Council's 2014 Budget, anticipates funding of some €61m from my Department, €58m of which is related to the provision of necessary housing supports as well as some €3m across a range of smaller programmes. The amount expected to be paid to Dublin City Council from the Local Government Fund for general purpose grants in 2014 is € 2,667,330; this figure recognises the removal of water related costs from the local authority to Irish Water in 2014.
The amount to be paid by Irish Water to Dublin City Council under a Service Level Agreement is a matter for Irish Water and Dublin City Council. My Department has asked Irish Water to put in place specific arrangements to address the queries which public representatives may have in relation to matters pertaining to the operation of water services under the new utility. I understand that Irish Water has made contact with Oireachtas members to outline the arrangements for addressing such queries in a timely manner.
141. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown by local authority of the amount each will receive from Irish Water in 2014 under the service level agreements for the provision of water services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15699/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra142. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a table showing the general purpose grant from the Local Government Fund for each local authority received in 2013 and 2014, respectively, inclusive for 2014 of the moneys received from Irish Water through the LGF to fund water services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15700/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra143. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount Irish Water will receive from the Local Government Fund in 2014; if he will provide a breakdown by county on the way Irish Water has allocated this money to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15701/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 141 to 143, inclusive, together.
General purpose grants are a contribution from my Department towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. €640,903,434 was paid to local authorities from the Local Government Fund in general purpose grants in 2013. The following table details the general purpose grant payments from the Local Government Fund to all local authorities in 2013:
|
Local Authority Name |
2013 € |
|
Arklow Town Council |
1,200,969 |
|
Athlone Town Council |
1,231,467 |
|
Athy Town Council |
543,047 |
|
Ballina Town Council |
1,209,373 |
|
Ballinasloe Town Council |
645,234 |
|
Birr Town Council |
590,609 |
|
Bray Town Council |
3,138,743 |
|
Buncrana Town Council |
666,687 |
|
Bundoran Town Council |
404,340 |
|
Carlow County Council |
8,560,762 |
|
Carlow Town Council |
1,265,988 |
|
Carrickmacross Town Council |
442,918 |
|
Carrick-On-Suir Town Council |
860,228 |
|
Cashel Town Council |
490,624 |
|
Castlebar Town Council |
693,522 |
|
Castleblaney Town Council |
343,549 |
|
Cavan County Council |
14,123,740 |
|
Cavan Town Council |
621,373 |
|
Clare County Council |
10,072,651 |
|
Clonakilty Town Council |
450,662 |
|
Clones Town Council |
441,092 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
2,235,458 |
|
Cobh Town Council |
904,763 |
|
Cork City Council |
16,612,544 |
|
Cork County Council |
32,216,090 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
24,772,291 |
|
Donegal County Council |
31,149,821 |
|
Drogheda Borough Council |
3,047,680 |
|
Dublin City Council |
52,613,531 |
|
Dundalk Town Council |
3,410,323 |
|
Dungarvan Town Council |
673,294 |
|
Ennis Town Council |
1,625,178 |
|
Enniscorthy Town Council |
878,576 |
|
Fermoy Town Council |
627,850 |
|
Fingal County Council |
19,619,590 |
|
Galway City Council |
5,750,549 |
|
Galway County Council |
27,400,744 |
|
Kells Town Council |
343,356 |
|
Kerry County Council |
18,374,432 |
|
Kildare County Council |
20,634,229 |
|
Kilkenny Borough Council |
1,203,255 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
15,105,892 |
|
Killarney Town Council |
1,251,767 |
|
Kilrush Town Council |
461,460 |
|
Kinsale Town Council |
298,163 |
|
Laois County Council |
13,136,013 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
11,952,743 |
|
Letterkenny Town Council |
756,453 |
|
Limerick City Council |
8,264,861 |
|
Limerick County Council |
17,668,930 |
|
Listowel Town Council |
533,911 |
|
Longford County Council |
11,488,728 |
|
Longford Town Council |
830,162 |
|
Louth County Council |
9,090,024 |
|
Macroom Town Council |
454,502 |
|
Mallow Town Council |
823,011 |
|
Mayo County Council |
27,650,043 |
|
Meath County Council |
21,360,037 |
|
Midleton Town Council |
420,864 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
11,968,784 |
|
Monaghan Town Council |
787,065 |
|
Naas Town Council |
1,067,472 |
|
Navan Town Council |
472,669 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
805,581 |
|
New Ross Town Council |
741,554 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
14,504,742 |
|
Offaly County Council |
12,217,139 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
15,828,208 |
|
Skibbereen Town Council |
320,195 |
|
Sligo Borough Council |
2,000,541 |
|
Sligo County Council |
13,584,307 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
17,302,006 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
16,370,168 |
|
Templemore Town Council |
479,867 |
|
Thurles Town Council |
693,222 |
|
Tipperary Town Council |
599,444 |
|
Tralee Town Council |
2,078,813 |
|
Trim Town Council |
404,706 |
|
Tullamore Town Council |
878,613 |
|
Waterford City Council |
5,415,345 |
|
Waterford County Council |
18,176,169 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
16,055,537 |
|
Westport Town Council |
581,332 |
|
Wexford Borough Council |
1,684,540 |
|
Wexford County Council |
15,912,433 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
14,357,641 |
|
Wicklow Town Council |
1,141,936 |
|
Youghal Town Council |
834,709 |
The local government funding model has changed considerably in 2014 and, in particular, the establishment of Irish Water and its financial relationship with the local government sector has had a considerable impact on the local authority financing model. I expect that the Local Government Fund will provide up to €486.5 million to Irish Water in 2014. This amount will fund the water-related expenditures incurred heretofore by local authorities, and met by them from their own resources and general purpose grants.
The funding to be provided to each local authority for the provision of water services in 2014 will be governed by Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between Irish Water and individual authorities. I have no function in relation to agreeing the level of payments to be made to local authorities by Irish Water under these SLAs.
My Department has asked Irish Water to put in place specific arrangements to address the queries which public representatives may have in relation to matters pertaining to the operation of water services under the new utility. I understand that Irish Water has made contact with Oireachtas members to outline the arrangements for addressing such queries in a timely manner.
The amount to be paid to local authorities from the Local Government Fund for general purpose grants in 2014 is €281m; this figure recognises the removal of water related costs from local authorities to Irish Water in 2014 and the individual authority allocations are, therefore, not directly comparable to 2013. The following table details the proposed general purpose grant allocations from the Local Government Fund to local authorities in 2014 (the allocations to County Councils are “county at large” allocations in respect of the County Council and any Town Councils within the county).
|
Local Authority Name |
2014 € |
|
Carlow County Council |
5,352,469 |
|
Cavan County Council |
8,458,415 |
|
Clare County Council |
2,646,284 |
|
Cork County Council |
2,951,435 |
|
Donegal County Council |
22,720,760 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
5,724,579 |
|
Fingal County Council |
454,714 |
|
Galway County Council |
12,506,381 |
|
Kerry County Council |
11,043,837 |
|
Kildare County Council |
9,686,924 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
9,356,019 |
|
Laois County Council |
7,631,324 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
8,282,319 |
|
Limerick County Council |
6,175,333 |
|
Longford County Council |
8,119,493 |
|
Louth County Council |
8,243,835 |
|
Mayo County Council |
17,492,594 |
|
Meath County Council |
8,799,199 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
10,247,882 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
9,832,046 |
|
Offaly County Council |
6,663,642 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
9,107,439 |
|
Sligo County Council |
8,993,352 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
923,906 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
12,923,064 |
|
Waterford County Council |
12,125,219 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
10,115,479 |
|
Wexford County Council |
11,888,576 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
6,846,310 |
|
Cork City Council |
8,544,374 |
|
Dublin City Council |
2,667,330 |
|
Galway City Council |
1,626,429 |
|
Limerick City Council |
8,449,826 |
|
Waterford City Council |
4,399,212 |
144. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the expenditure of regeneration funding in 2013 in respect of the Cranmore and environs regeneration project in Sligo; if funding is expended on staff salaries, consultants’ fees, firms providing professional services, community workers and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15714/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently supports an ambitious programme of regeneration which seeks to address the causes of disadvantage in communities and large social housing estates and flat complexes through holistic programmes of physical, social and economic regeneration. In 2013, some €70 million was recouped in respect of regeneration programmes at Ballymun, Dublin City, Cork City, Limerick City, Tralee, Dundalk and Sligo.
The Dundalk and Sligo regeneration projects are currently at master planning stage. With the exception of some “early win” projects, expenditure at both locations relates to the development, in consultation with local communities and other stakeholder groups, of the detailed masterplans and implementation strategies as well as social interventions, the acquisition of replacement housing and the strategic demolition of houses to facilitate future regeneration.
Some €1.38 million was recouped to Sligo Borough Council in 2013 in respect of the Regeneration Programme for Cranmore and environs. A breakdown of this expenditure is set out in the following table.
|
2013 Expenditure |
Amount |
|
Master planning |
€232,229 |
|
House acquisitions |
€ 4 0, 6 00 |
|
Community Liaison Officer |
€29,514 |
|
Cleveragh Park Development project |
€49,648 |
|
Men's Shed Project |
€34,125 |
|
Eastern Bridge approach roads design |
€100,000 |
|
Administrative Overhead |
€490,294 |
|
Social and Community Initiatives |
€234,334 |
|
Minor Sundry Works |
€ 95, 062 |
|
Improvement Works Programme |
€ 7 3, 413 |
|
Total |
€1,379, 219 |
145. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when an approved training course for BER assessors will be put back in place; and when the necessary registration examinations will commence. [15715/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomestic BER assessor training courses, first introduced in 2007, were provided by training providers registered with a National Awards Body (i.e. Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) or one of the Universities) recognised under the National Framework of Qualifications. Successful completion of a FETAC domestic BER assessor training course led to a Level 6 Special Purpose Award.
In November 2012, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) was established as an integrated agency which replaced HETAC, FETAC, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and also incorporated the functions of the Irish Universities Quality Board. My Department understands that QQI initiated a review of existing awards and consequently deactivated a number of awards including the BER assessor training course award in December 2013. Following notification, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), as the issuing authority under the European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2012 with responsibility, among other things, for the registration of BER assessors, immediately contacted QQI to address the issue of award deactivation.
SEAI is working, in consultation with QQI, on the review and validation of the domestic BER assessor training course which will lead to a new award. QQI has indicated that the earliest possible date for award validation will be September 2014.
The national domestic BER examination remains in place for existing BER assessors and candidates who have completed a recognised BER assessor training course on or before December 2013.
146. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider re-examining the excessive road taxes charged prior to July 2008 for seven-seater cars. [15717/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMotor tax on cars registered prior to July 2008 is calculated on the engine capacity of the car. I have no plans to review the basis of charging motor tax for these vehicles to take seating capacity into account.
It should be noted that the average increase in motor tax for cars taxed on engine capacity was 7.5% in Budgets 2012 and 2013, considerably less than the increases applied to vehicles registered after 01 July 2008, in respect of which motor tax is based on CO 2 emissions.
