Thursday, 9 Oct 2014

Written Answers Nos. 249 - 254

Water Charges Administration

Ceisteanna (249)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

249. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of homes to be billed in full for domestic water charges. [38719/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) recently held a public consultation on the water charges plan, submitted to it by Irish Water, which covered a range of issues relating to water charges and included the tariff model which underpins the Plan. Last week, the CER issued a determination on the water charges plan and details and associated documentation are available on the CER website ( www.cer.ie). The final Irish Water Tariff Model, as published by the CER, estimates that just under 1.5 million households are connected to the public supply and will be billable by Irish Water.

However, Irish Water is in the process of compiling the relevant data to ensure that customers can be billed accurately based on the tariff structure approved by the CER. Throughout the last number of weeks, Irish Water has been sending application packs to households, which refer to the effective charging date and the fact that billing for domestic customers in receipt of public water services will start in January 2015. The application process will enable customers to confirm their details for billing and, by providing the relevant PPS numbers, claim the allowances that they are eligible for. Until the application process is complete, it is not possible for Irish Water to state exactly how many households will be billed for domestic water charges.

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email to [e-mail] or by telephone on 1890 278 278.

Water Charges Administration

Ceisteanna (250, 253)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

250. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the issues raised concerning the request for personal public service numbers, water default charges and more (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38736/14]

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

253. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Irish Water data protection notice has now been approved by the data protection commissioner; and if he will provide an assurance to customers that any personal data provided will be secure. [38790/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 253 together.

I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 207, 215, 208, 209, 210 and 211 of 8 October 2014. The position is unchanged.

Departmental Funding

Ceisteanna (251)

Terence Flanagan

Ceist:

251. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38745/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

My Department provides funding to the community and voluntary sector through a range of community, housing and environmental programmes and initiatives. However, there is no funding available from these programmes and initiatives for the purpose sought.

Litter Pollution Legislation

Ceisteanna (252)

Frankie Feighan

Ceist:

252. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will allow restaurants and auctioneers in rural areas to continue to use signage to ensure the viability of their family businesses (details supplied); when is it envisaged that these new regulations will have to be observed. [38763/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I understand that the issue concerned relates to an exercise being undertaken by Roscommon County Council under the Litter Pollution Act 1997 (as amended). Under that Act, the primary management and enforcement response to littering must come from the local authorities. Therefore, it is a matter for each local authority to decide on the most appropriate enforcement actions in their areas, taking account of local circumstances and priorities. Local authorities are independent statutory bodies, with democratically elected councils and their own management system and it is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate course of action to tackle litter pollution within the legislation provided. Neither I, as Minister, nor my Department have any function in relation to the matter.

Question No. 253 answered with Question No. 250.

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Ceisteanna (254)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

254. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the success of the financial contribution scheme for older persons; and the potential of this scheme to be a significant part of any housing strategy. [38791/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The particular financial contribution scheme for older persons concerned was a local authority scheme which facilitated older people to downsize from homes that had become too large for them, thus potentially freeing up these larger homes for use as family units.

In the context of implementation of the Social Housing Strategy, now at an advanced stage of preparation, it will be open to local authorities to explore the potential role of schemes of this kind in meeting housing need, having regard to local circumstances.