Written Answers Nos. 339-350
340. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a local authority (details supplied) has a policy of not providing financial assistance under the housing aid for older people scheme to applicants wishing to have windows replaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39215/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides funding to local authorities to implement the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. However, the detailed administration of the scheme, including prioritisation of the works to be funded, is a matter for individual local authorities.
341. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a company (details supplied) which is licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has contravened its industrial emissions licence; if so, the action that has been taken by the EPA as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39225/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe facility in question operates under an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The monitoring and enforcement of conditions attaching to IPC licences are a matter for the EPA. All documents relating to individual IPC licences, including inspection information, are available to view on the EPA’s website at www.epa.ie. Under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, as amended, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the EPA of its licensing functions in specific cases.
342. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the managerial structure of the Leader programmes and if he will indicate to whom the south Tipperary development company chief executive officer is answerable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39231/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is the delegated Paying Agency responsible for the implementation of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. In line with the ‘bottom up’ approach to rural development the implementation of the Programme at local level is carried out by 35 Local Development Companies of which South Tipperary Local Development Company is one. These companies operate under contract with my Department and the employees, including the chief executive officers, are answerable to their boards of directors.
343. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government whether a local authority may force a land owner to cut a large tree that is hanging over a private house (details supplied); the legislation that exists in this area; his plans for legislation in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39232/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on a person’s property.
I will, however, give consideration to the issue of trees acutely impacting on neighbouring properties in the context of the forthcoming review of legislation in this area. My Department is examining a number of legislative options in this regard which will be taken into account in that context.
In relation to dangerous trees, I understand that Section 70 of the Roads Act, 1993 – which is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport - obliges the owner or occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that trees on and are not a hazard or potential hazard to road users and that they do not obstruct or interfere with the safe use of, or maintenance of, a public road. The relevant road authority may serve a notice on the owner or occupier of the land requiring the preservation, felling, cutting, lopping, trimming or removal within a specified time period of any tree which is a hazard or potential hazard to road users and road safety.
I also understand that under Section 58 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002 – which is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources - a network operator or any person authorised by the operator may lop or cut any tree, shrub or hedge which obstructs or interferes with any physical infrastructure of the network operator.
345. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money spent each year for the past 15 years on improving the treated water infrastructure in Dublin; the percentage loss in volume of treated water through faculty infrastructure in Dublin in each of the past 15 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39247/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary objective of my Department’s National Water Conservation Programme was to reduce water loss and leakage in the distribution networks to an economic level and to address high levels of unaccounted for water. My Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 (WSIP) placed a high priority on water conservation. Nationally, some €290 million has been spent on water conservation projects since 2003. Details in respect of expenditure on water conservation since 2003 nationally and in the Dublin area are set out in the following table. Expenditure on water conservation prior to 2003 was not separately recorded.
|
Year |
Total expenditure on water conservation € million |
Expenditure on water conservation in the Dublin area € million |
|
2003 |
11.3 |
5.4 |
|
2004 |
11.8 |
2.2 |
|
2005 |
11.8 |
0.7 |
|
2006 |
16.8 |
2.1 |
|
2007 |
20.8 |
2.5 |
|
2008 |
30.7 |
8.9 |
|
2009 |
27.2 |
5 |
|
2010 |
37.7 |
15.9 |
|
2011 |
39.9 |
14.5 |
|
2012 |
39.3 |
11.1 |
|
2013 |
43.5 |
10.4 |
Statistics relating to Unaccounted for Water in each local authority are recorded each year in the annual Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) Service Indicators reports. Service indicator reports from 2004 to 2012 are available on the LGMA website at http://www.lgcsb.ie/en/Publications.
Irish Water has an overall remit to promote water conservation in relation to public water services and I understand that a comprehensive water conservation programme will be undertaken by the company and will cover the full spectrum of measures including customer awareness and education campaigns about water conservation.
347. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 965 of 18 September 2013, when progress will be made on an issue (details supplied) regarding graduate recognition [39250/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 14 of the Building Control Act 2007 includes provision for the prescription of educational bodies or qualifications whose graduates may be recognised, subject to certain other requirements being fulfilled, as eligible for inclusion on the register of architects as established under the Act. My Department is satisfied that all the necessary procedural requirements are in place to allow the Master of Architecture Degree programme awarded jointly by University College Cork and the Cork Institute of Technology, through the Cork Centre for Architectural Education, to become a prescribed course for the purposes of the Act. The necessary regulations prescribing the course are currently being prepared by my Department and will be finalised shortly.
The recognition of this, and other prescribed courses, including that provided by ARAE Limited, a private company operating from the campus of University College Dublin, within the EU/EEA is a matter for the European Commission. The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, as the competent national authority in respect of the profession of Architecture, has indicated that it is willing to assist, where possible, course providers in preparing their applications to the European Commission for recognition of the qualifications concerned.
348. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views regarding State property which has been made available for housing purposes or to assist in dealing with the homelessness crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38168/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 20 May 2014, the Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness was published in which the Government's approach to delivery on its objective of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 was outlined. A copy of this plan is available on my Department's website at, http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/.
This plan sets out a range of measures to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households within the next three years and mobilise the necessary supports. Progress in implementing the plan is reported quarterly through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and a copy of the Quarter 2 2014 Progress Report is also available on my Department's website at the link provided.
Bringing vacant local authority properties back into productive use as quickly as possible is one of the critical actions in the implementation plan and steps are being taken across the country to bring 1,800 such units into use before year end.
Other suitable vacant residential properties in State ownership are also being considered to be brought into productive use as quickly as possible and my Department has been engaging with key State property stakeholders for this purpose. As part of this initiative, arrangements are underway to complete remedial works on a property previously managed by OPW and which will be leased to an Approved Housing Body for the purposes of providing accommodation for homeless households in the Dublin region. Some large sites in Dublin City have been identified by key State stakeholders including OPW, the Department of Defence, and the HSE and these are being considered by Dublin City Council. Other potential housing solutions are also being considered in this context.
349. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding an application to Mayo North East Leader Partnership Company by an organisation (details supplied) in County Mayo; if it will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39263/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, the Local Action Groups (LAGs) are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in the context of the local development strategy of the individual groups and in line with the Programme’s Operating Rules and EU regulations. The LAG for the area referred to in the Question is Mayo North East LEADER Partnership (MNELP). The project file concerned was submitted to my Department by MNELP for a review which was completed and returned to MNELP on 8 October 2014.
350. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a list of all State board appointments made since the general election in 2011; the person who recommended each appointee; the credentials of those appointed; if vacancies were publicly advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39280/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince July 2011, my Department’s website has been used as the primary mechanism for seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced persons, for consideration as members or chairpersons of the boards of State bodies under my Department’s aegis.
It should be noted that in the case of certain appointments, statutory selection procedures must be followed or nominations must be sought from independent nominating panels before appointments are made by the Minister or the Government, as appropriate. In addition, in the case of a number of Boards, not all of the appointments to the body concerned are made by the Minister, and in some situations appointments are made with the consent of another Minister.
Details in relation to appointments made since 2011 are being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
In line with a recent Government Decision, a Revised Model for Ministerial Appointments to State Boards, brought forward by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, is being put in place, operating through the Public Appointments Service, and will govern relevant future appointments.
