Written Answers Nos. 205-215
205. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to fund B. Ed. students to attend mandatory Gaeltacht courses similar to the way this was done up to 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39702/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Teaching Council Act, 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority to review and accredit initial teacher education programmes. As such it is the Council, not the Minister, that sets out the programme criteria. Changes to the structure and content of the Gaeltacht Placement arose from the Teaching Council's new accreditation criteria, published in June 2011 (Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers) which provide, inter alia, for "an extended and reconceptualised Gaeltacht residency which will now form part of the overall programme and be under the direct jurisdiction of the teacher education providers."
The Teaching Council established a Gaeltacht Placement Working Group and published a report in May 2012 which, among other things, provides for the placement duration to be extended to take place in two blocks of two weeks and a common course content across all initial teacher education providers. Initial teacher education providers have responsibility for quality assuring the content, teaching and assessment of the Gaeltacht element of initial teacher education programmes. Any concerns in this regard should be taken up directly with the provider in the first instance and/or the Council. My Department supports the changes as contributing to overall quality improvement in initial teacher education.
The decision to abolish the Gaeltacht Placement grants, from September 2012 was not taken lightly, and has to be viewed in the context of the prevailing requirement to reduce costs and achieve efficiencies where possible. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible in the coming years, which is especially challenging with rising numbers of school-going children.
To assist with the costs of the Gaeltacht placement, students who are in receipt of a student grant which includes a 100% fee grant, or who would have qualified for a full fee grant but for the Free Fees Schemes, can apply for funding towards travel and accommodation costs under the field trip element of a fee grant, subject to the normal terms and conditions of the scheme.
Apart from the student grant system, in circumstances of particular need students may apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. Information in relation to this fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended.
For the reasons outlined above, I am not in a position to reinstate funding to this area.
Question No. 206 answered with Question No. 186.
207. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a full exemption to water charges for households that care full-time for one or more disabled persons, in view of the fact that such households spend far more time in the home than the general population, such households double as workplaces, and services and payments to persons with disabilities have already been subject to numerous cuts, thereby reducing significantly their disposable income. [39536/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers. The CER has now issued a determination on the water charges plan submitted to it by Irish Water. Full details and associated documentation are available on the CER website at www.cer.ie/document-detail/CER-Water-Charges-Plan-Consultation/979.
In making its determination on the water charges plan, the CER had to take account of the decisions made by the Government on the funding model for Irish Water and a direction made under Section 42 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act in July 2014. This policy direction addressed a number of matters relating to domestic water charges including the provision of a free allowance of 30,000 litres of water supplied and waste water treated per annum for a primary residence on a public supply and a free allowance to cover the normal usage of water services by every child in their primary residence based on the same qualifying conditions as the child benefit allowance while customers with specific medical conditions which require increased water consumption will have their charges capped.
In its determination, the CER has decided that all customers will have their total water charges capped at the unmetered “assessed charge” for 9 months. The cap will apply from the start date of the next billing period after installation of the meter or 1 October 2014, whichever is the later.
In addition, the Government is putting in place further affordability measures to assist pensioners, people with disabilities and carers who are in receipt of the Household Benefits Package and this support has been further extended in Budget 2015 to cover all Fuel Allowance recipients who do not already receive the household benefits package. These measures are being implemented by the Department of Social Protection. Income tax relief will also be available at the standard rate in respect of water charges up to a maximum of €500 per household.
208. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to carry out a review of the national spatial strategy; what would be the timeframe for such a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39541/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2002 National Spatial Strategy (NSS) was Ireland’s first national strategic spatial planning framework. It aimed to provide the spatial vision and principles to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development and population growth between regions through the co-ordinated development of nine gateway cities and towns, and nine hub towns, together with complementary policies to activate the potential for lasting economic development in their hinterlands and wider regions.
While the existing NSS remains in place and having regard to the significantly changed economic circumstances that the country now faces, I intend to shortly bring proposals to Government on plans to develop a new national planning framework as a successor to the NSS. Subject to Government approval on the commencement of the process, the considerable research and stakeholder engagement will required in the undertaking of this task, and this will be a significant area of activity during 2015.
209. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding water charges for an area (details supplied) in County Kerry. [39558/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question Nos. 290, 291 and 292 of 14 October which sets out the position in this matter.
210. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding allocated each year to the public lending remuneration scheme (details supplied), which is a form of payment to authors for the loan of their books to public libraries; if, in the future, the amount of funding allocated each year may be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39570/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe amounts paid under the public lending remuneration scheme each year are available in the Annual Reports of An Chomhairle Leabharlanna up to 2012. The 2012 data are available also in the Annual Report for that year of the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and the data will continue to be published in the LGMA Annual Reports.
These Reports have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and are available in the Oireachtas Library.
211. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the registration process for Irish Water; his plans to simplify this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39597/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Water Services Acts 2007-2013, Irish Water may request its customers and certain specified persons or bodies, including the Minister for Social Protection, to provide it with information so that it can perform its functions under these Acts. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water is responsible for public water services and that it shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation, the CER, which has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers of Irish Water.
Over the last number of weeks, Irish Water has been sending application packs to approximately 2 million 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 administration and operation of this application process is an operational matter for Irish Water.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on 1890 278 278.
212. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has ring-fenced money for local authorities to purchase any outstanding houses which have not yet been purchased under Part V of planning agreements and which have been lying idle for the past number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39599/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile there is no ring fenced funding for local authorities specifically to purchase houses under the Part V arrangements, where local authorities identify such commitments locally, they can include these when making proposals to my Department in relation to social housing capital expenditure for their respective areas. Funding decisions will take account of the social housing need in the area, other housing priorities and commitments, and the availability of funds from within my Department’s Social Housing budget to meet such commitments.
213. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the overall specification of the billing system a company (details supplied) designed for Irish Water. [39600/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra214. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the operating capacity of the billing system a company (details supplied) designed for Irish Water. [39601/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra215. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if anyone at a company (details supplied) voiced concerns about the requirements relating to or performance of the billing system that company designed for Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39602/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 215, inclusive, together.
The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water is responsible for public water services and that it shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation, the CER, which has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers of Irish Water. Decisions on the design and delivery of the billing system for Irish Water are operational matters for the company and I have no role in that regard.
However, Irish Water has informed my Department that the overall specification for the billing system was included in the Project Initiation Document (PID) produced for the Irish Water Programme. A copy of the PID was submitted to the Oireachtas Library on 5 February 2014.
Irish Water has confirmed that the system requirements and performance of the billing system is being developed and tested to support the expected volumes of the Irish Water business. The contracted position with the named service provider reflects this requirement.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on 1890 278 278.
