Written Answers Nos. 201-208
201. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a matter (details supplied) relating to the rent-a-room scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45654/14]
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 shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act defines a customer as the occupier of the premises in receipt of water services.
The ‘Rent-a room’ tax relief is a scheme operated by the Revenue Commissioners. An owner of a property availing of this tax relief will be the individual billed by Irish Water. In common with other utility bills, any contribution by the renter to water charges is a matter between the owner of the property and the renter.
202. Deputy Michael Conaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a new scheme will be introduced to allow local authority tenants to purchase their houses; if he will provide details of the expected scheme and the way it will operate; the timeframe for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45660/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the purchase of existing local authority houses, which will be open to local authority tenants in receipt of social housing support for a prescribed period of at least one year who have not previously purchased a house under a tenant purchase scheme and who have a minimum prescribed annual income.
The new scheme will operate along the incremental purchase model currently being applied in the purchase schemes for local authority apartments and new local authority houses under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. This model involves discounts for purchasers linked to household income, rather than tenancy, and a discount-related charge on the property that reduces over a period of years, unless the house is resold or the purchaser fails to comply with conditions of the sale.
I intend in the coming months to make regulations under the 2014 Act, setting down the detailed terms of the new scheme.
203. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities will transfer existing debts for water services onto Irish Water; the total debt involved; the timeframe for that transfer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45688/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of water services functions from local authorities to Irish Water. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the provision of public water services.
Section 12 of the Act provides for the transfer of property from a local authority to Irish Water. Section 13 of the Act provides that any rights or liabilities relating to the property transferred to Irish Water under section 12 shall also stand transferred to Irish Water. Section 14 of the Act provides for the transfer of other liabilities from a water services authority to Irish Water by way of Ministerial Order.
To date, two Orders have been made under section 14 - the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 (Transfer of Other Liabilities) Order 2014, which was signed on 20 February 2014, and the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 (Transfer of Other Liabilities) Order (No. 2) 2014, which was signed on 24 April 2014. The Orders, which are available in the Oireachtas library, provided for the transfer of a total of 970 contracts from the local authorities to Irish Water. Work is under way in preparing balancing statements for each authority in relation to their end 2013 position, and this will determine the value of liabilities to be transferred to Irish Water.
204. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding single social housing and voluntary housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45734/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of social housing services is a matter for each local authority as the housing authority for its area. Each authority has responsibility for identifying their area’s social housing need and responding as required, including in relation to the availability of units for particular categories of need.
205. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on when the maritime area and foreshore (amendment) Bill will be published by his Department. [45752/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill is included on the ‘A’ list of Bills in the Government’s Legislation Programme, as a Bill expected to be published in the period up to beginning of the next Oireachtas session in mid-January 2015.
206. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the process involved for his Department in drawing up marine spatial plans; and the way his Department determines the marine areas to be designated for offshore wind development as part of the spatial planning process. [45753/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe development of a framework for maritime spatial planning is one of the actions set out in Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland - Implementation of actions identified in the plan is supervised by the Marine Coordination Group, which is chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Marine Coordination Group’s consideration of how maritime spatial planning might be implemented is ongoing.
207. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if severance payments are being paid to the outgoing directors of the board of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45755/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has decided that there should be a single non-executive Board at Ervia Group level with responsibility for Irish Water and the gas network subsidiary. The size of the Ervia board will be expanded to ensure there will be adequate expertise and experience in respect of water services. Legislation on these matters will be published shortly. The term of appointment for Directors of Irish Water was initially for a term of twelve months, ending on the first anniversary of the date of incorporation of Irish Water i.e. 17 July 2014. This term was further extended for a period up to 30 November 2014. Following the expiration of the term of appointment, it is intended to re-constitute the Irish Water Board to include only executive Directors drawn from Irish Water senior personnel and from the Ervia Group, in line with the Government decision to have a single unitary non-executive board for the Ervia group as a whole. No severance payments will be made to any members of the outgoing board of Irish Water. Any executives appointed to subsidiary boards will not receive any fees.
208. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the annual interest costs Irish Water will incur on loans taken out to cover the cost of water meter installation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45756/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe first phase of the metering programme, covering over 1 million properties is expected by Irish Water to cost €539m excluding VAT.
In July 2013, Irish Water and the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission (NPRF) entered into a two year €250m bridging loan facility, which benefits from a State Guarantee. The NPRF has recently agreed to an increase in the amount of this facility by €50m to €300m. The provision of the loan allowed Irish Water to progress its establishment, award the meter installation and equipment contracts and to commence and accelerate phase one of the metering programme which began in July 2013 and is expected to be completed in 2016.
The bridging loan facility with the NPRF is repayable in September 2015. This facility was part drawn at the end of 2013 and was fully drawn down during 2014. As the loan facility was entered into prior to the introduction of the Water Service (No. 2) Act 2013 and the water regulatory regime, the facility was guaranteed by the Minister for Finance in accordance with Section 13 of the Water Services Act 2013. Under the terms of the facility, interest and commitment fees on the loan are rolled-up and added to the amount repayable by Irish Water at the end of the loan’s term. These rolled up amounts are expected by Irish Water to be approx. €14m by September 2015. A fee is also payable by Irish Water to the Minister for Finance under the terms of the guarantee provided by the Minister and to date Irish Water has paid €4.8m with a further c.€5.6m expected to be paid over the remainder of the loan’s term.
Irish Water is also in the process of raising committed debt facilities from a number of Irish and international banks, the terms of which have not yet been finalised.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives and has contacted all Oireachtas members to provide details of an improved level of service which it is aiming to provide. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a new dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
