Written Answers Nos. 221-227
221. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which adequate funding has been made available to each local authority to facilitate home adaptation grants for applicants with special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9586/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No. 130 of 28 January 2015 which sets out the position in this matter.
222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he remains satisfied that the structures now in place are adequate to meet the current and future requirements in respect of the provision of a high quality, reliable and widely available domestic water supply, notwithstanding the concerns expressed through the national broadcaster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9587/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 1 January 2014 Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels including the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water has published its proposed Capital Investment Plan 2014-2016 and this is available online at http://www.water.ie/news/proposed-capital-investme/Proposed-Capital-Investment-Plan-2014-2016.pdf.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
223. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the degree to which necessary steps are ongoing to prevent the pollution of ground water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9589/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive requires the extensive monitoring of groundwater quality and the inclusion of programmes of measures in each river basin management plan to ensure continuing improvement in the quality of groundwater. In transposing the Directive, the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations 2010, as amended, give legal effect to measures for the protection of groundwater.
The Water Framework Directive classification assessments have identified that the main pressures impacting on groundwater quality include the input of nutrients from diffuse sources and, to a lesser degree, historical pollution from industrial activities. Local pollution is considered to be caused primarily by farming activities and the inputs from domestic wastewater treatment systems. Pollution from agricultural sources has been targeted through significant investment by farmers and the State under the Farm Waste Management Scheme and by the implementation of the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended. Pollution from domestic waste water systems is being addressed by the requirements of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012.
The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 - 2010 provide for an authorisation system for all wastewater discharges to waters from treatment plants or collection systems owned or controlled by local authorities. The purpose of the authorisation system is to prevent and reduce pollution of waters by waste water discharges. As part of the authorisation process, the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) can place conditions on the operation of individual plants and systems and it can set emission limit values for the discharges. In December 2011, the EPA published guidance on the technical assessments that are needed to authorise discharges to groundwater, as a means of satisfying the requirements of the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations 2010, as amended.
Ongoing monitoring of groundwater quality is carried out by the EPA. The monitoring includes substances such as ammonium, nitrate and phosphate as well as faecal coliforms and pesticides. In the report "Water Quality in Ireland 2007-2009", the EPA found that overall, in comparison to previous reporting periods, pollution of groundwater was found to have decreased somewhat over the period, with reductions in nitrate and phosphate concentrations. I expect the EPA’s next such report on Water Quality to be published in the coming weeks.
225. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on his plans to make arrangements for the payment of water charges where tenants in private rented accommodation have not paid; if landlords will be deemed liable for unpaid water charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9592/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. It is the occupier of a property that is liable to pay domestic water charges and legislation provides that the owner is the occupier unless the contrary is proven. Irish Water is providing landlords with the opportunity to prove that they are not the occupier by providing the tenant’s name. This will allow Irish Water to contact the tenant to complete the registration and to bill the tenant. The tenant will have to register with Irish Water to avail of the water conservation grant or to get lower charges than the default capped charge (€260), where they are single adult occupants or their metered usage is less than the maximum charge.
My Department is consulting with the local government sector, social housing providers and landlord and tenant representatives in the course of drafting legislation to give effect to measures proposed in relation to tenants and unpaid water charges. Further details on the modalities involved will be available on publication of the draft legislation following Government approval and the completion of the necessary consultations with relevant representative organisations.
226. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider introducing amending legislation to enable Irish Water to share customer information with the Department of Social Protection for the purposes of administering the water conservation payment, thereby making it easier for customers who would not have to apply separately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9595/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo promote sustainable use of water and to enhance water conservation in households, the Department of Social Protection will administer, on behalf of my Department, a €100 water conservation grant for households (principal private dwellings) that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process. It is proposed that the grant will be paid in one instalment to all eligible households in September 2015 and on an annual basis thereafter.
My Department, in consultation with the Department of Social Protection, is currently finalising the modalities of the water conservation grant. I will thereafter make Regulations under the Water Services Act 2014 which will provide for the terms and conditions attaching to the grant, including the date by which households will need to have responded to the Irish Water campaign if they are to be eligible for the grant. All households registered with Irish Water under its application campaign will be contacted directly by the Department of Social Protection in due course.
Section 5(4) of the Water Services Act 2014 permits Irish Water to share data on persons, both customers and non-customers, with the Department of Social Protection for the purposes of the water conservation grant.
227. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of senior civil servants who retired since 2011 in his Department who have been appointed to a State board under his aegis following their retirement; if he will provide in tabular form the names of these persons, the boards to which they were appointed and the appointment process followed in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9949/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo former senior civil servants who retired from my Department since 2011 have been appointed to a State board under my Department’s aegis following their retirement.
