Written Answers Nos. 181-211
181. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a reader for the leaving certificate will be provided to a student (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18796/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonableaccommodations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
182. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath. [18829/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department have been working with officials from Meath County Council in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent site for new school accommodation for the school to which he refers.
A number of site options have been appraised. While a site acquisition process is underway, given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
183. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding for the science room of a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if she will review emergency applications for funding for this science room; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18890/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application for emergency funding from the school to which he refers.
Details of the Emergency Works Scheme can be accessed on my Department's website at www.education.ie. The main purpose of the Scheme is to ensure the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are most in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.
184. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the rural water programme will be announced. [18708/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the administration of my Department’s Rural Water Programme, under which funding is provided for group water and group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The selection, prioritisation and approval of individual group scheme proposals for advancement and funding under the programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant allocations provided, is therefore a matter for the local authorities. Details of the recently announced 2015 Rural Water Programme block grant allocations to local authorities are available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie.
185. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the grant assistance and-or tax relief available to owners of commercial buildings who wish to renovate their premises, particularly shop-fronts; if assistance exists for commercial buildings in excess of 100 years old; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18712/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am not aware of any grant assistance schemes operated by any Government Department for the renovation of commercial buildings. The operation of tax relief schemes are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
In this regard, a new tax relief scheme entitled the Living City Initiative was launched by the Minister for Finance last week. This initiative is a targeted pilot tax incentive scheme which aims to:
- encourage people back to the centre of Irish cities to live in older buildings (residential element),
- encourage the regeneration of central business districts (commercial element).
The commercial tax relief is given in the form of an accelerated capital allowance for “qualifying expenditure” on the refurbishment or conversion of premises within the special regeneration areas of six cities (namely Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny and Waterford). Unlike the residential element of the scheme, the commercial/retail element is not restricted to pre-1915 buildings. The capital allowance is given at the rate of 15% of qualifying expenditure for each of the first 6 years and 10% in year 7.
There are a number of conditions governing eligibility for the scheme:
- The premises must be located within the designated special regeneration area.
- The premises must be used, after refurbishment/conversion, for retail purposes or for the provision of services within the State.
- The expenditure incurred must relate to refurbishment or conversion only.
- The expenditure must be incurred within the qualifying period. This means a 5 year period commencing with the day the scheme is commenced by Order of the Minister for Finance.
- There are overall limits on the amount of capital expenditure on any project which is to be treated as qualifying expenditure, with the maximum relief available for any individual project being capped at €200,000.
This is the only tax relief scheme currently applicable for the renovation of commercial premises. Further details in relation to the scheme, and qualifying expenditure under the scheme, may be obtained from the Department of Finance.
186. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the list of the proposed social housing building programme projects submitted by Wicklow County Council; if these were in any order of priority, the way Dunlavin and Rathdrum in County Wicklow were selected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18716/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra189. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason sanction for only a proportion of the allocated funding for housing construction and acquisition was granted to Wicklow County Council; when the remainder of the €33 million will be released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18757/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 189 together.
I announced a major social housing construction programme on 5 May 2015, with €312 million to be invested nationally, covering all 31 local authorities and with over 1,700 social housing units to be built across more than 100 separate projects. That announcement included projects for Co. Wicklow covering the construction of 50 units at an estimated cost of €8.2 million. Details of that announcement are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm.
The announcement followed the submission by all local authorities of proposals for their planned delivery of new social housing out to 2017. Local authorities had been requested to focus on projects that would -
- be suitable for early commencement and completion;
- meet social housing need in the area; and
- represent good value for money.
The projects announced on 5 May are those assessed at this stage as being suitable to proceed. However, the assessment of project proposals is continuing and proposals which were not among those announced including those submitted by Wicklow County Council, details of which are included in the following table, are still under active consideration in my Department. In line with the targets in the Social Housing Strategy, I will be making further announcements in due course of project approvals and funding allocations as the assessment process continues. In addition, local authorities may submit further proposals over the course of the Social Housing Strategy as they identify and prioritise the delivery of social housing units to meet the need in their areas.
The social housing targets out to 2017 that I announced on 1 April last provide for a target of 438 units in respect of Wicklow. I also announced a provisional funding allocation of €31 million which provides for units to be delivered by Wicklow County Council through a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes. Further funding will be allocated to specific projects as these are assessed and approved.
The proposed social housing projects submitted by Wicklow County Council are as follows:
|
Proposed Project Name/Address (In order of Priority) |
Number of units |
|
1. Ballybeg, Rathnew |
48 |
|
2. Three Trouts, Greystones |
22 |
|
3. Farrankelly Phase 2, Greystones |
18 |
|
4. Brewery Bends Phase 2, Rathdrum |
20 |
|
5. Dunlavin Phase 1 |
30 |
|
6. Whitehall, Baltinglass Phase 2 |
30 |
|
7. Emoclew Rd, Arklow |
8 |
|
8. Murphy’s Land, Bray – further info required re potential of this site |
- |
|
9. Burgage, Blessington – further info required re potential of this site |
- |
187. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the problems with supplies of homes, his views that there is a need to abolish the building-design-and-assign inspection fees incurred at tremendous costs to persons wanting to add home extensions; his further views that by ending this cost, families may add extensions, and thus alleviate housing waiting lists in many cases; and if and when this charge will be abolished. [18722/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has given preliminary consideration to the arrangements in place for oversight of new single dwellings and extensions to existing dwellings in advance of the full review of the broader operation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 9 of 2014) which is currently open to public consultation until 15 May 2015.
While fees for professional services are determined by market forces and are therefore outside the scope of my regulatory powers, I recognise the importance of ensuring that the regulations do not impact unduly on one-off housing and extensions to dwellings, particularly in relation to cost. A number of options for addressing this issue have therefore been included in the documents released for public consultation on 2 April 2014, which are available on my Department’s website at the following weblink:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/BuildingStandards/PublicConsultations/.
On conclusion of the public consultation process my Department will produce an early report on the matter with a view to ensuring that any measures required can be put in place as a matter of priority.
188. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans, or if consideration will be given to a proposal, to allow for motor tax to be paid in monthly instalments, by direct debit, which would make the charge more manageable for families with two cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18742/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no plans currently to introduce a system of monthly direct debit payments for motor tax.
Any such proposal would require to be underpinned by robust legislation to ensure that there is a system in place to recoup income lost to the taxpayer where there are insufficient funds in personal accounts to meet the payment or where a direct debit or standing order option is cancelled by the account holder once a disc is issued. It would also be necessary to introduce provisions to enable recovery of the disc where required. The resultant additional enforcement requirements would also be likely to increase the cost of operating the system.
190. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider allocating funding of €26,000 to allow a project (details supplied) in Dublin 12 to continue employing a co-ordinator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18764/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraRathmines Pembroke Community Partnership provided funding to the project in question under my Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP). The LCDP concluded on 31 March 2015 and the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) was rolled out across communities on 1 April 2015.
In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP was subject to a public procurement process. Tenderers have now been informed of the outcome of their tender and Local and Community Development Committees (LCDCs) have finalised contracts with the winning tenderers.
Rathmines Pembroke Community Partnership was unsuccessful in its tender to deliver the SICAP in the Canal/Rathmines/Pembroke Lot area, and I am advised that as a result the company is no longer in a position to continue managing the project referred to.
As SICAP will be overseen and managed by the new LCDCs in each Local Authority area, the configuration of delivery bodies/delivery arrangements for the Dublin City area for local and community programmes is a matter for the LCDC of Dublin City Council to consider in consultation with the relevant stakeholders, commensurate with service needs. Pobal, on behalf of my Department, is engaging with Dublin City Council and the relevant LCDC on service delivery issues arising in the Dublin City area.
191. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the concerns of island communities surrounding the delivery of the new Leader programme; his plans to designate the islands as a regional area under the new Leader programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18774/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question 519 of 6 May 2015, which sets out the position in relation to this matter. The position remains unchanged.
192. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the names of the public sector sources which are permitted to provide the personal details of persons to Irish Water, under section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013; and the number of persons whose information has been provided to Irish Water in this manner. [18816/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to my reply to Question No. 593 of 12 May 2015 which sets out the position in this matter. The information provided to Irish Water under this provision is a matter for the utility. 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 578 578.
193. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, by local authority, the number of housing units which have been leased by local authorities, under the social housing leasing initiative, from 2009 to 2014. [18827/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo the end of April 2015, over 6,000 housing units have been delivered under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme, previously referred to as the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, since the same began in 2009.
The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme comprises a range of methods for local authorities and approved housing bodies (AHB’s) to deliver units for social housing. These include units sourced by local authorities under long term leases or rental arrangements and the use of unsold affordable units for social housing. Units sourced by AHB’s can be through long term lease arrangements or by purchasing and constructing units. Units have also been sourced through NAMA’s Special Purpose Vehicle units which are leased to AHBs or local authorities. A breakdown of units delivered to date by local authority is set out in the table below.
|
Local Authority |
SHCEP Delivered |
|
Carlow County Council |
95 |
|
Cavan County Council |
12 |
|
Clare County Council |
144 |
|
Cork City Council |
144 |
|
Cork County Council |
789 |
|
DLR County Council |
165 |
|
Donegal County Council |
221 |
|
Dublin City Council |
795 |
|
Fingal County Council |
392 |
|
Galway City Council |
199 |
|
Galway County Council |
56 |
|
Kerry County Council |
85 |
|
Kildare County Council |
227 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
79 |
|
Laois County Council |
171 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
1 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
45 |
|
Longford County Council |
24 |
|
Louth County Council |
377 |
|
Mayo County Council |
157 |
|
Meath County Council |
144 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
1 |
|
Offaly County Council |
212 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
10 |
|
Sligo County Council |
38 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
576 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
313 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
136 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
312 |
|
Wexford County Council |
81 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
28 |
|
Total |
6,029 |
194. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications for new builds made to his Department by Mayo County Council under the social housing strategy; the location of the proposed new builds; the total amount of money applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18838/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra195. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications for the restoration of long-term voids made to his Department by Mayo County Council under the social housing strategy; the location of these long-term voids; the total amount of funding applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18839/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra196. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of new homes that are planned for County Mayo, under the social housing strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18840/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra197. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of long-term void renovations that are planned for County Mayo under the social housing strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18841/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra198. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons on Mayo County Council's social housing support list; the number who are in private rented accommodation, through the rental accommodation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18842/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 to 198, inclusive, together.
I recently announced social housing targets for each local authority, including Mayo County Council, out to 2017, along with provisional funding allocations. Full details of this announcement are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
I announced a major social housing construction programme on 5 May 2015, with €312 million to be invested nationally, covering all 31 local authorities and with over 1,700 social housing units to be built across some 100 separate projects. That announcement included projects for Mayo covering the construction of 22 new social housing units at an estimated cost of €5 million. Details of that announcement are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm.
This announcement followed from the assessment of local authority proposals for their planned delivery of new social housing units. Local authorities had been requested to focus on projects that would -
- be suitable for early commencement and completion;
- meet social housing need in the area; and
- represent good value for money.
The projects announced on 5 May are those assessed at this stage as being suitable to proceed. However, the assessment of project proposals is continuing and proposals that were not among those announced, including those submitted by Mayo County Council, details of which are included in the table below, are still under active consideration in my Department. In line with the targets announced in the Social Housing Strategy, I will be making further announcements in due course of project approvals and funding allocations as the assessment process continues. In addition, local authorities may submit further proposals over the course of the Social Housing Strategy as they identify and priorities the delivery of social housing units to meet the need in their areas.
The proposed social housing projects submitted by Mayo County Council are as follows:
|
Proposed Project Name/Address |
Number of units |
Estimated costing as per local authority |
|
Return of vacant properties to use |
100 |
€1,500,000 |
|
Transfer of ‘unsold affordable’ housing stock to permanent social housing stock |
23 |
€6,504,480 |
|
Construction project at Tubberhill, Westport |
21 |
€3,800,000 |
|
Construction project at Marian Crescent, Ballina |
2 |
€250,000 |
|
Construction project at Knockmore, Ballina |
8 |
€1,300,000 |
|
Various New Builds for identification |
20 |
€3,200,000 |
|
Infills in various towns for identification |
40 |
€6,400,000 |
|
Single Rural Houses built to demand |
16 |
€2,400,000 |
|
Acquisitions in various towns for identification |
64 |
€8,960,000 |
Applications from local authorities for funding support to return vacant social housing units to productive use are invited by my Department on an annual basis. Mayo County Council sought support in respect of 100 such properties for 2015. The exact locations of units to be remediated is a matter in the first instance for the Council. Nationally, the funding available under Budget 2015 will see a target of 1,000 vacant housing units returned to productive use and the requests from Mayo County Council and all other local authorities are now being assessed with funding to each Council to be allocated shortly.
The most recent Summary of Social Housing Assessments, carried out as at 7 May 2013, found that there were 1,479 households on the waiting lists in Mayo. The 2013 figures are the most up-to-date figures available on waiting list numbers, which are subject to on-going fluctuation due to households being allocated housing and new households applying for housing support. In order to get the most accurate data relating to the numbers applying for social housing support, the Social Housing Strategy includes a commitment to increase the regularity of the summary of social housing assessments by undertaking it on annual basis from 2016 onwards. The full results of the 2013 Summary are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,34857,en.pdf.
The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) commenced in 2005 and at the end of March 2015, local authorities had transferred a total of 52,529 households from Rent Supplement. Of these, 30,911 were housed directly under RAS and a further 21,618 were accommodated under other social housing options. In Mayo, up to the end of March 2015 some 1,420 households have been transferred from Rent Supplement directly to RAS and 501 to other social housing options.
199. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that in order to comply with the water framework directive it will, in future, be necessary to apply water charges to rainwater that has been harvested on the private property of persons and businesses, and stored in tanks below a certain depth underground; if he will indicate the underground depth below which water charges will be triggered, and the scale of the water charges to be applied in this scenario; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18851/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am fully supportive of all technologies which contribute to the conservation of water. Rainwater harvesting has the potential to contribute to reducing the cost of water services for certain uses as well as benefiting the environment.
Article 9 of the Water Framework Directive of 2000 requires Member States to take account of the principle of recovery of the costs of water services, in accordance with the principle of “polluter pays”. This Government’s policy on water charges is fully consistent with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and reflects the commitment entered into as part of the Programme of Financial Support for Ireland (2010-2013) agreed between the previous Government and the EU/ECB/ IMF. There are no plans to introduce a charging regime for rainwater harvested for private use.
200. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he will take to ensure that appropriate high speed broadband is available to the residents of Ballynacargy in County Westmeath, and the surrounding areas; when progress will be made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18732/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.
The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next two years. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016.
The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention and includes the townlands of Ballynacargy, Co Westmeath. All premises within the AMBER areas will be included in the State's intervention.
More generally I can confirm that next generation broadband services have been rolled out to over 20,000 premises to date in Co Westmeath with a further 6,500 expected to be served over the next 18 months. The remaining 17,800 premises in Co Westmeath are the target for the proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.
I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having all premises connected within a 5 year period.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government and aims to conclusively address current broadband connectivity issues in mainly rural parts of the country.
201. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason the Electricity Supply Board has not incorporated the legislative provisions of the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995 into its pension scheme rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18805/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra202. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995 was concealed from Electricity Supply Board's management and pension fund trustees, until they became aware of it during a very public dispute in December 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18808/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 202 together.
The ESB General Employees' Superannuation Defined Benefit Scheme is a contributory pension scheme through which pensions for the majority of employees in the electricity business are funded. The fund is vested in trustees nominated by ESB and its members for the sole benefit of employees, former employees and their dependents. The Scheme is a defined benefit scheme and is registered as such with the Pensions Authority (formerly the Pensions Board). The operation of the Scheme is a matter for the Trustees of the fund and not one in which I have a role or function.
My department has been advised by ESB that the company is satisfied that it is fully compliant with the provisions of the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995 (No. 35 of 1995).
203. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will indicate any examination which his Department has made of the levels of stress on Irish pilots; his plans to introduce further legislation or regulations in relation to this matter, concerning necessary rest periods, length of pilot rosters, and general protection of pilots' health, and in view of recent public concerns in this matter. [18867/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra207. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will indicate any examination which his Department has made of the levels of stress on Irish pilots; if he has liaised with the Department of Health, on whether they will be introducing further legislation or regulations in relation to this matter, concerning necessary rest periods, length of pilot rosters, and general protection of pilot's health, and in view of recent public concerns in this matter. [18866/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra208. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport that all Irish health and safety legislation is being fully implemented, in relation to the working hours and conditions of Irish pilots. [18868/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 203, 207 and 208 together.
The matters referred to by the Deputy are regulated under European Law and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has competence for all areas of aviation safety including air operations encompassing areas such as pilot fatigue and rest periods.
Regulation (EU) 83/2014 provides for the flight time limitations regime, the oversight of which in Ireland is the responsibility of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to whom I have forwarded your query for direct reply. If you do not receive a reply from the IAA within 10 working days please contact my Private Office.
204. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding pensions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18715/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would once again like to make it clear that resolution of the funding difficulties in the IASS and implementation of the agreed solution are primarily a matter for the Trustees, the companies participating in the scheme, the scheme members and the Pensions Authority.
I understand that the question relates to an Aer Lingus supplementary pension fund. I have no function in relation to that scheme.
205. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that motor insurance companies are charging excessive rates (details supplied) for persons who have been out of the country for a number of years and are now returning home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18825/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purchase and sale of motor insurance is a private commercial transaction between the insured and the insurer. Motor insurance is provided by private companies in an open and competitive market and the setting of motor insurance prices is a matter for the industry. I have no role in the regulation of insurers.
The Declined Cases Committee of Insurance Ireland deal with cases of difficulty in obtaining motor insurance. A person who is unable to obtain a quotation for motor insurance or who feels that the premium proposed or the terms are so excessive that it amounts to a refusal to give them motor insurance should contact Insurance Ireland, Insurance House, 39 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, Tel. 01.6761820.
206. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the proposed bypass at Ardee in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18837/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting this I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
209. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a trailer licence, category BE, will be re-instated on a person's licence (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18883/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe operation of the National Driver Licensing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have no role in individual cases. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
210. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding public appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18734/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed by the agency concerned that the position in question was advertised on www.publicjobs.ie, in the newspaper referred to by the Deputy and on the agency's own website. The position was also advertised internally to all the staff of the agency.
As the leading recruiter for public service jobs, the website of the Public Appointments Service, www.publicjobs.ie, is the main access route for candidates interested in joining the public service in this jurisdiction. This website provides a cost-effective online recruitment facility and widespread exposure for jobs in the public sector in this jurisdiction.
I understand from the agency that, while the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) has a recruitment website, the normal practice of the NICS is to advertise only those posts for which it has direct recruitment responsibility. In that context, a decision was taken by the agency to advertise in the newspaper referred to.
211. Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if Phase II of the restoration works, to be funded by her Department, will be carried out on an island (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18854/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my officials are currently examining an application for assistance towards further work on the project referred to by the Deputy. A decision will be made in due course.
