Written Answers Nos. 964-981
964. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the up-to-date progress report on matters relating to his Department in the national carers' strategy, and the impact on family carers' lives of these initiatives, since the strategy launch in July 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20449/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraProgress by my Department on actions within the National Carer’s Strategy is set out in the annual reports on progress published by the Department of Health. The second annual report (September 2013–September 2014) is available at the following link: http://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/National-Carers-Strategy-Second-Progress-Report-2013-2014-final.pdf.
965. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his plans on adding a 29th sub-region to cater for the country's island communities under the new Leader programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20470/15]
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.
966. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the amount of funding that has been allocated to each local authority; the amount of funding for housing construction that has been released to each local authority by his Department since the announcement of the social housing strategy 2020; the amount of funding that has been released by his Department for bringing vacant properties back into productive use; the number of voids in Dublin city out of the total of 1,046 that have been brought back into productive use since December 2014; the number of homeless households that have been housed in Dublin since December 2014; if this is in line with the target of providing homes for 500 persons by June 2015; the amount of funding that has been released by his Department since the adaption of Dublin City Council’s budget 2015 to tackle homelessness in Dublin city; and if a hotel under the control of the National Asset Management Agency has been purchased to provide accommodation for homeless families. [20532/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSocial housing targets and provisional funding allocations have been set for each local authority out to 2017 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
Since the launch of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014, almost €90 million has been drawn down by local authorities under my Department’s two main capital programmes for the delivery of additional social housing units; details of this funding are as follows:
|
- |
Local Authority Housing (€) |
Capital Assistance Scheme (€) |
|
Carlow County Council |
1,499,037 |
--- |
|
Cavan County Council |
990,466 |
102,150 |
|
Clare County Council |
538,172 |
144,765 |
|
Cork City Council |
1,975,001 |
--- |
|
Cork County Council |
1,727,116 |
188,604 |
|
Donegal County Council |
2,511,939 |
400,000 |
|
Dublin City Council |
10,868,120 |
11,970,329 |
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown |
1,260,195 |
85,365 |
|
Fingal County Council |
7,866,633 |
2,671,158 |
|
Galway City Council |
856,763 |
--- |
|
Galway County Council |
2,937,476 |
406,917 |
|
Kerry County Council |
974,847 |
--- |
|
Kildare County Council |
4,112,999 |
412,000 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
442,623 |
34,933 |
|
Laois County Council |
2,950,518 |
225,136 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
67,257 |
--- |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
106,768 |
--- |
|
Longford County Council |
288,768 |
75,000 |
|
Louth County Council |
1,696,304 |
241,836 |
|
Mayo County Council |
621,700 |
--- |
|
Meath County Council |
1,605,925 |
435,090 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
1,169,103 |
247,056 |
|
Offaly County Council |
1,665,575 |
170,000 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
--- |
--- |
|
Sligo County Council |
2,602,213 |
640,202 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
7,857,852 |
1,252,875 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1,223,564 |
--- |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
2,821,407 |
1,598,469 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
1,376,342 |
--- |
|
Wexford County Council |
1,939,218 |
1,188,226 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
709,032 |
--- |
Furthermore, on 5 May I announced a major social housing construction programme with €312m investment. Projects are to be completed by 2017 and funding will be drawn down as required by local authorities as the projects are advanced by them. Details of this construction programme are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm.
I will announce details shortly of the 2015 funding for local authorities to address vacant social housing stock, including the breakdown of the targets and funding for each authority. The following table shows the number of units returned to productive use in 2014 and the funding provided to local authorities by my Department for this work. My Department does not maintain ongoing records of the actions of individual local authorities in this area and the progress by Dublin City Council in dealing with vacant units is a matter for the local authority.
|
Local Authority |
Number of Units returned in 2014 |
Funding Provided in 2014 |
|
Carlow County Council |
42 |
€325,111 |
|
Cavan County Council |
23 |
€349,137 |
|
Clare County Council |
65 |
€995,829 |
|
Cork City Council |
212 |
€2,872,027 |
|
Cork County Council |
155 |
€1,539,364 |
|
Donegal County Council |
167 |
€919,797 |
|
Dublin City Council |
467 |
€6,163,464 |
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Co Co |
5 |
€89,896 |
|
Fingal County Council |
165 |
€1,938,780 |
|
Galway City Council |
24 |
€474,050 |
|
Galway County Council |
76 |
€958,263 |
|
Kerry County Council |
79 |
€718,938 |
|
Kildare County Council |
49 |
€503,463 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
25 |
€484,430 |
|
Laois County Council |
43 |
€257,013 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
15 |
€229,072 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
98 |
€915,969 |
|
Longford County Council |
16 |
€313,250 |
|
Louth County Council |
18 |
€113,620 |
|
Mayo County Council |
80 |
€464,508 |
|
Meath County Council |
59 |
€1,037,501 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
21 |
€92,751 |
|
Offaly County Council |
35 |
€514,000 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
34 |
€224,028 |
|
Sligo County Council |
29 |
€311,648 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
92 |
€627,408 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
86 |
€935,801 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
42 |
€605,428 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
56 |
€396,518 |
|
Wexford County Council |
20 |
€316,307 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
35 |
€650,204 |
|
TOTALS |
2,333 |
€26,310,575 |
Successfully tackling the current homelessness issue demands that a higher priority be afforded to homeless households in the allocation of housing. Accordingly, I issued a Direction to a number of key housing authorities on 27 January 2015 to prioritise homeless and other vulnerable households. This Direction applies for six months, from 27 January 2015 to 26 July 2015. Under this Direction, each of the Dublin housing authorities must ensure that at least 50% of the dwellings available for allocation under Section 22 of the 2009 Act during the specified period will be allocated to such households that had qualified for social housing support on or before 1 December 2014. Data submitted by housing authorities in the Dublin Region indicated that a total of 597 units were allocated in the Dublin Region, under Section 22, in the three-month period, since the Direction was introduced of which approximately 38% were allocated to homeless and other vulnerable households.
I am making an additional €10.5 million of ‘Section 10’ funding available for homeless accommodation and services across the country in 2015. This is an increase in funding of over 20%, bringing the Exchequer contribution to €55.5 million. The 2015 regional allocations are currently being finalised with a view to their confirmation shortly. To date in 2015, my Department has recouped €12,528,889 in ‘Section 10’ funding to Dublin City Council.
South Dublin County Council has recently completed the purchase of a NAMA apartment block, as the preferred alternative to a hotel property, which will operate as an assessment centre for homeless families providing 65 units of accommodation. A service level agreement has been put in place with a provider and it is expected that this facility will be fully operational by June.
967. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline the amount of money that has been allocated in 2015 to approved housing bodies; and if he will provide details of the proposed developments. [20534/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFunding to approved housing bodies is allocated on the basis of proposals they make in respect of social housing provision which have been approved by local authorities and my Department. These proposals must be viable, meet housing need and represent value for money.
Under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme, approved housing bodies are already implementing projects for the construction and/or acquisition of social housing to meet the needs of people with special needs, which were approved in May 2014; details of those projects are available on my Department's website at the following link:http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,38066,en.docx.
Approved housing bodies were recently invited to submit further proposals under the Capital Assistance Scheme, in line with the increased targets set under the Social Housing Strategy. These proposals are now being assessed by my Department and project approvals, where appropriate, will be issued to the local authorities and approved housing bodies. This year over €70 million has been made available for the advancement of projects under the Capital Assistance Scheme, of which €5.5 million will be self-funded by certain local authorities through local property tax receipts.
Under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP), both local authorities and approved housing bodies can submit proposals for approval to my Department throughout the year. SHCEP is a national fund without individual local authority or approved housing body funding allocations.
968. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding young persons and the voting register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20567/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department takes a number of measures to coincide with the annual publication by registration authorities of their draft registers of electors in order to encourage the electorate to check that they are correctly registered and to bring to attention any errors or omissions. Measures taken include the supply of promotional posters to registration authorities for display in their offices and other public places such as libraries, post offices and Garda Stations and the placing of advertisements in national newspapers and social media websites.
In addition, whenever an election or referendum takes place, my Department places advertisements in the national papers advising eligible voters who are not registered to vote to take the opportunity to apply for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors so that they can take part in that election or referendum.
969. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm whether local authorities generally hold Part 5 money in separate accounts from their other business dealings; if he will provide details, per local authority, of the amount held in each of those accounts; the proposals for the expenditure of these funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20569/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 96(12) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, requires that any amount paid to a planning authority in accordance with relevant provisions of Part V of that Act shall be accounted for in a separate account and shall only be applied as capital for its functions under Part V or by a housing authority for its functions in relation to the provision of housing under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2014.
An unofficial consolidation of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2014 is available at:
http://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/RevisedActs/WithAnnotations/EN_ACT_2000_0030.PDF.
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. The most up-to-date balances, broken down by local authority, will reflect the position as at 31 December 2013.
Each authority develops a separate plan for the expenditure of its Part V funds depending on its needs. Part V monies are used for a range of works which, generally, include:
- returning vacant housing stock to productive use;
- estate wide works, included as part of an estate-wide improvement works project;
- once-off works to local authority dwellings, including improvements to individual local authority dwellings under the following schemes:
- responsive repairs;
- radon remediation;
- extensions/adaptations to meet the needs of persons with a disability;
- Improvement Works in Lieu of Local Authority Dwellings (IWILS);
- extensions to local authority dwellings; and
- meeting the interest on Housing Finance Agency loans for social housing or improvement works in support of other housing programmes, e.g. suite of Grants for Older People and People with Disability, emergency accommodation and traveller accommodation.
970. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is assistance available for the repair of a sewerage system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20642/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, brought into operation a grants scheme to assist with the cost of remediation of individual septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed, following inspection under the EPA’s National Inspection Plan and the subsequent issue of an Advisory Notice by the local authority, to require repair or upgrading.
The qualification criteria for the grants scheme are set out in the legislation and full details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, are set out in the explanatory leaflet and application form published on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/Water/FileDownLoad,33607,en.pdf.
Responsibility for the administration of my Department’s Rural Water Programme, under which funding is available for 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. An increase in the grant for group sewerage schemes to €6,500 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser, was announced in December 2012. The previous rate of grant available was €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the cost, whichever was the lesser.
971. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the Sligo county library headquarters in Sligo town if an upgrade to the old facility or a new unit is in the Government's plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20688/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Section 78 of the Local Government Act 2001, the provision of premises and facilities in the public library service is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority.
The Library Development Programme Guidelines, issued by my Department in April 2015, provide that each local authority’s library development programme should define the authority’s plan for developing the library service infrastructure, outlining the prioritised development objectives identified. The determination of priorities for library development is a matter for each local authority.
The preparation of the next capital programme for library development is currently underway.
My Department is assessing all applications received from local authorities, including an application from Sligo County Council in respect of Sligo Central Library.
972. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the mortgage-to-rent scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20690/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Mortgage to rent scheme cases are offered to AHBs that have expressed an interest in the scheme. At the time this case is offered, full financial details are provided to enable the AHBs to make an informed choice as to how feasible the transaction is for them. If an AHB does not think the transaction is feasible with the financial information provided, it is not expected that an AHB would accept that case.
Once accepted, the case should be progressed as quickly as possible to ensure that there is the least amount of uncertainty for the household involved. If an AHB cannot progress the case the Housing Agency should be informed as soon as possible to enable it to seek an alternative AHB.
In respect of the case that the Deputy has referred to, it would appear that the AHB is having difficulty raising the remaining finance required to complete the transaction. In such a circumstance I would expect the AHB to either resolve the issue or return the cases to the Housing Agency for consideration by other AHBs as quickly as possible.
The Government has recently announced changes to the mortgage to rent scheme as part of a broader package of measures to deal with mortgage arrears. The changes being made will make the scheme more flexible and accessible and are designed to enable more properties to qualify for the scheme.
974. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the increasing number of applicants who are having their applications for planning permission refused by planning authorities due to the fact that the sites in question are located within close proximity to a particular national secondary road (details supplied) in County Donegal; his views on the implications which these decisions are having on the local population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20720/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Spatial Planning and National Roads (2012) are aimed at ensuring that roads planning and policy, and development planning and management processes, are appropriately and effectively aligned; and encouraging a collaborative approach and early engagement between planning authorities and the National Roads Authority (NRA) so that transport and land use planning considerations are taken into account at the early stages of both development plan and development management processes. This is to ensure that future development at locations on, or in the vicinity of, national roads is guided to the most suitable location and that work on Ireland’s national roads network is planned for and managed in a complementary and integrated manner.
Section 2.6 of the Guidelines outlines that, in exceptional circumstances with regard to the normal limitations on the provision of access for new developments to national routes, planning authorities may identify stretches of national roads where a less restrictive approach may be applied, but only as part of the process of reviewing or varying the relevant development plan and having consulted and had regard to the advice of the NRA in line with the approach set out in the Guidelines.
It is a matter for Donegal County Council to consider the implementation of Section 2.6 of the Guidelines in respect of sections of relevant national roads and in the context of its statutory development plan.
975. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his plans to allocate additional funding for sewage treatment schemes for 2015 to Leitrim County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20734/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department notified local authorities of their block grant allocations under the 2015 Rural Water Programme earlier this month.
Responsibility for the administration of the 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.
In order to complete as much of the works as possible under the programme, local authorities will be given the opportunity later this year to identify funding which may not be drawn down under the measure it was notified for and to request that any such funding be transferred to other measures where it will be expended in 2015. This will allow authorities, including Leitrim County Council, to seek additional funding for specific measures, including group sewerage schemes, where the authority is satisfied that such funding will be required in 2015.
976. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the impact the Control of Dogs Act 1998 Regulations are having on animal welfare, with a number of pounds reportedly not allowing the rehoming of dogs perceived as one of the breeds listed; his views on local authority housing not allowing tenants with dogs perceived as being one of the breeds; if he will address each of these points individually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20747/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rehoming policy in respect of dogs in local authority shelters for dogs seized, accepted or detained for the purposes of the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 is a matter for each local authority and I have no function in the matter.
Under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, the management and control of local authority dwellings is vested in individual housing authorities, subject to the provisions of sections 58 and Regulations made under that enactment. Standard conditions have been prescribed for local authority letting agreements, including a condition:
- in urban authority letting agreements that, except with the consent of the authority, the tenant will not keep on the premises domestic pets likely to create a nuisance or become a source of annoyance; and
- in county council letting agreements that the tenant will not keep such pets on the premises, if required to refrain from so doing by the authority.
It is a matter for individual housing authorities to determine if additional conditions are required in their letting agreements in respect of particular classes of pets.
977. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that a review of the Control of Dogs Act 1998 Regulations has been conducted by the president of the American Veterinary Medical Law Association, which has referred to our current regulations as being archaic and has highlighted that it is scientifically impossible for local authorities to accurately identify a dog breed or mix or whether a dog contains a strain of one of the listed breeds without conducting a full genetic profile on each dog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20748/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the views referred to, and refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 542, 543 and 559 of 6 May 2015 which set out the position in relation to the onus on dog owners and those in control of dogs to act responsibly by keeping their dogs under effectual control, irrespective of breed and in relation to review of the relevant legislation.
I am satisfied that these specific control requirements for the listed breeds are a balanced and workable arrangement which recognises the rights of dog owners, respects animal welfare to the extent possible, while also taking account of the needs of society to be protected from dogs with a significant capability to inflict very serious injury, or cause death.
978. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the position regarding an individual mortgage-to-rent case (details supplied) in County Cork; the next steps in the process; the estimated timeframe for its completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20794/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No 269 of 12 March 2015 in which I outlined that an application for provisional approval was received by my Department on 9 June 2014 and that this approval was granted the following day.
I understand from the Housing Agency that lender’s consent to share information has now been received and that this property was issued by the Housing Agency to the panel of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to seek a purchaser. An Approved Housing Body has now been assigned this unit and the Housing Agency is awaiting the completion of a condition survey by the AHB, which is the next step in moving this case forward.
980. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline the options available to deal with a noise pollution matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20809/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrently, a person experiencing noise nuisance may contact their local authority, which may initiate proceedings on grounds of noise nuisance under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992. This Act also provides for any person, or group of persons, to seek an order in the District Court to have noise giving reasonable cause for annoyance abated. The procedures involved have been simplified to allow action to be taken without legal representation.
A public information leaflet A Guide to the Noise Regulations, outlining the legal avenues available to persons experiencing noise nuisance, is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/Miscellaneous/FileDownLoad,1319,en.doc.
981. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government whether he is aware that under the Control of Dogs Act 1998 Regulations it is illegal for individuals to use certain breeds, including mixes or any genetic strain of the breeds listed either here or travelling here from abroad, in therapeutic, assistance and disability work in public, given the dogs use their mouths to perform tasks for these individuals, and currently they are not exempt from being muzzled in public; if he is aware that dogs performing these roles typically need a leash distance exceeding two metres in length, which is not legally allowed under current regulations; if Irish embassies are aware of this when advising travellers coming here; and if there are implications with respect to disability law. [20823/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor dogs generally, the owner or any other person in charge of a dog must accompany it and keep it under effectual control in any place other than the premises of the owner, the premises of the person in control of the dog, or other premises with the consent of the owner of the premises.
The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 (as amended) require that 10 specific breeds of dogs, and crosses of these breeds, must be muzzled and led, on a sufficiently strong leash or chain not exceeding 2m in length, by a competent person over 16 years of age when in a public place.
The specific control requirements for the restricted breeds are a balanced and workable arrangement which recognises the rights of dog owners, respects animal welfare to the extent possible, while also taking account of the needs of society to be protected from dogs with a significant capability to inflict very serious injury, or cause death. Several jurisdictions have addressed the matter of restrictions of particular breeds of dogs in a similar way to Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, France and New Zealand all have similar restrictions on specific breeds of dog.
I understand many different breeds of dog are used for therapeutic, assistance and disability work. There is no prohibition on the use of the restricted breeds for such work.
There are a number of exemptions to the requirements in respect of the restricted breeds, including guide dogs for people unable to find their way without guidance and search and rescue dogs and dogs bring trained for such purposes. I am not aware of how any definition for dogs used for therapeutic, assistance and disability work may be distinguished in such a manner to limit any exemption to dogs being used bone fide for such purposes and not be extended to a wider category of companion dog or pet.
It is a matter for the embassies to familiarise themselves with the requirements in relation to restricted breeds. My Department is available to provide details of the requirements to any embassy on request.
