Written Answers Nos. 192-199
192. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when an application for a rehabilitation centre (details supplied) in County Limerick under the capital assistance scheme will be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34864/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis project was approved in principle in May 2014 under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme, for the construction of 5 units for the homeless as an extension to an existing sheltered housing facility. Since then, my Department has been liaising with Limerick City and County Council to advance this project. Revised designs were submitted to the Department by the Council in September 2015 and these are now under consideration.
193. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for the list of allocations of funding to local authorities in 2015 under the rural water programme for group sewerage schemes; the amounts originally requested by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34892/15]
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 Group Sewerage Scheme allocations notified to local authorities under the 2015 Rural Water Programme are outlined on my Department's website at:http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Water/WaterServices/RuralWaterProgramme/ .
194. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline the discussions he or his Department have had with suppliers or service contractors to his Department, or to agencies of his Department, to ensure that employees of such suppliers and contractors are paid the living wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34899/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo discussions have taken place with suppliers or service contractors to my Department to discuss the Living Wage. Matters of employee payment rates are a matter for the employer and employees concerned, subject to compliance with employment legislation. Engagement with contractors and service providers to agencies is a matter for the agencies concerned.
195. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding under the Leader programme in each year from 2010 to 2014; the projected expenditure in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34916/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is expected that expenditure under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 will be in the order of €370 million by end 2015. The following table sets out the funding provided under the programme to end 2014 and also sets out details of projected expenditure in 2015.
|
Year |
Programme Expenditure |
|
2009 |
€19.6m |
|
2010 |
€44m |
|
2011 |
€47.5m |
|
2012 |
€53m |
|
2013 |
€82.6m |
|
2014 |
€92m |
|
2015 (projected expenditure)
|
€30m |
196. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of Leader funding allocated by Mayo north-east Leader partnership each year, pursuant to the rural development programme 2008 to 2013; if he will provide a breakdown of the various measures thereby supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34930/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007 to 2014, Mayo North East Leader Partnership has committed €7.4 2m to projects and over €4.2m has been paid to completed projects to date. I can advise the Deputy that funding under the LEADER programme is not allocated on a calendar year basis and therefore the table below shows the funding committed and paid to projects on a measure basis over the lifetime of the current programme. The following table also shows outstanding commitments for each measure.
|
Measure |
Revised Public Commitment - (€) |
Expenditure - (€) |
Outstanding Commitments - (€) |
|
Adding value to agricultural and Forestry products |
40,947.55 |
0 |
40,947.55 |
|
Basic Services |
2,386,513.65 |
1,173,134.62 |
1,213,379.03 |
|
Business creation and development |
1,172,678.27 |
712,088.33 |
460,589.94 |
|
Conservation |
958,180.60 |
523,563.44 |
434,617.16 |
|
Cooperation |
63,774.91 |
50,012.94 |
13,761.97 |
|
Diversification |
131,493.17 |
74,202.65 |
57,290.52 |
|
Skills |
68,322.95 |
68,322.95 |
0 |
|
Tourism |
682,401.64 |
572,885.89 |
109,515.75 |
|
Training |
207,354.09 |
188,083.09 |
19,271.00 |
|
Village Renewal |
1,708,288.39 |
915,287.47 |
793,000.92 |
|
Total |
7,419,955.22 |
4,277,581.38 |
3,142,373.84 |
197. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will amend the Irish Water Act 2013 to allow Irish Water or the local authority to accept responsibility for all sewage mains and infrastructure, that is manholes and interchanges, including those running through non-public property, where these networks were historically maintained by the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34938/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. Irish Water is responsible for water services infrastructure including water supply pipes or sewers extending from a waterworks or waste water works to the curtilage of a private property. Under sections 43 and 54 of the Water Services Act 2007, responsibility for maintenance and replacement of any water or wastewater pipes, connections or distribution systems which are located within the boundary of their property rests with the owner. There are no plans to amend the 2007 Act to provide that Irish Water become responsible for the maintenance of pipes on private property.
198. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if all second level schools under the national broadband plan attained the 100 Mbs Internet download speed target by the end of 2014; if he will provide a list of all such schools that have not yet reached this target on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34811/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll second-level schools in Ireland have received 100 Mbps broadband connectivity under a programme funded jointly by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills. The national rollout of services commenced in 2012, following a successful pilot project, and was completed in 2014. Services were rolled out incrementally, as follows:
2012 - 14 Western and Midlands Counties
2013 - Dublin, Meath and Kildare
2014 - 9 Southern Counties.
Some 780 schools (including all post-primary, post-leaving certificate, hospital schools, as well as special schools with post-primary students) across the country have a 100M bps connection. Additionally, 20 Educational Centres have been facilitated with a 100 Mbps connection under this programme to help assist with the delivery of Continued Professional Development (CPD) for teachers.
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is a Government initiative which aims to deliver high speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of accelerated commercial investment by telecoms operators, and a proposed State intervention to provide high speed broadband to those parts of the country where the commercial sector will not invest.
On Tuesday 29 September last, the Government approved an allocation of €275m for the National Broadband Plan, which will provide the initial stimulus required to deliver the Government's intervention. Combined with commercial investment, this will ensure that 85% of Ireland's premises have high speed broadband by 2018, with 100% coverage by 2020.
The NBP proposed Intervention Strategy document, which was published on 15 July last, sets out a series of detailed proposals by Government in respect of the proposed State intervention. It sets out the key elements of the intervention - what services are proposed and how they will be delivered. It outlines various aspects of the proposed intervention including the type of network envisaged, the minimum speeds being demanded, the length of the contract for services, and whether the network should be public or privately owned. There are over 1,500 schools in the target area for the intervention, most of which are primary schools.
It is intended that the network will be built out as quickly as possible and engagement with industry stakeholders has indicated that this could be achieved within 3-5 years of the contract award. This will allow us to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland will have access to high speed services, by 2020 at the latest.
199. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is aware of any disruption to emergency cover for maintenance of the Irish gas network in the past six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34889/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is an operational matter for Gas Networks Ireland and not one in which I, as Minister, have any role or function. I understand however from the company that there was no disruption to emergency cover for the maintenance of the gas network in the past six months. If there was a specific incident the Deputy wishes to discuss, he can contact Gas Networks Ireland directly. Gas Networks Ireland has a 24 hour emergency line - 1850 20 50 50. Anyone who has a gas emergency to report should ring this number immediately.
