Thursday, 8 Oct 2015

Written Answers Nos. 207-217

Local Authority Funding

Ceisteanna (207)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

207. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts of grants allocated to each local authority in each of the past three years; the basis on which these allocations were made; and if he will publish the criteria, data, or other factors which determined the amount awarded to each local authority. [35009/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, including protecting the environment, providing necessary housing supports and fostering community and rural development in partnership with local government and other local development bodies. In order to deliver on this broad business agenda, my Department allocates significant resources to a wide range of organisations, including local authorities, as well as dedicated agencies, non-statutory bodies and individuals. Since 1 January 2013, some €1.7 billion has been transferred through the Vote of my Department to local authorities and a further €1.47 billion has been transferred to local authorities from the Local Government Fund. A breakdown of the funds transferred each year from my Department and from the Local Government Fund to local authorities is set out in the tables below.

The funding transferred from the Local Government Fund includes General Purpose Grant payments which formerly represented the Department’s contribution towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. The 2014 figures recognise the removal of water related costs from local authorities in 2014 and are therefore not directly comparable to previous years’ funding. In 2015, General Purpose Grants were replaced by Local Property Tax allocations. The Local Government Fund is also used to fund projects to improve the efficiency and quality of local authority services, shared service initiatives, and miscellaneous projects which support local government.

A more detailed breakdown of this expenditure than that provided in the tables is not readily available in my Department and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work. If the Deputy wishes to put down a more specific question concerning funding for a specific purpose from my Department, I will endeavour to provide the information sought.

Tables below

Funds disbursed to local authorities from DECLG’s programmes (2013, 2014 and to date in 2015)
Local Authority- Vote	2013	2014	2015
	€m	€m	€m
Arklow Town Council	0.032	0.000	0.000
Athlone Town Council	0.555	0.170	0.000
Athy Town Council	0.387	0.021	0.000
Ballina Town Council	0.001	0.000	0.000
Ballinasloe Town Council	0.091	0.000	0.000
Birr Town Council	0.365	0.057	0.000
Bray Town Council	1.030	0.053	0.000
Buncrana Town Council	0.233	0.061	0.000
Bundoran Town Council	0.005	0.001	0.000
Carlow County Council	11.896	13.001	6.201
Carlow Town Council	0.054	0.014	0.000
Carrick-On-Suir Town Council	0.843	0.091	0.000
Cashel Town Council	0.345	0.106	0.000
Castlebar Town Council	0.116	0.030	0.000
Cavan County Council	15.185	8.186	5.295
Clare County Council	13.425	15.412	5.330
Clonakilty Town Council	0.011	0.000	0.000
Clones Town Council	0.129	0.000	0.000
Clonmel Borough Council	1.798	0.413	0.000
Cork City Council	32.433	27.084	17.361
Cork County Council	21.323	20.599	9.989
Cork North	7.589	0.759	0.000
Cork South	15.752	2.553	0.000
Cork West	7.023	0.595	0.000
D.Laoire/Rathdown County Council	19.851	15.855	6.481
Donegal County Council	18.169	13.619	8.982
Drogheda Borough Council	2.583	1.274	0.000
Dublin City Council	176.470	143.101	52.200
Dundalk Town Council	4.173	1.403	0.000
Dungarvan Town Council	0.032	0.017	0.000
Ennis Town Council	0.414	0.152	0.000
Enniscorthy Town Council	0.045	0.000	0.000
Fermoy Town Council	0.684	0.021	0.000
Fingal County Council	52.351	35.495	10.496
Galway City Council	13.680	12.476	4.249
Galway County Council	28.127	12.648	7.363
Kerry County Council	23.003	13.274	4.303
Kildare County Council	40.120	18.755	8.378
Kilkenny County Council	13.326	10.808	7.177
Killarney Town Council	0.012	0.000	0.000
Kilrush Town Council	0.759	0.411	0.000
Laois County Council	14.532	11.503	6.092
Leitrim County Council	7.503	2.717	1.025
Letterkenny Town Council	0.335	0.075	0.000
Limerick City Council	47.603	4.535	0.000
Limerick City and County Council	0.000	42.940	25.435
Limerick County Council	16.715	1.610	0.000
Longford County Council	14.332	5.991	2.531
Local Authority- Vote	2013	2014	2015
	€m	€m	€m
Longford Town Council	0.004	0.003	0.000
Louth County Council	9.342	12.335	9.763
Mayo County Council	21.425	14.124	8.444
Meath County Council	17.370	10.377	4.025
Monaghan County Council	9.265	7.945	3.251
Monaghan Town Council	0.148	0.000	0.000
Nenagh Town Council	0.154	0.032	0.000
New Ross Town Council	0.223	0.000	0.000
North Tipperary County Council	17.333	2.579	0.000
Offaly County Council	10.248	7.815	5.633
Roscommon County Council	6.912	6.724	1.748
Sligo Borough Council	2.972	0.915	0.000
Sligo County Council	5.917	12.192	7.084
South Tipperary County Council	12.751	1.720	0.000
Sth Dublin County Council	44.333	39.375	8.621
Templemore Town Council	0.613	0.091	0.000
Thurles Town Council	0.350	0.060	0.000
Tipperary County Council	0.000	14.778	11.404
Tipperary Town Council	0.518	0.153	0.000
Tralee Town Council	2.648	0.147	0.000
Tullamore Town Council	0.050	0.000	0.000
Waterford City Council	11.518	2.789	0.000
Waterford City and County Council	0.000	19.776	11.645
Waterford County Council	12.714	1.087	0.000
Westmeath County Council	11.373	9.944	5.526
Westport Town Council	0.017	0.005	0.000
Wexford Borough Council	1.220	0.084	0.000
Wexford County Council	15.576	13.876	9.381
Wicklow County Council	18.490	12.169	1.206
Total	858.924	628.981	276.619

Tables continuing

Funds disbursed to local authorities from Local Government Fund (2013, 2014 and to date in 2015)
Local Authority	2013	2014	2015
LGF	€m	€m	€m
Arklow Town Council	1.201	0.000	0.000
Athlone Town Council	1.231	0.000	0.000
Athy Town Council	0.543	0.000	0.000
Ballina Town Council	1.209	0.000	0.000
Ballinasloe Town Council	0.645	0.000	0.000
Birr Town Council	0.591	0.000	0.000
Bray Town Council	3.139	0.000	0.000
Buncrana Town Council	0.667	0.000	0.000
Bundoran Town Council	0.404	0.000	0.000
Carlow County Council	8.867	5.723	4.544
Carlow Town Council	1.266	0.000	0.000
Carrickmacross Town Council	0.443	0.000	0.000
Carrick-On-Suir Town Council	0.860	0.000	0.000
Cashel Town Council	0.491	0.000	0.000
Castlebar Town Council	0.694	0.000	0.000
Castleblaney Town Council	0.344	0.000	0.000
Cavan County Council	17.795	12.979	7.665
Cavan Town Council	0.621	0.000	0.000
Clare County Council	11.159	5.531	6.823
Clonakilty Town Council	0.451	0.000	0.000
Clones Town Council	0.441	0.000	0.000
Clonmel Borough Co	2.235	0.000	0.000
Cobh Town Council	0.905	0.000	0.000
Cork City Council	16.810	10.879	8.347
Cork County Council	32.758	7.558	26.451
D.Laoire/Rathdown County Council	25.224	5.851	32.325
Donegal County Council	31.668	26.084	19.634
Drogheda Borough Co	3.048	0.000	0.000
Dublin City Council	53.266	11.890	60.027
Dundalk Town Council	3.410	0.000	0.000
Dungarvan Town Council	0.673	0.000	0.000
Ennis Town Council	1.625	0.000	0.000
Enniscorthy Town Council	0.879	0.000	0.000
Fermoy Town Council	0.628	0.000	0.000
Fingal County Council	21.406	3.991	27.614
Galway City Council	5.821	2.589	6.040
Galway County Council	30.577	18.729	12.400
Kells Town Council	0.343	0.000	0.000
Kerry County Council	18.833	13.273	10.143
Kildare County Council	21.417	10.538	15.963
Kilkenny Borough Co	1.203	0.000	0.000
Kilkenny County Council	15.562	10.561	7.946
Killarney Town Council	1.252	0.000	0.000
Kilrush Town Council	0.461	0.000	0.000
Kinsale Town Council	0.298	0.000	0.000
Laois County Council	13.511	8.506	6.514
Leitrim County Council	12.402	9.195	6.985
Letterkenny Town Council	0.756	0.000	0.000
Local Authority	2013	2014	2015
LGF	€m	€m	€m
Limerick City Council	8.424	4.225	0.000
Limerick County Council	18.760	3.093	0.000
Limerick City and County	0.000	10.881	15.093
Listowel Town Council	0.534	0.000	0.000
Longford County Council	11.623	8.821	6.790
Longford Town Council	0.830	0.000	0.000
Louth County Council	9.447	8.865	7.445
Macroom Town Council	0.455	0.000	0.000
Mallow Town Council	0.823	0.000	0.000
Mayo County Council	31.586	23.150	17.004
Meath County Council	21.606	9.383	12.529
Midleton Town Council	0.421	0.000	0.000
Monaghan County Council	14.422	13.778	9.081
Monaghan Town Council	0.787	0.000	0.000
Naas Town Council	1.067	0.000	0.000
Navan Town Council	0.473	0.000	0.000
Nenagh Town Council	0.806	0.000	0.000
New Ross Town Council	0.742	0.000	0.000
North Tipperary County Council	15.597	5.060	0.000
Offaly County Council	13.022	7.379	5.553
Roscommon County Council	16.529	10.661	7.994
Skibbereen Town Council	0.320	0.000	0.000
Sligo Borough Co	2.001	0.000	0.000
Sligo County Council	14.494	11.415	8.465
South Tipperary County Council	17.545	6.462	0.000
Sth Dublin County Council	16.430	2.567	24.874
Templemore Town Council	0.480	0.000	0.000
Thurles Town Council	0.693	0.000	0.000
Tipperary County Council	0.000	12.698	20.066
Tipperary Town Council	0.599	0.000	0.000
Tralee Town Council	2.079	0.000	0.000
Trim Town Council	0.405	0.000	0.000
Tullamore Town Council	0.879	0.000	0.000
Waterford City Council	5.533	3.299	0.000
Waterford County Council	18.308	7.063	0.000
Waterford City and County	0.000	8.438	18.573
Westmeath County Council	16.248	11.979	8.334
Westport Town Council	0.581	0.000	0.000
Wexford Borough Co	1.685	0.000	0.000
Wexford County Council	16.473	13.456	10.342
Wicklow County Council	15.013	8.173	11.820
Wicklow Town Council	1.142	0.000	0.000
Youghal Town Council	0.835	0.000	0.000
Total	669.73	354.723	443.384

Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration

Ceisteanna (208, 209)

Ruth Coppinger

Ceist:

208. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will make provision for the write-down of non-principal private residence charge debt in cases of particular hardship, where the owners are not landlords or gaining an income from a second home, and have not paid the charge by omission rather than through deliberate evasion. [35031/15]

Ruth Coppinger

Ceist:

209. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there have been any write-downs of the non-principal private residence charge late payment penalties. [35032/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together.

The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The NPPR Charge of €200 per annum, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence.

Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect NPPR charges and late payment fees due to it, and all charges and late payment fees imposed and payable to a local authority are under the care and management of the local authority concerned. In this regard, application of the legislation in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant local authority.

Under section 77 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, my Department issued guidance to local authorities concerning matters relating to arrears of the NPPR Charge and late payment fees to ensure that a consistent national approach is adopted. The guidelines, which are available at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Administration/FileDownLoad,37899,en.pdf, encourage local authorities to take a proactive approach to ensure that any outstanding NPPR liabilities are discharged in the most equitable, efficient and economically beneficial manner and include guidance in respect of dealing with hardship cases. It is expected, in the majority of cases, that local authorities will collect the full NPPR Charge liability from owners. In some cases, this may be by means of arrangement by instalment. All non-compliant owners or owners with queries should log on to www.nppr.ie or, alternatively, contact their local authority to discuss any matters they wish to clarify and to make any outstanding payments.

Local Authority Housing

Ceisteanna (210)

Ruth Coppinger

Ceist:

210. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on his meeting with chief executive officers of the local authorities, regarding the urgent need for local authority accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35033/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

A clear governance structure is in place to oversee the implementation of the Social Housing Strategy. I, along with my colleague Minister of State Paudie Coffey, co-chair the high-level Oversight Group which is made up of key stakeholders including representatives from the local government sector at Chief Executive level. A Project Board is in place, chaired by my Department, to lead on the implementation process and to report to the Oversight Group. There are five work streams, all chaired by my Department, to lead on each of the major areas of work under the Strategy. The Project Board ensures that the overall work programme is co-ordinated and managed effectively.

In order to drive delivery and implementation of the Strategy in Dublin and Cork, specific arrangements have been put in place. The four chief executives from the Dublin local authorities are members of the Dublin Social Housing Delivery Task Force and the two chief executives from the Cork local authorities are members of the Cork Social Housing Group. My Department is also represented on both Groups and progress from both is reported to the Oversight Group.

There is active participation by local authority Chief Executives and/or Housing Directors of Service on all of the governance structures outlined above. Notwithstanding this regular and structured interaction with senior management from local authorities on the implementation of the Strategy, I met with all local authority Chief Executives and Directors of Housing on 14 July and again on 30 September to review progress on delivery under the Strategy and to discuss future delivery, supported by the significant increase in resources available.

The meetings provided an opportunity for a productive exchange of views and reinforced the shared commitment of central and local government to full and speedy implementation of the Social Housing Strategy, utilising all available channels of delivery.

Minister Coffey and I remain committed to working collaboratively with local authorities to that end.

Motor Tax Yield

Ceisteanna (211)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

211. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on dropping annual overall motor tax revenues; that the figures will continue to drop with more lower emission vehicles coming on the roads; that a reformed system of calculating motor tax is required, given that owners of older less valuable cars are paying multiples of what owners of new top-of-the-range cars are paying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35043/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The vehicle fleet is progressively being replaced by cars taxed on the basis of CO2 rather than engine capacity. At 31 August 2015, just under 40% of the passenger vehicle fleet was taxed on the basis of CO2 emissions and the proportion of the fleet taxed on this basis is increasing by approximately 5 percentage points per year. The implications of this and the range of other factors impacting on overall motor tax revenues is kept under ongoing review, with rates and bands adjusted in a budgetary context as is deemed necessary. It should be noted that differential increases have been applied in recent Budgets, in recognition of the lower average motor tax paid in respect of vehicles taxed on the basis of CO2 emissions compared to vehicles taxed on the basis of engine capacity, whilst at the same time maintaining the incentive for purchasers of new vehicles to buy low emission vehicles. The average increase in motor tax for passenger vehicles taxed on engine capacity was 7.5% in Budgets 2012 and 2013, compared with increases in 2012 ranging from 7.5% to 54%, and in 2013 ranging from 4% to 25%, for vehicles charged on the basis of CO2 emissions. In Budget 2013, 4 new bands below 140g CO2/km, as well as a zero band for electric vehicles, were introduced to facilitate the continued incentivising of low emission vehicles and the maintenance of the tax base.

Rural Development Programme

Ceisteanna (212)

Joe Carey

Ceist:

212. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he expects that Leader funding will be available to community groups in County Clare, under the new rural development programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35049/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020 will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of sustainable rural communities. For the purposes of the new Programme, there are 28 sub-regional areas , with County Clare being one of these. Stage one of the selection process invited any entity who wished to be considered as a Local Action Group to submit an expression of interest. Two expressions of interest were received for the Clare sub-regional area. These were from Clare Local and Community Development Committee and Clare Local Development Company. Both entities have progressed to stage two of the process, which is the preparation of local development strategies.

In areas where a single strategy is submitted, an Independent Evaluation Committee will review and evaluate these strategies with a view to ensuring that they meet the required standard. In areas where multiple strategies are submitted, it will be a matter for the Independent Evaluation Committee to make a decision on which local development strategy should be selected.

A minimum of 6 months is being allowed for the preparation of strategies, however, I expect that not all areas will require the full 6 months. To date, one finalised draft strategy has been submitted for evaluation. I can confirm that neither Clare Local and Community Development Committee nor Clare Local Development Company have submitted their finalised local development strategy for consideration to date.

I am hopeful that strategies will be approved over the coming months and that Leader will be operational in some areas from November 2015 onwards with all areas operational and processing applications by early 2016.

Building Regulations Amendments

Ceisteanna (213)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

213. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider reviewing the current building control regulations, abolishing the self-certification of buildings, providing local authorities with more power to certify buildings, and to enforce planning obligations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35086/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 now require greater accountability for compliance with the Building Regulations in the form of statutory certification of design and construction, lodgement of compliance documentation, mandatory inspections during construction and validation and registration of certificates. I am satisfied that these measures are appropriate and will ensure a greater emphasis on competence, professionalism and quality in our construction industry thereby ensuring that homeowners and construction clients can rely on getting the high quality homes and buildings they expect and deserve. The arrangements now in place for statutory certification since 1 March 2014 should not be confused with previous practices of self-certification which were not part of the regulatory system. The wording of the statutory certificates is prescribed and cannot be varied or qualified by the registered construction professional who signs the certificate. A registered construction professional who signs a certificate without exercising reasonable skill, care and diligence is acting in breach of their professional code of practice and may, if later found to be guilty of professional misconduct or poor professional practice, be putting their own livelihood at risk.

Local authorities as building control authorities already have strong powers of inspection and enforcement under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014. Arrangements for more comprehensive Local Authority inspections on developments are now in place and it is intended that these will be enhanced further over time as construction output recovers.

Disability Support Services

Ceisteanna (214, 215, 216, 217)

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

214. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce new legislation, or to amend existing legislation, to clarify the definition of an assistance dog; and if he will ensure there is appropriate oversight and accreditation of the training of assistance dogs, and of their provision to persons with disabilities. [35088/15]

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

215. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the legislation governing persons providing trained service dogs, or training, or both, where the dogs are intended to work with both adults and children with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35089/15]

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

216. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the accreditation system in operation for those who supply or train, or both, service dogs, intended to work with adults and children with disabilities; the way such accreditations are measured or awarded; and if such service providers must be affiliated with particular professional bodies. [35090/15]

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

217. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the legislation governing the definition of a service dog; the criteria which must be met, in certifying service dogs; in supplying and training service dogs as a commercial company, given the need to ensure that the safety, rights and dignity of adults and children with disabilities are paramount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35091/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 to 217, inclusive, together.

My Department has policy and legislative responsibility for matters related to dog control only, including, inter alia, matters in relation to dog licensing, restricted dog breeds and local authority responsibilities, as set out in the Control of Dogs Acts and relevant Ministerial Regulations.

Regarding assistance dogs, and in particular dogs kept and wholly or mainly used for the purpose of guiding a blind person or a person whose eyesight is so defective that he is unable to find his way without guidance, the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 provide for licensing and muzzling exemptions in such cases. The Control of Dogs legislation does not extend to any other matters relating to assistance dogs, including for example the definition and classification of such dogs, training and accreditation or criteria in respect of the supply of assistance dogs by commercial operators. My Department has no direct role in such matters and, accordingly, I do not propose to introduce legislation in this regard.