Written Answers Nos. 235-244
235. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of ministerial directions that have been issued annually since 2011 in order that development plans, including material contraventions and variations of development plans and local area plans are consistent with existing national, regional, and county planning policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38443/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra236. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if patterns have emerged, since the Local Government Reform Act was introduced in 2014, in relation to the issues or causes that have necessitated ministerial directions in development plans and local area plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38444/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 235 and 236 together.
Since 2011, 14 ministerial directions have been issued under Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, to local authorities in respect of their development planning functions as outlined in the following table.
|
No. |
Planning Authority |
Development Plan / Local Area Plan |
Year |
|
1 |
Limerick City and County Council |
Proposed Adare Local Area Plan 2015-2021 |
2015 |
|
2 |
Cork County Council |
Cork County Development Plan 2014 |
2015 |
|
3 |
Kildare County Council |
Material Alteration to the proposed Variation No.3 to Kildare County Development Plan |
2015 |
|
4 |
Donegal County Council |
Variation No. 2 to Donegal County Development Plan |
2014 |
|
5 |
Limerick City and County Council |
Variation No.2 to Limerick County Development Plan 2010-2016 |
2014 |
|
6 |
Limerick City and County Council |
Amendment No.1 to Southern Environs Local Area Plan 2011-2017 |
2014 |
|
7 |
Roscommon County Council |
Roscommon Town Local Area Plan |
2014 |
|
8 |
Westmeath County Council |
Draft Westmeath County Development Plan |
2014 |
|
9 |
Westmeath County Council |
Draft Mullingar Local Area Plan |
2014 |
|
10 |
South Tipperary County Council |
Carrick-on-Suir Town Development Plan 2013 |
2014 |
|
11 |
Wicklow County Council. |
Amendments to the Wicklow-Rathnew Dev. Plan 2013-2019 |
2013 |
|
12 |
Midleton Town Council |
Midleton Town Development Plan 2013 |
2013 |
|
13 |
Laois County Council |
Mountmellick Local Area Plan 2012-2018 |
2012 |
|
14 |
Clare County Council |
South Clare Local Area Plan 2012-2018 |
2012 |
Since the enactment of the Local Government Reform Act in 2014, I am not aware of any patterns emerging as regards the operation of this legislation that have had implications for Ministerial Directions on development plans and local area plans.
237. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a role will be assigned to the planning regulator to determine whether vexatious behaviour, such as ignoring the findings of strategic environmental assessments, appropriate assessments in accordance with the habitats directive or strategic flood risk assessments and failing to provide adequate technical planning reasons for doing so, have contributed to the requirement for ministerial directions on development plans and local area plans; if any future legislation will consider possible sanctions to discourage vexatious behaviour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38445/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 12 January 2015, my Department published a General Scheme of a Bill to provide for the establishment of the Office of the Planning Regulator; the General Scheme is available on my Department’s website at the following weblink: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/PlanningDevelopment/Planning/LatestNews/ .
The General Scheme provides that the Office of the Planning Regulator will be independent of my Department and its primary functions will include the assessment and evaluation of local area plans, local development plans and regional spatial and economic strategies, the provision of education and research on planning related matters, as well as powers to review the organisation, systems and procedures applied by planning authorities, including An Bord Pleanála, in the performance of their planning functions. It also provides, inter alia , that the Office of Planning Regulator shall, in performing its functions, have regard to the requirements of the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Directives, in so far as those requirements relate to planning authorities as competent authorities for the purposes of the Directives.
The detailed legislative Bill to underpin the establishment of the new independent Office of the Planning Regulator is intended to be submitted to Government for approval to publish shortly.
238. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of whole-time equivalent staff employed in the local authority sector in County Tipperary for the years 2010 to 2015, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38463/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of staff employed by Tipperary County Council at the end of each year since 2010 is set out in the table below on a whole time equivalent basis (WTE). As you will be aware, prior to 2014, North Tipperary County Council and South Tipperary County Councils were separate authorities and therefore returned separate staffing returns to my Department; however, the overall staffing total for both Councils is set out below for ease of reference. The most recent staffing data for 2015 was collected on 30 September 2015 and is also set out in the following table.
|
Local Authority |
Year End Staffing Return |
Total Staff (WTE) |
|
North and South Tipperary County Councils |
2010 |
1166.67 |
|
2011 |
1101.09 |
|
|
2012 |
1056.67 |
|
|
2013 |
1024.38 |
|
|
Tipperary County Council |
2014 |
1002.33 |
|
2015 (September) |
1001.41 |
239. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the sources of local authority revenue income for County Tipperary; the amounts provided for each year since 2010 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38464/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra240. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for a breakdown of local authority current expenditure in County Tipperary in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38465/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra241. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for a breakdown of local authority gross current expenditure in County Tipperary for each year since 2010 in tabular form ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38466/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra243. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding received by Tipperary county council from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38468/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra244. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the findings of the local government audit service value for money reports on local authority activities in County Tipperary from 2010 to 2015, inclusive, which covered topics such as internal audit, financial management reporting, local authority housing maintenance and management of vacant dwellings, and local authority procurement practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38469/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 239 to 241, inclusive, 243 and 244 together.
It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process, having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority.
Based on the audited Annual Financial Statements revenue income for the local authorities in county Tipperary, for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, are set out in following tables 1 to 4. Information for 2014 and 2015 is not yet available to my Department.
Table 1
|
2010 |
Grants & Subsidies |
Contributions from other local authorities |
Goods & Services |
Local Government Fund - General Purpose Grant |
Pension Related Deduction |
Rates |
County Charge |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
28,452,831 |
2,714,223 |
12,411,252 |
16,604,911 |
1,137,860 |
6,768,938 |
3,699,000 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
195,000 |
152,829 |
1,703,761 |
1,040,847 |
25,852 |
3,199,822 |
|
|
Templemore Town Council |
157,750 |
365,676 |
385,641 |
603,812 |
21,441 |
465,787 |
|
|
Thurles Town Council |
375,322 |
249,668 |
1,900,109 |
889,077 |
61,672 |
2,202,616 |
|
|
South Tipperary County Council |
26,856,079 |
5,898,237 |
14,137,769 |
20,297,660 |
1,408,907 |
7,455,126 |
2,854,211 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
1,942,937 |
232,883 |
6,338,350 |
2,848,561 |
200,686 |
4,896,943 |
|
|
Carick-on-Suir Town Council |
662,387 |
137,551 |
2,127,552 |
1,075,553 |
52,998 |
696,904 |
|
|
Cashel Town Council |
514,293 |
90,915 |
1,194,018 |
617,669 |
25,659 |
663,450 |
|
|
Tipperary Town Council |
669,141 |
144,697 |
1,710,376 |
760,851 |
53,600 |
1,072,028 |
|
|
Total |
59,825,740 |
9,986,679 |
41,908,828 |
44,738,941 |
2,988,675 |
27,421,614 |
6,553,211 |
Table 2
|
2011 |
Grants & Subsidies |
Contributions from other local authorities |
Goods & Services |
Local Government Fund - General Purpose Grant |
Pension Related Deduction |
Rates |
County Charge |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
25,988,763 |
2,449,175 |
11,453,039 |
15,187,974 |
1,111,917 |
6,987,763 |
3,629,000 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
232,658 |
90,507 |
1,561,778 |
926,797 |
22,961 |
3,208,014 |
|
|
Templemore Town Council |
139,000 |
157,291 |
552,012 |
555,357 |
21,447 |
464,457 |
|
|
Thurles Town Council |
377,582 |
252,380 |
1,936,359 |
790,197 |
60,250 |
2,322,449 |
|
|
South Tipperary County Council |
25,357,598 |
5,728,612 |
14,575,956 |
18,855,036 |
1,356,637 |
7,727,066 |
2,568,789 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
2,296,109 |
230,958 |
6,520,991 |
2,578,638 |
207,258 |
5,024,188 |
|
|
Carick-on-Suir Town Council |
783,223 |
125,167 |
1,788,569 |
995,805 |
52,009 |
675,498 |
|
|
Cashel Town Council |
466,074 |
85,471 |
1,169,019 |
568,340 |
24,704 |
628,031 |
|
|
Tipperary Town Council |
543,021 |
153,949 |
1,730,665 |
692,898 |
52,983 |
1,128,578 |
|
|
Total |
56,184,028 |
9,273,510 |
41,288,388 |
41,151,042 |
2,910,166 |
28,166,044 |
6,197,789 |
Table 3
|
2012 |
Grants & Subsidies |
Contributions from other local authorities |
Goods & Services |
Local Government Fund - General Purpose Grant |
Pension Related Deduction |
Rates |
County Charge |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
19,704,493 |
2,913,963 |
10,398,195 |
13,891,248 |
1,052,891 |
7,071,819 |
3,649,000 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
235,090 |
87,388 |
1,775,290 |
850,869 |
22,605 |
3,267,382 |
|
|
Templemore Town Council |
139,000 |
105,050 |
637,912 |
505,117 |
21,641 |
466,101 |
|
|
Thurles Town Council |
357,625 |
219,406 |
1,945,823 |
732,863 |
60,760 |
2,354,113 |
|
|
South Tipperary County Council |
22,105,703 |
4,918,601 |
13,992,942 |
17,010,367 |
1,287,291 |
8,582,258 |
2,568,789 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
2,535,705 |
242,486 |
5,930,728 |
2,353,112 |
197,884 |
6,236,154 |
|
|
Carick-on-Suir Town Council |
812,072 |
126,113 |
1,654,326 |
915,178 |
45,928 |
940,238 |
|
|
Cashel Town Council |
435,252 |
96,718 |
1,217,153 |
516,447 |
23,970 |
794,309 |
|
|
Tipperary Town Council |
584,952 |
139,758 |
1,514,690 |
625,092 |
44,299 |
1,349,584 |
|
|
Total |
46,909,892 |
8,849,483 |
39,067,059 |
37,400,293 |
2,757,269 |
31,061,958 |
6,217,789 |
Table 4
|
2013 |
Grants & Subsidies |
Contribut- ions from other local authorities |
Goods & Services |
Local Government Fund - General Purpose Grant |
Pension Related Deduction |
Rates |
County Charge |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
19,089,041 |
4,893,883 |
10,887,789 |
14,504,742 |
1,051,919 |
6,867,470 |
3,699,000 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
256,208 |
80,389 |
1,566,921 |
805,581 |
22,852 |
3,267,382 |
|
|
Templemore Town Council |
115,000 |
188,860 |
689,560 |
479,867 |
22,005 |
457,747 |
|
|
Thurles Town Council |
478,375 |
239,162 |
1,749,056 |
693,222 |
58,770 |
2,316,137 |
|
|
South Tipperary County Council |
20,213,074 |
4,576,945 |
15,609,545 |
17,302,006 |
1,294,322 |
8,604,888 |
2,542,016 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
2,319,716 |
246,194 |
6,109,227 |
2,235,458 |
188,748 |
6,236,999 |
|
|
Carick-on-Suir Town Council |
787,674 |
125,860 |
1,564,571 |
860,228 |
43,832 |
943,721 |
|
|
Cashel Town Council |
497,925 |
84,060 |
1,464,679 |
490,624 |
21,423 |
794,769 |
|
|
Tipperary Town Council |
668,203 |
108,770 |
1,731,936 |
599,444 |
42,126 |
1,344,217 |
|
|
Total |
44,425,216 |
10,544,123 |
41,373,284 |
37,971,172 |
2,745,997 |
30,833,330 |
6,241,016 |
The gross current (revenue) expenditure for Tipperary County Council, as per the 2015 budget, is set out in the following table.
Table 5
|
Gross Revenue Expenditure |
€ |
|
Housing and Building |
28,142,394 |
|
Road Transport & Safety |
40,984,238 |
|
Water Services |
15,319,687 |
|
Development Management |
9,859,281 |
|
Environmental Services |
16,869,118 |
|
Recreation and Amenity |
10,053,826 |
|
Agriculture, Education, Health & Welfare |
3,733,851 |
|
Miscellaneous Services |
13,701,429 |
|
Total |
138,663,824 |
Based on the audited Annual Financial Statements gross current expenditure for the local authorities in county Tipperary, for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, is set out in the following table 6. Information for 2014 and 2015 is not yet available to my Department.
Table 6
|
AREA |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
66,991,557 |
65,150,860 |
58,247,036 |
59,646,245 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
5,480,840 |
5,529,563 |
5,451,330 |
5,548,649 |
|
Templemore Town Council |
1,639,348 |
1,601,419 |
1,809,703 |
1,815,542 |
|
Thurles Town Council |
4,796,974 |
5,243,455 |
5,070,967 |
5,114,223 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
72,032,249 |
72,128,997 |
68,869,368 |
65,730,563 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
15,057,611 |
15,457,373 |
16,461,335 |
15,850,708 |
|
Carick-on-Suir Town Council |
4,467,140 |
4,543,965 |
4,306,543 |
3,869,761 |
|
Cashel Town Council |
2,663,380 |
2,575,290 |
2,600,227 |
2,578,426 |
|
Tipperary Town Council |
4,225,828 |
4,122,968 |
4,070,653 |
4,318,907 |
|
Total |
177,354,927 |
176,353,890 |
166,887,162 |
164,473,024 |
The level of funding provided to the local authorities in County Tipperary by my Department since 2010 is set out in the following tables 7, 8 and 9.
Table 7: Payments from DECLG Programmes
|
AREA |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
YTD 2015 |
|
Carrick-On-Suir Town Council |
937,372 |
866,284 |
1,616,230 |
843,065 |
90,675 |
|
|
Cashel Town Council |
584,333 |
169,610 |
518,447 |
345,203 |
106,114 |
|
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
2,302,210 |
2,069,014 |
2,786,213 |
1,798,424 |
412,712 |
|
|
Nenagh Town Council |
1,699,270 |
1,371,776 |
232,317 |
153,867 |
31,558 |
|
|
North Tipperary County Council |
21,946,480 |
13,698,347 |
18,797,770 |
17,333,450 |
2,578,646 |
|
|
South Tipperary County Council |
22,690,012 |
13,069,709 |
13,325,585 |
12,751,096 |
1,720,359 |
|
|
Templemore Town Council |
334,800 |
205,767 |
278,502 |
613,426 |
91,394 |
|
|
Thurles Town Council |
2,939,355 |
827,136 |
532,310 |
350,049 |
59,899 |
|
|
Tipperary Town Council |
706,196 |
280,716 |
418,649 |
518,070 |
152,741 |
|
|
Tipperary County Council |
|
|
|
|
14,778,448 |
11,687,355 |
|
Total |
54,140,027 |
32,558,359 |
38,506,022 |
34,706,650 |
20,022,546 |
11,687,355 |
Table 8: Payments from the Local Government Fund
|
AREA |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
YTD 2015 |
|
Carrick-On-Suir Town Council |
1,087,936 |
979,959 |
916,167 |
860,228 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cashel Town Council |
621,476 |
564,104 |
517,402 |
490,624 |
0 |
0 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
2,878,017 |
2,556,744 |
2,346,540 |
2,235,458 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
1,040,847 |
926,797 |
850,869 |
805,581 |
0 |
0 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
18,877,821 |
16,859,882 |
15,393,783 |
15,597,381 |
5,059,597 |
0 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
21,175,540 |
19,042,048 |
17,211,034 |
17,545,050 |
6,461,532 |
0 |
|
Templemore Town Council |
603,812 |
555,357 |
505,117 |
479,867 |
0 |
0 |
|
Thurles Town Council |
889,077 |
790,197 |
732,863 |
693,222 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary Town Council |
764,426 |
682,415 |
624,759 |
599,444 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12,698,090 |
20,122,624 |
|
Total |
47,938,952 |
42,957,503 |
39,098,533 |
39,306,855 |
24,219,219 |
20,122,624 |
Table 9: Payments from the Environment Fund
|
AREA |
2010 |
2011 |
2,012 |
2013 |
2014 |
YTD 2015 |
|
Carrick-On-Suir Town Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cashel Town Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
0 |
0 |
9,040 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
615,864 |
617,106 |
566,859 |
454,991 |
125,924 |
0 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
1,956,708 |
1,876,365 |
735,805 |
326,356 |
29,000 |
0 |
|
Templemore Town Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Thurles Town Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary Town Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
581,613 |
300,489 |
|
Total |
2,572,572 |
2,493,471 |
1,311,705 |
781,347 |
736,537 |
300,489 |
All local government auditors’ reports of city and county councils for the years referred to are published on my Department’s website at:
http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAuditService/Publications/.
There has been no specific Value for Money report for any of the local authorities in county Tipperary in the period in question.
242. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his assessment of the implementation of the Local Government Reform Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38467/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No. 22 of 23 April 2015 in which I indicated that I had initiated an operational review in relation to the new arrangements introduced under the Local Government Reform Act 2014. The objective of the review is to consider the operation to date of the revised local government arrangements and implementation of the reform programme and to provide on-going advice, views or proposals, as appropriate, in that regard. The review involves an Advisory Group, on which both elected members and local authority chief executives are represented, together with a Local Government Forum for engagement with the Association of Irish Local Government.
To date, these groups have met on five occasions in total and the feedback thus far suggests that the revised structures are generally operating well but will need more time to bed down fully. The next stage of the review process involves surveys of local authority members and executives in relation to the operation of the new structures and related matters. This process is under way and questionnaires have issued recently to local authorities. The results from this analysis should be useful in helping the Advisory Group to report on how the new system is operating and whether any adjustments might be warranted.
