Written Answers Nos. 219 - 227
219. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the basis on which funding allocations were made in respect of the scheme to support national organisations; the selection criteria that were applied; when these criteria were not adhered to in some cases in the final allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42279/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Scheme to Support National Organisations in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. A new round of funding was advertised for applications earlier in 2014. Pobal was asked to undertake an assessment of the applications received, given that organisation's significant experience and expertise of both the design of assessment criteria and completion of assessment functions.
Each application was appraised against the following criteria: the capacity of the organisation; the strategic fit of the proposal within the SSNO; demonstration of need; the achievability of the proposal; and the value for money of the proposal.
The Recommendations Report for the Scheme to Support National Organisations was prepared by Pobal and presented to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in May 2014. Some 157 organisations applied for inclusion in the Scheme, with 154 valid applications being assessed by Pobal, and 3 deemed ineligible.
Funding was provided to all organisations recommended through the Pobal assessment process. The Minister at the time was anxious to make funding available to as many organisations as possible within the prevailing resource constraints. Having reviewed the recommendations and project applications, it was decided to award funding to 54 organisations in total.
In addition, the Minister at the time decided that funding should be provided to one further organisation, Irish Association for Supported Employment, in recognition of their provision of a unique service for disabled persons. This organisation had been funded under the previous SSNO.
Subsequently, my colleague Minister Kelly decided to provide funding to a further 32 organisations to alleviate the hardship that would arise from a sudden loss of funding and to ensure business continuity in the communities that these organisations served.
220. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount EirGrid has spent on advertising and sponsorship in 2015 to date, and for each of the past four years; who are EirGrid's competitors; and the objective of the advertisement and sponsorship spend. [42235/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has passed this query to EirGrid and have requested them to contact the Deputy directly.
221. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he is taking in order to ensure the Whitegate oil refinery is maintained as an operable refinery for the future integrity of the State, and in particular in relation to significant proposals which have been put forward which would help the Government reach its 2020 target with regard to biofuels, and yield improvement projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42096/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe owners of the refinery, Phillips 66, advised my Department in October that they were putting the Whitegate refinery up for sale. A refinery sale would be a commercial matter between Phillips 66 and a potential purchaser. As this process is underway Whitegate will continue to be operated on a business as usual basis.
The Government views the continued operation of the Whitegate refinery on a commercial basis as highly desirable from an energy security and economic perspective. Security of supply remains a fundamental tenet of our energy policy. I am in contact with my Ministerial colleagues to discuss the importance of continued operations at the facility.
The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the use of sustainable biofuels with electric vehicles also making a contribution.
The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 and obliges the road transport fuel industry to ensure that a certain amount of the fuel placed on the Irish market is biofuel. The scheme also offers increased incentives for biofuels produced from waste materials and residues. I understand the refinery owners have been considering the potential for Whitegate to operate as a biorefinery. As a private entity, such an investment project is a matter for the owners. The increasing requirement for biofuels to meet Ireland's 2020 target can afford opportunities for indigenous producers, including the refinery, particularly those which produce biofuels from wastes and residues.
222. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will publish proposals on the refit for solar power; the likely rate of the tariff, at such point in time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42098/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 31 July last, my Department launched a consultation on a new support scheme for renewable electricity. While the initial phase of the consultation closed on 18 September 2015, there will be two further opportunities to contribute at key stages in the design of any new scheme. The consultations will be informative regarding the technologies that will assist in meeting our future renewable energy targets and may include support for solar photovoltaic. Subject to Government approval and State Aid clearance from the European Commission, the new scheme would become available in 2016.
Analysis of the potential of microgeneration technologies such as small scale wind, solar (including photovoltaic) and small scale hydro, has been carried out by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SEAI's findings, along with responses to the consultation on the Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland, will inform future policy on the provision of any market support for microgeneration.
223. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number, as a percentage of the total, of the renewals for motor tax that were carried out online for each of the years 2011 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42164/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department facilitates the collection of motor tax through the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF), including over the internet at www.motortax.ie.
The table below sets out the number of motor tax discs issued through the online service as a percentage of overall discs issued for the years 2011 to 2014 inclusive.
|
Year |
Total Number of Motor Tax Discs issued (Motor Tax Office and Online) |
Total Number of Motor Tax Discs issued via the Online Service |
% of Total Motor Tax Discs issued via the Online Service |
|
2011 |
4,656,013 |
2,144,739 |
46.1 |
|
2012 |
4,639,372 |
2,343,522 |
50.5 |
|
2013 |
4,741,826 |
2,558,887 |
54.0 |
|
2014 |
4,975,244 |
3,080,381 |
61.9 |
224. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a request for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42216/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe works referred to in the correspondence are not funded under the Sports Capital Programme and the Local Authority Swimming Pools Programme is not open for applications.
Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the promotion, development and coordination of sport. Sport Ireland provides an annual subsidy to the University of Limerick for the operation of the 50 metre pool. I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland for direct response. I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.
225. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will allocate funding through the sports capital grant programme to return the full use of facilities at the University of Limerick Arena, permitting the addressing of significant maintenance issues relating to the 50-metre pool which are having a negative impact on the arena's ability to host any major event at present; why he has not provided these funds to date; why his Department has enabled the loss of business to the locality through its inaction and lack of attention to these health and safety issues, an inaction that has cost Limerick City and the province in general loss of revenue, and has caused detrimental damage to the development of local talent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42217/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe works referred to in the correspondence are not funded under the Sports Capital Programme, and the Local Authority Swimming Pools Programme is not open for applications.
Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the promotion, development and co-ordination of sport. Sport Ireland provides an annual subsidy to the University of Limerick for the operation of the 50 metre pool. I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland for direct response on this matter. I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.
226. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on preventing insurance companies from raising significantly the price of car insurance when an existing customer renews a policy. [42234/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy responsibilities, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, with respect to motor insurance, are limited to the requirement under the Road Traffic Acts relating to compulsory insurance for drivers of mechanically propelled vehicles. This is the only legal vires that I have in relation to motor insurance. To that end, I also have responsibility for the current Agreement made with the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). That Agreement sets out the rights given to persons who sustain loss and/or injuries in a road traffic collision caused by an uninsured or untraced motorist. The MIBI is funded by all insurance companies underwriting motor insurance in Ireland who must, by law, be members of MIBI and contribute to funding for claims in proportion to their market share.
I understand that the issues surrounding the increasing costs of insurance in this country are not unique to motor insurance. The Central Bank, who took over responsibility on 1 May 2003 under the auspices of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority for the regulation of and prudential supervision of insurance companies in Ireland, is best placed in terms of monitoring the costs of insurance, including motor insurance. However, I will continue to work with colleagues across the various Departments who have responsibility in this area, including the Department of Finance, to try and identify the exact causes of motor insurance inflation at this time and whether there are measures to be taken by Government on the matter.
227. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of gun day licences that were given out to a gun club (details supplied) in County Sligo in the 2014 to 2015 season by An Garda Síochána, for deer hunter day licence, and for bird hunter day licence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42127/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWild deer in the State are protected under the Wildlife Acts. There is an annual open season during which deer can be legally shot under licence issued by my Department. The open season for deer operates generally from 1 September to the last day of February, depending on the species and gender of deer. My Department has no record of granting deer hunting licences to the gun club in question for either the 2014/15 season or the current 2015/16 season.
In relation to the hunting of birds, there is an open season for the hunting of certain game birds which operates generally from 1 September to 31 January, depending on the species. A separate licence is not required from my Department to hunt these birds during the open season provided the individuals are in possession of a Firearms Certificate issued by an Garda Síochána. However, individuals do require a licence from my Department if they are hunting either animal or bird species during the open season on State foreshore. Again, my Department has no record of granting foreshore licences to the gun club in question for either of the last two hunting seasons.
I should point out that deer hunting and foreshore licences may have issued to individuals who are members of the club in question but there is not a requirement for such individuals to declare if they are members of a gun club.
My Department does not issue gun day licences for either deer or bird species.
