Written Answers Nos. 708 - 739
708. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills why she has deemed a person (details supplied) in County Carlow eligible for transport to the school nearest the person's home in September 2016, which has no direct link, but she has not deemed the person eligible for transport via another route which passes the person's home. [6046/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of my Department's School Transport Schemes is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann. A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment of a school transport service, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits. As more children choose to attend their nearest schools, services may be established with pick-up points designed around the home addresses of these eligible children. Families who choose to send their children to schools other than their nearest diminish the chance of a service being established to their nearest school. Families of eligible children, for whom no transport service is available, may be eligible for the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. Children who are not eligible for school transport may avail of transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of conditions which are detailed in the scheme. The family in question should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office if they wish to avail of transport on a concessionary basis.
709. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 454 of 22 March 2016, if there is any difference between the term "return to risk", associated with the school transport business, in the explanatory notes published with the audited statement of accounts of Bus Éireann, published on her Department's website, the term "balancing figure" at page 12 of the RSM Farrell Grant Sparks report 2009; the term "risk reserve", referred to in the table provided in the reply; and the term "profit", at page 12 of the RSM Farrell Grant Sparks report; if she will provide the same tabular information in the reply to include each of the years 1997 to date; and if there is any difference in the meaning of the terms and the amount of the euro sums, in tabular form. [6050/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBus Éireann has advised that the level of detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. In this regard I have asked Bus Éireann to forward the information directly to the Deputy.
710. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the autism spectrum disorder early intervention unit at a school (details supplied) in County Cork for September 2016 onwards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6064/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.
The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. SENOs engage with schools annually in order to plan for, and to open, new special classes each year, in order to ensure there are sufficient special class placements available at primary and post primary school level to meet demand in a given area.
The NCSE have advised that SENOs are currently liaising with schools in Cork City and County regarding the establishment of classes for the 2016/17 school year. As the matter referred to in this question relates to a specific school, I will arrange to have the Deputy's request referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
711. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) in County Cavan under the summer works scheme, given the urgent need to provide additional facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6065/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question under the Summer Works Scheme. Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Scheme, applications including that from the school concerned, will be assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (0055/2015), is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants in due course.
712. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 228 of 14 January 2016, the further work she has carried out to identify the need for school patronage diversity in an area (details supplied) in Dublin 6W; the steps she has taken to accommodate the additional demand for multi-denominational education in the area beyond the schools already opened in adjacent areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6066/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has prioritised a more pluralist system of patronage for our schools. In this regard, new arrangements were put in place in 2011 for the establishment of new primary and post-primary schools. These arrangements give parents an opportunity to express their preference for the type of new school to be established. Thirty-six new schools have opened under this new process since 2011, thirty-four of which are multi-denominational. Parental preferences will also be key to the patronage of the new schools opening in September 2016 and subsequent years to meet demographic demand for school places, including those opening in areas adjacent to the Dublin 6W area. My Department officials will keep the demographic data for a number of areas nationwide, including the Dublin 6W area, under review, taking into account updated enrolment data and the impact of ongoing and planned expansion of capacity in this, and adjacent, feeder areas. My Department has also been working on expanding diversity of provision in the existing primary school network. To this end, my Department officials have been in on-going engagement with Catholic Church representatives to progress the reconfiguration of school patronage in particular areas. To date, eight new primary schools have opened under the patronage divesting process and work is on-going to deliver further options for school patronage diversity in other areas as quickly as possible. In this regard, my Department officials and Archdiocesan authorities have agreed in principle to bring a former school property in Dublin 12 back into use as a school to provide public primary education under new patronage arrangements. My officials and the Archdiocesan representatives are continuing to work closely on the practicalities of the transfer issues involved.
713. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills to arrange an expanded permanent school structure on her Department's owned land adjacent to an existing school (details supplied) in Dublin 17, given that the prefabricated structure from which the school operates is due to come to the end of its originally projected ten-year life span in 2018, and given the major housing development due for completion on adjacent Dublin City Council-owned land within that timeframe and the likely resultant additional demand for places in the school which is already operating at capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6072/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided a purpose built building for the school in question in 2008. My Department, therefore, has no plans to replace this building.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools, in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. In this regard, my Department is aware that there is existing capacity in primary schools in the Coolock/Darndale/Artane/Edenmore areas. My Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. A new primary school will open in September 2016 to serve the Drumcondra/Marino/Dublin 1 feeder area (which is adjacent to the feeder area in which the school referred to is situated) to cater for the demographic growth in that area. My Department will keep the demographic projections under ongoing review to take account of updated enrolment and child benefit data and also the impact of capacity increases to schools in these areas.
714. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who is on an incorrect pay scale; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6094/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe teacher in question completed her Higher Diploma in Education in 2014 and became eligible to register as a qualified teacher. As her first appointment as a qualified teacher was after 2012 the pay scale that applies in this case is the 2012 pay scales. Any service the teacher had prior to completing the Higher Diploma in Education was unqualified and therefore not considered when assigning the person to the relevant pay scale.
715. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 496 of 10 November 2015 concerning the LATI European Globalisation Adjustment Fund programme why she stated "I am not currently in a position to indicate the level of EGF Programme expenditure", given that only five days earlier on 5 November 2015 she produced a spreadsheet detailing a full breakdown of the estimated final expenditure for this programme obtained by this Deputy through freedom of information in March 2016; and if she was aware of this information and consented to it being withheld from Dáil Éireann Deputies, or if she believes that this information was withheld from him, and that without his knowledge the information provided to Dáil Éireann in the parliamentary question was not accurate. [6095/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra716. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide the latest available spreadsheets for all of the open European Globalisation Adjustment Fund programmes detailing the estimated final expenditure; her views on the issue of significant potential underspends for each programme; to provide details on her contacts with those State agencies whose projected underspend according to these spreadsheets is likely to be above 50% of the funds allocated. [6096/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra717. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills to initiate an urgent review of the current European Globalisation Adjustment Fund programmes on the reasons for the very significant projected underspends; if she will involve all stakeholders in this review, including elected Members, and produce recommendations designed to address the causes of the current underspend to ensure that future programmes do not continue to underspend allocated European Union funds. [6097/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra718. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to ensure the maximum possible spend for the three open European Globalisation Adjustment Fund programmes and the additional measures she is asking the responsible State agencies to undertake to ensure that the projected 63% underspend in the Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland programme is significantly reduced before the closure of the programme in September 2016. [6098/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 715 to 718, inclusive, together.
The information referred to by the Deputy is an internal working document in which my officials attempted to estimate expenditure on the LTAI EGF Programme. Being tentative in nature, this estimate is not sufficiently robust for use as a final estimated expenditure figure. As I noted in my reply, it is difficult to accurately forecast final expenditure on this programme as it will run until next September and public beneficiary bodies generally fund the cost of EGF measures from national budgets and subsequently submit expenditure declarations/claims during and following completion of the programme. I did however, indicate that take-up of EGF support measures was less than anticipated. Lower take-up will result in lower than expected expenditure.
The 3rd implementation report on the programme, published on the dedicated website www.egf.ie, recorded 352 participants in EGF programme measures by mid-December 2015, including 215 former workers and 137 young people under 25 years who are not in employment, education or training (NEETS). Compared with the targets of assisting 250 former workers and 200 young people, these figures suggest a reach of 86% and 68% respectively. In terms of the former workers, the report notes the evidence of the improving national economic climate in the re-integration into employment of 65% of the LTAI workforce as at December 2015. While a positive development, a high re-integration rate will reduce the need to call on EGF supports. As the Deputy may be aware the Andersen Ireland EGF programme closes next month. The published implementation reports on that programme indicate a reach of 96% of former workers and 95% of young unemployed people. The re-integration into employment rate for Andersen former workers at October 2015 was 69%.
The PWAI EGF programme is at an earlier stage of implementation and will run until June 2017.
While I am arranging for details of my Department's internal working estimates to be forwarded to the Deputy as requested, I would similarly caution that the figures are tentative and liable to change.
Efforts will continue until the end of all current EGF programmes to maximise the supports provided to programme beneficiaries. Each programme has a consultative forum in place, with an independent chairperson, worker and NEET representatives as well as the relevant State bodies and service providers. These structures facilitate programme implementation to be monitored and the proposal of new measures within the relevant EGF programmes. Increased emphasis is being placed on supporting NEET persons within the current EGF programmes, with ongoing engagement with both mainstream public and private service providers, the Department of Social Protection and various community and voluntary organisations. In this context a number of new tailored programmes are currently being developed for NEET persons.
The EGF process in Ireland was comprehensively reviewed by the Department in 2012 including a public consultation element. A survey of those eligible under the current EGF programmes is being commissioned by the SOLAS National EGF Coordination Unit. The results of these surveys will be examined prior to considering the need for a further review of the programmes.
There are a range of support measures available to eligible beneficiaries under the approved EGF programmes. Ultimately the take-up of supports is dependent on a large measure of personal choice by, and the personal circumstances of, hundreds of individuals across a two year timeframe. Where the take-up of EGF measures turns out to be less than initially estimated two years previously, including where different, sometimes less costly or shorter term measures are availed of by individual beneficiaries, this impacts on final expenditure. Therefore, a range of factors, including the prevailing national, regional or local economic and employment situations, dictate final expenditure on any EGF programme.
This situation is not unique to Ireland with the majority of EU Member States returning co-funding balances at programme end. For example, the average EGF budget implementation rate for all 73 EGF programmes encompassed by the European Commission's ex-post evaluation report 2007 – 2013, which was published in August 2015, stood at 55%, with the lowest being only 3%, whereas the average rate for the first seven completed Irish EGF programmes was 60%.
720. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Meath. [6109/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that a major building project for the school to which he refers was included on the six-year Construction Plan announced last November and is expected to proceed to construction in 2019-2021. The Design Team has been appointed and my Department will continue its engagement with the school in the context of progressing the project.
721. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide funding for the cost of internal furniture and fittings for a school (details supplied) and to include funding for this onerous cost on all new school building projects funded by her. [6110/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department has approved funding for furniture to the school referred to by the Deputy. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding in respect of furniture and fittings is included in the overall grant amount allocated for all new school accommodation. An additional grant is also approved in respect of loose furniture for each school in receipt of additional accommodation.
723. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills why no pedestrian crossing has been built for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 even though this was a condition of the planning permission that she received from Dublin City Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6143/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has made arrangements for the controlled pedestrian crossings to be installed as per the planning permission conditions. The specification for the pedestrian crossing has been finalised and suitable specialist subcontractors have been engaged. Preparations are at an advanced stage and work will commence on the ground shortly.
724. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for additional accommodation for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6185/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application to my Department for additional school accommodation. I am pleased to announce that an approval letter issued recently to the school in question in respect of this application.
725. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills to reverse her plans to proceed with changes to the way children with special educational needs in schools are assessed, as outlined in the Delivery for Pupils with Special Educational Needs document; if learning resource requirements will not be assessed based on socio-demographic characteristics of a school’s catchment area and standardised tests; if she will continue to allocate learning supports and resource teaching based on the professionally assessed special education needs of children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6218/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory role under the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act to provide me with policy advice in relation to matters concerning the education of persons with special educational needs. The NCSE published policy advice in 2013 which identified that the current model for allocating resource teachers to schools is potentially inequitable and recommended the development of a new allocation model.
In developing its policy advice the NCSE consulted widely with education partners, representatives from the school sector, parents, and disability representative bodies. The NCSE recommended that a new model be developed based on the profiled needs of each school, including consideration of Standardised Test performances in schools, and a schools social context, rather than primarily on school size and the diagnosed disability of individual children. It is intended that this new model will reduce the inequities in the current system, and also ensure that we are not unnecessarily labelling children from a young age in order to access resources.
Although there was widespread support for the implementation of the new model, there was not time to address all of the issues in relation to the proposed new model in time to allow for it to be implemented this year. I therefore established a pilot of the new model, which is currently underway in 47 schools, and which will run for the duration of the current school year. This pilot has been developed in order to test the model in a number of schools and to allow for the practical effect of the application of the new model in pilot schools to be gauged. It will also allow us to take into account the learning experiences of schools, principals, pupils and the views of parents over the course of the pilot, prior to the full implementation of the proposed new allocation model.
726. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the employment status of home tutors who are paid through the home tuition grant which she administers with the Revenue Commissioners; if home tutors paid under this grant are self-employed or PAYE workers; if they are self-employed, whether they are able to claim expenses before PRSI, USC or income tax are deducted; if they are PAYE workers, whether they can pay a class A stamp; if she will address the concerns of parents of special needs children and home tutors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6219/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy refers to the change in payment arrangements for the Home Tuition scheme administered by my Department. First, I want to clarify that under the Home Tuition Scheme, home tutors have always been engaged by the parents/guardian of the child who is to receive tuition. The change in payment arrangements has not altered this. Home tutors do not have a contractual relationship with the Department of Education and Skills. The change in payment arrangements from September 2015 was on foot of instructions from the Revenue Commissioners that payments under the Home Tuition Scheme are subject to statutory deductions at source. In order to facilitate parents, my Department agreed to act solely as payroll agents on their behalf. Payment of the home tuition grant now issues directly to the approved tutor via my Department's Non-Teaching Staff payroll. Home tutors continue to be engaged by the parent/guardian to provide tuition. Any further queries in relation to PAYE and USC should be directed to the Revenue Commissioners. The Department of Social Protection has determined that Home Tutors are engaged under a contract for service and are therefore self-employed and subject to PRSI Class S. Any further queries in relation to PRSI Class should be directed to the Department of Social Protection. A Payroll Information Note for Home Tutors, which is published on my Department's website, will be forwarded to the Deputy.
727. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the National Council for Special Education will recognise the global development delay condition as a disability that requires the provision of special needs assistance and resource hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6220/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that additional teaching supports for pupils with special education needs is provided in two ways. In primary schools, under the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, schools are resourced to cater for pupils whose educational psychological assessment places them in the high incidence, or less complex, disability category. All mainstream primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the GAM to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs or learning support needs. In post primary schools, similar general allocations have been made to schools to support pupils with high incidence, or learning support, needs. It is a matter for individual schools to use their professional judgement to identify pupils who will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils. Schools are supported in this regard by guidance from the National Educational Psychological Services. Separately, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular SP. Ed 02/05. I am advised that the diagnosis of Global Development Delay is generally reserved for children under the age of 5 years, when the clinical severity level cannot be reliably assessed during early childhood. This category is diagnosed when an individual fails to meet expected developmental milestones in several areas of intellectual functioning, and applies to individuals who are unable to undergo systematic assessment on intellectual functioning, including children who are too young to participate in standardised testing. This category requires reassessment after a period of time. Pupils who have learning support needs, and who have a diagnosis of Global Development Delay, may therefore receive resource teaching/learning support from a schools General Allocation Model, pending further assessment. Where pupils with Global Development Delay may be subsequently assessed as having a low incidence special educational need, such as a moderate general learning difficulty, or one of the other categories of low incidence disability set out in DES Circular 02/05, an additional allocation of resource teaching time may be made to the school to support the child. The criteria for the provision of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support is set out in my Departments Circular DES 30/2014.
This Circular details that SNA support will be provided to assist children with special educational needs, who also have assessed additional and significant care needs, in an educational context. As such, support is provided on a basis of an assessment of special educational care needs, as opposed to being based primarily on a diagnosis of a particular disability. Pupils who have Global Development Delay, and who also have been assessed as having significant care needs may therefore qualify for SNA support, if required. The NCSE will consider all applications for SNA or resource teaching support made by schools. Schools will be advised of their resource teaching allocations for the 2016/17 school year, prior to the end of the current school year. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
728. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 is enrolled in a special school for children with autism, given that the school changed its admissions policy to prioritise geography over need; if she instructs schools to cease using geographic criteria in enrolment policies; if she will ensure an autism school is established in the Dublin 15 area, where there is currently none; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6221/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available. The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools and it does not maintain details of waiting lists in schools. Parents can choose to enrol children with autism in an early intervention class from the age of three and where such a placement is not available home tuition may be approved. Children with autism over the age of four may also be eligible for home tuition if a school placement is not available for them. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE continues to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary subject to the willingness of schools to open classes. I understand that the number of special classes for students with ASD in north Dublin is 86, 16 of which are at post primary level, 59 at primary level and 11 are early intervention classes. The NCSE have advised that SENOs are currently liaising with schools regarding the establishment of further classes in the Dublin city and Dublin North areas for 2016/17 school year. I have arranged for the Deputy's request for specific detail in relation to placement availability in the area referred to, to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
730. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 223 of 1 October 2015 the status of plans for a second sexual abuse and violence in Ireland study; the co-ordination she has undertaken with the relevant Departments on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6243/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland (SAVI) Report, launched in 2002 was funded by Atlantic Philanthropies with additional funding from the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. While recognising the importance of this valuable study unfortunately my Department is not in a position to fund the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre to conduct a second SAVI Study.
731. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide funding to replace antiquated computer systems in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6249/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 (Enhancing Teaching, Learning & Assessment), launched in October 2015, sets out a clear vision for the role of ICT in teaching, learning and assessment in primary and post primary schools. The Strategy is focussed on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students by helping them become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens who participate fully in society and the economy. The Strategy recognises that schools require public investment in their ICT equipment infrastructure and accordingly a fund of €210 million to support the implementation of this Strategy is available beginning with an investment of €30 million in the next school year (2016/2017) rising to €50 million a year towards the end of the Strategy. Oversight and consultative structures for the implementation of the strategy are currently being finalised and my Department will be in communication shortly with schools on its progress.
732. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the tendering process for the new primary school in Furbo, County Galway, including the stage it is at and when construction will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6258/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraScoil na bhForbacha is at an advanced stage of the tender process for the provision of a new 8 Classroom School and demolition of the existing building. The tender report for the project was recently submitted to the Department and is currently being assessed. When the assessment is complete the Department will be in contact with the school authorities in relation to the further progression of the project.
733. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if an applicant who signs up to the housing assistance payment scheme is eligible to remain on the local authority housing list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5773/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra743. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person who qualifies for the housing assistance payment should be removed from the housing list of the relevant local authority or if the person can qualify for both; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5468/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 733 and 743 together.
As the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is deemed to be a social housing support under section 19 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, as amended, households in receipt of HAP are not included on the local authority waiting list for social housing support. However, HAP recipients may access other forms of social housing supports by applying to go on the local authority transfer list.
I issued a statutory direction to the local authorities involved in the HAP statutory pilot, including those involved in the HAP pilot with a specific focus on accommodating homeless households, instructing them to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefiting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support, should they wish to do so, through the transfer option. I also directed that HAP recipients, who apply to go on the transfer list, should get full credit for the time they spent on the waiting list and be placed on the transfer list with no less favourable terms than if they had remained on the waiting list.
In practice, housing authorities inform HAP recipients in writing of their entitlement to apply to go on the transfer list when they are approved for HAP. As of 31 March 2016, 83 households have transferred from HAP to other forms of social housing support.
734. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person who is in receipt of rent supplement can transfer to the housing assistance payment scheme in the same property, particularly if this will satisfy a landlord and prevent eviction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5881/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is being introduced incrementally on a pilot basis to local authority areas. Since HAP commenced in September 2014, some 8,000 households have been supported by the scheme and HAP is now available to all qualified households in 19 local authority areas.
HAP provides for the transfer of responsibility for long-term recipients of rent supplement who have a recognised housing need from the Department of Social Protection to the local authority sector, thus bringing all long-term social housing supports provided by the State together under the local authority system. Upon its introduction in a local authority area, HAP will replace rent supplement for those with a long-term housing need and who qualify for social housing support; rent supplement will no longer be an option for applicants in such cases. Local authorities are taking an incremental approach to the transfer of recipients from rent supplement to HAP in their own areas. This involves close co-operation with local Department of Social Protection offices and individual tenants. An existing rent supplement recipient who has been determined as eligible for the HAP scheme may transfer to HAP and remain in their current accommodation where the landlord is in agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions of the scheme being met. Since commencement of the scheme, 2,895 households have transferred to HAP from the Rent Supplement scheme.
Under the HAP scheme, the tenancy agreement is between the landlord and the tenant, not the local authority. The tenancy is covered by the terms of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended).
735. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the boundary review commission, which was set up to review the boundary between County Westmeath and County Roscommon, proposing the amalgamation of Monksland into the Athlone municipal area of Westmeath County Council, now that the deadline to issue the report has passed and the boundary review commission has defaulted on this deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6275/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra786. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the boundary review commission set up to review the boundary between County Westmeath and County Roscommon, given his commitment during the 2016 election campaign that he would not approve any report recommending the amalgamation of Monksland into the Athlone municipal area of Westmeath County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6276/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 735 and 786 together.
The chairpersons of the committees which are reviewing the boundaries at Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda and Waterford have indicated that further work is required in order to complete the reviews, including work arising from the large volume of submissions received on foot of public consultations. My Department is in communication with the chairpersons regarding the additional timescale involved. As the committees are independent in the performance of their functions, it is not appropriate for me to comment further on the matter.
736. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has appointed a chairperson to the mica expert panel; if not, when he will make this appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5363/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraEarlier this year, I announced the appointment of Mr. Denis McCarthy to chair the expert panel that is being established to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. Mr. McCarthy is a former Director of Services with Waterford County Council and has the necessary mix of skills and experience that will be required to direct and manage the work of the expert panel over the months ahead.
Following Mr. McCarthy’s appointment, my Department wrote to the National Standards Authority of Ireland, Engineers Ireland and the Institute of Geologists of Ireland seeking nominations for suitable persons to participate on the expert panel; in this context, I recently announced the full composition of the expert panel as:
- Mr. Noel Kane, BE, Dip Comp Eng, EurIng, CEng, FIEI, FI StructE, MIEAust, MACI, RconEI, member of the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s Concrete and Eurocodes Consultative Committees and the chair of their Masonry Panel and Eurocodes Masonry Subcommittee,
- Mr. Frank Lee, BE, CEng, FIEI, FConsEI, nominated by the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland, and
- Mr. Dave Blaney, PGeo, and board member of the Institute of Geologists of Ireland.
Now that the members of the expert panel are in place, arrangements are underway for the work of the panel to commence and I look forward to reading a copy of their report in due course following the completion of their investigations.
737. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts he has granted to each local authority for local authority housing repairs in 2014 and in 2015, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5366/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra738. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts drawn down by Mayo County Council in 2014 and in 2015 for local authority housing repairs, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5367/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra739. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the remedies available to local authority tenants, where the local authority will not carry out necessary repairs to a home it has rented to a tenant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5368/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 737 to 739, inclusive, together.
The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 and are not directly funded by my Department.
Over and above maintenance programmes and responsive repairs of social housing by local authorities, my Department supports the authorities under a range of specific Exchequer funded programmes to improve the quality and availability of social housing stock. These programmes include the return of vacant properties to productive use, improving the energy efficiency of social housing stock and providing funding towards the cost of adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding.
Details of expenditure under these measures, including the funding provided to Mayo County Council, for 2014 and 2015 are as follows:
Returning Vacant Properties to Productive Use
|
Local Authority |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Carlow County Council |
€325,111 |
€ 303,520 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€349,137 |
€307,018 |
|
Clare County Council |
€995,829 |
€1,472,533 |
|
Cork City Council |
€2,872,027 |
€4,522,819 |
|
Cork County Council |
€1,539,364 |
€2,091,5 02 * |
|
DLR County Council |
€89,896 |
€262,768 * |
|
Donegal County Council |
€919,797 |
€1,003,576 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€6,163,464 |
€ 9,452,338 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€1,938,780 |
€1,624,632 |
|
Galway City Council |
€474,050 |
€222,025 |
|
Galway County Council |
€958,263 |
€705,347 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€718,938 |
€884,736 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€503,463 |
€359,808 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€484,430 |
€381,639 |
|
Laois County Council |
€ 291,044 |
€61,228 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€229,072 |
€177,474 |
|
Limerick City and County |
€915,969 |
€500,689 |
|
Longford County Council |
€313,250 |
€426,535 |
|
Louth County Council |
€113,620 |
€292,279 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€464,508 |
€878,600 |
|
Meath County Council |
€1,037,501 |
€855,565 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€92,751 |
€100,502 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€ 529,038 |
€551,532 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€224,028 |
€258,773 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€311,648 |
€439,924 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€627,408 |
€216,838 * |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€935,801 |
€1,299,180 |
|
Waterford City and County |
€605,428 |
€488,724 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€396,518 |
€650,813 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€316,307 |
€294,811 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€650,204 |
€857,499 |
*2015 figures include funding from Local Property Tax in respect of three local authorities: Cork County €1,004,303; Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown € 262,768; South Dublin €108,987.
Energy Efficiency/Retrofitting Programme
|
Local Authority |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Carlow County Council |
€385,922 |
€788,864 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€850,818 |
€775,874 |
|
Clare County Council |
€498,635 |
€518,285 |
|
Cork City Council |
€2,002,047 |
€3,260,660 |
|
Cork County Council |
€1,079,181 |
€ 1,340,036* |
|
DLR County Council |
€2,009,876 |
€ 957,237* |
|
Donegal County Council |
€800,503 |
€891,633 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€5,244,209 |
€3,828,503 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€1,897,600 |
€1,548,500 |
|
Galway City Council |
€497,190 |
€777,569 |
|
Galway County Council |
€390,515 |
€625,670 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€468,715 |
€549,315 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€1,528,046 |
€ 617,455 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€ 417,279 |
€ 396,662 |
|
Laois County Council |
€753,953 |
€ 555,936 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€254,259 |
€ 308,382 |
|
Limerick City and County |
€964,754 |
€ 65,000 |
|
Longford County Council |
€370,286 |
€ 321,974 |
|
Louth County Council |
€636,718 |
€ 879,880 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€410,361 |
€ 464,238 |
|
Meath County Council |
€676,837 |
€ 1,079,905 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€419,118 |
€ 325,345 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€237,467 |
€ 553,963 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€472,438 |
€ 232,886 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€344,450 |
€ 652,028 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€1,828,879 |
€ 647,231* |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€1,301,342 |
€ 810,434 |
|
Waterford City and County |
€766,288 |
€ 1,859,600 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€859,733 |
€ 489,788 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€1,031,290 |
€ 446,196 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€1,325,039 |
€ 334,732 |
*2015 figures include funding from Local Property Tax in respect of three local authorities: Cork County €1,153,854; Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown €957,237; South Dublin €524,175.
Disabled Persons Grant and Extensions to Local Authority Houses
|
Local Authority |
2014 |
2015* |
|
Carlow County Council |
€190,068 |
€ 249,550 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€151,430 |
€ 70,450 |
|
Clare County Council |
€192,671 |
€ 288,478 |
|
Cork City Council |
€313,378 |
€ 561,058 |
|
Cork County Council |
€490,998 |
€ 423,045 |
|
DLR County Council |
€373,599 |
€212,915 |
|
Donegal County Council |
€160,461 |
€ 294,669 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€610,488 |
€ 1,180,919 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€364,367 |
€ 373,894 |
|
Galway City Council |
€172,951 |
€ 158,714 |
|
Galway County Council |
€148,991 |
€ 145,693 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€194,820 |
€ 271,095 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€193,926 |
€ 354,808 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€326,193 |
€ 273,483 |
|
Laois County Council |
€53,957 |
€ 117,527 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€56,243 |
€ 65,826 |
|
Limerick City and County |
€455,302 |
€ 408,566 |
|
Longford County Council |
€135,429 |
€ 208,375 |
|
Louth County Council |
€415,176 |
€ 442,662 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€401,330 |
€ 229,001 |
|
Meath County Council |
€298,653 |
€ 174,132 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€91,060 |
€ 77,748 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€39,937 |
€ 201,093 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€341,853 |
€ 99,524 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€15,120 |
€ 459,328 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€382,686 |
€ 306,805 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€256,525 |
€ 359,498 |
|
Waterford City and County |
€184,581 |
€ 404,179 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€87,059 |
€ 140,446 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€410,738 |
€ 529,325 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€404,186 |
€ 438,320 |
*2015 figures include funding from Local Property Tax in respect of six Local Authorities: Cork County €268,870; Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown €212,915; Dublin City €749,251; Galway City €18,912; South Dublin €306,805; Wicklow €236,713.
In relation to a situation where a local authority tenant is dissatisfied with the response of an authority to repairs, or other areas of service provision such as standard of accommodation, local authorities have put in place a multiple stage procedure for dealing with customer complaints. The first of these is discussing the complaint at the point of service, as this is usually the quickest and most efficient way to address the matter. If a complainant is unhappy with the outcome of the first stage, a formal complaint can then be made to the local authority concerned.
