Written Answers Nos. 136-146
136. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of tenants of co-operative housing organisations who wish to buy out their homes, including his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16491/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of these various funding schemes supporting the delivery of social housing by approved housing bodies (AHBs), AHBs are the de facto owners of the properties and are required to make them available for social renting for the duration of the mortgage or, as the case may be, the availability agreement. My Department cannot unilaterally make provision for their sale to tenants. Any such decision would have to involve the AHB and have regard to the mortgage on the property. On expiry of the mortgage period and subject to compliance with the terms of the funding agreement, the AHB becomes the owner of the property.
Section 45 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 does provide for the sale by housing authorities and AHBs of designated new houses to eligible households, subject to specified terms and conditions. However, any such sales would have to be progressed by the AHBs. There are currently no proposals or plans for a tenant purchase scheme in relation to AHB houses.
137. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of HomeBond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16517/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraHomeBond is a private limited company providing structural defect insurance cover for new houses, whose operations are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
As is the case for any private company, I have no role or function in the operations of this company, which are a matter for its management and Board of Directors.
138. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the sizeable increases some domestic waste collectors have recently imposed; the measures available to cap charges; if he is engaged in dialogue with the waste collection sector; if he will consider a waiver system for low-income or vulnerable households; if he is concerned the increased charges will prompt further problems with dumping which will impose an increased burden on local authorities, TidyTowns committees and so on; if he is concerned regarding damage to the environment; if he will initiate a full review of the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16525/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department holds regular and on-going discussions with waste collection service providers with regard to various issues around the introduction of pay by weight. However, in an open market, it is a matter for the collector to set charges, including service charges, at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of environmental and other applicable legislation. Excessive pricing by individual companies will offer the opportunity for rival operators to provide their services at a cheaper price.
Notwithstanding the above, I intend to meet with waste industry representatives this week to discuss the transition to pay by weight charging.
Given that the charging systems are moving to a more standardised format across the country, householders should be able to more easily compare the charges of different providers under the new system and choose the option that suits them best or is most cost effective. In this regard, a pay-by-weight awareness campaign, launched on 18 May 2016, is being rolled out at national, regional and local levels over the coming days and weeks and will give invaluable advice to householders on minimising their waste management costs under pay-by-weight charging.
During the period in which local authorities were directly involved in the collection of household waste, a minority of individual Councils offered different levels of discount to selected households, based on different qualification criteria. At this stage, only a very limited number of local authorities make financial contributions towards the cost of, or pay for, the collection of waste from certain households, and with the qualification criteria and level of support varying from area to area.
With the exception of one or two municipal districts, local authorities no longer collect waste and the market is now serviced by a diverse range of private operators, where the fees charged are a matter between service provider and customer and the services offered vary across the country.
There is no indication from areas where pay-by-weight charging has already been implemented that there has been increased evidence of dumping. Notwithstanding the above, and while enforcement action against illegal waste activity, including dumping, is a matter for the local authorities or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as appropriate, my Department has introduced a number of measures to strengthen our efforts to combat illegal waste activity generally.
Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) have been established in each of the three existing waste regions with responsibility for coordinating waste enforcement actions and ensuring consistent enforcement of waste legislation while still leaving local authority personnel as first responders on the ground to specific breaches of waste legislation. This will facilitate a transformation from process driven enforcement, structured around separate implementation of individual regulations, to one that focuses greatest effort on the waste problems and issues that matter most and to take swift, proportionate and effective action.
The work of the WERLAs is being supported by continued funding provided by my Department for the local authority waste enforcement network. Some €8.2 million is being provided in 2016 for the retention by local authorities of 155 specialised waste enforcement officers, critical to tackling issues such as illegal dumping in local communities and in providing an enhanced response on the ground to infractions of the waste code.
It should also be noted that, under the new pay-by-weight regulatory regime, local authorities will be establishing a register which records the details of households which are using the services of an authorised waste operator (whether a kerbside collector, pay to use compactor or civic amenity facility). In gathering these details from service providers, local authorities may use this information to target households which appear not to be managing their waste correctly or using the services of an authorised operator and these data will support a number of awareness, education and enforcement programmes already initiated by individual local authorities.
139. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review the rules of the housing adaption grants for persons with a disability, as administered by local authorities (details supplied), to extend their application to persons with disabilities which are not physical, but which require alterations to homes, to make them safer and more suitable for the disabled person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16544/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department funds a range of housing supports for persons with a disability, living in both privately owned housing and local authority housing. The Disabled Person Grant Scheme provides funds to local authorities to undertake adaptations and extensions to homes to meet the needs of local authority tenants with a disability, or to address serious overcrowding. The Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for Older People and People with a Disability is also delivered by local authorities with funding from my Department. It assists people with a disability in private houses to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. There are no restrictions on the type of disability covered by the schemes and the administration of the available funding is a matter for the local authorities based on their assessment of priority and need at the time.
140. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a housing project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16548/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the status of the housing project referenced, I have no function in relation to individual planning cases. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority, including An Bord Pleanála, is or may be concerned.
The upcoming 'Action Plan for Housing' will aim to provide a number of new measures to accelerate the delivery of housing supply throughout the country in order to meet housing demand. As part of this, my Department is examining ways to streamline the planning system and to address infrastructural constraints by examining any potential obstacles with regard to, inter alia, serviced land and overall delivery mechanisms.
141. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will formally finalise the revision to the 2006 wind energy development guidelines; if the revision will be informed by recent developments abroad in terms of enhanced regulations governing the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16553/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines.
These draft revisions proposed:
- the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments;
- a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations; and
- the complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.
A public consultation process was also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the Guidelines, which ran until 21 February 2014. My Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.
As outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government published last week, the Government is committed to finalising the revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines within 3 to 6 months. The revisions to the Guidelines will be informed by the public consultation process and best international practice. My Department will continue to advance work on the Guidelines, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
The revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006, when finalised, will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard to guidelines issued under Section 28 in the performance of their functions under the Planning Acts.
142. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence regarding a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16557/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department funds a programme to return vacant social housing to productive use which has been in operation in its current format since 2014; under this programme, a total of €60 million was provided to local authorities between 2014 and 2015 to support the return of 5,000 properties to use. This substantial funding over 2014/15 supported local authorities to deal with a backlog of vacant social housing units and that support is continuing into 2016.
Funding support of up to €30,000 per social housing unit is available under the programme. The average cost of the works carried out in 2015 was just over €12,000, which reflects the fact that vacated social housing can be in need of varying levels of refurbishment. In addition to the 5,000 housing units referred to, many other vacated social houses are repaired and re-let by local authorities without drawing on Departmental funding. Such houses are repaired as part of the normal maintenance work that local authorities carry out continuously on their social housing stock. There is no requirement for local authorities to hold a social house in a vacant state for a specific period before drawing down funding support from my Department and, in fact, local authorities should carry out works on all such housing units as soon as possible and re-let them without delay.
There will always be a low level of vacant social housing stock, with the number of such units nationally changing daily, as would be expected in the management of thousands of homes by local authorities where tenants move in and out all the time. The feedback from local authorities is that rates of vacant units are now as low as 1-2% in many cases and the build-up of vacant units prior to 2014 has been substantially addressed via the investment in 2014/15.
143. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Traveller-specific housing will come under the remit of the new special delivery unit being established to drive specific house building projects from start to finish, given the exceptional housing issues Travellers face and the lack of progress for many years in dealing with these issues; if the establishment of this unit will provide a quicker planning route for such housing independent of local authority members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16587/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist the authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
In terms of expediting the delivery of Traveller-specific accommodation, the approach to be followed will be guided by the implementation of the Programme for Partnership Government commitment to "establish a special working group to audit the current delivery and implementation of local authorities’ Traveller Accommodation plans and consult with stakeholders on key areas of concern. The group should report a plan for the delivery of safe, culturally appropriate accommodation."
In order to progress this commitment, the Housing Agency is being asked, in the first instance, to commission an independent review of Traveller accommodation expenditure and delivery of units, having regard to the targets contained in the local authority Traveller Accommodation Programmes. These are 5-year rolling programmes prepared and published by each local authority for the provision of Traveller accommodation in their areas. These programmes are subject to comprehensive local stakeholder and public consultation, including members and representatives of the Traveller community. In parallel, the composition and terms of reference of the working group to be established under the Programme for Government commitment will be scoped by the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (NTACC), which comprises key stakeholders including representatives of the Traveller community, and submitted to me for consideration. This is in accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 which provides, inter alia, that the NTACC may advise the Minister on general matters concerning the preparation, adequacy, implementation and co-ordination of traveller accommodation programmes. The independent review commissioned by the Housing Agency will provide factual information and a key platform for the working group to progress its work effectively.
While the timing of the finalisation of the work of the working group will be dependent upon its terms of reference and work programme, I will be mandating the group to complete their report in the earliest time possible.
144. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the properties leased by his Department and agencies under its remit; the number leased on upward-only rents and the number of the lessors involved with the National Asset Management Agency or any of the State banks; and the details of each lease. [16599/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn general, premises and sites occupied by my Department are rented or leased by the Office of Public Works, rather than directly by my Department. Details relating to premises and sites currently rented directly by Met Éireann are set out as follows:
|
Location |
Landlord |
Upward only rent |
|
Office space - Dublin Airport |
Dublin Airport Authority |
No |
|
Office space - Shannon Airport |
Shannon Airport Authority |
No |
|
Office space - Cork Airport |
Dublin Airport Authority |
No |
It should be noted that these premises are also used for the placement of meteorological equipment as well as staff accommodation.
My Department also shares with other Government Departments the rent and ancillary costs of a premises occupied by Ireland's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.
My Department has no involvement with the National Asset Management Agency or any of the State banks in relation to staff accommodation.
The information sought in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is not held in my Department as staff accommodation issues are a day to day operational matter for the bodies concerned.
145. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection the assistance he provides to jobseekers in receipt of payments under the disability allowance scheme seeking employment; the schemes available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16427/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraPeople with disabilities who wish to engage in employment, including those in receipt of Disability Allowance, may call to the local Intreo service or to their Local Employment service where they will receive an appointment with a case officer who will assist them in preparing a personal progression plan (PPP). PPPs are tailored to a person’s individual requirement so the customer will be referred to appropriate supports such as EmployAbility.
A caseworker working with a person with a disability can arrange access for that client to most of the range of services and programmes that are available to people on jobseekers’ payments. This includes access to programmes such as JobBridge, First Steps, Back to Education Allowance, and SOLAS training for unemployed people. Exceptions include the JobsPlus recruitment subsidy, the Momentum training intervention and Tús, all of which were specifically designed for long-term recipients of jobseeker payments.
In addition a person on Disability Allowance has the option of participation in Community Employment(CE). Eligibility requirements for people with disabilities are not as demanding as for other job seeker groups so as to encourage participation. Those on job-seekers’ payments generally must be aged over 25 and on a payment for a year or more. Effectively a person in receipt of DA who is aged 18 or over can be in receipt of their payment for 1 week and be eligible for CE.
EmployAbility, provides a supported employment service to assist people with a disability to secure and maintain a job in the open labour market. This service provides a range of supports, through 23 EmployAbility companies, on behalf of the DSP include the services Job Coaches who provide a range of supports tailored to the individual needs of a jobseeker.
My Department also provides, through the Wage Subsidy Scheme, financial incentives to employers, outside the public sector, to employ disabled people who work more than 21 hours per week. An employee must work a minimum of 21 hours per week up to a maximum of 39 hours per week. The rate of subsidy is €5.30 per hour and is based on the number of hours worked, giving a total annual subsidy available of €10,748 per annum based on 39 hour week. This payment is not time-limited and is paid for the full period of employment of the individual concerned.
Moreover my Department provides a range of employment supports for people with disabilities through the The Reasonable Accommodation Fund for the Employment of people with disabilities, comprising the Workplace Equipment and Adaptation Grant, the Personal Reader Grant, the Job Interview Interpreter Grant and the Employee Retention Grant.
A further scheme available through my Department, the Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme, provides funding so that employers can buy in Disability Awareness Training for their staff. The purpose of the training is to deliver clear and accurate information about disability and to address questions or concerns that employers and employees may have about working with people with disabilities.
I hope that this clarifies, for the Deputy, the comprehensive range of supports available from my Department.
