Written Answers Nos. 109 - 117
109. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Rathvilly and Tullow, County Carlow which should result in the creation of two housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18630/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe advancement of the projects at Rathvilly and Tullow, County Carlow to construct 2 new social housing units through design, planning and construction is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council.
I understand that the Council is undertaking the tendering process in relation to the unit at Rathvilly, and in the case of Tullow, the Council is preparing the tender documents.
110. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Hackettstown, County Carlow which should result in the creation of four housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18631/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe advancement of the project at Hackettstown, County Carlow to construct 4 new social housing units through design, planning and construction is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council.
The project was given funding approval in principle in January this year and I understand that the Council is now working on the design and costings for the project.
111. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Ballyhaise, County Cavan which should result in the creation of eight housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18632/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe advancement of the project at Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan to construct 8 new social housing units is a matter in the first instance for Cavan County Council. I understand that the Council is currently in the process of procuring a design team to advance this project.
112. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of a construction project at Butlersbridge, County Cavan which should result in the creation of six housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18633/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe advancement of the project at Butlersbridge, Co. Cavan to construct 4 new social housing units through design, planning and construction is a matter in the first instance for Cavan County Council. This project also includes the refurbishment of 2 units for social housing purposes.
I understand that the refurbishment works on the 2 units is nearing completion, while the 4 units to be constructed are currently at design stage and will progress at the earliest opportunity.
114. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he has access to or sight of a national hydrological study with a view to identification of the most sensitive and seriously affected areas of flooding over the past number of years with a view to prevention in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18777/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn September 2004, Government approved a national flood risk policy which assigned OPW the lead role for flood risk management and mitigation.
The OPW’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme is the principal vehicle for implementing the Government’s 2004 national policy on flood risk management. The CFRAM Programme will in mid-2016 publish, for public consultation, 29 draft Flood Risk Management Plans that will provide recommended solutions of both a structural and non-structural nature, through 29 Flood Risk Management Plans, to proactively manage flood risk in those areas at significant risk from fluvial and coastal flooding. The Plans are scheduled to be finalised at the end of 2016.
The OPW Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group, established to support the CFRAM Programme, was reconvened in July 2015. The purpose of the Co-ordination Group is to have regard to the extent of non-structural solutions that will inform the ten year implementation strategy of the Flood Risk Management Plans and to ensure that policies that can benefit communities and individuals directly - to be prepared and respond to or live with flood risk - are carefully considered. The Co-ordination Group is to report to Government with its costed recommendations to support a smooth implementation of the Flood Risk Management Plans.
My Department is represented on the Co-ordination Group and has work closely with the OPW on the generation of their Final Report to Government, providing input on a number of policy initiatives under consideration. The Final Report from the Group is being progressed to align with the development of draft Flood Risk Management Plans.
115. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for community development in urban and rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18778/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe successor programme to the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP), the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) was rolled out across communities, both urban and rural, in April 2015 and will run until 31 December 2017. The aim of the SICAP is to reduce poverty, and promote social inclusion and equality through local, regional and national engagement and collaboration. SICAP is a key priority of Government and its vision is to improve the life chances and opportunities of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty or in unemployment, through community development approaches, targeted supports and interagency collaboration, where the values of equality and inclusion are promoted and human rights are respected.
Community development is an integral part of SICAP and underpins the entire programme. There is a strong focus on community activation, social inclusion and community development, in addition to prioritisation of those most hard to reach in our communities. The SICAP budget for 2016 is €37.5 million. This includes an allocation of €3 million under the European Structural Funds (ESF) Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020.
The programme’s target groups are children and families from disadvantaged areas, lone parents, new communities (including refugees, asylum seekers), people living in disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities, Roma, the unemployed (including those not on the Live Register), Travellers, low income workers/households, young unemployed people from disadvantaged areas and young people aged 15-24 who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs).
SICAP is delivered locally by programme implementers who operate a range of community schemes and programmes, and is being overseen and managed by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in each Local Authority area. Each LCDC is mandated with bringing a more joined-up and coherent approach to the local management of public-funded programmes in the areas of economic, social and community development, including SICAP. The primary means through which this will be achieved will be the development and implementation of the community elements of the Local Economic and Community Plans, which have been developed in each Local Authority area. These six year plans will look to coordinate the delivery of community supports within their area. The primary focus of my Department is to ensure that front-line services, particularly those focused on the needs of the most socially deprived communities, are protected. The Programme for Government includes provisions for the development of a new Community Development Scheme for rural areas as well as the reactivation of and increase in funding to RAPID. My Department will collaborate with other stakeholders including LCDCs and Local Authorities in addressing this commitment.
Insofar as rural areas are concerned, lead responsibility for rural development, including the LEADER programme, rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
116. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent, if any, to which he has plans to address urban and rural decay in all regions; if he has conducted an audit in this regard with a view to determining the full extent of the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18779/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new Programme for Partnership Government sets out the ambitious priority attached to urban regeneration by the new Government, with a series of specific actions set out therein as to how it is proposed to facilitate the regeneration of our urban centres.
In this context, I have established a working group, which I will chair, comprising senior representatives from my Department, local authorities and other relevant actors, to bring forward proposals for new urban regeneration measures as early as possible. It is intended that such new measures will complement the existing regeneration programme under the Social Housing Capital Programme, as well as other social regeneration initiatives already under way.
The series of specific actions set out in the Programme for Partnership Government are examples of the Government ’s commitment and approach to regenerating our urban centres, many of which were adversely impacted by our recent economic difficulties. In this context, the Government will seek to introduce a new Town and Village Renewal Scheme to support the revitalisation of our towns and villages and improve the living and working environment of communities. Using the €30 million available to local authorities for town and village regeneration from this year, it is envisaged that the scheme will, among other things, particularly seek to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of our towns and villages as places to live and work.
In addition to this new Scheme, it is also intended under the new Programme for Partnership Government to examine a series of further initiatives, including:
- the introduction of a similar scheme to the ‘Living City Initiative’ to regenerate urban centres and villages throughout Ireland (Year 1 action),
- reclassifying and incentivising the use of underutilised or vacant areas over ground floor premises in urban areas, for both residential and commercial use (Year 1 action),
- examining the scope to reform the Derelict Sites Act to tackle the under-use and hoarding of derelict land by the State, semi-State and private sectors (Year 1 action),
- the establishment of a national register of derelict sites, in addition to the new vacant site levy, to bring vacant and underutilised sites into beneficial use for housing and urban regeneration purposes (Year 2 action), and
- the mandating of local authorities with better land management powers (Year 2 action).
In the context of the priority being attached to urban regeneration by the current Government, I will be aiming to provide increased funding in 2017 and beyond for a range of measures that will address deep-rooted disadvantage, while simultaneously developing an approach to urban regeneration that empowers people to work together to improve their communities, to reduce poverty, disadvantage and inequality. It is intended that these new measures will also include strengthening the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) as well as reactivating funding to areas covered by the RAPID (Revitalising Areas through Planning, Investment and Development) Programme through the local authorities.
117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when his Department last received a submission from Kildare County Council in respect of the group water scheme at Ballyna, Broadford, County Kildare; if he has accorded priority to the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18781/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department engaged with Kildare County Council on costs associated with the Ballyna Group Water Scheme during 2015. Kildare County Council did not include this scheme in its bid for funding under the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2016-2018. I understand that proposals for the Ballyna Group Water Scheme is dependent upon related investment in major public water supply infrastructure by Irish Water. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
