National Oversight and Audit Commission

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 February 2017

Wednesday, 8 February 2017

Ceisteanna (165, 166)

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

165. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that the performance indicators in local authorities, as compiled by the National Oversight and Audit Commission in regard to the measure concerning transport, only measures the quality of road surface and amount of road grants and does not measure any metric relating to sustainable transport and travel, such as funding or mode share for walking, cycling or public transport; and if he plans to make any changes to the indicators measured. [6252/17]

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

166. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that the performance indicators in local authorities, as compiled by the National Oversight and Audit Commission concerning the related measure, do not examine the issue of carbon emissions; and if he plans to make any changes to the indicators measured. [6253/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together.

The National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) was established under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 to provide oversight of the local government sector and it is statutorily independent of my Department. The specific functions assigned to NOAC include scrutiny of the performance of any local government body against relevant indicators to which NOAC considers it appropriate to refer. Determination of the indicators for inclusion in its annual performance indicators reports is, within the existing legislative framework, a matter for NOAC itself.

The work being led by my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, to develop further the national climate mitigation and adaptation policy frameworks will likely involve the further development of mechanisms for the measurement of carbon emissions. According as that work progresses, I will keep under review the role that my Department and associated agencies may be able to play in measuring and reporting on carbon emissions associated with relevant areas of activity.