Written Answers Nos. 298-314
298. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the recent change in flood risk assessment (details supplied) for Johnstownbridge, County Kildare will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16071/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Works (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. The Programme undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities, has involved the production of predictive flood mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of Flood Risk Management Plans.
The CFRAM Programme focused on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) including 90 coastal areas, mainly in urban locations nationwide, designated in 2012 as being at potentially significant risk of flooding. The flood risk for each of these areas has been assessed, through detailed engineering techniques to assess their risk and impact from flooding. This risk and the proposed feasible measures, both structural and non-structural, identified to manage that risk are outlined in the Flood Risk Management Plans. These Plans have been submitted by the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for his approval and are expected to be launch in May.
Johnstownbridge in County Kildare was assessed, using detailed engineering analysis and extensive public consultation as part of the Eastern CFRAM Study. This consultation included observations from Kildare County Council. The flood risk for Johnstownbridge is assessed by the CFRAM Programme as being relatively low. The OPW is continuing to monitor the flood risk for this and all areas assessed under the CFRAM Programme.
299. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual visitor numbers at the County Donegal locations under the care of the OPW which are staffed to accomodate the public. [16072/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra300. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount spent on an annual basis on each OPW site which are either tourist attractions or open to the public. [16073/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra301. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount his Department budgets annually for the maintenance and promotion of Grianán of Aileach, County Donegal. [16074/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 299 to 301, inclusive, together.
The visitor admissions in 2017 at staffed (ie: Guided) sites in Co. Donegal operated by the Office of Public Works were as follows:
|
Site Name |
Admissions 2017* |
|
Donegal Castle |
55,166 |
|
Glebe House & Gallery |
27,998 |
|
Newmills Corn & Flax Mills |
3,258 |
*These are provisional figures and are subject to confirmatory audit.
Funding for the upkeep of Heritage estate in State care is provided through the Vote of the Office of Public Works, and OPW maintains in excess of 1,000 structures on approx. 780 sites nationwide. 70 of these locations are open as visitor attractions on either a fulltime or seasonal basis and a considerable number of the remainder are available as open sites where the public can freely visit but where specific visitor facilities are not in place. Funds within the Vote are not generally allocated on a County basis but are held as a general resource to meet requirements on an as needed, nationwide basis. Funds allocated for this estate in 2018 are as follows:
|
Subhead No. |
Site |
€m |
|
Subhead I1 |
National Historic Properties (Includes all operational and maintenance costs) |
15,254 |
|
Subhead I2 |
National Monuments (Includes maintenance staff wages, works and materials costs, utilities etc) |
15,487 |
|
Subhead I3 |
Visitor Services (includes costs of presentation; Guide staff wages, advertising, website etc) |
9,308 |
The outturn on these Subheads for 2017 was:
|
Subhead No. |
Site |
€m |
|
Subhead I1 |
National Historic Properties |
15,052 |
|
Subhead I2 |
National Monuments |
15,950 |
|
Subhead I3 |
Visitor Services |
9,590 |
Funds within the Vote in respect of National Monuments are not allocated on a site basis but are held as a general resource to meet any requirements arising; on that basis, spending on the Grianán an Aileach site in 2017 totalled €34,036.36, including wages for Caretaking and maintenance charges.
302. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons employed by the OPW in County Donegal who have a role in tourism or the accomodation of visitors; and the locations in which those employees are based. [16075/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Glebe House and Gallery will be open to the public from 26 May 2018 to 30 September 2018 and will have 6 Information Guides employed there during that period to provide services to visitors.
Donegal Castle is open throughout the year. From 28 March 2018 to 30 September 2018, 5 Information Guides are employed there to provide services to visitors. 2 Information Guides are employed during the period from September to March.
Newmills Corn and Flax Mills is currently scheduled to open from 31 May 2018 to 30 September 2018 and will have 3 Information Guides employed there to provide services to visitors.
Information on visitor services provided by the Office of Public Works is available on the Heritage Ireland website www.heritageireland.ie.
303. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW has made efforts to secure new properties or previously owned properties along the Border in preparation for Brexit. [16081/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the Commissioners of Public Works have not taken measures to secure either new properties or previously owned properties along the Border in preparation for Brexit.
The Government is continuing to work with the EU Taskforce and its EU27 partners with a view to achieving an orderly withdrawal, including a transition period, as well as agreeing a framework for an ambitious future relationship with the UK. In this regard, a Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland is an integral part of the draft Withdrawal Agreement. It is drafted to give legal effect to the commitments and guarantees provided in the EU-UK Joint Report of last December on avoiding a hard border and protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, including North South cooperation and rights. It also reflects the agreement reached on the maintaining the Common Travel Area.
The Commissioners of Public Works, in liaison with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, continue to contribute as appropriate to the whole-of-Government response to Brexit, which is being taken forward through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
309. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of applications that have been made under the flood relocation scheme by county; the number that have been successful and refused respectively, by county; and his plans to make changes to the scheme. [16159/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn April 11th 2017, the Government agreed the administrative arrangements for a Once-Off Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme for those primary residential properties that flooded during December 4th 2015 to January 13th 2016. This is a national scheme of humanitarian assistance, targeting aid at those worst affected properties, for which there are no alternative feasible measures.
The Government decision confirmed that a homeowner had to meet a number of conditions to be eligible for assistance under this scheme, including:
- That floodwater entered and damaged the building during the relevant dates such as to render it uninhabitable.
- That the property was the homeowners primary residence at the time of the floods.
- That the affected property must have a significant probability of the recurrence of the flood depth, duration or frequency on a scale that could cause further serious and similar damage to the home.
- That the property is not due to or may not benefit from a planned or possible future major, minor or individual flood defence scheme.
- That the property may not be protected adequately from being flooded in the future at an economically feasible cost through other flood mitigation works including minor works, individual property protection or other possible measures that can be considered at this time.
- That the homeowner is unable to obtain flood risk insurance.
The OPW has been working with each of the Local Authorities, using their extensive and detailed local knowledge, to identify the homes that flooded during the event, and of those identified which properties may not benefit from a known or possible engineering solution.
In addition, homeowners also had the opportunity to express an interest to be considered under the scheme, directly with the OPW before July 28th 2017.
The up to date position in relation to properties being considered under this scheme is:
- 74 are currently being investigated for potential remedial works. If works are not deemed viable those homeowners will be contacted individually, in relation to being considered further under this once off scheme.
- 34 homeowners, following a desk based review that may not benefit from an engineering solution have been individually met by the OPW to exchange information on their flooding experience and details of the scheme.
Following these individual meetings, those homeowners deemed to potentially meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme will, in the coming weeks, be invited to apply for a site inspection of their home. This assessment will consider the primary residence against the criteria for the scheme, including if there is a possible localised engineering solution.
There are a small number of other homeowner’s that the OPW is liaising with in relation to their expression of interest.
The OPW has received 9 appeals from homeowners who expressed an interest, but who the OPW concluded their homes did not qualify for the Scheme.
The numbers of homes within the process are changing weekly as the process evolves and as assessments are carried out.
The overall number of homes currently under consideration for the Scheme is relatively low which presents a risk that individual homeowners could be identified by providing data on a County level.
310. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the investment made by the Office of Public Works on Malahide Garda station since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16410/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that a total of just under €235,000 has been spent by the Office of Public Works on Malahide Garda Station from 1 January 2016 to date. This amount represents the cost of repairs to and maintenance of building fabric and mechanical and electrical installations and systems in the period in question.
The table below shows the breakdown of that expenditure by year.
|
Year |
Totals (to nearest €00) |
|
2016 |
€71,400 |
|
2017 |
€90,700 |
|
2018 to date |
€72,900 |
|
Grand Total |
€235,000 |
311. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of clerical officers and clerical assistants in his Department on temporary contracts by years of service; if these officers will be offered permanent positions in the Civil Service when they have served a fixed period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16435/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that there are no Clerical Officers or Clerical Assistants on temporary contracts in my Department.
312. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 18 January 2018, the status of works on the river (details supplied). [16515/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of Public Works (OPW) carries out a programme of Arterial Drainage Maintenance to a total of 11,500 km of river channel and approximately 730 km of embankments nationally. These maintenance works relate to arterial drainage schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. The OPW has a statutory duty to maintain the completed schemes in proper repair and effective condition. The annual maintenance programme typically involves some clearance of vegetation and removal of silt build-up on an average five-yearly cycle. Each year, work is carried out to approximately 2,000 km of channel and about 200 structures around the country. Maintenance of all drainage schemes carried out under earlier Acts, known as Drainage Districts, is the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority.
The OPW is responsible for the maintenance of the Brosna Drainage Scheme, which includes the channel that flows through Kilbrennan. The blockage at Kilbrennan was investigated and scheduled maintenance of the channel will commence when the environmental window allows, taking account of restrictions imposed by this being a spawning channel as well as a section of the channel being in a Special Area of Conservation. The landowner has been informed of the current position.
313. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of State owned properties in each county, including property owned by local authorities; the acreage of land owned by the State in each county; the acreage of land owned by the State in each county that is suitable for residential construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16620/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the Public Service Reform Plan, one of the actions under the Government's Property Asset Management Delivery Plan was the creation of an Intra-State Property Register. The Office of Public Works hosts this Register, which is a work-in-progress. The Register contains basic details of properties held by 94 public bodies. While the Office of Public Works hosts the Register, the properties and the data relating to them are the responsibility of the organisation that holds the property. The main use of the Register is to facilitate intra-state transfer of properties which are surplus to one State organisation but which are required by another. Intra-State transfers of such property assets makes for a more efficient use of the State’s property portfolio.
The population of the Register is ongoing by State bodies, and it includes a range of property types with varying levels of completeness. Each State body is responsible for the data they provide and for responding to requests for information on the property, they hold. In relation to the properties held by the Commissioners of Public Works, I refer you to the recent PQ 55217/17 answered on 16th January 2018.
Similarly, with regard to the local authority residential land bank, its active management is part of a range of complementary actions being progressed under the Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, designed to accelerate and increase housing output. In that regard, I refer to the reply to the identical Question asked of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on today's Order Paper.
314. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of tendering projects the Office of Government Procurement is managing with regards to the construction of residential property on State owned land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16623/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, has responsibility for the delivery of the Government’s Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, Rebuilding Ireland. The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has assisted the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in relation to one aspect of the plan through the establishment of a Framework for the provision of rapid delivery housing projects. This involves the construction of social housing projects on sites provided by the Contracting Authority. To date, three Local Authorities have tendered for six housing projects to deliver 123 social housing units under the Framework. While the OGP facilitated the development of the Framework, the tender processes and any consequent contracts awarded under the Framework are managed by the respective Contracting Authorities, the Local Authorities in these cases.
