Written Answers Nos. 638-655
638. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount spent on the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23756/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra639. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of units on the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23757/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 638 and 639 together.
The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the leasing of houses and apartments. These properties are either privately owned or owned by AHBs. Properties made available under the programme are used to accommodate households from local authority waiting lists.
Details of the total number of properties operational under SHCEP at the end of each of the years 2011 to 2017 are provided below in tabular form. My Department is currently gathering data from local authorities for Quarter 1 of 2018 and this will be published on my Department's website as soon as it is available
|
Year |
Dwellings operational under SHCEP |
|
2011 |
2,496 |
|
2012 |
3,701 |
|
2013 |
4,600 |
|
2014 |
5,622 |
|
2015 |
7,099 |
|
2016 |
8,366 |
|
2017 |
10,152 |
In total, it is estimated that an additional 21,100 dwellings will be incrementally supported under SHCEP in the period from 2018 to 2021. This includes dwellings to be sourced through long-term lease arrangements from a range of different sources, the Repair and Leasing Scheme and properties which will be delivered by AHBs through a combination of the support under my Department's Capital Advance Loan Facility (CALF) and private borrowings, including from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA).
The annual cost of SHCEP to the Exchequer is made up of the continuing cost of supporting existing tenancies and contracts in place at the end of the previous year together with the additional cost of the new tenancies and contracts supported over the course of the year to which the allocation relates. Exchequer funding for SHCEP in 2018 is €115m – an increase of €31m over 2017. Details of the funding drawn-down by local authorities under SHCEP from 2011 to 2017, and for the first quarter of 2018, are provided below in tabular form.
|
Period |
SHCEP Expenditure |
|
2011 |
€13,817,464 |
|
2012 |
€20,814,526 |
|
2013 |
€27,362,6145 |
|
2014 |
€34,844,780 |
|
2015 |
€42,275,724* |
|
2016 |
€54,028,752 |
|
2017 |
€84,050,743 |
|
Q1 2018 |
€14,016,737 |
*Of this figure, a total of €7,933,651 was self-funded by local authorities using funding from their RAS Reserve.
640. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to make changes to the housing aid for older persons and the housing adaptation grant scheme operated by local authorities to accommodate persons (details supplied); and if assistance and information will be provided to persons in these cases. [23802/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Aid for Older People Scheme provides grants of up to €8,000 to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out. The grant eligible works include the provision of heating and any repair or improvement works which are considered reasonably necessary.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability provides support where heating needs to be extended to cover adaptations or extensions to homes that have been made under the scheme to improve the living conditions of the applicant.
The detailed administration of these grants, including the assessment, approval and prioritisation of grants to applicants under the various measures, is the responsibility of the local authorities. In this regard local authorities prioritise applications on the basis of the medical needs of the applicant and on the urgency and necessity of the identified works.
641. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of ministerial cars or vehicles in operation in each of the past six years; and the costs associated with same. [24033/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government decided on 15 March 2011 that, with the exception of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality who continued to retain their State cars and Garda drivers, the travel arrangements then in place for Ministers of State would apply to all Ministers. The new travel regime for Ministers took effect from 1 May 2011. Since then no ministerial cars have been provided to Ministers in my Department from the Garda fleet.
642. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the allocation to the Heritage Council in capital and current spending in each of the years 2008 to 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23114/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2018, I allocated funding of €6.377M to the Heritage Council as part of the annual Estimates process. This represents an increase of €123,000 on the 2017 allocation, which, in turn, had been increased by over €1 million on the 2016 allocation.
The funding allocations to the Heritage Council, both capital and current, as part of the annual Estimates process for each of the years 2008 to 2018 are set out in the table below.
These figures exclude any additional allocations provided under the Environment Fund which is separate to my Department’s core allocations and administered within the Vote of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
|
Heritage Council |
||
|
2008 Capital |
2008 Current |
Total |
|
€7,874,000 |
€5,529,000 |
€13,403,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2009 Capital |
2009 Current |
|
|
€5,000,000 |
€5,142,000 |
€10,142,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2010 Capital |
2010 Current |
|
|
€4,500,000 |
€3,982,000 |
€8,482,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2011 Capital |
2011 Current |
|
|
€3,000,000 |
€2,992,000 |
€5,992,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2012 Capital |
2012 Current |
|
|
€1,969,000 |
€2,842,000 |
€4,811,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2013 Capital |
2013 Current |
|
|
€1,781,000 |
€2,665,000 |
€4,446,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2014 Capital |
2014 Current |
|
|
€1,688,000 |
€2,805,000 |
€4,493,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2015 Capital |
2015 Current |
|
|
€1,688,000 |
€3,055,000 |
€4,743,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2016 Capital |
2016 Current |
|
|
€1,688,000 |
€3,555,000 |
€5,243,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2017 Capital |
2017 Current |
|
|
€2,688,000 |
€3,566,000 |
€6,254,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2018 Capital |
2018 Current |
|
|
€2,688,000 |
€3,689,000 |
€6,377,000 |
643. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the allocation to the Irish Museum of Modern Art in capital and current spending in each of the years 2016 to 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23115/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe allocation to the Irish Museum of Modern Art for both capital and current spending for years 2016, 2017 and 2018 is as set out below:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total - Grant |
|
2016 |
€ 4,493,000 |
€320,000 |
€4,813,000 |
|
2017 |
€ 4,823,000 |
€320,000 |
€5,143,000 |
|
2018 |
€ 5,328,000 |
€320,000 |
€5,648,000 |
The Irish Museum of Modern Art also received additional state funding in 2016 and 2017 for specific projects or initiatives as set out below:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total – Other funding |
|
2016 |
€69,645 |
€90,000 |
€159,645 |
|
2017 |
|
€146,577 |
€146,577 |
I welcome the contribution of the Irish Museum of Modern Art as the home of contemporary art in Ireland.
644. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the allocation to the Chester Beatty Library in capital and current spending in each of the years 2016 to 2018, in tabular from; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23116/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe allocation to the Chester Beatty library for both capital and current spending for each of the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 is as set out below:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total - Grant |
|
2016 |
€2,229,000.00 |
€175,000.00 |
€2,404,000 |
|
2017 |
€2,346,000.00 |
€175,000.00 |
€2,521,000 |
|
2018 |
€2,520,000.00 |
€175,000.00 |
€2,695,000 |
The Chester Beatty Library also received State additional funding in 2016 and 2017 for specific projects or initiatives which is as set out below:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total – Other funding |
|
2016 |
€9,500 |
- |
€9,500 |
|
2017 |
- |
€80,000 |
€80,000 |
The Chester Beatty Library continues to play a valuable role as a window on the artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world.
645. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the allocation to the National Concert Hall in capital and current spending in each of the years 2016 to 2018, in tabular from; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23117/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe allocation to the National Concert Hall for both capital and current spending for 2016, 2017 and 2018 is as set out below:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total - Grant |
|
2016 |
€2,265,000 |
€160,000 |
€2,425,000 |
|
2017 |
€2,449,000 |
€260,000 |
€2,709,000 |
|
2018 |
€2,569,000 |
€260,000 |
€2,829,000 |
The National Concert Hall also received additional state funding in 2016 and 2017 for specific projects or initiatives which is as set out below:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total – Other funding |
|
2016 |
€354,000 |
€250,807 |
€604,807 |
|
2017 |
€5,000 |
€195,285 |
€200,285 |
I welcome the contribution made by the National Concert Hall to the celebration and appreciation of music in Ireland.
646. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the allocation to the Crawford Art Gallery in capital and current spending in each of the years 2016 to 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23118/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe allocation to the Crawford Art Gallery for both capital and current funding in each of the years 2016, 2017 and for 2018 is as set out below:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total - Grant |
|
2016 |
€1,072,000 |
€162,000 |
€1,234,000 |
|
2017 |
€1,176,000 |
€162,000 |
€1,338,000 |
|
2018 |
€1,236,000 |
€162,000 |
€1,398,000 |
The Crawford Art Gallery was also in receipt of other state funding in 2016 and 2017 for specific initiatives or projects which is as set out below:
|
|
Current |
Capital |
Total – Other funding |
|
2016 |
€45,989.07 |
€90,000 |
€135,989.07 |
|
2017 |
€32,132.68 |
Nil |
€32,132.68 |
I welcome the contribution which the Crawford Art Gallery makes to the visual arts particularly as the only National Cultural Institution located entirely outside Dublin.
647. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the heritage in school scheme has closed for further bookings; the steps being taken to resolve the matter; the reason an insufficient level of funding has been awarded to ensure the scheme can operate; the number of applications received, granted and refused respectively, for the scheme in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23165/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra653. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the heritage in schools scheme run by the Heritage Council has been closed for bookings; the way in which this will affect schools; when the scheme will reopen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23626/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 653 together.
The Heritage Council, which is funded by my Department, is independent in the performance of its functions. It is a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding is allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports.
In 2018, I allocated funding of €6.377M to the Heritage Council as part of the annual Estimates process. This represents an increase of €123,000 on the 2017 allocation, which, in turn, had been increased by over €1 million on the 2016 allocation.
The Heritage in Schools Programme is very popular and successful in raising awareness and appreciation of our national heritage.
The numbers of applications for Heritage in Schools 2018 are as follows:
|
Applications Received |
Applications Granted |
Applications refused |
|
1601 |
1530 |
71 |
I am informed by the Heritage Council that the Programme is fully booked for this year. I understand, however, that the Council is examining whether it can identify further funding to allow the Programme to expand and meet increased demand. I also understand that the Heritage Council plans to develop the Programme further as part of their new Strategic Plan which will be published shortly.
More detailed information on this Programme and the Heritage Council’s other activities is available on its website www.heritagecouncil.ie or by contacting the Council directly.
648. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a company (details supplied) has received funding in the past five years; if so, the amount provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23239/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not provided funding to the organisation referenced by the Deputy during the period in question.
649. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of Arts Council grant funding awarded to a company (details supplied) in the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23245/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Arts Council is statutorily independent under the Arts Act 2003 and as Minister I have no function in relation to the Council’s funding decisions. However, following an enquiry on the matter the Arts Council has informed my Department that it has not provided funding for the company referred to in the question.
The Deputy may wish to know that the Arts Council's website provides information of all funding decisions made by the Arts Council from 2008 to date. Funding decisions are also routinely published in the Arts Council newsletter and in the Arts Council's annual reports which are also available in the publications section of the Arts Council's website.
650. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of funding provided to a company (details supplied) since its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23273/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe total payments made to the company referred to in the question since the date of the establishment of my Department on 2 June 2011 is €39,057 broken between €32,680 in current funding and €6,377 in capital funding.
651. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is satisfied that all contracts a company (details supplied) holds with her Department and State agencies under her aegis have been tendered for; if her attention has been drawn to contracts awarded to the company that have not been tendered for; if her attention has been further drawn to contracts awarded to the company that have rolled over; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21667/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra652. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the number of contracts her Department and State agencies under her aegis hold with a company (details supplied) in view of its recent announcement regarding the need to raise an emergency €700 million; if contingency plans are in place if the company were to collapse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21666/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 651 and 652 together.
I refer the Deputy to the reply given to Parliamentary Question No. 592 of 7th November 2017.
Two bodies under the aegis of my Department, Waterways Ireland and the National Gallery of Ireland, currently have contracts with the company specified by the Deputy.
Waterways Ireland has a contract for €103,000 (excl. VAT) for software maintenance support and managed services in respect of its Financial Management System. The current contract, which has been extended, is due to conclude on 30 November 2019.
The National Gallery of Ireland has a five year contract valued at €145,000 (excl. VAT) to support the body's financial management system. The contract which was awarded following an open competition is due to conclude in 2021.
Both bodies have advised of their intention to consider alternative financial management systems before the expiry of the existing contracts.
654. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the budget spent on the provision of music tuition for children in each of the past 10 years. [23635/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMusic tuition includes a very broad spectrum of practitioners ranging from those employed at all levels in our schools, in university and college courses as well as private sector provision.
While my Department is not directly involved in tuition per se, my Department does support the wider sector through a number of initiatives for example:
- One of the commitments in the Creative Ireland Programme is that by 2022 every child will have access to tuition in Music, Drama, Art and Coding. Creative Youth which was launched in December 2017 is a plan to enable the creative potential of every child and young person. The plan sets out measures to deliver on this key goal of the Creative Ireland Programme. This Plan will be progressed over the next five years in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Arts Council. At this plan's core is a firm belief that creativity and culture should be at the heart of education for all our young people and I look forward to working with the Department's key partners to deliver this plan for all our children and young people. This report can be accessed at the following link https://creative.ireland.ie/en/library.
- Annual funding of €1.6m is provided to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ) in 2018 for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture. CCÉ provides weekly classes at community level in all traditional instruments, singing, and dance through its network of centres and branches all over the country.
- My Department provides funding for the purchase of equipment under the Music Capital Scheme to performing groups and individual talented musicians. Support of €224,000 was recently under Scheme for 2017/18. The Scheme is managed by Music Network on behalf of my Department.
- Culture Ireland, provides supports for Irish artists and musicians to travel abroad and develop their careers.
The Arts Council also has a number of schemes and initiatives around the support of music and details of these can be accessed on its website at the following link www.artscouncil.ie/available-funding/?searchquery=Music.
655. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 74 of 23 January 2018, the number of units which remain vacant held by Údarás na Gaeltachta; the number that have been leased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23698/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed by Údarás na Gaeltachta that out of the 106 units that were reported vacant in January 2018, that number now stands at 77, which represents a significant decrease. Details in respect of the vacant and leased properties in each Gaeltacht County is outlined in the table below.
In summary, of the 425 units in total held by An tÚdarás, 77 are currently reported vacant (18%).
|
County |
Vacant |
Leased |
Total |
|
Donegal |
34 |
104 |
138 |
|
Mayo |
12 |
34 |
46 |
|
Galway |
28 |
131 |
159 |
|
Kerry |
3 |
53 |
56 |
|
Cork |
0 |
20 |
20 |
|
Waterford |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Meath |
0 |
4 |
4 |
|
Total |
77 |
348 |
425 |
