Wednesday, 9 Nov 2022

Written Answers Nos. 47-57

Departmental Staff

Ceisteanna (47)

Mick Barry

Ceist:

47. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of civil servants in her Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty or acting allowance; the number who have been seconded for more than ten, more than 20 and more than 30 years, respectively; if the higher duty allowance is not pensionable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55767/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

I am advised that 4 officers are on secondment from my Department to other Government Departments. All of these secondments are for a period of less than 10 years.

The salaries for each of the seconded officers are paid by their receiving Department and the salary arrangements are a matter for the receiving Departments.

The table below sets the details for these secondment arrangements.

Grade	Receiving Organisation
Clerical Officer	Dept. Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Archivist	Dept. Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Higher Executive Officer	Dept. of the Taoiseach
Assistant Principal	Dept. of Finance

Commemorative Events

Ceisteanna (48, 49)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

48. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason the public was excluded from the 2022 National Famine Commemoration Day on 15 May 2022, when other State events, such as the 1916 Rising commemoration held on 17 April and the earlier St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on 17 March, were all open to the public. [55696/22]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

49. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the date and venue when the 2023 National Famine Commemoration Day events will be held; and if it is intended to proceed with an international-twinning An Gorta Mór day next year as intended before. [55697/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together.

With regard to the National Famine Commemoration 2022 held at the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park, Co. Roscommon on Sunday, 15th May 2022 I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Questions 134, 135 and 136 of Thursday, 29 September 2022.

As the Deputy will be aware, the National Famine Commemoration Committee has responsibility for considering arrangements for the National Famine Commemoration each year. The Committee will meet shortly to consider arrangements for the 2023 Ceremony and will reflect on the experience of the last two years in putting forward proposals for 2023.

Question No. 49 answered with Question No. 48.

Coláistí Samhraidh

Ceisteanna (50)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

50. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán Chun an bhfuil i gceist aici deontas bliantúil a chur ar fáil leis na barr-chostais a chlúdach i gcomhair ionaid atá in úsáid mar choláistí Gaeilge de bharr na mbarr-chostasí mór a bhaineann lena leithéid anois; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [55792/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Cuirtear idir chúnamh caipitil agus reatha ar fáil faoi Chlár Tacaíochtaí Pobail agus Teanga mo Roinne chun cabhrú le forbairt bhonneagar pobail agus teanga na Gaeltachta mar chuid d'fhorfheidhmiú an phróisis pleanála teanga.

Faoi chiste caipitil an chláir sin cuireann an Roinn tacaíocht airgid ar fáil do phobail áitiúla chun áiseanna pobail agus caitheamh aimsire a fhorbairt. Chun dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin faoi leith a bhain le COVID-19 beidh a fhios ag an Teachta gur bhunaigh mo Roinn ciste aon uaire do 2021 amháin chun cabhrú le hionaid phobail Ghaeltachta faoi leith a bhí ar an bhfaraor géar de thoradh coláistí Gaeilge a bheith dúnta go sealadach ag an tráth sin.

Os rud é go raibh na coláistí samhraidh ag feidhmiú arís i mbliana, níl i gceist aon chiste faoi leith den chineál sin a bhunú ag an tráth seo.

É sin ráite, is féidir a bheith cinnte go leanfaidh mo Roinn ag cabhrú mar is cuí le cúnamh caipitil a chur ar fáil faoin gclár ar leas an bhonneagair sin agus ar leas foriomlán na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht, dá réir. 

Tugtar léargas níos cuimsithí, ar ndóigh, ar an obair fhónta atá idir lámha faoi scáth an chláir thuasluaite  - agus cláir eile go deimhin - sa tríú tuairisc bhliantúil ar fheidhmiú Plean Gníomhaíochta an Rialtais don Ghaeilge a foilsíodh le gairid.

Sports Organisations

Ceisteanna (51)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

51. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she intends setting up an independent enquiry to examine issues of concern that have arisen in relation to Irish dancing competitions run under the auspices of an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55809/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Neither my Department nor its agencies have any funding, regulatory or accreditation relationship with the organisation to which the Deputy refers. It is a private limited company under the Companies Act.

While I therefore have no role in relation to any proposed enquiry or examination, I did write to the organisation in question to seek assurances that it is taking timely and transparent steps to restore confidence that any competitions it holds encompass fairness.

The organisation replied to my letter advising that it is undertaking an investigation and that, to ensure transparency, its procedures are being overseen by an external independent individual. The organisation has further advised that this process, in accordance with its disciplinary procedure, is ongoing.

Coláistí Samhraidh

Ceisteanna (52)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

52. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cén uair a chuirfear an grúpa oibre ar bun le scrúdú a dhéanamh ar fhorbairt agus todhchaí na gColáistí Gaeilge; an t-amscála a bhainfidh leis an athbhreithniú; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [55818/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Tá an cheist trí chéile maidir le bunú a leithéid de ghrúpa oibre á breithniú ag mo Roinn faoi láthair. Ar mhaithe le haghaidh láithreach a thabhairt ar na bealaí a bhféadfaí tacú tuilleadh le hearnáil na gColáistí Gaeilge, cheadaigh mé roinnt beartas faoi leith i mbliana.

De thoradh na mbearta sin:

- tá ardú ar fiú 20% curtha leis an deontas a íoctar faoi Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoírí Gaeilge le teaghlaigh a choinníonn scoláirí; 

- tá cistíocht ar fiú €400,000 curtha ar fáil le deiseanna breise a sholáthar do lucht freastail iar-bhunscoileanna DEIS seal freastal a dhéanamh ar chúrsa Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht; agus

- tá ardú 300% ceadaithe don deontas tosaithe aon uaire atá iníochta le teaghlaigh nua a chláraíonn den chéad uair faoin scéim.

Táim sásta go n-imreoidh  na bearta éagsúla seo tionchar dearfach ar an earnáil sa bhliain amach romhainn.

Departmental Staff

Ceisteanna (53)

Mick Barry

Ceist:

53. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of civil servants in his Department who are seconded to State agencies or other public bodies and in receipt of a higher duty or acting allowance; the number who have been seconded for more than ten, more than 20 and more than 30 years, respectively; if the higher duty allowance is not pensionable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55767/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

There is one civil servant in my Department who is currently on a secondment to a public body and who is in receipt of a higher duty/acting allowance, which is payable by that body.  The civil servant in question has been on secondment since 2019.  This allowance is deemed to be pensionable.

International Protection

Ceisteanna (54, 58)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

54. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a national schedule on a county basis of properties he has identified in the context of the European Union (Planning and Development) (Displaced Persons from Ukraine Temporary Protection) Regulations 2022 in respect of accommodating persons [55783/22]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

58. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of the properties his Department is progressing and-or developing that have been identified to accommodate persons from Ukraine and or seeking international protection on a county basis [55786/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 58 together.

The European Union (Planning and Development) (Displaced Persons from Ukraine Temporary Protection) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 306 of 2022), which came into effect on the 23rd of June 2022 give effect to Council Directive No 2001/55 EC and Council Implementing Decision EU 2022/382 of 4 March 2022, to provide immediate protection in EU countries for persons displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including the need to provide emergency accommodation and support to these displaced persons.

To that end, my Department is continuing to work closely with local authorities and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to identify, refurbish, and bring into use, multi-unit vacant properties that may be suitable and available for accommodation purposes for beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine.

In cases where vacant buildings identified as part of the initial request to local authorities do not require, or are not suitable for refurbishment, they have been notified to the DCEDIY for appropriate follow-up.

Noting that many of these buildings are privately owned, it would be inappropriate to publish the details of individual buildings. Final decisions on whether such properties progress for use, including whether they are suitable for refurbishment or conversion into multi-unit emergency accommodation for Ukrainian refugees are made by DCEDIY with input from my Department.

Housing Schemes

Ceisteanna (55)

Patrick Costello

Ceist:

55. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount spent by local authorities on HAP, broken down by local authority, the total number of recipients, the average payment and total expenditure in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [55694/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate form of social housing support for people with a long-term housing need. Any household assessed by their local authority as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. These households must find their own accommodation in the private rental sector. 

The HAP scheme started in 2014 and at the end of Q2 2022, 104,702 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 60,700 households actively in receipt of HAP support and over 32,400 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme. 

The table below shows total expenditure by my Department for the HAP scheme for each of the past five years as well as number of recipients and average monthly landlord payment:

Year	Active tenancies at end year	Average Landlord Payment	Outturn - €m
2017	31,228	€735	152.7
2018	43,443	€801	276.6
2019	52,529	€848	382.4
2020	59,821	€880	464.7
2021	61,907	€920	541.7

Data in relation to funding provided by the State for HAP tenancies in 2019?2021, broken down by local authority area, can be found on my Department’s website at this link:  www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#housing-assistance-payment.

This funding represents the portion paid by my Department after receipt of the differential rent which is paid by the tenant to the local authority. It does not include administration costs related to the Scheme.

HAP is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. 

Limerick City and County Council provides a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. This HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP-related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Accordingly, my Department does not recoup individual local authorities in respect of HAP rental payments in their administrative areas but, rather, recoups all landlord costs via the HAP SSC.

Air Safety

Ceisteanna (56)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

56. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the forthcoming legislation arising from the review of the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he intends to request pre-legislative scrutiny on any general scheme to ensure adequate public and sectoral scrutiny of proposed legislation. [55702/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Review and Consolidation of the Planning & Development Act 2000, is progressing in line with timeline set out by the Office of the Attorney General, who is leading on the project and it is expected that the draft Bill will be brought to Government before the end of the year. Intensive engagement between the working group, the Department and other stakeholders with regard to the review is ongoing.

A Planning Advisory Forum was established in 2021; a key commitment in Housing for All and has met on six occasions to date. The Forum plays an important role in contributing to the emerging policy considerations of the Review, as do a number of further stakeholder engagement mechanisms, including an Inter-Departmental Group and a Standing Group consisting of An Bord Pleanála, the Office of the Planning Regulator, the CCMA and the Environmental Protection Agency.

There has also been significant engagement with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which has considered emerging themes from the Review on three occasions to date. Engagement with the Committee  is a key input to the development of the proposed legislation arising out of the review and I value its input to date. It intended that the Joint Oireachtas Committee will be requested to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill once it has been approved by Government.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (57)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

57. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans, if any, that he has to change the legislation establishing the private Residential Tenancies Board to set out a legal requirement for the organisation to address its practice of failing to respond to legitimate queries regarding the registration and re-registration of properties by landlords; his views on whether it is acceptable that a public organisation should act in such a manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55732/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The operation of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022, the residential rental market and the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) are kept under constant review by my Department to ensure that the legislation is fit for purpose. I have no plans to provide for a legal requirement, as proposed in the Question.

The RTB was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. Accordingly, the implementation of the new tenancy management system that registers tenancies annually is an operational matter for the RTB.

Since 4 April 2022,  landlords are required under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 to register their tenancies with the RTB every year, within one month of the anniversary of when the tenancy began.  This applies to both new and existing tenancies. As before, landlords continue to be required to register a tenancy within one month of its commencement.

Although many landlords and agents have successfully registered their tenancies on the new RTB tenancy registration system, I have been made aware that some landlord and agent customers are encountering issues with the system. The RTB has assured my Department that it is working collaboratively and constructively with the sector to assist anyone experiencing difficulties.

The RTB has recently almost doubled the staffing in its outsourced call centre to deal with these issues and has been working hard to find the right balance between ensuring that contracted staff are adequately trained and capable of assisting customers with their queries, ranging from linking tenancies, verifying accounts, and data-inputting paper applications.

Following recommendations in the RTB Workforce Plan (2018 – 2021) and engagement with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the RTB received sanction for significant additional staff over the past three years and my Department will continue to work with the RTB to ensure it is sufficiently resourced to deliver on its expanded mandate, including any specific requests with regard to annual registration. To this end, additional funding of €2m will be provided to the RTB for 2023, bringing its total allocation to €13.03m.