Written Answers Nos. 298-314
298. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of moneys lost to local authorities in 2015 from the de-rating of Irish Water; the compensation made to local authorities through increases in the local government fund to offset these losses in 2015 in tabular form; and if these payments will be made again in 2016 and on a rolling basis into the future. [20528/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra299. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total savings to Irish Water arising from the de-rating of the utility in 2015; the total savings to the utility arising from de-rating in 2016; the portion of the total efficiency savings the de-rating saving represents by Irish Water in 2015 and 2016; and the rationale for de-rating Irish Water when other public utilities are not de-rated. [20529/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 299 together.
Section 12 of the Water Services Act 2014 states that public water services property is not rateable for the purposes of the Valuation Act 2001. This exemption applies to Irish Water for the provision of water supply and waste water treatment. Government subvention is not paid directly to Irish Water to fund this cost; instead, it is redirected to provide equivalent funding directly to local authorities, through the Local Government Fund, in respect of rates income forgone.
As such, local authorities have been compensated to the amount of over €46m in both 2015 and 2016 in respect of rates income foregone in respect of Irish Water's infrastructure. A breakdown of the amounts paid to local authorities in 2015 and 2016 is set out in the following table. It would be expected that similar amounts would be provided to local authorities in 2017, subject to the normal budgetary process.
|
Local Authority |
2015 €’000 |
2016 €’000 |
|
Carlow County Council |
49 |
49 |
|
Cavan County Council |
28 |
30 |
|
Clare County Council |
165 |
165 |
|
Cork City Council |
712 |
712 |
|
Cork County Council |
1,544 |
1,544 |
|
Donegal County Council |
350 |
357 |
|
Dublin City Council |
14,279 |
14,052 |
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown |
3,334 |
3,334 |
|
Fingal County Council |
5,248 |
5,249 |
|
Galway City Council |
99 |
102 |
|
Galway County Council |
33 |
35 |
|
Kerry County Council |
253 |
256 |
|
Kildare County Council |
2,561 |
2,571 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
22 |
23 |
|
Laois County Council |
76 |
77 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
21 |
22 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
1,948 |
1,988 |
|
Longford County Council |
78 |
78 |
|
Louth County Council |
586 |
586 |
|
Mayo County Council |
201 |
201 |
|
Meath County Council |
308 |
308 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
96 |
11 |
|
Offaly County Council |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Roscommon County Council |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Sligo County Council |
132 |
132 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
6,852 |
6,852 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
426 |
427 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
4,504 |
4,479 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
69 |
69 |
|
Wexford County Council |
129 |
129 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
2,240 |
2,182 |
|
Total |
46,345 |
46,020 |
Rates expenditure was considered by the Commission for Energy Regulation to be an ‘uncontrollable’ or pass through cost for Irish Water. By introducing an exemption from rates for any land or infrastructure used for the provision of public water services, this pass through cost will no longer form part of Irish Water’s operational expenditure and would therefore not have to be passed onto the customer.
300. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider, as part of the housing action plan, providing local authorities with five- or six-year funding programmed for social housing rather than the three-year funding cycle that is currently in place. [20530/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraDrawing on the Report of the Special Committee on Housing and Homelessness, which was published on 17 June 2016, the “Action Plan for Housing” is currently being drafted in my Department, with input from key Government Departments and Agencies, and other stakeholders working in the housing and homelessness sector.
I have made the development and implementation of this “Action Plan for Housing” my number one priority. I am accelerating plans for Government approval and aim to publish the final Action Plan in the coming weeks.
The Plan will include actions to expedite and boost supply of all types of housing, including social housing, in the immediate, medium and longer-terms, focusing in particular on those feeling most difficulty in accessing the housing and rental market at the moment. The Plan will balance delivery on these fronts with the necessary financial, fiscal and structural reforms.
302. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to consider reinstating the 90:10 ratio for funding for local government homeless services as in many local authorities the funding ratio has slipped to 70:30. [20533/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, my Department does not fund homeless services directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the costs of homeless accommodation and services. The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1993 provide that the recoupment to housing authorities by my Department under section 10 arrangements shall not exceed 90% of such payments made. Therefore, this is a recoupment upward limit and, furthermore, housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless services outside of the ‘section 10 ’ funding arrangements.
303. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason firemen are not being recruited in Bundoran and Ballyshannon, County Donegal. [20556/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFire services are provided by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. Under section 10 of the 1981 Act, a fire authority is required to make provision for the delivery of fire services in its functional area, including the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises.
In relation to the staffing requirements in each local authority, it is the responsibility of each Chief Executive, under the Local Government Act 2001, to employ such staff and to make such staffing, funding, recruitment and organisational arrangements as may be deemed necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions of their local authority.
My Department operated a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium on recruitment in relation to local authorities up to the end of 2015. The Department examined all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests, public safety, maintaining key front line services and economic considerations were given precedence.
Fire-fighter numbers in Ireland have been maintained at a constant level since the introduction of the moratorium in 2009 until its removal in December 2015. Since the beginning of 2015, a total of 24 posts have been approved by my Department for the Fire Service in Donegal, including 5 posts in Bundoran and 4 posts in Ballyshannon.
304. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20578/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraPre-financing applies in the case of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in my Department.
SICAP rolled out in April 2015 and will run until 31 December 2017. It is the successor programme to the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP). Its aim is to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement and partnership between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations, public sector agencies and other stakeholders. The SICAP 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, young unemployed people from disadvantaged areas (including young people aged 15-24 who are not in employment, education or training) and low income workers and households.
SICAP is one of my Department’s key priorities with funding of €37.5 million in 2016. This includes an allocation of €3 million under the European Social Fund (ESF) Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020 which is matched by exchequer funding. From a total national budget of €36 million for SICAP under PEIL up to 2020, it is expected that €19 million will be contributed from the ESF. Arising from this funding, SICAP received pre-financing amounting to €452,500 in 2015 and €181,000 in 2016. It is not expected that any of this funding will be reimbursed.
The reply given by the Minister for Education and Skills to Question No. 230 on today’s Order Paper provides additional information on the PEIL 2014-2020.
305. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of litter wardens assigned in each county nationwide in tabular form and particularly in counties Cavan and Monaghan; if there is a formula for the number of appointments in each county; the person who decides these allocations; the person who appoints wardens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20619/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no function as regards the number of local authority staff employed as litter wardens. This is a matter for individual local authorities to decide, taking into account their specific priorities and circumstances. Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997-2009, a local authority may confer authorised status on a member of their staff to act as a litter warden by making such an authorisation in writing.
While my Department does not collate data on the number of litter wardens employed by the local authorities, general statistics on local authority functions, including the number of litter wardens employed by local authorities, are published annually by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) up to 2013, and now by the National Oversight & Audit Commission.
For the period 2004 to 2013, Local Authority Service Indicators Reports, which incorporate statistics on litter wardens, are available on the LGMA website at the following link: www.l.gma.ie/en/serviceindicators/2004to2013.
The most recently published Report for 2014 is available at the National Oversight & Audit Commission website at the following link: http://noac.ie/noac-reports/.
306. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of properties under the housing assistance payment scheme that have become available in Dublin 15 by month in 2016 to date in tabular form. [20620/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. It is now available to all qualified households in 19 local authority areas with over 11,000 households supported since the scheme commenced. At this point HAP is only available to all qualifying households in one of the four Dublin local authorities, i.e. South Dublin County Council. The full roll-out of the scheme to all remaining local authorities, including the remaining Dublin local authorities, is currently being planned. To ensure the successful delivery of HAP in the capital, a specific purpose HAP Implementation Dublin Working-Group has being established to plan and manage the roll-out which is scheduled for early 2017.
The Homelessness Pilot of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme has been operational since February 2015 across the four housing authorities in the Dublin Region, including Fingal County Council, and is being implemented through the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). The focus of the pilot scheme is to transition qualified households from emergency accommodation into private rented tenancies.
While eligible households may source accommodation for themselves, a dedicated placement team, the Dublin Place-Finder Service, has also been established to engage directly with property-owners and support qualified households to find suitable tenancies and to ensure that any additional supports that may be needed are put in place. A publicity campaign is in place on an on-going basis in order to raise the profile of the scheme and to attract landlords to the initiative.
There are currently more than 300 households being supported by the Homeless HAP pilot across the four Dublin local authority areas, 29 of which have tenancies in the administrative area of Fingal County Council.
307. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way in which a residents' group in a private housing estate goes about getting its estate taken in charge by the local authority; how long the process takes; if there is a limit on the amount of estates taken in charge yearly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20652/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that, as soon as possible following a request by the developer or by the majority of the houseowners, a planning authority must initiate procedures to take in charge a residential housing estate completed to its satisfaction in accordance with the planning permission. Section 180 also provides that, following a request by the majority of the houseowners, a planning authority must initiate procedures to take an unfinished estate in charge where the authority has not commenced enforcement proceedings in respect of the estate within seven years of the expiry of the planning permission concerned.
In the case of an unfinished estate where the planning authority has commenced enforcement proceedings within seven years of the expiry of the planning permission or considers that enforcement proceedings will not result in the satisfactory completion of the estate, section 180 provides that, following a request by the majority of the houseowners, the authority may, at its absolute discretion, initiate procedures to take in charge the roads and some or all of the other services in the estate. A planning authority may, for the purposes of section 180, hold a plebiscite to ascertain the wishes of the houseowners.
In view of the varying circumstances of each estate concerned, there is no statutory timeframe for completing the taking in charge process in individual cases. However, my Department has recently launched a National Taking in Charge Initiative to accelerate the taking in charge of estates by planning authorities.
There is no limit on the number of estates taken in charge annually by planning authorities, which is entirely a matter for each planning authority, having regard to local demands and resources.
308. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are rules governing the recruitment process at local authority level; if it is compulsory to advertise vacancies publicly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20664/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe filling of positions within the local government sector is subject to sanction by my Department. Following the issue of sanction from my Department, the recruitment of staff is a matter for the Chief Executive of each local authority but must be carried out in line with appropriate Departmental Circulars, legislation and collective agreements.
Vacant local authority posts are filled through open competition save where there are collective agreements in place which determine that the posts shall be filled in the first instance through competition confined to the local authority, the sector and/or other agencies within the public service. Senior positions (i.e. Senior Executive Officer and above for administrative grades, and Senior Executive Engineer and equivalent and above for Technical/Professional grades) are filled by open competition and are run by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Other grades are filled by competition directly by the local authority unless a request for the assistance of the PAS is made.
Vacancies must be advertised publicly and are usually carried on two forms of the most appropriate media for the post being advertised. Media include the Public Appointments Service website, the relevant local authority website, the local and national press, local government magazines and specialist trade journals.
309. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the name of the person on the board of Cork City and Cork County Councils responsible for the housing budget; and to provide a breakdown of the budget for 2016 for both city and county council. [20667/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe persons responsible for the housing budgets in local authorities are the Chief Executive and the Directors of Services for Housing. Details of the housing budget for Cork City Council are available at the following link: http://www.corkcity.ie/services/finance/adoptedbudget/
and, for Cork County Council, at Budget 2016-Cork County Council - Finance.
310. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of positions on the boards of bodies and agencies under the aegis of his Department; the number of vacant positions; when each vacancy occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20683/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following table contains the information requested in respect of the agencies under the aegis of my Department.
Appointments to An Bord Pleanála, the Environmental Protection Agency, Gas Networks Ireland and to the Board of Irish Water are of a full-time executive nature and are governed by statutory processes.
|
Agency / Body |
Minimum number of members |
Maximum number of members |
Current vacancies |
Date vacancy occurred |
Status of vacancies |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
No minimum |
10 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Ervia |
No minimum |
11 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Environmental Protection Agency |
6 |
6 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
4 |
6 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
3 |
12 |
2 |
08/02/ 20 16 |
Vacancies will be filled as part of overall board renewal at year end |
|
01/04/ 20 16 |
|||||
|
Housing & Sustainable Communities Agency |
7 |
9 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Irish Water |
4 |
12 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Irish Water Safety |
5 |
13 |
1 (Chair) |
26/01/2016 |
Chair designate has been notified to Joint Oireachtas Committee before confirmation of appointment |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
7 |
11 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
6 |
9 |
1 |
10/07/2016 |
PAS process to fill vacancy in progress |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
7 |
12 |
2 |
27/ 0 6/2015 |
Vacancies will be filled as part of overall board renewal in September |
|
18/ 0 9/2015 |
|||||
|
Pobal |
16* |
16* |
3 |
20/10/2014 |
PAS process to fill vacancies in progress |
|
0 9/ 0 2/2015 |
|||||
|
18/ 0 1/2016 |
|||||
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
4 |
7 |
None ** |
N/A ** |
PAS process to appoint additional member in progress |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
9 |
12 |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
* There is no minimum or maximum number of members on the Board of Pobal. Article 2 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association states that "The number of members with which the Company is to be registered is 16." It further states "The company may from time to time register a further increase in the numbers". The maximum and minimum number is therefore given in the above table as 16 members.
**While no vacant positions have arisen on the Pyrite Resolution Board, the Minister is proposing to appoint an additional member to enhance the Board’s decision making and oversight functions in the context of the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme. The appointment process has been undertaken in accordance with the State Boards process and it is intended to make the appointment shortly.
Details in relation to current board memberships is available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/corporate/transparency-data/appointments-state-boards/appointments-declg-state-boards.
311. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the expenditure on the housing adaptation grant from 2011 to 2016 to date; the cost of restoring this grant to 2011 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20712/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraInformation on expenditure by my Department under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, from 2011 to 2015, is available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics.
The funding allocation of €56.25 million in 2016 for the grants represents an increase of some 10% in funding over the 2015 allocation and comprises €45 million Exchequer funding and €11.25 million from local authority resources. To date in 2016, some €16 million has been expended on grants in this area.
Increasing funding to the 2011 level of expenditure would cost an additional €16 million to the Exchequer, with a further €4 million to be contributed by the local authorities. I am conscious of the social benefit accruing from such grants in terms of facilitating the continued independent living by older people and people with a disability in their own homes and I can assure the Deputy that in line with the Programme for a Partnership Government, further consideration will be given to increasing this funding over the coming years.
312. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a parent's income could be taken into account only when assessments are being made for housing adaptation grants for medical or immobility reasons in situations where an older person or couple have transferred their land or house to children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20770/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe basis for the means assessment for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability was most recently reviewed in 2013 and the level of income beyond which no grant is payable was set at €60,000. The review also introduced the arrangement whereby all household members’ income, with certain exceptions, is included in the assessment of means. The inclusion of the income of other adults living in the house, namely those over 18 or over 23 in full-time education, is in line with the means assessment for applicants for social housing.
This review in 2013 was carried out with the aim of spreading the benefits of the scheme as widely as possible and to ensure fairness and value for money in its operation.
313. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the public procurement or other procedures that were used to appoint members of the expert commission on water charges; the remuneration that is to be paid to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20780/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn considering members for the Expert Commission on Domestic Public Water Services, a public invitation for nominees was issued through my Department's website and consideration was also given to other suitable candidates meeting the specific skill sets required.
Specific professional expertise in funding and financing of large scale infrastructure investment and maintenance programmes; economic regulation; utility approaches particularly in the water sector; water resources management; and water environmental law was sought so as to deal with the complexity of the issues involved. In seeking such expertise, I took account of advice in this regard received from the Institute of Public Administration and the Economic and Social Research Institute. Against this background, I chose individuals who, in my view, have the necessary professional expertise in environmental matters, law, economics, the customer perspective, the water sector and the regulatory system, and I included a mix of both national and international experts.
A modest fee will apply in respect of the Chair and in respect of the members of the Expert Commission, where appropriate, the details of which are being finalised. Costs relating to travel and accommodation expenses of members, particularly those coming from overseas, will also be recouped to members.
The role of the Expert Commission on Domestic Public Water Services is to make recommendations on a sustainable long-term funding model for the delivery of domestic public water and waste water services by Irish Water. It is to report and present its recommendations to a Special Oireachtas Committee within five months of its establishment.
314. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when there was a change in the local community programme; and when the Government will pay the difference to redundant workers as a result of a Labour Court recommendation (details supplied). [20791/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) was the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State and was implemented until 31 March 2015. The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the successor programme to the LCDP, was rolled out across communities on 1 April 2015, following a procurement process. SICAP is overseen and managed by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), in each Local Authority (LA) area, who hold and manage the contract with the relevant implementing bodies (Local Development Companies).
My Department considered the impact following the outcome of the competitive process for the new SICAP Programme, with regard to the network of Local Development Companies (LDCs), which are independent limited companies. It should be noted that my Department has no role in the internal operations of Local Development Companies (LDCs) and, therefore, does not have a role in relation to staff or employment matters, which are for the Board of each company, as the employer, to manage. Each funding Department is responsible for its own funding and contractual arrangements with the LDCs.
That said, in the past, my Department has, under certain circumstances, supported organisations to ensure that statutory redundancy payments have been made available to cushion the impact of job losses occurring as a result of reductions or cessation in funding for a particular activity or company. During 2015, Ministerial approval was granted for the amendment of the LCDP financial guidelines to allow for certain redundancy costs to be charged to LCDP funding, subject to the written agreement by Pobal, on behalf of the Department, to the limits of spend. A limit was set of statutory payments plus an additional 1.5 weeks, subject to a cap of €40,000 per person.
Pobal, on behalf of my Department engaged with LCDCs on mechanisms to support stakeholders to address some of the issues and concerns in terms of business continuity, redundancy costs and due diligence etc, to achieve an orderly closure of LCDP, within a workable timeframe, commensurate with the need to observe EU procurement rules. The LCDP redundancy scheme has now concluded.
