Written Answers Nos. 75-90
75. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the staffing levels of the National Waste Collection Permit Office, by job title; the estimated full-year cost of filling each position, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26454/23]
View answer76. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current vacancies at the National Waste Collection Permit Office, by job title; the estimated full-year cost of filling each position, in tabular form; the average time it takes to fill each position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26455/23]
View answer77. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the staffing levels in An Bord Pleanála, by job title; the estimated full-year cost of filling each position, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26410/23]
View answer78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the staffing levels in the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, by job title; the estimated full-year cost of filling each position, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26411/23]
View answer79. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the staffing levels in the local authority biodiversity officer programme, by job title; the estimated full-year cost of filling each position, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26412/23]
View answer80. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost to retrofit a home to a building energy rating of B2 or higher under the energy-efficiency retrofit programme in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [26425/23]
View answer81. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm that residential developers still have to pay Irish Water up front and that the recent announcements by the Government will not give any immediate relief to developers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26475/23]
View answerOn 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and assist the achievement of the housing delivery targets set in Housing for All, while also addressing cost and viability issues faced by the construction sector. These measures included the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions, and the refunding of Uisce Éireann water and wastewater connection charges.
The Uisce Éireann standard water and wastewater connection charges referenced in the new Government support package will still have to be paid upfront by developers in the normal manner, with the monies being subsequently refunded by Uisce Éireann on notification of the commencement of works. This is a rebate, rather than a waiver arrangement as Uisce Éireann connection applications, in general, are paid in advance of site commencement.
Under the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, Uisce Éireann is required to collect charges, where relevant, from its customers in accordance with a water charges plan, detailing tariffs and charging arrangements, as approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). This includes charges for new connections to the public water and wastewater service networks. The new rebate scheme preserves this water charging policy as approved by the CRU in the Water Charges Plan and set down in legislation.
The new schemes apply for 1 year to all permitted residential development:
• that commences on site between 25 April 2023 (the date of the Government Decision approving the measure) and 24 April 2024, and
• is completed not later than 31 December 2025.
This end date is to facilitate large schemes to be speedily brought forward and progressed, while also incentivising their completion as quickly as possible within a reasonable timeframe and delivering urgent housing supply.
My Department is currently working on the detailed arrangements in relation to the operation and administration of both the waiver and refund schemes. These arrangements will be agreed with local authorities and Uisce Éireann as soon as possible.
82. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider an expansion of the Tyrrelstown Amendment of the Residential Tenancies Act 2016 to allow local authorities step in and purchase multiple-occupied units when they are put up for sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26495/23]
View answer83. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated by his Department to each local authority in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26496/23]
View answer84. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the staffing levels in the local authority biodiversity officer programme, by job title; the estimated full-year cost of filling each position, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26499/23]
View answer85. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the expected waiver of the planning development fee (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26530/23]
View answer86. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the legislation for a directly-elected mayor for Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26564/23]
View answerMy Department is engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in relation to the drafting of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill, which is well advanced.
Finalisation of this complex Bill has been identified as a priority and my Department is working towards the publication of the Bill in the coming weeks. It is hoped that the Bill would then be able to progress through the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible thereafter.
The timing of the Limerick Mayoral Election will be a matter for Government.
In advance of the election, a public information campaign about this significant change in the way in which Limerick will be governed will be very important and my Department will be working with Limerick City and County Council to ensure that information is provided to the public in Limerick.
87. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to install public wastewater treatment plants in the villages of Corofin and Abbeyknockmoy in County Galway to enable the delivery of new housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26600/23]
View answerI understand the Question is referring to the new funding measure which I announced in April 2022, as an advance stage of the upcoming Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme, for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements that do not have access to public waste water services.
All rural local authorities were invited to submit two priority applications for funding with the closing date for receipt of 15 September 2022. I can confirm that two applications for funding were received from Galway for Clarinbridge and Craughwell.
An allocation of €50 million has been committed for the measure under the National Development Plan and I expect to be in a position to announce funding approval for specific projects in the near future.
88. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide clarity on the exemptions from the residential zoned land tax for landowners actively farming their lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26601/23]
View answer89. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of taxpayers' money that has been spent on coming up with a new name for An Bord Pleanála; the rationale behind it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26648/23]
View answer90. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ban the sale of rhododendron ponticum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26733/23]
View answerRegulation 49(2) of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 makes it an offence to disperse, allow or cause to disperse, spread or otherwise cause to grow any plant, including Rhododendron ponticum, listed in Part 1 of the Third Schedule to those Regulations.
Occasional reports on the presence of invasive alien species in retail outlets and garden centres have been brought to my attention. My Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for the implementation of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, both of which prohibit activities to introduce or spread invasive species. The NPWS does not monitor trade in garden centres, but focuses on raising awareness of invasive alien species and the threats they pose to our native biodiversity. Moreover, where the NPWS is made aware of the trade of invasive alien species, immediate action is taken to minimise any potential harm of such trade.
New legislation dealing with invasive alien species is at an advanced stage. This legislation will strengthen the legislative framework dealing with such species, particularly with regard to those listed species identified as being in trade.
Finally, in the Programme for Government, there is a commitment to develop and implement a National Management Plan for Invasive Alien Species. Work is currently underway on the Plan. The Plan will incorporate measures to increase public awareness of invasive alien species and also to put a range of biosecurity measures in place to tackle the introduction and spread of such species.
