Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

Annual Report 2013

An Irish version and an English version of the Annual Report (2013) is available on – www.environ.ie .

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Contents

Foreword by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local

Government....................................................................................................3

Summary of Main Achievements 2013...........................................................9

Chapter 1: Housing.......................................................................................15

Chapter 2: Water .........................................................................................22

Chapter 3: Environment...............................................................................26

Chapter 4: Local Government and Franchise...............................................31

Chapter 5: Communities and Rural Development........................................36

Chapter 6: Planning......................................................................................42

Chapter 7: Met Éireann.................................................................................47

Chapter 8: Resourcing the Modern Department...........................................54

APPENDICES..................................................................................................62

APPENDIX 1: Legislative Activity in 2013...................................................62

APPENDIX 2: Publications in 2013.............................................................93

APPENDIX 3: Annual Energy Efficiency Reporting - Overview of Energy

Usage in 2013............................................................................................98

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Foreword by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The year 2013 proved to be a very challenging, but productive one for the Department, with a number of Programme for Government commitments progressed, in tandem with the Department being heavily involved with Ireland’s hosting of the EU Presidency. In that context, my colleagues, Ministers of State Jan O’Sullivan, T.D., and Fergus O’Dowd, T.D., and I are pleased to accept delivery of the Department’s Annual Report, which provides a broad overview of the activities of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government during 2013.

The Statement of Strategy 2011-2014 outlines the Department’s high level objectives and key strategies across its Programme areas (Housing, Water Services, Environment and Waste Management, Local Government, Community and Rural Development, Planning and Met Éireann). The Strategy clearly illustrates the Department’s broad remit and reflects the strategic priorities and considerable reform agenda of the Government for National Recovery Programme 2011 – 2016 and facilitated Ireland’s exit from the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support.

The Department’s performance is measured on an annual basis against the key outputs and performance indicators outlined in the Statement of Strategy, but most importantly by the improvements it makes to the lives of those it serves.

Over the course of 2013, the Department progressed policies that better positioned Ireland to adapt and meet a range of present and future challenges that face the country. The work of the Department in 2013 commenced the most radical reform of local government in over a century, set in train the establishment of a body to manage and deliver our valuable water resource, helped reduce the tally of environmental infringements against Ireland and, in doing so, earned a commendation from the European Commission and contributed to the restoration of Ireland’s international standing. In addition, the Department centred its updated leadership role in addressing the significant challenges in the complex and evolving planning and housing landscape, and was also active in managing what was the final year of the current Leader and Local and Community Development programme initiatives which make such a significant impact on local communities across the country.

On behalf of my Ministerial colleagues and on my own behalf, I wish sincerely to thank the staff of the Department for the skill, energy and professionalism with which they worked to achieve a considerable amount of progress across a wide range of areas and sectors during 2013. I would like thank Geraldine Tallon for her commitment in the year under review and for her contribution to the Department during her tenure as Secretary General. I wish her well in her retirement.

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The achievements of the Department in 2013 have paved the way for the delivery of initiatives in economic and physical regeneration, social and community development and environmental protection which will facilitate job creation and a sustainable future.

Phil Hogan, T.D.Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

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Secretary General’s Statement

Building on our work in recent years, the Department sustained delivery in 2013 across a broad range of agendas, bringing a number of far reaching policies of major national significance to fruition, building on significant development work in the preceding years.

The Department continued to play a significant role in Ireland’s economic recovery, part of which involved focussing on ensuring that Ireland’s Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2013 was a success, helping to rebuild our international reputation.

Over the course of the Presidency, the Department delivered on a number of high level outcomes such as the UN Treaty on Mercury, the EU’s 7th

Environment Action Programme and a new Directive on Nuclear Safety Standards. Sustained work on the part of the Department also dramatically reduced Ireland’s tally of environmental infringements, earning a commendation from the European Commission in the process.

In addition to the high level outcomes achieved by the Department, the Environment Division successfully led the environmental agenda during our Presidency, including successfully negotiating eight First Reading Agreements with the European Parliament, as well as the endorsement of Council Conclusions on a new Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and on the Rio+20 Post 2015 Agenda.

In parallel with the significant EU and international business associated with the Presidency, the Department’s domestic agenda continued to move apace, with significant progress being made on a range of Programme for Government commitments.

Post the Presidency the Department restructured and revised its operation to maximise efficiency and effectiveness across the organisation and provide maximum support to policy implementation, change management and business process improvement. This is delivering a more agile, flexible and responsive organisation.

In the Housing area, over €95m was invested in regeneration programmes and in remedial and other improvement works. The on-going restructuring of the Social Housing Investment Programme delivered 1,042 units through leasing and 4,701 additional transfers under the Rental Accommodation Scheme. In addition, over 1,000 new social accommodation units were delivered through local authorities and approved housing bodies.

The Department commenced the implementation of the housing element of the Government’s deinstitutionalisation programme to support people with disabilities leaving institutions. Coupled with this, a protocol governing housing assessment and allocation processes for people with disabilities was developed and issued to all housing authorities.

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On foot of the continued implementation of the Mortgage-to-Rent scheme for borrowers from private lenders and a successful pilot of Mortgage-to-Rent scheme for borrowers from local authorities during 2013, the Local Authority Mortgage-to-Rent scheme was rolled out nationally in February 2014.

Significant work continued in 2013 to deal with unfinished housing developments. A special provision, in the form of a targeted €10m Special Resolution Fund (SRF), was provided for in Budget 2014, to further assist in addressing the legacy of unfinished housing developments. In addition, progress was made on dealing with legacy issues associated with pyrite; in particular, the Pyrite Resolution Act 2013, signed by the President in late December 2013, provided for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board to develop and oversee the implementation of a scheme to remediate dwellings affected by pyrite related damage. Learning from lessons of the past, the new Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 were announced as the cornerstone of a suite of measures which aim to strengthen the current arrangements for the control of building activity. These requirements will bring improved accountability to bear in our building industry.

Progress in the water sector continued, with the establishment of Irish Water. This builds on the intensive work undertaken in previous years, culminating in the enactment of the Water Services Act 2013 which provided a statutory basis for the domestic metering programme and the establishment of Irish Water and the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 which provided for the transfer of responsibility for water services provision to Irish Water and the assignment of responsibility for economic regulation of water services to the Commission for Energy Regulation. The installation of water meters commenced in August 2013. Over 100,000 meters were installed at the end of 2013, and some 300km of mains were repaired or replaced under the water conservation programme.

The Department also received Government approval for the priority drafting of the Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill, which aims to integrate the foreshore consent system with the on-land planning system operated by An Bord Pleanála and local authorities, thereby helping give effect to a number of Government commitments.

In addition to a busy international agenda, the Environment Division of the Department made significant progress on a busy domestic agenda. Three lead authorities for regional waste management planning were designated in June 2013. The monitoring of the implementation of the 70 cross-government measures identified in the framework document, Our Sustainable Future: A Framework for Sustainable Development for Ireland also continued in 2013. In addition, considerable attention was devoted to progressing the climate policy and legislative agenda.

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The National Radon Control Strategy Group, established to develop a National Strategy to address the effects of radon, finalised the National Radon Control Strategy and this was subsequently published in early 2014.

Continuing with implementation of the Government’s electoral agenda, the Department’s oversight of the Franchise area saw the management of the legislative and operational arrangements for two Referendums, the enactment of legislation to redraw the local electoral map for the 2014 local elections and the re-drawing of Dáil and European constituencies.

The change in the local electoral map was progressed to enable the radical transformation in local government structures in Ireland to come into force after the 2014 local elections as part of a wider transformation of the structures, role, function and finances of local authorities. 2013 also saw the Local Government Reform Bill almost completing its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas; this legislation, which was successfully enacted in January 2014, makes legal provision for the reforms set out in the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government, Putting People First.

In advance of implementing these changes the Department undertook engagement with various stakeholders to advance Government proposals on local government reform. Consultation also took place on local government/local development alignment, including with the local development, community and voluntary and local government sectors and with a range of Government Departments/Agencies.

The Department’s role in the Community sector ensured the provision of funding of over €80m, under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, resulting in the creation of 1,110 full-time jobs in 2013 and infrastructural enhancements in 1,301 villages and communities across the country.

In 2013, €47.7m was spent under the Local Community Development Programme which assisted 49,790 people through education, labour market training or support into self-employment.

Grant assistance amounting to €2.3m was provided for the Seniors Alert Scheme to local community and voluntary groups towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable persons over 65, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes. 10,597 beneficiaries received monitored units as a result.

In 2013, the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, working in partnership with fire authorities, published Keeping Communities Safe (KCS). This sets out national standards in line with best international practice and will be implemented by local fire authorities over the period to end 2015.

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The Planning Division saw significant activity in 2013, with 2,000 quarries assessed under the continued rollout and monitoring of the regulatory regime for quarries under the Planning Act 2000. As a result of the assessment, further guidance was issued to planning authorities under section 28 of the Act. In addition, new Development Contributions Guidelines were published in 2013.

Weather-wise, the year was notable for a very cold spring followed by a warm summer and ending with a series of storms. Met Éireann re-launched its weather warning system, now featuring colour-coded warnings that are fully aligned with the European Meteoalarm system. A new web portal was implemented to deliver weather information to public-sector agencies. Climate change research, based on participation in the EC-Earth Consortium, led to updated climate projections for Ireland and significant contributions to the IPCC in preparation for the AR5 report. An operational dispersion modelling service was developed to predict transport of air-borne pollutants.

2013 was a very productive year for the Department, particularly when the additional challenge of the Presidency of the EU is factored in and, in that light, I wish to acknowledge the considerable skill and effort of my colleagues, which allowed the Department to sustain a very strong output across its range of activities. The support and engagement from our agencies and our patrons in Local Government should also be recognised.

I would particularly like to thank my predecessor Geraldine Tallon, who retired in March 2014. It was under her stewardship, as Secretary General, that the extensive range of outcomes outlined in this Annual Report for 2013 and previous years were achieved. We are all very grateful for her leadership and achievements and we wish her well in her retirement.

I am confident that, as Ireland continues along the road towards full economic recovery, the Department has the skills, ability, energy and commitment to continue to play a key role in supporting this overriding national aperture. We will do this by a sustained focus on driving forward our business agenda in 2014 and beyond.

John McCarthySecretary General

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Summary of Main Achievements 2013

Housing Delivery of 1,042 housing units from leasing, 4,701 under Rental

Accommodation Scheme (RAS). In addition, around 950 new social accommodation units were delivered through local authorities and approved housing bodies.

Continued investment in the National Regeneration Programme with almost €70m invested in a range of projects aimed at the physical, social and economic regeneration of key areas in Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Waterford, Tralee, Dundalk and Sligo. A further €25m was spent on a national programme of remedial works projects, and funding for the provision of extensions, improvement works in lieu of local authority housing and improvements to accommodate disabilities.

Preparatory work on the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, including the completion of an economic assessment of the proposal and a detailed business process design exercise.

The General Scheme of a Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 providing for HAP and associated items was approved by Government.

On foot of the continued implementation of the Mortgage-to-Rent scheme for borrowers from private lenders and a successful pilot of Mortgage-to-Rent scheme for borrowers from local authorities during 2013, the Local Authority Mortgage-to-Rent scheme was rolled out nationally in February 2014.

Exchequer support of some €38m meant that 7,011 households benefited under the Housing Adaptation Grants Scheme for Older People and People with a Disability.

A protocol governing housing assessment and allocations processes for people with disabilities was developed and issued to all housing authorities.

Commenced implementation of housing element of Government’s deinstitutionalisation programme with 7 properties acquired to support 15 people with disabilities leaving institutions in 2013.

Publication of Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments: Annual Progress Report on Actions to Address Unfinished Housing Developments, including a Summary Report of the 2013 National Housing Development Survey. The Public Safety Initiative continued to operate in 2013 in order to address the most serious health risks in the worst affected estates.

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Publication of the Government’s Homelessness Policy Statement. The Homelessness Oversight Group provided its First Report to the Minister for Housing and Planning on 19 December 2013.

Commenced reviews of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, and the Shared Ownership Scheme.

New Building Control Regulations and a Code of Practice for Inspecting and Certifying Buildings and Works, which aim to strengthen arrangements for the control of building activity, were agreed with stakeholders and will come into effect on 1 March 2014.

The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 was enacted to establish the Pyrite Resolution Board on a statutory basis and to provide for a pyrite remediation scheme.

A framework was agreed with the former residents of Priory Hall and other stakeholders on a proposed resolution for the residents and for the future of the complex.

Water By the end of 2013 over 250 contracts in the latest and final water

services investment programme had been completed and over 100 were in progress.

Some 300km of mains had been repaired or replaced under the water conservation programme.

Two pieces of legislation relating to the reform of the water sector were enacted: the Water Services Act 2013, in March, and the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013, in December.

The installation of domestic water meters commenced in August 2013. Almost 80,000 meters were installed at the end of 2013.

The European Court of Justice Case on the Implementation of Waste Framework Directive in relation to Septic Tanks and other Individual Treatment Systems (Court Case C-188/08) was formally closed on 30 May 2013. From July, local authorities began carrying out inspections according to the National Inspection Plan which was published by the EPA in February 2013.

In July, the Government approved the priority drafting of the Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill.  The Bill aims to integrate the foreshore consent system with the on-land planning system operated by An Bórd Pleanála and local authorities, and will help to give effect to a number of Government commitments.

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Ireland’s EU Presidency successfully secured agreement on amendments to the Priority Substances in the Water Framework Directive.

Ireland acceded to the UN Convention on Non-Navigational uses of Transboundary Watercourses (1997) in December 2013.

Environment Led the environmental agenda during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU

including successfully negotiating eight First Reading Agreements with the European Parliament and the endorsement of Council Conclusions on a new Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and on the Rio+20 Post 2015 Agenda.

In respect of implementation of a key plank of the Government’s National Waste Policy, A Resource Opportunity, three lead authorities for regional waste management planning - corresponding with the regional structures set out in the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government – were designated in June 2013. The reduction from ten waste regions to three will play an important role in the provision of effective and efficient delivery of waste management services, and new regional waste plans will be drawn up in 2014.

The Department continued in 2013 to monitor implementation of the 70 cross-government measures identified in the framework document, Our Sustainable Future: A Framework for Sustainable Development for Ireland.

The National Radon Control Strategy Group, established to develop a National Strategy to address the effects of radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that increases the risk of lung cancer, finalised the National Radon Control Strategy which was published by the Minister at the National Radon Forum in February 2014.

Policy analysis and outline Heads of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill released.

Local Government and Franchise Publication of the Local Government Reform Bill, to underpin a radical

programme of reform in local government structures, finance and functions, and supporting the Bill’s passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas, paving the way for enactment in January 2014.

Enactment of the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013 and the Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013.

Publication of the European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2013.

Legislative and operational arrangements for two Referendums.

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Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee supported and report published.

European Parliament Constituency Committee established, supported and report published.

The publication of Keeping Communities Safe & CAMP – The Next Generation, in addition to a number of key support documents, by the Fire Services and Emergency Management Directorate.

The launch of an all-island fire safety campaign, in co-operation with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, took place during National Fire Safety Week in October.

Capital investment of €5m to improve the infrastructure of the fire services, including upgrades to fire station; provision of new front line fire appliances under a joint procurement initiative; and the provision of other fire and rescue emergency equipment.

Communities and Rural Development Engagement with key stakeholders to advance Government proposals

on local government reform and local government/local development alignment, including with the local development, community and voluntary and local government sectors and with a range of Government Departments/Agencies. ‘Front-runner’ Local Community Development Committees were established in five local authority areas to trial approaches to LCDC operation and capture valuable learning for full roll-out in 2014.

The Local Community Development Programme (LCDP) worth €47.6m in 2013 was delivered by the Local Development Companies and provided assistance to over 45,000 people. The LCDP and its successor programme will be implemented under the Local Government/Local Development alignment policy by the Local Community Development Committees and transitional arrangements for 2014 were put in place in the latter part of the year.

Funding of over €80m was provided under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. This resulted in the creation of 1,110 full-time jobs in 2013 and infrastructural enhancements in 1,301 villages and communities across the country.

2013 marked the 55th year of the National Tidy Towns competition which received over 830 entries. The Tidiest Village and the overall Award Winner was Moynalty, Co. Meath. Other winners were:

o Small Town: Kenmare, Co. Kerry, o Large Town: Killarney, Co. Kerry o Large Urban Area: Ennis, Co. Clare.

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The National Giving Campaign, the “one per cent difference”, was launched and the Social Innovation Fund was set up under the Companies Acts.

Planning During 2013, 2,000 quarries were assessed under the continued rollout

and monitoring of the regulatory regime for quarries under section 261A of the Planning Act 2000. Data was collected and placed on the Department’s website.  As a result of the assessment, further Guidance was issued to planning authorities under section 28 of the Act.

The Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013 provided for exemptions from planning (subject to certain conditions) for charging points for electric vehicles, certain remedial works carried out on septic tanks, and certain structures provided by a statutory undertaker authorised to provide a telecommunications service.

The publication of the Local Area Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities and accompanying non-statutory Manual for Local Area Plans, to assist planning authorities deliver on their mandatory obligations to prepare local area plans. 

New Development Contributions Guidelines were published to provide non-statutory guidance on the drawing up of development contribution schemes in planning authorities.

The Gateway and Hubs Development Index 2012 was published by the regional assemblies, in conjunction with the Department in 2013.

Met Éireann Introduction of colour-coded weather warnings system and achievement

of full alignment of national weather warnings with the European Meteoalarm system.

Development of the METweb portal for the delivery of graphical weather information to key public-sector users.

Aviation Modernisation and Automation Project (AMAP), which will automate certain functions at airports, continued in its planning phase and involved wide-ranging consultation with stakeholders.

Update of climate change projections for Ireland.

New dispersion modelling capability established for emergency support in the event of noxious materials released into the atmosphere.

Resourcing the Modern Department Employment Control Framework (ECF) and Payroll targets achieved.

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Ireland’s Presidency of the EU supported through Departmental reorganisation, internal staff deployment and the engagement of a small number of additional temporary staff.

Post-Presidency, a major restructuring project was initiated to improve Departmental efficiency; to date this has delivered significant staff mobility and consolidation of functions with resources directed towards key business priorities, with plans for further restructuring to take place in 2014.

A number of Project Teams were established to progress staff

recommendations that will, with the agreement of the Management Committee of the Department, bring reform and business process gains/improvements to a range of areas within the Department. The work of these teams will be further progressed over the course of 2014 and beyond.

Haddington Road Agreement changes successfully implemented and payroll savings/efficiencies achieved.

Over seven hundred training courses delivered to staff along with 35 external third level courses supported.

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Chapter 1: Housing

High Level ObjectiveTo enable all households access good quality housing appropriate to household circumstances and in their particular community of choice.

The main focus, in terms of housing supports provided by the Department, is on meeting the most acute needs of those unable to provide for accommodation from their own resources. The supports aim to deliver social housing in flexible and cost-effective ways, tailored to meet peoples’ needs at their particular stage in life.

Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP)SHIP continues, in an efficient and effective manner, to deliver good quality accommodation for those in housing need. Funding is provided to AHBs to deliver suitable social rental accommodation under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) to those with specific housing needs, such as persons with a disability, the elderly and homeless persons. A national improvement works programme in respect of the local authority housing stock and a programme of physical, social and economic regeneration for run down local authority estates and city flat complexes is also implemented under SHIP.  In addition, a programme of private housing grants and supports continues to improve the living conditions of those living in their own homes, with a particular focus on older people and people with a disability.

The on-going restructuring of the SHIP continued, with 1,042 units made available from leasing and 4,701 new transfers from Rent Supplement to the Rental Accommodation Scheme and other social housing supports. When added to units and transfers prior to 2013, this resulted in an overall net cost of just over €157m for both schemes. These models accounted for a significant proportion of the total social housing delivery for 2013, in line with the objectives of the Housing Policy Statement, 2011 .

In addition to the on-going restructuring of the SHIP, around 950 new social accommodation units were delivered through local authorities and approved housing bodies. SHIP continued to deliver social housing in 2013, with some 550 new units of local authority social accommodation delivered by means of construction and acquisition.

The expansion of the role of the voluntary and co-operative sector in addressing social housing needs, through the improvement of the voluntary regulatory framework for the sector and through the introduction of direct lending facilities via the Housing Finance Agency was continued in 2013.

In 2013, some €50m was provided under a special jobs stimulus initiative for improving the energy performance of older local authority housing stock. This three year investment programme will improve energy efficiency and

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comfort levels in 25,000 local authority houses. In 2013, more than 13,000 homes benefited under this energy efficiency measure, with expenditure totalling €27m.

Significant additional delivery of units, sourced through the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA), was achieved, with some 367 units delivered for social housing in 2013. These units were delivered using finance leasing, local authority and voluntary housing investment programmes. 2013 also saw the first delivery of units through the special purpose vehicle, called the National Asset Residential Property Services Limited, established by NAMA in 2012 to acquire properties from developers or receivers in NAMA’s portfolio of loans and to make these available to local authorities and AHBs by way of a long-term lease.

With funding provided under the CAS, 210 new units of accommodation were provided for those with a specific category of housing need. The expansion of the role of the voluntary and co-operative sector in addressing social housing needs, through the improvement of the voluntary regulatory framework for the sector and through the introduction of direct lending facilities via the Housing Finance Agency, was continued in 2013.

Other achievements over the course of 2013 included:

The launch of Voluntary Regulation Code for the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector.

Continued investment in the National Regeneration Programme, with almost €70m spent on a range of projects aimed at the physical, social and economic regeneration of key environments in Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Waterford, Tralee, Dundalk and Sligo.

7,011 households benefitting from the Housing Adaptation Grants Scheme for Older People and People with a Disability, with a total cost to the Exchequer of €38.3m.

An investment of almost €25m on estate-wide remedial works schemes and on extensions and adaptations to the social housing stock to meet the needs of tenants with a disability

Housing Assistance PaymentOn 18 July 2013, Government approved the introduction of the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). The General Scheme of a Housing Bill, to provide the legal framework underpinning the scheme was approved by Government on 17 December 2013. Considerable preparatory work was undertaken on the scheme. This included the completion and submission to Government of an economic assessment of proposal in relation to the scheme. In addition a detailed business process design exercise for was completed. The Department and the Department of Social Protection continue to work closely on the legal, policy and operational issues involved

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in developing and introducing HAP including adopting a reasonable approach to implementation which could prioritise certain groups, such as the long-term unemployed or those who are homeless or in danger of homelessness, in the early stages.

Discontinuance of Land Aggregation Scheme The Land Aggregation Scheme first became operational in 2010 with the objective of gradually reducing the outstanding loan balance for land on local authority books. In 2013, as a consequence of continuing pressure on Exchequer resources, it became evident that expenditure on the Land Aggregation Scheme was not a sustainable option for the future. The reduced level of capital funding being provided for the Department’s housing subhead for 2014 reinforced that belief. As a consequence, a review of the scheme was carried out, in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure Reform. It concluded with the issue of Circular 35/2013 to all Local Authorities in December 2013 notifying them of the discontinuance of the Scheme.

The Circular also gave notice to Local Authorities that no new submissions in respect of loans which had matured or were due to mature would be accepted into the scheme and any application received but not approved at the time of the issue of the Circular could not be accepted into the Scheme.

However, the Circular also committed the Department to continue funding the recoupment of annuity loan payments to local authorities in respect of lands already approved into the scheme.

National Coordination Committee on Unfinished Housing DevelopmentsA National Coordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments (NCC) was established in June 2011, under the chairmanship of the Minister for Housing and Planning, to drive the implementation efforts to resolve problems associated with unfinished housing developments. The Committee comprises representatives of residents, the Department, local authorities, developers, bankers and NAMA.

Two years ago, the NCC published an Action Plan to address the recommendations of a report by the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Development. An Annual Report on progress has been prepared each year since, in combination with the National Housing Development Survey. Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments Annual Progress Report on Actions to Address Unfinished Housing Developments, November 2013, outlined the progress made in tackling the issues. Among progress identified is that since 2010 the number of remaining unfinished developments has decreased by 56% and the number of vacant units decreased by 72%. In the 12 months to November 2013, site resolution plans were fully implemented on 553 developments.

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The Public Safety Initiative, introduced in 2011, continued to operate in 2013 in order to address the most serious health risks in the worst affected estates. The process of preparing and implementing Site Resolution Plans is on-going and local authorities continue to pursue enforcement action, including accessing securities and bonds to access funding to complete public infrastructure.

Documents in relation to unfinished housing developments are displayed on www.environ.ie and www.housing.ie.

The main focus for 2014 will be to resolve issues arising in the remaining unfinished developments with residents living in them and particularly, any developments that local authorities identified, for the purposes of the Local Property Tax waiver, as in a seriously problematic condition.

Budget 2014 contained a provision for a once-off €10m Special Resolution Fund. This fund will stimulate further private sector investment and construction activity on developments that have, for reasons relating to deficiencies in the developments, the unavailability of bond finance and related matters, not been otherwise possible to bring to a resolution stage to date.

Leasing and NAMAThis Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA continued to work together with housing authorities and AHBs in identifying suitable NAMA housing units and bringing them into social housing use. By the end of December 2013, some 2,055 of the units identified by NAMA as being potentially suitable had been confirmed by local authorities as being suitable for social housing. Completed housing unit transfers from the NAMA loan portfolio stood at 492, with a further 104 units contracted where completion work was on-going.  This brought the overall total delivery of social housing from NAMA sourced units to 596 units (completed or contracted) since the process began.

Mortgage arrears The mortgage arrears resolution process, already in place in respect of mortgages from private lenders, was implemented progressively across all local authorities during 2013. In cases of acute mortgage distress, homeowners also now have the option of seeking to avail of the legal process in place to deal with personal insolvency.

On foot of the recommendations of the Keane Report on mortgage arrears, the Government introduced a Mortgage-to-Rent scheme in June 2012, targeting those low income families with mortgages from private lenders and whose mortgage situation is unsustainable and where there is little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances in the foreseeable future. The Scheme ensures that the family remains in their home, while ownership is transferred to an AHB and the family becomes a tenant of the AHB. During 2013, the scheme was piloted for local authority borrowers in

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mortgage arrears in County Westmeath and Dublin City. On the basis of the successful pilot, the Local Authority Mortgage to Rent Scheme was rolled out nationally in February 2014.

Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies in IrelandOn 15 July 2013, the Department launched the Voluntary Regulation Code for the AHB sector. This document outlines the building blocks of a statutory regulatory system and provides a context in which individual AHBs can sign up to voluntary regulation and oversight. It sets out key governance, management, measurement and financial principles that will apply to all AHBs to some extent, depending on the size, scope, risk-level, etc., of the individual AHB.

Tenancy Deposit Protection SchemeThe Programme for Government 2011 commits to the establishment of a tenancy deposit protection scheme to protect tenants’ deposits in the private rented sector. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 will provide the legislative basis for the establishment of a tenancy deposit protection scheme. The Bill passed Report and Final stages in the Dáil in July 2013 and passed Second stage in the Seanad in September 2013.

National Housing Strategy for People with a DisabilityImplementation of the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011–2016 to support people with disabilities within communities with maximum choice and independence continued during 2013.

HomelessnessThe Government’s Homelessness Policy Statement was published on 21 February 2013. The Statement places an explicit emphasis on a housing-led approach as the primary response to homelessness. The policy statement contains a target to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016.

An Oversight Group was appointed by the Minister for Housing and Planning to examine the approach being pursued in the Homelessness Policy Statement, to review progress, identify obstacles and propose solutions.

The Homelessness Oversight Group provided its First Report to the Minister for Housing and Planning on 19 December 2013. The Group believes that the goals of ending long term homelessness and the need to sleep rough can be achieved by 2016. The Group's First Report focuses on the major challenges that need to be overcome to speed up progress, and it identifies the major blockages that hamper progress towards the key goals and recommends how those blockages might be overcome.

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In line with the National Implementation Plan for the Homelessness Strategy, a more devolved system for the provision of homelessness funding to housing authorities was implemented nationally during 2013. Protocols were agreed, with the lead housing authority in each of the nine homeless regions, placing an emphasis on improving overall efficiency and value for money and allowing greater local decision making in homeless services.

The Minister for Housing and Planning hosted a roundtable discussion on homelessness among her colleagues from other Member States on 1 March in Leuven, Belgium, during the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU. It was agreed that Member States and the Commission should work together to strengthen coordination across a number of principles. The roundtable was attended by representatives from 23 States and the Commission.

Architecture / Building StandardsIn March 2013, the new Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 were announced as the cornerstone in a suite of measures which aim to strengthen the current arrangements for the control of building activity. The regulations, which will come into operation on 1 March 2014, provide for statutory certificates in respect of both design and construction, the lodgement of compliance documentation as well as mandatory inspections during construction. These requirements will bring improved accountability to bear in our building industry.

The final quarter of 2013 saw this Department, together with the Departments of the Finance and the Taoiseach, engage with representatives from Dublin City Council, the Irish Banking Federation, the National Asset Management Agency, the former residents of Priory Hall and other stakeholders on a proposed resolution for Priory Hall residents and for the future of the complex. This process led to agreement by the key stakeholders on a Framework Approach to Resolution of Priory Hall Complex, the effective implementation of which will be overseen by an implementation board chaired by Dr. Martin McAleese.

The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013, which was signed by the President in late December, provides for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board to develop and oversee the implementation of a scheme to remediate dwellings affected by damage attributable to pyritic heave. It is envisaged that the pyrite Remediation Scheme will be adopted early in 2014, with applications from affected homeowners being taken shortly thereafter.

In October, the Government approved initial funding of €10m for the roll-out of the scheme in 2014 and 2015, with further funding to be provided following consultation between Minister Hogan and Minister Howlin in the context of the further stimulus package to be announced early in 2014. The initial phase of the remediation programme will deal with the circa 1,000 dwellings which are estimated to be in need of repair.

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The Construction Products Regulation (known as the “CPR”), which lays down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repeals the Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC, known as the “CPD”), was adopted in March 2011 and came into full effect from 1 July 2013.

It imposes new obligations and responsibilities on manufactures, importers and distributors. In 2013, the Department concentrated its efforts on raising awareness and highlighting the new obligations and requirements of the CPR with relevant stakeholders (construction industry, representative bodies for various groups including professionals, local authorities and other public bodies). The CPR requires the establishment of a Product Contact Point for Construction (PCP) in each member state to provide information/guidance on national rules and regulations. The Department is the designated Irish PCP and co-ordinates the work of the PCP with assistance from a number of public body stakeholders.

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Chapter 2: Water

High Level ObjectiveTo protect and improve water resources, water-dependent ecosystems; to provide water services infrastructure to support sustainable growth and environmental protection, to introduce new governance and pricing arrangements for the delivery and management of water services; and to ensure the appropriate regulation of the water sector.

Water QualityContinued progress was made in the legal, policy and implementation frameworks to protect and improve water resources and water dependent eco-systems during 2013 with

Additional staffing resources were secured for the EPA, from within the overall ECF numbers for the Department and its agencies, to facilitate the commencement of the 2nd cycle of river basin management planning in 2014.

Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme was reviewed during 2013, informed by a DECLG and DAFM co-chaired Review Group and a full public consultation process. Amendments to the programme were agreed with the EU Commission at the end of 2013 which will allow Ireland’s nitrates derogation to be put to a vote of the Nitrates Management Committee meeting in February 2014.

Negotiations with D/AFM successfully led to targeted water quality measures being included in the Rural Development Programme.

A very successful Informal meeting of Water and Marine Directors of the European Union was held in Dublin in May 2013 and Ireland’s EU Presidency successfully secured agreement on amendments to the Priority Substances in the Water Framework Directive. Ireland acceded to the UN Convention on Non-Navigational uses of Transboundary Watercourses (1997) in December 2013.

Ireland met its obligations under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) to complete reports on an initial assessment of our marine waters, on determination of Good Environmental Status and on the establishment of environmental target and associated indicators. These reporting requirements were completed and uploaded to the Commission website (EIONET) in April 2013. As part of this project, Ireland’s Marine Atlas was published online in October 2013.

An EU Pilot Infringement proceeding (MSFD) which commenced against Ireland in 2012 was closed by the Commission in 2013Water Sector Reform

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2013 was a critical year in delivering on the Government’s reform agenda for the water sector. There are three planks to this reform agenda:

The establishment of Irish Water as an independent state-owned company within the Bord Gáis Group, based on a public utility model;

The introduction of a new sustainable funding model, to support much needed investment in water infrastructure, including the introduction of usage-based domestic water charges; and

Independent economic regulation for water services, to be assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which will set the rate of water charges, scrutinise and approve Irish Water’s costs and protect customers’ interests.

Work in 2013 saw significant progress on delivering on this reform agenda including: Two pieces of water reformed related legislation enacted: the Water

Services (No.1) Act, in March 2013, and the Water Services (No.2) Act, in December 2013.

An order was made under the Water Services (No.2) Act, designating 1 January 2014 as the date upon which water services functions transferred from local authorities to Irish Water/Uisce Éireann. As such Irish Water/Uisce Éireann is now the water services authority, responsible for providing water and wastewater services to households and businesses on the public network, and for billing and collecting revenue from households, once charges are introduced.

The installation of water meters commenced in August 2013. Almost 80,000 meters had been installed by end 2013. Work will continue during 2014 on this ambitious programme. The economic regulator of Irish Water, the Commission for Energy Regulation, commenced public consultation on issues of regulation of the water sector.

Service level agreements commenced on 1 January 2014. Through these agreements, local authorities provide certain water services on behalf of Irish Water.

Water Services Investment ProgrammeBy the end of the year over 250 of the contracts in the latest water services investment programme had been completed and over 100 were in progress1. The latest data available from authorities indicates that a total of 41 major contracts – 30 water supply (including 13 water conservation) and 11 wastewater - were completed during 2013 and over 600 major contracts/schemes have been completed since 2000. An estimated 300 km of watermains has been replaced or repaired in the year under the water conservation programme. From the 1 January 2014, following enactment of the Water Services (No.2) Act, 2013, responsibility for capital investment in public water services became the responsibility of Irish Water.

Water conservation1 This includes schemes at procurement stages

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It is estimated that some 13 contracts were completed in 2013. Indications from local authorities are that mains replacement/rehabilitation will show an increase on previous years with around 300 km of mains repaired or replaced in 2013.

The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 builds on existing investment in water conservation, which has seen over €270m spent on various water conservation measures between 2003 and 2013.

Rural Water ProgrammeIn 2013, work continued on the improvement of water quality in group water schemes with private sources such as rivers, lakes and boreholes, on water conservation and upgrade measures in existing group water schemes, including schemes on public supplies, and on takeover of group water schemes by local authorities. Funding was also provided for small scheme works on public water and wastewater projects and for individual well grants.”

Septic TanksThe ECJ Case on the Implementation of Waste Framework Directive in relation to Septic Tanks and other Individual Treatment Systems (Court Case C-188/08) was formally closed on 30 May 2013. Milestones included:

December 2012: The Minister made an announcement in relation to the establishment of a grant scheme to provide financial assistance to households, whose systems are deemed, following inspection under the new legislation, to require substantial remediation or upgrading. A condition of eligibility for grant aid is that the system was registered by the prescribed date of 1 February 2013. The scheme came into operation in July 2013, with the publication of Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013.

July 2013: From July, local authorities began carrying out inspections in their functional areas, according to the National Inspection Plan which was published by the EPA in February 2013. Local authorities, in consultation with the EPA and the department will review the inspection process on an on-going basis.

Marine Planning and ForeshoreThe performance of statutory functions under the Foreshore Acts continued during 2013, including the receipt of 35 new applications for consent and 34 decisions made in cases on hand. In February, the Department held a public consultation on proposals to reform the foreshore consent system. The priority drafting of the Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill was approved by the Government in July. The General Scheme of the Bill was published in October and was subjected to pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht in November.

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The Bill aims to integrate the foreshore consent system with the on-land planning system operated by An Bord Pleanála and local authorities, and will help to give effect to a number of Government commitments. The Bill also contains provisions to eliminate the dual consent required for "Dumping at Sea" applications, along with a number of technical amendments to the Dumping at Sea regime operated by the Environmental Protection Agency, and provisions in relation to gas storage and the designation of marine areas.

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Chapter 3: Environment High Level Objective

To promote the protection of the environment and human health, and contribute to the development of a green economy and the global effort against climate change, both directly and through ensuring the continued integration of environmental and wider sustainable development considerations into economic and sectoral policies.

International and EU DevelopmentsThe Department successfully led and advanced the environmental agenda during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU, including successfully negotiating 8 First Reading Agreements with the European Parliament on key policy dossiers like the 7th Environment Action Programme, batteries, aviation emissions trading scheme, ship recycling, CO2 from vans among others, and the endorsement of Council Conclusions on a new Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and on the Rio+20 Post 2015 Agenda. In addition to delivering on these strategic policies, we also managed a very successful calendar of 16 Official Presidency Events on environmental issues, including a meeting of EU Environment Ministers in Dublin in April 2013.

At international level, the Irish Presidency team represented the EU at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council in Nairobi in February, progressed work on the development of Sustainable Development Goals and secured global agreement on a legally binding instrument on controlling the use of mercury. The first ever back-to-back Conferences on the UN Conventions on Chemicals and Waste also took place in May under the Irish Presidency, where over 40 important decisions were taken to improve environmental protection in these areas.

Further progress was made during 2013 in addressing our compliance obligations under EU law with on-time transposition of new Directives and regulations and a reduction in the number of open environmental infringement cases, for which the Department is responsible, to 8 by the end of the year.

Waste Policy and Resource Efficiency2013 saw a lot of work and progress in respect of the Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) Review. As part of this 2-year review process which will culminate in new regulations and systems across a range of waste areas, the Department published the Corporate Governance report and “A Packaging Levy for Ireland” report in the autumn, with reports on Waste Tyres and End-of-Life Vehicles subsequently published in November 2013. Public consultations were facilitated on all these reports to inform the final policies recommended for adoption and implementation.

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In respect of implementation of a key plank of the Government’s National Waste Policy “A Resource Opportunity”, three lead authorities for regional waste management planning - which correspond with the regional structures set out in the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government – were designated in June 2013. The reduction from 10 waste regions to 3 will play an important role in the provision of effective and efficient delivery of waste management service, with regional waste plans being drawn up in 2014.

In relation to the management of household waste, the Minister launched a consultation paper on the Regulation of Household Waste in November 2013, with a significant focus on the approach to household waste collection pricing structures and the proposal to move the household waste collection sector to a price per weight (per kg) charging system. Views received during the consultation process are informing the development of the new regulatory regime for household waste collection which will be established in the second half of 2014.

The Department also established an inter-departmental working group to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low-income households. The Working Group, which comprises representatives of the Departments of Environment, Community and Local Government; Social Protection; Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance; and the Tánaiste's Office, submitted its second report to Government in July 2013. Considering the range of complex issues involved, the Government has asked the group to prepare a further report which will be submitted in 2014.

In April 2013, the Minister introduced the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2013 which are designed to:

promote the segregation and beneficial use of food waste arising in the commercial sector;

increase the amount of food waste that is recovered; and facilitate the achievement of targets set out in the Landfill Directive

(99/31/EC) regarding the diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill sites, by directing source-segregated food waste to composting and biogas plants and to other forms of treatment (other than incineration).

It is anticipated that these Regulations will increase the amount of food waste recovered through the production of energy, compost and digestate, and in doing so create new opportunities for added jobs and value, as well as diverting such waste from landfill to composting and to other forms of treatment.

In addition, to further reduce our reliance on landfill, the landfill levy was raised by a further €10 per tonne from July 2013, bringing it up to €75 per tonne. This increase is designed to further encourage the recycling of waste

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streams, and to support the development of resource efficiency initiatives and business opportunities.

In the area of waste enforcement, we completed a major review of waste enforcement structures, with a number of recommendations outlined for the delivery of enforcement functions into the future, on a lead authority basis.

Efforts to tackle littering have continued through negotiated agreements with the chewing gum industry and the Irish Banking Federation, with the Department also supporting other anti-litter initiatives and programmes including An Taisce’s Annual Spring Clean, Protecting Urban and Rural Environment (PURE) and Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).

Remediation of licensed and unlicensed legacy landfills continued during 2013 at sites around the country, while substantial supports were also provided to local authorities for the operation of the network of recycling and civic amenity sites.

At EU level, the agreement on the new Batteries Directive during the Irish Presidency of the EU in the first half of the year heralds an important step in the development of safer, more energy efficient batteries that will benefit both human health and the environment. The new Directive bans the use of cadmium in cordless power tool batteries, and button cells containing mercury. In addition, substantial progress was made on transposition of the new WEEE Directive ahead of the deadline to transpose into national law in February 2014.

Aarhus ConventionThe first National Implementation Report on the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters was submitted to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in December 2013, following a robust six-month public participation process in which best practice in public participation methods were employed to ensure broad and effective consultation with all stakeholders. It was encouraging that the process was commended by environmental NGO’s and was cited as an example of best practice in Public Consultation, a strong endorsement of our overall approach.

Sustainable DevelopmentDuring 2013, the Department continued to monitor implementation of the 70 cross-government measures identified in the framework document, Our Sustainable Future: A Framework for Sustainable Development for Ireland. A mid-year progress update was compiled as part of this process.

A meeting of the associated High-Level Inter-Departmental Group was held in February 2014 and considered progress made, obstacles encountered and opportunities for further impact.  Arising from these discussions, a

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report on implementation of the Framework will be submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and the Green Economy.

Early in the year, Ireland ratified the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol (NKLSP) on Liability and Redress which provides international rules and procedure on liability and redress for damage to biodiversity, resulting from living modified organisms (LMOs, better known as Genetically Modified Organisms - GMOs). The NKLSP complements the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and was adopted by the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol in October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan.

Radiation policy and Air QualityThe National Radon Control Strategy Group, established to develop a National Strategy to address the effects of radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that increases the risk of lung cancer, finalised its work on a National Radon Control Strategy which was published by the Minister at the National Radon Forum in February 2014.

Significant progress was also made by the National Implementation Committee on the national radioactive waste reduction programme in 2013. Ireland has gone from having over 3,300 disused radioactive sources (with a half-life greater than ten years) held by 63 licensees, to 31 sources held by 11 licensees, representing a 99% reduction in the total number of these sources. In conjunction with this, Minister Hogan signed the Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Responsible and Safe Management of Radioactive Waste) Order 2013 (S.I. 320 of 2013) in August 2013, transposing into Irish law the EU Directive 2011/70/Euratom which establishes a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radio-active waste.

Under our EU Presidency, Ireland achieved substantive agreement by the EU Council Atomic Question Working Group (AQWG) on the re-cast Basic Safety Standard Directive which was formally adopted by the European Council in December 2013. In addition, the proposal for a new EU Regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases was substantively progressed and agreement on a final text was reached towards the end of the year, under the Lithuanian EU Presidency.

In relation to air quality, in recognition of the EU’s 2013 Year of Air, Ireland hosted an Air Science Policy Forum in Farmleigh during April that brought together a target audience of experts, advisers and policy makers from across the EU, to raise awareness of the continuing need to further develop and strengthen EU and national policies to improve air quality, based upon the most up to date scientific understanding of the issues and promoting cohesion with related briefs such as climate change, transport, energy and agriculture policy. The Forum discussions fed into the development of the EU’s Clean Air Policy Package that was published in December.

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On the domestic front, the ban on the marketing, distribution, sale or use of bituminous solid fuels (also known as the ‘smoky coal ban’) was extended to 7 new towns with effect from May 2013 – Greystones, Letterkenny, Mullingar, Navan, Newbridge, Portlaoise and Wicklow. The ban now applies in 26 areas, including all towns with a population greater than 15,000 people. This gives further effect to an EPA recommendation to extend the clean air benefits of the ban to all urban areas. EPA monitoring data has previously demonstrated that air quality has notably improved in towns where a ban has been introduced, with proven benefits for human health. Detailed maps of each of the 26 ban areas can be found on the Department’s website.

Agreement was also reached at the North South Ministerial Council on terms of reference for a joint study on air quality and emissions from residential solid fuel, with the aim of informing policy options for improving air quality on an all-island basis. A request for tender to undertake the study issued in November. A final report on the findings and recommendations of the study will be due in Autumn 2014.

Climate PolicyThe Programme for the development of National Climate Policy and Legislation, published in January 2012, advanced significantly over the course of 2013 and will be completed in 2014. A key milestone was the Outline Heads of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill which, together with comprehensive policy analysis undertaken by the Secretariat to the National Economic and Social Committee, were released in February 2013. The primary objective of the Bill will be to provide for the State to pursue and achieve transition to a low-carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy in the period to 2050. In addition to addressing transparency on progress under the Policy Development Programme, the outline Heads and analysis were considered by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, which itself undertook a wide-ranging consultation process, before issuing its report in November 2013. Having regard, inter alia, to the Joint Committee’s report, the Minister has committed to finalising and publishing the Heads of the Bill in 2014.

In parallel with development of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill, greenhouse gas mitigation remains a priority and policy in this regard advanced through the new low-carbon roadmapping process, initiated in December 2012. The main focus in 2013 was on mitigation at a sectoral level, and centred on addressing emissions in the key areas of electricity generation, transport, agriculture and the built environment. This sectoral-level work will provide a substantive element of the foundation for the first National Low-Carbon Roadmap, a draft of which will be released, together with a draft Strategic Environment Assessment, for a substantial period of open consultation in 2014. The national roadmap will respond to the primary objective of the Bill and provide a policy outlook to 2050.

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Chapter 4: Local Government and Franchise

High Level Objective

To shape, develop and support local government to represent and serve communities effectively and efficiently.

To develop policy, legislation and systems as key elements of electoral reform.

Local Government Reform / ModernisationSignificant progress was achieved during 2013 in implementing the Government’s local government reform programme announced in the Action Programme for Effective Local Government: Putting People First, in October 2012. In particular, the Local Government Bill 2013, providing for the reform of local government structures, functions, governance and related matters, was published in October 2013 and had progressed to an advanced stage through the Oireachtas by year end.

Work on the merger of local authorities in Limerick and Tipperary, overseen by the Department, continued in 2013 in accordance with Implementation Plans completed in June and December 2012. An implementation group to direct preparatory work and initial implementation of the reorganisation process in Waterford reported in June 2013. An Interim Dual Manager was appointed in both Tipperary and Waterford in November and December 2013, respectively, to lead the merger process in those areas in addition to the Dual Manager already in place in Limerick.

The Department engaged closely with local authorities and the local authority representative associations, the Association of County and City Councils and the Association of Municipal Authorities in Ireland, during 2013 regarding implementation arrangements, including the drafting of legislation, for local government reorganisation.

The independently chaired Implementation Group, which includes private sector expertise, established to drive and oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group (LGER) submitted its second Progress Report to the Minister. This was published in July 2013. The County and City Managers’ Association (CCMA), in its input to the Report, confirmed total savings of €839m since the beginning of the economic downturn in 2008. In the period since the preparation of the LGER Report (2010 to end 2012), the savings achieved and projected were reported at €561m. This included €229m (already more than half the €346m identified as potential direct efficiency savings in the LGER Report) attributed to efficiency measures (as opposed to reduction in activity) in the years 2010 to the end of 2012. The majority of the efficiency savings identified related to staffing reductions and procurement. The Group and the CCMA prioritised the implementation of key

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recommendations relating to procurement, ICT, human resources/staffing and shared services as areas with potential to yield the optimum level of savings in regard to the implementation of the efficiency agenda within the sector.

An independently chaired group was tasked to carry out a review of the staffing complement and number of senior managers in Cork City Council. Their report and recommendations, together with the Cork City Council Workforce Plan 2010 – 2014 were submitted to the Minister and published in April 2013.

The national rollout of the www.fixyourstreet.ie website is now complete and since 1 January 2013, members of the public have been able to report issues for the attention of any local authority. www.fixyourstreet.ie consists of a publicly accessible web site with associated mobile technologies on which non-emergency issues such as graffiti, road defects, issues with street lighting, water leaks/drainage issues, and litter or illegal dumping can be reported. Currently www.fixyourstreet.ie supports the Android mobile phone platform, and an iPhone version is under development. The web site itself www.fixyourstreet.ie is mobile enabled which gives a simple interface for viewing and reporting issues through the mobile phone web browser.

The objective of the initiative is that issues raised on www.fixyourstreet.ie are responded to within 2 working days.

In respect of 2013, the average response time is 3.87 working days. 14 local authorities achieved a response time of less than 2 working days with a further 6 local authorities responding in between 2 and 3 working days.  As 2013 was the first year of the national rollout of FixYourStreet, a number of authorities have struggled with ensuring the initial response has been recorded on the fix your street website. This may be doing a disservice to the actual activities on the ground (given the reduced staffing complement in the sector), however is the only measure available to the FixYourStreet web site.  

It is evident from the 2014 current reports (based on previous month activities) that there is a marked improvement in the ability of councils to respond to the reports on the fix your street site. (For example, in one 4 week period, the average response time was 19 hours).

In 2013, a total of 9,796 reports were accepted by the service, with litter and illegal dumping being the most reported category at 45% of the reports, and road or path defects the second most reported category at 24%.

Motor TaxAt the end of 2013, there were 2.48m vehicles on Irish roads, a 3.3% increase from 2.4m at the end of 2012. Motor tax revenue increased by 7.8% in 2013 to €1.1bn. The increase was due to a combination of the motor tax increases announced in Budget 2013 and the closing off of a loophole in

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the procedures for declaring a vehicle off the road. Of the 2013 revenue, a sum of €100m was transferred to the Exchequer from the Local Government Fund as a measure towards reduction of the national deficit.

CO2 emissions became the basis for motor tax for private vehicles registered from 01 July 2008. By December 2013, the CO2 fleet contained 538,604 cars, or just over 28% of all private vehicles. While 77% of the overall CO2 fleet is in the lowest emitting A and B bands, 94% of the cars first taxed in 2013 are in the A and B bands, reflecting the fact that more environmentally friendly cars are coming on to the market.

Agencies under the aegis of the DepartmentThe number of staff employed by agencies under the aegis of the Department fell to 696 by the end of 2013, compared to a peak of 951 at the end of 2008 – a reduction of 255.

The Reform/Efficiency Agenda, as outlined in the Public Sector Reform Plan, is being implemented by the Agencies under the aegis of the Department.

Work on the dissolution of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, in line with the Government decision of 29 May 2012, continued in 2013 with a view to enacting legislation to dissolve the Authority during 2014.

Under the rationalisation programme, work in relation to the amalgamation of the Environmental Protection Agency with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland was progressed during the year, with the merger to be completed in 2014.

Local Authority SuperannuationA voluntary redundancy scheme for local authority employees was introduced in July 2013. The aim of the Scheme is to achieve a permanent reduction in the workforce of local authorities from 2013 onwards in line with the recommendations of the workforce study and the Action Programme for Effective Local Government: Putting People First. Approximately 620 applications were approved by local authorities, with 390 staff departing in 2013 and a further 230 due to leave in 2014. The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency ManagementDuring 2013, the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, through its Management Board and Consultative Committee, maintained its commitment to achieving continuous service improvement with a particular emphasis on safety in fire service operations.

The National Directorate, in partnership with fire authorities, achieved progress in advancing two major policy initiatives in the local government sector: Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) was published as national policy in

February 2013. KCS addresses some long-standing issues (e.g., standards, consistency of approach and value for money) in the fire services and is the outcome of a wide ranging review of operational

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activities which included stakeholder consultation and engagement with technical organisations. The process of taking the policy forward in fire authorities is being assisted by a series of subject-specific guidance documents, of which a number have been completed in 2013. These deal with fire service training and Managing Safety in Fire Services. KCS recommends a “shared services” approach which will see the number of service delivery units fall from the current 30 to 21.

CAMP (Computer Aided Mobilisation Project) – the Next Generation sets out a plan to move from the current first-generation, Regional Communications Centres which take 999/112 calls for assistance from the public to a single national system with three nodes, using the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform sponsored TETRA radio platform as the bearer.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management represents Ireland on the European Council Working Party on Civil Protection (PROCIV) and the European Commission-managed Civil Protection Committee. Ireland therefore chaired PROCIV during the Irish EU Presidency. There was an informal meeting of Directors General for Civil Protection in Dublin Castle on 22/23 May 2013. While matters arose in the areas of Critical Infrastructure Protection, the implementation of the Solidarity Clause of the Lisbon Treaty and Crisis Coordination Arrangements, the main focus of PROCIV during the Irish Presidency was on draft legislation for a new Union Civil Protection Mechanism and consistent progress was made enabling the proposal to be adopted later in the year. The legislation came into force on 1st January 2014. Compliance will improve our domestic disaster prevention, preparedness and response through better planning and training.

The Central Training Programme provided 10 courses and five seminars to supplement training arranged by fire authorities. FranchiseThe Franchise Section continued its role of developing and overseeing a modern, efficient, accessible and fair electoral system through the development and implementation of policy and legislation and by supporting the electoral process.

The Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013, enacted on 20 March 2013, gives statutory effect to the recommendations in the Constituency Commission Report 2012. It provides for a reduction to 158 in the total number of members of Dáil Éireann, for the revision of Dáil constituencies and for the number of members to be elected for such constituencies.

The Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013, enacted on 22 July 2013, gives effect to new EU requirements in relation to nomination procedures for non-National candidates that will apply at the

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European Parliament elections in 2014. The Act also changed electoral law in other areas – details are set out in Appendix 1.

The European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2013, published on 2 December 2013, was enacted on 5 February 2014. The Act gives statutory effect to the recommendations in the Report on European Parliament Constituencies 2013. It provides for an arrangement of constituencies for the election of 11 members of the European Parliament in Ireland for the 2014-2019 parliamentary term.

A number of Statutory Instruments and Orders were made in 2013 to facilitate the development of the legislative framework and the conduct of elections and referendums. These are listed in Appendix 1.

Two applications for verification by the Minister of statements of support collected in Ireland in relation to European Citizens Initiatives were received in 2013. The verification process for the first of these Initiatives, relating to a right to water, was finalised during 2013. The verification process for the second Initiative received, relating to protection of the dignity, the right to life and of the integrity of every human being from conception, was in progress at year end.

Franchise Section provided the necessary administrative support to the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee, established on 15 November 2012, to enable it to make its report to the Minister on 29 May 2013.

Franchise Section provided administrative support to the European Parliament Constituencies Committee which reported to the Chairman of the Dáil on 25 September 2013.

The Department ensured that the necessary framework and other operational arrangements were in place for the two referendums held in 2013 on proposals to amend the Constitution contained in the Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 and the Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013. The Department also provided the necessary support to the Referendum Returning Officer.

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Chapter 5: Communities and Rural Development

High Level ObjectiveTo facilitate integrated development at local level and to foster vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities; to support the Community and Voluntary Sector in its contribution to an active, democratic and pluralist society.

Local Government/Local Development AlignmentWork commenced on implementing the recommendations in this area set out in Putting People First – Action Programme for Effective Local Government in October 2012. An Alignment Working Group (AWG), chaired by the Department and comprising representatives the City and County Managers Association, the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN) and Pobal, was established to assist and advise on implementation issues.

A key focus for the AWG in 2013 was the introduction of ‘frontrunner’ or pilot Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in a number of local authority areas.  Their purpose was to explore and trial approaches to LCDC operation and to capture learning to inform the full roll-out of LCDCs across all local authority areas in 2014, and by year end, five had been established.

Legislation to underpin the establishment of LCDCs in all local authority areas was introduced in October 2013 and enacted in the Local Government Reform Act 2014.

A number of measures aimed at strengthening the cross-government approach to local and community development were advanced, including establishment of an Inter-Departmental Group on Local and Community Development and scoping work on the development of common impact assessment framework for local and community development programmes.

Community & Voluntary Supports & ProgrammesNorth South EU co-funded Programmes The Department continued its support for a number of EU co-funded programmes under the 2007-2013 programming round. This included the provision of grants to projects in the cross-border region totalling €20.8m under PEACE III (Programme for Peace and Reconciliation) and €2.5m under INTERREG IVA (Cross-Border Territorial Co-operation Programme for Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland).

Scheme to Support National Community & Voluntary OrganisationsFunding of €3.6m was disbursed to 63 Community and Voluntary organisations as a contribution to their core costs and overheads under the ‘Supporting Citizen Engagement’ policy.

Volunteering/Community&Voluntary Fora

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During 2013, €0.5m was provided to 34 Community and Voluntary Fora throughout the country to support the fora in organising meetings, communicating information and providing capacity building/training for Forum members, particularly those representing the socially excluded.

€2.9m was also provided to advance a range of measures that support volunteering and active citizenship. This include funding a network of twenty one Volunteer Centres (North Dublin City and South Dublin City are in the process of merging into a single Dublin City Volunteer Centre serving Dublin City as a whole) and the associated organisations of Volunteer Ireland, Young Social Innovators, Focus Ireland, Boardmatch and Chambers Ireland.

Social PartnershipUnder the Scheme for Social Partnership, which provides funding for the Community and Voluntary Pillar, €0.6m was provided to 17 Social Partnership organisations to cover costs directly related to their contribution to policy-making in the social partnership process.

Dormant Accounts FundingThe Government approved a new Dormant Accounts Disbursement Scheme covering the period December 2013 to November 2016. This will allow for the implementation of a Dormant Accounts action plan for 2014 and subsequent years and for the continuation of funding supporting the labour force activation measures in local authorities in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection.

Forum on Philanthropy and FundraisingThe Department continues to support the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising in implementing the recommendations of its report launched in July 2012. The ‘National Giving Campaign, the one percent difference’, has been launched and the Social Innovation Fund has been set up under the Companies Acts.

Seniors Alert SchemeThe Scheme, administered by local community and voluntary groups, provides grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable persons over 65, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes.

Grant assistance in the amount of €2.3m was provided to 575 local Community and Voluntary Groups in 2013 under the Seniors Alert Scheme and 10,597 beneficiaries received monitored units as a result.

Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP)The Programme continued to provide funding to Local Development Companies (LDCs) and a small number of alternative local development bodies for the delivery of the LCDP in 2013. The LCDP aims to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership and constructive

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engagement between Government and its agencies and people in disadvantaged communities.

In 2013, €47.7m was spent under the programme, a reduction of over €6m in expenditure from the previous year. Despite this reduction, provisional information from the Integrated Reporting and Information System (IRIS) shows that the programme performed very well during 2013. An examination of the data for 2013 (comparable actual output figures for 2012 are in brackets) shows that:

49,790(47,792) persons were assisted in 2013; 17,699(17,119) beneficiaries participating in education; 19,711(16,832) beneficiaries participating in labour market training; and 7,419(7,054) supported into employment, including 5,000 into self-

employment.

A Mid-Term Review of the programme was finalised during 2013. The main aims of the review were, inter alia: to evaluate performance of the programme to date against national programme indicators and to examine the current validity of the LCDP objectives and/or outcomes and their compatibility with the overall strategy of the Department and Programme for Government. The Review has made a number of findings in relation to the performance and operation of LCDP and makes a number of recommendations on refining/reshaping the programme.

As the LCDP came to an end on the 31st December 2013, it was agreed that transitional arrangements would apply in 2014, to facilitate the redesign of the programme and to allow for the establishment of the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in line with enhancing the role of local government in local and community development. Management of current contracts and Programme oversight will transfer to the LCDCs from 1 July next. However, existing contracts for the LCDP will remain in place until the end of 2014. The redesigned Programme will see a renewed emphasis on targeting the harder to reach individuals and communities and will roll out from January 2015.

Rural Development: EU and NationalLEADER elements Rural Development Programme Ireland 2007-2013The main aims of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) are to improve the quality of life in rural areas and facilitate the diversification of the rural economy.

In 2013, the Programme recorded expenditure of over €80m, bringing total expenditure under the programme to €245m. Funding was provided to a range of innovative and sustainable projects across the country. In all, some 2,759 projects were funded. This funding continued to provide valuable support to rural communities in a very difficult economic environment with the aim of creating and maintaining vibrant rural

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communities that can provide solid foundations for economic growth into the future.

Enterprise support funding was provided to 2,404 enterprises in 2013 resulting in the creation of 1,110 full-time jobs. Investment in small scale infrastructural projects in villages and small towns also continued in 2013, with 1,301 villages and communities benefiting from capital enhancement works.

Financial Management, Internal Audit and Risk Assessment:Inspection Services Section provided an accredited control system for the EAFRD co-funded Rural Development Programme 2007 – 2013 by conducting ex-ante On the Spot Controls and ex-post checks on programme expenditure in accordance with EU Regulations. In addition, the Section implement an Inspection programme for those Schemes and Programmes that are funded totally by the National Exchequer, and implemented by the Community Division, to meet the requirements of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA)The Rural Development Section of the Department supported the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and the Western Development Commission (WDC) in the work of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA). The aim of the Commission was to carry out an extensive public consultation and research exercise on the future economic potential of rural Ireland in order to identify how best to channel funding and resources between 2013 and 2025.

The most significant element of the Commission’s work was the consultation process conducted between January and June 2013. The exercise consisted of three separate elements: a number of public meetings; meetings with relevant stakeholders and experts; and a written submission process that involved the completion of an online questionnaire and/or written submissions.

The process identified a diverse and complex series of issues and challenges that the Commission considers need to be addressed in order to support the future economic development of rural Ireland. The final report was submitted to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in November 2013 for his consideration, which was published in early 2014.

Rural RecreationImplementation of the Walks Scheme continued in 2013 on 40 trails involving 1,811 landholder participants.

Service Level Agreements with 12 Local Development Companies (LDCs) were in place during 2013 for the delivery of an expanded range of rural

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recreation services including the implementation of relevant objectives of the National Countryside Recreation Strategy.

The Department facilitated the bringing together of key State landholders including Coillte, National Parks and Wildlife Service, ESB, Waterways Ireland, Inland Fisheries Ireland, CIE and Bord na Mona in order to secure agreement to develop a National Outdoor Recreational Plan for Public Lands and Waters. The draft agreement is close to conclusion.

Western Development Commission (WDC)The WDC is responsible for the operation of the Western Investment Fund (WIF), a managed fund which contributes to the development of the region by investing through equity or loans in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and community enterprises to support business development and employment. The WDC invests on commercial terms and all investments are repayable. To end 2103, €31.7m of exchequer funding was made available to the WIF.

In 2013, the WDC provided investment funds totalling €2.3m to 18 enterprises. The total number of people employed in WDC supported enterprises is 1,600, with that number expected to grow to over 2,500 as the companies supported develop and grow. The WIF, to date, has invested in 108 enterprises. The WDC expects to disburse circa €3m in 2014, bringing the total investment by the WIF to almost €45m, equating to some €14.3m which had been repaid to the WIF by the end of 2013 since its establishment. The WDC is currently fully reliant on its revolved funds.

CLÁRIn 2013, the CLÁR Programme invested €0.106m, which supported 24 Sports Capital projects and 2 Gaeltacht and Community projects. This Programme is currently being wound down.

Rural Development Fund (RDF)The RDF provided €22,507 in 2013 towards residual payments under the Clones Regeneration Project and expenditure relating to the Commission for Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA).

Local Government Community ServicesLocal Government Community Services encompasses areas such as Irish Water Safety, Dog Control issues, Burial Ground Regulations and the Certification of Safety of Fairground Equipment.

The burial ground rules and regulations were amended in 2013 to allow burials to take place in specified areas without the need for coffins. This change followed concerns expressed by members of the Muslim community regarding their traditional burial rituals and was the first change in these rules since 1929.

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Tidy Towns The competition continues as one of the great community and environmental initiatives in the country. 2013 marked its 55th consecutive year in existence. It continues to attract over 800 entries annually from communities throughout Ireland. Largely driven by volunteerism, it has transformed the face of our country and engendered great spirit and pride in local communities, making them better places to visit, live, work and do business in.

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Chapter 6: Planning

High Level ObjectiveTo provide an enhanced policy and legislative framework to promote sustainable economic growth and balanced regional development, in compliance with a strong planning code and environmental obligations.

Planning Policy and LegislationThe enhancement of the planning policy and legislative framework in order to ensure the continued delivery of plan-led planning policy underpinning good planning outcomes was advanced through the continued delivery of consistency between national, regional and local plans. This will underpin a plan-led approach to development and achieve sustainable planning outcomes through the co-ordinated delivery of key enabling infrastructure, particularly through: On-going engagement with Regional and Local Authorities, including

through the Regional Planning Guidelines National Steering Committee on the implementation of the Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022;

On-going engagement on planning matters with the County and City Managers’ Association (CCMA) Planning and Land Use and Transportation Committee;

Two Ministerial Directions issued under Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), directing a planning authority to take specified measures where the planning authority had ignored or not taken sufficient account of the Minister’s statutory observations (83 such observations were made in 2013); and

The Planning and Development of Large-Scale Rail Focused Areas in Dublin (May 2013) research report, conducted jointly between the Department and the National Transport Authority, assessed the issues impacting on the development of strategic areas adjacent to key public transport corridors, including in particular the emerging pressures to develop these areas on a lower density basis, and to propose potential solutions to enable the viable development of these areas over the longer term.

A series of planning related legislative amendments and integration of strategic planning in the:

o Electoral, Local Government and Planning & Development Act, 2013;

o Local Government Reform Act 2014; ando Water Services (No.2) Act 2013.

The continued rollout and monitoring of the regulatory regime for quarries under section 261A of the Planning Act 2000, under which planning authorities were required, in 2012, to assess whether development in particular quarries had taken place in breach of the EIA Directive or the Habitats Directive, and to require applications for substitute consent, or enforcement notices to be issued, depending on the planning history of the

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quarry.  Data on the results of the assessment, in more than 2,000 quarries, was collected and placed on the Department’s website. Further Guidance was issued to planning authorities under section 28 of the Act. In consultation with industry, planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála implementation issues were identified and draft Regulations developed to provide solutions to such issues. It is hoped to make these Regulations in 2014.

The Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013 provide for exemptions from planning (subject to certain conditions) for charging points for electric vehicles, certain remedial works carried out on septic tanks, and certain structures provided by a statutory undertaker authorised to provide a telecommunications service. This was in furtherance of the Department’s policy of achieving the least regulatory burden consistent with the proper assessment of development consent proposals. The Planning and Development (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2013 made Irish Water a statutory consultee for plans and projects under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. An unofficial consolidation of the Planning Regulations was completed, covering all amendments made since the original Planning and Development Regulations 2001. This is available on the Department’s website.Establishment of a successor NSS Scoping Group (in August 2013) comprised of three experts2 with extensive experience of spatial planning and economic and social development, to prepare a short scoping report on a successor to the current NSS in order to inform proposals Ministers intend to bring to Government on the roadmap to develop a new planning framework as a successor to the current NSS.The agreement of Government (in May 2013) on proposals for the preparation of a new Planning and Development Bill to establish a new Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR), in line with the recommendation contained in the Final Report of the Mahon Tribunal, to carry out independent appraisal of regional and local level statutory plans prepared and adopted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, namely, development plans, local area plans, regional planning guidelines etc.Planning GuidelinesThe Local Area Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities (June 2013), and accompanying non-statutory Manual for Local Area Plans, are the first set of guidelines published to assist planning authorities deliver on their mandatory obligations to prepare local area plans since the concept of local area plans was introduced in legislation in 2000.  The Guidelines highlight 2 The three experts are Sean Dorgan, former chief executive of IDA Ireland and former Secretary General of two Government Departments, Dr Berna Grist, who is a barrister, planner, and academic, and a former member of An Bord Pleanála, and Jim McKinnon, former Chief Planner in Scotland.

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the particular importance of building a strong consensus for local area plans through local consultation ensuring more community planning with ownership of the local area plan-making process firmly centred on the local authority as opposed to developer-led planning.

The Department commenced a public consultation (in December 2013) on proposed ‘draft’ revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2006) focusing specifically on the issues of noise (setting a more stringent absolute noise limit), setbacks (providing a mandatory setback of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations) and shadow flicker (providing that a condition be attached to all future planning permissions for wind farms to ensure that there will be no shadow flicker at any dwelling within 10 rotor diameters of a wind turbine).

The Development Contributions Guidelines (January 2013) principal aim is to provide non-statutory guidance on the drawing up of development contribution schemes to reflect the significant economic changes that have impacted across all sectors since guidance last issued in 2007. While the adoption of development contribution schemes is a reserved function of the elected members of each planning authority, one of the objectives of the new guidance is to achieve a greater level of consistency in development contribution schemes on a national basis, providing enhanced clarity to inform investment decisions across different local authority areas. The guidelines also aim to prioritise job creation and economic investment as a key feature of the new guidance which include a requirement for planning authorities to establish reduced rates of contribution for projects such as developments in town centres, IDA/Enterprise Ireland projects, and broadband and sustainable energy infrastructure

The Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) was launched jointly by the Department together with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on 25 March 2013. The Manual outlines practical design measures to support and encourage more sustainable travel patterns in urban areas and provides guidance relating to the design of urban roads and streets. It won the Irish Planning Institute Transportation Planning Award and overall National Planning Award and will have the opportunity to represent Ireland in the European Urban & Regional Planning Achievement Awards to be held in Autumn 2014.

The non-statutory Framework for Co-operation Spatial Strategies of Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland (June 2013) sets out the approach to be taken both by the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Irish Government in co-operating in the implementation of their respective spatial strategies.

EIA DirectiveThe European Commission brought forward a proposal for a revised Environmental Impact Assessment Directive in October 2012.  Under Ireland’s Presidency of the EU, a compromise text was developed, taking

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account of the views of the Member States in relation to the Commission proposal.  This text formed the basis for the text finally agreed with the European Parliament under the Lithuanian EU Presidency in December 2013. 

A number of other achievements come under the heading of Environmental impact Assessment as follows: Guidelines for Planning Authorities and An Bord Pleanála on the carrying

out Environmental Impact Assessment when assessing development consent proposals were issued in March 2013.

The European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitats) (Section 181 of the Planning And Development Act 2000) Regulations 2013 (SI 403 of 2013) were signed on 21 October 2013, which permit fast track applications to An Bord Pleanála for urgent environmental remediation works and facilitated the making of such an application for such works at the Ispat site in Haulbowline.  Draft Regulations were prepared to better implement the Directive in respect of deep drilling.

A survey of large peat extraction sites was carried out in response to concerns about environmental impact assessment and peat extraction, as a precursor to the development of proposals to better regulate this sector.

SEA DirectiveThe Department continued its role in delivery of SEA Effectiveness Review in Ireland Action Plan 2012-2016, in conjunction with EPA and other statutory Environmental Authorities, including serving as rotating chair of SEA Forum of Environmental Authorities established to oversee implementation of the Action Plan and promote overall compliance with the requirements of the SEA Directive and Regulations. The Action Plan was jointly formulated by the statutory environmental authorities with the overall objective of prioritising implementation of the key findings and recommendations of the Review of Effectiveness of SEA in Ireland 2012 commissioned by the EPA.

An Bord PleanálaAn Bord Pleanála continued to reduce its case processing times for planning appeals. A comprehensive Service Level Agreement was signed between the Board and the Department in May 2013, which includes specific case processing targets and monthly reporting requirements on case processing, expenditure and other corporate governance issues. An initial capital funding allocation was also agreed to commence work on a new case management ICT system, which it is intended will facilitate the provision of more online services to reduce the need for customers to visit An Bord Pleanála offices to access planning documentation. 

Gateway and Hubs Development IndexThe Gateway and Hubs Development Index 2012, published by the regional assemblies in conjunction with the Department, represents an examination of Ireland’s key urban centres across a range of performance indicators. The Index provides a unique opportunity to observe and understand how

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gateways and hubs are developing including in times of economic challenge and will provide a valuable resource for further policy-making.

Myplan.ie Myplan.ie provides the public with a wealth of spatial planning information and data, including zonings in the over 400 Development and Local Area Plans. Currently it is being accessed by 600 to 1200 visitors each working day, over 80% of which are repeat visitors. Over the coming years the service will be enhanced and extended to provide access to additional planning information, such as details regarding planning applications and appeals, and the stages through which plans progress during the plan making process. Usage is expected to increase as more planning information is made available.

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Chapter 7: Met Éireann

High Level ObjectiveEffective monitoring, analysis and prediction of Ireland's weather and climate, and provision of a range of high quality meteorological services to customers

Forecast DivisionForecast Division continued its primary task of delivering a wide range of forecast and warning services through its offices in Glasnevin, Dublin; Shannon Airport, Co Clare and RTÉ, Donnybrook, Dublin.

Through the year, Gale Warnings (warnings of winds in offshore Sea Areas of Beaufort Force 8 or greater) were in operation over coastal waters and/or the Irish Sea for a total of 2,497 hours (about 28% of the time), while Small Craft Warnings (warnings of winds of Beaufort Force 6 or greater) for waters up to 10 nautical miles offshore were in operation for a total of 4,423 hours (just over 50% of the time).

2013 saw the re-launch of the Met Éireann weather warnings system, with warnings now categorised as Yellow / Orange / Red as appropriate. The Red level corresponds to the old “Severe Weather Warning” and two such warnings were issued in 2013, both in December during a prolonged and intense stormy period. Additional specific warnings of particular weather conditions were issued as outlined in the adjacent table. The Division continued to provide the Met Éireann contribution to the web-based, European-wide, MeteoAlarm system, providing warnings of specified severe weather conditions in and around Ireland.

Public Weather Services incorporate the issue of routine forecasts through the media; during the year over 4,000 such forecast texts were issued, in addition to approx. 1,800 live radio broadcasts on RTÉ Radio One and 3,300 television weather bulletins on RTÉ One Television.

The Division contributes daily forecasts, looking five days ahead and for eight locations in Ireland, to the World Weather Information System co-ordinated by the World Meteorological Organisation. This web-based weather information portal provides easy access to official, definitive

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Specific Warnings

Number of days in operation

Fog 1High Temperature

10

Frost / Low Temperature

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Rain 35Snow 11Thunder 56Wind 51Blight Conditions 29(days)

forecasts and warnings collected from National Meteorological Services worldwide. 

Throughout the year, Division staff attended meetings of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, Inter-Departmental Working Group, Marine Safety Working Group, RPII and the EPA Air Quality Group, and also met with a number of major customers regarding the products and services which we provide to them. An extended monthly weather outlook was routinely prepared for circulation within the Emergency Management community – this product is not provided to the public as forecasts at that time range, being probabilistic in nature, require expert interpretation.

Tailored weather services were delivered to a variety of customers including energy utilities, the construction sector, Local Authorities and several other business and commercial interests. During the winter road ice season, some 13,500 forecasts for over 80 sites were provided to Local Authorities nationwide and to a number of private road maintenance contractors.

Weatherdial, Met Éireann’s premium-rate telephone weather service, continues to see a significant decline in usage as members of the public move to on-line sources of information. Total calls during 2013 amounted to just over 300,000, representing a 33% decline on the previous year. The range of online weather information provided through the Web and electronic media was augmented, in particular through the provision of a new web portal for Android smartphones and tablets.

Of significance also was the launch of the METweb service; a closed, password controlled website for the delivery of graphical weather information to users within the public sector. By the end of the year operational METweb services were being provided to Dublin City Council, the Irish Coast Guard and the community of road maintenance engineers working under contract to the National Roads Authority.

Services to AviationThe Aviation Services Division is responsible for the provision of meteorological services to military and civil aviation in Ireland and within Irish airspace. Routine services to civil, military and general aviation were maintained to national and international standards throughout 2013. This also applied to non-routine forecasts for aviation such as forecast amendments, SIGMET messages (warning of potentially hazardous weather phenomena in the Shannon Flight Information Region) and aerodrome warnings of snow, frost, strong winds, thunderstorms and volcanic ash.

Statistical Summary

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No. of forecasts in support of search-and-rescue operations

360

No. of forecasts in support of terminal area operations (civil):

6,424

No. of forecasts in support of terminal area operations (military):

3,223

No. of forecasts in support of regional airports: 10,865No. of graphical area forecasts: 2,843No. of warnings in support of en route operations: 362No. of warnings in support of terminal area operations: 899No. of weather reports in support of flight planning (civil): 61,260No. of weather reports in support of terminal area operations (civil):

67,386

No. of weather reports in support of flight planning (military):

4,380

No. of weather reports in support of terminal area operations (military):

4,818

Rationalisation of services and improvements in customer service continued in 2013: A significant improvement in services to the Air Corps was implemented

in September by issuing METARs for Casement Aerodrome. As these are issued internationally it improves access to the real-time actual weather at the aerodrome for Air Corps pilots;

The Division passed an NSAI ISO 9001:2008 quality management system audit in June; and

Divisional staff provided critical observing support to the Flightfest event in Dublin, as well as contributing to the planning for the event.

Major contributions by Divisional staff to relevant international organizations were also noteworthy, so ensuring that the State’s position was reflected on the development of international standards and regulations governing civil aviation.

Climatology & ObservationsDuring 2013, the Climate Enquiries Office received approximately 2,250 telephone enquiries and 1,475 requests by email/fax/letter for climatological information or reports. Approximately 400 specialist meteorologist reports were provided for legal/insurance cases, and expert witnesses attended court as required.

The “Monthly Weather Summary” was produced on the first or second working day after the end of each month, giving a preliminary assessment of that month’s weather, with extra seasonal and annual information at season/year ends. The “Monthly Weather Bulletin”, published several months later, provided a more comprehensive description of weather

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conditions with commentary on significant events, both in Ireland and worldwide. The “Climate Atlas 2012”, containing a mostly graphical description of the year’s weather, was also produced. These three publications were made available on the Met Éireann web site www.met.ie.

The Division continued to maintain and collect data from over 450 climatological and rainfall stations, assisted by co-operating agencies and private individuals. This data, along with data from Met Éireann’s own stations, were quality-controlled and made available in the climatological database.

Technology DivisionMeteorological Observation programme:Met Éireann’s meteorological observation network was maintained and developed during 2013. Certain synoptic stations received new loggers, snow sensors and observation cameras. The system for calibration of platinum resistance thermometers (PRT) and barometers was upgraded.

Observations continued to be collected 24 hours a day year round.

Aviation observation systems were maintained at 5 Irish Airports and daily climatological and rainfall observations collected from approximately 450 sites.

Information and Communications Technology:A new in-house software application was developed for the distribution of meteorological information received via the Regional Meteorological Data Communications Network (RMDCN). The forecaster visualisation system (Visual Weather) was transferred to new hardware with significant software upgrades. As part of the upgrade a new cluster was installed at Shannon Airport.

Services over the web continued to be a significant element of Met Éireann’s weather service delivery.

Meteorological Radar and Satellite Receiving SystemsMet Éireann operates two networked weather surveillance radars, located at Dublin and Shannon Airports.

Ground station facilities for the reception of data from meteorological satellites are also maintained.

Software upgrades were applied to the Satellite reception system during the year.

Both the Dublin and Shannon radars signal processing systems received software upgrades to improve performance.

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Met Éireann Web SiteThe Met Éireann public web sites, www.met.ie and http://m.met.ie/ are hosted externally on a dedicated high-availability server.

www.met.ie: In 2013 there were 6.3 million visitors to the site and 27 million individual visits. This was about the same as the previous year. The busiest day of 2013 was 21January, a cold day with wintry showers, particularly in the East, with 227,000 visits.

http://m.met.ie: Most of the growth in website services in 2013 came from the ‘webapp’ version of our main website, specifically tailored for smartphones and tablet computers, which launched in the middle of 2012. This saw about 10 million visits from over a million individual devices, an approximate 10-fold increase on the previous year. The associated Android and iPhone apps have a total of 162,000 installs to date.

2013 also saw the launch of www.metweb.ie, a password-protected site dedicated to the delivery of specialised and individually-tailored forecast services to state and public service customers. 

Met Self-Briefing (MSB) Web ServiceThis specialised MSB self-briefing aviation web site is supported and hosted in-house for the exclusive use of general aviation pilots using Irish airports.

During the year the application was ported over to new enhanced data processing units. Security enhancements were also applied to the system.

It continued to effectively deliver aviation weather services with over 550 individual users and companies accessing the service over 112,000 times during 2013, representing a 25% increase over usage in 2012.

Research, Environment and Applications DivisionResearch and Climate ChangeThe HIRLAM numerical weather prediction system was upgraded during the year, improving the accuracy of forecasts. The system continues to provide high quality operational guidance for forecasters and drives a diverse range of weather related applications. As a partner in the international HIRLAM project Met Éireann collaborated in basic research in Numerical Weather Prediction; this research feeds back into the operational forecast systems.

As a partner in the EC-Earth Consortium, Met Éireann continued to run global climate simulations and deliver data to CMIP5 for consideration by the IPCC in preparation for the launch of the AR5 report; this work was completed on schedule and datasets are cited in the AR5 report launched in the autumn. The data were also used to update climate projections for Ireland; a major report (Ireland's Climate: the road ahead), summarising the results, was launched to coincide with the release of the AR5 report.

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A new operational dispersion modelling capability was established to support the EPA, RPII and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in emergency planning. The tailored system enables users to analyse and forecast the dispersion of noxious substances in the atmosphere (Foot&Mouth virus, chemical spillages, volcanic ash, radioactive materials, etc.). This robust user-friendly system, established at two independent computer sites, ensures that the most up-to-date and best quality meteorological data are available for predicting atmospheric transport and for informing authorities in national emergencies.

A new study regarding the quality of radar derived precipitation estimates was completed; this will improve our capability in forecasting flooding events.

In collaboration with the Marine Institute and the UK Met Office Met Éireann continued to maintain the Marine Weather Buoy Network around Ireland, monitoring the marine climate and providing a range of specialist forecasts to users.

Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring Valentia ObservatoryUpper air radiosonde ascents to measure the vertical profile of meteorological elements continue to be carried out at Valentia Observatory. Measurements of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and surface and total column ozone levels were performed, supplemented by weekly ozonesonde ascents.

A feasibility study on the introduction of an automated radiosonde system was completed.

The Observatory participated in national and international monitoring programmes in atmospheric chemistry, geomagnetics, seismology, and phenology. Annual updates of geomagnetic declination were provided to the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and the Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSI).

A new system to gather atmospheric observations (MOD-S data) based on aircraft flight tracks was installed at the Observatory.

Building work commenced on the new environmental monitoring site at Valentia Island.

LaboratoryThe extensive program of environmental monitoring continued in 2013 with the focus on the analysis of the chemical composition of air and precipitation samples from selected synoptic stations. This work included the analysis of samples from five Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transboundary pollution sites and the analysis of air quality samples from the Global Atmospheric Watch station at Mace Head and the Regional Atmospheric Watch station at Valentia Observatory.

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Chapter 8: Resourcing the Modern Department

High Level ObjectiveTo ensure the on-going development of a high performance Department committed to providing a quality, efficient and effective service to all our customers.

Human Resources, PMDS, Learning and DevelopmentIreland held the Presidency of the EU in first half of 2013. In response to this, staff were deployed from across the Department to support sections with a heavy EU Presidency workload. Cross-Departmental/agency teams were deployed in a number of areas, and flexible cross-stream reporting arrangements were put in place between technical/administrative staff for the management of a number of Presidency-related dossiers. A small number of additional staff were engaged in respect of the EU Presidency.

Post-Presidency, a Departmental Restructuring Review was undertaken to ensure optimum structures and staffing were in place to deliver on business priorities and commitments. The Review involved extensive consultation with staff, along with the reorganisation and assignment of staff across various business units and locations of the Department.

Implementing the Employment Control Framework (ECF) for the Environment Vote Group remained a key area of focus and challenge. The ECF sets overall ceilings and sectoral ceilings within the Environment Vote Group, which consists of the Department, non-commercial State Sponsored bodies (NCSSBs) under the aegis of the Department and local authorities.

The Department continued to deliver on its commitments under the Croke Park Action Plan and its successor, the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA), which came into effect in July 2013. The Department implemented provisions of the HRA, including reductions in pay, amendments to incremental progression and additional working hours, while at the same time delivering on key Government commitments and reforms. Many elements of the HRA will require on-going implementation over the period of the agreement (2013 – 2016).

During 2013, the Department continued to implement its ORP Action Plan, which had been agreed in October 2011. The Plan contains a number of actions for HR, including developing more strategic approach to HR delivery and supporting managers in their leadership roles.

In 2013, the Department published its first Workforce Plan, in line with Guidelines from the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform. Workforce Planning is about ensuring that the right people with the right skills are in place at the right time. Workforce Planning forms an important part of the Department’s strategic planning and the process is on-going.

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The Department ran an extensive targeted learning and development programme in 2013, providing over 700 training courses including AP and HEO line manager training, an extensive programme of health and safety training, business writing, ICT and Irish language training. In addition, 35 participants undertaking external third level courses in Economics, Law, Policy Analysis, Project Management and Finance were supported in the 2013/2014 academic year.

Staff also continued to avail of a range of work/life balance schemes, as set out below:

Worksharing 91Parental Leave 62Career Breaks 24 staff members were on Career Break and 6 were

on Incentivised Career BreakStudy Leave 28 staff availed of study leaveShorter Working Year

61 members of staff availed of Shorter Working Year

The Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) continued to be used as an effective performance management and development tool, with a 96% implementation rate achieved.

The number of staff serving in the Department at year end 2013 equated to 748.21 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) posts, with an additional small number on maternity and other leave. This is a reduction of 30.57 WTE from end 2012 and a reduction of 583.91 WTE from end 2008. There was a significant change in the staffing levels in the Department in 2011 due to the structural changes that occurred with the transfer of the heritage function to the new Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the transfer of community functions to the Department. A limited number of staff were recruited and promoted through a variety of different routes in 2013, including redeployment, internal promotion and open competition.

The Department’s sick leave statistics for 2013 indicate an average of 8.46 sick days per employee with an absence rate of 3.86%.  This compares to an average of 6.94 sick days per employee with an absence rate of 3.17% in 2012, reflecting a slight increase in the rates.

The Department’s absence rates are lower than average compared to the rates for the civil service.  The most recent figures available from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of the civil service rates are for 2012.  In 2012, there was an average of 9 sick days per WTE across the civil service with an absence rate of 4.6%. 

In 2013, the Department participated in the National Job Shadow Initiative.

The Department also participated in the FÁS JobBridge Scheme and six internships were in place in 2013.

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Strategic and Business Support UnitOne of the outcomes of the restructuring, referred to earlier, was the establishment of the Strategic and Business Support Unit to support and drive strategic and business planning and implementation including continuous business process improvement across the Department. The Unit will achieve this by partnering closely with HR and undertaking strategic and operational reviews and through the provision of economic, value for money, ICT, project management and legal services to other business units. The ICT Unit has been integrated into the Strategic and Business Support Unit.

Good progress was made in 2013 in the continued implementation of the Department’s ICT strategy, published in 2011.  The availability of the ICT network to staff in the Department was effectively 100% and progress was made in improving the resilience of the network with the deployment of multiple connections allowing server platforms in Dublin and Wexford to backup one another. Other achievements through the year include:

Progress has been made on the collection and exchange of data between the Department and the Local Government Sector with the delivery of a number of applications including The Annual Traveller Family Count and the Unfinished Housing Estate Survey;

Alignment with ISO 27001 standard was achieved; Continued improvements on the Department’s ICT Disaster Recovery

(DR) capabilities; The provision of ICT services to the Heritage Division of the Department

of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht and the extension of other ICT functionality to Agencies and bodies under the aegis of the Department;

Replacement of the Microsoft XP desktop estate has been completed; Rollout of secure centralised printing was completed across the

Department; Approval obtained from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the

Marine to administer the Rural Development Programme, following a further audit by Deloitte of the Department’s Information Security infrastructure and procedures;

Business support systems were developed and delivered in a number of areas – such as Foreshore Licence Application System and a number of Geographic Information System (GIS) support applications, including supporting the domestic water meter survey and supporting Franchise during their work  on the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee Report;

Myplan.ie development continued with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform identifying myplan.ie as an example of maximising new and innovative service delivery channels in the Public Service  Reform Plan progress report; and

In co-operation with Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department launched GeoPortal.ie as part of its commitment to expanding e-Government policy and to meet the goals of the European Union’s INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) Directive.

55

Partnership CommitteeThe Department’s Partnership Committee continued to provide a forum where significant developments and new initiatives in the area of modernisation and human resources were introduced through a process of consultation, communication and mutual understanding.

Much of the Committee’s work was focussed on Public Service Agreement talks, on HR/PMDS matters and on the restructuring process being undertaken in the Department in 2013.

The Committee was updated on the progress of the Internal Communications Plan, the ICT Strategy and had a de-brief, following the EU Presidency. The Committee contributed to the Department’s business planning and prioritisation process. A review of the operation of Partnership was initiated by the members and a working group will report back to the full Committee.

Freedom of Information/Access to Information on the Environment (FOI/AIE) requests:Details of FOI and AIE activity together with information on the category of applicants making FOI requests in 2013 is set out in the table below. The Office of the Ombudsman submitted 16 requests for information in relation to complaints received by their office, including complaints relating to the failure by the Department to promptly reply to correspondence and decisions made by the Department.

Decisions FOI AIEGranted 40 6Part Granted 23 6Refused 19 10Requests withdrawn 10 4Transferred 1 0Lapsed 2 0Requests in progress 15 5Total Requests Received* 110 31Breakdown of Requests by Division FOI AIECommunity 13 1Finance & Central Services 27 4Planning & Housing 20 7Local Government 17 0Local Government Audit Service 1 0Environment 10 16Water & ICT 22 3Breakdown of request by Category of Applicant FOI AIEMedia & Journalists 62 4Business, Company, Consultant 12 1Member of the Oireachtas / Public Reps. 1 0Association & Other professional bodies 8 9

56

Individual (non-personal request) 19 17Individual (personal request) 8 0Internal Reviews FOI AIEOriginal Decisions Upheld 4 5Original Decisions Varied 1 0Reviews in progress 0 0Total Reviews Received 5 5

Irish LanguageBetween August 2012 and July 2013, 41 telephone calls, 2 instances of face-to-face enquiries, and 34 instances of written correspondence, including 4 Ministerial Representations and 10 Parliamentary Questions, were dealt with in Irish by members of staff. The Department also made every effort to ensure that all commonly used application forms, posters and leaflets of general public interest were produced bilingually under the one cover (or separately, if the design of the publication makes this option unfeasible). The Department continues to enhance Irish language content on its websites.

Irish Language development classes were provided for staff in the Department’s offices in Dublin and Wexford. Online classes were also provided for staff members in the Ballina and Wexford offices. The Department prepared its third Irish Language Scheme in 2012, which was confirmed by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht in 2013 and which came into operation on 16 September 2013.

57

Supporting the Parliamentary Process

2012 2013Parliamentary Questions

Questions Received 4,516 4,524Questions Answered3 3,972 3,605Of Which:

Oral 399 448Written 3,573 3,157

Topical Issues Debates364 289

Seanad Adjournment Debates61 69

Representations4 8,951 6,286

Invitations5 1,263 1,614

Financial Management, Internal Audit and Risk AssessmentIn line with Government’s commitment to rectify serious imbalances in the public finances in support of Ireland’s exit from the EU-IMF programme, the Department’s Gross Voted Expenditure fell to €1.15bn in 2013, compared to €1.25bn expended the previous year. The €1.15bn expended in 2013 was comprised of €697m in capital expenditure (including €41m carried forward) and €451m in current expenditure.

The Department protected front line services in 2013 to the maximum extent possible while working within the constraints of Government fiscal policy which required tight controls on public spending and reduced resources for Departments generally.

Expenditure on Water Services and LEADER capital were lower than expected in 2013; some €72m in unspent capital expenditure has been carried forward to 2014 to supplement voted provisions.

A key challenge for 2014 and the medium term will be to ensure that resources made available for Department programmes continue to be used with maximum efficiency and effectiveness to achieve key objectives.

3 The remainder of questions were disallowed, withdrawn or transferred.4 Represents totals from Minister’s and Ministers of State’s Offices5 Represents totals from Minister’s and Ministers of State’s Offices

58

The Department’s Internal Audit Unit completed eight internal audits and seven audit reviews/follow-ups during 2013. The Department’s Audit Committee held five meetings during the year.

In line with Government policy on increased efficiency and value for money, expenditure on consultancy has been actively managed. The provisional outturn on consultancy for 2013 was approximately €1.22m.

In 2013, quality assurance reviews of compliance with new Public Spending Code requirements were carried out by the Department’s Public Spending Code Evaluation team as part of a three year rolling programme of reviews. The Department will shortly publish a Quality Assurance Report for the year ended 31 December 2013, which reports self-assessment of compliance with the Public Spending Code obligations by the Department, Agencies and Bodies under its aegis and the Local Government Sector. 

An Integrated Training Strategy to ensure implementation of Public Spending Code obligations is being developed by the Department. In 2013, the Department undertook Value for Money Policy Reviews (VFMPRs) and Focussed Policy Assessments (FPA) and key messages from these will be set out in the Quality Assurance report.

VFMPRs and FPAs continued in 2013 and key messages from these will be set out in the Quality Assurance report. The Department published Value for Money report No. 28 ‘Management of Sickness Absence in Local Authorities’ in 2013. The report’s key recommendations include full reporting of sickness absence costs and performance against sectoral targets for efficiency and effectiveness savings nationally. A public sector wide target of 3.5% has since been set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The average sickness absence rate for the local authority sector in 2011, was 5.19% (4.43% certified sickness absence and 0.76% self-certified sickness absence). The national target was advised as set for the sector under Circular Letter LG (P) 09/2013. The Attendance Management Committee of the LGMA is to plan and monitor implementation of the report key recommendations in accordance with the circular requirements. Progress in this regard will be reported in the Quality Assurance report.

Prompt PaymentIn 2013, the Department paid 93% of all invoices within 15 calendar days, and 99% of all invoices within 30 calendar days.

In respect of the year overall, the Department incurred late payment interest of €52 (€13 in 2012). The value of all late payments as a percentage of all invoiced payments in 2013 was 0.009% (0.0003% in 2012). In addition to the late payment interest, compensation costs (which were introduced with effect from 16 March 2013) amounting to €220 were paid in 2013.

APPENDICES

59

APPENDIX 1: Legislative Activity in 2013

Acts of the Oireachtas in 2013

No.

Title Description RIA (Yes / No)

Reason for not preparing RIA

6 Water Services Act 2013

The Act provides for the establishment of Irish Water/Uisce Éireann as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann and provides Irish Water with the necessary powers to undertake the domestic water metering programme. The Act also provides the Commission for Energy Regulation (the Commission) with a function to advise to the Government in relation to the development of policy regarding the regulation of the provision of water services

No A detailed analysis of the impacts of transferring functions from the local authorities to a single utility was set out in the independent assessment by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC). In view of the extensive analysis contained in this, it was not considered necessary to carry out a further RIA on the proposed legislation. Furthermore, there are opportunities for public consultation through the Commissioner for Energy Regulation.

7 Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013

The Act provides for the number of members of Dáil Éireann, for the revision of constituencies and for the number of members to be elected for such constituencies.

Yes

9 Motor Vehicle Act gave effect to the No Not required

60

(Duties and Licences) Act 2013

motor tax increases announced in Budget 2013 and provided for the transfer of monies from the Local Government Fund to the Exchequer.

16 Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013

Act provided for revised arrangements for making declarations of non-use of a vehicle and for payments from the Local Government Fund to the Road Safety Authority related to transitional operational arrangements for the provision of the new driving licence service.

Yes

22 Housing (Amendment) Act 2013

The main purpose of the Act is to amend section 31 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 relating to local authority rents so that the enactment can be brought into operation in an effective sequence.

No Not required

27 Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013

The Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013, enacted on 22 July 2013 gives effect to Directive 2013/1/EU which amended Directive 93/109/EC in relation to nomination requirements for non-National EU citizens living in Ireland who wish to stand in Ireland for election to the European Parliament.

The Act also provides for a number of other electoral related matters; a legislative basis for the

preparation and publication of a single register of electors for the 2014/2015 period in

Yes

61

Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford in which areas members of single new local authorities will be elected in 2014;

Part 9 of the Act provides for the appointment of a dual manager in Waterford County Council and Waterford and City Council;, matching arrangements already in place for Limerick and Tipperary the establishment of a committee to report on European Parliament constituencies in the context of a change in the number of MEPs to be elected;

more time for the receipt of applications for inclusion in the supplement to the postal and special voters list on the electoral register in advance of referendums and Local, European and Presidential elections;

removal of the requirement on An Post to make copies of Referendum Bills available in post offices.

50 Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013

The Act provides for the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of water services from the water services authorities to Irish Water. The Act also provides for the establishment of an economic regulator for water services within the Commission for Energy Regulation.

No A detailed analysis of the impacts of transferring functions from the local authorities to a single utility was set out in the independent assessment by Pricewaterhouse

62

Coopers (PwC). In view of the extensive analysis contained in this, it was not considered necessary to carry out a further RIA on the proposed legislation. Furthermore, there are opportunities for public consultation through the Commissioner for Energy Regulation.

51 Pyrite Resolution Act 2013.

The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board on a statutory basis and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency.

No. The urgency of the required legislation.

63

Bills published by the Department during 2013(other than those which were enacted and which are reflected in the preceding table)No. Title Description RIA

(Yes / No)

Reason for not preparing RIA

98 Local Government Bill 2013

The Local Government Bill 2013 was drafted to give legislative effect to proposals set out in Action Programme for Effective Local Government, Putting People First. The Bill, which contained 65 sections and 5 Schedules, contained legislative provisions to give effect to the measures contained in the Action Programme involving a wide range of provisions relating to local government structures, functions, funding, governance and operational matters.

Yes

124 European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2013

The Bill amends Schedule 3 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 following from a review of constituencies for the election of members of the European Parliament in the State

Yes

64

General Schemes/Heads of Bills brought to Government during 2013(other than those which were published/enacted and are included in the previous tables)

No.

Title Description RIA (Yes / No)

Reason for not preparing RIA

Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill

The Bill aims to integrate the foreshore and planning consent systems, allowing for a single EIA for projects, and provides for a mechanism to manage development in the EEZ

Yes

Housing

Bill 2013

The General Scheme of the Bill which was approved by Government on 17 December 2013 provides for the replacement of section 62 of the Housing Act 1966 and strengthens the excluding order provisions of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997. It also provides for a tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines to replace the 1995 tenant purchase scheme for local authority houses. In addition provision will be made for the new Housing Assistance Payment under which housing authorities will take over responsibility for long-term rent supplement cases from the Department of Social Protection.

No Not required

65

Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

Government has approved a general scheme of a Bill to provide for the merger of the RPII and the EPA. The Bill will also incorporate the terms of the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection Nuclear Materials into Irish law. Government has approved drafting of the Bill on a priority basis.

Yes

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

To:

i). give effect to a waste policy commitment in the Programme for Government;

ii). reinstate fixed payment notices (FPN) for certain offences under the Solid Fuel Regulations and extend FPN to a range of other existing offences;

iii). certain amendments to the EPA Acts in anticipation of the merger of the EPA with the RPII;

iv). extend EPA licensing fees and introduce fees for PRI compliance schemes;

v). amend provisions for access to justice on environmental matters; and

vi). amend some typographical errors in existing primary legislation.

No The Bill makes minor amendments to existing legislation and does not give effect to any new policies.

Outline Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill.

To enable the State to pursue and achieve transition to a low-carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050.

No RIA will accompany final General Scheme in due course.

66

Draft EU Directives for which Department had lead responsibility during 2013:

No. Title Description RIA (Yes / No)

Reason for not preparing RIA

COM(2011)593

Council Directive laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation.

This Directive aims to achieve a streamlining of the existing legislation and to bring coherence to regulatory and protection measures for the public, workers and patients. It will bring European legislation into line with current scientific understanding in particular the main recommendations of the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP) as well as expanding provisions particularly in relation to natural radiation sources and the protection of the environment.

No Will be done for the transposition of the Directive.

COM (2012)

643 final

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on fluorinated greenhouse gases

The proposal aims to discourage the use of high global warming gases by replacing with environmentally friendly, energy efficient and safe alternatives. It also aims to further improve the containment and end of life disposal of products and equipment containing F gases.

No A stakeholder consultation was undertaken and further consultation will be carried out as part of implementation.

COM Draft proposal for a Council

The Commission considers it

Yes

67

(2013)343

Directive amending Directive 2009/71/EURATOM establishing a Community framework for the nuclear safety of nuclear installations draft presented under Article 31 Euratom Treaty for the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee.

appropriate to amend, strengthen and supplement the Nuclear Safety Directive, by combining technical improvements with wider safety issues such as governance, transparency and on-site emergency preparedness and response.

COM (2013)

919 final

Proposal for a Council Directive on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from medium combustion plants

The proposal aims to control emissions of air polluting substances from medium combustion plants with a rated thermal input between 1 and 50 MW, thereby completing the regulatory framework for the combustion sector also with a view of increasing the synergies between air pollution and climate change policies.

No Proposal was only published on 18 Dec 2013.

COM (2013)920 final

Proposal for a Council Directive on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants

The proposal will give legal effect to the agreed Gothenburg Protocol 2020 ceilings aimed at reducing emissions for five pollutants (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, ammonia and fine particulate matter) and set new ceilings for 2030 for the same five pollutants as well as

No Proposal was only published on 18 Dec 2013.

68

methane. This will replace the existing National Emissions Ceiling Directive 2001/81/EC.

69

Statutory Instruments/Orders Prepared by the Department in 2013:No. Title Description RIA

(Yes / No)

Reason for not preparing RIA

26 Social Housing Assessments (Summary) Regulations 2013

These regulations prescribe the form to be used by housing authorities to prepare summaries of social housing assessments in accordance with section 21 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

No Not required

70

32 European Union (Waste Electrical and Electronic

Equipment) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

These Regulations amend the European Communities (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2011 and give further effect to the provisions of European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/96/EC as amended. They are designed to promote the recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment and to facilitate the achievement of targets for the collection, treatment, recovery and disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment established by Directive 2002/96/EC as amended.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation.

38 European Union (Inspection Plan) Regulations 2013

These regulations are made to revise the date by which the Environmental Protection Agency will make the National Inspection

Plan for domestic waste water treatment systems.

No Not Applicable

71

71 European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-Waste) Regulations 2013

These Regulations are designed to promote the segregation and recovery of household food waste. They will, in particular, contribute to the achievement of the targets set out in Article 5 of EU Directive 99/31/EC on the landfill of waste for the diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill sites to composting and biogas plants and to other forms of authorised treatment. They will also increase the amount of food waste that is recovered.

Yes

80 Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013.

These Regulations strengthen the current arrangements in place for the control of building activity. The Regulations enter into force on 1 March 2014.

Yes

91 Finance (Local Property Tax) Regulations 2013

List of developments exempt from Local Property Tax.

No Not required

108

Water Services Act 2013 (Commencement) Order 2013

This Order brings into operation certain provisions of the Water Services

Act 2013.

No Not Applicable

72

137

Environmental Protection Agency (Industrial Emissions) (Licensing) Regulations 2013.

Set out the application procedure for licences, reviews of licences or revised licences, consideration by the Agency of objections, including the holding of oral hearings, public participation procedures associated with the industrial emissions licensing system administered by the Agency and the contents of the register of licenses application process for an Industrial Emissions License.

No N/A

138

European Union (Industrial Emissions) Regulations 2013.

These Regulations amend the Environmental Protection Agency

Act 1992 and the Waste Management Act 1996.

No N/A

147

Finance (Local Property Tax) (Pyrite Exemption) Regulations 2013.

These Regulations provide for an exemption from the local property tax (LPT) for residential properties which have significant pyritic damage. The Regulations entered into force on 2 May 2013.

No Not required.

73

148

European Union (Waste Incineration Plants and Waste

Co-Incineration Plants) Regulations 2013

These Regulations transpose Chapter IV of Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 24 November, 2010 on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) (Recast). The Regulations apply to Waste Incineration Plants and Waste Co-incineration plants as set out in the Regulations.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

176

European Communities

(Control of Emissions of Gaseous and Particulate Pollutants from Non-RoadMobile Machinery) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

These Regulations gave effect to Directive 2012/46/EU a technical amendment to Directive 97/68/EC concerning non-road mobile machinery.

No Technical amendment of existing regulations.No significant impact.

180

Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Registration) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

These Regulations are made is to provide for the registration of newly constructed or installed domestic waste water treatment systems.

No Not Applicable

74

185

Referendum Commission (Establishment) Order 2013

This order established a Referendum Commission for the purposes of the Referendum Acts 1998 and 2001 in connection with the Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 and appointed the 6th of June 2013 as the day on which the position of chairperson of the Commission took effect.

No Not required

189

Water Services Act 2007 (Re-inspections) Regulations 2013

These regulations are made is to prescribe

a) the form to be used and

b) the fee payable,where a re-inspection is requested by a person aggrieved by an advisory notice issued under Part 4A of the Water Services Act 2007.

No Not Applicable

190

Water Services Act 2007 (Appointment of Inspectors) Regulations 2013

These regulations are made is to prescribe the form to be used by applicants for appointment as an inspector for the purposes of Part 4A of the Water Services Act 2007.

No Not Applicable

75

194

Waste Management (Landfill Levy)(Amendment) Regulations 2013

These Regulations amend the Waste Management (Landfill Levy) Regulations 2011 and increase the landfill levy for waste disposed of at authorised and unauthorised landfill facilities from €65 per tonne to €75 per tonne with effect from 1 July 2013

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

207

Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 (Commencement) Order 2013

Commenced sections providing for transitional financial arrangements following the transfer of the driving licence function to the Road Safety Authority, providing for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to become a licensing authority, as well as the preliminary and general sections.

No Not required

76

The Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013

These regulations provide for exemptions from planning (subject to certain conditions) for charging points for electric vehicles, certain remedial works carried out on septic tanks, and certain structures provided by a statutory undertaker authorised to provide a telecommunications service. This was in furtherance of the Department’s policy of achieving the least regulatory burden consistent with the proper assessment of development consent proposals.

No

222

Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013

These regulations provide for a scheme of financial assistance to owners of domestic waste water treatment systems which require remediation or upgrading arising from an inspection and the subsequent issue of an advisory notice under Part 4A of the Water Services Act 2007, as inserted by Section 4 of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012.

No Not Applicable

77

224

Building Regulations (Part D Amendment) Regulations 2013.

These Regulations amend Part D (Materials and Workmanship) of the Building Regulations 1997 by revising the definition of “proper materials” to have regard to the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC. The Regulations entered into force on 1 July 2013.

Yes

225

European Union (Construction Products) Regulations 2013.

These Regulations facilitate the implementation in Ireland of Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC. The Regulations entered into force on 1 July 2013.

Yes

78

232

Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 (Commencement)(No.2) Order 2013

Commenced sections relating to the making of a declaration of non-use of a vehicle.

No Not required

233

Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Regulations 2013

Prescribed the form for making a declaration of non-use of a vehicle.

No Not required

250

Referendum Commission (Establishment) (No. 2) Order

2013

This order established a Referendum Commission for the purposes of the Referendum Acts 1998 and 2001 in connection with the Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013 and appointed the 10th of July 2013 as the day on which the position of chairperson of the Commission took effect.

No Not required

251

European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

These Regulations amend the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-Waste) Regulations 2013 by clarifying what constitutes an offence under the Regulations, dealing with powers of authorised persons and deleting Regulation 7 (b) which concerns the use of macerators.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

79

269

Water Services Act (Prescribed Persons) Order 2013

This Order is made is to prescribe that Bord Gáis Éireann is a relevant person for the purposes of Section 26 of the Water Services

Act 2013.

No Not Applicable

272

Electoral, Local Government and Planning and

Development Act 2013 (Commencement) Order 2013

This Order brought into operation Part 4 of the Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013, which deals with timelines for making applications to registration authorities for inclusion in the supplement to the postal and special voters lists on the electoral register.

No Not required

273

Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2013

List of developments exempt from Household Charge

No Not required

282

European Parliament Constituencies Committee

(Establishment) Order 2013

By this order the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government established a committee to report on European Parliament constituencies following on from the decision of the European Council on 28 June 2013 on the number of members to be elected for the 2014-2019 Parliamentary term. This number is 11 in Ireland.

No Not required

80

283

Environmental Protection Agency (Integrated Pollution Control) (Licensing) Regulations 2013.

Set out procedural matters in relation to the integrated licensing by the Environmental Protection Agency of Integrated Pollution Control activities specified in the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992.

No N/A

284

Environmental Protection Agency (Licensing Fees) Regulations 2013.

Set fees for applications to the Environmental Protection

Agency for licences to carry out certain Industrial Emissions Directive(2010/75/EU) waste activities specified in the EnvironmentalProtection Agency Act 1992 (inserted by the Protection of the EnvironmentAct 2003 and amended by the European Union (Industrial Emissions) Regulations2013 (S.I. No. 138 of 2013)).

No N/A

318

Non-Use of Motor Vehicles (Section 3) Regulations 2013

Provided for transitional arrangements to facilitate owners declaring that a vehicle had not been in use but who were not in a position to attend personally at a Garda Station to do so.

No Not required

81

320

Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Responsible and Safe Management of Radioactive Waste) Order 2013

This Order transposes Ireland’s obligations in relation to Directive 2011/70/Euratom. The objective of this Directive is to cover all aspects of radioactive waste and spent fuel management, from generation through to long-term disposal.

It stipulates the prime responsibility of generators and the ultimate responsibility of each Member State for the management of waste generated on its territory by ensuring that appropriate national arrangements are taken to guarantee a high level of safety to protect workers and the general public against the risks arising from ionising radiation.It formally establishes the responsibility of each Member State for the management of its radioactive waste and regulates export conditions for the disposal of this waste.

No This Order transposed the Directive.RIA not required as it was done at negotiating stage.

82

327

European Union (End-Of-Life Vehicles) (Amendment)

Regulations 2013

These Regulations amend the Waste Management (End-of-Life Vehicles) Regulations 2006 and are intended to give effect to Commission Directive 2013/28/EU of 17 May 2013 amending Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on End-of-Life Vehicles. Directive 2000/53/EC prohibits the use of lead, mercury, cadmium or hexavalent chromium in materials and components of vehicles put on the market after 1 July 2003, other than in cases listed in Annex II to that Directive and under the conditions specified therein. Pursuant to Article 4(2) (b) of Directive 2000/53/EC, Annex II to that Directive is adapted to scientific and technical progress by the Commission on a regular basis.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

328

Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing)(Amendment) Regulations 2013

Provided for a single identifier for trade licences issued in Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford in 2014.

No Not required

83

342

Local Government (Household Charge) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

Revised list of developments exempt from Household Charge

No Not required

84

363

European Union (Packaging) (Amendment) Regulations

2013

These Regulations amend the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007 and are intended to give effect to Commission Directive 2013/2/EU of 7 February 2013 amending Annex I to Directive 94/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste.

Article 3(1) of Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 on packaging and packaging waste, defines “packaging” by setting out a number of criteria. The items listed in Annex I to that Directive are illustrative examples of the application of those criteria. For reasons of legal certainty and harmonisation of the interpretation of the definition of “packaging”, it is necessary to review and amend the list of illustrative examples to clarify additional cases where the borderline between what is packaging and what is not remains unclear.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

85

417

European Communities (Control of Emissions of Gaseous and Particulate Pollutants from Non-Road Mobile Machinery) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

Transposed Directive 2012/46/EU, which amended Directive 1997/68/EC relating to the control of pollutant emissions from internal combustion engines used in non-road mobile machinery. Certain technical annexes of the Directive were updated and replaced in accordance with the opinion of the Technical Committee of Motor Vehicles.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

424

Electoral, Local Government and Planning and

Development Act 2013 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2013

This Order brought into operation Part 5 of the Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013, which repeals sections 21(c) and 22 of the Referendum Act 1994, dealing with requirements in relation to making available for inspection and purchase at post offices copies of a Bill containing a proposal which is the subject of a referendum.

No Not required

86

429

Local Government Act 2001 (Appointment of Manager) (Tipperary) Order 2013

This Order provides for the appointment, by Ministerial Order, of Mr. Joe MacGrath as manager for South Tipperary County. This is the first appointment to this position after the commencement of Part 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012. It is made in accordance with section 145(3A) of the Local Government Act 2001 by virtue of Mr. MacGrath holding the position of manager for North Tipperary County in the group of authorities in Tipperary.

Mr. MacGrath will act as manager for both counties as provided for in section 144 (1A)(b) of the Local Government Act 2001.

No Not required

430

Local Government Act 2001 (Specified Council) (Tipperary) Order 2013

This Order provides that North Tipperary County shall be the council under which a manager shall hold employment for the position of manager of North Tipperary County and South Tipperary County.

No Not required

87

431

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012 (Commencement) Order 2013

This Order commences the outstanding provision in Part 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012 relating to the position of manager in North and South Tipperary. The commencement inserted a new provision in section 144 of the Local Government Act 2001 which provides that, in the case of North Tipperary County and South Tipperary County, the same person shall be the manager and in so doing allowed for the appointment of such a manager –see S.I. No. 429/2013 above.

No Not required

88

446

Local Government Act 2001 (Commencement) Order 2013

This Order provides for the commencement of section 230 of the Local Government Act 2001 from 27th November 2013, which empowers the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to fix a day on which a joint burial board or cemetery joint committee is dissolved and the relevant local authority becomes the successor of the body in question.

No Not required

447

Local Government Act 2001 (section 230) Order 2013

This Order fixes a day (1 June 2014) on which the specified joint burial boards and cemetery joint committee are dissolved and the relevant local authorities become the successors of the bodies in question in accordance with section 230 of the Local Government Act 2001.

No Not required

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504

Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

These Regulations extend until January 1 2016 an exemption provided for under the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 which exists to allow farmers, as a last resort, to dispose of wastes generated by agricultural practices.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

505

European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Waste) Regulations 2013

These Regulations give further effect to Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the assessment of certain public and private projects on the environment.

No Technical amendment to existing legislation

507

Housing (Sale of Houses)(Amendment) Regulations 2013

These regulations give housing

authorities a further 6 months (to30 June 2014) in which to finalise sales to tenants under the terminated 1995 tenant purchase scheme for local authority houses.

No Not required

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520

The Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2013

These Regulations made Irish Water a statutory consultee for plans and projects under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.

No

575

Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 (Commencement) Order 2013

This order brings into operation certain general provisions of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013; also miscellaneous amendments to the Water Services Act 2007 and the Water Services Act 2013.

No Not Applicable

576

Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 (Transfer Day) Order 2013

This order provides that the 1 January 2014 is appointed as the transfer day for the purposes of the Water Services Act 2013. The functions of the water services authorities will transfer to Irish Water on this day.

No Not Applicable

n/a Dáil Éireann (Bye-Election) Order 2013

This Order set 5 March 2013 as the polling day for the Meath East bye-election. The Order was published in Iris Oifigiúil.

No Not required

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n/a Referendum Order – Polling

This Order set 4 October 2013 as the polling day for the referendums on the Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 and the Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013. The Order was published in Iris Oifigiúil.

No Not required

n/a Referendum Returning Officer

This Order appointed the Referendum Returning Officer for the referendums on the Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 and the Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013. The Order was published in Iris Oifigiúil.

No Not required

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APPENDIX 2: Publications in 2013

The publications produced by the Department during 2013 are detailed below. Publications with a charge may be purchased directly from the Government Publications Sale Office, unless otherwise indicated.

Programme Publication Name Available Cost

LCDP Mid-Term Review

LCDP Mid-Term Review

www.environ.ie Free

National Rural Development

Recreation in the Irish Countryside “Property Rights, Obligations and Responsibilities”

www.countrysidecouncil.ie which is a mirror of www.environ.ie National Rural Development area

Free

Franchise Referendum Results: 1937 - 2013

www.environ.ie Free

Marine Planning and Foreshore

A New Planning and Consent Architecture for Development in the Marine Area

www.environ.ie Free

Water Sector Reform

Implementation Strategy

www.environ.ie Free

Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Ireland’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive Article 19 Reports

www.environ.ie and in hardcopy

Free

Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Ireland’s Marine Atlas

www.marine.ie Free

Environment

All Island Used Tyre Survey

www.environ.ie Free

Environment

Corporate Governance Report

www.environ.ie Free

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Environment

A Packaging Levy for Ireland Report

www.environ.ie Free

Environment

Review of the Producer ResponsibilityInitiative Model in IrelandSection 9: Tyres and Waste Tyres

www.environ.ie Free

Environment

Review of the Producer ResponsibilityInitiative Model in Ireland.ELV Producer Responsibility Initiative

www.environ.ie Free

Environment

All Island Bulky Waste Reuse Best Practice Management Feasibility Study

www.environ.ie Free

Environment

Consultation paper on the Regulation of Household Waste Consultation

www.environ.ie Free

Housing Leaflet on Minimum Standards in Rented Accommodation

www.environ.ie Free

Housing Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland

www.environ.ie Free

Housing Easy to Read – National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability

www.environ.ie Free

Housing Homelessness Policy Statement

www.environ.ie Free

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Housing Technical Guidance Document D – Materials and Workmanship (2013)

www.environ.ie €4.00

Housing Information Note on the Construction Products Regulation

www.environ.ie Free

Local Government & Franchise

Cork City Council Workforce Plan 2013 – 2014; incorporating the Report of Independent Review Group on Staffing Levels in Cork City Council

www.environ.ie Free

Local Government & Franchise

Local Government Efficiency Review Implementation Group – Further Report to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

www.environ.ie Free

Met Éireann Caffarra, A., Zottele, F., Gleeson, E., Donnelly, A. (2013)

Spatial heterogeneity in the timing of birch budburst in response to future climate warming in Ireland

International Journal of Biometeorology 57 (5)doi: 10.1007/s00484-013-0720-5.

Journal Publication

Met Éireann Drijfhout, S.S., Gleeson, E., Dijkstra, H.A., Livina, A. (2013)

Spontaneous abrupt climate change due to an atmospheric blocking–sea-ice–ocean feedback in an unforced climate model simulation

PNAS 110 (49) 19713-19718; doi:10.1073/pnas.1304912110. (Published ahead of print 18/11/2013)

Journal Publication

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Met Éireann Fitzpatrick, N. (2013)

Verification of Met Éireann Weather Radar. Met Éireann Technical Note No. 62.

www.met.ie Free

Met Éireann Gleeson, E., Donnelly, A., Ní Bhroin, A., O’Neill, B.F., Semmler, T., McGrath, R. (2013)

A comparison of spring tree phenology with a range of meteorological parameters.

Biology and Environment; Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 113B, 47-56. doi: 10.3318/BIOE.2013.06.

Journal Publication

Met Éireann Gleeson, E., McGrath, R., Treanor, M. (2013)

Ireland’s climate: the road ahead.

www.met.ie Free

Met Éireann Om P. Tripathi, S. G. Jennings, C. D. O’Dowd, K. P. Lambkin and E. Moran (2013)

Measurements of stratospheric ozone at a mid-latitude observing station Valentia, Ireland (51.94° N, 10.25° W), using ground-based and ozonesonde observations from 1994 to 2009.

J Atmos Chem, DOI 10.1007/s10874-013-9274-5.

Journal Publication

Met Éireann Regan, E.C., Gleeson, E. (In press).

Painted lady (Vanessa cardui L., 1758) migration of 2009 as recorded by the Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and an investigation into the origin of the migration.

Irish Naturalists' Journal, Volume 32, Part 2, pp108-113.

Journal Publication

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Planning Local Area Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities (June 2013

www.environ.ie Free

Planning Proposed Revisions toWind Energy Development Guidelines 2006Targeted Review in relation to Noise, Proximity and Shadow Flicker – December 11th 2013

www.environ.ie Free

Planning The Development Contributions Guidelines (January 2013)

www.environ.ie Free

Planning Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS)

www.environ.ie Free

Planning Framework for Co-operation Spatial Strategies of Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland (June 2013)

www.environ.ie Free

Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities and An Bord Pleanála on carrying out Environmental Impact Assessments

www.environ.ie Free

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APPENDIX 3: Annual Energy Efficiency Reporting - Overview of Energy Usage in 2013

The energy consumption figures for the Department given below cover the Departmental offices at the Custom House, Wexford and Ballina. Approximately one third of energy consumption was for space heating, while lighting, ventilation, hot water, office (IT) and catering equipment accounted for the vast majority of the remaining energy consumption.

The relevant figures for 2013 are:

Location Electricity(MWh)

Gas(MWh)

Renewable Fuels(MWh)

Total(MWh)

% ReductiononBaseline Year(2007)

Custom House 966 1,761 8.5 2,735 (65%) +20.43%

Ballina 281 267 Nil 548 (13%) -20%

Wexford 525 396 0.1 921(22%) +1.3%

4,205 (100%)

-11.4%

Overall, savings in energy consumption across the three Departmental offices for the period of 2013 against the baseline year (2007) is -11.4%

The baseline year of 2007 is the first year the Department participated in the OPW “Optimising Power @ Work” scheme, a staff energy awareness campaign in 250 large buildings owned/leased by the OPW for use by Government Departments and state agencies to reduce CO2 emissions from energy consumption by the public sector. The main focus of the campaign is an intensive staff energy awareness campaign in all participating buildings, while at the same time ensuring that the buildings are being operated in the most efficient manner possible regarding all energy consuming processes.

The first phase of the Optimising Power @ Work scheme achieved a 14% reduction in CO2 emissions by May 2010 for the entire public sector (i.e. all participating buildings) and savings continue to rise. The current target is a reduction of 20% by end 2015.

The Custom House Dublin has had issues with the heating system and this was addressed in 2013. This will have the net effect of reducing the heating kWh in 2014.

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The annual surveillance audit of the Department’s Environmental Management System for the Custom House took place in November and the NSAI auditor confirmed ISO 14001 Registration for the building for a further 12 months. The Custom House certification is in place for the period 2012-2015 with a surveillance audit being carried out annually by the NSAI – this renewed certification having been achieved with the help of all staff with particular input from the Custom House Green Team.

The ISO 1401 audit examined all aspects of environmental management in the building with particular attention paid to the work of the Green Team and the many new energy saving initiatives introduced over the last year including the removal of outdated insulation in the buildings roofs and their replacement with modern high efficiency thermal insulation and the significant roll-out  of new Multi-Function Devices (MFD’s) in the Custom House in 2013 which over time will see real savings in in 2014 and beyond in terms of cost of paper/printing/consumables/etc.

Actions Undertaken in 2013Last year, the Department undertook a range of initiatives at the three locations to improve energy performance, including:

Improvements from “turn off” initiatives (PCs and lights); Technical implementation and installation of new boilers (Ballina); Re roofing of parts of the Custom House, increasing insulation levels; Instillation of electrical immersions to allow boilers to be turned off during

the summer (Custom House); Additional metering installed in the Custom House; Close monitoring of time clocks on mechanical and electrical systems; Monthly energy reporting; Optimising Power @ Work energy awareness campaign in progress; Presentations in All Departmental buildings; and Instillation of BMS PC in Custom House.

Action Planned for 2014In 2014 (and subsequent years), the Department intends to achieve further improvements in energy performance and efficiency by taking further initiatives, including: Continue to monitor and adjust Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

(HVAC) systems; Building Management System audits to be carried out, particularly on

new BMS PC in Custom House; Out of hours energy audits to be carried out; Renewed focus on staff awareness with presentations as required; Recalculate benchmarks and HVAC control performance; and Monitor use of solar panels to further improve thermal energy

consumption, particularly with new immersions installed (Custom House).

99