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 hundred training courses delivered to staff along with 35 external third level courses supported. Chapter 1: Housing High Level Objective To enable all households access good quality housing appropriate to household circumstances and in 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
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 (2013) Draft proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive The Commission considers it appropriate to Yes
343 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. 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 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 No Proposal was only published on 18 Dec 2013.
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
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 (to 30 June 2014) in which to finalise sales to tenants under the terminated 1995 tenant purchase scheme for local authority houses. No Not required 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
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 Environment A Packaging Levy for Ireland Report www.environ.ie Free Environment Review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative Model in Ireland Section 9: and Waste Tyres www.environ.ie Free Environment Review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative Model in Ireland. ELV Producer Responsibility Initiative www.environ.ie Free Environment All Island 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
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: Journal Publication Met Éireann Drijfhout, S.S., Gleeson, E., Dijkstra, H.A., Livina, A. (2013) Spontaneous abrupt climate change due to an atmospheric 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 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 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 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 Planning Local Area Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities (June 2013 www.environ.ie Free Planning Proposed Revisions to Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006 Targeted 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 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 Free 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) % Reduction on Baseline 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