Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Nov 2003

Vol. 573 No. 5

Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies.

Jack Wall

Question:

43 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Finance the total cost incurred to date arising from the establishment of the National Development Finance Agency; the number of staff currently employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25798/03]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

I understand from the National Development Finance Agency that the costs incurred since 1 January 2003 and charged to the administration budget of the National Treasury Management Agency amount to €600,000 approximately. These comprise salaries and a share of the NTMA's overhead costs. The total number of staff employed by the NTMA assigned to NDFA work is five.

Since 1 January 2003 State authorities are obliged by law to seek the advice of the agency on the best financing approach for all capital projects of a certain value, currently €20 million, including PPPs. The role of the NDFA is to assist State authorities: in evaluating financial risks and costs of infrastructure projects and facilitating them in availing of the best financial package for each project; in assessing optimal financing as between a private or PPP financial package, or Exchequer or NDF funding for infrastructure projects; in raising finance for projects, including certain PPPs, where this would be more cost effective than private funding and, in respect of conventionally procured capital projects, where there are clear benefits off-setting any increased cost of agency funding over Exchequer funding; and in creating special purpose companies – SPCs – that can raise project finance with guarantees, securitise revenue from projects with user-charging and receive land or other property assigned or transferred from State authorities for use in financing infrastructure projects.

The NDFA is currently working on a range of projects at stages ranging from feasibility to the early phases of procurement. It is early days yet in the life of the agency, but it is already proving to be an invaluable resource to State authorities involved in the procurement of capital infrastructure projects. The benefits that the NDFA can bring to the financing of capital infrastructure projects are considerable and include: value for money through ensuring that non-Exchequer finance is sourced on a cost-effective basis; the application of commercial standards to public procurement projects; underpinning the PPP approach to public service provision; and centralising expertise and avoiding use of expensive consultants across public agencies.

As the Deputy may be aware, the agency, in accordance with the provisions of the National Development Finance Agency Act 2002, will be furnishing to me at the end of each financial year a report of its activities during that year. The first such report will be due in 2004. I look forward to receiving and, in turn, making it available to each House of the Oireachtas.

Joe Costello

Question:

44 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Finance when he expects that the backlog of appeals in the Office of the Information Commissioner will be cleared; the number of appeals outstanding at the latest date for which figures are available; the average time being taken to hear an appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25767/03]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

I understand that the Information Commissioner's office adopted new working procedures in April 2002 for dealing with both review applications – appeals – and historical review cases. All review cases received from that time would be dealt with immediately while cases received prior to 1 April 2002 would be processed alongside current cases. At that stage, in April 2002, the commissioner envisaged that the arrears cases would be dealt with over a three-year period. I understand that this arrangement worked quite well initially but has now been affected by a significant increase in new review applications being received in the course of this year, 2003, and the office is now re-considering its targets on clearing arrears cases. The commissioner's office is currently preparing a statement of strategy for the three year period 2004 – 2006 in which it will develop new business plans to address, inter alia, the issue of the backlog of pre-April 2002 cases.

I am informed by the Office of the Information Commissioner that there were 912 accepted review applications on hands on 31 October 2003, while a further 70 review applications were at screening stage awaiting a decision as to whether they constitute valid applications. By comparison, there were 602 accepted review applications – appeals – on hands at 31 December 2002 with a further 47 cases at screening stage. This increase of approximately 50% in the "on hands" figure occurred despite an increase of approximately 25% in the rate of completion of cases in 2003 compared with 2002; it is a direct consequence of a significant increase in the level of review applications to the commissioner in 2003. In the ten-month period to 31 October 2003, the commissioner has accepted 868 cases for review; during the same ten-month period in 2002, the commissioner accepted only 626 cases for review.

At present, the commissioner is dealing with current applications as well as with older cases, including some applications received in 2000. Any average figure would, therefore, need to be treated with caution. Figures are not currently available as to the average time taken to conclude reviews – appeals. However, the commissioner hopes to be able to give fuller details of case completion timescales in her annual report for 2003.