Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 Jun 2004

Vol. 586 No. 6

Adjournment Debate.

Decentralisation Programme.

Mr. P. Breen

I thank the Chair for allowing me the opportunity to raise the matter of why Shannon Development is not included in the central applications office website for the Government's proposed decentralisation plans.

The Shannon Free Zone employs over 7,500 people and is one of the leading business parks in Ireland in terms of size, multi-sector nature and employment, and it is the core economic driver in the Shannon region. It is the home of 120 leading global companies with exports of more than €2.5 billion in 2003, and contains the largest cluster of North American investment in Ireland.

Over the five years to the end of 2003, a total of 31 new industry start-ups were established on the Shannon Free Zone by Shannon Development, which accounted for 950 new jobs. Outside of the Shannon Free Zone, 12,500 people are employed by Shannon Development's Irish Enterprise clients.

The current uncertainly facing the mid-western region is caused by the Government's indecision regarding the future of Shannon Airport and the future of Shannon Development where the Tánaiste has suggested that the responsibility of the Shannon Free Zone at Shannon Airport should be transferred to the proposed new Shannon Airport Authority. Does the Tánaiste want the new airport authority to be property managers as well as running the airport?

We all welcome decentralisation, but where does the future of Shannon Development lie? The Government has promised to move more than 10,000 civil and public servants from Dublin to 53 locations in 25 counties, which includes moving Enterprise Ireland to Shannon. One of the questions asked of a civil servant who wishes to apply for decentralisation on the Government's website www.publicjobs.ie is to choose a Department, office or agency to which to relocate. However, Shannon Development has been omitted from the website despite that decentralisation is meant to cover all agencies, commercial and non-commercial. Other agencies listed include Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Western Development Commission which is already decentralised.

Is this part of a Government strategy not only to take the Shannon Free Zone operations from the agency, but to integrate the activities of Shannon Development with Enterprise Ireland? If this happens, job creation in the mid-west will suffer as an all-Ireland body takes this responsibility from the only true regional development agency in the west.

We all received correspondence from the Tánaiste today regarding her future commitments to the Shannon region. While it is acknowledged that part of the function of Shannon Development will overlap with Enterprise Ireland, this is only part of the work the agency carries out. Its other functions include tourism and marketing, the technological parks and Shannon Free Zone, including overseas industry and the running of Shannon Heritage which employs more than 400 people during the peak season.

The Tánaiste has been in charge of Shannon Development for the past seven years. During her many visits to the area, she has praised it for its commitment to attracting industry. Why now is she bringing out these proposals? Is not the real problem the future of Shannon Airport and how to finance the new airports authority, given the predictions in the PricewaterhouseCoopers report that Shannon Airport will incur heavy losses if it becomes an independent airport?

The Tánaiste should think again about Shannon Development. The agency has a proven track record over the last 45 years and can make a significant impact at regional level.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. T. O’Malley)

I thank Deputy Breen for his contribution. The central applications facility, CAF, is an important element of the Government's decentralisation programme. The development of the CAF was one of the main recommendations of the decentralisation implementation group set up by the Government immediately after the announcement of the decentralisation programme by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, in his Budget Statement last December.

The purpose of the CAF is to provide a means whereby public servants can apply to participate in the Government's decentralisation programme by selecting locations throughout the country to which they would choose to relocate. The facility was launched on 12 May 2004 and will remain open for the full duration of the decentralisation programme. Those public servants who lodge their applications before 8 July 2004 will, however, have priority over those who apply at a later stage in the programme.

Immediately after the announcement of the programme, the Government sought to open discussions with the unions representing both civil servants and the staff of the various State agencies earmarked for relocation. One of the main issues, which was the subject of discussion with the unions, was the terms which would apply to applicants to the CAF. Apart from the Civil Service, staff of all the State agencies participating in the programme were included in the CAF. In addition, it was decided that staff in the remaining non-commercial State agencies not relocating under the programme would also be allowed to make applications through the facility.

Since the list of participating agencies was prepared, a number of applications have been made to the Department of Finance for the inclusion of additional organisations. One category which has been looked at are those State agencies which are already located outside Dublin. There are a number of organisations, such as SFADCo, whose specific remit requires them to exist at a particular location. The position of these organisations and their suitability for inclusion in the CAF has been considered in detail and it has been decided to include SFADCo in the CAF.

A discussion document was presented by the Department of Finance to the unions at an early stage in the engagement with the unions. This document formed the basis of the industrial relations discussions which preceded the launch of the CAF. We must remind ourselves that the overall objective of the decentralisation programme is to allow public servants the opportunity to relocate out of Dublin to various provincial locations. There are also knock-on benefits through the creation of career paths for staff outside Dublin while at the same time relieving pressure on infrastructure in the Dublin area. In addition, it was decided that as it was likely that staff already serving in provincial locations would seek, under the programme, to relocate to other provincial towns, these provincial locations would be included on the CAF.

It was never intended that the decentralisation programme would be availed of by public servants to secure a transfer from one State organisation to another in the same location. This exclusion was included in the discussion document presented to the unions and now forms the basis on which the CAF operates. Since the inception of the decentralisation programme a number of years ago, the exclusion on the seeking of a transfer within the location in which an individual is employed has been continued. As I have outlined, the reasonable rationale for this exclusion is that the purpose of the programme is to facilitate the relocation of staff from the Dublin area to provincial locations, not to facilitate transfers within provincial locations.

School Accommodation.

Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin

I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for giving me the opportunity of raising this important issue. While I welcome the Minister of State, I regret that the Minister for Education and Science is not present because the people in this school face a difficult situation. The Presentation secondary school in Milltown, County Kerry, at present caters for 452 pupils and 27 teachers. The numbers are set to increase substantially in September due mainly to an increase in population in the greater Milltown area.

The number of new houses that have been built and are planned means that the population is growing rapidly. At present, staff and pupils are already in cramped conditions and are waiting for the go ahead for a school expansion, which has been delayed for many years. When I visited the school last week for a meeting with the principal and some members of staff in the staff room, such were the cramped conditions that there was only room for two chairs. This in a school with 27 teachers. The principal has no office; she shares with the secretary and when the parents wish to meet her, the secretary has to be asked to leave. This is not good practice in 2004.

The school has only one science laboratory, which has not been modernised since it was built in 1982. This laboratory is shared by four science teachers. All the junior cycle students in the school take science and at senior level students are taking biology, chemistry, physics and agricultural science. The science laboratory needs to be upgraded as a matter of urgency.

Most importantly, Milltown school requires three prefabs as a matter of urgency if it is to cater for the 110 new students next September. The Department has refused funding for these prefabs for the coming year and has even suggested that instead of providing this emergency accommodation the school should bus students to another secondary school to alleviate the overcrowding problem. I have never heard of such an outrageous solution to such an acute problem. Is this now the policy of the Department of Education and Science? If it is, it will set an appalling precedent for the future of our schools.

The cost of these prefabs is approximately €30,000, which is a pittance. Milltown secondary school is already paying in excess of €35,000 for the rental of basic accommodation and to pay a teacher's salary. All this money is raised through voluntary fundraising. Is the Department of Education and Science now telling the board of management, the teachers and the parents that they are obliged to raise another €30,000 before September to provide basic accommodation for the new students beginning secondary school? Has the Minister any understanding of the effort, time and energy that is required to raise this amount of money, particularly in such a short space of time, if the school is to have the accommodation in place for the beginning of September? By refusing Milltown Presentation secondary school this emergency accommodation, the Minister is saying that the school will have to raise over €65,000 this year for the provision of accommodation and to pay the salary of a teacher. Where is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science in this? It is outrageous.

This is not just a problem in Milltown but also throughout the country. Young families are moving out into areas such as Milltown because they cannot afford to pay the exorbitant house prices in places such as Killarney. Unfortunately, however, the infrastructure is not keeping pace with the population growth and this is typical of what is happening all over this country. The only answer the Minister has for the parents and the pupils who plan to attend the Presentation secondary school in Milltown is, "I'm sorry. I do not have €30,000 to provide emergency accommodation for your school. You will have to be bussed to another school."

Will the Minister explain who will make the decision about which pupils will be obliged to go to another school, a school they did not choose? Who will decide which school they will attend? This is all for the miserly sum of €30,000. I am seeking a commitment from the Minister that he will supply the emergency accommodation required to provide the necessary classroom space for Milltown school next September. I also urge him to ensure the speedy commencement of the construction of the extension to the school.

Mr. T. O’Malley

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to outline to the House the strategy of the Department of Education and Science concerning capital investment in education projects and also to outline the position regarding Presentation secondary school, Milltown, County Kerry.

Presentation secondary school, Milltown, is a co-educational secondary school with a current enrolment of 414 pupils. A large-scale building project comprising an extension of 1,542 sq. m. and refurbishment of the school is listed in section 8 of the 2004 school building programme. This project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning — stage 4/5, detailed design/bill of quantities. It has been assigned a band 2 rating by the Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects.

When publishing the 2004 school building programme, the Department outlined that its strategy for the future will be grounded in capital investment based on multi-annual allocations. Officials from the Department are reviewing all projects, including the Presentation secondary school, Milltown, County Kerry, which were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual school building programme from 2005. The Department expects to be in a position to make further announcements on this matter in the course of the year.

The school authority recently submitted an application for temporary accommodation. All applications for temporary accommodation have been considered in the school planning section of the Department. In the context of available funding and the number of applications received for that funding, it was not possible to approve all applications received and only those with an absolute and demonstrated need for additional accommodation were approved. The application from Presentation secondary school was not successful on this occasion. The school's need for accommodation will be considered in the context of the aforementioned review.

Hospital Services.

Mr. Ring

The people of Mayo were shocked yesterday by the news that the orthopaedic unit in Mayo General Hospital will not now open on 1 July as promised. This unit has been promised for years. This all began ten years ago in 1994 when I was a candidate in a by-election. In 1997, when Fine Gael was in Government, we committed ourselves to this project and stated that this unit would become a reality. It is appalling to learn that now, ten years later, this facility has been built at major expense and which includes state-of-the-art operating theatres and a fully furnished ward, yet at the last minute it has been decided that it will not open.

There is little point in having such a building standing there idle with no staff to run it. Interviews were held but no contracts were signed. I demand that the people selected at interview be given their contracts immediately and the unit open on 1 July as promised. The people of Mayo will no longer tolerate this. There is a long waiting list for orthopaedic services in Mayo and we refuse to accept that this unit will not open on 1 July. We have waited long enough for it.

If there is a difficulty between the Western Health Board and the Department of Health and Children it must be rectified at once. I call on the Government to lift the embargo on the recruitment of nurses and other medical staff. A consultant surgeon has already been appointed for the unit and the remainder of the staff must be put in place immediately. The number of people an the waiting list for orthopaedic surgery is large. Some have waited months or even years to be put on the waiting list. No further delays will be tolerated. The people of Mayo demand that this unit open as scheduled.

A total of €3.9 million has been spent on this project in 2003 and 2004 but no service has been provided. Clearly there is no shortage of finance. The problem results from bad management. Regardless of whether this is a management problem or a financial one, the people of Mayo refuse to let this happen. This unit must open immediately. A political commitment was given by the last Government and we want that commitment honoured. We are sick and tired of broken promises. The people of Mayo and the western region will not tolerate this any longer.

I hope the Minister of State has good news for me and the people of Mayo because if not, we will be out on the streets next week. We will be at the gates of Dáil Éireann when it opens in two weeks. We have had enough of broken promises from the Government and the Department of Health and Children. People are sick and in pain as they wait to be treated. A consultant has been dealing with people for the past few months on the basis that they will be operated on in July. Now there has been a row resulting in an embargo on staff recruitment.

The Minister had better have good news for me because I have bad news for him and the members of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats. The people of Mayo will respond next week at the ballot box. We will highlight this problem and put pressure on the Department to sort out this difficulty immediately. It is a disgrace that I must raise this matter again tonight. We thought the unit would be officially opened before the elections but now something else has gone wrong. We will not accept this.

Mr. T. O’Malley

On behalf of my colleague, Deputy Martin, Minister for Health and Children, I am glad of this opportunity to discuss Mayo General Hospital.

There has been unprecedented investment in services at Mayo General Hospital in recent years. The Government has invested heavily in the hospital's infrastructure. The second phase of a major development programme at the hospital began in 1998. The investment in this development, which was completed within the last year, was €50 million. This development provided the necessary facilities for the development of orthopaedic services at the hospital, including ward accommodation and a state-of-the-art orthopaedic operating theatre to carry out surgery. The development also included a new accident and emergency department, a medical assessment unit, a geriatric assessment unit, an obstetric and delivery suite, CT scanning facilities, a new helicopter landing facility, an improved mortuary and post-mortem room, a new information technology system and a new administration and medical records department.

Some facts will underline the Government's record in developing hospital services for the people of Mayo.

Mr. Ring

We want to know about the orthopaedic unit. We do not want to hear a political broadcast.

Mr. T. O’Malley

Annual funding for Mayo General Hospital is now more than €50 million. The Government has increased expenditure at the hospital by €30 million since 1997. The hospital now employs about 830 whole-time equivalent staff. This represents an increase in staffing levels at the hospital of more than 300 wholetime equivalent staff in the past seven years. These extra staff are providing additional and improved hospital services to the people of Mayo. Activity at the hospital has increased each year. Compared to 1997, the hospital has increased its number of in-patients by more than 3,000 and has nearly trebled the number of patients it treats as day cases. More than 22,000 in-patients and day cases were treated in 2003. A total of 27,000 people attended the casualty department in 2003. The hospital's out-patient department now treats more than 33,000 people. There has been an increase in the number of beds at the hospital over recent years. The number of beds at the hospital when the orthopaedic service opens will be more than 300.

The new 33-bed orthopaedic unit will be a particularly valuable addition to the hospital and of great benefit to the people of County Mayo. Funding of €3.9 million has already been provided to the Western Health Board to allow for the opening of the new orthopaedic service. One consultant orthopaedic surgeon has been recruited by the Western Health Board. This person took up duty on 1 February. The Western Health Board has informed me that discussions among the orthopaedic staff in Galway and Mayo are continuing in an effort to configure the best use of both counties' facilities. These discussions are taking place within a framework for developing an overall integrated strategic and operational policy for orthopaedic services in the region.

As I have explained, substantial funding has already been provided to commission orthopaedic services in Mayo.

Dr. Cowley

Where have the services gone?

Mr. T. O’Malley

The Western Health Board is discussing with the Department the possibility of commencing orthopaedic services at Mayo General Hospital. There are concerns about the effect on the board's current employment ceiling of the additional staffing required to commence services. The Minister is committed to ensuring that the new orthopaedic services are established at Mayo General Hospital at the earliest possible date.

Mr. Ring

When will the unit open? That is what we want to know.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.10 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 3 June 2004.