Written Answers Nos 83-90
83. Deputy Ray Butler asked the Taoiseach if he will outline in tabular form the annual salary costs of his private and constituency offices in each of the years 2009 and 2010; the same figure for any Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40045/12]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table:
|
Office |
2009 |
2010 |
|
Taoiseach’s Private Office |
€1,590,431 |
€1,362,762 |
|
Taoiseach’s Constituency Office |
€337,197 |
€296,497 |
|
Government Chief Whip's Private Office |
€302,491 |
€291,882 |
|
Government Chief Whip's Constituency Office |
€162,473 |
€130,614 |
|
Minister of State for European Affairs' Private Office |
€132,405 |
€127,840 |
84. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Taoiseach the number of persons between 16 and 64 years here recorded as having a physical disability; and the number of those who are currently in employment. [40576/12]
View answerAccording to the Census 2011 results, there were 333,571 persons aged between 16 and 64 years who indicated that they had either a physical or intellectual disability.
Of these, 105,429 persons stated that they were working for payment or profit in April 2011.
On 1st November 2012, the Central Statistics Office will be publishing “Profile 8 – Our Bill of Health”, which will provide more detailed information in relation to health, disability and carers in Ireland from Census 2011.
85. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Taoiseach the number of people that have emigrated since January 2010 to date in 2012; and the percentage of those that were Irish nationals. [40577/12]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy regarding emigration is not available for the period specified, namely from 1 January 2010 to date.
Annual Population and Migration Estimates are published in respect of Mid-April each year and the most recent release showed the number of emigrants from the Republic of Ireland for the 12 month period ending April 2010 was 65,300 and for 2011 was 76,400. The percentage of emigrants that were Irish Nationals was 42.4 per cent and 52.6 per cent respectively.
This data was taken from the CSO’s annual Population and Migration Estimates release. The annual estimates for 2010 and 2011 are subject to revision.
The revised figures will be published on 27th September 2012 along with the emigration estimates for the year to April 2012.
86. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Taoiseach the number of carers recorded here; and the percentage of these caring for more than 15 hours per week. [40578/12]
View answerAccording to the Census 2011 results, there were 187,112 people who said they provide regular unpaid help for a friend or family member with a long term illness, health problem or disability. 50.8 per cent or 83,376 persons signaled that they provided care for 15 or more hours per week.
On 1st November 2012, the Central Statistics Office will be publishing more detailed information in relation to health, disability and carers in Ireland from Census 2011 in a dedicated report titled “Profile 8 – Our Bill of Health”.
87. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Taoiseach the average income of top 10% of income earners in the population and the bottom 10%. [40580/12]
View answerThe Survey of Income and Living Conditions (SILC) in Ireland is a household survey covering a broad range of issues in relation to income and living conditions.
The results for 2010, the most recent year for which SILC data is available, show that the bottom 10% of persons had, on average net disposable equivalised income of €118.16 per week, while the top 10% of persons had €1,128.64 per week on average.
SILC calculates income data on an equivalised basis, i.e. household income is adjusted to take account of household composition and size. Disposable income is defined as gross income less tax and social contributions.
The results of the 2011 SILC are due to be released by the end of November 2012.
Average equivalised income, by net disposable equivalised income decile 1 and decile 10, SILC 2010.
|
Decile |
Bottom 10% |
Top 10% |
|
Decile |
€179.98 |
€746.33 |
Average Weekly Equivalised Income
|
- |
€ |
€ |
|
Total direct income from employment |
39.57 |
1,354.01 |
|
Total social transfers |
87.97 |
195.03 |
|
Gross Income |
127.54 |
1,549.04 |
|
Total Tax and Social Contributions |
9.38 |
420.41 |
|
Net Disposable Income |
118.16 |
1,128.64 |
88. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Taoiseach the number of agencies, authorities, boards, committees, working groups, tribunals, council services, task force agencies and other quangos set up by his predecessor in the previous three administrations; the number that he has abolished since then and the savings that he made on these quangos in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40697/12]
View answerMy Department has been substantially restructured since 2002 with a number of functional areas and staff being transferred to other Departments, including those in relation to Public Service Modernisation and the Information Society. Accordingly, it will not be possible to provide details of all the committees and working groups established by my predecessors. However, I will contact the Deputy shortly with the information requested in relation to committees and working groups insofar as it is available.
The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only agency under the aegis of my Department. It was established under the NESDO Act 2006 and is the body corporate for the National Economic and Social Council (NESC). NESDO has already completed a substantial restructuring programme. Up until 1 April 2010, it had two other constituent bodies, the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) and the National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP) which were dissolved on that date.
This led to substantial savings on both pay and non-pay expenditure, mainly as a result of reduced accommodation, rent, staffing levels and administrative costs. The 2012 Estimate for NESDO is €2,220,000. This is a reduction of over €1.1m on 2010.
My Department also rationalised the work and achieved substantial savings in relation to three other bodies which were formerly within its remit in recent years. The total separate programme funding for the work of the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership and the Active Citizenship Office ceased in 2009 and their work subsumed into the Department. The separate Offices in these areas have been discontinued which has given rise to savings in my Department’s Estimates of approximately €356,000 per annum. The National Forum on Europe was closed in 2009 which also gave rise to savings in the Estimates of €360,000.
89. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Taoiseach the total photography costs for his Department by his two predecessors in the past 10 years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40699/12]
View answerThe table details expenditure by the Department of the Taoiseach on photography from 2001 to 9th March 2011.
|
Year |
Photography expenditure |
|
2001 |
€ 9,020 |
|
2002 |
€ 45,624 |
|
2003 |
€ 39,446 |
|
2004 |
€ 27,424 |
|
2005 |
€ 44,814 |
|
2006 |
€ 80,827 |
|
2007 |
€ 64,672 |
|
2008 |
€ 83,398 |
|
2009 |
€ 27,455 |
|
2010 |
€ 24,919 |
|
2011 |
*€ 31,897 |
|
Jan - Sept 2012 |
€7,131 |
* This figure includes a number of major events such as the visit of President Obama and the Presidential Inauguration for which professional photography was required and which incurred significant costs.
Increasingly my department utilises its own staff to take photographs in-house, thereby reducing costs. Expenditure to-date in 2012 at €7,136.65 indicates the significant cost reductions achieved by the utilisation of newly developed in-house facilities. The full year figures for 2012 will compare favourably to the costs incurred in 2008 which were €83,398.00.
For major events such as the upcoming Irish Presidency of the European Council and inward state visits my Department will continue to use the services of a professional photographic agency, but costs will be monitored and kept to a minimum.
90. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider the seven action points put forward by Trocaire in relation to Ireland's presidency of the EU in 2013; and his thoughts on same. [40107/12]
View answerIreland’s EU Presidency offers an important opportunity to lead and influence debate on international development issues, with a credibility based on the strength and effectiveness of our aid programme. In focusing on EU development policy during the Presidency, we will seek to build on the strong focus in Ireland’s aid programme on the fight to end hunger and undernutrition and the growing impact of global challenges, including climate change.
The Irish Presidency comes at a crucial period for international development policy, as the international community opens discussion on the framework for global development after 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals. A special political meeting will be held at the United Nations, probably in September 2013, to review progress on the Millennium Development Goals and to begin consideration of the post-2015 development framework.
A key priority for Ireland’s Presidency will be to ensure that the EU adopts a strong, coherent position for this Millennium Development Goals event. In working with our partners to guide discussions on the post-2015 development framework we will build on our commitment to eradicate poverty and hunger in the world. We will also work to highlight the important linkages between hunger, nutrition and climate change and to have these linkages recognised for future policy and programming internationally.
We will also work to forge stronger links between humanitarian relief and development aid, based on experience in emergencies in recent years. Drawing on lessons from the Horn of Africa emergency in 2011 and with input from our partners in developing countries, we will explore the practical application of these principles and showcase examples of best practice. We will place particular emphasis on the EU’s approach to disaster risk reduction, helping communities to prepare and take action to avert the effects of disasters and emergencies. We plan to hold an informal meeting of EU Development Ministers in Dublin in February 2013, which will be the first opportunity for substantive discussion by Ministers of all these key issues.
I and my officials have been consulting closely with Ireland’s development NGOs in preparation for the EU Presidency. The policy document just published by Trócaire is an important contribution to the discussion. I look forward to continuing our dialogue with Trócaire and the other members of Dóchas, the umbrella body for the development NGOs, in the lead-up to and during the EU Presidency.
