Written Answers Nos. 215 - 234
216. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will publish details of all allowances paid to staff in his Department; the business case made by his Department in respect of these allowances to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; the cost of each individual allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41418/12]
View answerThe table shows the allowances and payment rates being paid to certain staff in my Department. Many of these are “common” or “general service allowances” i.e. allowances that are in payment to civil servants across more than one Department. Business cases were prepared in this Department for allowances which were paid to civil servants across more than one Department and these business cases have been posted on the Department’s website.
Departments were not required to submit business cases for allowances that are held on a personal-to-holder basis or for allowances that are not available to any new beneficiary.
A business case was submitted and approved for payment of the Employee Assistance Officer allowance to new beneficiaries. This, together with all business cases submitted for review are published on the Departments’ website www.per.gov.ie.
|
- |
Allowance |
Description |
Value |
Comment |
|
1. |
Personal to Holder Allowances |
Payable to staff who are now in this Department and were part of the integration agreement in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners |
€28.20 to €234.91 (payment range fortnightly) |
Departments were not required to submit business cases for allowances that are held on a person-to-holder basis or for ‘legacy’ allowances as they are ring-fenced and consequently not available to any new beneficiaries. |
|
2. |
Child Allowance |
Only payable to staff employed in certain grades in the Civil Service on or before 31/12/1978. Eligibility time limits apply. |
€113 p.a. |
Departments were not required to submit business cases for allowances that are held on a person-to-holder basis or for ‘legacy’ allowances as they are ring-fenced and consequently not available to any new beneficiaries. |
|
3. |
Higher Duties |
Payable on a temporary basis to staff carrying out duties appropriate to a higher grade. Payment rate is determined by the differential between grades and existing pay point. |
€106.94 to €459.10 (payment range fortnightly) |
All acting higher duties allowances are restricted under the moratorium. Plans are in place to ensure that where an exception is allowed, such payments can only be paid where the acting-up period exceeds a continuous period of 84 days - a trebling of the previous requirement. |
|
4. |
Private Secretary |
Payable to staff carrying out duties appropriate to the post of Private Secretary to the Minister and the Secretary General’s Office. |
€20,685 p.a. ppc €10,951 p.a. ppc |
The retention element for these allowances has been abolished for new beneficiaries. These allowances are subject to further review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. |
|
5. |
Programme for Competitiveness and Work (PCW) Pay Agreement 1% Allowance to small number of staff in AHCPS grades |
PCW 1% Allowance : Agreed under PCW for small number of staff in AHCPS grades |
€48.60 to €121.46 (payment range fortnightly) |
Payment of this allowance was unaffected by the review. |
|
6. |
On Call / Call out allowance |
€281.79 to €1061.44 (payment range / paid as appropriate) |
Departments are being asked to review structures and systems in place, including an examination of the grades and numbers assigned to on-call rosters, with a view to reducing the level of instances of payment. The allowance will only be payable where these is a clear necessity and subject to a minimum of 12 call outs per year. |
|
|
7 |
EAO Allowance |
Allowance payable to Employee Assistance Officers to take account of the particular duties of the role, including additional hours of attendance. |
€6,108 p.a ppc |
A business case was submitted for review and was approved. |
217. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all the parking spaces at Dublin Castle are under the management of the Office of Public Works; the number of parking spaces provided for public servants in the various agencies of the State located there; the cost to staff of using these parking spaces; the number of parking spaces allocated specifically in the great courtyard and lower castleyard; if any consideration has been given to removing parking spaces from these two historic courtyards at Dublin Castle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41477/12]
View answerThe Office of Public Works is responsible for the management of car parking facilities at Dublin Castle. There are approximately 200 car parking spaces in the entire Dublin Castle complex, and there is no charge to those public servants permitted to use those spaces.
Car parking is not allowed in the upper Castle yard (Great Courtyard). There are approximately 100 spaces currently in use in the lower Castle yard, and car parking will be discontinued there from January 2013 to July 2013 during Ireland's hosting of the E.U. Presidency. The future use of this area after that period is currently under review.
218. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide in tabular form public spending both as a percentage of gross domestic product and in nominal terms by year from 1992 to 2011. [41519/12]
View answerDetails of Government expenditure in nominal terms and expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product are detailed in the table.
The figures for Total Government Expenditure listed are consistent with Table 1 from the Budgetary and Economic Statistics publication, updated to reflect more recently available data. The figures include central fund services, gross voted current expenditure and current expenditure from the social insurance fund and the national training fund as well as voted capital spending plus non-voted capital issues.
The Deputy might be interested to know that my Department hosts a databank website which contains a comprehensive set of data on public expenditure in Ireland. The material can be accessed through the following web address; http://databank.per.gov.ie/. Similarly, the Central Statistics Office holds a wide variety of statistical data on their website http://www.cso.ie/en/
|
Year |
GDP (€m) |
Total Government Expenditure |
Expenditure as % of GDP |
|
1992 |
€40,489 |
€16,640 |
41.10% |
|
1993 |
€43,605 |
€18,144 |
41.61% |
|
1994 |
€46,864 |
€19,364 |
41.32% |
|
1995 |
€53,787 |
€20,584 |
38.27% |
|
1996 |
€58,894 |
€22,560 |
38.31% |
|
1997 |
€68,154 |
€23,699 |
34.77% |
|
1998 |
€78,685 |
€25,355 |
32.22% |
|
1999 |
€90,683 |
€28,092 |
30.98% |
|
2000 |
€105,775 |
€31,014 |
29.32% |
|
2001 |
€117,643 |
€36,017 |
30.62% |
|
2002 |
€130,877 |
€39,975 |
30.54% |
|
2003 |
€140,827 |
€43,045 |
30.57% |
|
2004 |
€150,194 |
€45,696 |
30.42% |
|
2005 |
€163,037 |
€50,746 |
31.13% |
|
2006 |
€177,729 |
€56,143 |
31.59% |
|
2007 |
€188,729 |
€62,929 |
33.34% |
|
2008 |
€178,882 |
€68,721 |
38.42% |
|
2009 |
€161,275 |
€75,869 |
47.04% |
|
2010 |
€156,487 |
€68,984 |
44.08% |
|
2011 |
€158,993 |
€75,894 |
47.73% |
219. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 164 of 25 September 2012, if he will provide details of the days referred to in his reply that were referred to as historical based local leave arrangements such as for example festival and race days; if he will provide details of the days which were agreed to by his Department and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41576/12]
View answerThe proposals as set out below were accepted by the Public Services Committee of the ICTU on 14 December 2011. The new standardised leave arrangements will facilitate the creation of a more mobile public service by having personnel across diverse sectors and organisations with harmonized conditions of employment. In addition the new arrangements address annual leave anomalies which may have existed in certain sectors of the public service. These standardised leave arrangements are being implemented at sectoral and organisational level across the public service. These arrangements include for example: The abolition of historically based local leave arrangements such as for example festivals and race meetings; Bringing all public service grades with a current leave allowance in excess of 32 days within that maximum (i.e. 32 days) commencing from 1 January 2012; Placing all public service personnel, on recruitment or promotion, on a new standardised annual leave band ranging from a minimum of 22 days to a maximum of 30 days with immediate effect [i.e.14 December 2011].
Any issues that might arise in relation to the implementation of the agreement will be dealt with through the procedures laid down in the Croke Park Agreement where appropriate. It is a matter for the relevant Minister to provide further more specific details in relation to the arrangements that have existed in the past in particular sectors.
220. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if circular 06/12 will be amended to allow for the purchase of goods and services at a local level provided that the cost of the service is equal to or better than the tender obtained and accepted by the National Procurement Service in order to give small and medium enterprises a real opportunity to sell goods and services to the State and in view of the fact that most SME's will be excluded from the tender process based on the turnover; if he will examine the tender documents for the supply of managed print services which requires a company turnover of €10m per annum and therefore excludes SME's, ref B1 but includes a clause 2.3 which would allow local purchases and thereby accommodate SME's; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41747/12]
View answerIn light of the need to accelerate the reform agenda, late last year my Department published the Public Service Reform Plan. This plan identified procurement reform as a key instrument that can assist the public service to deliver services in an efficient manner.
The National Procurement Service (NPS) has put in place a number of national arrangements designed to secure better value for money from leveraging the public service’s buying power in relation to a range of goods and services that are commonly purchased across the public service. These national arrangements have benefits that include: cash savings; administrative savings from reduced duplication of tendering; greater purchasing expertise; improved consistency; and enhanced service levels. In some instances the take up of the NPS arrangements has been low. In order to increase the usage of the NPS arrangements and thereby secure best value for money, the Government decided that it should be mandatory for public service bodies to use specified national procurement arrangements.
Circular 06/12 implements the Government decision by making it a mandatory requirement that public service bodies avail of specified national arrangements put in place by the NPS. The list of categories subject to national procurement arrangements includes: electricity; natural gas; stationery and office supplies; paper; ICT consumables; managed print services; print media advertising; and, motor vehicles. These national arrangements will secure best value for money and facilitate contracting authorities to deliver services within their budgetary constraints.
In relation to the issue of whether public service bodies have scope to purchase goods and services locally at prices lower than those under national arrangements - the position is that a public service body making such a purchase will need to explain the rationale for not using the NPS arrangement and provide a value for money justification that takes account of the full costs incurred in managing its own procurement process.
While the key purpose of Circular 6/12 is to enable the State to do more with less by aggregating procurement to secure better value for money, it is worth noting that such aggregation arrangements can be implemented in a manner that achieves value for money with a minimal negative impact, or indeed a positive impact, on SMEs. While a number of the categories of goods and services mandated under the Circular are suited to single supplier national arrangements, it should not be taken that single supplier frameworks are to be accepted as the norm. The greater use where appropriate of multi-supplier frameworks can address local supplier issues while also ensuring ongoing cost competitiveness of the framework itself. Such multi-supplier frameworks may also offer SMEs the opportunity to participate in national level contracts, thereby offering valuable reference work when competing for public procurement contracts in other jurisdictions.
In relation to managed print services (MPS), the value of this national arrangement is estimated to be €100 million over two years. Given the potential value of contracts under the national arrangement and the fact that suppliers are required to provide all of the print and imaging devices upfront, from their own resources, the view was taken by the NPS that the €10 million minimum turnover requirement was proportionate. Furthermore, in order to facilitate SMEs, tenderers who did not have the required turnover in their own right were invited to partner with other entities to satisfy this requirement.
221. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the savings to be pursued by him under the Croke Park Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41766/12]
View answerSignificant savings have accrued as a result of initiatives already carried through using the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014. An estimated €810m in sustainable pay bill savings have been achieved during the first two years of the Agreement. A total of €678m in non-pay savings were also reported for that period.
Savings and reforms associated with the Agreement are matters for each Minister and Government Department to pursue and implement. These have been supplemented by central initiatives pursued by my Department.
The Government decided recently that each Minister should submit proposals for further savings and reforms under the Agreement. Proposals have now been received and are being examined by my Department. The Taoiseach and I have been engaging with Ministers in relation to their submissions which will form the basis of discussions at Cabinet. Therefore, as the Deputy will appreciate, prior to consideration of the issues by Government, it would not be appropriate to make any further statement.
222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which tenants of State owned property have requested rent reviews that may be affected by upward only revision; the number of such cases if known; the extent to which it might be intended to address the issue in view of the on-going difficulties experiences by commercial or retailing sectors; if a particular ameliorating solution has been found in such instances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41851/12]
View answerMy Department does not have access to up-to-date information at the level of detail sought by the Deputy; this would be available in those Departments and public service bodies which lease property to tenants on a commercial basis. However, I am informed that negotiations are being entered into with affected tenants on a case-by-case basis and arrangements arrived at in the light of the circumstances of each case. My Department is giving consideration at present to the question of whether general policy guidelines need to be formulated on the matter.
223. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on a matter (details provided) regarding remuneration for qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41865/12]
View answerThe matter referred to by the Deputy is an issue that in the first instance falls to my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills to deliberate on in consultation with my Department. In the particular case referred to by the Deputy this consultation process by the Department of Education and Skills and my Department has not yet been concluded.
224. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will list all the current positions, where the appointment was made by his Department held by retired senior civil servants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42670/12]
View answerNo retired civil or public servants have been rehired by my Department.
With regard to the Agencies under the aegis of my Department the outgoing chairman of the board of the Public Appointments Service was reappointed by me in September 2011 (he is a former Civil Servant). Additionally in the course of running recruitment competitions for the public service, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) avails, inter alia, of trained and experienced retired public servants as interviewers and assessors. At any given time, PAS would have approx 60 active on their database who may be used from time to time for short periods. For this work, retired members are paid on a fee-per-day basis and are subject to tax and other relevant deductions. The fees are linked to pre-retirement grades and take account of the principal of pension’s abatement.
The Office of Public Works currently has two staff members retained under the abatement principle for a period up to the end of November, 2012. They are both in the grade of District Inspector.
225. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation his views on the way in which the jobs plan is creating jobs for the long term unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41823/12]
View answerThere are two key elements to the Government’s strategy to address unemployment – the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work.
The Action Plan for Jobs has set the objective of supporting the creation of 100,000 new jobs in the economy by 2016 by transforming the operating environment for business, improving our competitiveness and building on our strengths in a number of key sectors. The aim of Pathways to Work is to ensure that, as the economy recovers, as many of those new jobs as possible are filled by people who are on the Live Register.
Pathways to Work places a particular emphasis on supporting those who are long term unemployed. It has an objective of ensuring that at least 75,000 of those who are currently long-term unemployed will move into employment by 2015. It also aims to reduce the average time spent on the Live Register from 21 months, to less than 12 months by the end of 2015.
The establishment of the new integrated National Employment and Entitlement Service under Pathways to Work will transform the nature and level of engagement between our employment services and those who are unemployed. It will also provide better targeted services to both job seekers and employers.
The labour market activation measures outlined in Pathways include over 85,000 job placement and work experience places to be delivered this year by the Department of Social Protection, and over 450,000 training and education places to be delivered by the Department of Education and Skills.
There are also financial supports available to employers who recruit a person who is long term unemployed. These include Revenue’s “Job Assist” scheme and the Employer’s PRSI Exemption scheme operated by the Department of Social Protection. As part of the Action Plan process, I have been actively promoting these schemes to employers in recent months, with the support of business representative bodies.
We must continue to do all we can to facilitate the return to work of those who have lost their jobs. I am currently preparing the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government and will be exploring further measures which can be taken to transform our economy and support job creation.
226. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the steps he has taken to reduce bureaucracy and red tape in an effort to protect and encourage employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42022/12]
View answerThe Action Plan for Jobs 2012 sets out a range of measures designed to stimulate the economy and encourage employment growth. Reducing administrative burdens has the potential to deliver cost savings and efficiencies for businesses which will assist them in growing employment. This is a key focus for my Department and its Offices and Agencies.
Significant progress has been made by my Department, with a reduction in administrative burdens of 24.8% already achieved in the areas of Employment Law, Company Law and Health & Safety Law; this amounts to annual savings for business of almost €207 million. Details of all the initiatives making up this total are available on my Department’s website www.djei.ie.
Successful initiatives resulting in significant savings include: In Company Law, savings of €82 million per annum have already been realised, more than €33 million of which are due to the work of the Companies Registration Office (CRO), as companies can submit their annual returns online via the CRO website and can now use digital signatures for the B1 Form and Accounts; The audit exemption threshold has been increased to the maximum level permitted under EU law. This will achieve potential additional savings for Irish SMEs of approximately €2.8 million annually; In Health & Safety Law, a total of €123 million in annual administrative savings for business has been delivered by the HSA via two key projects: the BeSMART online tool for preparing the Risk Assessment and Safety Statement (€59m), and the SMP20 Guidelines (€64m), which assist construction firms with fewer than 20 employees in establishing and maintaining an effective safety management system.
The reform of the State's Workplace Relations Services, that I set in train last year, will, among other matters, deliver a simplified two-tiered structure comprising a single body of first instance, the Workplace Relations Commission, and a single body of appeal, in effect an enhanced Labour Court. This new structure will provide a better service for both employees and employers, with fewer delays and reduced administrative burdens. Already there has been some significant early progress, including the development of a single complaint form for all workplace relations complaints, the establishment of a single contact portal, Workplace Relations Customer Services, to handle all complaints and enquiries, the launch of a single website, www.workplacerelations.ie, containing all relevant information on employment rights and industrial relations and the commencement of a Pilot Early Resolution Service which will seek to resolve disputes without recourse to adjudication or inspection. Work has commenced on the drafting of a Workplace Relations Bill to give effect to this new structure.
My Department also coordinates the cross-Government measurement and reduction of administrative burdens towards the 25% target by the end of 2012. A project to measure the burden imposed by regulation under the responsibility of seven Departments and Revenue was initiated in September 2011. Following completion of its measurement exercise, each participating Department must then set out how it will achieve the remaining reductions necessary to reach the target and report to Government with its Simplification Plan. Revenue’s report on its administrative burden reductions, which has reached the 25% target, has been published on its website.
The current overall reduction is just over 15% which includes the 24.8 % achieved by my Department, the 25% achieved by Revenue and a 30% reduction achieved by the CSO.
A further initiative, which will be of benefit to small businesses, in particular, has been the launch of businessregulation.ie. This new website provides a single online source of information on regulations and how to comply with them. Business will no longer have to search multiple Government websites to find out their obligations.
Work is continuing to identify new areas where administrative burdens on business can be reduced and in this regard the High Level Group on Business Regulation has prioritised a number of areas for attention in its 2012 Work Programme. These areas are currently being considered and will be published in the Group’s annual report later this year.
227. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the number of workers employed, by sector, in contracts governed by Joint Labour Committee agreements. [41251/12]
View answerThe most recent estimates of the number of workers covered by the JLC and REA systems were published in the 2011 Report of the Independent Review of Employment Regulations Orders and Registered Employment Agreement Wage Setting Mechanisms (the Duffy Walsh Report).
Duffy Walsh estimated that there were between 151,539 and 204,724 workers in the sectors covered by JLCs in 2009. A breakdown by JLC sector is set out.
In their report, Duffy Walsh drew attention to the difficulties in estimating employment numbers in these sectors. The report pointed to the particular problems in finding official statistics for employment that tally precisely with most of the JLC and REA categories. The report provides the authors’ best estimate given the data available to them.
|
Joint Labour Committee |
Number employed 2009 (low estimate) |
Number employed 2009 (high estimate) |
|
Provender Milling |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Retail grocery & allied trades |
36,005 |
57,834 |
|
Agriculture |
16,344 |
20,780 |
|
Catering Dublin |
11,633 |
14,790 |
|
Catering National |
25,011 |
31,799 |
|
Contract cleaning |
19,862 |
25,252 |
|
Hairdressing, Dublin |
981 |
1,247 |
|
Hotels (Excluding Dublin and Cork) |
22,658 |
28,807 |
|
Law clerks |
4,239 |
5,389 |
|
Security |
12,583 |
15,998 |
|
Clothing |
1,687 |
2,145 |
|
Aerated waters |
536 |
681 |
|
Total JLC |
151,539 |
204,724 |
228. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs and opportunities that have been created by the Industrial Development Agency for Waterford City and County within the past 18 months; the way these figures compare with job creation levels in cities and counties such as Limerick, Cork and Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41347/12]
View answerDetails of the number of jobs created by IDA Ireland’s client companies in Waterford compared to Limerick, Cork and Galway are set out in the tabular statement.
In accordance with the South East Employment Action Plan, which I initiated following the closure of the Talk Talk Call Centre, all of the key State players are actively pursuing initiatives to facilitate development and job creation in the South East region. I travelled to Waterford in June last to meet the members of the South-East Forum and I was heartened to hear of the progress being made.
In addition to the work being carried out by IDA Ireland, I was pleased to hear of many developments which had been achieved since the publication of the Action Plan. Foremost amongst these has been that Enterprise Ireland has supported the establishment of the Eishtec Call Centre in Waterford city, where employment had reached 230. This is a very significant achievement and other recent initiatives by Enterprise Ireland (EI) in the region included the approval of 14 high quality projects under its Competitive Feasibility Fund, 12 companies being approved for Graduate Placement, 5 Community Enterprise Centres having been approved for funding for full-time business development managers, and, a high take-up of the EI Innovation Voucher scheme in Waterford.
The two local County Enterprise boards, in the city and county, have created 59 new jobs and the South East Regional Authority has secured EU funding for a number of enterprise and innovation-focussed projects.
Other bodies had also made considerable progress, with FÁS training services having provided training for about 5,000 people and that Agency also undertaking a wide range of other training initiatives. Several tourist initiatives are underway in the region and Science Foundation Ireland has funded 8 research awards to Waterford Institute of Technology.
Number of jobs created by IDA client companies in Waterford compared to Limerick, Cork and Galway
|
County |
Employment Data |
2010 |
2011 |
|
Galway |
No. of Companies |
52 |
58 |
|
Galway |
Total Jobs |
10,347 |
12,076 |
|
Galway |
Total New Jobs Created |
868 |
1,898 |
|
Limerick |
No. of Companies |
41 |
44 |
|
Limerick |
Total Jobs |
6,444 |
6,553 |
|
Limerick |
Total New Jobs Created |
-22 |
242 |
|
Cork |
No. of Companies |
135 |
133 |
|
Cork |
Total Jobs |
24,094 |
25,015 |
|
Cork |
Total New Jobs Created |
2,460 |
1,791 |
|
Waterford |
No. of Companies |
32 |
31 |
|
Waterford |
Total Jobs |
6,112 |
5,196 |
|
Waterford |
Total New Jobs Created |
230 |
-152 |
229. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will publish details of all allowances paid to staff in his Department; the business case made by his Department in respect of these allowances to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; the cost of each individual allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41416/12]
View answerThe following table sets out the list and the cost of all allowances that are currently being paid to staff in my Department. The rates of the allowances are sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and an annualised amount has been provided in each case where possible. In respect of some, a range of allowance payable has been provided (where the rates vary depending on grade) or where there may be two rates (depending on whether the individual joined the civil service pre- or post- 1995).
|
Allowance Type |
Annualised Amount (to grades paid fortnightly) |
Annualised Amount (to grades paid weekly) |
No of Recipients |
|
Private Secretary to Secretary General |
€10,404.92 |
1 |
|
|
Private Secretary to Minister/Minster of State |
€19,652.65-€20,685.30 |
3 |
|
|
Higher Duty Allowance i.e. Accountant Grade 1 |
€6,111.06 - €8,197.99 |
2 |
|
|
Labour Inspector Allowance (Out of Normal Working Hours ) |
€7,767.25 - €8,175.82 |
59 |
|
|
Special Duty Allowance – Patent Searcher / Integration agreement |
€673.39 - €1,122.53 |
5 |
|
|
Industrial Relations Officer Allowance |
€10,555.23 - €11,109.12 |
6 |
|
|
Patents Allowance |
€651.99 - €781.91 |
4 |
|
|
Assistant Head Services Officer Allowance |
€3,186.63 |
4 |
|
|
Franking Machine Allowance |
€1,701.06 - €1,789.25 |
12 |
|
|
Key Holder Allowance |
€1,727.15 - €1,861.26 |
16 |
|
|
Paper Keeping Allowance |
€2,705.10 - €3,186.63 |
3 |
|
|
Footwear Allowance |
€65 annually |
22 |
|
|
Foreign Service Allowance 5th June 2012 - 26th July 2013. (for EU Presidency 2013) |
€13,030 - €28,283.85 |
8 |
My Department pays rent allowance for 8 staff assigned to Brussels and Geneva for the Presidency 2013. The total cost of rent allowance for 6 staff in Brussels for 2012 is €58,800 and €60,200 for 2013. Rent allowance for two staff in Geneva for 2012 is €40,671.75 and the same amount for 2013.
The Department also assumes the cost of certain allowances payable to a total of 10 staff on secondment to the Department of Foreign Affairs in respect of posts in Brussels, Geneva and London. These allowances are payable through the Department of Foreign Affairs payroll:
|
Cost of Living Allowance |
|
Local Post Allowance |
|
Child Foreign Allowance |
|
School Fees |
The amounts payable vary depending on the marital and family circumstances of the person concerned and the location to which they have been posted.
Four of the allowances referred to in the table on the previous page are specific to my Department. The following business cases were submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform in respect of two of these allowances:
Industrial Relations Officer Allowance
(1) What does the employer receive in return for the allowance?
The role of an IRO is to interact directly with employers, employees, Trade Unions and Employer representative organisations in the Public and Private Sectors in an effort to conciliate solutions to Industrial Relations disputes. The role involves extensive out of hours working and a high degree of individual responsibility for decision making in an often unsupported environment. The nature of industrial dispute intervention by an IRO is a dynamic and unpredictable activity, not amenable to structure in the normal sense of working time organization. The employer receives a commitment on the part of the officer to prioritise his / her work demands, often at short notice, over any other aspect of their time. The employer receives delivery of extensive additional hours working without additional remuneration. It is considered that the degree of individual responsibility undertaken by HEO’s in the role exceeds that normally undertaken by officers of the grade.
(2) Is the allowance cost effective/represent value for money?
It is not practicable to envisage the delivery of a conciliation system based on overtime working or on the basis of a ‘time in lieu’ arrangement. The operation of an allowance based system ensures maximum productivity from available resources and removes issues around availability of officers from the challenge of providing a responsive service to parties in dispute. In the view of the Commission, the allowance at current rates represents good value for money.
(3) Other Pertinent Issues (e.g. why duties cannot form part of grade/post; impacts/risks if duties/responsibilities not undertaken)
The Industrial Relations Act, 1990 commits the State to the provision of a Conciliation Service. That service consistently resolves 80% of all disputes referred to it. Access to the service is on a voluntary basis and the parties demand and expect that service delivery will be structured in a manner that responds to the pressures under which the parties operate. Conciliation Service delivery is consistently acknowledged by the Minister and the parties as fundamental to the effective working of our industrial relations system and any diminution or restriction of the service would have significant impacts in terms of dispute activity leading to days lost due to industrial action in the economy. The nature of service delivery requires that the HEO officers are willing and mandated to make decisions and take responsibility for the trajectory of dispute negotiations in an often unsupported environment. It is considered that the degree of such responsibility demanded of HEO IROs is beyond what would normally be demanded of officers in the HEO grade.
Labour Inspector Allowance
(1) What does the employer receive in return for the allowance?
The Labour Inspectorate of the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) is responsible for monitoring certain employment conditions for all categories of workers in Ireland, including immigrant workers.
Labour Inspectors deliver an enforcement and information service in relation to employer obligations and employee rights/entitlements/protections falling due under a wide-ranging body of employment legislation and under Employment Regulation Orders and Registered Employment Agreements. The enforcement authority and powers in this regard, in respect of which the Inspectors are warranted and certified, are provided for in various legislative enactments.
(2) Is the allowance cost effective/represent value for money?
Yes. Inspectors conduct comprehensive audits/inspections of employers to check their compliance with relevant legislative requirements. Such audits/inspections involve the interviewing of employers and of employees at places of employment and detailed examination of employer records. Inspection activity is organised and performed in line with policy objectives and targets as set down in the NERA Business Plan.
(3) Other Pertinent Issues (e.g. why duties cannot form part of grade/post; impacts/risks if duties/responsibilities not undertaken)
The allowance sanctioned for “Out of Working Hours” obligations is in respect of additional hours worked, i.e. Labour Inspectors are required to work up to 17% additional hours outside of normal working hours of which 10% will be out of normal working hours and the remaining 7% will be reckonable activity and will include, by way of example; Statement Taking; Remaining with tasks beyond normal finishing time (this does not relate to travelling time); Commencing tasks before normal starting time (this does not relate to travelling time); Appointments in the exceptional circumstances when an Inspector feels that an employer or employee can only meet with an Inspector outside of normal working hours.
230. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the number of applications received for the competitive start fund on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41445/12]
View answerEnterprise Ireland launched a new competitive programme called the “Competitive Start Fund” in December 2010. The purpose of the Competitive Start Fund is to accelerate the growth of start-up companies that have the capability to succeed in global markets. The Competitive Start Fund provides support of up to €50,000 in equity matched by €5,000 of promoters equity to companies to test and prove product/market fit at an earlier stage of development. The fund is open to applications from early stage companies from the following sectors: Internet, Games, Mobile, Apps, SaaS, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Software, Lifesciences, Cleantech and Industrial Products, who meet the relevant eligibility criteria. Enterprise Ireland has received 833 applications under this fund up to 25 September 2012.
Details of the number of applications received on a county by county basis are set out in the tabular statement.
|
COUNTY |
NUMBER |
|
Carlow |
8 |
|
Cavan |
3 |
|
Clare |
13 |
|
Cork |
85 |
|
Donegal |
20 |
|
Dublin |
380 |
|
Galway |
44 |
|
Kerry |
18 |
|
Kildare |
28 |
|
Kilkenny |
11 |
|
Laois |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
|
Limerick |
44 |
|
Longford |
1 |
|
Louth |
11 |
|
Mayo |
20 |
|
Meath |
16 |
|
Monaghan |
3 |
|
Offaly |
4 |
|
Roscommon |
10 |
|
Sligo |
23 |
|
Tipperary |
11 |
|
Waterford |
17 |
|
Westmeath |
15 |
|
Wexford |
15 |
|
Wicklow |
16 |
|
Overseas |
12 |
231. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the rent being paid, on a 65 year lease up to 2034, at a current cost of €1.18million per year by Forfás, for a building they do not occupy (details supplied) in Dublin 4; if he will estimate the total cost to the State of this property in view of the fact that it is subject to seven year upwards only rent reviews with no break options; if he will itemise all other properties being rented by the State without being occupied; if he will supply the terms of all such leases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41452/12]
View answerOn its establishment in 1994, Forfás inherited responsibility for leases on Wilton Park House, Carrisbrook House and Knockmaun House, all of which properties are in Dublin. The latter two premises were surplus to State requirements and have been sublet for many years.
Carrisbrook House was acquired by AnCO in 1969 on a 65 year full repairing lease commencing on 1st August 1969 and expiring on 31st July 2034. There is no provision for lease breaks and the rent is due for review every seven years.
The Industrial Development Authority acquired assignment of the lease in 1976. Since the relocation of IDA to Wilton Park House in 1985, the Carrisbrook House offices were leased to a number of tenants on a cost-neutral basis to the Exchequer until early 2008 when a major tenant exercised a lease break and vacated the premises. The Israeli Embassy is currently the only occupant of the premises, on a sub-lease which expires in 2025, with lease break provisions in 2015 and 2020. Since the departure of the major tenant in May 2008, six floors in Carrisbrook House have been vacant. The total cost of vacant space in Carrisbrook House in 2012 is estimated at €1.3 million, inclusive of rent, rates and service charges.
Forfás also holds the lease on Knockmaun House, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, which the agency inherited on its establishment. This lease, which was negotiated by the IDA, commenced on 6th July 1979 and expires on 5th July 2014. The premises is held on a full repairing lease for 35 years, with no provision for lease break and is subject to a five yearly rent review.
These premises were sublet on a cost-neutral basis to the Exchequer until April 2009 when one of the tenants availed of a lease break and surrendered their portion of the building amounting to half of one floor. The remainder of the building (4.5 floors) remains occupied. The total cost of vacant space in Knockmaun House in 2012 is estimated at €200,000, inclusive of rent, rates, and service charges.
Forfás has been actively seeking to market the vacant space in both Carrisbrook House and Knockmaun House since they became vacant. Due to the downturn in the property market and a surfeit of vacant office accommodation in Dublin, these efforts have proven unsuccessful to date. However, Forfás continues to market the availability of the offices.
The Secretary General of my Department has also written to the Office of Public Works, advising them of the availability of this office space. The IDA have also been asked to bring the availability of this accommodation to the attention of prospective clients. To date, neither body has identified a requirement for the accommodation.
232. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the total spend by the Industrial Development Agency on an annual basis from 1992 to 2011. [41527/12]
View answerThe Industrial Development Agency (Ireland) “IDA” came into being on 1 January, 2004.
Details of the Agency’s total annual expenditure are contained in the Financial Statements which are included in IDA’s Annual Report and Accounts for each year from 1994 to 2011. All these Reports have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and should be available in the Oireachtas Library. Copies of the IDA’s Annual Reports for the years 2000 to 2011, inclusive, are available on the Agency’s website www.idaireland.com .
233. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide the total spend on county development boards on an annual basis from 1992 to 2007. [41528/12]
View answerAs state agencies under the auspices of my Department, the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) are funded primarily by the exchequer on an existing service level basis each year in line with the requirements of the public estimates process. Funding is broken down between capital and current expenditure.
Capital expenditure covers Measure 1 activities i.e. direct grants to enterprises (Priming Grants, Business Expansion/Development Grants and Feasibility/Innovation Grants) and Measure 2 activities i.e. “soft supports” which include a range of business advice, training and one-to-one mentoring supports, such as Start Your Own Business Programmes, Mentoring Programmes, Management Development Courses, Sales & Marketing Courses, Financial Management Training, e-Commerce and IT Skills Training.
Current expenditure covers administration expenses i.e. pay and non-pay (overhead costs). It should be noted that both the pay and non-pay elements of the current allocation are instrumental to the full delivery of supports services to the micro-enterprise sector as this allocation encompasses staff costs associated with the delivery of general business advice and information to clients.
Total expenditure on an annual basis from 1994 to 2007 is supplied. Please note that 1994 was the first year of actual operational activity by the CEBs.
|
Year |
Total Expenditure € |
|
1994 |
6,303,899 |
|
1995 |
24,444,535 |
|
1996 |
27,509,749 |
|
1997 |
26,596,390 |
|
1998 |
32,040,266 |
|
1999 |
31,815,531 |
|
2000 |
30,100,900 |
|
2001 |
29,826,734 |
|
2002 |
32,171,312 |
|
2003 |
30,406,772 |
|
2004 |
28,687,029 |
|
2005 |
31,361,258 |
|
2006 |
34,341,015 |
|
2007 |
38,584,375 |
|
Total |
404,189,765 |
234. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the number of Industrial Development Agency supported projects that have been located in County Wicklow in the past three years; the number of jobs that these projects have generated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41562/12]
View answerDetails of the number of IDA Ireland client companies located in County Wicklow in each of the last three years, 2009 to 2011, the number of people employed in those companies, as well as the number of new jobs created in IDA Ireland supported companies in the county are set out in the tabular statement.
In accordance with its Horizon 2020 Strategy, IDA Ireland is aiming to create 63,000 direct jobs in 640 investments over the period 2010 to 2014, with 50% of these investments located outside of Dublin and Cork. In implementing this Strategy, the Agency has pointed out; however, that as Ireland competes for high quality investments, the concept of scale is crucial. Leading global corporations require a significant population, a pool of qualified talent, world standard physical and digital infrastructure coupled with the availability of sophisticated professional and business support services. Ireland has only one Metro Region, the Greater Dublin area, so, in order to achieve regional economic development, IDA Ireland prioritises the marketing of Gateway locations within each Region as the areas of critical mass (i.e. sufficient scale of population/skills/infrastructure/companies/business services/etc.) and highlights the opportunities provided by Hub locations which are within commuting distances of these Gateways.
The East Region has one Gateway (Dublin) and a number of large towns including Arklow in County Wicklow. IDA Ireland has assured me that, in addition to continuing to seek new foreign direct investment opportunities in Wicklow and the East Region, it will continue to work with existing clients in encouraging them to broaden their mandate and to continue to re-invest in their sites within Wicklow.
Table showing the number of IDA client companies located in County Wicklow in the three year period 2009 to 2011 inclusive, together with the total numbers employed in those companies and the number of new jobs created in each of those years
|
Year |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
No. of Companies |
19 |
19 |
17 |
|
Permanent Employment |
2,328 |
2,167 |
1,990 |
|
New jobs created |
42 |
5 |
65 |
