Written Answers Nos. 228-237
228. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of bodies that have been abolished or amalgamated by his Department out of the list of bodies listed in the public service reform document of 17 November 2011; the savings or cost of this in 2012; the projected savings or cost of this programme in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50532/12]
View answerOf the forty six bodies listed as candidates for critical review by end June 2012 in the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan published in November 2011 by the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), three from this Department were reviewed for possible abolition or merger.
1. National Milk Agency – to consider abolishing or merging with Bord Bia;
2. Irish Marine Development Office – functions to be subsumed into the Marine Institute;
3. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) – to consider subsuming certain functions into this Department. (The marketing functions of BIM had been transferred to Bord Bia prior to the period in question).
Following the outcomes of these reviews it has been decided that the National Milk Agency will not be abolished nor merged with Bord Bia. BIM’s functions will not be subsumed into this Department and as the Irish Marine Development Office is already integrated with the Marine Institute from an administrative perspective no further action is required.
229. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of money that would be available for redistribution amongst lower income farmers under the proposal published by him in relation to common agricultural policy reform and the single farm payment if all payments were capped at €45,000 and €40,000 respectively; the number that would be affected in each county by the ceilings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50547/12]
View answerI presume the Deputy is seeking information in relation to the post-2013 CAP reform proposals. My Department has modelled various CAP reform proposals using the 2010 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) database of actual payments to farmers in that year, rather than entitlements. Analysis of this database shows the following:
Around 3,625 farmers received single payments in excess of €40,000 in 2010. Capping the maximum payment to these farmers at €40,000 would in theory provide €77.8 million for redistribution.
Around 2,730 farmers received single payments in excess of €45,000 in 2010. Capping the maximum payment to these farmers at €45,000 would in theory provide €62 million for redistribution.
Data on the number of farmers who would be affected by such ceilings in each county is not yet available.
230. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans he has to develop Dunmore East Harbour, County Waterford, which falls under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50559/12]
View answerThe harbour at Dunmore East was designated as a Fishery Harbour Centre by virtue of the Fishery Harbour Centres Act 1968 (as amended). My Department has responsibility for its maintenance and development.
I am conscious of the valuable contribution the harbour makes to the fishing industry and indeed to the local community in terms of the support the harbour infrastructure provides to the development of the tourist industry.
My officials regularly meet with the various stakeholders at the Fishery Harbour Centre in order to share information and to get their views on the potential future development of the harbour. I can confirm that this year alone my Department provided funding of €563,500 for maintenance, development and upgrading works at the Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre as part of its Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. The provision of funding for the future development of the harbour will be given consideration when drafting the 2013 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.
231. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of promotions made in his Department to principal officer higher scale, principal officer standard scale, assistant principal officer higher scale, assistant principal officer standard scale, higher executive officer scale, executive office scale and staff officer scale; the total for all of his Department; if he will provide a breakdown for for 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50969/12]
View answerIn response to the Deputy’s question I have detailed the information requested in the following table:
|
Year |
Pre-Promotion Grade |
Post-Promotion Grade |
Number Promoted |
|
2009 |
Staff Officer Clerical Officer |
Executive Officer Executive Officer |
1 1 |
|
2010 |
Assistant Principal Officer |
Principal Officer |
1 |
|
2011 |
Assistant Principal Officer Higher Executive Officer |
Principal Officer Assistant Principal Officer |
1 2 |
|
2012 |
Assistant Principal Officer Higher Executive Officer Executive Officer |
Principal Officer Assistant Principal Officer Higher Executive Officer |
2 6 1 |
In addition to the promotions listed above, the following higher scale assignments were made in the period in question:
|
Year |
Grade |
Number |
|
2010 |
Principal Officer Assistant Principal Officer |
1 6 |
|
2011 |
Principal Officer Assistant Principal Officer |
3 3 |
232. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of the annual salary currently being paid to the interim chief executive officer of the National Educational Welfare Board; if the interim CEO retired from his previous position as assistant chief inspector of the Department of Education and Skills; and if so is he in receipt of his public service pension. [50432/12]
View answerI have been advised that the National Educational Welfare Board has recently appointed an Interim Chief Executive Officer on a fixed term contract. The Interim Chief Executive Officer had retired from his position as an Assistant Chief Inspector in the Department of Education and Skills prior to his consideration for appointment by the Board.
The pension abatement rules with regard to the re-employment within the public sector of retired public servants apply to this appointment. Under the terms of the sanction received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform the salary scale for the Interim Chief Executive Officer post is €97,935 - €117,407. Government policy requires that the first point of the scale is applicable in the case of new entrants.
233. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount spent by her Department in the establishment and maintenance of the children's referendum website discontinued on 8 November 2012; the amount spent by her Department in the design, printing and distribution of any children's referendum leaflets published by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50424/12]
View answerTo date, an amount of €9,693 has been spent on the Department's Children's Referendum website which includes costs in respect of website development, maintenance, design and translation of material into the Irish language. An amount of €428,487 has been spent to date on the Department's Children's Referendum information booklet which includes costs in respect of design, printing, distribution and translation of material into the Irish language. These are not the final costs of either the website or the booklet as further invoices are expected in respect of each.
234. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of bodies that have been abolished or amalgamated by her Department out of the list of bodies listed in the public service reform document of 17 November 2011; the savings or cost of this in 2012; the projected savings or cost of this programme in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50534/12]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO).
In July 2011, the Government decided that the Family Mediation Service should transfer from the Family Support Agency to the Legal Aid Board. This is in line with the Government’s commitment to facilitate the use of mediation in family disputes in order to speed up the legal process, reduce costs and ameliorate the stress of contested court proceedings. On foot of the Government decision, the Family Support Agency established a transition project team to transfer 45 individuals, or 24.29 WTEs, in some 16 locations throughout the country and an annual allocation of almost €3m to the Legal Aid Board. On 26 October 2011, the Minister for Justice and Equality signed the commencement order for Part 16 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 which gave effect to the transfer from 1 November 2011.
I can inform the Deputy that the FSA is due to be merged with the new Child and Family Support Agency (CFSA) which will be established in 2013. The National Educational Welfare Board is also due to be merged with the CFSA. Legislation for the establishment of the CFSA is being prepared by my Department as a priority. It is anticipated that the Bill will be published and enacted in the course of this session and it is my intention that the CFSA will assume statutory responsibility for services for children and families in January 2013.
It is proposed to merge the back office functions of the Ombudsman for Children's Office into the Ombudsman/Information Commissioner's Office and discussions are taking place around this with a view to this taking place by the end of 2012.
In relation to 2012, no savings have been made as these proposals have not being implemented yet. At this stage it is not possible to quantify the actual savings that will arise for 2013 as a result of these developments as discussions and preparatory work are still ongoing. The questions of savings and efficiencies will be considered in the context of the development of the CFSA in 2013.
It should be noted that following enactment of the Child Care Amendment Act 2011 the Children's Act Advisory Board was subsequently dissolved by means of the commencement by the Minister of Health of Part 6 of the Child Amendment Act 2011.
235. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of promotions made in her Department to principal officer higher scale, principal officer standard scale, assistant principal officer higher scale, assistant principal officer standard scale, higher executive officer scale, executive office scale and staff officer scale; the total for all of her Department; if she will provide a breakdown for for 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50971/12]
View answerI can confirm that there have been no internal promotions at my Department since its establishment in June 2011.
236. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied). [50346/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
237. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Health if he will provide temporary health care assistance to cover home help when health care assistants are on holiday leave so that no elderly person is left without assistance during holiday periods [50212/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
