Written Answers Nos. 101 - 108
104. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which his Department can oversee and address any impact of staff reductions on the quality and delivery of service in key areas of the public sector with particular reference to the health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51910/12]
View answerIreland is committed under the EU-IMF programme to reducing the overall size of the public service. This is also a key element of the Programme for Government. Delivering this reduction will require continued implementation of the moratorium on recruitment with exceptions being limited to only essential posts and the utilisation of redeployment as the primary mechanism to fill posts which have been approved. In order to protect frontline services, such as Health, the Government is committed to making fundamental changes to the way the public service operates. This will inevitably mean changes in the way in which services to the public are delivered.
The Government is committed to reducing public service numbers to 282,500 by the end of 2014 as part of its Reform Agenda. The overriding objective is to have a more customer focused, leaner, more efficient and better integrated public service which delivers maximum value for money.
It should be noted that significant progress is being made in reducing the numbers employed in the Public Service. The numbers working in the public service have continued to fall, with the provisional outturn for Quarter 3 2012 now standing at some 291,000, which means that we are now close to the 2005 staffing levels.
Strategic Workforce Planning Groups in each sector will continue to ensure that sectoral employers develop plans to deal on an ongoing basis with the operational and strategic consequences arising from the reductions in public service staffing numbers as well as changes in business environments.
Of course, such a reduction in public service numbers will pose challenges. It will require a refocus on business processes and adjustments to the way all public bodies, including the Health Sector, use available resources. It will also require changes to the way individual public servants go about their daily work and greater flexibility in the way services are provided, for example with greater use of technology and shared services.
The Government is committed to making fundamental changes to the way the public service operates to safeguard the delivery of essential services in a way that is in keeping with the needs of a modern society while driving value for money for the citizen.
The moratorium on recruitment in the public service will continue with certain limited exceptions for example in relation to some frontline posts, or statutory positions, etc. where a sufficiently strong business case is made. In the Health and Education sectors in particular special arrangements are in place for exemptions to the moratorium on recruitment for specified grades or positions. However, I wish to make clear that it is part of the day to day function of the Boards and Management of all public bodies to assess, budget and plan for current and ongoing staffing requirements within existing resources.
106. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which his Department has examined the insurance costs, public liability or otherwise affecting the areas of responsibility governed by various Government Departments and their respective subsidiary bodies and agencies, with a view to achieving maximum benefit to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51912/12]
View answerState indemnity for personal injury and third party property damage is set out in the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act, 2000 where the management of personal injury and third party property damage claims against certain State authorities, and underlying risks, was delegated to the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). When performing these functions, the NTMA is known as the State Claims Agency (SCA).
Under the general rule of State indemnity enacted through statutory provisions above, certain State bodies are indemnified by the Minister for Finance for the following:
- Personal injury to employees of the State;
- Personal injury to third parties (the public) – this includes injury resulting from medical negligence;
- Third party property damage – this includes claims arising from road traffic collisions (RTC’s).
Since 2001 the remit of the SCA has been expanded through various delegation orders based on a value for money analysis. More recently in 2010 the management of Health Service Executive (HSE) personal injury (non-clinical) and third party property damage claims was delegated to the State Claims Agency (SCA) under the National Treasury Management Agency (State Authority) Order 2009. 13 other State authorities were also newly delegated to the SCA in 2011.
Additionally, the following classes of claims were delegated to the State Claims Agency with effect from 7th February 2011:
- Bullying/harassment claims by state employees, which allege personal injury;
- Claims by members of the Defence Forces alleging personal injury whilst serving abroad – includes stand alone PTSD cases; and
- In-cell sanitation claims by current and former prisoners.
The National Treasury Management Agency (Delegation of Claims Management Function) (Amendment) Order 2012 formally delegated management of Thalidomide and nimesulide (Aulin) claims to the State Claims Agency on 3rd April 2012.
In conjunction with the State, the SCA has a strong track record in reducing the cost of managing claims under its remit. For example, during 2011 the SCA achieved significant savings on claims and related legal costs associated with the management of the Clinical Indemnity Scheme (CIS). An independent actuarial assessment projected that €106 million would be required to satisfy CIS claims and related costs in 2011. The outturn for the year was €81 million, representing a saving of €25 million.
Prior to the delegation of the management of Employers Liability / Public Liability/Property Damage claims to the SCA, the HSE and 13 other State Authorities were paying in excess of €21 million in insurance premia per annum. Only approximately €1 million has been expended to date in the management of such claims since 2010, yielding a cash flow saving of €41 million. Based on the current outstanding estimated liability associated with these delegated claims since 1st January 2010, a long term saving of at least €15 million will be achieved for the State by managing these claims on the “pay as you go” basis operated by the SCA.
Currently, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is in contact with all Government Departments to identify, on the basis of a cost benefit analysis, what other State agencies should be delegated. It is expected that these agencies will be delegated early next year.
107. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the farm safety campaign will be extended to include school children and older farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51694/12]
View answerThe legislation covering occupational safety and health is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Agriculture and farming, like all occupations, come under the powers of that Act. The Health and Safety Authority, an agency under the aegis of my Department has responsibility for workplace health and safety, is responsible for the enforcement of legislation in this area and has an extensive farm safety campaign.
I understand this campaign involves newspaper advertisements of a farmer who suffered an arm amputation and was strategically placed in the print media to influence all farmers, young and old. In addition, a hard hitting radio advertisement which describes the consequences of entanglement in a power take-off was aired on national and local radio at specified times of the day during busy periods for farming. Again this appeal was to farmers of all ages, young and old.
The Authority works closely with all stakeholders within the farming community through the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee, a sub-committee of the Board of the Health and Safety Authority, whose focus includes the safety of children and the elderly on farms.
The Authority is currently developing a new DVD specifically aimed at elderly farmers. The Authority also has a focused campaign for child safety which includes school talks, colouring competitions and child safety areas at farm shows and the distribution of safety booklets and leaflets.
108. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if Ireland has the capacity to develop additive manufacturing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51656/12]
View answerThe development of Additive Manufacturing has been slower than had been predicted some years ago and its adoption by industry worldwide has been relatively low, due to its cost and complexity. Additive Manufacturing involves the production of a component, part, tool or even an assembly, using a layer-upon-layer method of fabrication. While it can cut product development costs and timescales significantly, its advantages are more applicable to high-end complex components in a limited number of areas, including the aerospace, automotive and biomedical sectors. The growth of low-cost 3D printing systems more recently, may give Additive Manufacturing a new impetus over time and it is expected that other new developments in cost and applicability of equipment and materials will eventually see increased take -up in certain limited sectors.
The Government is keen to support technological developments such as this. Several Government-supported third-level institutions around the country have been developing expertise in Additive Manufacturing and have invested in equipment to support companies exploring options in this area.
Just last week, together with Minister Sherlock, I announced Science Foundation Ireland's Infrastructure Awards 2012, where one of the successful infrastructure investment projects relates to Additive Manufacturing. This comprises a state of the art printing system capable of creating realistic, full sized, soft tissue like anatomical models using a mix of different materials, generated from computer models or medically generated scans. This project is led by the University of Limerick and involves other academic and industry partners. It will be the first of its type in an Irish higher education institution. This facility will assist medical devices companies (start-ups and large multi nationals), independent research in surgical innovation and shared use by other academic institutions.
A number of companies in Ireland have the capability for Additive Manufacturing at present and one company here is, in fact, manufacturing 3D printers for such use. IDA Ireland is very much aware of the potential for this technology and that Agency has hosted itineraries for companies looking at the potential for manufacturing components, through this new process.
New developments in Additive Manufacturing will be carefully monitored and any opportunities emerging will be actively pursued, where appropriate, to ensure that we can seize the prospects presented by these newer technologies.
