Written Answers Nos 330-349
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Written Answers Nos 330-349
330. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail options open to her, within the remit of her department, to respond to the serious unemployment figures in Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54399/12]
View answerThe Live Register figures from the Intreo Centre Tallaght covers the Tallaght, Dublin 24, Firhouse, Citywest, Saggart, Rathcoole, Blessington areas. The total number of persons on the Live Register for this area in November 2012 was 11,499 including 1,890 persons who are working part-time/casually. The Government’s approach to tackling the unemployment problem is to focus resources on those individuals most at risk of long-term unemployment. Up to the recent past, this has been based on identifying all persons who remain on the Live Register for three months after first signing on, and referring them for more intensive job-search assistance and guidance. Increasingly, referral is now based on profiling people at the beginning of a spell of unemployment, so as to focus resources on those most in need at an even earlier stage.
By definition, such an approach focuses resources on those areas where unemployment is highest and of longest duration. The roll-out of the profiling system at my Department’s ‘one-stop-shop’ Intreo offices will further enhance this effect as one of the main variables in the profiling system is geographical location. In other words, if someone comes from an area of high unemployment, s/he will, all other things being equal, receive more targeted assistance.
The outcomes delivered by the Employment Services from the Intreo Centre Tallaght are as follows:
- 3,500 customers assisted into various training opportunities
- Engagement with 117 companies through the Jobsbridge initiative
- 893 persons assisted with Technical Employment Supports Grants
- 350 persons assisted with payments from the Technical Assistance Training Fund
- 27 persons assisted through the Work Subsidy & the Employment Subsidy Schemes.
- 182 persons assisted through the Work Placement Programme
- Approximately 200 persons will receive assistance through the Activation Family Support Programme by the end of 2012
- 489 persons on the Back to Education Allowance; 160 Back to Work participants and 128 Systematic Short Term Workers.
In addition, the geographical distribution of places on employment programmes such as CE and Tús & training programmes has been highly correlated with unemployment rates for each region. Within the Tús programme there is a specific area-based approach to the allocation of places. The 5,000 places on the scheme are allocated to community and voluntary organisations involved in the delivery of local services in urban and rural areas. The allocation is based on the numbers of eligible unemployed people in each local development company or Údarás na Gaeltachta area. Some 420 persons have been assisted towards participation on the Tus programme in the greater Tallaght area.
Specifically to the greater Tallaght area, Community Services provide funding to:
- 25 CE schemes serving the greater Tallaght area, with a total of 578 places contained within these schemes.
- There are 5 Jobs Initiative programmes which provide 94 permanent jobs.
- There are 3 Jobs Clubs presently operating in the Tallaght area (which assist persons with interviewing skills, CV preparation, contacts with employers)
- Jobs Clubs operate for a set period of weeks for each group of persons, and have a capacity to engage with circa 400 persons per annum in the Tallaght area.
- The Government’s approach to tackling the unemployment problem is to focus resources on those individuals most at risk of long-term unemployment.
- Up to the recent past, this has been based on identifying all persons who remain on the Live Register for three months after first signing on, and referring them for more intensive job-search assistance and guidance. Increasingly, referral is now based on profiling people at the beginning of a spell of unemployment, so as to focus resources on those most in need at an even earlier stage.
331. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when a final decision on an application for farm assist will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54406/12]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
332. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an appeal for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54409/12]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 18th September 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
334. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to introducing an option of permitting self-employed persons to voluntarily pay the proportion of PRSI for themselves that is usually paid by employers on behalf of employees and facilitates entitlement to the various supports of the social welfare system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54458/12]
View answerIn general the current system of social insurance operates on a mandatory basis only and does not provide for voluntary participation on the part of contributors. Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay Class A PRSI at the rate of 4%. In addition, their employers make a PRSI contribution of 10.75% in respect of their employees, resulting in the payment of a combined 14.75% rate per employee under full-rate PRSI Class A. (For employees earning less than €356 per week, the rate of employer’s PRSI is 4.25%).
The third Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund, as at 31 December 2010, was completed by consultants KPMG in June 2012 and laid before each House of the Oireachtas on 24 August 2012. The Review covers a 55 year period from 2011–2066 and builds on the findings of the 2000 and 2005 Actuarial Reviews of the Fund.
One of the issues examined in the 2010 Review was the long-term cost implications to the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) and the break-even contributions rates required to provide invalidity pensions to the self-employed and to provide jobseeker’s benefit for self-employed workers. The report found that the effective annual rate of contribution, or the required contribution as a percentage of salary, needed to provide the core full-rate State pension (contributory), which is the benefit currently available to self-employed contributors, is approximately 15%. This compares favourably with the 4% rate currently paid by the self-employed. An incremental increase in contribution rates from approximately 15% to 16% would be required if jobseeker’s benefit in addition to core State pension (contributory) is provided. The average contribution rate required for the core State pension (contributory) plus jobseeker’s benefit and the invalidity pension is estimated to be in the region of 17.3%.
Last year I established the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare to meet the commitment made in the Programme for Government. The Advisory Group will, inter alia, examine and report on issues involved in providing social insurance cover for self-employed persons in order to establish whether or not such cover is technically feasible and financially sustainable.
Any proposals to extend such social insurance entitlements, whether through the charging of the proportion of PRSI that is usually paid by employers on behalf of employees or otherwise, will have to be considered in a budgetary context, taking account of the finding of the Actuarial Review that the self-employed achieve very good value for money compared with the employed – when the comparison includes both employer and employee contributions in respect of the employed person.
336. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if entering the taxi industry qualifies for support under the back to enterprise allowance; and if so, the reason this continues to be the case. [54567/12]
View answerThe back to work enterprise allowance (BTWEA) was established to encourage persons who are long term unemployed and wish to develop or take up self-employment opportunities. The scheme allows a qualified person to retain a reducing proportion of their social protection payment plus secondary benefits over two years. To qualify for this scheme a person must set up a self-employment business that has been approved by the Local Development Company or one of this Department’s case officers covering the area in which they live. The business venture must be deemed to be viable and sustainable and must not involve displacement of existing business in the same industry or service sector. An eligible person wishing to commence a business as a taxi driver, as with any other business proposal, may apply for the allowance and have their application assessed as set out above. Each application for BTWEA is decided on its merits within the criteria set down for the scheme. In assessing viability, cognisance is taken of the demand for, and supply of, the particular service at local level which may vary due to a number of factors.
337. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way a project (details supplied) in Dublin 8 can access Lotto funding. [53815/12]
View answerAn overall allocation is provided from the National Lottery each year for expenditure through the Votes of various Departments. In 2012 my Department’s allocation of funding of €4,811,000 to the Heritage Council was partially funded by National Lottery funds. In turn, the Heritage Council supports a range of conservation projects. It is a matter for the Heritage Council to allocate funds to the various schemes which it supports and queries in this regard should be made directly with the Heritage Council. I refer the Deputy to my reply to Dail Question 353 of 27th March 2012 for further details of the allocation of National Lottery funds within my Department. The Deputy may also wish to note that my Department provides a limited Structures at Risk Fund (non-Lottery Funded) to assist with works to those protected structures deemed most at risk. This fund is administered by local authorities. Any further queries in this regard should be made directly with Dublin City Council in the first instance.
338. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Sandra McLellan den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé sásta mar comhalta ar an choiste comhaireachtaan pobal Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta a aithint mar gheallsealbhóirí i gcur i bhfeidhm na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge agus an structúr riachtanach a chur ar bun idir na húdaráis agus na heagraíochtaí pobail Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [54044/12]
View answer343. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Sandra McLellan den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé sásta an pobal Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta a aithint mar gheallsealbhóirí i gcur i bhfeidhm na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge agus an structúr riachtanach a chur ar bun idir na húdaráis agus na heagraíochtaí pobail Gaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [54043/12]
View answerMolaim ceisteanna Uimh. 338 agus 343 a fhreagairt le chéile.
Mar chomhalta den Choiste Rialtais faoin nGaeilge agus faoin nGaeltacht, is féidir liom a rá go n-aithnítear an ról lárnach atá ag an bpobal i bhfeidhmiú na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 agus, ach go háirithe, i bhfeidhmiú pleananna teanga faoi Acht na Gaeltachta 2012. Faoi Acht na Gaeltachta, tá sé i gceist go mbeidh an Ghaeltacht bunaithe feasta ar chritéir theangeolaíocha seachas ar limistéir thíreolaíocha mar a bhí go dtí seo. Beidh an phleanáil teanga ag leibhéal an phobail lárnach do phróiseas an tsainmhínithe nua don Ghaeltacht. Ciallaíonn an cur chuige seo go mbeidh an pobal ag croílár an phróisis pleanála teanga agus an deis tugtha dóibh úinéireacht a ghlacadh ar a bplean teanga féin ina bpobal féin.
Aithníonn Acht na Gaeltachta go mbeidh Údarás na Gaeltachta nó Foras na Gaeilge, de réir mar is cuí, ag cabhrú le pobail a gcuid pleananna teanga a ullmhú agus a fheidhmiú i Limistéir Pleanála Teanga Ghaeltachta, i mBailte Seirbhíse Gaeltachta agus i Líonraí Gaeilge. Faoi láthair, tá céimeanna á dtógáil ag na páirtithe leasmhara éagsúla chun tús a chur leis an bpróiseas pleanála teanga i gcomhar leis an bpobal sna ceantair éagsúla.
339. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will acknowledge the role played by persons and communities involved in the Arts (details supplied) throughout the country and ensure that there are no further cuts to the Arts Council budget; if he will ensure that our thousands of artists are adequately provided for and that Ireland will not end up losing any more of these people to emigration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53707/12]
View answer341. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will protect the funding that has been previously allocated to the arts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53867/12]
View answer342. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will ensure that cuts to funding to the Arts Council will be minimized in Budget 2013; if he recognises that the arts have already been cut by over 25% in recent years; his views on whether further cuts would mean job losses within the arts sector here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53896/12]
View answer344. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will protect the allocation of funding to the Arts Council and local authorities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54047/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 339, 341, 342 and 344 together.
Government policy on the arts is set out in the Programme for Government . As Minister responsible for the arts and culture sectors, I am committed to securing the best possible funding provision for them during my term of office. Government policy is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, increase access to and participation in the arts, to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life, and to maximise the potential for cultural tourism. Primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council, which, under the Arts Acts, is independent in its funding decisions. In 2012, the Arts Council received an allocation of over €63 million – a curbing of the budgetary decline of previous years.
The Government appreciates the importance of the arts, culture and the creative industries to both our society and to our economy. I am fully aware of the challenges for those involved in the arts and culture sectors and of the tremendous work they are doing. I am committed to supporting the essential elements of the arts and culture sectors, within the available financial resources and in the light of the evolving budgetary and Estimates processes.
340. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in respect of the October Exchequer returns; the reason the capital spending for his Department was €4m below profile for this period; his plans to ensure that the full capital spending is implemented before the end of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53826/12]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, on 31 October 2012, my Department’s gross capital expenditure totalled €26.4m. This represented 84% of the published profile. Capital spending was slightly behind profile, primarily due to certain capital projects progressing at a slightly slower rate than was anticipated. However, I expect, as with last year, that close to my Department's full provision will be utilised and no significant surpluses or deficits are envisaged. That said, the potential for a limited capital carryover into 2013 remains under consideration.
I am very committed to ensuring that the maximum value is derived from my Department' budget in terms of maintaining, promoting and protecting Ireland’s heritage and culture, developing cultural tourism, advancing the use of the Irish language, and supporting the sustainable development of the islands. This is reflected in the fact that in 2011, excluding Departmental administration, my Department expended approximately 99.76% of its available programme funding. I will, of course continue to closely monitor expenditure trends across all my Department’s subheads in the lead up to year-end to ensure the greatest possible use of the resources available.
345. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline projects which the Department co-operates with the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure in the North. [54148/12]
View answer347. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the nature, process and outcomes of North-South co-operation undertaken by Waterways Ireland and an Foras Teanga. [54389/12]
View answer348. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the nature, process and outcomes of North-South co-operation undertaken within the areas of the arts, culture, museums, galleries and commemorations. [54390/12]
View answer349. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the nature, process and outcomes of North-South co-operation in relation to built and natural heritage and other environmental matters. [54391/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 347 to 349, inclusive, together.
My Department is committed to supporting North/South co-operation, particularly in the context of the Good Friday Agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement. As the Deputies will be aware, there are two North South Implementation Bodies under my Department's remit: Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga (comprising two agencies - Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency/Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch). The Implementation Bodies carry out a range of activities in line with their statutory remits and supported by funding from their two sponsor Departments - my own Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) in Northern Ireland.
Waterways Ireland, the largest of the North South Implementation bodies, is responsible for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of the inland navigable waterway system throughout the island, principally for recreational purposes. It has responsibility for approximately 1,000km of navigable waterway and, in 2007, Waterways Ireland’s remit was extended by the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) to include responsibility for the restoration of the Ulster Canal between Clones and Upper Lough Erne.
Foras na Gaeilge has a range of responsibilities regarding the Irish language, including facilitating and promoting the development of the language on an all-island basis, while the Ulster-Scots Agency has responsibility for the development of the Ulster-Scots language, including the promotion of greater awareness and use of the language and of Ulster-Scots cultural issues.
The Implementation Bodies operate under the policy direction of the NSMC and the two Governments, and are accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Houses of the Oireachtas, as well as the Ministers of the sponsoring Departments. Further information on these North South Implementation Bodies can be accessed on the following websites: http://www.waterwaysireland.org; http://www.gaeilge.ie; http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com.
I should say that I and officials of my Department are in regular engagement, both formally and informally, in exploring ways to enhance cooperation across various areas of our remit. In this regard, I - along with the Minister of State at my Department, Mr Dinny McGinley, TD - meet with Minister Carál Ní Chuilín, MLA, on a regular basis. Our next formal engagement will be at the NSMC meetings in Inland Waterways and Language sectoral formats on 12 December next in Armagh.
In addition to the language and inland waterways sectors, there are a number of other areas of my Department's operations which also come within the remit of DCAL. These include arts, culture, museums, galleries and commemorations, as well as cooperation in relation to the built and natural heritage, and environmental matters. I am engaged directly with Minister Ni Chuilín on programme development and planning for commemorations, especially those relating to the 1912-1922 period. The larger commemorative events in Northern Ireland this year have been arranged at community level.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is represented on the East Border Regional Biodiversity Forum which is a cross-border initiative launched in June 2011(part-financed by the EU European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA Cross-border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body). Action for Biodiversity is a 3 year project which aims to deliver a regional and cross border Biodiversity Framework for the East Border Region.
My Department provides funding for collaborations between museums on either side of the border, as well as projects which seek to enhance, celebrate or commemorate the artistic, cultural, musical, film or heritage of the island of Ireland. Projects funded include:
- The Cinemagic Young Peoples Television and Film Festival, that has run successfully for many years in Belfast and since 2008 has also been held annually in Dublin;
- The Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, established in 1995 as a means of bringing young people from different cultural backgrounds and communities together using music as a form of dialogue. The orchestra is made up of young people aged 12 – 24 years from counties North and South, from as far apart as Cork to North Antrim. The orchestra undertakes cross border and cross community collaborations and provides music education and performance programmes for up to 7,000 children annually.
- The Cinemobile cross-border project, a mobile cinema lorry that tours Ireland showing movies in areas that do not have a cinema. Cinemobile carries out a project that involves the twinning of a number of schools, North and South.
- My Department has also provided funding for the provision of a Cross-Border Cultural Broker to assist in the success of Derry UK City of Culture 2013. The Cultural Broker has responsibility for Arts and Regeneration.
There is ongoing cooperation between the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon for a number of years and a joint annual plenary is held where they discuss and manage common strategic commitments. The Irish Film Board also has ongoing co-operation with Northern Ireland Screen in respect of film funding. In that regard, two new films “Jump” and “Good Vibrations” that are jointly funded by both bodies will be released next year. The Culture Night initiative, which launched in Dublin in 2006, has been extended to many towns, cities and counties across the island of Ireland and the 2012 Culture Night, which took place on 21 September 2012, included participation by 6 regions in Northern Ireland. If the Deputies are interested in receiving more specific information on any particular project or area of co-operation, I would be happy to provide it on request.
346. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 931 of 18 September 2012, the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54281/12]
View answerAn application for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has been received by my Department from the individual referred to in the Deputy’s Question. Details of the bank account of the applicant have been received and I am advised that a payment of €1,500 in respect of the first year was made to this applicant in early October. A letter confirming same was sent to her on 9 October 2012.
