Written Answers Nos. 120-129
120. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the basis on which it is deemed that a person (details suplied) in County Kildare has received an overpayment of €5572.80 previously calculated at €10,116.60; if the alleged overpayment is as a result of an oversight on her behalf or on the part of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2193/13]
View answerThe person concerned was assessed with an overpayment of jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance for the periods of time when she was also in receipt of a non-contributory widow's pension. During the review of the entitlements of the person concerned arising from this issue it was also established that an underpayment of the non-contributory widow's pension had also occurred for periods of time. The department is currently in communication with the person concerned in order to clarify and resolve all outstanding issues and to conclude this process.
121. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an oral hearing will take place to determine entitlement to jobseeker's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2195/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case.
Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements have been made.
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.
122. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedure to be followed in order to receive emergency or interim basic payment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2197/13]
View answerThe person concerned attended the community welfare service on Monday 07 January 2013 and applied for supplementary welfare allowance (SWA).
He was given an application form and was requested to provide evidence of his continuous residence in Ireland and means of support since January 2010. He was also advised to make a claim for jobseekers allowance. This was followed up by a letter to him dated 11 January 2013 detailing the information required in order to progress his claim. The letter stated that the required information/documentation should be submitted in advance of 31 January, 2013. This did not indicate or imply that a decision on his claim would not be made before that date if all necessary information was supplied.
The person concerned returned the completed application form on Tuesday 15 January. Some of the information requested regarding his means of support over the last three years was supplied and it was decided to award an interim supplementary welfare payment which will be reviewed after four weeks having regard to further information requested.
125. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide by Department/Agency basis the number of persons who are seeking transfers to other locations; the number of transfers that took place in 2012 on a county basis on the number of transfers that took place in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2753/13]
View answerThe Department maintains separate transfer lists for each location and each grade which in addition to DSP staff, includes staff from all Government departments who are seeking a transfer to any of the Department's offices. In addition, the Public Appointments Service operates the Central Applications Facility (CAF) which was introduced in 2004 to manage transfer in the context of the Programme of Decentralisation.
Because of the number of locations involved, statistics in relation to transfers are not maintained in such a way as to allow for the provision of the specific details being sought by the Deputy.
The table details the numbers of transfers and redeployments from other civil service and public sector organisations into the Department in 2012 and the number of internal Departmental transfers which have taken place in 2012, broken down by county.
Table A – Numbers of transfers/redeployments in 2012
|
County |
Numbers transferred or redeployed from other civil and public sector organisations |
Internal Transfers |
|
Carlow |
1 |
1 |
|
Cavan |
3 |
- |
|
Clare |
2 |
- |
|
Cork |
14 |
3 |
|
Donegal |
7 |
4 |
|
Dublin |
68 |
32 |
|
Galway |
7 |
- |
|
Kerry |
4 |
1 |
|
Kildare |
4 |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
- |
|
Leitrim |
2 |
3 |
|
Limerick |
7 |
1 |
|
Longford |
6 |
11 |
|
Louth |
6 |
4 |
|
Meath |
- |
5 |
|
Mayo |
3 |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
26 |
- |
|
Offaly |
3 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
6 |
5 |
|
Tipperary |
3 |
3 |
|
Waterford |
2 |
1 |
|
Westmeath |
4 |
- |
|
Wicklow |
1 |
- |
|
Total |
182 |
78 |
126. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén plé a bhí ag a Roinn leis an Aontas Eorpach maidir leis na riachtanais d’aistritheoirí agus d'ateangairí a éireoidh as deireadh a chur leis an mhaolú ar stádas na Gaeilge san AE i 2017; an bhfuil aon iarratas déanta ag an AE chuig a Roinn ar chúnamh a thabhairt maidir le daoine a oiliúnt le go mbeidh foireann ar fáil ag a bhfuil na cáilíochtaí cuí le cur isteach ar aon phoist a chruthófar; an bhfuil an AE tar éis aon tuairim a thabhairt don Roinn i dtaobh cé mhéad duine breise ar ghá a earcú le freastal don éileamh breise sna blianta 2013, 2014, 2015 agus 2016; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [2115/13]
View answerMar is eol don Teachta, i mí an Mheithimh 2005, chinn Comhairle na nAirí san Aontas Eorpach go mbeadh stádas mar theanga oifigiúil oibre de chuid an Aontais ag an nGaeilge. Tháinig an cinneadh seo i bhfeidhm ar an 1 Eanáir 2007. Cuireadh maolú i bhfeidhm ón 1 Eanáir 2007 go dtí an 31 Nollaig 2011 maidir le húsáid na Gaeilge sna hinstitiúidí Eorpacha agus cuireadh síneadh 5 bliana leis an maolú seo go dtí an 31 Nollaig 2016 mar gheall ar na deacrachtaí dóthain foirne cáilithe a earcú sna hinstitiúidí Eorpacha.
Faoin maolú, níl dualgas ann gach téacs dlíthiúil de chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh a aistriú go Gaeilge. Ciallaíonn sé seo gur gá na dlíthe Eorpacha amháin a dhéantar faoin nós imeachta comhchinnidh a aistriú go Gaeilge. Ní miste a nótáil go bhfuil méadú suntasach tagtha ar líon na ndlíthe Eorpacha atá le haistriú go Gaeilge mar thoradh ar theacht i bhfeidhm Chonradh Liospóin ar an 1 Nollaig 2009, a chiallaíonn gurb é an nós imeachta comhchinnidh an gnás anois seachas an eisceacht i bpróiseas reachtaíochta na hEorpa.
Beidh cinneadh le tógáil faoi Nollaig 2015 maidir le síneadh 5 bliana eile a chur leis an maolú agus beidh an cheist seo le breithniú ag an Rialtas in am trátha, ag tógáil na n-impleachtaí éagsúla a eascraíonn aisti san áireamh. Sa chomhthéacs seo, ní miste a nótáil go bhfuil sé ráite sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 go n-oibreoidh an Rialtas chun na himthosca a chruthú ina mbeidh go leor céimithe cáilithe ar fáil le freastal ar riachtanais earcaíochta an Aontais Eorpaigh le go bhféadfar deireadh a chur leis an maolú sin le linn ré na Straitéise.
Táthar ag obair leis na hinstitiúidí Eorpacha ar bhonn leanúnach chun a chinntiú go mbeidh dóthain foirne cáilithe fostaithe sna hinstitiúidí chun freastal ar na riachtanais a bhaineann le stádas na Gaeilge san Eoraip. Mar shampla, tá ciste ar leith ag mo Roinnse chun maoiniú a chur ar fáil do shainchúrsaí tríú leibhéal i nGaeilge chun aistritheoirí, ateangairí agus dlítheangeolaithe a oiliúint. Ina theannta sin, tá mo Roinn ag cur maoiniú ar fáil do Fiontar in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath chun téarmaíocht Ghaeilge a sholáthar do bhunachar sonraí téarmaíochta an Aontais Eorpaigh.
De réir mar a thuigtear ón bplé atá ar siúl leis na hinstitiúidí Eorpacha, theastódh méadú suntasach ar an líon foirne le Gaeilge chun deireadh a chur leis an maolú. Ní miste a nótáil go gcaithfidh cumas i dtrí theanga oifigiúla de chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh a bheith ag iarratasóirí ar phoist den chineál seo sna hinstitiúidí Eorpacha, is iad sin an Ghaeilge, an Béarla agus teanga oifigiúil eile. Scaiptear eolas go forleathan in Éirinn maidir leis na comórtais earcaíochta ábhartha a reáchtáiltear sna hinstitiúidí Eorpacha, lena n-áirítear eolas a chur ar fáil ar www.publicjobs.ie.
Cé go bhfuil go leor dúshlán le sárú chun dóthain daoine leis na cáilíochtaí cuí a oiliúint chun freastal ar riachtanais na Gaeilge san Aontas Eorpach, is féidir liom a rá go leanfar ag obair go dlúth leis na hinstitiúidí Eorpacha ar mhaithe le stádas na Gaeilge san Eoraip.
127. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when he will release the archaeological report/assessment on the Moore Street battlefield site Dublin 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2153/13]
View answerNos. 14 to 17 Moore Street are the subject of a Preservation Order under the National Monuments Acts. The effect of the Preservation Order is that any works affecting these properties require my consent, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, under section 14 of the National Monuments Act 1930, as amended.
The landowner's application to my Department for consent to proposals that envisage the retention of the buildings and the provision of a commemorative centre to the 1916 Rising is being examined. An Environmental Impact Statement is currently awaited from the applicant in connection with the consent application. The Environmental Impact Statement will be available for public examination and interested parties will have 5 weeks following its submission to provide their comments to me, as Minister, for consideration as part of my assessment of it. In general terms, the release of other documents associated with such a consent application would normally be considered for release, if requested, following completion of the relevant deliberative processes.
128. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide by Department/Agency basis the number of persons who are seeking transfers to other locations; the number of transfers that took place in 2012 on a county basis on the number of transfers that took place in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2743/13]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that civil and public service staff may be assigned different duties from time to time, subject to the business needs of the Department or body. This may, on occasion, require relocation of the staff concerned, either due to transfer or promotion. I understand that the Deputy is seeking information in relation to those transfers which involve staff changing their geographical location to a different county.
Within that context, I can advise the Deputy that requests from five members of the staff of my Department for transfer to a different location within the Department were facilitated during 2012, while two further members of staff were required to change location following promotion. I am also advised that two further requests for transfer to a different geographic location are currently under consideration.
Regarding those bodies under the aegis of my Department, I am advised that one member of staff changed location in 2012 as a result of redeployment and that there are no requests for such transfers on hand at present.
129. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide by Department/Agency basis the number of persons who are seeking transfers to other locations; the number of transfers that took place in 2012 on a county basis on the number of transfers that took place in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2745/13]
View answerTwo members of staff in my Department are currently seeking a transfer to another location. There were two staff transfers from my Department in 2012. Both staff members transferred from the Department’s office in Dublin to the Department of Social Protection in Cavan.
Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those organisations and my Department does not have the information sought by the Deputy. I will, however, request the relevant Agencies and bodies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to the Deputy in the matter.
