Written Answers Nos. 98 - 104
98. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding Fingal County Council have sought under the coastal protection scheme; and the likely timeline for consideration of these applications. [4669/13]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 217 of 11 December 2012. The position remains the same.
99. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the action he will take to address the anomaly in central public sector procurement whereby local suppliers may supply goods and services at a cost less than that charged by a supplier awarded centrally through the National Procurement Service. [4719/13]
View answerIn July 2012, following a government decision to make eight of the National Procurement Service (NPS) contracts mandatory, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issued ‘Circular 06/12: Public Procurement (Framework Agreements)’. The purpose of this Circular is to inform public bodies of the mandatory requirement to utilise central contracts, put in place by the NPS, when procuring a range of commonly acquired goods and services. Such central arrangements are targeted at securing best value for money and facilitating contracting authorities to deliver services within their budgetary constraints.
The NPS is focused on developing centralised arrangements for the procurement of goods and services used commonly across the public service nationwide. The benefits arising from these central arrangements include: cash savings; administrative savings from reduced duplication of tendering; greater purchasing expertise; improved consistency and compliance with EU procurement regulations; and enhanced service levels. Prior to issuing tenders the NPS engages with its clients to ensure their requirements are met and that the most commonly bought items are included in the tender. Under the provision of Circular 06/12 it is however permissible for buyers to purchase goods and services from non-NPS suppliers if these goods and services are demonstrably cheaper.
However, where a public service body purchases such goods or services it will need to explain the rationale for not using the NPS arrangements and provide a value for money justification that takes account of the full costs incurred in managing its own procurement process. Systems of internal control within public service bodies are to support compliance with the requirements of the circular. Public service bodies shall make available for review if requested by internal auditors, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Local Government Audit Service or other duly appointed auditors, details of internal controls in place to ensure compliance, and details of goods and services, subject to the mandate, acquired other than under mandated NPS central frameworks and the associated value for money justification.
100. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding public servants. [4797/13]
View answerThe Public Service Reform Plan was published in November 2011 and sets out the basis for the comprehensive and strategic reform of the Irish Public Service. Significant progress has been made on its implementation to date across a range of areas such as shared services, public procurement, external service delivery and eGovernment. Details of the progress being made in line with the Reform Plan can be found in the Progress Report published last September, which is available on my Department’s website.
The Reform Plan is not just about securing the substantial savings we need to make in order to restore the public finances to a sustainable footing; it is also about maximising new and innovative service delivery channels; leading organising and working in new ways; and placing customer service at the heart of everything we do. If we do not radically reform the way the Public Service is managed and organised, it is the most vulnerable in our society who will suffer the most.
In order to support our determination to restore order to the public finances and to meet our fiscal targets, the Government have indicated that an additional saving of €1 billion in the pay and pensions bill will be necessary in the period to end 2015. Any measures aimed at achieving overall savings of €1 billion will involve reductions in payroll costs for serving staff as well as significant productivity and workforce reform measures to support the reform programme, in addition to those already achieved under the current Croke Park Agreement. The Government is committed to seeking agreement with staff representatives on the measures to be introduced to achieve the necessary savings in the Public Service pay and pensions bill. Intensive engagement, facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission, has now commenced between the parties to the discussions and will continue over the coming weeks.
101. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there is a quota in place in relation to the employment of persons over the age of 45 years in the workforce here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4630/13]
View answerThere is no prescribed quota in place in relation to the employment of persons over the age of 45 years in the Irish workforce. Certain employers, however, may have a preference for employing mature or more experienced workers. On the other hand, if an employer imposes a restriction on the employment of persons of a certain age, this may be a matter within the remit of employment equality law.
While employment equality legislation prohibits discrimination in employment on various grounds, including age, there are a number of exceptions to the general principle of non-discrimination. However, the legislation also provides for positive action on a number of grounds, including age. The Equality Authority has a general remit to promote equality under employment equality law. In some instances it provides assistance to people who believe they have been discriminated against. The Equality Tribunal investigates and/or mediates disputes in relation to the implementation of the legislation.
102. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if a memorandum of understanding signed with the lighting manufacturing company G-LED will be fulfilled; if the 100 jobs promised in County Sligo will be forthcoming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4691/13]
View answerI understand that the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2010 with Ballymote Community Enterprise Ltd. to establish a facility in the Ballymote Business Park. The proposal was to supply the Irish market with lighting products. There was no State agency involvement with the Memorandum of Understanding. However, IDA Ireland met with the company on a number of occasions in relation to G-LED’s proposal and provided advice, but as the company proposed supplying the Irish market solely, it was not eligible for grant aid under the Industrial Development Acts. If the company were to develop into exporting markets at a later stage, the matter could be revisited. At present, therefore, the position is that this is a private sector proposal and the future development of the initiative remains a matter solely for the company.
103. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason those on one parent family payments have been excluded from accessing the Momentum initiative announced by her Department last month; if she has plans to extend the scope of this scheme to those in receipt of one parent family payments who are not working and would like to enter the workforce in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4732/13]
View answer110. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if those in receipt of one parent family payment are included in the live register figures if they are not working; her views on whether those in receipt of one parent family payments should be excluded from accessing the momentum training initiative if they are not employed and hope to enter the workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4730/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 103 together.
The Governments policy statement on Labour Market Activation is outlined in ‘Pathways to Work’ .The implementation of this policy aims to ensure that people who are unemployed will be given the opportunity to acquire suitable skills and/or qualifications to progress them on a pathway to work. 'Pathways to Work' commits to greater targeting of activation places and opportunities and given limited public resources, it is essential that certain activation measures are targeted at the long-term unemployed.
Momentum is a targeted initiative which provides free education and training places for up to 6,500 long-term unemployed jobseekers. The programmes will include on-the job training in the form of work experience modules as well as the development of the workplace skills required to obtain and retain employment. The Momentum initiative only represents a small percentage, however, of the over 450,000 state-funded places provided in further education, higher education and training, namely:
- 75,000 FÁS training places in 2012
- 180,000 Further Education places 162,000 full-time Higher Education places, through Universities and Institutes of Technology across the country
- Over 40,000 training places, including 8,000 for the unemployed, in partnership with private employers
- Over 6,000 Springboard, free part-time higher education, places in 2012, with additional places to be announced for this year
One parent family recipients are currently not recorded on the Live Register and there are no plans to extend the eligibility of this targeted initiative beyond those on the Live Register.
104. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection when an assessment will be carried out on an application for carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4581/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 16th January 2013. 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.
