Written Answers Nos. 153-161
153. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will outline all pending trade negotiations that Ireland is involved with, either directly, or indirectly through the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23084/13]
View answerAs trade negotiations are a matter of EU competence, Ireland’s involvement in trade negotiations is as an active contributor to overall EU policy. The overarching theme of the Irish Presidency is the contribution of trade to growth, jobs and economic recovery; consequently I attach great importance to promoting the EU’s external trade agenda. As we know from national success in export performance, trade can also be a powerful engine for Growth and Job Creation in Europe. Increasing trade is one of the few ways to bolster economic growth without the necessity of drawing on severely constrained public finances. The contribution of external demand to GDP is the EU's most important source of growth for the moment, as domestic demand components - both public and private - remain weak. In fact, the contribution of trade to GDP in 2012 (+0.9 percentage points) cut the depth of the recession in the EU by a factor of four, helping compensate for the downward pull of other economic variables. The contribution of external demand to economic growth is bound to increase in future, as 90% of global economic growth in the next 10-15 years is expected to be generated outside Europe, a third of it in China alone. Trade policy is therefore an essential component of the EU’s growth compact. More trade is also essential to job creation: About 30 million jobs in the EU depend on sales to the rest of the world, an increase of 10 million since 1995. On average, each additional €1 billion of exports supports between 8,000 to 15,000 additional jobs across the EU.
Negotiations underway or planned could boost EU GDP by more than 2% or €250bn - equivalent to the size of the Austrian or Danish economy — and support an increase of more than 2 million jobs related to trade across the EU.
The trade negotiations currently underway are set out below.
EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
President Obama endorsed the launch of free trade talks with the EU in his State of the Union address on 9 February. This followed on from the work of the EU-US High Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth that concluded a comprehensive agreement addressing a broad range of bilateral trade and investment issues, including regulatory issues, and contributing to the development of global rules, would provide the most significant mutual benefit.
The EU Council is considering a negotiating mandate to give to the Commission to start the talks. The Irish Presidency has prioritised this process of seeking agreement from EU member states on the final mandate. The negotiating mandate was discussed in depth at the highly successful Informal Trade Ministers meeting that I hosted in Dublin on 17-18 April.
The EU-US mandate will be the subject of intensive discussion over the coming weeks and it remains the Presidency’s strong intention to seek to agree a mandate at the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) on 14 June.
EU-Canada
Negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada (CETA) are almost concluded. Negotiators are currently meeting in order to progress the final stages of an agreement, however no date is set for a final Ministerial meeting to conclude the agreement.
EU-Japan
Negotiations on a free trade agreement between the EU and Japan were launched on 25 March. The first round of negotiations was held in Brussels from 15-19 April and was conducted in a positive atmosphere. The aim is for a comprehensive agreement in goods, services and investment eliminating tariffs, non-tariff barriers and covering other trade-related issues, such as public procurement, regulatory issues, competition, and sustainable development.
EU-Singapore
This agreement is the EU’s second ambitious agreement with a key Asian trading partner, after the EU-Korea FTA, and the first with a member of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Once fully implemented, the deal will open up markets on both sides in a number of sectors, including banking, insurance and other financial services industries. Although the substantive negotiations have now concluded, negotiations on Investment Protection provisions are continuing.
EU-ASEAN
Talks on trade agreements with other ASEAN countries (in addition to Singapore) are at various stages of maturity. Talks are underway with Vietnam and Malaysia with trade negotiations with Thailand likely to start in a matter of weeks.
EU-India
Negotiations with India, a key strategic partner for the EU, are continuing and may hopefully conclude in the coming months.
Eastern Neighbourhood
Negotiations on Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTA) are progressing well with Armenia, Georgia and Moldova. Negotiations with Ukraine have been concluded and the agreement is awaiting political endorsement on both sides.
Southern Neighbourhood
Negotiations on a DCFTA started with Morocco in the week beginning 22 April 2013. Preparatory meetings have been arranged with Jordan and Tunisia.
Mercosur
Negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with Mercosur are continuing on a technical level.
Gulf Cooperation Council
Negotiations are underway and have been for some considerable time.
World Trade Organisation
Preparations continue for the 9th Ministerial Conference (MC9) of the WTO in Indonesia in December. Discussions on a package of deliverables are centred on Trade Facilitation and trade development initiatives for Least Developed Countries.
Other Agreements
Negotiations on a new International Technology Agreement are also taking place at the WTO. This agreement will extend the range of electronic products that can be traded tariff free among signatories to the agreement. It is expected that talks will be substantially concluded by the end of 2013.
In addition, very early negotiations on an International Services Agreement have commenced among some of the world’s largest exporters of services. Work on this agreement is at the early stage of development and a final conclusion is not expected until 2014 at the earliest.
154. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will direct that a dedicated jobs plan, similar to the one in place for the south east, would be put in place for County Kerry, in view of the economic crisis in the county, the total lack of FDI in recent years, the loss of large employers such as Amann Industries, Aetna, Glen Dimplex, Sara Lee without a Government led response, the significant unemployment and emigration problem, the unfavourable tax regime to attract FDI compared to our neighbours in County Limerick, the distortion of FDI performance figures for Kerry by being included with Cork, the poor road access to the county from Cork via the substandard Ovens to Ballyvourney road and from Limerick via delays at Adare, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23140/13]
View answerOn foot of the job losses announced by the Talk Talk company in Waterford in September 2011, I asked the agencies and stakeholders in the South East region with coming up with a set of actions to address the long-standing unemployment problem in Waterford and the region generally. The specific recommendations contained in the South East Employment Action Plan, produced by Forfas, are being progressed by a Forum representing the agencies and key stakeholders in the region.
The unemployment rate in the region has remained stubbornly high and has been consistently above the national average for many years. I believe the problem is particularly pronounced in Waterford County and City. The number of unemployment blackspots in Waterford has remained constant in the period 1996-2006 whereas other urban areas such as Dublin and Cork have seen sharp decreases. It is clear that the solution to this problem requires focused action.
A number of positive developments have followed on foot of this initiative including a number of significant jobs announcements for the South East e.g. the Eishtec Call Centre in Waterford city created 280 Enterprise Ireland-supported jobs; a further 65 Enterprise Ireland-supported jobs new jobs were created by Dawn Meats as a result of a 5 year €300m contract with McDonald’s restaurants; the two local Waterford City and County Enterprise Boards have created 59 new jobs; and Danone Baby Nutrition in Wexford announced an investment of €20m in its manufacturing facility which will create around 45 new jobs at its plant.
I met with the Forum on 28 March last in Waterford to hear about further progress made by agencies and stakeholders in the region, and to discuss how we can move forward on outstanding actions and other challenges.
Notwithstanding the success of this initiative, I consider that it is neither practicable nor effective to establish jobs task forces or specific jobs plans around the country as a general mechanism to address high unemployment. I believe that to embark on such a course would involve diverting the various State Agencies from their on-going efforts to create jobs. A considerable administrative commitment is involved in servicing any additional committees and groups which may be set up and, given the constrained staff resources facing all public sector bodies at present, I am strongly of the opinion that establishing such additional groups, except in very exceptional circumstances, would not be in the best interests of using the State’s resources effectively.
Although the county has seen a number of company closures IDA Ireland continues to compete for high quality investments for Kerry. At the end of 2012 there were 12 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kerry with total employment of circa 1,600 people. IDA will continue to engage with these companies in respect of operational sustainability, job retention and, in certain cases, expansion opportunities.
Enterprise Ireland activity in Co. Kerry is focussed on the creation of new jobs through supporting entrepreneurs to set up new High Potential Start-Up Companies. In 2012, there were 132 Enterprise Ireland-supported companies in Co. Kerry, employing 3,318 people in a full time basis and a further 132 on contract or part time employment.
All the State enterprise agencies will continue to actively pursue initiatives to facilitate development and job creation in Co. Kerry.
155. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if it is possible for his Department to support an incubation unit project to create jobs at the Clonshaugh Industrial Estate, Dublin, to replicate an enterprise centre for the northside of Dublin similar to the Guinness enterprise centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23268/13]
View answerMy Department through Enterprise Ireland has, in the past, approved funding towards Community Enterprise Centres in Dublin, including centres at Ballymun, Coolock and Darndale.
I am informed by Enterprise Ireland that based on the most recent information that the agency has on occupancy rates that Darndale is at full occupancy, while Coolock and Ballymun are at 75% occupancy. However, as tenancy levels are variable, Enterprise Ireland advises that interested parties should contact the relevant centre directly, as they have the best view of upcoming availability.
Enterprise Ireland’s Incubation Unit Programme is campus based and there are a number of incubation units in the Universities and Institutes of Technology in North Dublin such as, DCU Invent on DCU’s campus; Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown and National College of Ireland, in the IFSC. Enterprise Ireland has advised that these Incubation Centres tend to be close-to-full in terms of occupancy. In these circumstances, interested parties should contact the relevant incubation centre directly for information on the future availability of enterprise space.
If however, the individual concerned wishes to start a micro-enterprise in Clonshaugh, he should contact Dublin City Enterprise Board which promotes the establishment of micro-enterprises (i.e. enterprises employing less than 10 persons); provides financial support to viable projects, and provides business advice and training. Dublin City Enterprise Board can be contacted at http://www.dceb.ie/ for information and advice.
The Board also promotes enterprise space that it is aware of in its area and a map of the incubation centres that the Board are promoting is available at:
http://www.dcebenterpriseguide.com/Enterprise-Space/Enterprise-Centres
156. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown on a yearly basis of the legal and travel costs his Department has incurred as a result of litigation in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, the General Court in Luxembourg and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from the years 2005 to 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23316/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department are currently compiling the information sought by the Deputy. However, in the time available since this Question was tabled, my Department has not been able to collect the information requested by the Deputy.
Once the available information is collated, I will arrange for it to be forwarded to the Deputy.
157. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection when the pilot youth guarantee scheme will commence in Ballymun, Dublin; the resources that have been allocated to this scheme; the length of time this scheme will run for; the number of young persons who will benefit from this scheme; the details of the consultation that have taken place with residents in relation to this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23086/13]
View answerUnder the EU Commission’s recent call for proposals for preparatory actions under the 'Youth Guarantee', the Department of Social Protection in conjunction with local groups has sought EU funding to pilot a Youth Guarantee Scheme in a local area. The pilot YGS will look to develop an activation approach tailored to the needs of young people in a deprived urban area and then test it within a specific geographical location (Ballymun).
It is intended that the pilot YGS will, in respect of the target group of young people, guarantee access to career guidance/assistance leading to identification of an individual career plan for the young unemployed person with follow-through to training, education, work experience or full-time employment. Depending on the needs of the young individual the steps in the career plan might include personal assessment, job search assistance, skills training, work experience internships, but the objective in all cases will be to lead the young person to employment placement or further education or training. A particular focus of the pilot YGS will be to involve, and build links with, employers in the locality and the immediate hinterland in order to ensure that the guidance and training elements of the YGS are tailored to the needs of the local labour market and also to generate work placement/experience opportunities for the YGS participants.
The European Commission is currently evaluating the high number of proposals received for the Youth Guarantee funding call for proposals. Due to technical constraints, the evaluation process is delayed. Nevertheless, we expect a finalisation of the evaluation process by June at the latest. The total cost of the project is EUR 302,279, we are seeking EUR 250,000 EU contribution. The project should start after signature of the grant agreement, expected within six months of the submission date. The duration of project will be 12 months maximum.
It is proposed that the principal target group for participants will be unemployed persons aged 18 to 24 years. It is proposed that the YGS will apply to an intake of c 90 young people per month drawn from two steams.
(i) Young people who are coming on to the Live Register during the period of the pilot and who are registering at the Ballymun office. We expect this cohort to be of the order 60 young people per month. The intervention will commence once the young person has established eligibility to a Jobseekers claim. Not all of the target cohort will require an intervention over and above an initial needs assessment.
(ii) It is also intended to target young people who have already been unemployed for some time. Currently, there are approximately 360 young people who are wholly unemployed and on the register in Ballymun for a year or more. This group will be targeted for intervention at a rate of c 30 per month over the life of the pilot. (In months where the intake of cohort (i) is less than 60 the intake of long term unemployed young people will be increased and vice versa).
The YGS will be developed through co-operation of all of the relevant stakeholders including the PES (DSP), education and training providers, voluntary and community groups, employers and youth organisations. As part of the bid for this funding the Department of Social Protection consulted with Ballymun Youthreach (CDVEC) Centre of Education Ballymun; Ballymun Job Centre/Local Employment Service Network; Ballymun Adult Read and Write Scheme; Ballymun Regional Youth Resource Limited; Ballymun Community Training Centre; Trinity Comprehensive School; Ballymun Youth Action Project Ltd.; The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) and IBEC with a view to establishing a partnership as required by the terms of reference of the proposal.
The Local Implementation Team will comprise representatives of relevant stakeholders, including the Department of Social Protection, FAS, CDVEC, Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership, Ballymun Job Centre/Local Employment Service Network, North Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Ballymun for Business, EQUAL Youth, and a representative young person (to be identified).
158. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a self employed person who is unemployed and ceased trading will be permitted to sign on for pension contributions credits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23072/13]
View answerPRSI credited contributions are an integral part of the social insurance system. For the most part they are linked to having an underlying entitlement to a social welfare payment while temporarily detached from the labour force or having entitlement to statutory leave e.g. parental or maternity leave. The primary purpose of PRSI credits is to secure social welfare benefits and pensions of employees by covering gaps in insurance where they are not in a position to pay PRSI such as during periods of unemployment, illness, etc.
The class at which a contributor paid his or her last PRSI contribution determines entitlement to credited contributions. Credits are usually awarded at the same rate as your last paid PRSI contribution. For example, Class A PRSI contributions may entitle a person to all insured DSP benefits, provided they satisfy the qualifying conditions. Credits are not available to a person who has only Class S contributions.
People who cease to be covered by compulsory social insurance, may opt to protect their existing long-term social insurance pension entitlements by becoming insured on a voluntary basis and paying voluntary contributions. Payment of voluntary contributions does not provide social insurance cover for short term benefits such as jobseeker’s benefit. A person who wishes to become a voluntary contributor must satisfy certain contribution conditions and must apply to become a voluntary contributor within 12 months after the end of the contribution year in which he/she was last compulsorily insured. A person cannot be a voluntary contributor while also an employed contributor or in receipt of credited employment contributions.
159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in respect of an appeal for domiciliary care allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23076/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 29th April 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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.
160. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline in tabular form the breakdown in funding her Department has provided to the Money Advice and Budgeting Service for each year from 2005 - 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23077/13]
View answerThe Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, provides a high quality personal service to assist people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments. Responsibility for MABS transferred to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) in July 2009 and funding now forms part of the overall CIB allocation. Funding to MABS from 2005 to 2012 is set out below.
|
Year |
Allocation (€m) |
|
2005 |
13.62 |
|
2006 |
16.42 |
|
2007 |
17.67 |
|
2008 |
17.95 |
|
2009 |
17.67 |
|
2010 |
18.22* |
|
2011 |
18.36* |
|
2012 |
18.31* |
|
2013 |
19.00* |
* As part of the total CIB allocation
161. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23081/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13th March 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on 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.
