Written Answers Nos. 141-151
141. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the overall cost of the Office of Public Works guides in 2012; if he will provide a breakdown of the costs per site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23438/13]
View answerThe overall cost of providing a guide service in 2012 was €9,451,723.27 and the Table below details the costs per site.
|
SITE |
GUIDE COSTS |
|
Ardfert Cathedral |
€50,577.57 |
|
Athenry Castle |
€67,657.49 |
|
Aughnanure Castle |
€75,485.23 |
|
Ballyhack Castle |
€13,532.28 |
|
Barryscourt Castle |
€43,880.25 |
|
Battle of the Boyne |
€314,427.46 |
|
Botanic Gardens |
€223,822.14 |
|
Boyle Abbey |
€37,326.03 |
|
Brú na Boinne |
€495,247.03 |
|
Cahir Castle |
€254,681.90 |
|
Carrowmore Magalithic centre |
€88,387.45 |
|
Casino Marino |
€71,612.12 |
|
Castletown House |
€217,707.23 |
|
Céide Fields |
€164,032.92 |
|
Charlesfort |
€207,005.00 |
|
Clonmacnoise |
€292,936.82 |
|
Corlea Bog |
€64,104.10 |
|
Derrynane House |
€59,652.58 |
|
Desmond Castle |
€54,768.29 |
|
Desmond Hall |
€32,195.06 |
|
Donegal Castle |
€135,390.54 |
|
Dublin Castle |
€701,068.71 |
|
Dún Aonghusa |
€219,319.16 |
|
Dungarvan Castle |
€35,674.25 |
|
Dunmore Cave |
€195,539.65 |
|
Emo Court |
€70,366.27 |
|
Ennis Friary |
€80,623.95 |
|
Farmleigh |
€79,565.65 |
|
Ferns Castle |
€50,662.16 |
|
Gallarus |
€18,525.11 |
|
Glebe House & Gallery |
€128,631.14 |
|
Glendalough Centre |
€289,343.89 |
|
Hill of Tara |
€39,374.28 |
|
Ilnaculin-Garnish |
€27,401.82 |
|
Ionad/Bhlascaoid Mhóir |
€89,771.42 |
|
Jerpoint Abbey |
€146,943.24 |
|
JFK Arboretum |
€54,658.61 |
|
Kilkenny Castle |
€568,464.96 |
|
Kilmacurragh |
€22,642.86 |
|
Kilmainham Gaol |
€537,541.59 |
|
Knowth Passage Tomb |
€131,340.22 |
|
Listowel Castle |
€24,631.57 |
|
Loughcrew |
€27,052.93 |
|
Mainguard |
€70,875.32 |
|
Maynooth Castle |
€22,122.53 |
|
Newgrange |
€289,107.70 |
|
New Mills Corn & Flax Mills |
€30,541.63 |
|
Old Melifont |
€54,865.37 |
|
Ormond Castle |
€64,411.57 |
|
Parke's Castle |
€75,024.24 |
|
Pearse Museum & St. Enda's |
€197,549.60 |
|
Phoenix Park Visitor Centre |
€154,247.25 |
|
Portumna Castle |
€105,792.83 |
|
Rathfarnham Castle |
€305,769.79 |
|
Reginald's Tower |
€90,999.66 |
|
Rock Of Cashel |
€510,001.98 |
|
Roscrea Castle Grounds |
€95,282.13 |
|
Ross Castle |
€202,780.04 |
|
Scattery Island |
€16,025.25 |
|
Skellig Michael |
€129,793.47 |
|
Sligo Abbey |
€65,013.28 |
|
St. Audeons |
€67,982.91 |
|
St. Mary's Abbey |
€15,931.76 |
|
St. Mary's Gowran |
€20,559.70 |
|
Swiss Cottage |
€118,920.27 |
|
Teach an Phiarsaigh |
€25,628.44 |
|
Tintern Abbey |
€45,428.64 |
|
Trim Castle |
€158,662.22 |
|
Misc. sites* |
€14,832.76 |
|
TOTAL |
€9,451,723.27 |
*This figure refers to a number of non site-specific invoices for small amounts. It was not possible to provide the breakdown per site for this figure within the time frame.
142. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current legislative position regarding communications and privilege for papers, emails and documents sent, received and held by Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas prior to the enactment of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill; the change he envisages in this area after the enactment of the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23483/13]
View answerThe Government, at its meeting on 14 May 2013, approved the publication of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013. The Bill provides for a statutory qualified privilege for private papers of Members and official documents of the Houses. These provisions are intended to apply in all circumstances and are not restricted to inquiries carried out under the Bill. The Bill also provides for a qualified privilege for confidential communication from members of the public to Members of the Oireachtas.
143. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the method that will be used to conduct a banking inquiry as per the proposed Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill; the way it will be decided which Oireachtas Committee is responsible for such inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23542/13]
View answerThe Government, at its meeting on 14 May 2013, approved the publication of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013. The Bill establishes a comprehensive statutory underpinning for the Oireachtas to conduct inquiries within the current constitutional framework.
The Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill 2013 envisages a central role for the Oireachtas in both initiating and conducting a parliamentary inquiry. Under the Bill, responsibility is assigned exclusively to the Houses of the Oireachtas to determine the requirement for a formal inquiry, the terms of reference of that inquiry, the appropriate committee to conduct an inquiry and the procedural and organisational aspects of the inquiry.
144. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the source of stonework belonging to the Office of Public Works, left on Coillte land near Tintern Abbey, County Wexford; if a record has been kept of the source of this stone, its age and previous location; if a scientific analysis was carried out on the stone work to establish when it was used as a building material and for what purpose; the length of time it has been stored on Coillte land, the details of the protocols that cover this arrangement; if any of the stone has been used on other National Monuments and if it was did the National Museum approve of such dispersal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23558/13]
View answerThe stone referred to lies in an area owned by Coillte and has been stored there with its agreement since late 2010.
As neighbours with whom the Office of Public Works (OPW) maintains good working relationships, Coillte agreed to allow the OPW to store stone designated for future work on sites in the Wexford region on its land, as storing it on the National Monument property itself would be difficult and detract from visitor amenity. The arrangement is an informal one with no costs involved and is not subject to any written protocols.
The stone is unrelated to Tintern Abbey itself and was drawn from the OPW's store of stone in the National Monuments Depot in Kilkenny. This in turn, comes form a number of different sources, all unrelated to any National Monument.
No scientific analysis was carried out. This was not required as the OPW is aware of the provenance of the material. None of the stone came from any National Monument in state care. The National Museum has no function in relation to the material.
145. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans in respect of public sector pay agreements (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23574/13]
View answerIreland is committed to reducing its general government deficit to less than 3% by 2015. To meet this commitment the Medium Term Fiscal Statement published in November 2012 indicated that, in addition to the overall consolidation of €3.5 billion required for 2013, an additional €3.1 billion in savings and revenue raising measures must be identified for 2014 and €2 billion in 2015. If the public service pay and pensions bill at 36% of spending is to make a proportionate contribution to the additional expenditure reduction currently identified as necessary for the next 3 years based on current economic forecasts, it will require a further reduction of some €1 billion in the cost of the pay and pensions bill. To conform to our budgetary targets and continue on our path to economic recovery we need to make payroll savings of €300m this year and €1bn by 2015. The Government remains committed to achieving the required savings through negotiation and agreement.
146. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a copy of the impact assessment on local jobs in relation to the public procurement (frameworks agreements) circular 06/12 (details supplied). [23628/13]
View answerI understand that the issue of the impact of Circular 6/12: Public Procurement (Framework Agreements) for the procurement of goods and services on local jobs was raised by the Deputy with my colleague Minister of State Brian Hayes TD on 23 January 2013 (PQ 3220/13 refers). You may recall that Minister Hayes did not indicate that an impact assessment had been carried out but noted that the impact on local jobs had been carefully considered and that very substantial dialogue with representatives of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector had taken place before the introduction of the circular.
The key purpose of Circular 6/12 is to enable the State to do more with less by aggregating procurement to secure better value for money. It is also worth noting that such aggregation arrangements can be implemented in a manner that achieves value for money with a minimal negative impact, or indeed a positive impact, on SMEs. When Circular 06/12 was being drafted the decision was made to include the existing national contracts that applied across the majority of the public sector as commonly purchased goods and services. While a number of the categories of goods and services mandated under the Circular are suited to single supplier national arrangements, these need not be accepted as the norm. The greater use, where appropriate, of multi-supplier frameworks can address local supplier issues while also ensuring on-going cost competitiveness of the framework itself. Such multi-supplier frameworks may also offer SMEs the opportunity to participate in national level contracts, thereby offering valuable reference work when competing for public procurement contracts in other jurisdictions.
The National Procurement Service (NPS) has developed tender documentation to encourage the participation of SMEs. For example, the contract for office supplies was divided into three individual lots for Stationery, ICT Consumables and Paper. SMEs that believed the scope of the competitions were beyond their technical or business capacities were encouraged to explore the possibilities of forming relationships with other SMEs or with larger enterprises. Through such relationships they could participate and contribute to the successful implementation of any contracts that resulted from these competitions and therefore increase their social and economic benefits.
Larger enterprises were also encouraged to consider the practical ways that SMEs could be included in their proposals to maximise the social and economic benefits of the contracts that result from these tenders. For example, the indigenous company, which won the Stationery contract, with an estimated value of €10m per annum, is sourcing up to 60% of their products using 136 local agents and manufacturers.
In order to encourage greater SME participation the NPS, over the past three years, has conducted a targeted programme of education for suppliers who wish to learn more about doing business with the Irish Public Service. This programme consists of seminars, workshops and large scale 'meet the buyer' events hosted nationwide. To date the NPS has facilitated workshops and presented at seminars to over 4,500 SMEs nationwide. Parallel with these events the NPS also works closely with business representative bodies such as ISME and IBEC to provide briefings for their members.
Whilst the government want better value for money for our substantial procurement spend we also want Irish SMEs, where necessary, to form alliances and networks to ensure they can tender on a competitive basis for this work.
147. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which EU/US and EU/Japan trade agreements will benefit this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23622/13]
View answerThe 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 for the benefit of Irish exporters.
Trade policy is an essential component of the EU’s growth compact. Expanding 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 jobs since 1995. On average, each additional €1 billion of exports supports between 8,000 and 15,000 additional jobs across the EU. Research in Ireland by Forfas suggests that over 4 jobs are sustained by indigenous companies for every €1 million in exports.
Trade 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. Ireland will continue to target the markets where there are FTAs or where FTAs are in prospect to avail of the opportunities they present.
In its report, issued in February this year, the EU-US High Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth concluded that 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 for both parties. An ambitious and comprehensive transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) could benefit the EU economy by as much as €119 billion per year and the US by up to €95 billion. [For a family of four in the EU, that would translate on average to an extra €545 in disposable income annually.] Consequently it recommended an ambitious approach to negotiating a trade and investment agreement between the two biggest parties in the transatlantic marketplace.
The EU Council is considering a negotiating mandate that will set the parameters in which the EU Commission will seek to negotiate a TTIP. The Irish Presidency has prioritised securing agreement from EU member states on the final negotiating mandate. My Department is working intensively to achieve this at the Trade Council on June 14. The US is a traditional yet strong market for Ireland. In 2011 Ireland exported €27 billion worth of Goods and Services to the US making the US our second largest export market, while total trade with the US was over €58 billion.
A comprehensive agreement with the US will remove virtually all tariffs and significantly reduce over time important regulatory and technical barriers to trade. These changes would reduce the cost of Irish exports to US consumers as well as reducing or eliminating the cost and administrative burden on firms having to meet two sets of regulatory and compliance requirements. An agreement with the US will also make it easier and cheaper to sell services to the US as well as new opportunities in gaining access to the huge US public procurement market. As negotiations with the US have not yet started and as it will be some time before initial offers are exchanged it is not possible at this stage to establish precise detail about the economic impact on the economy.
EU-Japan
The Japanese market for Irish goods and services presents many opportunities for Irish companies. In 2012 we exported over €2 billion in goods to Japan, an increase of 20% on 2011. Trade with Japan is significant and that economy is our 11th largest export market.
Negotiations on a free trade agreement between the EU and Japan were launched on 25 March 2013. 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.
Analysis is underway on the economic benefits of a trade agreement with Japan. As negotiations have only commenced in the past few weeks, certainty about the impact on the Irish economy will become clearer when initial offers are exchanged possibly next year.
148. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the level of expenditure spent on consultants and contractors at a national state agency (details supplied), in particular that more than €200,000 has reportedly been spent on efficiency consultants and where retired senior managers have repeatedly been brought back as highly paid consultants. [23520/13]
View answerProcurement issues are a day-to-day matter for the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI).
However, I have been advised by the NSAI that its procurement policy complies with competitive tendering requirements, as outlined in the Public Procurement Guidelines Competitive Process (2004), State Bodies Guidelines and EU Regulations. NSAI use sub-contractors on a limited basis to address capacity and skills gaps, which may arise as part of their contracted Certification activities.
As previously outlined in response to PQ No 97 (Ref: 7664/13) on 13 February 2013, over the past five years, a total of 14 staff members (including 1 senior manager), who were qualified Certification Officers, have retired from NSAI.
Five of these Certification Officers (including the senior manager), were subsequently placed through an open tendering process, on a panel of 28 subcontractors NSAI use to carry out Certification duties, as required. In 2012, these 5 former employees were sub-contracted to undertake certification activities at a total cost of €86,990.
This outsourcing arrangement is in line with the Principles set down in the Appendix to Chapter 1 of the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (Croke Park Agreement) relating to Service Delivery Options. All matters in relation to Public Service Pension Abatement rules are also adhered to.
The staff numbers of NSAI have reduced from 200 in 2008, to 154 at the end of 2012, a 23% reduction, with a further 11% anticipated under the current Employment Control Framework (ECF). A tender for a call down of LEAN Business Training and Consultancy services has just been completed by NSAI covering the period 2013 – 2015 to streamline processes and enable the organisation cope with the magnitude of these staff reductions. No money to date has been spent on this streamlining project.
149. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the implications of the recent Supreme Court ruling on registered employment agreements for workers who were subject to such agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23573/13]
View answerIn the judgement delivered on 9 May last in McGowan and others v The Labour Court, Ireland and the Attorney General, the Supreme Court held that Part III of the Industrial Relations Act 1946 was invalid having regard to Article 15.2.1 of the Constitution.
That Article provides, in effect, that the exclusive power to make laws is vested in the Oireachtas. The Supreme Court took the view that Registered Employment Agreements are instruments having the status of laws made by private individuals subject only to a limited power of veto by a subordinate body. While the Constitution allows for the limited delegation of law making functions, the provisions of the 1946 Act went beyond what is permissible under the Constitution.
The effect of this decision is to invalidate the registration of employment agreements previously registered under Part III of the 1946 Act. In consequence the Labour Court no longer has jurisdiction to enforce, interpret or otherwise apply these agreements. As a result, all such agreements no longer have any application beyond the subscribing parties and are not enforceable in law.
However, existing contractual rights of workers in sectors covered by Registered Employment Agreements are unaffected by the ruling. Contractual rights can be altered only by agreement between the parties involved.
There were 6 existing sectorial REAs registered or varied by the Labour Court in recent years: two in the Construction Sector and one each covering Electrical Contracting, Printing, Overhead Powerline Contractors and Dublin Drapery, Footwear and Allied Trades. It is estimated that between 70,000 and 80,000 workers were covered by these sectorial agreements. In addition, there were over 50 employment agreements covering individual enterprises that had been registered by the Court under the 1946 Act.
The striking down of the REAs means that new employees in these sectors can now be hired at a rate agreeable between workers and their employers. This is subject only to the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act, 2000.
From the parties’ perspective, the primary objective of REAs is to provide them with a sense of certainty around terms and conditions that will apply when the employer is tendering for and working through contracts and to have in place agreed grievance and industrial peace provisions. The agreements also have the effect of ensuring that the industry terms and conditions are recognised and maintained. In addition, the existence of these legally backed agreements is recognised under European Union law and ensures, in accordance with the Posted Workers Directive, that contractors from outside the jurisdiction, who may be using employees from lower wage economies, do not obtain an advantage over local contractors in terms of wage costs.
This is a significant judgment that requires careful consideration having regard also to the amendments to the 1946 Act contained in the 2012 Industrial Relations Act.
The Attorney General has been asked to supply advice on any potential implications of the judgment for the 1946 Act as amended by the 2012 Industrial Relations Act.
150. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if all the necessary information has been submitted in order to finalise a decision on disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; when a decision will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23391/13]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, including that adduced at the oral hearing, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of this 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.
151. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [23397/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16 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. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 15 April 2013 and the case 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.
