Thursday, 20 Jun 2013

Written Answers Nos. 103 - 112

Public Sector Staff Data

Questions (103)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

103. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons employed in the public sector by his Department or agency and by grade for each year of the five consecutive years for which the most recent data is available. [30453/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The details sought by the Deputy are not fully available in the specific format requested. However, the table provides a sectoral breakdown of public sector numbers across the Education and Skills area for each of the five years 2008 to 2012.

Public Sector Numbers in Education - 2008 to 2012 (Whole Time Equivalents)*

Summary of Overall Positions

-

End 2008 Nos.

End 2009 Nos.

End 2010 Nos.

End 2011 Nos.

End 2012 Nos.

1. Civil Service	Total	1,675	1,612	1,589	1,559	1,507
2.  Education Sector	Total	94,050	92,434	93,050	90,945	90,702
3.  NCSAs	Total	1,678	1,526	1,435	1,363	1,283
Overall Total	-	97,403	95,572	96,074	93,867	93,492
1. Civil Service	Total	1,675	1,612	1,589	1,559	1,507
Of which: -	National Council for Special Education	105	110	108	107	103
-	State Exams Commission	170	163	154	148	147
-	{  Department of Education & Skills	1,143	1,097	1,088	1,059	1,019
-	{                                                   NEPS	173	174	183	192	187
-	National Council for Curriculum and Assessment	37	30	26	23	26
-	Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse	18	10	3	3	3
-	Residential Institutions Redress Board	29	28	27	27	22
2.  Education Sector	Total	94,050	92,434	93,050	90,945	90,702
Of which: -	First Level Education	41,033	40,903	41,504	40,568	40,998
-	Primary Teachers	31,939	31,814	32,423	32,030	32,276
-	Model Schools	8	8	8	8	8
-	Clerical Assistants	195	194	189	188	186
-	Caretakers	196	181	169	154	144
-	Rutland Street	5	5	5	5	5
-	Other Special Ed Projects	20	18	18	18	18
-	SNAs	8,670	8,683	8,692	8,165	8,361
-	Second Level Education	33,074	32,501	32,990	32,348	32,038
-	Secondary Teachers	-	-	-	12,940	12,629
-	Vocational Teachers	-	-	-	10,670	10,689
-	C&C Teachers	-	-	-	4,260	4,192
-	Teacher sub-total	28,297	27,779	28,203	27,870	27,510
-	SNAs	2,002	1,950	2,142	1,952	2,029
-	Clerical Assistants	141	138	137	131	128
-	C&C Non-Teachers	503	503	466	454	441
-	VEC Non-Teachers	2,131	2,131	2,042	1,941	1,930
-	Third Level Education (core funded posts)	19,943	19,030	18,556	18,029	17,666
-	Universities/HEA Institutions	11,365	10,843	10,527	10,276	10,060
-	Institutes of Technology	8,180	7,797	7,656	7,398	7,265
-	Colleges of Education/Non-HEA Institutions	32	33	31	29	27
-	Dublin Dental Hospital	143	138	136	131	126
-	Royal Irish Academy	90	85	78	70	72
-	Royal Irish Academy of Music	68	69	64	64	59
-	Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies	65	65	64	61	57
3.  NCSAs	Total	1,678	1,526	1,435	1,363	1,283
Of which: -	QQI (HETAC, FETAC, NQAI, IUQB)	104	104	93	90	80
-	Grangegorman Development Agency	6	5	4	7	7
-	Higher Education Authority	76	64	63	61	56
-	National Centre for Technology in Education	19	19	17	16	14
-	Teaching Council	39	39	38	28	30
-	FAS(Staff assigned to DES)	1434	1295	1220	1161	1096

* Note - the numbers provided in this table relate to posts funded from Pay subheads under the Education and Skills Vote. A number of other posts are funded from Non-Pay subheads and are not included in this table, e.g. ancillary staff employed by schools.

National Monuments

Questions (104)

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

104. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a list of all the official monuments in County Meath in the possession of the Office of Public Works including map references; the persons that can be contacted if there is a query regarding a monument; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29775/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Deputy Brian Hayes)

The Heritage Service of the Office of Public Works is responsible for the conservation, care and management of 79 National Monuments that are in State ownership or guardianship in Co Meath. These are listed below. The OPW is not in a position to provide map references for these monuments but full mapping details can be found on www.archaeology.ie. This is the website of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht's National Monuments Service and has an excellent database with mapping references.

Queries on all these monuments can be directed to either the OPW National Monuments Depot in Trim on 046 943 1352 or to the National Monuments Service of the Office of Public Works in Claremorris. Lo-call 1890 213 414

The Office of Public Works provide visitor services for all or part of the year at the following sites:

Newgrange, Knowth & Dowth.

The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre serving all 3 of these sites is open all year round. Queries can be directed to 041 9880300

The Hill of Tara.

This monument is open to the public with guide service from late May to Mid September, Tel: [phone]. Queries in the closed season can be directed to Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre.

Loughcrew.

This monument is open to the public with guide service from May to August, Tel: [phone]. Queries in the closed season can be directed to the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre.

Trim Castle:

This monument is open to the public all year round but on weekends only in winter. Tel: [phone]

No.	County	Description	Location	Register No	O/G
1	Meath	Church, Round Tower	Donaghmore	106	Owned
2	Meath	Chapel, Crosses	Castlekeeran	107	Owned
3	Meath	St. Columb's House, Kells	Kells (Townparks)	108	Owned
4	Meath	Church, 2 Crosses	Skreen	109	Owned
5	Meath	Newtown Trim Cathedral	Trim, Newtown	110	Owned
6	Meath	Tumulus	Dowth	147	Owned
7	Meath	Tumulus	Knowth	147.01409	Owned
8	Meath	Tumulus	Newgrange	147.03	Owned
9	Meath	Hill of Tara Earthworks	Castleboy/Castletown Tara	148	Owned
10	Meath	Hill of Ward Earthworks	Wardstown	150	Guardianship
11	Meath	Cairn N	Corstown	151.01	Owned
12	Meath	Cairn L	Newtown	151.02	Owned
13	Meath	Kells Round Tower, High Crosses	Kells (Townparks)	158	Owned
14	Meath	Duleek Priory Church	Duleek (Commons)	179	Owned
15	Meath	The Yellow Steeple, St. Mary's Abbey (Aug.), Part of Town Wall, Sheeps Gate, Porchfield	Trim	186	Owned
16	Meath	Abbey (Cist.)	Bective	187	Owned
17	Meath	Friary	Slane	188	Owned
18	Meath	St Cianan's Church	Duleek	199	Owned
19	Meath	Castle	Donore	232	Owned
20	Meath	Cannistown Church or Ardsallagh Church	Ardsallagh	239	Owned
21	Meath	Castle	Robertstown	256	Owned
22	Meath	Church	Killeen	257	Guardianship
23	Meath	Rathmaeve, Tara Hill	Odder	261	Owned
24	Meath	Church, Cross	Cruicetown	264	Owned
25	Meath	Castle	Athlumney	287	Guardianship
26	Meath	Church, Cross & Base	Rathmore	289	Guardianship
27	Meath	Cairn P	Corstown	290.01	Owned
28	Meath	Cairn Q	Corstown	290.01	Owned
29	Meath	Cairn R.1	Corstown	290.01	Owned
30	Meath	Cairn R.2	Corstown	290.01	Owned
31	Meath	Cairn S	Corstown	290.01	Owned
32	Meath	Cairn T	Corstown	290.01	Owned
33	Meath	Cairn U	Corstown	290.01	Owned
34	Meath	Cairn V	Corstown	290.01	Owned
35	Meath	Cairn W	Corstown	290.01	Owned
36	Meath	Cairn F	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
37	Meath	Cairn G	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
38	Meath	Cairn H	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
39	Meath	Cairn I	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
40	Meath	Cairn J	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
41	Meath	Cairn K	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
42	Meath	Mound M	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
43	Meath	Stone O	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
44	Meath	Tumulus B	Newtown	290.02	Guardianship
45	Meath	Cairn X	Patrickstown	290.03	Guardianship
46	Meath	Cairn Za	Patrickstown	290.03	Guardianship
47	Meath	Cross Yc	Patrickstown	290.03	Guardianship
48	Meath	Fort Y	Patrickstown	290.03	Guardianship
49	Meath	Megalithic Structure Yb	Patrickstown	290.03	Guardianship
50	Meath	Rectangular Earthwork and Pillar Ya	Patrickstown	290.03	Guardianship
51	Meath	Danestown	Danestown	309	Owned
52	Meath	Athcarne White Cross	Reask	322	Owned
53	Meath	Cross	Balrath	356	Guardianship
54	Meath	Lintel, Fragment of Medieval Church	Dunshaughlin	400	Guardianship
55	Meath	Passage Grave	Knowth	409	Owned
56	Meath	Tumuli, Standing Stone, Inscribed Stone	Dowth	410	Owned
57	Meath	Duleek Cross	Duleek (Commons)	440	Guardianship
58	Meath	Nangle Castle (East Wall)	Trim	468	Owned
59	Meath	Sheep Gate (part of Town Walls)	Trim	469	Owned
60	Meath	Passage Grave	Fourknocks	472	Guardianship
61	Meath	Castle	Dumoe	482	Owned
62	Meath	St. Nicholas' Church	Dunsany	489	Owned
63	Meath	Ringfort	Realtoge	495	Guardianship
64	Meath	Ringfort	Ardmulchan	496	Guardianship
65	Meath	King John's Castle	Trim	514	Owned
66	Meath	Castle	Athcarne	539	Owned
67	Meath	Mound	Gaulstown	541	Owned
68	Meath	Ringfort	Robertstown	542	Owned
69	Meath	Fort	Loughbracken	543	Owned
70	Meath	Baronstown Cross	Carrickdexter	544	Owned
71	Meath	Passage Grave & 2 decorated Stones	Ardmulchan	546	Guardianship
72	Meath	Sarsfieldstown Cross	Sarsfieldtown	547	Guardianship
73	Meath	Habitation complex	Knowth	549	Owned
74	Meath	Barrow	Ninch	551	Guardianship
75	Meath	St John's Priory	Trim, Newtown	553	Owned
76	Meath	Earthworks (Slieve Breagh)	Hoards Town	596	Owned
77	Meath	St Colmcille's Well	Calliaghstown	637	Guardianship
78	Meath	Hill of Tara : medieval church, standing stones, graveyard	Castleboy	668	Owned
79	Meath	2 Forts	Mountfortescue	651	Owned

State Properties

Questions (105)

Gerald Nash

Question:

105. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide details of the Office of Public Works plans to redevelop the old employment exchange building at Barrack Street, Dundalk, County Louth; the plans the OPW has for potential future use of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29871/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brian Hayes)

The Office of Public Works is currently engaged with Louth County Council regarding a number of state property sites in the country, including the Barrack Street property. A further meeting between officials will take place in the near future.

Garda Stations Refurbishment

Questions (106)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

106. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the works that are planned and have been carried out by the Office of Public Works on a building (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29875/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brian Hayes)

The Commissioners of Public Works, earlier this year, identified the requirement for Roof replacement works to be carried out at Coolock Garda Station covering an area of 213 m2. Works commenced on Tuesday 11th June and it is envisaged that these works will take 3 weeks to complete (weather permitting).

The Commissioners of Public Works have in recent times carried out a full refurbishment of the cell block at this Station under the capital works programme which was completed in May 2012.

The Commissioners of Public Works have also carried out work at the request of An Garda Síochana capturing a range of maintenance and upgrading works. Of note was the refurbishment work carried out to the Public Office, which was completed in mid November 2012.

Semi-State Bodies Dividends

Questions (107)

Michael McGrath

Question:

107. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he expects to receive the full projected amount of additional dividends from the commercial semi-State companies in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29960/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

Budget 2013 provides for receipt of additional dividends of €100m from State companies, above the level anticipated under normal arrangements, of €105m. I expect that this full amount will be received.

State Properties

Questions (108)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

108. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason there are permanent padlocks on the gates of Croppies Acre, adjacent to Collins Barracks, Dublin; the reason that this burial ground is not open to the public as a place of reflection and as a historical site of huge importance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29701/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brian Hayes)

The Esplanade in front of Collins Barracks, commonly known as Croppies Acre, has been susceptible to anti-social behaviour for quite some time. The walls are quite easily scaled in certain parts and the grounds are frequented by drug users and people abusing alcohol generally during the hours of darkness and especially at weekends. The grounds had been opened to the general public by the Office of Public Works, from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Saturday, in line with the opening hours of the nearby National Museum. Unfortunately, it was becoming increasingly common for OPW staff to discover used syringes among other rubbish discarded by drug users. In October 2012 a decision was taken to close the area to the public on health and safety grounds, as sufficient resources are not available to the OPW to sterilise the entire area every day before opening the gates. OPW considered that the risks associated with discarded needles were too great too continue to allow access to either their staff or the public.

However OPW has been exploring ways of re-opening Croppies Acre and discussions are ongoing with Dublin City Council's Parks Department, in relation to the granting of a licence to the Council to manage and maintain the park.

Public Sector Staff Data

Questions (109)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

109. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons employed within the public sector by his Department or agency and by grade for each year the five consecutive years for which the most recent data is available. [29739/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

My Department was established up in July 2011and the figures are for numbers of persons employed in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for end year 2011, 2012 and as at end May 2013. The figures for 2012 and 2013 are inclusive of the persons employed in the new Shared Services Projects.

GRADE	2011	2012	2013
Administrative Officer	20	41	38
Assistant Principal	82	93	97
Assistant Secretary	7	6	7
Chief Medical Officer	1	1	1
Civilian Driver	2	2	2
Clerical Officer	42	36	86
Constituency Secretary	0	1	1
Director	1	1	1
Executive Officer	31	30	45
Higher Executive Officer	54	78	95
Occupational Health Nurse	3	3	3
Occupational Physician	2	2	2
Parliamentary Assistant	0	1	1
Principal Officer	37	40	39
Psychologist Grade 2	0	2	1
Second Secretary	1	0	0
Secretary General	1	1	1
Staff Officer	15	14	18
Teachers	10	6	4
Temporary Clerical Officer	0	11	35
Total	309	369	477

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Questions (110)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

110. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the proportion of Exchequer finance which was allocated to direct pay costs within the public sector for the five consecutive years for which the most recent data is available. [29742/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

The table sets out the gross Exchequer paybill for the previous five years to 2008 and the latest estimate for 2013, and presents it as a proportion of both gross current voted expenditure and gross total voted expenditure. The figures to 2011 are as per the audited Appropriation Accounts; the provisional outturn figures for 2012 and the estimates for 2013 were published in the Revised Estimates for Public Service 2013, on 17 April 2013. The pay figures are on a gross basis and, consequently, do not include the receipts accruing from the introduction of the pension-related deduction on public service remuneration, which has yielded approximately €1bn per annum since its introduction in 2009.

For a detailed discussion of Exchequer pay and pensions, I would refer the Deputy to the Analysis of Exchequer Pay and Pensions Bill 2007 – 2012, published by the Central Pay Policy Section of the Remuneration and Industrial Relations Division of my Department. This publication presents a detailed breakdown of both gross and net pay and pension expenditure in aggregate terms, by sector and by individual Vote and is available on my Department’s website at www.per.gov.ie under the Reports tab.

-	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013 Est.
Gross Exchequer Paybill, €m	17,190	17,514	16,045	15,645	15,306	15,069
As a % of Gross Voted Total Expenditure	28%	28%	26%	27%	27%	28%
As a % of Gross Voted Current Expenditure	32%	31%	30%	30%	29%	29%

As the Deputy will be aware, the combined gross total for public service pay and pensions continues to account for just over one third of gross voted current expenditure and the Government’s approach has been to seek to ensure that the combined pay and pensions bill remains at a sustainable level in the context of our overall fiscal commitments.

Public Sector Staff Data

Questions (111)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

111. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the proportion of the workforce who are employed within the public service for the five consecutive years for which the most recent data is available. [29744/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

Historical data on public service numbers is available on my Department’s website (http://databank.per.gov.ie) from Quarter 4 1994 to Quarter 1 2013.

The data requested by the Deputy are set out in the table.

Year	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Total in Employment	2,147.3	1,974.0	1,893.6	1,861.3	1,836.0
Total Unemployed	131.0	275.0	305.1	317.4	323.0
Total Labour Force (000)^	2,278.3	2,249.0	2,198.7	2,178.7	2,159.0
Public Service Numbers (000)*	320.3	310.7	305.9	297.3	290.8
(%)	14.1	13.8	13.9	13.6	13.5

Sources

^Central Statistics Office ( http://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/labourmarket/principalstatistics/ ). Data from April-June in each year.

*Department of Public Expenditure & Reform - Databank ( http://databank.per.gov.ie ). End year data on whole time basis.

Budget Measures

Questions (112)

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

112. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the equality budget campaign; his views on its proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29782/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

With regard to budgetary matters, when focusing on the primary objectives of reducing the deficit and returning sustainability to the public finances, it has been of vital importance to the Government to spread the burden of the adjustments in as fair and equitable a manner as possible while also seeking to minimise their negative impact on economic growth. The Government must also try to ensure that the available resources are spent carefully and that critical services continue to be delivered.

I am aware of recent calls for an “Equality Budgeting” approach. Many aspects of the expenditure reforms that I have been progressing - notably with regard to enhanced levels of transparency and the publication of a draft budget, which allows for public consultation and debate on the particulars of the budget before it is finalised – are already responding to this.

As you know, the new ‘whole-of-year-budgeting’ reform, announced in the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012-2014 enhances the role and the policy relevance of the Oireachtas in particular with regard to the role of Committees in ex ante consideration of resource allocation priorities in each area. This provides a forum in which Oireachtas Committees and Departments can assess and discuss the equality implications of any policy proposal in advance of the final Estimates. Furthermore, the Government Programme places emphasis upon performance and delivery across public administration. Performance Budgeting builds performance information right into the heart of the budget documentation and shows what outputs and outcomes are being delivered with public funds. This information is now publicly available on the IrelandStat website and links the Government goals with associated outcomes.

A recent OECD report (titled “Crisis squeezes income and puts pressure on inequality and poverty”), published on 15 May, found that income distribution among Irish households was more equal than the average across the rest of all other OECD nations. In addition to this, the most recent Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2011 illustrates the strong performance of social transfers in protecting those on the lowest incomes. In 2011, social transfers (including pensions) reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate from 50.7 per cent to 16 per cent.

The Programme for Government contains a clear commitment that all public bodies would take due note of equality and human rights in carrying out their functions. The State and its bodies must, of course, comply with all provisions of equality legislation in the development and delivery of policies and services.

Finally, Cabinet procedures require that proposals put to Government indicate clearly whether there is any impact of the proposal on, amongst other things, gender equality, persons experiencing or at risk of poverty or social exclusion and people with disabilities and these considerations are taken into account when taking Government decisions on Budget matters.