Wednesday, 17 Jul 2013

Written Answers Nos. 123-127

Semi-State Bodies Dividends

Questions (123)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

123. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that members of the ESB group of unions have initiated a legal challenge against the ESB and the Government regarding the €78.4 million dividend the company is due to pay to the State which the union members allege is unlawful as the payment is based on wrongly prepared accounts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35832/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

A representative from my department attended the AGM of the company at which the Chairman of the board outlined that it had received professional advice that, having taken appropriate legal advice in the matter, the board were satisfied that it would be in order to proceed with the AGM and the payment of the dividend.

The dividend payment, €74.5m of which was due to the Exchequer, was received on the 27th June 2013.

Departmental Staff Rehiring

Questions (124)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

124. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of retired civil or public servants who have been retained by his Department since January 2013 on a short-term contract or consultancy basis where normal abatement rules do not apply. [35849/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

There have been no retired Civil or Public Servants retained by my Department since January 2013 on a short term contract or on a consultancy basis.

Haddington Road Agreement Savings

Questions (125)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

125. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a yearly detailed breakdown of the sectoral measures and accompanying savings for the duration of the Haddington Road agreement applicable in his Department and-or non-commercial State sponsored bodies under the aegis of his Department. [35866/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

As I have stated, the Haddington Road agreement will facilitate a reduction of €1 billion in the Public Service pay and pensions bill by 2016. In relation to my own Department, the savings arising under the Agreement have been incorporated in the Department’s Revised Estimate for 2013 and further details for 2014 and 2015 will be incorporated in the vote allocations in the context of the overall Estimates process.

The measures applying to my Department and agencies under the aegis of my Department are set out in the relevant sectoral collective agreement under the Haddington Road Agreement, in this case the collective agreement for the Civil Service and NCSSB's. In terms of my own Department, the relevant measures under this collective agreement, including, for example, the additional working hours and the pay reduction for those earning over €65,000, have been implemented from 1 July.

Ministerial Transport

Questions (126)

Niall Collins

Question:

126. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the method used to calculate the cost of ministerial transport in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [35914/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

In response to the Deputy’s question, since the formation of my Department, the new method of calculating annual costs of ministerial transport is being used. In relation to the use of my car for ministerial travel under this scheme, the total cost in 2012 amounted to €100,974.20. This cost includes mileage (which is to cover car related expenses), the salaries paid to civilian drivers, travel and subsistence paid to the drivers and Employer PRSI contributions in respect of the two drivers. This amount is significantly below the €280,000 average annual cost under the previous domestic ministerial transport regime for each Minister.

IDA Site Visits

Questions (127)

Jack Wall

Question:

127. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of investors and their itineraries that have visited Kildare South constituency in each of the past five years; the results of each visit; the areas visited; the concept of each visit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35628/13]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I am informed by IDA Ireland that in the period 2009 to date in 2013 there have been 7 IDA sponsored site visits by potential investors to County Kildare. Details of the number of site visits in each of those years are set out in the attached tabular statement. Site visits are tracked on a county basis only.

Consequent upon these visits, some further due diligence is on-going by some of the companies, while others have chosen other locations for their investments, both nationally and internationally. Some announcements for the region are pending.

County Kildare forms part of IDA’s East Region along with Counties Dublin, Wicklow and Meath. The county has an enviable reputation as a location with a strong track record for attracting leading, world class manufacturing companies such as Intel, Pfizer, Braun, Hewlett Packard and Proctor & Gamble. At present there are 26 IDA supported companies in County Kildare employing over 10,000 people in full and part-time employment.

Table showing the number of IDA sponsored site visits to County Kildare over the period 2009 to date in 2013

Year	2009	2010	2011	2012	To date  2013
Kildare	1	2	3	1	0