Written Answers Nos. 74-81
74. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a higher education grant will be approved by Student Universal Support Ireland in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who cannot obtain the results of their examinations until approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39016/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, his student grant application was appealed to the appeals officer in SUSI and a grant refusal letter issued on 28th August 2013. Where an appeal is turned down in writing by SUSI and the applicant remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his or her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from www.studentfinance.ie.
75. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a higher education grant will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39017/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy made an application for the 2013/14 academic year on 18th June 2013. A second document checklist issued to the applicant on 17th July 2013. The requested documentation was recently returned and will be reviewed shortly. SUSI will contact the student directly in relation to the outcome. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the Student Grant Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from www.studentfinance.ie.
77. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an appeal to Student Universal Support Ireland in relation to an application for a higher education grant will be determined as quickly as possible in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39039/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, her student grant application was appealed to the appeals officer in SUSI and a grant refusal letter issued on 10th September 2013. Where an appeal is turned down in writing by SUSI and the applicant remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his or her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from www.studentfinance.ie.
78. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the pension related deduction attributed to public servants since March 2009 as an emergency financial measure, his plans in the future to cease deductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39032/13]
View answerThe public service Pension-related Deduction (PRD), as levied on the wages and salaries of pensionable public servants under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009, has been and remains a critical component of the public service pay and pension measures adopted as part of our national fiscal consolidation. Across all sectors of the public service, it is estimated that the deduction raises of the order of €1 billion per year.
On this basis, the key importance of the measure in restoring balance to the public finances means that I have no plans at present to cease PRD deductions but as with other FEMPI provisions this matter is reviewed annually.
I would however note that, as legislated for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013, and as provided for in the Haddington Road Agreement, the rate of PRD on the €15,000 to €20,000 band of pay received in a year will fall from 5% to 2.5% on 1 January 2014. This rate cut will be worth €125 annually in gross terms to most public servants, with those taxed at the standard rate enjoying the greater gain in terms of take-home pay boost.
79. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he envisages further scope for decentralising State services and jobs in the immediate future; if he has any specific plans in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38856/13]
View answerThe Government agreed in November 2011 that the Decentralisation Programme, announced in the December 2003 Budget Statement by the then Minister for Finance, should be cancelled in the light of the budgetary and staffing outlook. It was also agreed that a review of 22 projects should be carried out. Following completion of that review in January 2012, a total of 43 projects had been cancelled, while 50 were maintained, to be managed in the same way as other regionally based offices and Departments. It was agreed that one project - the Defence Forces in the Curragh - should proceed, on a cost effective basis, as soon as budgetary resources permit.
Up to the date of the cancellation of the programme, about a third of the target numbers - over 3,400 - were decentralised. While the decentralised offices account for less than 10% of serving civil service staff, taken together with the pre-existing regional and district offices of Departments the proportion of civil servants working outside Dublin is now just over 50%.
Given the need to focus on programmes and projects that will best support economic recovery, as well as the ongoing necessity to achieve significant expenditure savings and efficiencies, there are no plans at the present time to introduce a further programme of decentralisation.
80. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding putting in place flood protection measures at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38937/13]
View answerFollowing a preliminary assessment, it has been agreed with Kerry County Council that the Office of Public Works (OPW) will carry out a Feasibility Study to assess flood risk management options for Sneem as a separate Study to the South Western Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study. The collection of the data that is needed to support the work of the Study has commenced. Subject to the availability of adequate data, the Feasibility Study will commence before the end of the year.
81. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount paid to those on certified sick leave within the public service for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38947/13]
View answer82. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount paid to those on uncertified sick leave within the public service for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38948/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together.
As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I have an overarching responsibility for the public service. However each individual sector is responsible for sick leave policies which apply in the sector. I have been supplied with the following information in relation to certified and uncertified sick leave in each of the sectors of the public service:
|
- |
2012 |
2012 |
2011 |
2011 |
2010 |
2010 |
|
Sector* |
Uncertifed |
Certified |
Uncertifed |
Certified |
Uncertifed |
Certified |
|
Civil Service |
5.4m |
53.5m |
5.7m |
45.4m |
6m |
46m |
|
Defence** |
1.1m |
7.8m |
1.3m |
8.5m |
1.6m |
9.1m |
|
Education*** Sector Teachers SNAs |
6.4m 1.1m |
54.9m 6.4m |
6.3m 1.3m |
55.8m 7.2m |
8m 1.1m |
59m 6.6m |
|
Health Sector |
26m |
197m |
27m |
200m |
29m |
212m |
|
Local Government Sector |
5.8m |
52.1m |
10.8m |
62.4m |
11m |
62m |
|
Justice Sector Gardaí Garda Civilians |
N/A .2m |
27m 2.7m |
N/A .3m |
25.7m 2.9m |
N/A .2m |
36m 2.4m |
|
Total |
46m |
401.4m |
52.7m |
407.9m |
56.9m |
433.1m |
* There are differences in calculation of costs across the sectors as some sectors use a salary average and other use direct salary costs.
** Defence Force figures include figures relating to occupational injuries
*** Education figures relate to the 2011/2012 school year
