Written Answers Nos. 130 - 137
130. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the National Library of Ireland will make the James O'Dea railway photographic collection available on line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49885/13]
View answerThe mission of the National Library of Ireland (NLI) is to make accessible to everyone the documentary and intellectual record of the life of Ireland. The NLI’s ongoing Digitisation Programme has made 55,000 digitised items available to date to people everywhere, via its online catalogue. As part of the programme, work has been ongoing for some time on the James O'Dea Railway Photographic Collection, which consists of over 5,000 photographs. I am advised that the full collection will be made available online at the end of Q1-2014. Currently, 66 sample images from the collection, which previously featured in an NLI exhibition, can be viewed via the online catalogue at www.catalogue.nli.ie.
131. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on the lifting of the derogation for the Irish language to be recognised as an official language in the EU; the number of jobs that will be created from the lifting of the derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49896/13]
View answerIrish was recognised as an official and working language of the European Union on 1 January 2007. The original derogation with regard to the use of Irish in EU institutions applied for 5 years from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2011 (Regulation No. 920/2005). This was extended for another 5 years from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016 (Regulation No. 1257/2010).
A decision on whether or not to extend the derogation for a further period of time is required by December 2015 at the latest. My Department is engaged in discussions with various stakeholders, including the EU institutions, in order to formulate specific proposals on the optimal approach to the ending of the derogation. It is hoped to bring the matter forward for consideration by Government in early 2014.
It has been estimated that the number of posts to be filled could be in the region of 180, if the derogation were ended. These posts would include positions such as linguistic administrators (translators), conference interpreters, lawyer linguists, proof readers and secretaries. In this context, I would like to note that my Department has been working closely with the European institutions and with other interested parties for a number of years to ensure that a sufficient number of qualified personnel are available to meet the needs arising from the recognition of Irish as an official and working language of the EU. In addition to funding a range of specialised third-level courses, my Department also provides funding to Fiontar in Dublin City University for the development of Irish language terminology for the EU terminology database InterActive Terminology for Europe (IATE).
132. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form the number of appointments to State boards under his Department's remit made since March 2011 to date in 2013; the number of vacancies in State boards under his Department's remit since March 2011 to date in 2013; the number of vacancies State boards under his Department's remit publically advertised since March 2011 to date in 2013; and the number of appointments to State boards under his remit drawn directly from the public advertisement process. [50007/13]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy in relation to the appointments to and vacancies in the State boards funded from my Department's Vote Group is set out in the table. It may be noted that appointments to the board of Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency are made by the North South Ministerial Council, arising from nominations on a 50:50 basis from each jurisdiction. In the case of Údarás na Gaeltachta, five of the appointees are nominated by local authorities under the terms of the relevant legislation.
Since revised procedures were introduced by this Government, appointments to boards of State bodies funded from my Department's Vote Group are made in accordance with public appointment procedures whereby my Department seeks expressions of interest from the public by advertising on its website and proposed appointees to the position of Chairperson are required to make themselves available to appear before the relevant Oireachtas Committee. It may be noted that, as Minister, I am not bound by the list of applicants when making appointments. I can also approach candidates that may, in my view, have a contribution to make and be willing to serve.
As the Deputy may be aware, on 4 June 2013 an advertisement was published on my Department's website seeking expressions of interest in future vacancies for board members on:
- the Board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art;
- the Board of Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library;
- the Board of Crawford Art Gallery, Cork;
- the Arts Council;
- the Board of the Irish Architectural Archive; and
- the Board of Governors and Guardians of Archbishop Marsh's Library .
There was also a process carried out by the Department of Justice and Law Reform to seek expressions of interest in vacancies on the Censorship of Publications Board and the Censorship of Publications Appeals Board before the functions transferred to my Department and I am currently reviewing this.
Given that the Public Service Reform Plan reduces the membership of certain boards to 9, I do not intend to fill all current vacancies. I have been considering the applications received, however, and I expect to be in a position to make appointments very shortly in a number of the bodies referred to by the Deputies.
|
State Board |
Total number of places on the board |
Number of board members appointed since March 2011 |
Were these appointments subject to the public advertisement process? |
Number of appointments drawn directly from the public advertisement process |
Board positions currently vacant |
Length of time that the vacancy has been unfilled. |
Has the vacancy been publicly advertised? |
|
National Museum of Ireland |
16 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
1 |
Since November 2012 |
No |
|
National Concert Hall |
15 |
15 (inc Chair) |
Yes |
12 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
National Gallery of Ireland |
17 |
1 |
N/A – the appointment was underway prior to the introduction of the public applications process. |
N/A |
2 |
One since November 2012; one since April 2013 |
No |
|
Irish Museum of Modern Art |
15 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
7 |
One since June 2010; two since December 2011; one since February 2012; two since April 2012; and one since May 2013 |
Yes – in May 2011 and again in June 2013 |
|
National Library of Ireland |
12 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
1 |
Since May 2012 |
No |
|
National Archives Advisory Committee |
12 |
2 |
Yes – the process was adhered to but no applications were received following advertisement. |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Irish Manuscripts Commission |
20 |
19 (inc Chair) |
No – the commissioners were reappointed pro tem during the public service reform process |
N/A |
1 |
Since July 2013 |
N/A |
|
Chester Beatty Library |
3 |
2 |
Yes |
2 |
1 |
Since June 2013 |
Yes-May 2013 |
|
Crawford Art Gallery |
16 |
7 (inc Chair) |
No – the board members were reappointed pro tem during the public service reform process |
N/A |
8 |
Since December 2011 |
Yes – one in May 2013 |
|
Irish Film Board |
7 |
7 (inc Chair) |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Arts Council |
13 |
5 |
Yes |
2 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Censorship of Publications Board |
5 |
0 |
Yes |
None to date |
5 |
Since November 2011 |
Yes – by the Department of Justice and Law Reform |
|
Censorship of Publications Appeals Board |
5 |
0 |
Yes |
None to date |
5 |
Since February 2012 |
Yes – by the Department of Justice and Law Reform |
|
Heritage Council |
15-17 – in accordance with the Heritage Act, 1995, which states that the Council shall comprise of a Chairperson and not fewer than 14 or more than 16 ordinary members. |
7 (inc Chair) |
Yes |
4 |
4 |
Since July 2013 |
No |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
12 |
12 (inc Chair) |
Yes |
4 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Foras na Gaeilge |
16 |
16 |
N/A – Appointments are made by the NSMC |
N/A |
1 |
Since September 2013 |
N/A |
|
Ulster -Scots Agency |
8 |
8 |
N/A – Appointments are made by the NSMC |
N/A |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
133. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 12 November 2013, the total costs of the subsidies to wind farms each year; and the amount the average consumer or commercial bill will be. [49909/13]
View answerThe primary support mechanisms for renewables, including wind farms, are the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) schemes and the Renewable Energy Feed-In-Tariff (REFIT) schemes. These schemes were introduced to incentivise the development of renewable electricity generation capacity necessary to allow Ireland to meet its target of meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable generation by 2020. This target must be achieved in order for Ireland to meet its binding obligation of 16% of total energy demand to be met from renewable sources by 2020. All of the renewable energy support schemes provide subsidies to eligible projects as opposed to grant aid.The AER was a series of 6 competitive tender schemes to support new renewable generation that were run to the mid 2000s. AER was subsequently replaced by the feed-in tariff scheme known as REFIT. The AER schemes were all introduced prior to full electricity market liberalisation. REFIT is based around 15 year Power Purchase Agreements between generators and suppliers which provide developers with the necessary certainty required to finance their projects. Both AER and REFIT are funded from the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy.
The estimates for how much subsidy is funded by way of the PSO levy for each year since 2003 are published in the annual PSO decision by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). While the bulk of subsidies for renewable electricity generation paid under these schemes have been for wind, the CER has initiated a project to generate a report on the annual and cumulative costs to date in relation to AER and REFIT support schemes for each technology supported. The following table presents the costs for both AER and REFIT since 2003 (the 2003 figure for AER is cumulative from the year 2000):
|
Year |
AER |
REFIT |
|
€m |
€m |
|
|
2013/14 |
-8.0 |
51.1 |
|
2012/13 |
7.1 |
47.5 |
|
2011/12 |
0.7 |
35.8 |
|
2010/11 |
13.5 |
29.7 |
|
2009/10 |
24.3 |
39.8 |
|
2008/9 |
-58.4 |
24.4 |
|
2008 |
0.4 |
|
|
2007 |
-29.9 |
|
|
2006 |
0.2 |
|
|
2005 |
12.3 |
|
|
2004 |
16.1 |
|
|
2003 |
6.6 |
In Decision CER/13/168 of 31 July 2013, the CER has calculated the payment by customer category for the levy period 2013 - 2014. This Decision is available on the CER website.
134. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied regarding Ireland meeting its 2020 targets in relation to the provision of energy specifically through biomass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49961/13]
View answerThe 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020 and it is expected that this will be met by achieving 40% renewable electricity, 12% renewable heating and 10% renewable transport.
The Directive also requires that Member States set out in a National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) their trajectories towards meeting these targets. Ireland's NREAP, which can be downloaded from my Department's website, assumes Ireland's 16% target will be met incrementally at around 1% per annum. In terms of progress to date, the provisional figures for 2012 indicate that 7.1% of the overall energy requirements were met from renewable sources with 3% coming from bioenergy sources including biofuels, solid biomass, biogas and landfill gas.
The principal policies are in place to incentivise the increased use of renewable energy. In the electricity sector, the REFIT schemes are the main policy supports and offer guaranteed tariffs for electricity from wind, hydropower and a number of categories of biomass. The REFIT3 scheme also supports biomass-fuelled high efficiency cogeneration which, in addition to renewable electricity, supports renewable heat. In the transport sector, the penetration of renewable energy will grow mainly with the increased use of sustainable biofuels which is supported by way of the Biofuel Obligation Scheme.
Additionally, my Department is currently finalising a Bioenergy Strategy, which will set out the actions required to optimise the bioenergy sector’s contribution to the 2020 renewable energy target.
135. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when fibre optic broadband will be provided in Tuam, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49973/13]
View answerIreland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each County, including County Galway, can be found on ComReg’s website at www.callcosts.ie. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses including those in County Galway. This will be achieved by providing:
- a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment, and
- a State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest.
Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and wireless high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market fails to deliver such services. In order to progress the State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained. My Department is engaged in a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector, the results of which will inform the precise areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment as envisaged in the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations, including stakeholder engagement, are ongoing. The procurement process for the approved intervention will be carried out in accordance with EU and Irish procurement rules and it is expected that it will be launched in 2014.
This process will include a detailed specification of our requirements to deliver on the commitments in the National Broadband Plan. In designing any State-led procurement, my department will be required to comply with the EU State aid rules in relation to the technology to be rolled out. The European Commission's guidelines set out that as different technological solutions exist to provide broadband services, the tender should not favour or exclude any particular technology or network platform.
My Department is also considering the use of the telecommunications duct that was installed as part of the Tuam Town Water Distribution and Main Drainage Project.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, I am committed to ensuring that all parts of Ireland have access to high speed broadband, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in, and maximise the benefits of, a digitally enabled economy and society.
136. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline, in tabular form, the number of appointments to State boards under his Department's remit made since March 2011 to date in 2013; the number of vacancies in State boards under his Department's remit since March 2011 to date in 2013; the number of vacancies State boards under his Department's remit publicly advertised since March 2011 to date in 2013; and the number of appointments to State boards under his remit drawn directly from the public advertisement process. [50009/13]
View answerThis Government has made changes in relation to appointments to State Boards and bodies with new arrangements involving advertisement of vacancies for applications from suitably qualified candidates and, in accordance with the Government Decision of 12 April 2011, I have, each year, on my Department's website, invited Expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for appointment to vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of my Department. This information has been used to inform decisions for appointments to State Boards.Such invitations are designed to extend the range of suitable persons from which a Minister might make appointments – not to constrain that range. In 2011 there were 31 applications received following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 3 appointments were made. In 2012 there were 37 applications received following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 5 appointments were made. In 2013 there have been 103 applications received to date following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 4 appointments were made. There are currently 15 vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of my Department. Six of these vacancies are on the Board of the Digital Hub Development Agency and, in light of the proposed merger of that agency with Dublin City Council, it is not proposed to make further appointments at this time.
There have been 87 appointments made to State Boards under the aegis of my Department in the period March 2011 to date. The following table details all appointments to State Boards which have been filled since 9 March 2011 to date, including the appointments made from the Expressions of Interest received, taking into consideration qualifications and legislative requirements where applicable. It should also be noted that about one third of the appointments made were either ex-officio appointments, reappointments, the appointment of worker-directors chosen by election, or appointments made from nominations made by an Oireachtas Committee.
Appointments made to State Boards under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 9 March 2011 to date.
|
Body |
Number of Appointments made from 9 March 2011 to date |
Category of Appointments made from 9 March 2011 to date |
|
An Post |
12 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 5 Worker Directors 1 Expression of Interest Director 5 Other Directors |
|
Bord na Móna |
6 Appointments |
1 Chairperson (Expression of Interest) 5 Other Directors |
|
Bord Gais Eireann |
3 Appointments |
3 Other Directors |
|
EirGrid |
7 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 2 Expression of Interest Directors 4 Other Directors |
|
ESB |
6 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 1 Expression of Interest Director 4 Other Directors |
|
Irish National Petroleum Corporation (INPC) |
5 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 4 Other Directors |
|
National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) |
5 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 4 Other Directors |
|
TG4 |
8 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 2 Expressions of Interest Director 5 Other Directors |
|
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) |
12 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 1 Expression of Interest Director 10 Other Directors |
|
Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) |
8 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 1 Expression of Interest Director 6 Other Directors |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) |
11 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 1 Expression of Interest Director 9 Other Directors |
|
Inland Fisheries Ireland |
2 Appointments |
2 Expression of Interest Directors |
|
The Mining Board |
2 Appointments |
1 Chairperson 1 Other Director |
137. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reverse his decision to impose 50% rates on commercial premises that are not in use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49985/13]
View answerThe Local Government Act 1946 provides that where a property in a county council or urban local authority area is unoccupied on the date of the making of the rate the owner becomes liable for payment of rates. However, the owner is entitled to a 100% refund if the property is vacant for specified purposes. These are where the premises are unoccupied for the purpose of the execution of additions, alterations or repairs; where the owner is bona fide unable to obtain a suitable tenant at a reasonable rent; and where the premises are vacant pending redevelopment.
A small number of urban local authorities have historically had separate legal provision enabling a refund of 50% of rates on vacant properties. While the same criteria for refunds apply, 50% of the rates paid is refundable to the owner of vacant premises in the cities of Dublin, Limerick and Cork. These legislative provisions are:
- section 71 of the Local Government (Dublin) Act 1930;
- section 29 of the Limerick City Management Act 1934; and
- section 20 of the Cork City Management (Amendment) Act 1941.
The majority of local authorities are, currently, subject to the provisions of the 1946 Act and the 100% refund regime.
Section 31(b) of the Local Government Bill 2013 seeks to amend the Local Government Act 1946 by reducing the 100% refund regime to 50% for all local authorities, effectively reducing the refund rate to the same level as currently pertains in Dublin, Limerick and Cork cities.
In introducing the Bill at Second Stage in the Dáil last month I indicated that I am fully aware of the difficult economic environment in which many businesses and property owners continue to operate. I further indicated that there are numerous factors to be considered when proposing an amendment to rates legislation including its effect on business sentiment and its impact on local government finances. I intend that this provision should not be interpreted as a further cost on business and I gave a commitment to the House to revert to this matter again as the Bill makes its way through the Oireachtas to ensure that there are no unintended consequences in how the provision would work in practice.
