Written Answers Nos. 327-344
327. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent on external IT consultants by her Department in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the estimated spending in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54446/13]
View answer329. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has renegotiated external IT consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54478/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 329 together.
The Department is engaged in a continuous service delivery modernisation (SDM) programme involving business, organisational and technological change. The SDM programme is allowing the Department to deliver its transformation agenda by providing: a high quality, proactive, personalised service to customers; services in a more efficient, flexible and integrated way; support for new work management practices and procedures; support to maintain and extend the ICT platform; support in delivery of eGovernment objectives.
This programme is supported by the procurement of external development services (IT external service provision) as well as engagement of external IT consultants to provide strategic technical advice. A breakdown of the annual expenditure on consultancy & IT external service provision for previous years is available on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie.
External IT consultants are engaged for a fixed period following procurement exercises conducted in accordance with Department procedures that are compliant with EU and national legislation and guidelines set down by the Department of Public Procurement and Reform. IT consultancy contracts in place prior to March 2011 have since expired. The current contracts for IT consultancy were put in place earlier this year.
I am satisfied that the engagement of external IT consultants provides valuable support for the Department’s service delivery modernisation programme and that procurement of external IT consultants is compliant with best practice in realising value for money.
The table below sets out the expenditure details requested.
Department of Social Protection: Expenditure on IT Consultants 2010 to November 2013 & Estimates Allocation 2014
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
2010 |
€242,544 |
|
2011 |
€236,748 |
|
2012 |
€307,746 |
|
2013 (to November) |
€424,845 |
|
2014 Estimates Allocation |
€595,000 |
328. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of legal action against her Department for the years 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54462/13]
View answerThe Department incurs expenditure on legal and compensation costs/fees from Vote 37 Department of Social Protection and the Social Insurance Fund. The elements of these payments relating solely to legal fees are not recorded separately. The following table sets out expenditure on legal and compensation costs/fees paid by the Department for the period 1/1/2011 to 30/11/2013:
|
Year |
Legal and compensation costs/fees |
|
2011 |
€1,239,266 |
|
2012 |
€453,262 |
|
2013 |
€560,825 |
Costs relating to prosecutions arising from fraudulent claims made to the Department are borne by the Chief State Solicitors Office.
330. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide detail in tabular form of any exemptions granted by her Department and any agency under her remit to the long-standing general principle of pay policy that the payment of additional remuneration to public servants for undertaking additional duties is not permitted; the additional remuneration involved in each case; the date of sanction for such additional remuneration; the rationale behind such sanction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55118/13]
View answerSince I took up office, there have been no exemptions granted in my Department or in the agencies that come under the remit of my Department, to the longstanding general principle of pay policy, that the payment of additional remuneration to public servants for undertaking additional duties is not permitted.
331. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his views on the provisions, safeguards and measures that are currently in place regarding drag hunting here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53964/13]
View answerI am aware that drag hunting, which involves the following by a pack of hounds of a scent which has been laid or dragged over a course, is practiced in certain areas of the country. However, as this practice does not involve the hunting of wild birds or wild animals the provisions of the Wildlife Acts do not apply. I have no proposals to change the current position.
332. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his response to the resignation of An Coimisinéir Teanga; if he will clarify if three quarters of statutory language schemes have expired without renewal by the end of 2012 with a quarter of them out of date for three years or more; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53675/13]
View answer333. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans for the future of the Official Languages Act; his views on whether citizens should have the right to interact with State bodies using either of the official languages of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53676/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 333 together.
As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 124 on 12 December, I was informed by An Coimisinéir Teanga, Mr. Seán Ó Cuirreáin, on 4 December that he had written to the President informing him of his intention to resign with effect from 23 February 2014, after ten years in the post and two years before his term of office expires in February 2016. I have expressed my appreciation to An Coimisinéir Teanga, both personally and publicly, for his achievements during his time in office and while I regret that he has decided not to complete his term of office, I respect his decision in the matter.
The process of selecting a new Coimisinéir Teanga is currently underway and the matter will be brought to Government in due course. Under section 20(3) of the Official Languages Act, the appointment of An Coimisinéir Teanga is made by the President on the advice of the Government, following a resolution passed by Dáil Éireann and by Seanad Éireann recommending the appointment of the person.
With regard to language schemes confirmed under the Official Languages Act, I would like to clarify that, in accordance with section 14(3) of the Act, a language scheme remains in force for a period of three years from the date on which it is confirmed or until a new scheme has been confirmed, whichever is the later. Currently, almost 200 public bodies are covered by 112 language schemes and my Department is actively engaged in the process of agreeing inaugural and subsequent schemes with a large number of public bodies.
It is important to recognise that this is an ongoing process designed to improve the provision of State services in Irish over a period of time. It must be noted also that the process can be challenging for public bodies, particularly having regard to current resource pressures. A number of measures to improve the effectiveness of the language scheme process are being considered in the context of the proposed Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 2014.
The primary objective of the Official Languages Act is to ensure better availability and a higher standard of public services through Irish. The Act has been framed in the light of the constitutional position afforded to the Irish language by virtue of Article 8 of the Constitution of Ireland and how that article has been interpreted by the Supreme Court.
It is intended to submit a memorandum to Government shortly on the Heads of the proposed Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 2014. Subject to approval by Government, it is intended to subsequently publish the Heads together with the results of the consultation process on the review of the Official Languages Act. The Heads will also be brought to the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht for consideration.
334. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to guarantee the future of the Gaeltacht; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53677/13]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Gaeltacht Act 2012 sets out the language planning process by which Gaeltacht communities, working in tandem with key stakeholders, including Údarás na Gaeltachta and my own Department, will be afforded the opportunity to be at the centre of shaping language development in the Gaeltacht into the future. The language planning process has as its core objective the strengthening of the language as a community and household language in the Gaeltacht. In order to progress the implementation of the language planning process on the ground, the following measures are nearing completion: Notices to designate the first 3 of the 26 Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas will be published very shortly, in line with section 7(3) of the Act. The language planning guidelines, which will explain the language planning process under the Act, are being finalised. Údarás na Gaeltachta is finalising a suitably robust and transparent system by which organisations will be selected to prepare and implement language plans in the Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas. The Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht (2007) is being updated in order to establish the current baseline status of the language in the Gaeltacht. This work, which was commissioned by Údarás na Gaeltachta, is being undertaken by NIRSA (the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis).
The Deputy will also be aware that my Department and Údarás na Gaeltachta operate a wide range of schemes in the Gaeltacht. It is envisaged that the implementation of the language planning process under the Gaeltacht Act, coupled with the continuing implementation of the various schemes, will further strengthen the Irish language in the Gaeltacht. The language planning process and the various schemes are, of course, closely aligned with the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 , which is the overarching policy document for the promotion of Irish, both within the Gaeltacht and outside it. In this regard, a special allocation of €0.5 million has been provided to support the Strategy in the 2014 Estimates.
335. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are any grants available from his Department for a person to renovate a barge at present. [53893/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not provide grants to renovate barges.
336. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Gerry Adams den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an féidir leis na céimeanna a léiriú a thóg sé tar éis don iarChoimisinéir Teanga a imní a léiriú dó sular éirigh sé as a phost; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [53897/13]
View answer337. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Gerry Adams den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé i gceist aige na hábhair imní a léirigh an t-iarChoimisinéir a réiteach; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [53898/13]
View answer338. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Gerry Adams den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé i gceist aige Coimisinéir Teanga nua a cheapadh; cathain a tharlóidh sé; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [53899/13]
View answer339. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Gerry Adams den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil a fhios aige go bhfuil trí cheathrú de na scéimeanna teanga a bhaineann le heagraíochtaí éagsúla Stáit as feidhm; agus an bhfuil aon phlean aige chun an méid sin a cheartú. [53900/13]
View answerTógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh 336, 337, 338 agus 339 le chéile.
I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom aird an Teachta a dhíriú ar an phlé cuimsitheach a rinneadh sa Dáil agus sa Seanad ar 11 agus 12 Samhain, faoi seach, ar an ábhar seo.
Chuir an Coimisinéir Teanga in iúl don Uachtarán ar 4 Nollaig go raibh sé beartaithe aige éirí as oifig ar 23 Feabhra 2014, tar éis deich mbliana a chaitheamh sa phost. Chuir an Coimisinéir a chinneadh in iúl domsa go pearsanta an lá céanna, sula ndearna sé fógra poiblí ina leith le linn dó a bheith ag tabhairt tuairisce maidir le tuarascáil bhliantúil a oifige don bhliain 2012 ag cruinniú den Chomhchoiste ar Mhaoirseacht na Seirbhíse Poiblí agus Achainíocha.
Tá mo bhuíochas curtha in iúl agamsa don Choimisinéir Teanga, go pearsanta agus go poiblí, as an méid atá curtha i gcrích aige le linn a thréimhse in oifig. Is trua liom, ar ndóigh, gur thóg an Coimisinéir Teanga an cinneadh gan a théarma ceapacháin, a mhaireann go dtí Feabhra 2016, a chríochnú ach tá meas agam ar an chinneadh atá déanta aige. Tá tús curtha leis an phróiseas chun Coimisinéir nua a cheapadh, faoi réir alt 20(3) d’Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003, agus cuirfear moladh ina leith seo faoi bhráid an Rialtais in am trátha.
Mar atá curtha in iúl agam don Teach seo cheana, tá sé tábhachtach a aithint go bhfuil feabhas tagtha ar líon agus ar chaighdeán na seirbhísí Stáit a chuireann comhlachtaí poiblí ar fáil i nGaeilge ó tháinig Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla i bhfeidhm. Aithníodh ón tús gur próiseas forchéimnitheach a bheadh i gceist le feidhmiú an Achta, ag tógáil céimeanna de réir a chéile le comhoibriú agus le dea-thoil na bpáirtithe leasmhara éagsúla. Sa chomhthéacs seo, tá bearta dearfacha á dtógáil ag an Rialtas ar bhonn tomhaiste, leanúnach chun feabhas a chur ar na seirbhísí i nGaeilge atá ar fáil ón Stát. I measc na mbearta sin, áirím na céimeanna atá tógtha chun líon na n-oifigeach sa Státseirbhís atá inniúil ar an Ghaeilge a mhéadú.
Maidir le scéimeanna teanga, ba mhaith liom a shoiléiriú go maireann scéim teanga i bhfeidhm, faoi réir alt 14(3) d’Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, ar feadh trí bliana ón dáta a dhaingnítear í, nó go dtí go ndaingnítear scéim nua, cibé acu is moille. Ní miste a nótáil go bhfuil beagnach 200 comhlacht poiblí san iomlán clúdaithe faoi 112 scéim teanga atá i bhfeidhm. Tá plé gníomhach ar siúl ag mo Roinn le líon mór comhlachtaí poiblí maidir le scéimeanna teanga a aontú. Tá sé aitheanta go bhfuil an próiseas chun scéimeanna teanga a aontú dúshlánach, go háirithe sa chomhthéacs reatha ina bhfuil brú mór ar acmhainní. Tá céimeanna éagsúla á mbeartú chun an próiseas aontaithe scéimeanna a éascú, go háirithe i gcomhthéacs na leasuithe reachtúla atá beartaithe ar an Acht.
340. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline what offices relevant to his Department are located or have been decentralised outside of Dublin; if he will provide the total number of staff in his Department and the number of staff based outside County Dublin as of 2013; the annual cost incurred in 2012 and 2013, respectively, for decentralised staff travelling to meetings in Dublin; the number of times staff travelled to individual meetings in Dublin in each of those years; the costs those staff will be reimbursed; if his Department has procedures or mechanisms in place such as video conferencing to reduce the cost of travelling for each unit based outside Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53988/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department was established in June 2011, assuming a range of functions previously under the remit of a range of Government Departments, including responsibility for the Gaeltacht and the National, Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
The total number of staff in my Department as at 1 November 2013 is 603, of which 353 are based outside Dublin at a number of different locations. Of these staff, some 78 are based in two locations - at New Road, Killarney (44 staff) and at Newtown Road, Wexford (34 staff) - established under the Decentralisation Programme announced in 2004.
Video conference facilities are available in my Department's offices in Dublin, Killarney, Na Forbacha, Co. Galway, and Wexford and these are used to facilitate meetings between staff based in the various locations and to reduce travel requirements.
However, as the Deputy will appreciate, it is still necessary for staff to travel to Dublin and other locations for a variety of purposes. The appropriate travel and subsistence expenses as set down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are paid in respect of such travel.
A summary of all domestic travel costs, including subsistence, reimbursed to staff based in my Department's decentralised offices in Killarney and Wexford during 2012 and 2013 is set out in the table. The cost of travel for these staff attending meetings in Dublin only is not readily available and I am advised that its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work, which would be difficult to justify.
|
Location |
2012 Cost of travel (No of individual claims) |
2013 Cost of travel (No. of individual claims) |
|
Killarney |
€51,811 (183) |
€54,429 (239) |
|
Wexford |
€19,926 (94) |
€10,327 (122) |
341. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will ensure the Arts Council and local authorities are adequately funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54355/13]
View answerAs can be seen from my Department's website, the indicative 2014 allocation to An Chomhairle Ealaíon/The Arts Council is €55,893,000, of which €55,800,000 is current and €93,000 capital. These figures are, of course, provisional, pending publication of the Revised Estimates Volume in due course.
Under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations and neither I nor my Department has a role to play in its executive or funding decisions.
Funding for Local Authorities is a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan.
342. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total amount spent on external IT consultants by his Department in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the estimated spending in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54434/13]
View answer344. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his Department has renegotiated external IT consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54466/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 344 together.
Since my Department was established on 2 June 2011, a total of €1,660 has been expended on external IT consultancy. This arose on one occasion in 2012 and was incurred in respect of the assessment of a wide-area networks procurement. In this instance, external and current network-market expertise was considered advisable to accord with best practice for this type of technical procurement. A further expenditure of a similar nature and cost may be incurred in 2014, when the procurement of diverse wide-area network links is considered.
My Department does not retain an external IT consultant on an ongoing contractual basis; rather it procures the required services as and when required.
343. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of legal action against his Department for the years 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54450/13]
View answerDetails of legal fees and compensation costs incurred by my Department, rounded to the nearest €1,000, are set out each year in my Department's Appropriation Account, which is published by the Comptroller and Auditor General in the Report on the Accounts of the Public Services . The published figures for 2011 and 2012 are set out below, along with an estimate of the equivalent figure for 2013. My Department was established on 2 June 2011 and, therefore, the information provided in the table for 2011 relates to costs incurred after that date.
|
Year |
Legal Fees |
Compensation Costs |
|
2011 |
€13,000 |
€225,000 |
|
2012 |
€109,000 |
€57,000 |
|
2013 |
€49,999 |
€3,000 |
