Written Answers Nos. 134-141
134. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will stop the tendering of the shuttle bus service in Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal, and re-employ seasonal workers that provided the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25009/14]
View answerMy Department is always looking at ways to improve the tourism and education dimensions and visitor services at national parks and I am pleased to acknowledge that the bus service in operation at Glenveagh National Park has proven to be a success over many years. Due to the success of the scheme, and as a result of a significant and welcome increase in coach tour bookings and a general increase in visitor numbers to Glenveagh this year, the demand for the service currently exceeds that which can be provided by the staff at Glenveagh National Park. Accordingly, my Department is considering tendering for a private service operator to augment the bus service currently provided at Glenveagh at peak times. Any such service would be in addition to the service already provided. It would not involve any job losses at Glenveagh National Park and should, in fact, support the provision of further employment in the area.
135. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the commemorative activities that are being organised to mark the centenary of the passage into law of the Home Rule Act on 18 September 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25031/14]
View answer138. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the commemorative activities he will undertake in September 2014 to mark the centenary of the passage into law of the Home Rule Act on 18 September 1914; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25161/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 138 together.
The passing of the Home Rule Act was a milestone in the history of Ireland and the crowning achievement of the Irish Parliamentary Party. As Minister with responsibility for co-ordinating the Decade of Centenaries, I have been following the historical timeline closely, marking key stages in the progress of the 3rd Home Rule Bill through the parliament at Westminster. To mark the centenary of the introduction of the Bill, an exhibition was prepared that was hosted at Westminster in London, at the Houses of the Oireachtas and the National Library of Ireland in Dublin, and at Stormont in Belfast. This exhibition set the 3rd Home Rule Bill in its historical context and provided an insight into the political forces that drove, and restricted, the progress of the Bill. As the Bill was introduced in April 1912, I arranged, on its centenary in April 2012, the 'Redmond Memorial Lectures' in Waterford delivered by Frank Callinan SC and Dermot Meleady (see www.decadeofcentenaries.com for further information).
My Department also supported the production of a supplement to the Irish Times "Home Rule and Ulster's Resistance" that was distributed free of charge to schools. The provision of information, resources and primary source material has been a cornerstone of my strategy to commemorate important events and I am pleased to note that this week the RTÉ/Century Ireland project, supported by my Department, is publishing details of John Redmond's moves to forge close links between the Irish Parliamentary Party and the Irish Volunteers in June 1914.
I have attended a number of events in Westminster highlighting the historical importance and the enduring significance of the Home Rule campaign and legislation. In January 2013, in partnership with NIO Minister Penning and Lord Bew, we arranged for a special presentation to mark the centenary of the second passing of the Bill.
Indeed, I am pleased to say that on 1 July next, I will be attending again at Westminster for a commemorative event arranged by the Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, MP. With contributions from John Bruton, Baroness Shirley Williams, Lord Paul Bew and Professor Michael Laffan, the event will attended by over 100 invited guests from parliament, media and academic life. I hope to arrange that the proceedings will subsequently be available online.
While I am keen to ensure that the life and work of John Redmond is given appropriate recognition in the Decade of Centenaries, the role of other distinguished members of the Irish Parliamentary party should also be reflected. Initiatives rooted in the areas and communities from which they were elected would be particularly welcome. The specific arrangements for the anniversary of the legislation on 18 September and the address by John Redmond at Woodenbridge on 20 September 2014 remain under consideration and will include publication of historical resource material.
As indicated in the recent announcement of capital expenditure on commemorative projects, I consider it appropriate that provision is being made to restore the burial vault of John Redmond.
136. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht noting the recent welcome allocation of €100,000, when works on repairing roads in Killarney National Park will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25082/14]
View answerMy Department continually reviews the condition of infrastructure, including roadways, in the National Parks and, where funding is available, priority maintenance and upgrading is carried out. In 2013, my Department commenced a programme of road maintenance works in Killarney National Park and I was very pleased to be in a position to approve an allocation of €100,000 this year for the continuation of those works. The works are expected to commence late summer and will be managed to best suit the operational priorities for the National Park, with an emphasis on minimising any inconvenience to visitors and other National Park users.
137. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide a detailed list in tabular form of all staff vacancies within his Department and in each agency under his Department's remit, at principal officer grade or above, including the title of the vacant post and the functional area to which it belongs; the length of time the post has been vacant; the salary attached to the post in question; in respect of agencies where Civil Service grades do not apply, if he will include vacancies where the post attracts a salary equivalent to or greater than a principal officer grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25116/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that my Department and the agencies under its remit are subject to the Moratorium on Public Service Recruitment, introduced in March 2009. Under the moratorium, appointments to positions at the grade of Principal Officer or above, either by way of recruitment or promotion, can only be made on foot of specific sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
There are currently no vacancies at Principal Officer level or above in my Department. However, I would advise the Deputy that my Department has recently secured sanction for the appointment in the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga of a Principal Officer – which will be a seconded post from my Department's complement. The open competition to fill this post is now underway, having been advertised by PAS earlier this month.
In relation to the bodies under the aegis of my Department:
- Sanction has been secured for the filling of the post of Director of the National Archives, which will shortly become vacant due to the retirement of the Acting Director. The competition to fill this post will be advertised by PAS this month.
- The position of Director of the National Library is currently vacant and arrangements for the filling of the post are ongoing. In the meantime, a senior officer at the Library is filling the post in an acting capacity.
139. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the current status of plans to amalgamate Coillte and Bord na Mona; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24979/14]
View answerIn the context of the Programme for Government commitment to create a streamlined and refocused commercial state company in the bio-energy and forestry sectors, the Government decided in June 2013 that an evaluation would be carried out on how to give effect to a beneficial merger of Coillte and Bord na Móna. A Steering Group, comprising representatives from my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and NewERA, has been charged with overseeing the evaluation process in line with the Government Decision. A significant amount of analysis has been undertaken to date. On foot of this, the Steering Group has received a report on the financial costs and benefits of a merger, prepared by NewERA in conjunction with the two companies. The Steering Group has considered and discussed this report, as well as the policy issues associated with the possible merger options addressed in the report. A final recommendation on the best option to proceed is now being prepared, to be brought to Government in the coming weeks.
140. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason a person has not had a resolution to the investigation by ComReg into the operations of a company (details supplied), despite regulations having been put in place to protect consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25103/14]
View answerThe regulation of premium rate services is a function of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) which is independent in the exercise of its functions. I have forwarded the details of the case to ComReg, who have confirmed they will contact the person directly to provide an update. I have no statutory role in the Commission’s investigation of complaints of the type raised in the question.
141. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a detailed list in tabular form of all staff vacancies, within his Department and in each agency under his Department's remit, at principal officer grade or above, including the title of the vacant post and the functional area to which it belongs; the length of time the post has been vacant; the salary attached to the post in question; in respect of agencies where Civil Service grades do not apply, if he will include vacancies where the post attracts a salary equivalent to or greater than a principal officer grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25118/14]
View answerMy Department continues to maintain its staffing levels within the Employee Control Framework ceiling laid down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. While there are currently no vacancies at Principal Officer or equivalent grade in my Department the staffing cohort is reviewed on a regular basis with regard to prevailing business priorities. Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those organisations and the information sought by the Deputy is not available in my Department. I will, however, request the relevant Agencies and bodies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to the Deputy in the matter.
