Written Answers Nos. 211-229
211. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to grant Members of Dáil and Seanad Éireann dedicated resources from within existing budgets for the proper scrutiny of the Estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38294/14]
View answerI am informed by the Oireachtas Commission that it complies with the principles of the 2009 Moratorium on recruitment and no posts falling vacant may be filled or new posts created without the sanction of the Commission. An overall reduction of 11% in staff has been achieved. The practice since 2009 is to report once annually to the Commission on the number of staff in place and the requirements for the next twelve months. In March 2014, the Commission approved limited additional resources of eleven posts to support pre-Legislative scrutiny and other reform measures. Both the Committee Secretariat and the Library and Research function of the Houses of the Oireachtas have had additional resources approved in 2014.
The Oireachtas Library and Research Service provides impartial information and research services to support the work of both Houses of the Oireachtas, its Committees and individual Members in respect of their parliamentary duties. The Library and Research Service provides support to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to its biannual engagements with the Fiscal Advisory Council. The Committee Secretariat, in collaboration with the Library and Research Service, is currently developing a model for research relating to the annual estimates process.
In addition, over the last number of months six policy advisors have been assigned to work with Oireachtas Committees. These staff, the majority of whom are graduate recruits, have a range of policy responsibilities including providing analysis and research support to Committees to enable them to scrutinise Estimates effectively.
212. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to oblige State bodies to seek advice in the first instance from the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and not from the private sector to reduce costs; the progress in reducing the advice bill incurred by Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38295/14]
View answerCircular 05/13, the Procurement of Legal Services and Managing Legal Costs, reminds public bodies of their obligations to ensure that their procurement of legal services complies with the rules and guidelines on public procurement. The Circular also outlines appropriate competitive procedures that can be used in the engagement of legal services and sets out a number of approaches and tools for public bodies to use in managing legal costs one of which is that where in-house services are available, such as those provided by the Chief State Solicitor's Office and the Attorney General's Office in the Central Government sector, they should be used.
In terms of reducing costs associated with legal services, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has been established to centralise the procurement of common goods and services across the public sector. This move is in line with best practice in the public and private sector and is part of the continuing reform programme being driven by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The reform of the public service procurement functions will deliver sustainable savings for the taxpayer and make a significant contribution to the deficit reduction programme.
The OGP will take responsibility for the procurement of professional services within which the category of legal services falls. The OGP structures and capability are being developed at this stage and currently a number of sourcing strategies are being devised. A key category in which a sourcing strategy is being developed is legal services and, more particularly, those services which public sector bodies procure from solicitors.
The OGP has developed a high level operating model from which Government departments and agencies which require external advices from solicitors may draw down service. This model is sectorial specific and is underpinned by the following: improved operational efficiencies and reduced costs; control and management of the expenditure on legal services in such a manner that delivers best economic value; discipline, continuity and consistency to the provision of legal services; establishment of a supply base with broad service coverage and improved service quality; a contracting approach which impacts positively on the Irish economy and society.
Further validation will be required by the OGP before this model is tendered to the market, but in any event it is envisaged that this arrangement will be well advanced by Q2 2015.
213. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied with the use to which closed Garda stations have been put to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38296/14]
View answerThe Minister for Justice, as part of An Garda Síochána's rationalisation programme, announced the closure of 139 Garda stations between 2012 and 2013.
The Office Of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility to manage properties which have been deemed surplus to the requirements of An Garda Síochána.
The OPW policy for disposing of these surplus State properties is as follows: identify if required for alternate State use, including government departments and the wider public sector; if there is no other State use for a property the OPW will then consider disposing of the property on the open market; if no State requirement is identified or if a decision is taken not to dispose of a particular property the OPW may consider community involvement.
To date, eight former Garda stations have been retained for other State uses and 15 stations have been sold at public auction. A further 25 former Garda stations are to be sold this year. Sixteen former Garda stations have been assigned to community groups.
I am satisfied with the policy for dealing with former Garda stations. The uses to which closed Garda stations are being put is in line with this policy.
214. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which EU-US trade negotiations are progressing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38227/14]
View answerSince the formal negotiations between the European Union and the United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) began in July 2013, seven negotiating rounds have taken place. The most recent (7th) Round took place in the US from 29th September to 3rd October. The EU Chief negotiator’s press statement following the end of the 7th Round is available at
http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=1158
Reports of previous Rounds, together with background documents, are available on the European Commission’s TTIP website at
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ttip/
215. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions his Department has taken to implement the south-east economic development strategy; the actions that have been taken to improve overall employment in the south-east region; his views on dedicating an increased number of Industrial Development Agency, IDA Ireland, staff for the south east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37708/14]
View answerThe Report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the South East Economic Development Strategy (referred to as SEEDS), which was launched in September last, represents a detailed assessment of a wide range of factors that can contribute to the overall economic development of the South East Region. I am pleased that the new Report acknowledges the progress that has already been made by the Government and that its recommendations reflect very similar themes and issues to those contained in the 2011 report that I commissioned through Forfás. These issues and themes are guiding the work of the South East Development Forum, which I established to drive the renewal of economic and jobs growth in the region. I have asked the South East Forum to consider the contents of the SEEDS Report in the context of its ongoing work. The report is a very helpful contribution to identifying possible interventions to assist the economy of the South East Region. Some of the actions in the report fall outside my own remit, while others have not been fully costed but are likely to have Exchequer costs if implemented. This naturally creates challenges in the context of the current public expenditure constraints.
Nevertheless, the progress which has been made in job creation for the South East Region in recent times has been very heartening, with employment having increased by 15,000 in 2013 alone, a trend which has continued in 2014. The unemployment rate has fallen from 19% at the start of 2013 to 14.3% at the end of Q 2 2014. Just last week, the Taoiseach and I were very pleased to be able to officiate at the launch of the exciting new €100m project by West Pharma in Waterford City, the latest in a succession of new job creation projects in the region.
I am pleased also to advise that, in order to improve the offering in the Region to win new business, IDA Ireland has signed contracts for the construction of an advanced manufacturing facility in Waterford. This facility, which will be 2,348 square metres in area, will be located in the IDA Technology Park at Butlerstown and will be completed by year end. In addition, IDA Ireland has rolled out a dedicated digital marketing initiative for inward investment focussing on the South East Region and Waterford (Connect and Invest Waterford).
Regarding the level of IDA staffing in the region, I am informed by IDA Ireland that there are 5 staff based in the Waterford Office with client-facing and regional responsibilities. These staff work with the existing client company base in the South East to ensure their sustainability and growth and they also facilitate itineraries into the region. They also work with other key stakeholders to ensure that the Region has a competitive and ever improving offering. Subject to the overall constraints of the Employment Control Framework ceiling, the numbers and location of staff in the various offices of IDA Ireland is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function.
216. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason for moving the Companies Registration Office from Parnell Square to Smithfield, which is a legal hub and has poor parking facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38097/14]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) is the owner/leaseholder of all State property assets. In that regard, OPW is responsible for the provision of a centralised service in the allocation of appropriate accommodation in the most economic way possible while protecting the State property portfolio.
OPW has advised my Department that the accommodation lease in Parnell House will be surrendered in 2015 and OPW is currently in the process of seeking suitable alternative accommodation for the CRO. No decision on an alternative location has been made at this stage.
My Department will continue to work with the OPW in this regard.
217. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide on a county basis the number of Industrial Development Agency, IDA Ireland, site visits to each county from 1 June 2014 to 30 September 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38178/14]
View answer219. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form the number of Industrial Development Agency, IDA Ireland led visits by potential investors to each county from 1 January to 30 September 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38214/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 219 together.
I am informed by IDA Ireland that from the 1st of January 2014 to 30th September 2014, there were a total of 308 IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to various locations across the country. 104 of these visits were during the period 1 June to 30 September 2014. Details of the number of site visits on a county basis in the periods 1 January to 30 September 2014 and 1 June to 30 September 2014 are set out in the following tabular statement.
There are many complex factors influencing decision location making, such as the increasing preference of investors globally for cities of scale with 1 million plus populations, significant challenges from lower cost locations in Eastern Europe and the Far East and attractive regional aid. While IDA Ireland does attempt to influence the choice of location the final decision as to where to visit and ultimately where to locate is taken in all cases by the investor.
The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 includes a commitment to develop a framework for a Regional Enterprise Strategy to better integrate the efforts of the enterprise development agencies and other regional stakeholders in supporting enterprises. My intention is that the framework will be developed on a pilot basis initially, focusing on the Midlands region, and involving the agencies under the remit of my own Department – Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. The objective is to enhance synergies between the agencies and their client companies and build on the competitive strengths of the region to maximise the potential for job creation. The role which other public bodies in the region can play in working towards this objective will also be examined as the project develops. The aim is that this framework will serve as a model for other regions of the country.
Table showing the number of IDA Ireland sponsored site visits, on a county by county basis in the period 1 January 2014 to 30 September 2014 and from
1 June 2014 to 30 September 2014
|
County |
First Time Site Visits June/July/Aug/Sept 2014 |
First Time Site Visits Jan-Sept 2014 |
|
Carlow |
0 |
1 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
1 |
|
Clare |
2 |
9 |
|
Cork |
9 |
26 |
|
Donegal |
0 |
2 |
|
Dublin |
54 |
184 |
|
Galway |
9 |
16 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
1 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
3 |
|
Laois |
0 |
0 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
10 |
21 |
|
Longford |
0 |
0 |
|
Louth |
4 |
10 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
1 |
|
Meath |
0 |
2 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
0 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
6 |
|
Tipperary |
2 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
5 |
8 |
|
Westmeath |
3 |
8 |
|
Wexford |
0 |
0 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
4 |
218. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans for the pubs and independent off-licences, which are part of Ireland’s important small and medium-sized enterprise community, but are continuing to face a difficult economic environment as sales in the employment intensive on-trade have declined by 35% in the past seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38196/14]
View answerPubs and off-licences are regulated by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD, under the liquor licensing laws and I have no direct function in relation to this sector.
However, Officials from my Department recently met with a representative of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) to discuss their concerns in relation to the forthcoming Budget and other issues of concern to the sector. DIGI represents Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland; Irish Hotels Federation; Licensed Vintners Association; National Off-Licence Association; Restaurants Association of Ireland; Vintners Federation of Ireland. The discussions mainly focused on the Group’s submission to the Minister for Finance for Budget 2015.
Issues related to the Budget are a matter for the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD.
220. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to carry out a regional public meeting in County Galway or the west as part of the preparation for the 2015 Action Plan for Jobs. [38277/14]
View answerThe process of developing Action Plan for Jobs 2015 began in July with a series of roundtable discussions with representative groups. My officials and I met with representatives from IBEC, American Chamber of Commerce, SFA, Chambers Ireland, ISME, ICTU, SIPTU, IMPACT, UNITE and the INOU. A written request for submissions was also issued to other stakeholders and a further roundtable with entrepreneurs was held on the 8th of October. There is also an open call for submissions from the business community and the general public through the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation website. It is hoped that the Action Plan for Jobs 2015 will be finalised in January 2015. Regional meetings are an important part of communicating the actions needs and building coalitions for change and for gathering inputs for future Action Plans. The meetings in Galway in 2013 and 2014 were particularly helpful in this regard. In future I hope to convene further Action Plans for Jobs forums in Galway.
221. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide information on the number of State agencies or organisations under the remit of his Department which are paid up members of IBEC; the names of each agency or organisation; the amount which each agency or organisation paid to IBEC in the years 2011 to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38729/14]
View answerNo Office under the remit of my Department is a member of IBEC.
The payment of membership fees to IBEC by Agencies under the remit of my Department is a day-to-day matter for the individual Agencies concerned, for which I have no direct function.
I have asked all Agencies under the aegis of my Department to advise me of any such membership fees for the years concerned, and I will communicate that information to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
222. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason schools are paying the extra cost of receiving milk in a 330 ml carton instead of in a 250 ml carton as entitled under the school milk scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38006/14]
View answer223. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason schools cannot avail of a low-fat milk option under the school milk scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38007/14]
View answer224. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason only 84 of over 700 post-primary schools took part in the school milk scheme last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38008/14]
View answer225. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will taken to improve the application process for the school milk scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38009/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 222 to 225, inclusive, together.
The School Milk Scheme was introduced in 1977, and over 20 million EU children benefited from it in 2011/2012, an 18% jump compared with 2010/2011. The SMS has operated in Ireland since 1982 with the objective of promoting and encouraging the consumption of milk among school children. Its management is primarily through the National Dairy Council (NDC) in conjunction with the co-ops, but take-up is quite limited on a geographical level.
The Scheme provides for the payment of aid for milk products to school pupils and is co-financed by the EU and the MS, with DAFM the responsible Department in Ireland. The aid rates were reduced by approximately 7% per annum from 2004 to 2007 in line with the general reductions in support prices brought about by the 2003 Mid Term Review of the CAP. However, the Exchequer has made up for this reduction in the EU contribution, and the overall aid rates have been maintained at €27.89/100kg. Since 2007 the EU contribution is €18.15/100kg, with the balance of €9.74/100kg made up by the Exchequer.
In School year 2012-2013, approximately €677,000 was spent on the scheme for the provision of milk to nursery, preschool, special schools, secondary and primary school pupils. The cost to the EU was €440,572 and the National Top up was €236,428.
Each pupil is entitled to 250 ml of milk or milk equivalent per day at an average charge of €0.20 per 250ml. Milk is sold to schools at a subsidised rate and dairies claim the subsidy back from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The cost of the milk on average, as indicated above, is approximately €1- €1.25 per week per child, which equates to approximately €40 per academic year.
For the School Year 1st August 2012 to 31st July 2013 almost 2.4 million litres of milk was supplied to schools around the country, the approximate number of children that benefited was 52,937. For the same school year, 1077 schools participated in the Scheme including 95 Montessori, 855 National, 84 Secondary and 43 Special Schools. In total there are 4014 schools registered on the Department of Education website of which 3152 are primary schools.
Regarding the size of the carton utilised all NDC member dairies deliver either a 189ml or 250ml carton/bottle of subsidised milk. Some dairies additionally provide a 330ml carton at the request of schools, (usually secondary). The maximum quantity eligible for aid and upon which a subsidy is provided is for up to 250ml per pupil per day.
In respect of issues relating to scheme uptake, unfortunately subscription to the School Milk Scheme is low in secondary schools. This can be attributed to a number of factors such as the perceived administrative burden of running the scheme and the fact that demand for milk will come directly from pupils rather than parents.
In terms of efforts to encourage further uptake, the National Dairy Council actively promotes and provides a support service for the subsidised School Milk Scheme through various initiatives. The NDC contacts every primary school in ROI each September by letter encouraging participation in School Milk and outlines the health and nutritional benefits provided by milk. The NDC provides a support service to schools that are interested in subscribing to the scheme by putting them in touch with dairies that can deliver to their school. The NDC supplies fridges free of charge to subscribed schools, thereby ensuring that milk is provided to children at the optimum temperature. In addition to this the NDC runs dairy education programmes at both primary and secondary level to promote awareness of the benefits of dairy.
Regarding the range of products available under the scheme, revisions to and further development of the School Milk Scheme are under negotiation at EU level. In these negotiations Ireland has sought to appropriately extend the range of products that would form the scheme basis. It is noteworthy that a number of milk categories, including skimmed and semi-skimmed milk are currently permitted under the scheme for the school year 2014/15 but demand has not been evident beyond the whole milk option. As such, full-fat milk is provided by all NDC dairies as that is where demand has been evident from schools and parents.
In respect of the application process, this is a straightforward process for interested schools via the NDC. Relevant information is available on the NDC website at the web address www.ndc.ie/classroom.
226. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2014 disadvantaged areas scheme payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37661/14]
View answerEligible applicants for the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme in 2014 must have met (a) a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per hectare in 2011, or have been granted derogation and (b) 0.15 livestock units per hectare in 2014. The person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted upon by the requirement to have achieved a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare in 2011, and who applied for and were refused derogation in this regard. The person named subsequently appealed unsuccessfully to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee. The person named was informed accordingly and was advised of his right to pursue the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman.
227. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a rural environment protection scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo. [37676/14]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in September 2008 and has received payments for the entire duration of their contract. A remaining Supplementary Payment for mixed Grazing amounting to €814.85 will issue when the 2014 REPS payments commence.
228. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount Ireland has been fined by the European Union in 2012 and 2013 for overclaims for ineligible lands by farmers under the disadvantaged areas scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37683/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of the value of the EU funded Direct Payment Schemes to Ireland. Each year farmers in Ireland benefit from funding of over €1.5 billion under Schemes such as the Single Farm Payment Scheme (SPS), the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Agri-environment Schemes, etc. This comprises the entire net income of many thousands of Irish farmers.
The European Commission has an obligation to ensure that Member States manage and use the EU funding granted to them in accordance with the very restrictive provisions governing the Schemes and general financial provisions. All of the lands declared by farmers must be eligible if these lands benefit from payment under one or more of these Schemes. These claims are then recorded on the Department’s Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). Given the importance of the LPIS database in underpinning direct aid payments worth in excess of €1.5 billion annually, my Department is obliged under EU Regulations to ensure its accuracy.
Following consultation with the EU Commission, as part of the normal Accounting process, my Department was requested to undertake a complete review of the LPIS database. This on-going review is of major significance as the Commission is seeking to disallow €181m of funding to Ireland relating to payments over the five years to 2012. This potential disallowance is currently the subject of an Irish appeal to the EU Conciliation Body.
229. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the significant difficulties being experienced by younger farmers who have missed out on the previous installation aid scheme and who will not qualify for the new scheme; his plans to introduce measures to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37693/14]
View answerThe Rural Development Programme for the period 2014-2020 was submitted to the EU Commission for approval in July 2014. Under the Programme, it is proposed to introduce an enhanced capital investment scheme for young farmers in place of an installation aid scheme. This new scheme will involve a specific grant rate of 60 per cent compared to the standard grant rate of 40 per cent which will be generally available under other on-farm investment schemes. I will be endeavouring to ensure that as many young farmers as possible can avail of the enhanced grant scheme when the national measures are introduced following receipt of the required EU Commission approval for the Programme.
Where farmers are unable to qualify for the enhanced grant scheme, they will be eligible to apply for grants at a standard rate under other on-farm investment schemes which are made available under the new Programme.
The approval of the EU Commission will be required before any new measures can be introduced under the new Rural Development Programme.
