Written Answers Nos. 71-80
71. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of outstanding applications for funding with the Office of Public Works for flood relief works on the River Suck; the estimated cost of any such works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38475/14]
View answerThe Office of Public Works currently has no outstanding applications for funding for flood relief works on the River Suck under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works Scheme.
Significant funding has been provided by the Office of Public Works under the Minor Works Scheme to allow Galway and Roscommon County Councils undertake specific flood alleviation projects within the River Suck catchment. To date almost €2.1m has been approved to Galway County Council and over €300,000 to Roscommon County Council for this purpose. The majority of these projects have been completed. Details of all the projects for which funding has been approved to local authorities under the Minor Works Scheme are available on the OPW website, www.opw.ie.
The Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study is dealing with management of flood risk in the River Suck catchment as a whole. Updates on this study are available on www.shannoncframstudy.ie.
72. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to address the flooding issue in Ahascragh, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38476/14]
View answerThe Ahascragh River forms part of the Ahascragh River Drainage District for which the responsibility for maintenance rests with the relevant local authority, in this case Galway County Council. Under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, as amended, all local authorities are required to provide to the Office of Public Works (OPW) an annual report in respect of the condition of the Drainage Districts within their care. The report for the year ended 31st December, 2013, submitted by Galway County Council, shows that the Council expended €15,000 on maintaining the district, which involved general channel maintenance in the Clonbrock area.
The OPW approved funding of €45,000 to Galway County Council in 2010 under its Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for channel cleaning works at Ahascragh. The Council has fully drawn down this funding and these works are complete. The OPW is currently reviewing a further Minor Works Scheme application submitted by the Council in respect of Ahascragh. Any application received under the Minor Works Scheme is assessed under the eligibility criteria of the Scheme, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. It is open to Galway County Council to carry out flood mitigation works using their own resources.
Ahascragh was identified through the national Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment as an area where the flood risk was potentially significant. It is therefore designated as an area for which detailed analysis is being carried out under the Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study, which the OPW is currently undertaking in partnership with the relevant local authorities including Galway County Council.
The analysis under the CFRAM project will enable flood maps to be produced in 2014 and the identification of flood risk management options for this area in 2015. There will be public consultation on the draft flood maps within the next couple of months and this will be advertised locally.
73. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding assistance to small businesses (details supplied). [38534/14]
View answer77. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding money owed to a company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38502/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 77 together.
My Department is responsible for the implementation of the Late Payment Directive that established EU law in the area of prompt payments which was recast through an EU Directive (2011/7/EU) and came into effect across the EU on 16 March 2013. The issue of prompt payment is now covered in Irish law by the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 580 of 2012).
This legislation acts as a deterrent to late payment and as a driver for payment on time by establishing a clear expectation in law that payment will be made according to agreed terms. It lays down the specific deadlines for the payment of invoices and establishes a right to compensation in the event of late payment in all commercial transactions, whether they relate to transactions between private or public undertakings, or between undertakings and public authorities. There are steps that can be taken in cases of disputes including arbitration and legal proceedings.
For business to business transactions, where no contract exists, the payment period is set at 30 days. Where a contract stipulating the payment period does exist, normally such a period should not exceed 60 calendar days unless both parties agree otherwise and providing it is not “grossly unfair” to the creditor.
In relation to the specific query which the Deputy mentions I wish to advise that as a Member of the Government I am not officially responsible to the Dáil for interpreting or stating the law.
The Sheriff (or County Registrar) is responsible to the Court for the Enforcement of the Court Orders and the law and procedures governing the execution of Court Orders is contained in the Enforcement of Court Orders Acts, 1926 to 1940 and the Rules of Court made thereunder.
The Courts are, subject only to the constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions and the conduct of any court case is a matter entirely for the presiding judge. It is not open to me as Minister to comment or intervene in any way in relation to how a particular case is being conducted or the outcome of any such proceedings.
I am sorry that I cannot be of more assistance to the Deputy on this occasion.
74. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a list of the commissions of investigation, inquiries and similar investigations established under his Department during the past 12 months or being considered for establishment during the next 12 months, and in each case the person or persons conducting the inquiry and the timeframe, including start and end date, envisaged. [38337/14]
View answerNo commissions of investigation, inquiries or similar investigations have been established under the aegis of my Department during the past 12 months or are being considered for establishment during the next 12 months.
75. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide by county a breakdown of the number of Industrial Development Authority led jobs created in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the number of IDA sponsored visits of potential investors on a county basis in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38356/14]
View answerThe Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on the number of jobs gained and lost in the enterprise development agencies. The survey shows that over the past three years there have been a total of 43,255 new jobs created in IDA Ireland client companies (including companies that were formerly clients of Shannon Development). Details of the number of jobs created in the three year period 2011 to 2013 inclusive, is set out in the attached tabular statement (A). Employment data for 2014 will not be available until early next year.
I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2011, 2012, 2013 and to the end of September 2014 there were a total of 1,353 IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to various locations across the country. Details of the number of site visits during this period are set out in the attached tabular statement (B).
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 shows the number of IDA Ireland jobs created in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (A)
|
County |
New jobs created in 2011 |
New jobs created in 2012 |
New jobs created in 2013 |
|
Carlow |
197 |
132 |
91 |
|
Cavan |
5 |
10 |
15 |
|
Clare |
77 |
76 |
15 |
|
Cork |
2,179 |
2,388 |
2,143 |
|
Donegal |
277 |
164 |
177 |
|
Dublin |
7,351 |
8,464 |
6,862 |
|
Galway |
1,921 |
923 |
1,098 |
|
Kerry |
171 |
120 |
101 |
|
Kildare |
349 |
546 |
276 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
125 |
80 |
|
Laois |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Leitrim |
24 |
0 |
31 |
|
Limerick |
253 |
556 |
560 |
|
Longford |
6 |
44 |
25 |
|
Louth |
242 |
401 |
595 |
|
Mayo |
152 |
96 |
242 |
|
Meath |
88 |
53 |
68 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
7 |
29 |
|
Offaly |
41 |
54 |
21 |
|
Roscommon |
96 |
59 |
28 |
|
Shannon Transfers 2013 |
327 |
260 |
185 |
|
Sligo |
187 |
163 |
184 |
|
Tipperary North Riding |
22 |
1 |
21 |
|
Tipperary South Riding |
25 |
67 |
180 |
|
Waterford |
144 |
117 |
172 |
|
Westmeath |
162 |
177 |
132 |
|
Wexford |
111 |
100 |
149 |
|
Wicklow |
84 |
106 |
72 |
|
Total excluding Shannon |
14,167 |
14,949 |
13,367 |
|
Total including Shannon |
14,494 |
15,209 |
13,552 |
Table showing the number of IDA Ireland sponsored site visits, on a county by county basis in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to the end of September 2014 (B)
|
County |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
Jan - Sept 2014 |
|
Carlow |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Clare |
15 |
14 |
5 |
9 |
|
Cork |
27 |
38 |
31 |
26 |
|
Donegal |
2 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
|
Dublin |
150 |
196 |
180 |
184 |
|
Galway |
35 |
18 |
15 |
16 |
|
Kerry |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Kildare |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
0 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Laois |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
40 |
30 |
23 |
21 |
|
Longford |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Louth |
26 |
12 |
4 |
10 |
|
Mayo |
0 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
Meath |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Monaghan |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
3 |
6 |
10 |
6 |
|
Tipperary |
1 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
11 |
26 |
14 |
8 |
|
Westmeath |
15 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
|
Wexford |
0 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
Wicklow |
3 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
|
Total |
341 |
378 |
326 |
308 |
76. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 227 of 30 September 2014, where he references documents on the EU Commission’s website that have been tabled by the EU in the TiSA negotiations, stating that they clearly exclude public services from the remit of the talks, his understanding of the TiSA definition of public services; and if his response should be corrected in the context of information (details supplied). [38406/14]
View answerThe information in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 227 of 30 September 2014 contains a link which explains the draft legal text tabled by the EU. This includes a clear explanation as to how public services are protected.
In the TiSA talks, each country is free to choose the services or activities it wants to allow foreign companies to provide. These choices are known as 'commitments'.
The EU always excludes from its commitments:
- publicly-funded health and social services
- publicly-funded education
- water collection, purification, distribution and management services
- film, TV and other audiovisual services.
The EU has also excluded these services from TiSA, as it has in all its other trade agreements.
78. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will issue area aid even in cases where deductions apply in order that farmers will not experience undue delays in receiving payments; the current procedure in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38310/14]
View answerAs the Deputy is no doubt aware the Single Farm Payment scheme is 100% EU funded with the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme co-funded and as such both are governed by the relevant EU rules and regulations. These regulations provide for a comprehensive system of controls and checks including both remote sensing and on farm inspections. It is not possible under the EU legislation governing the payment of aid under both the Single Payment Scheme and other area based schemes to make payment in cases that are not fully processed and clear. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on target on 24 September, with in excess of €159m paid to 76,211 applicants to date. Payments will continue to issue thereafter, on a twice weekly basis as individual cases become eligible.
Advance Payments under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme will begin, on schedule, on 16 October. Payments runs thereafter continue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible.
79. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list of the commissions of investigation, inquiries and similar investigations established under his Department during the past 12 months or being considered for establishment during the next 12 months, and in each case the person or persons conducting the inquiry and the time frame, including start and end date, envisaged. [38327/14]
View answerMy Department has not established any commissions of investigation, inquiries or similar investigations during the past 12 months nor are any being considered for establishment during the next 12 months.
80. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has information on the prevalence of mycoplasma bovis in Irish farms; the strategies which his Department is promoting to contain this disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38350/14]
View answerMycoplasma bovis is one of a range of micro-organisms that cause respiratory disease in calves and older cattle in Ireland as elsewhere. For example, Mycoplasma bovis was detected in 6% of cases of respiratory disease presented for diagnosis by post-mortem examination in 2012*. The Veterinary Laboratories of my Department provide a laboratory diagnostic service, advice and support and collated monthly and annual disease surveillance* information to assist practitioners and herd owners identify the causes of disease in their livestock, in order to apply optimally directed herd health programs in their herds. Less frequently, Mycoplasma bovis can occur as infection in one or more joints (arthritis) or as mastitis. DAFM Laboratories diagnosed a number of cases of arthritis and / or mastitis in dairy cows in nine Irish dairy herds in 2013 and in eight further dairy herds this year. In addition, DAFM Laboratories provided laboratory testing and technical disease control advice and support to private veterinary practitioners and herd owners, who implemented herd health programs specifically to control Mycoplasma bovis mastitis and arthritis in their dairy cows. Most of these programs have been followed by the reduction in occurrence or cessation of new cases of Mycoplasma bovis mastitis and arthritis in each of the affected herds.
*All-Island animal Disease Surveillance Report 2012, http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/animalhealthwelfare/labservice/rvlreportpictures/All%20Island%20Animal%20Disease%20Surveillance%20Report%202012.pdf
