Written Answers Nos. 352-370
352. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his Department's policy regarding rates on properties utilised by charities (details supplied) which are registered charities; and if it is Government policy that these charities can avail of rate exemptions in view of the fact that they are voluntary, community organisations and their whole ethos is to provide support and benefits to the community. [41017/14]
View answerThe Valuation Act, 2001 provides that all buildings used or developed for any purpose are rateable unless expressly exempted under Schedule 4 of the Act. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Act and the making of valuations is his sole prerogative and I, as Minister, have no role in decisions in this regard.
The current position under the Valuation Act regarding claims for exemption on charitable grounds is that in order for a property occupied by an organisation to be exempt from rates under the terms of Schedule 4 - paragraph 16 of the Act, that organisation must be a charitable organisation that uses the land, buildings or part exclusively for charitable purposes and otherwise than for private profit. The organisation claiming charitable status for the purpose of qualifying for exemption from rates must satisfy the definition of "charitable organisation" in section 3 of the Valuation Act, 2001.
Notwithstanding the form of wording used by the organisation in its Constitution, Deed of Trust, Memorandum of Association or Articles of Association in relation to its object or objects, the determining factor on which exemption is granted is the Commissioner of Valuation's satisfaction that the property is occupied by a charitable organisation and is used exclusively for charitable purposes and otherwise than for private profit as stated in the Act.
However, as regards the registered charities to which the Deputy refers, the Valuation (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2012 contains a number of streamlining measures, one of which is a proposal to change the meaning of "charitable organisation" as defined in section 3 of the Valuation Act, 2001 to mean a charitable organisation within the meaning of section 2 of the Charities Act, 2009 that is entered in the register of charitable organisations pursuant to Part 3 of that Act. If this measure is enacted, then the effect will be that all properties occupied by registered charities under the Charities Act, 2009 and used for charitable purposes will be eligible for exemption from rates. The Bill is currently scheduled for Report Stage in the Seanad on 20th November.
353. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he expects the feasibility study, including environmental impact statement, to identify possible flood mitigation measures for Arklow town to be published. [41358/14]
View answerA Final Draft Feasibility Report in respect of the revised flood relief proposals for Arklow town has been submitted to Wicklow County Council (WCC) and the Office of Public Works (OPW) by the consultants appointed by WCC to develop the design of the scheme.
WCC and the OPW met on 30 September to review the draft report having particular regard to a number of issues that had been raised by the OPW in relation to:
- the location of defences upstream of Arklow Bridge
- possible underpinning of Arklow bridge to alleviate sediment deposition
- possible removal of a 'pinch point' in the channel downstream of Arklow bridge.
WCC has raised these issues with the consultants with a view to having the Report finalised as soon as possible. Once the Feasibility Report has been finalised, and provided the scheme is still economically and environmentally viable, it has been agreed that the scheme will be progressed by WCC with funding from the OPW.
As part of the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a second Public Information Day will be held in the town to give the public a further view of what flood relief works are being considered and to invite feedback on the preferred scheme options.
I remain committed to the delivery of this scheme for Arklow and I look forward to the next Information Day to ascertain views of Arklow residents.
354. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the means by which the Office of Public Works has come into the possession of Newbridge Credit Union building, County Kildare; if in view of the fact that the cost of construction of this building was borne in full by the members of the local community that meaningful consideration will now be given to community use of at least part of the building, if not the building in its entirety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41557/14]
View answerThe Commissioners of Public Works have agreed to purchase the former Newbridge Credit Union building from the High Court appointed Official Liquidator, for use as an Intreo Centre for the Department of Social Protection.
While the Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection's immediate focus is to ensure that the Intreo service is fully functional as soon as possible, any future accommodation sharing arrangements would have to be examined carefully.
355. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update regarding a building (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41647/14]
View answerThe Office of Public Works has commenced a project to relocate the Dublin City Coroner and the State Pathologist from their current accommodation into newly refurbished premises at the former Whitehall Garda Station Dublin 9.
The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland lodged a notification with Dublin City Council (DCC) on 29 August 2014 under the provisions of Part 9 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001-2012, of intention to develop the former Whitehall Garda station, a Protected Structure, for use as the City Mortuary and accommodation for the Office of the State Pathologist. The development is to consist of a refurbishment of the property to accommodate the City Mortuary, which is under the aegis of DCC and the Office of the State Pathologist.
It is anticipated that a contract will be placed and works will commence in early 2015.
356. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding an application for funding in respect of an area (details supplied) relative to a pilot scheme to solve local flooding at the rear; if he will expedite a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41770/14]
View answerGraiguenamanagh is an Area for Further Assessment under the ongoing South East Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study and the flood risk in the town is being assessed in detail under the CFRAM project.
Pending the completion of the CFRAM project and the identification and implementation of any long term flood defence measures that may emerge from the CFRAM, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has determined to use this area to research the piloting of a scheme for individual property protection (IPP). In advance of this Kilkenny County Council (KCC) submitted an application for funding under the Office of Public Works' Minor Flood Mitigation and Coastal Protection Scheme for the appointment of consultants who will examine the feasibility of implementing a pilot IPP scheme for the town subject to agreement on the terms of reference for the feasibility study. The brief for the consultant study is being finalised currently. A decision to proceed with a pilot project for Graiguenamanagh will be made following full consideration of the consultants' report on its feasibility.
357. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will extend the opening hours for visitors to Kilmainham Gaol from Monday to Saturday from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., with a revised opening hours from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. to cater for increasing numbers and for those who are unable to attend before the existing closing time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41850/14]
View answerThe Office of Public Works is currently undertaking a project at Kilmainham Gaol to provide new Visitor facilities in the former Kilmainham Courthouse building which sits immediately adjacent to the Monument. Planning Permission for this development was recently awarded and work is progressing rapidly on the project currently with a view to an early start onsite. The newly adapted building will, when it is completed early in 2016, provide much needed additional facilities to deal in safety and comfort with the significant number of visitors - approx 326,000 in 2013 - who come to this site.
The current opening times at Kilmainham Gaol are as follows:
|
Months |
- |
Times |
|
April to September: |
Daily |
0930 - 1800 |
|
October to March: |
Daily, (Monday to Saturday) |
0930 - 1730 |
|
(Sunday) |
1000 - 1800 |
Mindful of the high visitor demand for Kilmainham Gaol, and recognising the preferences of visitors, the OPW plan, as part of the new arrangements for the site, to extend the opening arrangements at Kilmainham until later in the evening to help cope with peak demand periods in particular. This mirrors the practice at other popular attractions such as the Rock of Cashel, which opens to the public until 7.00pm in the peak summer months between June and September.
The new arrangements at Kilmainham Gaol will be finalised in tandem with the programming of construction works at the site over the next 14 months approx and will be rolled out in the course of the 2015 summer season.
358. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding repair works at Rosses Point, County Sligo; when a decision on provision of funding for these repair works will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41900/14]
View answerThe Government Decision of 11 February 2014 allocated total funding of up to €69.5 million for clean-up, repair and restoration works in relation to public infrastructure that was damaged in the period 13th December 2013 to 6 January 2014. Of this sum of €69.5 million, up to €19.6 million was allocated for the repair of existing coastal protection and flood defence structures. The allocation of €19.6m was based on submissions made by the local authorities concerned to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (D/EC&LG) at the request of that Department.
The D/EC&LG wrote to Councils notifying them of their allocations under the Government decision and, in this regard, Sligo County Council was informed that, based on its submission and estimate of repair costs, up to €1,200 was being made available for the repair of damaged coastal protection infrastructure in that county.
Sligo County Council submitted a number of applications for funding to the OPW following the January and February storms and the Government decision of 11 February. These included two applications in the sum of €50,000 and €25,000 for repairs to beach access ramps at Rosses Point North beach and Rosses Point South beach respectively arising from damage caused in the storm of 1 February. An application was also submitted by the Council for funding of €675,000 for works to construct a new coastal protection scheme at Rosses Point North beach.
The applications in relation to the repairs of damaged access ramps to the Rosses Point beaches fall outside of the scope of the specific funding allocation provided by the Government Decision of 11 February in that they were not included as repair costs in the Council's submission to the D/EC&LG and, consequently, were not included in that Department's notified allocation for repair funding to the Council following the Government decision. Also, funding for the repair of access ramps to the beaches is not a matter for the OPW as such ramps are not coastal protection or flood defence structures. They would fall into the category of beach amenity infrastructure and funding for the repair of these would more properly rest within the remit of the D/EC&LG or the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
The application for funding for proposed works in relation to a significant new coastal protection scheme at Rosses Point North beach also falls outside of the scope of the Government decision of 11 February as this related to repairs of damaged infrastructure only and did not apply to new works.
359. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the moneys raised to date from the pensions related deductions since it was introduced in 2009; the percentage rate at which it was recovered; the number of public servants affected; and the way that money was utilised. [41973/14]
View answerThe public service Pension-related Deduction (PRD), was introduced in March 2009 under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. The PRD has raised an estimated €5.5 billion since it was introduced.
|
Year |
Euro Amount (Millions) |
|
2009 |
837 |
|
2010 |
949 |
|
2011 |
960 |
|
2012 |
935 |
|
2013 |
923 |
|
2014 |
883 |
|
Total |
5,487 |
PRD reduced the cost of the public service pay bill by an estimated 6.1% in 2014. It is structured progressively insofar as it has a proportionately greater salary impact on higher paid public servants with deductions made in accordance with the following rates.
|
Pay Bands (€) |
PRD Rate |
|
0- 15,000 |
0% |
|
15,000-20,000 |
2.5% |
|
20,000-60,000 |
10% |
|
60,000+ |
10.5% |
All public service employees with gross pay (i.e. adjusted for work pattern) of more than €15,000 are impacted by the PRD.
The savings from the PRD have served and continue to serve as a critical element of the required national fiscal consolidation to meet the fiscal target of a deficit of less than 3% of GDP by 2015.
360. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there is an end date for the emergency financial measure introduced in 2009 on members of public service pension schemes, the pensions related deductions tax; and if the percentage charged on under €60,000 will be lowered and the exempted income be increased to reduce the burden on the lower paid public servants. [41974/14]
View answerThe powers granted by the Oireachtas under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Acts are temporary in nature and are predicated on the existence of a financial emergency in the State. In the course of my 2014 annual review, submitted to the Oireachtas, of the FEMPI measures impacting on public service pay and pensions, I concluded in June this year that it was necessary to continue to apply those measures, including the public service Pension-Related Deduction (PRD).
PRD is a progressively structured reduction to the pay of pensionable public servants ensuring that those on higher remuneration rates are impacted more adversely than those on lower pay. It raises of the order of €900 million per year and is therefore a critical component of the public service pay and pension measures adopted as part of our national fiscal consolidation. However, it should be noted that a start has already been made on ameliorating the impact of PRD on public servants. As legislated for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013, and as provided for in the Haddington Road Agreement, the rate of PRD on the €15,000 to €20,000 band of pay received in a year fell from 5% to 2.5% on 1 January 2014. This cut is worth €125 annually in gross terms to most public servants, with those taxed at the standard rate enjoying the greater gain in terms of take-home pay boost.
361. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason all requests for meetings at a local or regional level involving the Office of Public Works in relation to local matters have to be routed through the Minister of State’s office; if he is satisfied this is an efficient and effective way of doing business taking into account his responsibility for efficient public service delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42031/14]
View answerRequests for meetings with local or regional officials of the Office of Public Works (OPW) do not have to be routed through my office as a matter of course. OPW officials interact routinely with local and public representatives regarding numerous aspects of its business activities.
I am satisfied that the manner in which OPW manages correspondence from public representatives, including requests for meetings, is both effective and efficient
362. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the lowest paid workers in the Civil Service have not had their first hour of unpaid overtime restored since March of this year as per the Haddington Road agreement, even though their higher paid colleagues have had that temporary cutback restored. [40978/14]
View answerUnder the terms of the Pay and Productivity Measures outlined in sub section 2.4 of the Haddington Road Agreement the standard working week of public and civil servants was revised as follows:
- Those with a working week of 35 hours or less (net of rest breaks) increased to a minimum of a 37 hour week.
- Those with a working week that is greater than 35 hours but less than 39 hours (net of rest breaks) increased to a 39 hour week.
- Working hours of those grades with a net working week of 39 hours or greater remained the same. However an hour of overtime worked each week for these grades was unpaid until 31 March 2014.
The calculation of overtime payments in respect of the public and civil servants concerned is based on the revised standard working week hours' arrangements outlined above and is being implemented in accordance with the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement.
363. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 94 of 16 July 2014, if he will make arrangements to ensure that the information will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41201/14]
View answerThe Public Appointments Service (PAS) advertised a competition for Clerical Officer in 2007. Following the competitive process panels of qualified individuals were established for various locations from which vacancies were filled.
The competition was held using technology which has since been replaced and records are not readily accessible to PAS. The requirement for a manual search of the records by PAS for the locations listed by the Deputy was the cause of the delay in the information being made available to me by PAS. I am now in a position to provide the Deputy the information sought and the delay is regretted.
Analysis of the records suggests that the numbers recommended for appointment were:
- Carlow/ Kilkenny- 22
- Laois/ Offaly/ Westmeath 21
While the information provided refers to offers of assignment made to candidates, PAS cannot be certain that all those recommended were ultimately appointed and /or took up duty.
The competition did not include a specific stream confined to people with disabilities, therefore information in relation to this was not gathered.
364. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the panel for the recruitment of clerical officers in the public service established in 2007-2008 will be the basis for recruitment in the near future or will a new round of applications and a new panel be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41202/14]
View answerRecruitment to the civil service and a range of other public bodies is handled under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 which established a central recruitment agency, the Public Appointments Service (PAS), for this purpose. The PAS operates under licence from the Commission for Public Service Appointments and is independent in its operations.
No public service Clerical Officer panels for permanent appointment are currently active due to the lapse of time since competitions were run. As the Deputy is aware, there has been a moratorium in place since 2008 which has severely curtailed recruitment to permanent positions, other than to those with critical replacement needs and key skills shortages. The last competition of this type was launched in 2007 and will not be revisited for offers of appointment at this stage.
In June of this year the Public Appointments Service (PAS) advertised a recruitment competition to fill permanent clerical positions which may arise in the civil and public Service. In excess of 28,000 applications were received. The PAS will establish panels of suitably qualified individuals from which public service organisations may draw.
Interviewing is currently underway for approximately 300 Clerical Officer positions which it is expected will be filled over the next two years. These Clerical Officers will take up positions across the Civil Service and opportunities in the the wider public service may also arise in agencies, local authorities and the HSE.
365. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has issued guidelines on the payment of bonuses and performance related pay across the public sector and the commercial semi-State companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41235/14]
View answerNo performance related pay is payable to civil servants or similar grades in other parts of the public service, since the termination of the scheme of performance related pay in 2009.
With regard to the Non-Commercial State Agencies, it is a matter of Government policy that Performance Related Award Schemes continue to be suspended on an indefinite basis. Access to such schemes is no longer included in the employment contracts for newly-appointed CEOs or in contract renewals for incumbent CEOs. It is a matter for parent Departments in the first instance to ensure that all bodies under their aegis are fully in compliance with Government pay policy in its application.
In 2012 the Government reviewed the position on the payment of performance related reward schemes or bonuses for Chief Executive Officers in Commercial State Companies and agreed to continue with the policy which it introduced in 2011 of requesting the State Companies concerned not to award such bonus payments in light of the serious state of the public finances. Furthermore the Government agreed to continue with the practice of excluding the payment of bonus provisions in the employment contracts of newly appointed CEOs to such State Companies as well as in respect of contract renewals for incumbent CEOs.
I have no statutory role in relation to the Performance Related Award Schemes for staff below CEO level in Commercial State Companies. The Boards and management of these organisations must ensure that pay and remuneration structures for staff are sustainable, reflect commercial realities, are structured to deliver real value for money, while driving performance and efficiencies within the organisation.
366. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a member of the non-established State employees scheme who will be 64 years of age in December, and who has total reckonable service of 18 years and 310 days spread over several periods in various Government Departments, is eligible to claim preserved pension benefit in advance of age 65 under the actuarially reduced benefit scheme; the method of application whether now or at age 65; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41301/14]
View answerThe minimum age at which a pension is payable in the Pension Scheme for Non-Established State Employees is 65 years. A person may resign their post prior to their 65th birthday and preserve their accrued pension benefits until they attain the age of 65 years. Alternatively members of the Non-Established State Employees Superannuation Scheme, prior to resigning/retiring, may apply to avail of what is termed Cost Neutral Early Retirement (CNER) once they have attained the age of at least 55 years.
Applications for CNER cannot be made once the person has left their employment. Staff opting for cost neutral early retirement need also to be aware that the actuarially reduced rate applies throughout the lifetime of the payment of the pension (subject to future adjustments in line with public service pensions policy). More information in respect of the Cost Neutral Early Retirement Scheme can be found at http://circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/finance/2005/10.pdf.
Details of the pension payable to the individual may be obtained by the individual, on request, to his or her own Human Resources section.
367. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of meetings he or officials from his Department had with a person (details supplied); the purpose of each of those meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41332/14]
View answerOfficials of my Department have attended inter-Departmental meetings from time to time convened by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and others at which the person concerned was present and where Irish Water related issues featured, such as the Water Sector Reform Programme Steering Group.
368. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the improvements that have been introduced by his Department in recent years to ensure that spending decisions are more informed and that waste is reduced; his plans for the remainder of this Dáil term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41503/14]
View answerPart III of the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2014-2017, which was published on Budget Day last month, outlines the budget reform measures that have been introduced by my Department over the last number of years and provides a comparison with best practice as identified by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It shows that the new approach to expenditure analysis and value for money evaluation captures all of the best practice elements proposed by the OECD. As the Report explains, the reforms are built around a number of key elements:
- The Public Spending Code - A new comprehensive set of expenditure appraisal rules, value for money requirements and related guidance covering all public expenditure. It is designed to ensure that the State gets the best possible value for the resources at its disposal. This new framework consolidates, revises and modernises the previous set of guidelines, circulars and directions issued in relation to value for money. It brings together best practice in evaluation and appraisal;
- Performance Budgeting Initiative An initiative to improve the quality of information on how Government programmes are performing against stated goals, which in turn will help bring more clarity to how well public investment is working for the citizen. Such performance information is now included in the annual Revised Estimates for Public Services, and a new web site containing performance information is also available (www.irelandstat.gov.ie);
- Comprehensive Expenditure Reviews Ireland is one of leading group of countries to have introduced regular spending reviews. The Government has now overseen two such reviews since 2011.
The main focus in the period ahead is to bed down these reforms and to build capacity that will underpin the effective application of these new budgetary reform measures across Government. A key part of this will be the ongoing development of the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service, which was established in 2012 and which is being built up as an integrated cross-Government service to enhance the role of economics and value for money analysis in public policy making.
369. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 259 and 260, if any of the measures he referred to in the reply apply to construction contracts entered into by local authorities. [41523/14]
View answerAs outlined in the response to PQs: 93 of 3 April 2014 (PQ 15781/14 refers); PQs 259 and 260 of 21 October 2014 (PQs 39990/14 and 39992/14 refers), a pilot social clause for inclusion in the Devolved Schools Programme, which is being administered by the National Development Finance Agency on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills was approved last year by the Government Contracts Committee for Construction (GCCC).
Under Department of Finance Circulars 40/02 and 33/06, contracting authorities are required to make a submission to the GCCC should they wish to amend any standard form of construction contract. No applications for amendments have been submitted to date by any local authority or public body to the GCCC for the inclusion of social clauses.
370. Deputy Liam Twomey asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will move the resolutions to designate chairpersons of the Oireachtas committees as officeholders as set out in the Standards in Public Office Act 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41541/14]
View answerUnder the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995, a person who holds the office of chairman of a committee of either House, or the office of chairman of a joint committee of both Houses, can be expressly designated as an office holder by a resolution of the House or Houses, whether in the resolution(s) establishing that Committee or by separate resolutions. Since the 1995 Act came into force, chairpersons of such committees have not been designated as office holders.
My Department is currently finalising a review of the current legislative framework for ethics and, in that context, is completing a draft Scheme of a Bill designed to modernise, simplify and streamline the current arrangements in light of, in particular, the recommendations contained in the final report of the Mahon Tribunal and recommendations contained in the Annual Report of the Standards in Public Office Commission.
The ethics obligations of all public officials including chairpersons of Oireachtas committees are being considered in that context. I expect to submit proposals to Government in the coming weeks and following Government approval, I will publish, alongside the draft Scheme, a policy paper on the legislative proposals to inform and encourage public debate and to act as a basis for further public consultation on the proposed Bill.
