Tuesday, 25 Nov 2014

Departmental Contracts

Questions (477)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

477. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department, or any agency of her Department, has awarded any contracts to a company (details supplied) since 9 March 2011. [45344/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department made no contract payments to the company in question over the period indicated by the Deputy.

Education Agencies are responsible, within Government guidelines, for procurement of their own goods and services and the contracts arising. The Department does not maintain details of contracts undertaken by these agencies.

Teaching Contracts

Questions (478)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

478. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address the situation of many secondary teachers who have spent several years teaching in casual and temporary positions without any prospect of job security or permanency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45355/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Haddington Road Agreement provided for the establishment of an Expert Group to consider and report on the level of fixed-term and part-time employment in teaching, having regard to the importance for teachers of employment stability and security and taking account of system and school needs and Teaching Council registration requirements.

The independent chairperson of the Group (Peter Ward SC) presented his report to me on 17 September 2014, following extensive consultation with all stakeholders and interested parties.

The report recommends a suite of measures which will allow fixed-term teachers to acquire permanent positions more easily and quickly and enable part-time teachers to gain additional hours. The report also provides for extended redeployment arrangements in the event of mismatch between teacher qualifications and the curricular needs of schools, giving school management increased flexibility.

The report recommends that seven changes should take place from the commencement of the 2015 school year and I intend to proceed with the implementation of those recommendations with effect from that date. The changed arrangements will be notified to schools by the end of 2014. These reforms will represent a significant improvement in the job security and stability of employment for existing and future young teachers.

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Places

Questions (479)

Anthony Lawlor

Question:

479. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are circumstances where a person not in receipt of a social welfare payment could be deemed eligible to partake in SOLAS training schemes, either subsidised by the State or at their own expense; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45368/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

While priority access to former FÁS training courses is given to those in receipt of an eligible Department of Social Protection payment, all unemployed persons are eligible to participate on such courses free of charge.

It should be noted, however, that anyone referred to such a course can only receive a training allowance if they are in receipt of an eligible payment from the Department of Social Protection.

Departmental Correspondence

Questions (480)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

480. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45385/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I regret the delay in providing a comprehensive reply to the correspondence and will arrange for my officials to issue a reply to the Deputy, at the earliest opportunity.

International Students

Questions (481)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

481. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on the work being done by her Department to find alternative course places for students affected by the closure of English language schools as a result of their courses no longer being approved by her Department. [43829/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, a number of private colleges have closed in 2014. The first priority of both the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Justice and Equality has been to find a reasonable accommodation for genuine students affected by those closures. This accommodation must have regard to the fact that these colleges were private bodies with no relationship to the State. The Department of Justice and Equality acted rapidly to bring reassurance to students regarding their immigration status.

On 21 May 2014 the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Justice and Equality announced the establishment of a Task Force on Students Affected by the Closure of Private Colleges. The Task Force worked closely with the representative bodies of the high-quality private sector providers and with student representatives to develop solutions that could provide reasonable accommodation for students impacted by the closures who were not covered by learner protection arrangements.

The Report of the Task Force, which I published together with the Minister for Justice and Equality on 2nd September, sets out the arrangements for reasonable accommodation which have been put in place by the high-quality private sector English language and higher education colleges. Those arrangements are scalable and allow affected students the opportunity to take up an alternative arrangement at significantly discounted rates. In addition to those arrangements, the Task Force also established a website, www.studenttaskforce.ie, which sets out relevant information for students.

In addition, we also announced robust regulatory reforms of the international education sector on that date. The purpose of those reforms is to protect the educational and consumer interests of genuine international students, to tackle abuse of the labour market and the immigration regime, and to safeguard the strong international reputation of high-quality Irish education providers.

Departmental Funding

Questions (482)

Jim Daly

Question:

482. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the proposal to remove funding from the Asthma Society of Ireland in 2016 (details supplied). [45049/14]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. My Department is providing funding under the scheme of in excess of €8 million over the two year period to mid–2016. This represents an increase in funding of more than 10% per annum compared to the previous scheme.

A new scheme was advertised for applications early this year. The Asthma Society of Ireland was not approved for funding on this occasion.

I announced, on 18 July 2014, the allocation of bridging funding of €1.4 million to a number of previously funded health, disability and other organisations for a twelve month period, pending the carrying out of a review of the public funding of national organisations in the health and disability sector. The Asthma Society is in receipt of funding from 1 July 2014 until 30 June 2015 under the bridging funding arrangements.

This bridging funding in 2014/2015 is a once-off transitional arrangement and will enable organisations to plan for their future, whether with or without State support, such as that provided under the Scheme to Support National Organisations.

My Department has commenced a process of engagement with the Department of Health in order to advance the review, which is being undertaken in agreement with my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health with Special Responsibility for Primary Care, Mental Health and Disability. The Health Service Executive and Pobal are also participating in this review. I intend to complete and publish the outcome of the review in due course.

Local and Community Development Programme Project Funding

- Children and Families from Disadvantaged Areas;

- Lone Parents;

- New Communities (including Refugees/Asylum Seekers);

- People living in Disadvantaged Communities;

- People with Disabilities;

- Roma;

- The Unemployed (including those not on the Live Register);

- Travellers;

- Young Unemployed People from Disadvantaged areas.

In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of the services to clients, the Programme is subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway. Stage one (Expression of Interest) has been completed. Stage two (Invitation to Tender), got underway on 20 October and will involve the successful applicants from Stage one being invited to apply to one or more Local Community Development Committees, in Local Authority areas, to deliver the programme. Contracts for SICAP will be determined following the outcome of the procurement process.

The procurement process for SICAP was open to Local Development Companies, other not-for-profit community groups, commercial firms and national organisations that can provide the services to be tendered for to deliver the new Programme.

In Stage one, joint applications were encouraged and organisations of varying sizes (for example smaller organisations working in consortia with larger organisations) were invited to submit joint applications.

A meeting was held recently between my Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht in response to the issues raised regarding the continuation of funding for the Development Offices on the Islands concerned. My Department currently provides LCDP funding to five non-gaeltacht islands, Bere, Sherkin, Inis Turk, Inis Bofin and Clare Island. It was recognised that the issues relating to these, non-gaeltacht, islands in question are outside of, and separate to, SICAP. However, both Departments fully understand the importance of the community development infrastructure on these islands and will collaborate to agree a workable solution.

In the meantime, LCDP funding, for the groups concerned, will continue until the end of March 2015.

Priory Hall Development

Questions (484)

Brendan Ryan

Question:

484. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of the implementation oversight group set up under the aegis of his Department to oversee the overall implementation of the October 2013 Priory Hall resolution framework, the current status of the resolution process; the steps that have been taken to keep property owners informed of the current status of the Priory Hall development; if a point of contact has been appointed by the oversight group to keep residents informed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45280/14]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

An implementation group, chaired by Dr Martin McAleese, is in place to oversee the effective implementation of all aspects of the agreed Framework. The implementation group includes representatives of both former residents and buy-to-let owners, thereby ensuring that all of the Priory Hall homeowners are fully engaged and fairly treated. In relation to the refurbishment works, the position is that in August 2014, my Department conveyed approval to Dublin City Council to proceed with the refurbishment works on the first two phases of the overall Priory Hall remediation project and to advance the planning of subsequent phases of this project.

Electromagnetic Fields Studies

Questions (485, 522, 523)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

485. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the policy that is relied upon to define acceptable levels of electromagnetic fields associated with high-tension power lines; if the policy is to be reviewed to take account of updated expert research in both the engineering and medical disciplines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45304/14]

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Catherine Murphy

Question:

522. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the policy that defines acceptable levels of electromagnetic fields associated with high-tension power lines when planning for the proximity of such power lines to residences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45248/14]

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Catherine Murphy

Question:

523. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way policy that covers acceptable proximity between residences and the electromagnetic fields levels associated with high-tension power lines compares with corresponding policies in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45250/14]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 485, 522 and 523 together.

The issue of the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields was the subject of an Expert Group Report commissioned by the Government and published in March 2007. This report, entitled Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, which considered issues such as digital signals, microwaves and mobile phone masts, is available for download on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/EnvironmentalRadiation/ .

The Expert Group reported that the majority scientific opinion was that no adverse short - or long-term effects have been demonstrated from exposure to electromagnetic fields at levels below the limits recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Extensive international research on the issue continues to be co-ordinated through bodies such as the World Health Organisation.

A substantial volume of research on this issue is being carried out internationally by bodies with responsibility for monitoring the health effects of electromagnetic fields, including the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR). This Committee recently published a Preliminary Opinion on Potential Health Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields, updating its previous opinions from 2009 and taking account of the many studies undertaken in the intervening years. The Report can be found at the following weblink: ( http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/emerging/docs/scenihr_o_041.pdf ).

The findings of this research are being monitored by the WHO’s EMF Project; it is expected that a report will issue from the WHO in 2015. My Department, via its Air Quality & Environmental Radiation Policy Section, continues to monitor this and other scientific evidence as it is made available and will consider any policy implications in this context.

In addition, my Department recently commissioned a study on international developments in non-ionising radiation (NIR) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) research since publication of the 2007 Expert Group Report. The study is also examining how the issue of NIR/EMF is dealt with in other jurisdictions and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The results of this study will be used by a Steering Committee, convened and chaired by my Department, to consider and make specific proposals relating to the future management of these matters including, inter alia, any consequent legislative amendments and provisions.

Motor Tax Collection

Questions (486)

Timmy Dooley

Question:

486. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 524 and 620 of 6 June 2012, if will provide a costing of implementing a direct debit system for motor tax payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45376/14]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I have no plans currently to introduce a direct debit payment option for motor tax and my Department has, therefore, not fully costed the introduction and implementation of a direct debit system. The introduction of such a system would also involve the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, which has responsibility for overseeing the operation of the National Vehicle Driver File and the associated IT systems.

Water Conservation Grant

Questions (487)

Question:

489. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the water conservation payment will be issued to all households regardless of whether they use both water in and water out or just one aspect of the water services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45395/14]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together.

Households that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process will, in the case of primary dwellings, be eligible for a €100 water conservation grant, payable through the Department of Social Protection. This payment is being made available to support more sustainable use of water, as part of the Government’s objective of achieving greater water conservation among households, and will be available to all households (primary dwellings) including those in the group water sector and those with private wells or septic tanks.

The detailed arrangements for the operation of the scheme are being developed by my Department and the Department of Social Protection, with the expectation that it will be operational in September 2015.

Irish Water Appointments

Questions (490, 494)

Lucinda Creighton

Question:

490. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will publish the minutes of all meetings of the Irish Water consultative group in view of the fact that this group agreed service level agreements which will have significant financial implications for Irish taxpayers for many years to come. [45493/14]

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Lucinda Creighton

Question:

494. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 13 November 2014, if he will provide a list of all the names of the individual representatives of his Department, the County and City Management Association, the Local Government Management Agency, the Water Services Transition Office, Irish Water, and Irish Congress of Trade Unions and affiliated unions who have been part of, or continue to be part of, the Irish Water consultative group from September 2012 to date; if a person (details supplied) was responsible for appointing the persons to the group; if not, if he will indicate the person responsible for appointing the persons to the group and whether this required ministerial consent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44804/14]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Alan Kelly)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 494 together.

The Irish Water Consultative Group was established to facilitate engagement with the Unions and staff on the roll-out of the Water Sector Reform Implementation Strategy, and had its inaugural meeting in September 2012 under an independent chair, Mr. Kevin Foley of the Labour Relations Commission. This joint union/management group was established to provide a mechanism for regular structured dialogue, consultation and engagement on issues arising from the implementation strategy, including service level agreements. These service level agreements signed between Irish Water and individual local authorities were based on a generic template, a copy of which is available on my Department’s website, under the service level agreements section at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Water/WaterSectorReform/#documents.

Representation is a matter for each of the respective organisations rather than by appointment by the Chairman.

The Union side is represented by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and comprises up to 8 representatives from Congress, SIPTU, IMPACT and the Local Authority Craft Group of Unions.

The Management side is represented by officials from my Department’s Water Services and Local Government (Human Resources) Divisions; representatives from the County and City Management Association, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and the Water Services Transition Office; and Irish Water/Bord Gáis.

The LGMA hosts the meetings of the Group and provides secretariat services and is responsible for holding all records of the Group. I have asked the LGMA to forward the minutes including the attendees lists directly to the Deputy.