Written Answers Nos. 184 - 192
185. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of staff in his Department currently on a sabbatical-career break broken down by zero to six months, six to 12 months, one to two years, two to three years, four to five years and more than five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49129/14]
View answerThe number of staff of my Department currently on career breaks is set out in tabular format. The “duration of break” refers to the length of time off requested by the applicant when applying for their career break, including any extension and/or waiting period before a return to work. Career breaks are available to staff of my Department in accordance with provisions set centrally by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
|
Duration of Break Requested |
Number of Staff |
|
0-6 Months |
0 |
|
6-12 Months |
1 |
|
1-2 Years |
5 |
|
2-3 Years |
2 |
|
3-4 Years |
2 |
|
4-5 Years |
5 |
|
5 + Years |
5 |
|
TOTAL |
20 |
186. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, the total photography costs for his Department since coming to office inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; the occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49144/14]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the total photography costs incurred by my Department and its Offices since 9 March, 2011 are €14,983. The list of occasions for which photographers were booked, the photographers used and the breakdown of costs are detailed in the following table.
No expenditure for photography was incurred from Ministerial allowances.
2011
|
Occasion for which Photographer booked |
Name of Photographer |
Breakdown of costs associated with each event |
|
Small Business Advisory Group Launch |
Mac Innes Photography |
€409 |
|
Irish Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship |
Mac Innes Photography |
€223 |
|
One Millionth Document Filed Online at the Companies Registration Office |
Jason Clarke Photography |
€484 |
|
Ministerial image shot for Repeat use |
Mac Innes Photography |
€245 |
|
Launch of the Final Report of the Sales Law Review Group |
Mac Innes Photography |
€252 |
|
Launch of the Report of “The Voice of Small Business” |
Mac Innes Photography |
€284 |
|
Junior Inventor Awards |
Hot Shotz Photographers |
€120 |
|
Total |
€2,017 |
2012
|
Occasion for which Photographer booked |
Name of Photographer |
Breakdown of costs associated with each event |
|
Launch of Action Plan for Jobs 2012 |
Mac Innes Photography |
€438 |
|
Action Plan for Jobs Forum, Limerick |
Press 22 |
€312 |
|
Action Plan for Jobs Roadshow, Cork |
B.L. Mac Gill Photography |
€200 |
|
Launch of Research Prioritisation Report |
Jason Clarke Photography |
€492 |
|
Action Plan for Jobs Roadshow, Waterford |
Gerry O’Carroll Photography |
€298 |
|
Capital Investment Announcement |
Mac Innes Photography |
€284 |
|
Launch of IP Protocol |
Fennell Photography |
€301 |
|
Launch of Business Regulation Portal |
Fennell Photography |
€319 |
|
Establishment of Clustering Development Team |
Fennell Photography |
€331 |
|
Launch of “Managing out of the Crisis” Guide |
Fennell Photography |
€257 |
|
Publication of Micro Enterprise Loan Fund Bill |
Fennell Photography |
€283 |
|
Launch of €90 Million Microfinance Scheme |
Fennell Photography |
€321 |
|
Launch of Green Economy Policy Statement |
Fennell Photography |
€264 |
|
Total |
€4,100 |
2013
|
Occasion for which Photographer booked |
Name of Photographer |
Breakdown of costs associated with each event |
|
Launch of Action Plan for Jobs Q4 Results |
Fennell Photography |
€264 |
|
Launch of Action Plan for Jobs 2013 |
Fennell Photography |
€318 |
|
Meeting with Chinese Ambassador |
Fennell Photography |
€308 |
|
Launch of New Work Permit Legislation |
Fennell Photography |
€264 |
|
Launch of Manufacturing Report |
Fennell Photography |
€342 |
|
Unveiling of new Local Enterprise Office, Swords and announcement of details of improved new service for micro and small enterprises |
Fennell Photography |
€326 |
|
Announcement of membership of the Entrepreneurship Forum |
Fennell Photography |
€369 |
|
Launch of Action Plan for Jobs Q2 Results |
Fennell Photography |
€273 |
|
Launch of Copyright Review Report |
Fennell Photography |
€251 |
|
Appointment of Chairman of US-Ireland Partnership |
Fennell Photography |
€232 |
|
IDA Announcement |
Fennell Photography |
€270 |
|
Conference for EU High Level Group for Innovation |
Fennell Photography |
€290 |
|
Informal meeting of EU High Level Employment Committee in Dublin Castle |
Maxwell Photography |
€579 |
|
Group Photograph of Labour Court Members |
Tommy Clancy Photography |
€369 |
|
Total |
€4,455 |
2014
|
Occasion for which Photographer booked |
Name of Photographer |
Breakdown of costs associated with each event |
|
Launch of Entrepreneurship Forum report |
Fennell Photography |
€291 |
|
Taking Care of Business 2014 |
Fennell Photography |
€291 |
|
Action Plan for Jobs 2014 Launch |
Fennell Photography |
€321 |
|
Launch of National Corporate Social Responsibility Plan |
Fennell Photography |
€137 |
|
Publication of OECD report on the Action Plan for Jobs |
Fennell Photography |
€229 |
|
Launch of young entrepreneur competition |
Fennell Photography |
€397 |
|
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Conference |
Fennell Photography |
€457 |
|
Domestic Workers Group |
Fennell Photography |
€321 |
|
EU SME Week |
Fennell Photography |
€203 |
|
Launch of the Horizon 2020 Strategic Research Proposals Group |
Fennell Photography |
€460 |
|
Retirement of labour Court member |
Tom Clancy Photography |
€369 |
|
Signing of MOU between NERA and the HSA |
Karl McDonagh |
€57 |
|
Senior Management Forum |
UCD |
€400 |
|
Taking Care of Business Launch |
Fennell Photography |
€275 |
|
CD Copy of Taking Care of Business |
Mac Innes Photography |
€203 |
|
Total |
€4,411 |
The Department uses external photographers sparingly and, with a view to keeping costs to a minimum, regularly uses its own facilities and staff to take photographs in-house. My Department also avails of the panel of photography firms, selected following a procurement process undertaken by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is available for use by all Departments.
187. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department since coming to office; the list of uses of the external public relations firm; the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49159/14]
View answerThe names and business addresses of the providers of public relations services used by my Department and the Offices of my Department, the details of the services supplied by each and the expenditure on each since 9 March, 2011 to date are as follows:-
|
Year |
Name and Address of PR Services Provider |
Details of Services Supplied |
Cost |
|
2011 |
Barberry Limited trading as Keating & Associates, 19 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2. |
To provide NERA with Communications Services (including PR; Media Monitoring; advising on the design, content and production of reports & brochures and assisting with website content). |
€18,770 |
|
2012 |
Barberry Limited trading as Keating & Associates, 19 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2. |
To provide NERA with Communications Services (including PR; Media Monitoring; advising on the design, content and production of reports & brochures and assisting with website content). |
€5,268 |
|
2013 |
Barberry Limited trading as Keating & Associates, 19 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2. |
To provide NERA with Communications Services (including PR; Media Monitoring; advising on the design, content and production of reports & brochures and assisting with website content). |
€3,183 |
|
2013 |
MRPA Kinman Communications trading as MKC Communications Limited, The Archway, 4A Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2. |
To provide the Department with Press and Media Relations Services for the Irish Presidency of the EU. (This was a once off exercise/expenditure due to Presidency events.) |
€76,480 |
|
YTD 2014 |
Barberry Limited trading as Keating & Associates, 19 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2 |
To provide NERA with Communications Services (including PR; Media Monitoring; advising on the design, content and production of reports & brochures and assisting with website content) |
€3,136 |
My Department uses external public relations providers having regard to its business needs. In engaging such providers, the Department is mindful of the need to secure value for money and, accordingly strives to keep costs to the minimum.
188. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total amount spent on external IT consultants by his Department in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49174/14]
View answerRecords indicate that the amount spent by my Department on externally delivered software supports, systems development, website supports, helpdesk supports and other IT consultancy in each of the years is as follows:
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2010 |
€3,658,005 |
|
2011 |
€2,933,832 |
|
2012 |
€2,997,635 |
|
2013 |
€2,678,870 |
|
2014 (to 15th December) |
€2,547,750 |
The reduction in spend over the period has come about through support cost management processes including retendering, through retiring some older technologies and because my Department has been able to in-source certain support works where particular skills became available in house.
189. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his Department has renegotiated external IT consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49189/14]
View answerIT contracts are normally placed for a fixed period or for a defined piece of work. If further support or development is required when a contract expires, this would normally be the subject of a new tender process. For some IT support costs, such as proprietary software licenses, where open tendering is not always possible, my Department is engaged in an on-going process to ensure that such costs are kept to a minimum. In general, my Department has engaged in an ongoing process of ICT support cost management, through the use of tendering, retiring older technologies, and insourcing supports where specialist skills become available in-house. In the period between 2010 and 2013, this pro-active approach to IT support cost management has given rise to savings which in 2013 amounted to €979,000 on the 2010 figure. Final figures for 2014 are expected to be similar.
190. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide the number of appointments to State boards under his Department's remit made since March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies on State boards under his Department's remit since March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies on State boards under his Department's remit publicly advertised since March 2011 to date; and the number of appointments to State boards under his remit drawn directly from the public advertisement process. [49205/14]
View answerSince coming to Office in March 2011, I have made 115 appointments to the Boards of Agencies under my Department’s remit. Of these 46 were within my discretion. A further 24 appointments were re-appointments and a further 45 were allocated under legislation to social partners, nominees of prescribed bodies and appointments on an Ex Officio basis and were not appropriate, therefore, for public advertisement. Of the 46 appointments made within my discretion, 30 submitted expressions of interest. In respect of appointments that are wholly within my discretion, my overriding priority is to appoint the best people available for particular board positions. The credentials of the appointees vary depending on the requirements of the individual posts. I am satisfied however that in all cases, they have the skills and expertise to allow them to contribute positively to the functions of their individual board.
As the Deputy will be aware the Government decided on 30th September 2014 that all appointments (with some limited exceptions) are to be advertised in the State Boards portal, stateboards.ie, operated by the Public Appointments Service (PAS).
Appointees must meet specific and detailed criteria determined by the relevant Minister as necessary for the effective performance of the relevant role(s) and are processed by way of a transparent assessment system designed and implemented by PAS to support the relevant Minister in making appointments to State Boards under his/her remit.
Guidelines approved by the Government on the process to be used on making applications to State Boards were issue by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on 27th November 2014.
191. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, per annum from 2009 to date in 2014 the total number of freedom of information requests received by his Department; the total refused; total granted; total part-granted; total appealed; total successful appeals; total part-successful appeals; total refusals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49247/14]
View answerThe following table provides details of the total number of FOI requests received by my Department and its Offices from 2009 to date in 2014 in the format requested. I am interpreting the reference to appeals as relating to the review of a decision as provided for under Section 14 of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003, which is now under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2014.
Total Number of FOI Requests Received in Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation from 2009 to date
|
Year |
Total FOI Requests Received in Year* |
Total FOI Requests Refused in Year |
Total FOI Requests Granted in Year |
Total FOI Requests Part-Granted in Year |
Total Requests for Internal Review Received in Year |
Total Decisions Successful following Internal Review |
Total Decisions Partly Successful following Internal Review Total Requests for Internal Review Refused in Year |
|
2009 |
149 |
23 |
46 |
43 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
|
2010 |
122 |
13 |
34 |
52 |
5 |
3 |
20 |
|
2011 |
83 |
9 |
29 |
30 |
3 |
1 |
20 |
|
2012 |
95 |
13 |
28 |
37 |
5 |
3 |
20 |
|
2013 |
55 |
10 |
17 |
12 |
1 |
1 |
00 |
|
2014 |
67 |
6 |
15 |
11 |
4 |
3 |
01 |
* This includes FOI requests that were withdrawn, withdrawn and handled outside of the FOI process or transferred to another Department.
192. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, per annum all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and the publication date. [49262/14]
View answerThe names of external reports commissioned by my Department and Offices of my Department, details of consultants employed and the expenditure on each for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 is as set out as follows. The data in respect of 2014 includes the research and analysis programme, which was undertaken by Forfás up to the date of its integration into my Department in August 2014, and subsequently carried out by the Strategic Policy Division in my Department.
January – December 2014
|
Name of external Consultant/Organisation |
Report Title |
Status Date Published /Ongoing |
Cost of Report € |
|
Ward Solutions |
ICT security reviews |
Internal ICT security assessments – not for publication |
35,178 |
|
Rits |
Mobile Device Policy Assessment |
Internal ICT security assessments – not for publication |
2,236 |
|
Version 1 |
Oracle eBusiness Suite R12 Upgrade Assessment |
Internal ICT assessment – not for publication |
No expenditure to date |
|
Copenhagen Economics |
TTIP Impact in Ireland |
Ongoing (expected publication in early 2015) |
167,788 |
|
Clarion Consulting Limited |
Employment Permits Administration Section Business Process Improvement Project Report |
Report nearing completion |
52,275.00 |
|
CIRCA Group Europe Limited |
Review of Ireland’s membership of international research organisations |
Ongoing |
60,000.00 |
|
CM International |
Assessment of Public Funded RD&I Supports for Innovation in Services and Business Processes |
Input to Forfás report on Services Innovation published April 2014 |
6,000.00 |
|
Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government |
Ireland’s Competitiveness Scorecard 2014 |
Input on economic complexity to competitiveness analysis. |
2,600.00 |
|
Insight Statistical Consulting/Fitzpatrick Associates |
Evaluation of IDA Training Grants |
Input to programme of evaluations - publication Q1 2015 |
19,188.00 |
|
DCU/Fitzsimons Consulting |
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2014 (GEM) |
Ongoing - GEM 2014 report will be published in Q1 2015 |
20,000.00 |
|
Insight Statistical Consulting |
Annual Employment Survey 2014 (AES) |
Ongoing - publication in EI/IDA year-end statements and by DJEI in Q1 2015 |
5,683.00 |
|
Indecon Economic Consultants |
Analysis of direct & indirect economic impacts on an export-led growth enterprise policy |
Ongoing |
14,482.00 |
|
IDC |
Harnessing Big Data for innovation led growth: an assessment of Ireland's progress and further policy requirements |
Ongoing |
31,863.57 |
|
CM International |
Optimising Policy Intervention to Strengthen the Impacts of Enterprise RD&I in Ireland |
Ongoing |
36,469.00 |
|
Fitzpatrick Associates |
Econometric analysis of effectiveness & impacts of agency supports |
Input to DJEI Evaluations of agency programmes - ongoing |
14,391.00 |
|
Insight Statistical Consulting |
Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact (ABSEI) 2013 and 2014 |
Ongoing |
44,034.00 |
|
PWC |
Role of Intellectual Property |
Input to competitiveness analysis |
15,612.00 |
|
PWC |
Review of Insurance Costs |
Ongoing |
34,440.00 |
|
PWC |
Review of Public Procurement |
Input to competitiveness analysis |
28,911.00 |
|
Technopolis |
Strengthening Applied Research Capacity & Review of potential models for Research Technology Organisations (RTOs) in Ireland/Medium Term Development of the Market-Focused Element of the Irish Research Centre |
Ongoing |
62,180.20 |
|
Tom Martin & Associates |
Higher Education Engagement by EGFSN |
Ongoing |
13,577.48 |
|
AECOM |
Assessing the Demand for Skills in the Freight Transport, Distribution and Logistics Sector in Ireland over the period 2014-2020 |
Input to EGFSN review - publication Q1 2015 |
78,702.00 National training fund contribution €60,601 |
|
DKM RPS |
Water Services & Environmental waste Issues & Priorities for Enterprise |
Ongoing - input to Forfás/DJEI submissions to regulator and competitiveness reports |
50.353.00 |
|
Technopolis |
A Mapping of Smart Ageing activity in Ireland and an assessment of the potential smart ageing opportunity areas |
Input to DJEI analysis - ongoing |
58,244.00 |
|
Cambridge IP |
An Analysis of Intellectual Property Activity in Ireland based on the existing data Phase 1. |
Input to DJEI analysis - publication Q1 2015 |
40,966.38 |
|
Technopolis |
A Study on enhancing the Intellectual Property activities in the firm base in Ireland - Phase 2 |
Input to DJEI analysis - ongoing |
14,741.55 |
|
E&Y |
Analysis of Sectoral Ecosystems - Input to Enterprise Policy 2025 |
Ongoing |
61,461.00 |
|
RSM McClure Watters |
Study of the Current and Future skills requirements of the Marine/Maritime Economy to 2020 |
Input to EGFSN review - publication Q1 2015 |
82,617.21 |
|
Indecon Economic Consultants |
Hospitality Sector - Hotels, Tourism & Catering |
Ongoing Input to EGFSN Review |
39,145.00 National Training Fund Contribution €30,142 |
January – December 2013
|
Name of external Consultant/Organisation |
Report Title |
Status Completed/Ongoing |
Amount Spent € |
|
Ward Solutions |
ICT security reviews |
Internal ICT security assessments – not for publication |
24,627 |
|
HM Ventures |
Innovative pathways to jobs and growth – Entrepreneurship, Access to Finance and Internationalisation of SMEs |
Published |
7,500 |
|
Fitzpatrick Associates |
Benchmarking of Irish Export Licensing Administration against selected EU Member States. |
Ongoing. Report received December 2013. |
47,417 |
|
Tom Martin & Associates/TMA |
Youth Unemployment A review of wage costs and other factors which may affect the employment of young people in Ireland. |
Presented to the Troika in line with the terms of the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policy which is a component of the Memorandum of Understanding, September 2013, as part of which the Irish Government undertook to present a report in December 2013. |
5,547.30 |
|
Janet Hughes |
Labour Court Review of Joint labour Committees |
Published |
17,835 |
|
RSM McClure Watters |
The evaluation of the Workplace Relations Pilot Early Resolution Service |
Published |
35,498 |
|
First Choice Financial Services Ltd and AJS Financial Advice Ltd |
Credit Guarantee Scheme “Findings and Recommendations” |
Published |
24,600 |
January – December 2012
|
Name of external Consultant/Organisation |
Report Title |
Status Completed/Ongoing |
Amount Spent € |
|
Ward Solutions |
Security reviews of ICT systems |
Internal ICT security assessments – not for publication |
39,095 |
|
Version 1 |
ICT systems review – Patents Office Ptolemy System |
Internal technology review – not for publication |
29,667 |
|
Achilles Procurement Services Ltd. |
Recommended Procurement Strategy for a Customer Relationship Management System (CRMS) from the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court |
Published |
2,560 |
|
Deloitte |
Feasibility Study: Making Ireland an International Centre for Intellectual Property |
Ongoing |
102,872.62 |
March – December 2011
|
Name of external Consultant/Organisation |
Report Title |
Status Completed/Ongoing |
Amount Spent € |
|
Rits |
IT Security assessment of new hosting site in Revenue Hosting Centre |
Internal ICT security assessment – not for publication |
8,276 |
|
Maxima Ireland |
Computer Server Virtualisation Strategy Review |
Internal technology review – not for publication |
7,093 |
|
UCD (Dr Frank Walsh) |
Review of ERO and REA Wage Setting Mechanisms |
Published May 2011 |
15,000 |
|
Greater Heights Ltd |
Learning Need Analysis (NERA Staff) |
Published |
15,645 |
|
Capital for Enterprise Ltd. |
Design of Temporary Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme |
Published |
59,565 |
