Written Answers Nos. 110-119
110. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update with regard to the Skibbereen flood relief scheme in County Cork; the commencement and completion dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12617/15]
View answer111. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update with regard to the Clonakilty flood relief scheme in County Cork; the commencement and completion dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12618/15]
View answer112. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update with regard to the Bandon flood relief scheme in County Cork; the commencement and completion dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12619/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 110 to 112, inclusive, together.
The Bandon Flood Relief Scheme is currently at tender stage for procurement of a civil works contractor. The pre-qualification process to provide a short-list of contractors is completed and tender documents are expected to be issued shortly by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to the applicants who were selected to tender for the project.
The Skibbereen Flood Relief Scheme is being progressed by Cork County Council as the Contracting Authority for the project, with funding being provided by the OPW. The current position is that the Council has issued tender documents for the procurement of a civil works contractor to those applicants who were short-listed in the pre-qualification process. I understand the tenders are due back in mid April, after which they will be considered by the Council before a Contractor is appointed.
Both the Skibbereen and Bandon Schemes will shortly be submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for Confirmation i.e. statutory approval under the Arterial Drainage Acts. This process includes an independent review of the Environmental Impact Statement for each Scheme. It is hoped that this process will be completed on both Schemes in time to allow Contractors to be appointed in the Autumn of this year. Once a contractor is appointed and construction gets underway, it is expected that it will take approximately two years to complete each Scheme.
In relation to the Clonakilty Flood Relief Scheme, a preferred scheme design option was presented at a statutory Public Exhibition which took place from 15th December 2014 to 20th January 2015. Members of the Public were invited to submit observations on the preferred option by 20th February 2015. All the observations received from concerned parties are currently being considered.
Subject to broad acceptance of the Clonakilty Scheme proposals by the public, detailed design of the Scheme will be undertaken. This will be followed by a procurement process for a civil works contractor and the formal Confirmation of the Scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts. Again subject to successful completion of the tender and Confirmation processes, it is hoped that construction will start in early 2016. The construction programme is expected to take up to 24 months to complete.
The Government remains fully committed to the provision of flood relief schemes for the people of Bandon, Skibbereen and Clonakilty and the OPW has made provision for the cost of implementing these schemes in its financial profiles over the years 2015-2018.
113. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to set out the process by which the Government will increase the recruitment level of Irish speakers in the public service to 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12624/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, in October 2013 the Government approved the introduction of a new approach to ensure that there are a sufficient number of civil servants who are able to perform their duties through Irish. These new arrangements were put in place in the context of replacing the policy of awarding bonus marks for Irish language proficiency in civil service recruitment and promotion competitions which was not meeting the Government's objectives.
Under the new approach measures are being introduced to increase the cohort of functional bilinguals in the civil service in order to reflect a more competency-based approach to recruitment and, where appropriate, promotion competitions.
In future, in the context of workforce planning frameworks, Departments will be required to identify the posts/areas of work requiring functional bilinguals and to include these in their workforce action plans. Having regard to the implementation of the Gaeltacht Act 2012, Departments will be asked to pay particular attention to posts that are located in, or that are serving, Gaeltacht areas. This process will be central to ensuring that future recruitment and interdepartmental promotion competitions run by PAS make sufficient provision for appointments to posts requiring functional bilinguals. In the case of Departmental recruitment and promotion competitions, an assessment will be made of the requirement for functional bilinguals and, where necessary and appropriate, a sub-panel of functional bilinguals will be put in place.
The new arrangements replace the scheme of bonus marks for Irish, introduced nearly 40 years ago following the abolition of compulsory Irish for entry to the civil service. Under the new arrangements, where a post in a Government Departments is identified as requiring proficiency in Irish, the intention is that it should be filled by a functional bilingual.
The new arrangements are part of the Executive Officer (EO) recruitment competition for which applications closed on 8th January 2015. The new arrangements have also been incorporated into the ongoing Clerical Officer (CO) recruitment competition.
It is intended that a sub-panel of Irish language functional bilinguals comprising up to 6% of the overall panel size, will be created in both competitions subject to a sufficient number of candidates meeting the required standard.
The operation of the new arrangements in these competitions will be reviewed and will be revised as necessary in the context of experience and progress in achieving the Government's objectives.
114. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to outline the manner in which he expects his proposed forum on public sector pay, expenditure and taxation issues to operate; when it will be convened; the remit it will be provided with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12625/15]
View answerThe wide-ranging ranging reforms to the budgetary architecture, introduced by this Government, have been informed by the core principle that a more open and transparent process, allowing for clearer accountability and oversight, supports the efficient use of public funds to deliver effective services for citizens.
With Ireland set to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure at the end of 2015, we will thereafter become subject to the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact. In this fiscal context, the Government is now considering options, including a Spring Economic Statement and National Economic Dialogue, to further develop the whole-of-year budgetary cycle.
My Department is working with the Department of Finance on developing proposals for a National Economic Dialogue on the matters referred to by the Deputy. In relation to the timing and format of the dialogue I envisage that it will be held mid-year and carried out in an open and transparent manner that facilitates public discussion about fiscal policy options and priorities.
With a mid-year timing for the dialogue, this would allow the discussions at the dialogue to inform the work of Government and the Oireachtas in their considerations of the Budget later in the year.
115. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to outline his views on concerns that there is currently a drive for commercially realisable research in science in a limited set of prescribed areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12387/15]
View answerThe Government remains committed to the importance of science, technology and innovation (STI) given the key role that it plays in underpinning economic recovery and maintaining Ireland's competitiveness.
Ireland has successfully built up a strong science base as result of significant funding and an ambitious policy of building up capacity in our Higher Education Institutes and in our enterprise base over the last decade and a half. The Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation (2006 to 2013) was a broad based strategy which covered funding for research and innovation across all disciplines and across the full continuum of research from basic to applied as well as commercialisation of research.
Economic and fiscal conditions in the intervening period informed the Government's decision to implement a range of policies directed at accelerating the economic and societal return on our STI investment. Research Prioritisation was one such key policy initiative and saw a concentration of the majority of competitive funding on areas which were deemed most likely to secure greater economic and societal impact, particularly in the form of jobs. The priority areas were identified, following rigorous analysis and intensive engagement with all key stakeholders by the Research Prioritisation Steering Group (a broad based group comprising membership from industry and academia) on the basis of existing strengths of the public research system, existing strengths of the enterprise base, opportunities that exist in terms of the global marketplace and those which are most likely to deliver economic and societal impact and employment.
While Research Prioritisation saw a greater emphasis on the economic and societal impact of research it did not represent a move away from funding basic research. Policy has been and will continue to support research across the full continuum from basic to applied, through to commercialisation of research. While the mandate of Science Foundation Ireland was expanded in 2013 to include applied as well as basic oriented research, SFI is still mandated to fund earlier stage research. However, all research supported by SFI must be in strategic areas of opportunity for the State in line with our research prioritisation agenda and it must have impact - this approach will continue to underpin policy into the future and will be a central pillar of the Government's Strategy.
Excellence in scientific research has been and will continue to be a cornerstone in the development of our science base in Ireland. In the context of our vision for the future, we must have a strong and excellent research base particularly in areas where our strengths can match opportunities.
Equally important is the translation of research and commercialisation of ideas. Ireland is ranked third in the EU, according to the European Commission's "Indicator of Innovation Output”, which measures the extent to which ideas from innovative sectors are able to reach the market, providing better jobs and making Europe more competitive. All of the national indicators show that our focus on commercialisation of research is having an impact. The number of technologies licensed to industry, which is one of the most relevant indicators of commercialisation performance in the research system, rose significantly from 12 in 2005 to 87 in 2012 and invention disclosures and spin outs also increased substantially during that period. We established Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) in 2013 to make it even easier for companies to access and use ideas developed through publicly-funded research to develop new products and services and ultimately create jobs and exports.
A consultation process designed to inform the development of a broad based Strategy, which will be a successor to the Strategy for Science Technology & Innovation, is underway. Submissions received from various stakeholders will be considered in detail by my Department and the Interdepartmental Committee which has been tasked with developing proposals for the new Strategy. This Committee includes representatives from key Government Departments and the Higher Education Authority as well as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government and is expected to complete its work by the Summer.
116. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to set out his views on the current level of investment in long-term fundamental science research; if he will ensure that funding for this area of research is being provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12388/15]
View answerPrior to a Government policy decision to make a significant investment in science, technology and innovation, research funding in Ireland was at very low levels. However, from 2000, an ambitious policy was adopted - investing in people, infrastructure and associated facilities to build the science base across many areas of scientific research in both our higher education institutions and other public research organisations; and direct support to the enterprise sector to help individual companies to build their capacity for research and development. As a result significant steps have been made in establishing a strong and excellent public research base particularly in areas where our strengths can match opportunities.
Building on this success, this Government introduced a number of policy initiatives targeted at accelerating the economic and societal return on our investment in this area. In reaching its conclusions on foot of rigorous analysis and intensive engagement with all key stakeholders, the Research Prioritisation Steering Group – a broad based group comprising membership from industry and academia - identified 14 priority areas around which the majority of competitive funding should be targeted. The areas were identified on the basis of existing strengths of the public research system, existing strengths of the enterprise base, opportunities that exist in terms of the global marketplace and those which are most likely to deliver economic and societal impact and employment.
Evidence, from both the EU and internationally, shows that this strategy is paying off. Globally, we are ranked:
- 11th in the Global Innovation Index 2014, out of 142 countries.
- 15th in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook for 2014, up two places from 2013.
- 1st in the world for inward investment and quality, as per the IBM Global Location Trends Report of 2013.
- 1st in Europe and 2nd in the world for the number of investment jobs per capita, as per the same report.
- 3rd in the new EU 'Indicator of Innovation Output', and
- 9th in the European Commission's 2014 Innovation Union Scoreboard.
Excellence in scientific research has been and will continue to be a cornerstone in the development of our science base in Ireland and this has been complemented in recent years by a sharper focus on the relevance and impact of research. While Research Prioritisation saw a greater emphasis on the economic and societal impact of research it did not represent a move away from funding basic research. Policy has been and will continue to be to support research across the full continuum from basic to applied, through to commercialisation of research. Ireland has been listed among the top 20 countries in global rankings for the quality of our scientific research and we have excelled in certain scientific disciplines. For example, Ireland is ranked:
- 1st in immunology,
- 1st in animal and dairy,
- 3rd in nanotechnology and
- 4th in computer science.
While the mandate of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) was expanded in 2013 to include applied as well as basic oriented research, SFI is still mandated to fund earlier stage research. However, all research supported by SFI must be in strategic areas of opportunity for the State in line with our research prioritisation agenda and it must have impact. Impact is measured broadly across a range of areas including the economy and society, health and well-being, capacity and skills, natural capital and the built environment. This has manifested itself in the establishment of 12 large scale research centres in areas of relevance to the economy and society.
In the context of our ongoing fiscal constraints and the many competing demands for investment of public funds, the Government will continue to support excellent and impactful research across the continuum from basic to applied in strategic areas of opportunity for the State. This approach will underpin the successor to the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation which is currently being formulated by an Interdepartmental Committee which includes key Government Departments and the HEA as well as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government.
117. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to set out the definition for commencement of employment under the Unfair Dismissals Acts; if he will provide the information that an employer must when offering a subsequent contract, to the original temporary contract of employment, to an existing employee under the Terms of Employment (Information) Act; and under this same legislation, the information an employer must provide to an employee where a contract of employment is extended. [12405/15]
View answerA range of employment rights legislation is pertinent to the scenarios outlined by the Deputy in his question. These include, inter alia, the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2007, the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 and the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003. In addition, legal principles established under case law may be of relevance to aspects of the issues raised by the Deputy.
The Deputy will understand that I cannot provide legal advice in relation to the employment law rights applying to any particular situation. Independent legal advice should be sought if an individual has concerns about a specific employment situation.
With regard to the provision of general information on employment rights legislation, the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) is mandated to secure compliance with this legislation. Under the current reform programme NERA's Information Unit has been restructured and expanded to form a new Workplace Relations Customer Service Section. This Section provides information in relation to employment, equality and industrial relations rights and obligations. It can be contacted at Lo-call: 1890 80 80 90. The website www.workplacerelations.ie also provides extensive information on employment rights.
118. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to detail tranches of legislation that were submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by his Department since 2011; his plans to allow pre-legislative scrutiny for any upcoming legislation from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12416/15]
View answerThe table below sets out the legislation submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by my Department since 2011. In addition I expect to publish the Scheme of a Consumer Rights Bill for public consultation in April 2015 and propose to submit it for pre-legislative scrutiny.
Legislation submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny since 2011
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Name of legislation |
Details |
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Workplace Relations Bill |
The Workplace Relations Bill 2014 was published on 30th July, 2014. The policy document 'Legislating for a World Class Workplace Relations Service' upon which the Draft Scheme of the Workplace Relations Bill was drafted was referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for scrutiny in July, 2012. I also appeared before this Oireachtas Committee in July, 2012 to discuss the proposed Workplace Relations legislation. |
|
Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014 |
The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014 was submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny on 22nd September 2014. |
|
National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015 |
The National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015 was submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny 4th February 2015. |
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The County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Act, 2014 |
The County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Act, 2014, enacted on 15th April, 2014 was subject to the Oireachtas pre legislative scrutiny procedure. |
|
Hallmarking (Amendment) Bill |
The Heads of Bill and the RIA were sent to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for pre-legislative scrutiny on 10 October 2014, in accordance with Dáil Standing Order 123A and Seanad Standing Order 113A, requesting the Committee to consider whether pre-legislative scrutiny was necessary. At its meeting on 2nd December the Committee decided that, having reviewed the documentation provided by the Department as well as a research paper prepared by the Library and Research Service of the Houses of the Oireachtas, it would not be undertaking Pre-Legislative Scrutiny. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Council. |
|
Companies (Accounting) Bill |
The Heads of Bill and the RIA were sent to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for pre-legislative scrutiny under letter dated 13th March 2015 in accordance with Dáil Standing Order 123A and Seanad Standing Order 113A, requesting the Committee to consider whether pre-legislative scrutiny was necessary. A decision of the Committee is awaited. |
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Commission Regulation (EU) |
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COM (2013) 798 - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Seafarers amending Directives 2008/94/EC, 2009/38/EC, 2002/14/EC, 98/59/EC and 2001/23/EC |
The Commission proposal went to the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on 10 December 2013 as part of the Oireachtas scrutiny process |
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COM (2014) 452 - Proposal for a Council Directive implementing the European Agreement concluded by the European Barge Union (EBU), the European Skippers Organisation (ESO) and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time in inland waterway transport |
The Commission proposal was brought before the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on 30 September 2014, 7 October 2014 and 11 November 2014, as part of the Oireachtas scrutiny process |
In addition, in respect of the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) (Exclusion of Workers in the Fishing and Shipping Sectors) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 357 of 2014), a draft of the Regulations was laid before each House of the Oireachtas for a Resolution of each House to be passed (known as a Positive-Resolution process).
119. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide the details of a jobs announcement (details supplied); the timing of the job creation; the interactions that have been had between any State enterprise agency and the promoter; if his attention has been drawn to these interactions and to the announcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12423/15]
View answerThe company referred to, which announced the Global Sustainability Initiative for Facilitating Investment in Africa, is neither an IDA Ireland nor Enterprise Ireland client company and neither agency were involved in this announcement. Nevertheless, I welcome the announcement and IDA Ireland has agreed to help attract companies into the proposed technology hub, the “Global Sustainability Centre,” within the Castlebar facility.
