Written Answers Nos. 203-219
203. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the availability of adequate critical infrastructure, such as road, rail, air and sea transport; the extent to which his Department continues to monitor the availability of such facilities and plans for the future accordingly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18191/15]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for his question. Ministerial responsibility for the Transport, Tourism and Sport areas, rests with my colleagues Paschal Donohoe T.D Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport. Accordingly, the Deputy may think it appropriate to table a question for my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in regard to the provision of infrastructure for the areas the subject of his question.
204. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform as part of the spring economic statements 2015, the transparency measures that will be put in place to ensure that the national economic dialogue with civil society groups will be a fair and inclusive process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18127/15]
View answerAs outlined in the Spring Economic Statement (SES), it is the Government's intention to hold a National Economic Dialogue in July of this year. This dialogue will be held over two days. The precise arrangements for the dialogue are being finalised by my Department and the Department of Finance. I am committed to ensuring that the process is as open and inclusive as possible and representatives of civil society will naturally be invited to participate. We will also be making arrangements to live stream as much of the dialogue as possible.
It will be an opportunity to consider how to best use the available resources as set out in the SES. The SES has provided the broad parameters that will underpin the discussion of fiscal and economic policy well in advance of the October Budget and has set out the fiscal space available, in the order of €1.2 billion to €1.5 billion for 2016. For the discussions to help inform the work of the Government in deciding on Budget options and measures in line with our EU obligations, it is important that they reflect the economic and fiscal context within which budgetary decisions will be arrived at.
The Spring Economic Statement and the National Economic Dialogue are appropriate reforms to the domestic budgetary process that are intended to facilitate an open and frank discussion about fiscal options and priorities in light of the changes to the budgetary and economic surveillance at EU level.
These reforms to the budgetary process should be seen as adding to the wide-ranging reforms to the budgetary architecture, introduced by this Government over the last few years. These wider reforms 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.
205. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to make funding available to roll out a dedicated stream of funds for community groups to apply for the construction of greenways, similar to the sports capital grant but solely dedicated to greenways, noting their importance, popularity and contribution to people's health and well-being; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18122/15]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for his question. Ministerial responsibility for all tourism policy, promotion and development matters, including the development of greenways, resides with my colleague Paschal Donohoe T.D Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport. As I have no role or function in this matter, the Deputy may think it appropriate to table a question for my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
206. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will take the necessary steps to bring the National Asset Management Agency under the remit of the freedom of information legislation. [18245/15]
View answerThe National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is a public body as defined in Section 6 of the FOI Act 2014, other than in relation to the records of the body detailed in Schedule 1 Part 1 para (x) of the Act.
In general, the FOI Act came into operation 6 months following its enactment in the case of a public body such as NAMA, that was not subject to FOI under the 1997 Act but is subject to FOI under the new Act. The FOI Bill was enacted on 14 October 2014. NAMA became subject to FOI under the Act 6 months later on 14 April 2015.
The details on how to make an FOI request have been available on the NAMA website since 14 April 2015 and I am informed that NAMA has been accepting and processing FOI requests since that date.
207. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps being taken to locate staff in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in either of two locations in Portlaoise, County Laois; and his Department's plans regarding the site purchased for a new Department building at Mountrath Road, County Laois. [18126/15]
View answerThe majority of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's (DAFM) staff are currently accommodated in three locations in Portlaoise in the State Owned Government Offices on the Abbeyleix Road and two leased premises.
OPW are continuing to work with DAFM to consolidate their staff into fewer locations. In this regard, a space audit of the State owned Government Offices on the Abbeyleix Road in Portlaoise is currently being undertaken. When this is complete, it will be evaluated to establish the potential to increase the occupancy of the building through the re-configuration of the space with a more modern open plan layout and furniture.
The provision of an extension to this State owned property will also be reviewed following completion of the space audit. The use of leased premises may prove part of the final proposals for the long term accommodation solution for DAFM.
The Commissioners do not have an immediate use for the site purchased in Portlaoise for decentralisation. However, all such sites are taken into account in the context of the overall long term rationalisation of the property portfolio.
208. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will legislate for a social value clause in public procurement contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18238/15]
View answerSocial clauses in contracts encourage suppliers to perform actions focussed on broader policy considerations. EU law leaves the Member States the option to take social considerations into account provided the general principles of EU law, i.e. the free movement provisions and the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination, mutual recognition, proportionality and transparency, are respected.
The Government is not opposed to the principle of social clauses. As the Deputy is aware, the Government has indicated its support in principle to two Private Members Bills dealing with social clauses, one put forward by his Party and the other by Sinn Féin. The appropriateness of including social clauses in procurement projects will vary from contract to contract and they are likely to be most suited to works and services contracts. It is therefore important that any policy instrument that is developed affords the State the necessary flexibility to design social clauses that are relevant to the needs of a specific contract and do not disadvantage the wider economy.
It was with this in mind in June of last year that I established a Social Clauses Project Group to proactively look at projects which might be suitable for inclusion of social clauses aimed at the long term unemployed and/or apprentices. The group has been working with the various procuring sectors and has identified 11 projects which will be used to test the inclusion of social clauses in tender and contract documentation.
In addition to this initiative, I would also like to point to another initiative on social clauses - the Devolved Schools Programme - which is being administered by the NDFA on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. This pilot project has sought to introduce social clauses in three contracts covering fourteen sites comprising both stand-alone, new build and extensions/refurbishment works. I understand that reporting from the three main contractors to the NDFA indicates that the initiative has resulted to date in the hiring of 50 employees who had been unemployed for more than 12 months and a further 18 apprentices/trainees.
Overall, it is important to learn from the practical experience of the pilot projects outlined above on how social clauses can be effectively used as well as from the practical experience of their use in other jurisdictions. The Government believes that further debate and discussion is required as to the correct policy approach regarding enabling social clauses, mindful of course of the need to maintain flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
209. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the reversal of pay cuts and an increase in pay will be discussed with the relevant trade unions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18242/15]
View answerAs I have already outlined, following consultation with my Government colleagues, I issued an invitation to the representative organisations for public servants to enter discussions with public service management. Those discussions have commenced today, and I am sure that the Deputy will understand, in the circumstances, my reluctance to seem to engage in any negotiations in public. When the economic crisis determined that further reductions were required of public servants in 2013, the Haddington Road Agreement was secured by negotiation and discussion with the representatives of those directly affected. I believe a similar approach in the current circumstances is also appropriate.
Further formal discussions will take place over the coming weeks and, although I am not in a position to predict when the talks will conclude, early agreement will facilitate assignment of resources and budgetary planning in respect of 2016 and beyond.
The Government considers that any pay agreement should be prudent, modest and sustainable in the overall budgetary context which has now been set out in the Spring Economic Statement. Through the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) and its predecessor the Croke Park Agreement, together with the FEMPI legislation, public servants have made a significant contribution to the fiscal recovery of the State including by way of direct reductions in pay and pensions. From 2009 to 2014 the cost to the Exchequer of public service pay was reduced by €3.7 billion, or more than 21%. Notwithstanding our improving economy, because of the magnitude of these reductions, the Exchequer could not sustain the immediate restoration of such reductions. I have stated previously that there need to be realistic expectations, on both sides, regarding what can be achieved in the forthcoming talks process.
The end of the period of acute financial emergency which necessitated the introduction of the FEMPI legislation by the previous Government is now in sight because of the actions of this Government. Planning for the orderly wind down of this legislation in an agreed and sustainable process, rather than risking a successful legal challenge, is the appropriate and prudent approach but I am conscious that 2015 will be the seventh successive year in which no pay increases will be made to public servants while they have suffered at least two and in some cases three pay reductions over that period.
I expect that all sides to these discussions will meet with the aim and intention of making an agreement that is fair to all involved, those who avail of public services, employers, and public servants themselves, and an agreement that sustains the continuing economic recovery.
210. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the fact that he is responsible for the sale of State assets, if he will provide an update on the discussions and the report of the interdepartmental group that is considering the potential International Airlines Group takeover of Aer Lingus. [18223/15]
View answerThe Government's Inter-Departmental Steering Group and its advisers have continued their engagement with IAG, focusing on the key issues of concern to the Government as set out in the statement by the Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport on 24th February. These include:
- Legally binding, permanent commitments on the Heathrow slots and term-based commitments on routes.
- Clarity on the overall employment prospects with particular reference to the timeframe within which net additional employment would be created.
- Further details relating to transatlantic growth and opportunities for growth at Cork, Shannon and Knock.
- Confirmation of the nature and acceptability of oversight measures on the Heathrow slots and routes - subject to any EU considerations.
- Evaluation by the Steering Group and its advisors of the financial terms offered.
There has been useful engagement on the issues by both sides and I would expect that the Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport will be in a position to bring the report of the Steering Group to Government for consideration in the coming weeks.
211. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 9 of 9 October 2014, if his Department has carried out further research to ensure that transparency and accountability were applied at all times in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18260/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware from my previous response that the information sought is not collected by my Department and would not be collected by contracting authorities as part of a procurement process. Whilst individual contracting authorities in the public and utilities sectors would hold information in relation to contracts awarded by them, they are not required to collect the details of all the shareholders that have invested in a company that has been awarded a public contract.
Public contracts are awarded following a transparent and competitive process conducted in compliance with the National and EU legislation. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. In this regard, all procurements above EU thresholds should be advertised nationally and in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Contracting Authorities are legally responsible for the manner in which they carry out a procurement process. This is because they are in the best position to assess the merits of the tenders that are received as part of any tender process. Contracting Authorities cannot favour or discriminate against particular candidates and there are legal remedies which may be used against any public body infringing these rules.
212. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the efficiencies being achieved in the Civil Service regarding the use of shared services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18125/15]
View answerThe National Shared Services Office within my Department is leading shared service strategy and implementation of Shared Services projects within the overall Reform and Renewal context. It is responsible for the delivery of Civil Service Shared Service projects and the operation of Civil Service Shared Service Centres.
As part of its wider leadership role, the Office provides support to other Public Service sectors in progressing their Shared Service commitments but is not directly responsible for their implementation. My colleagues, the Ministers for: Health; Education and Skills and; Environment, Community and Local Government will respond separately on the implementation of their individual sectoral Shared Services Plans.
My Department is advancing 3 key Shared Services projects across the Civil Service. These are:
- PeoplePoint, the HR and Pensions Administration Shared Service;
PeoplePoint services approximately 26,000 employees across 25 Public Service Bodies. This will rise to more than 31,000 employees across 39 Public Service Bodies, once all transitions have been completed.
- Payroll Shared Services; and
The Payroll Shared Services Centre (PSSC) services 31,000 payees across 33 Public Service Bodies. This will rise to 120,000 across 53 Public Service Bodies, once all transitions have been completed.
- Financial Management Shared Services
Financial Management Shared Services is at an earlier project design stage. A procurement exercise is currently under way for a single financial management solution to deliver Financial Management Shared Services to 47 Public Service Bodies. Once the business case is fully evaluated, I expect to seek the approval of Government in the autumn to progress to implementation.
Shared Services is not a short-term efficiency measure. Both public and private sector best practice indicates that benefits are generally realised over three to five years. Over the medium term, Shared Services delivers effective and efficient corporate services through the adoption of standardised processes for repeatable transactions, thereby reducing duplication of effort. It also plays a pivotal role as an enabler of broader Public Service Reform, freeing up Public Service staff to focus on core services. In each case, the business case includes an estimation of the savings and other benefits, including staffing reductions associated with the project.
The qualitative benefits of PeoplePoint include:
- Standardised HR processes and procedures
- Elimination of duplicated effort
- Use of new and more innovative technologies
- Improved control and compliance
- Development of deep HR skills and expertise within the Shared Service Centre
- An enhanced Customer Service focus
The qualitative benefits of Payroll Shared Services include:
- Greater efficiency in payroll service delivery through standardising and optimising payroll transactional processes through self-service technologies
- Maintaining focus on ensuring consistent, high quality customer service
- Improved Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery planning and capability.
213. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the mechanism in place to address cross-departmental barriers to reform, and saving of public funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18121/15]
View answerThe reform programme, as set out in the 2011 Public Service Reform Plan, and its successor the Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016, adopts a whole-of-Government approach to reforming our public services across all sectors, including health, education, justice and local government, as well as the Civil Service. The Reform and Delivery Office (RDO) in my Department monitors the progress being made in making reforms a reality.
Integrated Reform Delivery Plans, prepared annually by all Departments and major Offices, set out the key actions required to ensure the successful delivery of the priority cross cutting reform initiatives set out in the Public Service Reform Plan, as well as sector-specific reform initiatives and actions from the Haddington Road Agreement. Departments and Offices are required to produce regular reports on progress under these plans for the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform.
The RDO works closely with each of the main sectors of the Public Service - including Health, Education and Justice. In doing so, through training and other measures, the RDO aims to ensure that the appropriate governance structures are in place so that barriers to reforms can be identified and adequately addressed.
In addition, the Civil Service Renewal Plan published last October provides for the establishment of a Civil Service Management Board compromising of Secretaries General from all Departments and heads of all major Offices. The Civil Service Management Board has collective responsibility for the implementation of the Civil Service Renewal Plan.
As regards expenditure management, among the key reforms introduced by this Government, and one which allows us to identify expenditure pressures and priorities over multiple years, are the periodic reviews of which ensure that resources are used in the most effective and efficient manner. The most recent review was carried out in 2014 and included an examination of cross-cutting issues by the Central Expenditure Evaluation Unit in my Department. These reports are available on the Department's website.
Finally, the Government has greatly enhanced the role of Dáil Éireann's Select Committees through the implementation of a whole-of-year budgeting process which ensures that the Ministerial expenditure allocations and their expected outputs are effectively scrutinised.
Overall, the reforms put in place over the past 4 years have enabled us to maintain and improve public services, in spite of the considerable fiscal constraints facing us during this period.
214. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach the number employed directly in the aircraft leasing industry here. [17313/15]
View answerThe CSO's statistics on Business Demography indicated that there were 971 persons engaged in the aircraft leasing sector in 2012, the latest year for which these figures are available. The figures for aircraft leasing relate to NACE Rev 2 sector N77.35 “Renting and Leasing of Aircraft Activities”. The statistics on Business Demography are published by the CSO in an annual statistical release and on the StatBank database of statistical tables. The data are based on the CSO Central Business Register of all enterprises that are active in the State.
215. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Taoiseach the number of Private Members' Bills that have been passed since this Dáil was elected in 2011. [18136/15]
View answerThe Programme for Government outlined an ambitious agenda for Oireachtas reform to be introduced in a phased process over the lifetime of this Government.
One aspect of this planned reform was the introduction of new procedures to enhance the legislative role of elected members. This included such steps as the introduction of a Pre-Legislative Stage for Bills before an Oireachtas Committee so that members can review the Heads of a Bill and issue a Report before the Bill is published, and the introduction of a system of dedicated Dáil time to enable TDs to play a fuller role in the legislative process by introducing their own Bills and having those Bills debated on the floor of the Dáil.
These sittings, on a Friday, were introduced in 2011 for one sitting day a month to debate a single Private Member's Bill and had to be expanded in 2013. so that the Dáil now sits every second Friday during term. The Dáil debates two Private Member's Bills on the first such Friday and one Private Member's Bill and an Oireachtas Committee Report on the second.
This has encouraged a rapid growth in the number of members introducing their own Bills, from 14 Private Member's Bills published by Members in 2010 to 53 published in 2014.
A total of 28 Private Member Bill's have passed Second Stage in the Dáil since the current Dáil was elected in 2011. A total of 19 Seanad Private Member's Bills have passed Second Stage.
Among the Bills that have been passed at Second Stage in the Seanad and the Dáil some have been enacted either under their own title or merged with another Bill, or have been withdrawn in favour of a Bill introduced on the issue by the relevant Minister.
The Construction Contractors Act 2013 and the Protection of Children's Health (Tobacco Smoke in Mechanically Propelled Vehicles) Act 2014 both started as Private Member's Bills.
The Advanced Health Care Decision Bill 2012 was a Private Member's Bill which passed Second Stage and was sent to Committee. This Bill was incorporated into the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Bill 2013, which is currently before the Oireachtas Justice Committee.
The Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011 was a Private Member's Bill to put in place a system to designate bodies which may register members to solemnise marriages and was passed in the Seanad. It was influential in the enactment the following year of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2012
216. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Taoiseach the State boards, bodies or committees on which vacancies currently exist, or on which vacancies are anticipated to arise up to and including 1 January 2016; the number of vacancies in each case; when the vacancy arose or will arise; if the vacancy relates to a chair or a member; if he will provide details of the appointment process in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18138/15]
View answerThere are no State boards, bodies or committees under the auspices of my Department on which vacancies currently exist, or in which vacancies are anticipated to arise up to and including 1 January 2016.
217. Deputy John Browne asked the Taoiseach regarding the lack of fulfilling Statutory Instrument 426 of 2014, if he will report annually on energy usage; the actions that have been taken to reduce consumption; the reason no reports have been issued since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18140/15]
View answerThe Department of the Taoiseach includes figures on its energy consumption in its Annual Report each year. Up to date figures on energy consumption, as well as the measures taken to reduce overall energy usage, will be included in the forthcoming Annual Report for 2014. The Department also maintains regular contact with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to monitor the efficient use of energy and to ensure that we follow best practice in this area.
Energy usage in the Department of the Taoiseach is administered by the Facilities Management Unit in the Houses of the Oireachtas, which oversees the energy usage and costs for the entire Government Buildings complex. There have been some significant changes in recent years in the services provided and in how the charges for these services are apportioned among the different tenants within complex.
Such changes have included the replacement of oil-fired boilers with new Biomass boilers fuelled by wood-pellets, the installation of new Electricity meters and the recalculation of the floor space usage of the different tenants.
218. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of recruitment to the public sector under the aegis of his Department since the partial lifting of the embargo on recruitment. [18258/15]
View answerThe following table gives details of recruitment by my Department since 1 January 2015.
|
Number of staff recruited since 1 January 2015 |
Grade |
|
3 |
Administrative Officer |
|
4 |
Clerical Officer |
|
2 |
Temporary Editorial Assistant |
|
1 |
Personal Assistant (Temporary contract) |
219. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Taoiseach the number of agencies, quangos or other bodies within his Department or funded by or established by his Department which have been scrapped, merged or reduced since this Government was formed; the amount saved in each case; the reduction in staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18441/15]
View answerThere are no agencies, quangos or other bodies within my Department, funded by or established by this Department which have been scrapped, merged or reduced since this Government was formed.
