Tuesday, 16 Jun 2015

Written Answers Nos. 328-341

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (328)

Barry Cowen

Question:

328. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, broken down by year, the total photography costs for his Department since coming into office inclusive of costs incurred from use of the Ministerial Allowance; if he will provide the list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; and if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23423/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

In the time available, it has not been possible for my officials to compile all of the information requested by the Deputy. Once the available information is collated, I will arrange for it to be forwarded to the Deputy.

Consultancy Contracts Data

Questions (329)

Barry Cowen

Question:

329. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, broken down by year, the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department since coming into office; if he will provide the list of uses of the external public relations firm, and internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23439/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

In the time available, it has not been possible for my officials to compile all of the information requested by the Deputy. Once the available information is collated, I will arrange for it to be forwarded to the Deputy.

Consultancy Contracts Data

Questions (330)

Barry Cowen

Question:

330. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total amount spent on external information technology consultants by his Department in each of the years 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23455/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Given the wide range of different technologies and systems used in supporting my Department’s ICT systems, it would not be efficient to support all of these technologies using internal resources, although internal resources are also used extensively in supporting ICT systems. For this reason, external ICT support is used to support a number of systems, and for developing new systems which deliver efficiencies or support new services to citizens. It should be noted that this work differs from the use of consultancy to prepare expert reports; the work here involves supporting ICT systems or building new ones. Records indicate that the amount spent by my Department on externally delivered software supports, systems development, website supports, helpdesk supports and other work by external IT experts 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	€3,309,669
2015 (to 15th June)	€1,395,846

Parliamentary Questions

Questions (331, 332)

Seán Fleming

Question:

331. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the protocols in place, since March 2011, to set standards in parliamentary replies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23503/15]

Seán Fleming

Question:

332. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is satisfied that parliamentary questions are adequately replied to within his Department; the steps he has taken since March 2011 to ensure parliamentary questions are fully responded to within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23519/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 and 332 together.

My approach to answering Parliamentary Questions has always been to provide replies that are accurate, informative and comprehensive and to follow-up as appropriate where relevant information is not available at the time of answering. I am satisfied that the Parliamentary Questions I have answered since coming into Office in 2011 have been to a very high standard and that the protocols in place are entirely appropriate to the process.

Consultancy Contracts

Questions (333)

Barry Cowen

Question:

333. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his Department has re-negotiated external information and technology consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23572/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

My Department does not generally re-negotiate IT consultancy contracts. IT consultancy 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 be the subject of a new tender process, rather than re-negotiating existing contract terms. For some IT support costs, such as proprietary system support, 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 a 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 2014, this pro-active approach to IT support cost management gave rise to identifiable savings which in a full year will amount to €65,000 on the 2014 figure.

State Bodies

Questions (334)

Barry Cowen

Question:

334. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the number of appointments to State boards; the number of vacancies in State boards; the number of vacancies in State boards publicly advertised; and the number of appointments to State boards drawn directly from the public advertisement process, in the period March 2011 to 2015 to date. [23588/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Since coming to Office in March 2011, I have made 46 appointments within my discretion to the Boards of Agencies under my Department’s remit. A further 29 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. The gender balance was 25 male and 21 female (54.3% and 45.7%). In respect of appointments that are wholly within my discretion, my overriding priority has been 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 30 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.

Details of the composition of the boards of all agencies within my Department’s remit are available through stateboards.ie.

Freedom of Information Requests

Questions (335)

Barry Cowen

Question:

335. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, for each year from 2009 to 2015 and for 2015 to date, the total number of freedom of information requests received by his Department; the total refused; granted; part-granted; successful appeals; part-successful appeals, and refusals of appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23611/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The table provides details of the total number of FOI requests received by my Department and its Offices from 2009 to date in 2015 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	1	0
2010	122	13	34	52	5	3	2	0
2011	83	9	29	30	3	1	2	0
2012	95	13	28	37	5	3	2	0
2013	55	10	17	12	1	1	0	0
2014	67	6	15	11	4	3	1	1
2015 to date	62	7	12	10	3	0	1	0

*This includes FOI requests that were withdrawn, withdrawn and handled outside of the FOI process or transferred to another Department.

Legislative Process

Questions (336, 337)

Micheál Martin

Question:

336. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. [23642/15]

Micheál Martin

Question:

337. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department since September 2013. [23668/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I propose to take Questions Nos. 336 and 337 together.

The County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill 2013, which was published on 31st July 2013, has been subject to the Oireachtas pre legislative scrutiny procedure. In addition, the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill, although not yet initiated, completed pre legislative scrutiny on the draft Heads in December 2014.

The following Bills were initiated by my Department, since 1st September 2013:

1st September 2013 – 12th June 2015:

Title of Bill	Date of Bill
Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013	8th November 2013
Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Bill 2013	19th December 2013
Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2014	27th March 2014
Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2014	17th April 2014
Workplace Relations Bill 2014	30th July 2014
Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014	31st July 2014
National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015	13th May 2015
Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015	14th May 2015

With regard to the Workplace Relations Bill 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.

The Heads of Bill and the RIA in relation to the Hallmarking (Amendment) Bill 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.

In relation to the 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.

By letter of 15th April 2015 the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation stated it would not be undertaking a pre-legislative scrutiny. This Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Council.

The National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill was the subject of Pre-Legislative Scrutiny.

The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015 was the subject of Pre-Legislative Scrutiny – Part 3 of the bill was incorporated post Pre-Legislative Scrutiny.

Departmental Staff Expenses

Questions (338)

Barry Cowen

Question:

338. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if his Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits in kind; if these processes have been revised, in view of the Revenue Commissioners' concerns over practices in other State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23684/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The table below sets out the amounts spent on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015 as requested by the Deputy. These payments are made in accordance with the rates governed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Travel claims by staff are in compliance with my Department’s Travel and Subsistence Policy and Procedures which incorporates Department of Public Expenditure & Reform guidelines in this regard, and includes specific provision in relation to the use of taxis by staff.

	2011	2012	2013 #	2014	2015 to date
Subsistence*	566,582.37	603,715.45	895,348.96	637890.39	281,610.10
Taxis*	12573.56	24530.7	45904.78	36022.77	16997.71

*The figures provided include payments made directly to staff and also to a service provider

# Includes Ireland's Presidency of the EU from January to June 2013

The Revenue Commissioners conducted an audit of tax compliance by my Department earlier this year. The audit team looked at a number of areas, including the areas mentioned in the Deputy’s question. The Revenue audit did not identify any additional liability for my Department. In addition to the scrutiny by the Revenue, I would also point out that expenditure on staff subsistence and staff taxi payments forms part of the Department’s overall expenditure which is audited on an annual basis by the Comptroller & Auditor General, as part of the Department’s Appropriation Account, and no tax compliance issues have arisen to date.

Consultancy Contracts

Questions (339)

Barry Cowen

Question:

339. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, by year, all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and publication date. [23700/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The 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 and 2015 is as set out in the following table. 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 – 12th June 2015:

Name of external Consultant/Organisation	Report Title	Status Date Published /Ongoing	Cost of Report €
University of Limerick, Kent Business School	Study on the prevalence of zero hour and low hour contracts and their impact on employees	Ongoing (expected publication Q3 2015)	96,670.00
Planet21 Communications Ltd.	Strategic Review of Network	Internal ICT network assessment – not for publication	9,932.25
Ward Solutions	ICT security review	Internal ICT security assessments – not for publication	6,396.00
Version 1 Software	Oracle Release 2 Upgrade Assessment	Internal ICT system assessment – not for publication	7,619.13
Copenhagen Economics	TTIP Impact in Ireland	Published on 27th March 2015	188,155.69
Insight Statistical Consulting	Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact (ABSEI) 2014 - Strategic Policy Division	Ongoing	13,699.13
Technopolis	Enterprise demand survey and analysis for report on Strengthening Ireland’s Market-Focussed Research Centre Capacity - Strategic Policy Division	Technical input to development of successor to SSTI - Complete	30,750.00
Mazars LLP	Not in public domain.	This report forms part of the evidence in a criminal prosecution by the DPP and will be detailed in court when the case is heard.	€110,412
Mason Hayes Curran	Tables of Destinations and Origins to Companies Act 2014	Published on 15th June 2015	No expenditure to date, but final cost will be €100,000

January – December 2014:

Name of external Consultant/Organisation	Report Title	Status Date Published /Ongoing	Cost of Report €
Technopolis	Ireland’s Future Infrastructure Needs	Ongoing	25,570.00
Ward Solutions	ICT security reviews	Internal ICT security assessments – not for publication	35,178.00
Rits	Mobile Device Policy Assessment	Internal ICT security assessments – not for publication	2,236.00
Version 1	Oracle eBusiness Suite R12 Upgrade Assessment	Internal ICT assessment – not for publication	4,174.13
Copenhagen Economics	TTIP Impact in Ireland	Ongoing (expected publication in early 2015)	167,788.00
Clarion Consulting Limited	Employment Permits Administration Section Business Process Improvement Project Report	Completed	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 - Strategic Policy Division	Input to Forfás report on Services Innovation published April 2014	6,000.00
Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government	Ireland’s Competitiveness Scorecard 2014 - Strategic Policy Division	Input on economic complexity to competitiveness analysis.	2,600.00
Insight Statistical Consulting / Fitzpatrick Associates	Evaluation of IDA Training Grants - Strategic Policy Division	Input to programme of evaluations - publication Q1 2015	19,188.00
DCU/Fitzsimons Consulting	Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2014 (GEM) – Strategic Policy Division	Ongoing - GEM 2014 report will be published	20,000.00
Insight Statistical Consulting	Annual Employment Survey 2014 (AES) - Strategic Policy Division	Published	5,882.60
Indecon Economic Consultants	Analysis of direct & indirect economic impacts on an export-led growth enterprise policy - Strategic Policy Division	Complete – input to Enterprise 2025	14,482.00
IDC	Harnessing Big Data for innovation led growth: an assessment of Ireland's progress and further policy requirements - Strategic Policy Division	Complete – publication Q2 2015	56,690.00
CM International	Optimising Policy Intervention to Strengthen the Impacts of Enterprise RD&I in Ireland – Strategic Policy Division	Complete – input to development of successor to SSTI analysis	36,469.00
Fitzpatrick Associates	Econometric analysis of effectiveness & impacts of agency supports – Strategic Policy Division	Input to DJEI Evaluations of agency programmes – Complete. Publication Q2 2015	14,391.00
Insight Statistical Consulting	Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact (ABSEI) 2013 and 2014 - Strategic Policy Division	Ongoing	44,034.00
PWC	Role of Intellectual Property – Strategic Policy Division	Input to competitiveness analysis	15,612.00
PWC	Review of Insurance Costs – Strategic Policy Division	Input to Costs of Doing Business 2015 and published 2015	34,440.00
PWC	Review of Public Procurement – Strategic Policy Division	Input to competitiveness analysis	28,911.00
Technopolis	Strengthening Ireland’s Market-Focussed Research Centre Capacity – Strategic Policy Division	Complete – input to development of successor to SSTI analysis	84,255.00
Tom Martin & Associates	Higher Education Engagement by EGFSN – Strategic Policy Division	Ongoing	11,931.00
AECOM	Assessing the Demand for Skills in the Freight Transport, Distribution and Logistics Sector in Ireland over the period 2014-2020 - Strategic Policy Division	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 – Strategic Policy Division	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 – Strategic Policy Division	Input to DJEI analysis – published Q2 2015	89,605.00
Cambridge IP	An Analysis of Intellectual Property Activity in Ireland based on the existing data Phase 1 – Strategic Policy Division	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 – Strategic Policy Division	Input to DJEI analysis – publication Q2 2015	49,138.00
E&Y	Analysis of Sectoral Ecosystems - Input to Enterprise Policy 2025 – Strategic Policy Division	Complete – input to Enterprise 2025	61,461.00
RSM McClure Watters	Study of the Current and Future skills requirements of the Marine/Maritime Economy to 2020 - Strategic Policy Division	Input to EGFSN review - publication Q1 2015	82,502.25
Indecon Economic Consultants	Hospitality Sector - Hotels, Tourism & Catering – Strategic Policy Division	Ongoing Input to EGFSN Review	78,289.50 (39,145.00 paid in 2014, balance payable 2015) National Training Fund Contribution €60,282.92

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	24,627.00
HM Ventures	Innovative pathways to jobs and growth – Entrepreneurship, Access to Finance and Internationalisation of SMEs	Published	7,500.00
Fitzpatrick Associates	Export Licensing Administration Process Review	Complete	47,417.00
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	17,835.00
RSM McClure Watters	The evaluation of the Workplace Relations Pilot Early Resolution Service	Published	35,498.00
First Choice Financial Services Ltd and AJS Financial Advice Ltd	Credit Guarantee Scheme “Findings and Recommendations”	Published	24,600.00

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	39,095.00
Version 1	ICT systems review – Patents Office Ptolemy System	Internal technology review – not for publication	29,667.00
Achilles Procurement Services Ltd.	Recommended Procurement Strategy for a Customer Relationship Management System (CRMS) from the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court	Published	2,560.00
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	7,093.00
Maxima Ireland	Computer Server Virtualisation Strategy Review	Internal technology review – not for publication	8,276.00
UCD (Dr Frank Walsh)	Review of ERO and REA Wage Setting Mechanisms	Published May 2011	15,000.00
Greater Heights Ltd	Learning Need Analysis (NERA Staff)	Published	15,645.00
Capital for Enterprise Ltd.	Design of Temporary Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme	Published	59,565.00

Question No. 340 withdrawn.

Action Plan for Jobs

Questions (341)

Gabrielle McFadden

Question:

341. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the timeframe and targets in relation to the roll-out of his Department’s regional enterprise strategy for the midlands region in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23861/15]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

My Department has been working on the preparation of an Action Plan for Jobs for the Midlands region as part of the drive to increase the level of job creation across the country. Eight regional Action Plans will be delivered this year, building on the success of the national Action Plan for Jobs process which has contributed to the creation of over 100,000 new jobs since 2012.

Significant progress has been made in preparing the Action Plan for the Midlands, in consultation with key stakeholders in the region. My officials are currently finalising the Midlands Plan and I anticipate that it will be launched in the coming weeks.

The Government has also announced that it will provide up to €250 million in funding over the next five years to support the Action Plans for Jobs: Regional initiative. This funding includes €150 million for an IDA property investment programme in the regions, and up to €100 million which will be administered by Enterprise Ireland under three separate competitive funds for new and collaborative ideas to support job creation at regional level.

Last month, I announced details of the first two of the funds to be administered by Enterprise Ireland. These include a €5 million fund covering the period 2015-2017, open to groups of Local Enterprise Offices who come together to bid for funding for projects to support job-creation initiatives in their areas.

The second is a €5 million Community Enterprise Initiatives fund, open to groups and organisations in every region of the country who collaborate on new ideas and projects to support job creation. The closing date for applications for this fund is 10th July 2015. Full details of the Community Enterprise Initiatives fund are available from Enterprise Ireland’s website, www.enterprise-ireland.com, or from Enterprise Ireland’s regional offices.