Written Answers Nos. 101 - 109
104. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which public procurement remains a central feature of the control of costs throughout the public sector; the degree to which he has measured the success in this area over the past four and a half years to date in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26883/15]
View answerThe reform of the procurement system across the public service is a key element of the reform programme for the public service. The fragmented procurement arrangements across the public service have enabled suppliers to charge different public service bodies different prices for the same goods and services. The savings enabled by centralised public procurement will allow public service organisations to better operate within their budget allocations while maintaining or improving services for the public.
Since the start of the Procurement Reform Programme total savings of €100m over 2013 and 2014 have been reported by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) and its sector partners in Health, Local Government, Education and Defence. The €100m excludes €16.5m in Utilities savings from OGP sourcing activity in 2014 as this would be regarded as a cost avoidance procurement benefit rather than a cash saving as the savings arise from beating inflation.
It is important to note that, while the OGP and its sector sourcing partners can enable savings by putting frameworks and contracts in place, realisation of actual cost savings is dependent on public sector bodies availing of the new procurement arrangements. This may not be immediately feasible due to limited contract termination arrangements or lags in moving to the new supply arrangements (e.g. stocks, change-overs, etc.).
106. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he foresees the need to increase the numbers employed in various sensitive areas of the public sector with a view to meeting ongoing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26885/15]
View answerAt Budget time last October, I announced an end to the Moratorium on Recruitment and Promotion in the Public Service, with new delegated management arrangements to be phased in during 2015. These delegated arrangements are designed to give Public Service managers the means to respond to service needs as they arise, including considerable flexibility to make staffing and service delivery decisions. As highlighted in the most recent Annual Progress Report on the Public Service Reform Plan, which issued in March, the new arrangements represent a significant shift from the central control of the Moratorium, and it has been made possible by the stability we have brought to the public finances and by the 'Reform Dividend' arising from service level efficiencies achieved under the Public Sector Reform programme. I have always maintained that Reform is about enhancing public services that respond to and meet the needs of our citizens, and the new staff management arrangements, where effectively managed, will help to underpin that.
In terms of recruitment in 2015, there is and will be a considerable level of recruitment across the Public Service, including in Health, Education and An Garda Síochaná. The timing and nature of the recruitment is a matter for the relevant Departments and Offices, in accordance with their assessment of priority needs within agreed budget allocations.
107. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of requests for meetings he has received from private, external, non-State-funded lobby groups; the number of meetings he has held with these groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26703/15]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is seeking information in relation to meetings sought or held since January 2014. I further understand that the Deputy is referring to any non-State funded bodies when he uses the term “private external lobby groups” and this would comprehend Chambers of Commerce, IBEC, ICTU and many others. In these contexts, records show the following data as requested by the Deputy for the period January 2014 to end-June 2015:
|
- |
No. |
|
Number of requests to Minister for meetings received from “private external lobby groups”: |
27 |
|
Number of meetings requested by “private external lobby groups” that actually took place: |
24 |
|
Number of meetings (excluding with officials only): |
312 |
As the Deputy will appreciate, as Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, many representative groups and, sometimes, groups or entities representing individuals, companies, sectors or groups will seek meetings with me to discuss policy options on a wide range of issues impacting my portfolio. Such meetings are a useful way for me to hear, first hand, the issues of concern of our stakeholders, as well as for me to articulate policy directions that I am pursuing on issues such as the Action Plan for Jobs, Regulatory and Legislative Reform, Consumer Rights, Science Policy and so on. I would also, of course, have engagements with individual enterprises and their representative organisations on the many Trade and Investment Missions undertaken through Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundations Ireland, among others.
108. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, by county, a breakdown of the number of IDA Ireland sponsored visits each year since 2012 and to date in 2015; and if he will explain the agency's strategy to ensure there is an equitable distribution of visits among counties. [26782/15]
View answerI am informed by IDA Ireland that from 2012 to date in 2015 there were a total of 1,195 IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to various locations across the country. Details of the number of these site visits during this period are set out in the following tabular statement.
While these site visits contribute to investment approvals and the creation of jobs, there is not always a direct correlation between site visits made and jobs created in any given year. It is important also to acknowledge the natural time lag between a decision being made to invest and that investment coming on stream. The time lag can be between 3 and 5 years in some cases. That time is required for such activities as locating and acquiring a suitable site for the company’s operations, constructing a facility, installing machinery and the recruitment and training of suitable staff. It is also worth noting that approximately 70% of all FDI investment won by IDA Ireland comes from the existing client base.
Earlier this year IDA Ireland launched its 5 year strategy for the period 2015 to 2019 which aims to create 80,000 new jobs in the economy over the period and increase investment into each region by between 30% and 40%. Additionally, a €150 million property investment plan, spread out over five years, will support the achievement of the organisation’s regional goals. The funding will be used to upgrade Ireland’s Business and Technology parks, make investments in a number of strategic utility-intensive sites and build new advanced technology buildings in a number of regional locations.
In February, the Government announced details of the Action Plan for Jobs: Regional initiative which seeks to capitalise on the strengths and assets of each region to maximise enterprise growth and job creation. The initiative will build on the success of the National Action Plan for Jobs, and encourage regional stakeholders - including enterprise agencies, Local Authorities, higher education institutions, other public bodies and the private sector - to come forward with innovative ideas to boost job creation in their own region.
In total, eight regional Action Plans will be developed and published this year. The first of these plans for the Midlands region covering counties Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath was launched on Monday 29th June. This plan sets out over 120 actions aimed to deliver enhanced employment growth in the region over the coming years with a target of increasing employment in the region by 10-15 % by 2020. IDA has been tasked with attracting 25-30 additional FDI investment projects into the region over the next 5 years while Enterprise Ireland is to increase the number of start-ups by 25% by increasing their flow of start-up companies through enterprise hubs and onto Enterprise Ireland’s competitive programmes. The overall ambition of the Action Plan for Jobs – Midland Region is to increase employment by approximately 14,000 by 2020.
The following table shows the total number of IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors by county since 2012 to date in 2015.
|
County |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Carlow |
4 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
Cavan |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Clare |
14 |
5 |
9 |
2 |
|
Cork |
38 |
31 |
30 |
10 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
7 |
6 |
|
|
Dublin |
196 |
180 |
205 |
58 |
|
Galway |
18 |
15 |
19 |
8 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Kildare |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
|
Laois |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Leitrim |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
30 |
23 |
22 |
9 |
|
Longford |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Louth |
12 |
4 |
10 |
5 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
|
Meath |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Offaly |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Roscommon |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Sligo |
6 |
10 |
7 |
4 |
|
Tipperary |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
26 |
14 |
11 |
10 |
|
Westmeath |
7 |
9 |
12 |
10 |
|
Wexford |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Wicklow |
6 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
|
TOTAL |
378 |
326 |
359 |
132 |
109. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the context of the IDA Ireland's Horizon 2020 strategy and the target that 50% of investments will be located outside Dublin and Cork, if he will provide a breakdown of the number of the agency's sponsored visits to Dublin which also visited Cork; and the number of the agency's sponsored visits to Cork which also visited Dublin, since 2012. [26783/15]
View answerI am informed by IDA Ireland that information in relation to sponsored site visits by potential investors is provided on a county by county basis only and that from 2012 to the end of March in 2015 there were a total of 639 IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to Dublin and 109 visits to Cork. Details of the number of these site visits during this period are set out in the attached tabular statement.
IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to specific locations in Ireland are only part of the long and complicated process involved in attracting foreign direct investment to this country. Some companies depending on their requirements may visit Dublin and Cork on the same itinerary or they may choose to visit either Dublin or Cork respectively. For reasons of client confidentiality and commercial sensitivity, IDA Ireland does not comment publicly on the success rate of such site visits. We must also remember that it is the investor in all cases who decides where to invest and an investment win for Ireland regardless of the location has to be seen as a plus for the country as a whole.
Earlier this year IDA Ireland launched its 5 year strategy for the period 2015 to 2019 which aims to create 80,000 new jobs in the economy over the period and increase investment into each region by between 30% and 40%. Additionally, a €150 million property investment plan, spread out over five years, will support the achievement of the organisation’s regional goals. The funding will be used to upgrade Ireland’s Business and Technology parks, make investments in a number of strategic utility-intensive sites and build new advanced technology buildings in a number of regional locations.
In February, the Government announced details of the Action Plan for Jobs: Regional initiative which seeks to capitalise on the strengths and assets of each region to maximise enterprise growth and job creation. The initiative will build on the success of the National Action Plan for Jobs, and encourage regional stakeholders - including enterprise agencies, Local Authorities, higher education institutions, other public bodies and the private sector - to come forward with innovative ideas to boost job creation in their own region.
In total, eight regional Action Plans will be developed and published this year. The first of these plans for the Midlands region covering counties Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath was launched on Monday 29th June. This plan sets out over 120 actions aimed to deliver enhanced employment growth in the region over the coming years with a target of increasing employment in the region by 10-15 % by 2020. IDA has been tasked with attracting 25-30 additional FDI investment projects into the region over the next 5 years while Enterprise Ireland is to increase the number of start-ups by 25% by increasing their flow of start-up companies through enterprise hubs and onto Enterprise Ireland’s competitive programmes. The overall ambition of the Action Plan for Jobs – Midland Region is to increase employment by approximately 14,000 by 2020.
The following table shows the total number of IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to Dublin and Cork since 2012 to the end of March in 2015.
|
Year |
Dublin |
Cork |
|
2012 |
196 |
38 |
|
2013 |
180 |
31 |
|
2014 |
205 |
30 |
|
2015 (to end of March) |
58 |
10 |
