Written Answers Nos. 425-443
425. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all funding required to carry out the remedial flood prevention works in Glanmire, County Cork, has been provided; the up to date position on the progression of the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31464/15]
View answerA flood relief scheme for Glanmire, known as the Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme, is being advanced by Cork County Council which is the Contracting Authority for the proposed works. The Council appointed consultants for the project in late 2013 and two public information days have been held on the project in order to consult with the general public. A preferred option is expected to be finalised in the coming months which will allow the Council to bring a Scheme through the planning process. The detailed design process, contractor procurement and planning process is expected to take in the region of twelve months so it is likely to be early 2017 before works can commence.
The Office of Public Works is funding the project and has included the costs of the Glashaboy Scheme in its multi annual budget profiles over 2016 – 2018.
426. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update with regard to planned flood relief schemes (details supplied) in County Cork; the commencement and completion dates for each scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31500/15]
View answerIn 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 have been considered and the public consultation process is currently being finalised.
It is hoped to commence detailed design of the Scheme shortly. 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 2016. The construction programme is expected to take up to 24 months to complete.
The position with regard to the Bandon Flood Relief Scheme is that the second stage of a tender competition for a civil works contractor is underway with tender documentation to be issued to the short-listed candidates imminently. At the same time the Scheme will be submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (PER) for formal Confirmation of the Scheme as required by the Arterial Drainage Acts. The Minister will be required to undertake an independent review of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to ensure that all legislative requirements have been complied with before the Scheme can be approved. It is hoped that the EIS review process should be completed by the Minister for PER in early 2016 which will allow the appointment of a works contractor at the same time.
The Skibbereen Flood Relief Scheme has already been submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for Confirmation and is also subject to an independent review of the EIS. Cork County Council is the Contracting Authority for the Skibbereen Scheme and the Council has already undertaken a procurement process for a civil works contractor. Approval for the contractor appointment by the OPW as the sponsoring and funding agent must await the formal Confirmation of the Scheme by the Minister. It is hoped that this process will be completed later this year or early 2016 which will allow the Scheme to be commenced. It is expected that both the Bandon and Skibbereen Schemes will take in the region of two years 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.
427. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the €1.2-€1.5billion of fiscal space identified for 2016 takes account of the commitments for public sector pay increases agreed under the Lansdowne Road agreement or if the actual scope for announcements on budget day is reduced by the costs of these commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31547/15]
View answer428. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which the €1.2 billion to €1.5 billion of fiscal space identified for 2016 is constrained by expenditure commitments already entered into; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31549/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together.
The Spring Economic Statement (SES) and the corresponding Stability Programme Update (SPU) outlined that fiscal space of the order of €1.2 to €1.5 billion is expected to be available for Budget 2016 split evenly between expenditure increases and tax reductions.
This would allow Government to target an increase in government expenditure of between €600m and €750m in 2016 relative to the 2015 spend and provides the scope to manage any additional impact of previous Budgets, deal with underlying demographic and spending pressures, and target enhancements in key public services.
In addition, as outlined in the SES, the range of €1.2 to €1.5 billion does not take into account re-allocation within expenditure funded by savings from efficiencies and policy measures. For example, Live Register savings over and above those related to the cycle due to lower unemployment as a result of existing activation measures will be available to fund new measures.
The increases in the expenditure ceilings between 2015 and 2016, set out in Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017, already reflect certain expenditure needs including demographics in Health, Education and Social Protection.
Specifically in relation to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, the available fiscal space will be partly utilised to deal with the costs related to that agreement which, as previously stated, begins the process of unwinding the financial emergency measures in a prudent and sustainable fashion, thereby reducing the risk to sustainability of the public finances.
429. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the priority that has been given to flood mitigation works on the River Moy at Ballina, County Mayo; the timeframe for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31814/15]
View answerThe Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme is currently being undertaken by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in partnership with its consultants, local authorities and other stakeholders, in line with national flood policy and the EU Directive (2007/EC/60). The six studies in the current Programme will assess flood risk in 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) deemed to be at potentially significant risk and will produce detailed Flood Maps and Flood Risk Management Plans. The Plans will set out specific measures to address the significant flood risk factors in a proactive and comprehensive way. Ballina is an AFA in the Western CFRAM Study.
Draft flood maps have been produced for the AFAs in the Western CFRAM study area and thirty Public Consultation Day events took place during October and November 2014 on these maps. The study is now progressing to examining all options to reduce flood risk, including both structural and non-structural measures. A Public Consultation Day on preliminary options took place in Ballina on 24th June 2015. Following finalisation of the mapping and assessment of appropriate flood risk management options, the final output of this important project will be integrated Flood Risk Management Plans.
The CFRAM Programme will be used to determine national priorities for future State investment in flood defences. The Flood Risk Management Plans will provide the information to estimate the associated costs to implement these measures. Regarding prioritisation, those schemes and measures offering the greatest benefit relative to cost will generally be given the highest priority.
Further information on the Western CFRAM Study is available on the study website www.westcframstudy.ie.
430. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons who have been employed under the positive opportunities scheme in each Department and State agency for the years 2008 to 2014 and to date in 2015; the proportion of total new hires such employees made up in each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31819/15]
View answer433. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his policy plans for the positive opportunities scheme; the revised targets he proposed; his views that the economic crisis and resulting recruitment embargo had a more serious detrimental effect on the opportunities that would have otherwise been available to persons under the scheme than recruits to the Civil Service in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31852/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 433 together.
I understand that the Deputy's questions primarily relates to employment opportunities for disabled people in the civil and wider public service.
As the Deputy will be aware, the civil and public service is an equal opportunities employer and all recruitment campaigns are conducted in strict compliance with various Codes of Practice put in place by the set out by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The CPSA Codes include the Code of Practice governing the External and Internal Appointments of Persons with Disabilities to Positions in the Irish Civil Service and Certain Public Bodies.
In recent years employment opportunities in the public service generally have been limited by the moratorium on recruitment and promotion.
Notwithstanding the moratorium, the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service under the Disability Act 2005 continued in effect.
The National Disability Authority (NDA) reports on compliance with this target. In its latest published report in 2013, the NDA noted that in the Civil Service, the area of the public service for which I have direct responsibility, 4.4% of staff employed had disabilities. In relation to other areas of the public service, each Minister is responsible for compliance with and reporting on the target set in the Disability Act 2005 for the employment of persons with disabilities in public bodies under his or her aegis. In my Expenditure Statement for 2015, I announced that there will be a targeted programme of recruitment into the civil service to address service needs and a shortfall in key skills. This programme commenced in late 2014, is continuing in 2015 and includes a number of open competitions providing employment opportunities for qualified candidates.
As far as policy developments in this area are concerned, the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities includes key actions as follows: commence a review of the Commission for Public Service Appointment's (CPSA) Code of Standards to ensure that they fully support the employment of people with disabilities in the public service; and that the establishment of special public service competitions for people with disabilities to meet identified shortfalls in public service employment targets, including where appropriate the provision of alternative recruitment channels for people with disabilities, with work in that regard to be taken forward by the Department of Public Expenditure in consultation with the Public Appointments Service (PAS).
My Department will be commencing its engagement with PAS and the CPSA shortly on advancing these actions.
In the context of the implementation of the Strategy, it has been agreed in principle to increase the public service employment targets on a phased basis from 3% to 6%. This decision requires the making of formal statutory instruments by individual Ministers under Section 47 of the Disability Act 2015.
Finally, a number of Departments and Offices in the Civil Service are participants in the Willing Able and Mentoring (WAM) Programme which is a graduate work experience programme aimed at persons with disabilities. This programme was not subject to the moratorium. Details of WAM can be found here: http://www.ahead.ie/wam.
431. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for the decision to outsource testing for recruitment to the Civil Service to two UK firms (details supplied), the reason an Ireland-based company or the PAS, Public Appointments Service, are not performing this function; his views that these firms are best-placed to conduct this testing. [31836/15]
View answerThe Public Appointments Service (PAS) is independent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the carrying out of its functions including in relation to decision-making on testing for recruitment to the civil service. Recruitment generally is subject to the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) Code of Practice for Appointment to Positions in the Civil Service.
My Department has been advised by PAS that for each recruitment campaign, PAS identifies appropriate assessment tests. For particular competitions PAS may determine the requirement for tests to be provided externally in light of factors, such as, for example, the number of applicants, the specific requirements to be assessed and the specialist testing tools available in the open market.
In such circumstances an appropriate external test provider may be identified by PAS following a comprehensive procurement exercise where the proposed tests are examined in detail to ensure that they are robust and fair measures. Cost is also considered as part of the procurement process. The procurement process is a competitive one and it is the tender that gets the highest score across the board that is successful.
PAS is committed to achieving value for money in the procurement of supplies and services essential to support its work in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner. Procurement by PAS takes place in the context of EU Directives and is supported by Procurement Guidelines. The guiding principles for procurement are transparency and openness of competition. In an EU context, discrimination on the basis of the geographic location of a service provider is not permitted.
432. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will indicate, in each case where the civil and public service recruitment embargo has been relaxed throughout the course of the embargo, if the 3% target under the positive opportunities scheme was met; if the scheme was taken into consideration at all for each of these cases; if he will provide relevant data in tabular form for each case where the recruitment embargo was relaxed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31851/15]
View answerI understand that the Deputy's question relates to employment opportunities for people with a disability in the civil and wider public service.
The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in 2009, as part of the response to the fiscal and economic crisis. In tandem with annual headcount targets set for each area of the public service under the Employment Control Framework, the moratorium was applied across the entire public service. As the Deputy will be aware, the two instruments played a central role in helping to bring the cost base of the public service into line with the State's funding resources.
Exceptions to the moratorium, where they arose, were made on the basis of the specific requirements of the particular posts to be filled rather than, for example, the disability status of any applicant. In addition, a number of Departments and Offices in the civil service are participants in the Willing Able and Mentoring (WAM) Programme which is a paid mentored work placement programme aimed at graduates with disabilities. This programme was not subject to the moratorium.
In my Expenditure Statement in October 2014, I announced that the moratorium would be replaced 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.
Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets a 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector. As part of my responsibilities as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for the terms and conditions of employment of public servants. However, specific policies relating to the employment of persons with disabilities in each of the sectors of the public service, other than the civil service, are dealt with by the appropriate responsible Minister.
The following table summarises the statistics shown in the National Disability Authority (NDA) reports in relation to the number employed in Government Departments. The latest report published is for 2013. The Deputy may wish to note that, notwithstanding the recruitment moratorium the civil service met the 3% target every year in the period in question.
|
Year |
Total No of Staff |
Total No of Staff Reported with a Disability |
% |
|
2010 |
19,631 |
811 |
4.1 |
|
2011 |
20,204 |
850 |
4.2 |
|
2012 |
20,384 |
873 |
4.3 |
|
2013 |
20,119 |
877 |
4.4 |
434. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of annual pension payments made by his Department that exceed €60,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32010/15]
View answerThere were 312 pensions in payment in respect of former civil servants with an annual value in excess of €60,000 as of the most recent superannuation Vote payroll date (10 September). This represents 1.4% of the 21,605 pensioners on the payroll.
435. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a detailed breakdown of his recent assertion that the cost of abolishing Irish Water would be €1billion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32025/15]
View answerMy comments, in April, that the cost of the abolition of Irish Water could be around €900 million, some €300 million from the potential loss in revenue from domestic charges and a further €600 million in capital on balance sheet, were made before the Eurostat determination on whether Irish Water expenditure was to be considered as part of Government expenditure or not.
In the Spring Economic Statement, the Government made the operating assumption that, pending the Eurostat decision on the classification of Irish Water, the figures associated with Irish Water would be included within the General Government sector. As a result, the recent Eurostat determination has no implications for the published fiscal space for the Budget.
In the longer term, if unchanged, the Eurostat decision would mean that capital expenditure on water infrastructure would have to compete with other investment requirements. In addition to the costs I have outlined above, there could be other costs from the abolition of Irish Water, depending on the nature of the body or bodies to be given responsibility for managing the public water infrastructure were that to arise, including the long-term efficiencies foregone from Irish Water's centralised Utility model and the gains from economies of scale.
436. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a position will be reinstated at a facility (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32042/15]
View answerI am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the position of Manager at the Blasket Centre will be considered in the context of OPW’s overall workforce planning.
437. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual cost to his Department of fees paid to private for-profit companies to provide public services, for example, waste collection, motorway toll operators, public transport such as Veolia-Luas and private bus companies. [32162/15]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question the annual cost to my Department of fees paid to private for profit companies to provide public services is nil.
438. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual cost to his Department of fees paid to private for-profit companies to provide services, such as consultancy work, recruitment services, and other outsourced services, for example cleaning, catering, and so on. [32163/15]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question the table below provides information on the annual costs of outsourced services to my Department since September 2014 to date.
|
Description |
Total |
|
Consultancy Fees |
€627,921 |
|
Training |
€264,919 |
|
Cleaning |
€130,028 |
|
Catering |
€24,914 |
The OPW have indicated that they will respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
439. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there is a anomaly in the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 in that one part says that a representative body may only be required to register as a representative body if a paid employee, or an officeholder, is directly engaged in communicating independently with designated public officials, whereas a guidance note from the Standards in Public Office Commission indicates that a representative body should register when a designated public official is, or ever has been, whether before or after the passing of the Act, employed by, or providing services, and who was-is engaged in carrying on lobbying activities for that representative body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32168/15]
View answerThe Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides that the Standards in Public Office Commission, an independent body, is the Registrar of Lobbying. The Standards Commission has a specific role under section 17 of the Act to issue guidance and information to promote an understanding of the legislation. The Standards Commission has prepared an information guide on the Regulation of Lobbying. It has also prepared guidelines for people carrying on lobbying activities and for Designated Public Officials. All of these guidelines are available on www.lobbying.ie . The Standards Commission can be contacted at info@lobbying.ie for specific queries regarding the operation/interpretation of the Act.
Section 5 (1), (2) and (3) of the Act sets out the scope of the legislation as regards representative bodies. The position in relation to representative bodies is that under section 5 (1) and 5 (2) (b) of the Act, a representative body is required to register lobbying activities where it has one or more full-time employees, it "makes, manages or directs the making of any relevant communication" and the relevant communications are made on behalf of any of the members of the body.
Additionally, under section 5 (3) a representative body "makes" the relevant communication only where it is made by an employee of the body or by a person who holds a paid office (for example, the chairman) in the body whose functions relate to the affairs of the body as a whole and where the communication is made in his/her capacity as such.
Where these circumstances are met the representative body must register under section 11 of the Act and make a return under section 12 of the Act. Section 12 (4) (f) requires that the return made must include the name of each person who is or ever has been (at any time either before or after the passing of the Act) a designated public official and who is employed by, or providing services to the body and who was engaged in carrying on the lobbying activities for which the return is being made. This would include for example a former Member of either House, a former Special Adviser or a former senior public servant.
The guidance note from the Standards Commission states that lobbyists' returns must state: The name of each person who is or ever has been (whether before or after the passing of the Act) a designated public official and who is employed by, or providing services to you and who was engaged in carrying on the lobbying activities for which the return is being made (for example, if you are employing a former TD, special advisor or senior public servant or you have a contract for services with such a person).
My assessment is, therefore, that the legislative provision and the guidance from the Standards Commission are consistent. However, given the independent statutory role of the Commission as the Registrar of Lobbying in applying the legislation, the Deputy may wish to confirm the position directly with the Commission.
440. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a representative body retaining the contracted services of a person who was a designated public official up to 2008 is required to register under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 if the contracted person is the sole lobbying contact for that body, or if the registration of the contractor is sufficient to comply with the legislation in a situation where no employed personnel or office holders of the representative body engage independently in lobbying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32169/15]
View answerThe Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides that the Standards in Public Office Commission, an independent body, is the Registrar of Lobbying. The Standards Commission has a specific role under section 17 of the Act to issue guidance and information to promote an understanding of the legislation. The Standards Commission has prepared an information guide on the Regulation of Lobbying. It has also prepared guidelines for people carrying on lobbying activities and for Designated Public Officials. All of these guidelines are available on www.lobbying.ie . The Standards Commission can be contacted at info@lobbying.ie for specific queries regarding the operation / interpretation of the Act.
Section 5 (1) (a) of the Act provides that if a person makes, manages or directs the making of relevant communications on behalf of a client in return for payment, that person carries on lobbying activities. A client in this context includes representative bodies with one or more employees. If a representative body engages such a person as a professional lobbyist to lobby on their behalf in return for payment, the professional lobbyist would be obliged to register the relevant communications under section 5 (1) (a). That registration (which would include details of the client) should meet the obligations to register under the Act in circumstances where no employed personnel or office holders of the representative body engage independently in lobbying.
441. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the measures in place to ensure the Office of Government Procurement has the use of local knowledge and experience, for example, but not limited to, the availability of an airport for aviation services, which are at times central to the successful tendering of often crucial public services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32233/15]
View answerThe Office of Government Procurement along with the other Sector Sourcing Organisations is implementing Government policy regarding the central coordination of procurement across multiple categories of expenditure. The Office of Government Procurement sourcing teams are currently engaged in over 160 active sourcing projects which vary significantly in terms of their scope, context, client requirements and objectives. Public Service Obligation contracts such as subsidised Aviation Services referred to, form a very small part of this work.
Before any sourcing activity takes place sourcing teams consider all key relevant factors such as customer requirements, technical specifications and innovations in the supply market, current issues and challenges, availability of potential alternatives in the supply market etc. The OGP relies on nominated client representatives from the contracting authority / authorities to provide local knowledge and experience to feed into this analysis.
442. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the flood defence works in the Claregalway region given the legal difficulties regarding an EU directive which necessitates further environmental impact statements and has delayed the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32254/15]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has submitted the proposals for the Clare River (Claregalway) flood relief scheme for statutory approval by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, as required by the Arterial Drainage Acts.
For clarification, a separate or further Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required but rather the Confirmation or approval process requires the Minister to undertake an independent review of the EIS already prepared by the OPW and its environmental consultants to ensure that all legislative requirements have been complied with before the Scheme can be approved. This review has been ongoing and it is understood that a final report is due shortly by the consultants engaged by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to undertake the review. Until the report has been considered by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform the Minister will not be in a position to Confirm the proposed scheme for Claregalway.
I wish to reiterate that the OPW remains committed to carrying out the scheme, subject to the Minister's sanction, and has provided for the scheme's cost in its multi-annual capital expenditure profiles to 2017.
443. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated costs in 2016 of the increases that will arise as a result of the Lansdowne Road agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32277/15]
View answerThe proposals for the Lansdowne Road Agreement, which were recently ratified by the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, contain a number of measures to reduce the effect of the pay cuts which were imposed on public servants from 2009 to 2013 in response to the financial crisis. These measures, which aim to restore some element of pay to all public servants while focussing on those at the lower levels of pay, are to be implemented on a phased basis from January 2016 to September 2018.
The Lansdowne Road Agreement also incorporates the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement ensuring that the productivity and reform measures contained in that agreement remain in place. Any costing of public service pay commitments in 2016 will therefore take account of commitments made under both the Haddington Road and Lansdowne Road agreements. The total 2016 cost arising from changes to the remuneration of public servants, including reductions to the pension levy, as a result of the Lansdowne Road Agreement is €267m, of which €18m is directly attributable to the Haddington Road Agreement.
Tables setting out the cost of the Lansdowne Road Agreement up to 2018 are available on my Department's website at http://www.per.gov.ie/en/statement-by-the-minister-for-public-expenditure-and-reform-brendan-howlin-t-d-on-the-outcome-of-discussions-between-the-government-and-the-public-service-unions/
