Written Answers Nos. 63-71
63. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide. in tabular form per property and development, the amount the National Asset Management Agency has spent on bringing properties, built during the boom, up to correct standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35019/15]
View answerI am advised by NAMA that it has incurred approximately €100m in funding costs to its debtors and receivers in remediating building defects in houses and apartments securing its loans, such as non-compliance with regulatory standards, particularly fire safety standards. The scale of non-compliance encountered by NAMA is evident from the fact that it has had to advance funding to remediate building defects in respect of 40 individual developments, mainly apartment developments in the Dublin area. The cost of remediating developments has ranged in individual cases from €1m to €30m.
NAMA is precluded from providing a breakout of this funding by individual development as to do so would breach Section 99 of the NAMA Act which prohibits the release of information to any third party which would have the effect of identifying a NAMA debtor or disclosing details relating to NAMA's financial dealings with its debtors. I am advised that where remediation work has been carried out with funding provided by NAMA it has been to the full satisfaction of the appropriate regulatory authority. Where NAMA provides funding, it does so on the basis that it will be returned in full in line with the Agency's commercial obligations.
64. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance his views on altering the deposit interest retention tax rate according to the level of interest paid in order that persons with modest savings are not taxed at the same rate as those with a considerable income from interest payments. [35030/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, it is standard practice for the Minister for Finance to review all tax charges, expenditures and reliefs in the run up to annual Budgets. It is also a longstanding practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment on any tax matters that may or may not be the subject of Budget decisions.
65. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the payroll savings to the National Asset Management Agency in 2016 from the voluntary redundancy of the 51 staff accepted to date; the redundancy pay-out to the 51 staff; the salary bracket of those departing under €100,000; from €100,001 to €200,000; €200,001 to €300,000; €300,000 plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35151/15]
View answerI am advised by NAMA that the annualised payroll cost savings for those accepted on the NAMA voluntary redundancy scheme to date will be some €5.3m approximately. These costs include base salary, employer PRSI costs and employer pension costs and are based on 50 acceptances (1 NAMA Officer offered voluntary redundancy has resigned since my last update).
The projected redundancy costs for those accepted on the scheme is approximately €2.1m. Acceptance forms for the redundancy scheme are not due for return to the NTMA until this Friday, 9th October, therefore these figures are indicative until agreements have been signed and returned.
The salary bracket of those due to depart by way of redundancy is as follows:
|
Up to €100,000 |
14 |
|
Between €100,000 and €200,000 |
36 |
|
Between €200,000 and €300,000 |
0 |
|
€300,000 and over |
0 |
66. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on a matter regarding flooding in an area (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35047/15]
View answerThe river concerned does not form part of any Arterial Drainage Scheme which would fall under the remit of the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act. The OPW therefore has no responsibility for the maintenance of the channel, nor any authority to carry out any works there.
Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
The Office of Public Works operates a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This administrative Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie. It is not available for repair of damaged infrastructure or for maintenance of existing flood defence or coastal protection assets. It is open to the Council to submit a funding application under the Scheme. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.
67. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public servants at the end of each year from 2007 to 2014; at the current time by Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35061/15]
View answerInformation on public service numbers is freely available on my Department's databank website - http://databank.per.gov.ie/ - for as far back as 1980.
The full-time equivalent number of public servants at the end of each year from 2007 to 2014 is set out in the following table.
|
# |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Total |
312,131 |
320,387 |
310,747 |
305,967 |
297,327 |
290,862 |
288,217 |
289,643 |
The current number of full-time equivalent public servants is just over 293,800 (i.e. numbers serving at end Q2 2015). A breakdown by Government Department area is set out in the following table.
|
Department |
|
|
Agriculture, Food & the Marine |
4,411 |
|
Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht |
1,542 |
|
Children & Youth Affairs |
3,817 |
|
Communications, Energy & Natural Resources |
1,099 |
|
Defence |
9,886 |
|
Education & Skills |
96,220 |
|
Environment, Community and Local Government |
28,493 |
|
Finance |
6,226 |
|
Foreign Affairs & Trade |
1,541 |
|
Health |
103,218 |
|
Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation |
2,188 |
|
Justice & Equality |
22,025 |
|
Public Expenditure & Reform |
2,986 |
|
Social Protection |
6,735 |
|
Taoiseach |
1,956 |
|
Transport, Tourism & Sport |
1,467 |
|
Total* |
293,811 |
*Rounding may affect totals
68. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35155/15]
View answerDetails concerning the pension entitlements of individual public servants are a matter for the relevant employer, pension administrator or Government Department in the first instance. However, I understand that public servants in general who began employment in a public service body prior to 1 April 2004 have a maximum retirement age of 65 under their terms and conditions of employment. For some roles, such as members of the fire brigade or An Garda Síochána, the maximum retirement age may be lower, for example 55 years of age in such cases. Public servants who have a maximum retirement age of 65 and have completed the applicable vesting period, are eligible to receive a public service pension and retirement lump sum upon retiring at 65 years of age.
When a public servant's public service pension is integrated (or co-ordinated) with the Contributory State Pension (CSP), the public service pension amount paid is based on the assumption that the pensioner also receives the CSP. Where this does not happen, a discretionary supplementary pension may be payable under the relevant public service pension scheme.
In such cases, a supplementary pension is only payable where the individual, through no fault of their own, does not qualify for the relevant social welfare benefit or qualifies at less than the maximum personal rate. It is therefore necessary to claim any available social welfare benefits in order to receive a supplementary pension. This situation is not new and already applies to public service workers who have a maximum retirement age below 65, such as members of the fire brigade or An Garda Síochána.
69. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the new INTERREG IV programme will become operational; the funding allocated to the programme; to each measure within the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35173/15]
View answerI am pleased that the new INTERREG VA Cooperation Programme was officially adopted by the European Commission on 13 February 2015.
The European Regional Development Fund contribution to the Programme is €240m (85%). In addition, €43m will come from match-funding, raising the total value of the programme to €283m.
The Programme has four key priority areas as follows:
1. Research and Innovation: €60.9m;
2. Environment: €72m;
3. Sustainable Transport: €40m;
4. Health & Social Care: €53m.
In addition, €14.42m is allocated to Technical Assistance, 6% of the total ERDF contribution to the programme.
The first Programme Monitoring Committee meeting took place at the end of July. Following that, on the 5th August 2015, the Special EU Programmes Body, the managing authority for the INTERREG VA Programme, issued the first two funding calls under the programme in the areas of Sustainable Transport and Environment. Funding calls for all four priority areas have now been launched. Further details on the calls are available on the SEUPB Website - www.seupb.eu.
Further funding calls in relation to the Environment, Sustainable Transport and Research & Innovation themes are expected to issue in the coming months.
70. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding allocated to each local enterprise office or its predecessor; the outturn by office in each of the years 2011 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35021/15]
View answerIn 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.
71. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if an Industrial Development Agency office dedicated to County Kerry will be opened in the county, given the poor performance of the agency in respect of the county over the past 15 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35039/15]
View answerIDA Ireland has informed me that it is satisfied that its footprint in the South West of the country is sufficient to meet the requirements for Foreign Direct Investment in both Cork and Kerry. Previously both the South West and the South East Regions were managed through the IDA Regional office in Cork, but as a full-time manager has now been appointed to the South East Region, the South West team is now focussed solely on Cork and Kerry. The agency markets Kerry as part of its South West region, along with Cork. There are 158 multinational companies based in the Region, employing a total of 30,419, according to the Annual Employment Survey for 2014 Figures for 2015 will not be available until completion of the survey early next year. Kerry has 12 IDA Ireland client companies, employing 1,874 people.
Companies supported by IDA Ireland in Kerry have added 361 additional new jobs between 2011 – 2014 (a 24% increase) compared to 502 job losses in the period 2008 – 2010 (a 25% decrease). It should be noted that 70% of new IDA jobs come from existing client companies, not from new investments.
Marketing of any regional area, including Kerry, for Foreign Direct Investment is done through IDA Ireland’s network of overseas offices. IDA Ireland actively incentivises and encourages investors to consider a range of potential locations in Ireland although the ultimate locations selected are always decided by the companies themselves.
Achieving a balanced regional dispersal of employment is challenging. IDA Ireland’s new five year strategy Winning – Foreign Direct Investment 2015-2019 contains a strong focus on regional development, setting forth aims and strategies to achieve a significant increase in investment going into regional locations. To support that aim, IDA Ireland is rolling out a €150million capital investment programme to help attract more multinational jobs into each region over a 5-year period. This programme will include investments over the coming years in building advanced technology buildings and office facilities in a number of regional locations to provide state-of-the-art property solutions for clients. Tralee is to be the site of one such advanced technology building.
A further boost to the county is the reinstatement of Regional Aid for Co. Kerry under the new Regional Aid Guidelines, which came into force on 1st July, 2014. The RAGs enable the State to grant State Aid, at enhanced rates, to businesses in order to support new investment and new employment in productive projects in Ireland's most disadvantaged regions. This funding for this comes from the Exchequer. This means that the full range of Regional Aid assistance options are available in Kerry.
As well as working to attract new investment into the region, an important focus for IDA Ireland is on supporting the needs of existing companies to help them to grow and develop, allowing them to add jobs.
In July 2015, IDA Ireland with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation launched the South West Regional Action Plan for Jobs , which highlights working with the other agencies and local stakeholders to improve enterprise development and identify job creation opportunities at regional level. IDA Ireland engages particularly with Enterprise Ireland regarding the supply chain that can be in a position to encourage and support Foreign Direct Investment.
It is important to recognise that only 8% of employment is in IDA supported companies nationally. The Action Plan for Jobs and the Regional Action Plans are committed to developing an indigenous engine of growth. In the period 2011-2014 Enterprise Ireland supported companies created an extra 370 jobs in Kerry (9% increase), while companies supported by the Kerry LEO added 85 new jobs in 2014 (5% increase).
