Written Answers Nos. 336 to 353
336. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of civil servants under his remit that have been reinstated in recent years after taking a career break; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38726/15]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the legislation in relation to career breaks is the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956-2006. A career break consists of special leave without pay for a period of not less than six months and not more than five years if taken for reasons of family, domestic, travel or educational purposes. A limit of three years applies if availing of employment in the private sector or becoming self-employed.
A career break may be extended in six monthly periods or in periods in excess of six months provided the total period of special leave without pay does not exceed the maximum permitted. Subject to certain conditions eligible staff may, in general avail of three career breaks during their career provided the total period does not exceed twelve years.
Where a civil servant has previously taken a career break(s), s/he must be currently working in the Civil Service for a period of time which is either the same or longer than the length of his/her previous career break before s/he can apply for a second or third career break.
The scheme is promoted as being one of a number of schemes which facilitates staff in combining work and family responsibilities. The number of staff in my Department who have returned from a Career Break in the last two years is three. Currently ten staff in my Department are availing of a Career Break.
337. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current position regarding an exemption from rates for all community sports clubs not registered under the 1904 Act which operate on a not-for-profit basis and whether they are required to lodge an application for an exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37573/15]
View answerCommunity Sports Clubs that are not registered under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904 and which operate on a not-for-profit basis will continue to be exempt from rates and do not need to make an application.
The Valuation (Amendment) Act 2015 introduced an amendment to Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001 which extends a partial exemption from rates to community sports clubs that are registered under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904. The Valuation Office are in the process of revising the valuations of Community Sports Clubs benefitting from this amendment. Clubs that are registered under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904 and who wish to avail of the new partial exemption should make application to the Valuation Office. Details are available of the Valuation Office website www.valoff.ie.
338. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the common chapter which formed part of the national development plan for the south of Ireland and the structural funds plan for the north of Ireland still exists; and, if so, the extent to which it is managed and implemented. [38385/15]
View answerBuilding on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021 outlines how the Irish Government has reaffirmed its support for investing in infrastructure to support North South co-operation to help unlock the full potential of the island economy. In particular, support for the EU PEACE and INTERREG programmes will continue to ensure that funding opportunities are maximised under these programmes.
In February this year the European Commission formally adopted the new INTERREG Programme for the border counties of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland, and the first calls under the Programme have now been launched. The Programme has a total value, including Member State contributions, of more than €280 million for the period 2014-2020. The INTERREG programme has four key priority areas for investment, namely research and innovation, the environment, sustainable transport, and health.
In addition, I am pleased that the Irish Government was able to secure the approval of the European Council for €150 million of EU funding towards a new cross-border PEACE Programme for the same period, and that the UK Government subsequently decided to allocate an additional €50 million of ERDF funding from its European Territorial Cooperation allocation to the Programme, bringing the total amount of EU funding to €200 million. Along with match funding from the two Member States, the programme will have a total value of almost €270 million. The focus of the PEACE IV programme will be on social inclusion and combating poverty, with investment proposed in a number of areas, including shared education, children and young people, shares spaces and services, and building positive relations at a local level. I look forward to the new Programme being adopted by the Commission before the end of the year.
Together the two programmes represent more than half a billion Euro of investment in Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland over the next seven years. The programmes are managed on behalf of the two Member States by the Special EU Programmes Body, operating under the aegis of the North South Ministerial Council and the Monitoring Committees established under the relevant EU legislation.
339. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an update on the areas identified under catchment flood risk assessment and management studies in County Meath; if the draft predicted flood maps have been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37201/15]
View answer340. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a flood risk management plan has been formed to address identified flood risk areas in Bettystown in east Meath; the areas identified; the measures to be taken; and the funding that will be allocated. [37202/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together.
Good progress is being made on the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme which is the principal vehicle for implementing the EU Floods Directive and forms the strategic focus of national flood risk management policy. Engineering consultants have been appointed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to implement the Programme, through six regional studies. Local authorities and other stakeholders are involved, in partnership with the OPW, on Steering Groups and Progress Groups across the six study areas. The Programme is focusing on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs), including 90 coastal areas, identified as being at potentially significant risk from flooding. The CFRAM Programme includes a number of areas within Co. Meath and involves the production of predictive flood hazard and risk mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of Flood Risk Management Plans. The Plans will be used to determine national priorities for State investment in flood defences, on a systematic and objective basis taking into account social, environmental and economic factors.
Under the CFRAM Programme to date, draft flood maps have been produced and were the subject of a series of local public consultation days held in March 2015. Draft flood maps for those AFAs in County Meath which are being assessed under the East CFRAM study, have been produced and are available to view and to comment on via the website www.eastcframstudy.ie. The draft flood maps will be finalised following a national consultation scheduled for late 2015.
Bettystown AFA was studied under the pilot Fingal East Meath Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study (FEM FRAMS). The draft Flood Risk Management Plan produced under this study includes a number of flood protection measures for the Laytown/Bettystown area, with Meath County Council as the lead agency for implementation, pending finalisation of the Plan by Fingal County Council. Details of this study are available at: www.cfram.ie/fem-fram-pilot-study-website .
The Government recently announced increased levels of investment in the area of flood relief as part of the overall Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021 and this investment programme will allow for consideration of measures arising from the CFRAM Plans.
341. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated expenditure of his Department in 2015 in tabular form; the budget for expenditure agreed at the start of the year for 2015; the extra expenditure or savings in this budget during the year to date; when and under what process this expenditure and these savings were approved; and his Department's budget for expenditure in 2016. [37267/15]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question the table following outlines the total estimated expenditure of my Department in 2015.
|
Prog. |
Programme expenditure |
Budget Estimate |
|
A |
Public Expenditure and Sectoral Policy |
€17,735 |
|
B |
Public Service Management and Reform |
€26,755 |
The table following outlines my Department's expenditure budget for 2016.
|
Prog. |
Programme expenditure |
Budget Estimate |
|
A |
Public Expenditure and Sectoral Policy |
€17,348 |
|
B |
Public Service Management and Reform |
€27,875 |
I would be confident that prudent pro-active budget management will ensure that this Department will fulfil its mission while remaining within budget. As a number of projects are ongoing the precise amount of savings that may arise from delivering our objectives within our estimate cannot be projected with accuracy at this stage of the year.
342. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the allocation for his Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37283/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government's voted expenditure allocations and measures for 2016 were presented to Dáil Éireann in the Expenditure Report for Budget 2016. This document also provided the expenditure ceilings for 2017 and 2018.
The Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (DPER), like the Civil Service and public service as a whole, has benefited from the productivity and reform measures provided for under the Haddington Road Agreement and previous agreements. These measures will continue to apply under the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA).
Cost reductions and the substantial productivity increases, including additional working hours, have allowed scope to invest by recruiting additional expert staff where necessary and to commence the process of the restoration of pay for serving staff. The cost implications of these measures for DPER are reflected in the Gross Pay Bill Estimates for 2016 which total €62.686 million across three Votes as shown in the table following.
|
Vote |
2016 Budget (Gross Pay) (million) |
|
11 DPER |
24.121 |
|
18 National Shared Service Office |
25.595 |
|
39 Office of Government Procurement |
12.970 |
The impact of the LRA on DPER's pay bill in 2016 is modest, estimated at approximately €147,000 across all three Votes. A further cost of approximately €828,000 is estimated to arise as a result of lower appropriations-in-aid associated with the reduction in Pension Related Deductions. This increases net voted expenditure but does not impact at a gross level.
The allocations for DPER take account of all expenditure pressures facing the Department in 2016 and will ensure that appropriate resources are in place to enable the Department to continue to deliver on the priorities identified in the Statement of Strategy 2015-2017.
Full details on the allocation of the Department's 2016 resources across spending areas will be set out, as usual, in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV).
343. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will indicate, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the name of each appointee from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which currently exist on State boards under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37367/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the Government introduced new arrangements to the appointment of State Board members in 2011. Under the new arrangements departments now invite expressions of interest from the public on their websites for vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis. It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or geographical location to apply for appointment to these vacancies.
An Post National Lottery Board
In the context of the sale of the National Lottery licence I considered it appropriate to reappoint two of the Ministerial nominees to the Board; Mr. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh was reappointed twice and Mr. Oliver Wilkinson was reappointed once in light of the disposal of the National Lottery licence. Consequently recourse to advertising the positions publicly did not arise.
|
Name |
Appointed |
Vacancy Advertised |
|
Donal Connell (Chair) |
Reappointed 29/02/2012, 01/07/2013 |
No |
|
Dermot Griffin |
Reappointed 06/11/2012, 01/07/2013 |
No |
|
Caroline Murphy |
Reappointed 06/11/2013 |
No |
|
Oliver Wilkinson |
Reappointed 06/11/2013 |
No |
|
Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh |
Reappointed 06/11/2012, 01/07/2013 |
No |
|
Peter Quinn |
Reappointed 16/02/2012, 01/07/2013 |
No |
Public Appointments Service Board
|
Name |
Appointed |
Reappointed |
Vacancy Advertised |
|
Eddie Sullivan (Chair) |
01/09/2011 |
|
No (previous member was reappointed) |
|
Des Dowling* |
01/09/2011 |
|
No |
|
Dave Walsh |
01/07/2013 |
|
No (replacement for Des Dowling who transferred departments) |
|
John McCarthy |
01/09/2013 |
|
No (replacement for Dave Walsh who transferred internally) |
|
Dr. Deirdre O'Keeffe* |
01/09/2011 |
09/10/2014 |
No |
|
Patricia Coleman* |
01/09/2011 |
|
No |
|
William Beausang |
15/07/2013 |
|
No (replacement for Patricia Coleman who transferred internally) |
|
Judith Eve* |
01/09/2011 |
09/10/2014 |
No (appointed as chair on 9/10/2014) |
|
Eddie Molloy* |
01/09/2011 |
09/10/2014 |
No |
|
Dan Murphy |
01/09/2011 |
|
No (previous member was appointed) |
|
Bryan Andrews |
01/09/2011 |
|
Holds office on ex officio basis |
|
Fiona Tierney |
20/03/2012 |
09/10/2014 |
Holds office on ex officio basis, current CEO |
|
Sean McGrath* |
01/09/2011 |
|
No |
|
Barry O'Brien |
01/09/2012 |
09/10/2014 |
No (replacement for Sean McGrath who resigned from his post) |
|
Paul Lemass* |
09/10/2014 |
|
No |
|
Anne Marie Taylor |
09/10/2014 |
|
Yes |
|
Eimear Kenny |
09/10/2014 |
|
Yes |
|
Oonagh McPhillips* |
01/07/2015 |
|
No (replacement for Dr. O'Keeffe who transferred departments) |
|
Damien McCallion* |
01/07/2015 |
|
No (replacement for Barry O'Brien) |
|
David Cagney* |
22/09/2015 |
|
No (replacement for William Beausang) |
*The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 states that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Justice and Equality should appoint members of the Board of the Public Appointments Service. The Board is meant to be representative of our client base.
The Act also specifics that in appointing members of the Board the Minister shall ensure that at least two of them have either or both civil and other public service experience and knowledge and two of them have expertise in human resource management, customer service and recruitment outside the public service that the Minister considers relevant.
Currently there are no vacancies on the Public Appointments Service Board.
The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) has a representative board with nominations from different sectors of the public service every two years. As per the Memorandum and Articles of Association governing the IPA, each of the nominating bodies/sectors is invited by letter to nominate its representative to the Board on a two-yearly basis and my Department has one such representative.
344. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Questions Number 419 and 421 of 22 September 2015, if he will clarify the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004, in respect of re-instatement of a civil servant with prior notification (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37466/15]
View answerThe Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 was enacted in October 2004. The Act provides for a new system of recruitment licensing within the Civil Service and for the establishment of the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) and the Public Appointments Service (PAS).
The CPSA is responsible for setting standards for recruitment and selection (including promotion) and is charged with monitoring compliance with those standards by all Civil Service bodies. The standards for recruitment and selection are set out in Codes of Practice published by the CPSA and are available at www.cpsa-online.ie
The Act provides for recruitment to established and unestablished posts in the Civil Service to be carried out under licence and in accordance with the CPSA's Codes of Practice. The Codes provide for the core principles of probity and fairness, selection on the basis of merit and the implementation of best practice in recruitment and selection. The Act does not provide any mechanism for "reinstatement".
345. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will clarify a matter (details supplied) regarding the reinstatement of civil servants under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37489/15]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question the table following outlines the number of civil servants who have been reinstated following a career break in my Department and the bodies under my aegis.
|
- |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Public Appointments Service |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Special EU Programmes Body |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Office of the Ombudsman |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Valuation Office |
0 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
|
State Lab |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
The Office of Public Works |
4 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
The terms of the Career Break Scheme for civil servants are set out in Circular 04/2013. The return to work provisions of the scheme are set out in paragraphs 31-34. At the end of a career break a civil servant must either return to work, resign or if applicable request an extension to their career break. The maximum period of a career break is five years or twelve years aggregate over three career breaks. While on career break a civil servant retains their status as a civil servant. The return to work provision only applies to civil servants that were granted a career break in accordance with the scheme.
346. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his proposals to carry out drainage work on a river (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37440/15]
View answerThe channel referred to by the Deputy is part of the Inny Arterial Drainage Scheme which was carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. The OPW continues to have a statutory responsibility for the maintenance of this scheme.
Each year the OPW carries out work to approximately 2,000 km of channels and about 200 structures around the country as part of its ongoing and rolling arterial drainage maintenance programme. While the average cycle of maintenance is generally in the range of 4 to 7 years, the OPW does routinely inspect all channels and structures for which it has maintenance responsibility.
I am advised that this channel was due for maintenance this year, but that it was not possible to gain access with the relevant equipment due to adverse ground conditions. OPW will continue to monitor the channel with a view to carrying out maintenance works when conditions allow.
347. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost to the Office of Public Works of private security, pest control, and other services relating to the securing or maintenance of the 139 Garda stations that have been closed since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37957/15]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is currently being collated. A detailed response will issue to the Deputy directly.
348. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will review and reverse all cuts under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 and similar emergency cuts imposed because of the imposition of the bank debt onto the public finances for all sections of society that were effected by these draconian cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38019/15]
View answerThe Irish economy entered recession in 2008 and it became necessary to introduce legislation, predicated on the fiscal emergency, to provide significant and immediate reductions in overall Government expenditure to meet the catastrophic fall in Government revenues from 2008 on. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009, the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009, and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2010 were introduced unilaterally by the previous Government to deal with the fiscal crisis. The current Government introduced the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act (Amendment Act) 2011 on foot of a referendum of the people and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 following the negotiation and agreement of a Collective Agreement. These Acts are collectively known as FEMPI Acts 2009-2013.
Underpinned by the FEMPI legislation, in the period from 2010 to 2015 two major Public Service Agreements were put in place: the Public Service Agreement 2010 to 2014 (Croke Park Agreement) and the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 to 2016 (Haddington Road Agreement). These reflected agreements reached between public service employers and staff on a comprehensive series of radical measures such as pay cuts, numbers reductions, moratorium on recruitment, voluntary redundancy programmes and so on. From 2009 to 2014 the cost to the Exchequer of public service pay was reduced by €3.7 billion, or more than 21%.
In my statutory role under the legislation, I am required to carry out a review and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas on the operation, effectiveness and impact of the FEMPI Acts, and to consider whether or not any of the provisions of the Acts continue to be necessary. My most recent report was completed and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in accordance with the legislative requirements on 29 June. In my report to the Oireachtas I noted that the expenditure reductions and savings generated by the legislation remain an integral and necessary part of the financial adjustment required to meet our international commitments but that I proposed to bring forward legislation to ameliorate the impact of those measures on public servants and others affected. That legislation, the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015, is currently before the Oireachtas for consideration and reflects the terms of the Lansdowne Road Agreement which has been negotiated and accepted by the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, following a ballot among members of staff associations and unions. That we are able to consider reversing the pay reductions reflects the encouraging improvements in the public finances that have resulted from the necessary but extremely difficult fiscal consolidation path which this Government has pursued since 2011. The provisions of the legislation provide for pay restoration to all public servants while focussing on those at the lower levels of pay, and are to be implemented on a phased basis from January 2016 to September 2018. The pay restoration measures provided for in the Bill are consistent with the current fiscal space available to the Government and the requirement to manage public expenditure in accordance with the EU's Stability and Growth Pact.
The proposal made for a total reversal of the measures as provided for under the FEMPI Acts 2009-2013 would simply recreate the fiscal crisis and reverse the significant improvements secured to date.
349. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to a previous parliamentary question of 22 September 2015, when approval will be given for a drainage scheme on the Clare River; the reason for the delay, given that the reply of 22 September 2015 stated that a decision was due imminently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38178/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has submitted the proposals for the Clare River (Claregalway) flood relief scheme for statutory approval or confirmation by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, as required by the Arterial Drainage Acts.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has completed its consideration of a report which it commissioned on a required independent evaluation of the Environmental Impact Statement prepared for the Scheme by the OPW and its environmental consultants and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has written to the OPW advising of his intention to Confirm the Claregalway flood relief scheme subject to the agreement of the OPW to comply with the conditions set out in his letter.
The OPW has written formally to the Minister advising that the Commissioners of Public Works will comply with the terms of the conditions attached to his letter. As required by regulations, the Minister will be publicising his decision shortly and the conditions attached thereto and will also be providing information for the public on the procedures available to review the substantive and procedural legality of the decision.
350. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider the request of a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38180/15]
View answerI note that my proposals to Government earlier this year in respect of the amelioration of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) reductions, and which now form part of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015, were welcomed at that time by the Alliance. I am also aware of the additional concerns of the Alliance of Retired Public Servants regarding the need to provide for the ending of the PSPR reduction on public service pensions. Both I and my officials have met with representatives of the Alliance on a number of occasions.
As noted in June this year in my Annual Report on the various FEMPI measures, the significant improvement in Ireland's economic and fiscal position means that there is now scope for an amelioration of those measures as they apply to the pay and pensions of public service workers and pensioners. In acting to give effect to such amelioration in the 2015 Bill, in line with my stated commitments, I prioritised lower income public service pensioners. In specific terms, the proposals in the Bill provide for the part-restoration of the PSPR cuts in three stages effective from 1 January 2016, 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2018. When fully rolled-out from 1 January 2018, these proposals mean that all public service pensions in payment with pre-PSPR values of up to €34,132 will be fully exempt from PSPR, while those pensioners not fully removed from the reach of PSPR will, in general, benefit by €1,680 per year. The cost of these proposed changes is estimated at about €90 million on a full-year basis from 2018. I would also point out that PSPR has never been applied to those retired public servants and their dependants on the lowest annual pensions up to €12,000.
Based on the 2015 Bill's PSPR proposals which I have outlined, a major amelioration of the PSPR burden over a multi-year time horizon is proposed, at the end of which the great majority of public service pensioners, with the exception of those on the higher levels of pension income, will no longer be affected by PSPR.
Under section 12 of the FEMPI Act 2013, I am required to review the necessity of FEMPI legislation annually and cause a written report of my findings to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. Economic progress and fiscal consolidation in the years ahead will determine the scope and timing of possible further scale-back or elimination of the financial emergency measures including those applying to public service pensioners.
351. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which Ireland’s trade with various European countries throughout the European Union continues to grow; the way this compares with other countries globally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38408/15]
View answerThe value of Goods and Services exported from Ireland in the past 5 years is shown in the following table:
|
€ Million |
Jan-Dec 2010 |
Jan-Dec 2011 |
Jan-Dec 2012 |
Jan-Dec 2013 |
Jan-Dec 2014 |
|
EU |
96,357 |
100,305 |
103,173 |
100,585 |
107,163 |
|
Non EU |
65,355 |
71,473 |
73,245 |
78,224 |
83,626 |
|
Total |
161,712 |
171,777 |
176,418 |
178,809 |
190,789 |
|
EU as a % of the Total |
60% |
58% |
58% |
56% |
56% |
These figures show general and consistent growth in our exports both to EU and non-EU markets.
The figures above are compiled from various CSO reports.
352. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the estimated expenditure of his Department in 2015, in tabular form; the budget for expenditure agreed at the start of the year for 2015; the extra expenditure or savings in this budget during the year to date; when and under what process this expenditure and these savings were approved; and his Department's budget for expenditure in 2016. [37265/15]
View answerThe total gross provision to the Vote of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation as provided for in the 2015 Revised Estimates Volume is €810.16 million. This includes €20 million in capital carryover from 2014.
The €810.16 million is broken down between Capital funding of €509 million and Current expenditure of €301.16 million. The capital provision is by way of grants for enterprise development and research and innovation supports via the enterprise agencies, primarily though Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. The current monies are used to support the day-to-day running costs of the Department and its agencies covering Pay, Pensions and Non-Pay expenditure.
In addition to the direct Exchequer provision of €810.16 million referred to above, the enterprise agencies also have sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to generate and expend Own Resource Income totalling €115 million in support of the enterprise, regulation and innovation agendas this year. The indicative gross current expenditure on the Department’s Vote at the end of October is €235 million representing 5% behind the initially profiled level. The Department will have a current underspend by year end though it is difficult to be precisely accurate given the nature of current expenditure and with two months activity still remaining in the year.
Full capital expenditure is envisaged in 2015. In addition a further €50 million in capital monies has recently been approved by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to be provided to the Department for use this year. This will necessitate a Supplementary Estimate in the weeks ahead. The additional capital provision is to be used to further enterprise, research and innovation activities. It will also allow for earlier payment on matured liabilities relating to the Programme for Research in Third-level Institutions (PRTLI).
The 2016 provision for the Department as set out in the 2016 Expenditure Report published on Budget Day 13 October, 2015 totals €792 million. This is broken down between €495 million in capital and €297 million in current allocations. The aforementioned earlier payment of matured PRTLI liabilities will ensure that the funding available to the Department’s enterprise agencies will be maintained in 2016. Indeed I would point out that some additional monies are being provided for next year. For example IDA Ireland is being provided with an additional €14 million to enable it to continue expansion of its Regional Development Advanced Facilities programme.
In addition it is anticipated that Own Resource Income totalling €115 million will be sanctioned by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform through the 2016 Revised Estimates Volume for use by the enterprise agencies next year.
353. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the allocation for his Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37281/15]
View answerIt is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the specific provision being made in the Department’s Pay ceiling for 2016 to take into account the pay related cost of the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The total gross Pay ceiling for the Department and its agencies in 2015 is €158.75 million.
The total gross Pay ceiling in 2016 amounts to €155.067 million. The downward adjustment of €3.68 million to the Pay ceiling is primarily as a consequence of a return to 26 fortnightly pay periods in 2016 whereas this year there are 27 pay periods for all fortnightly paid staff across the Department’s Vote.
The 2016 pay allocation of €155.067 million includes the provision of €99,873 specifically to cover pay costs arising from the Lansdowne Road agreement next year.
