Written Answers Nos. 194-205
194. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of efforts to resolve flooding at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45883/15]
View answerAs indicated in my replies to the Deputy's previous Questions on this subject, dated 2 April and 22 October this year, the Office of Public Works (OPW) Flood Risk Assessment and Management (FRAM) Section is currently undertaking a Feasibility Study to assess flood risk management options for Sneem, as a separate study to the South-Western CFRAM (Sneem is not an Area for Further Assessment, AFA).
Work is continuing on modelling the flood mechanisms and mapping the flood risk within the area from the Sneem and Ardsheelane Rivers, including the overland flood risk to the Atlantic Gateway Estate. As previously indicated the OPW expect that the Feasibility Study should be completed by Spring 2016.
195. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount he will pay in public sector pay and pensions in 2016 as compared with 2014 and 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45914/15]
View answerThe estimates for 2016 for gross Exchequer Public Service pay and pensions are €15.4 billion and €2.9 billion respectively, as set out in the Revised Estimates Volume 2016, due to be published shortly. This volume also will show estimates of €15.2 billion for pay, and €2.9 billion of pensions, for 2015. In respect of 2014, the outturns were €14.7 billion for pay, and €3.0 billion for pensions.
The increased allocations for pay for 2015 and 2016 reflect the allocation of additional resources to the Public Service, following on the end of the Moratorium introduced in 2009. In particular, for 2015, provision was made for additional front-line services, including more teachers, Special Needs Assistants and resources teachers, more Gardaí and more health service professionals in the Health Sector. There will be further staffing increases in 2016, including an additional 2,260 teachers, up to 600 new Gardaí, and additional staff in the Health Sector and in Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - as announced at Budget time in October.
196. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he envisages the 2016 landing season at Sceilig Mhichíl to begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45993/15]
View answerIn line with recent years, it is proposed that the visitor season at the Skellig Michael World Heritage Site will run from 14 May to 2 October 2016, weather permitting.
Prior to the start of the season, the OPW staff and a specialist Safety Contractor will, as normal, engage in pre-season maintenance tasks on the Island to make it safe for visitors and to deal with any damage caused by Winter storms.
197. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the full-year cost of ceasing public service pension reductions with effect from 1 January 2016. [46032/15]
View answerIt is estimated that ceasing the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) from 1 January 2016 would cost in the region of €135 million in 2016; this is by comparison with the estimated PSPR yield in 2015. A part-restoration of the PSPR imposition on pensions, in three stages over the period 2016 to 2018, is provided for under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015. The annual cost of this part-restoration, when fully in place from 1 January 2018, is estimated at €90 million.
198. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on correspondence regarding a sports club (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if a mechanism is available to the club to ensure that it is paying the correct rates, given that it believes that a function held in the club is not a rateable event if it does not involve the use of the bar facilities and is to raise funds to provide for the annual budget and the cost of running the club, including the provision of training equipment, transport coaching, footballs and jerseys. [46039/15]
View answerThe Commissioner of Valuation is responsible under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 for the valuation of commercial property for the purposes of the calculation, by local authorities, of commercial rates. The legislation gives me as Minister no role in the valuation of property.
Previously, under the Valuation Act 2001, a Community Sports Club that held a licence under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904 had all of its premises taken into account when valued for rates purposes. However, the legislation in this area was changed by certain provisions in the Valuation (Amendment) Act 2015, which now provides a partial exemption from commercial rates for Community Sports Clubs that are licensed under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act, 1904.
Under the new partial exemption, Community Sports Clubs registered under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904 will not be liable for commercial rates on buildings, or parts of buildings, used:
- exclusively for community sport and not for the generation of income, or
- to generate income from participants in community sport, or
- by community organisations that use the building or part of the building for community purposes.
However, buildings or parts of buildings, used for or in conjunction with the sale or consumption of alcohol or food, retail use or hire for profit (other than those outlined in the previous paragraph) continue to be liable for rates.
I am informed by the Commissioner of Valuation that following the commencement of the Valuation Amendment Act 2015, his office initiated the process of updating the valuation lists for community sports clubs that will benefit from the amendment to Schedule 4. This process has involved seeking information from Community Sports Clubs and appointing a revision manager to investigate each case and make the necessary changes to the valuation lists.
In accordance with the provisions of the Acts and having investigated each case, Proposed Valuation Certificates were issued to the applicant Community Sports Clubs informing them of the proposed valuation and advising them that if they were dissatisfied with the proposed valuation or with any other particular stated in the Proposed Valuation Certificate, they had a right to make representations to the Valuation Office within 40 days.
I am informed that statutory representations were received on 23 November 2015 in relation to the property the Deputy refers to. These representations are currently being considered and a final certificate of valuation will issue shortly. If still dissatisfied with the valuation or with any other detail therein at that point, the club has the right to make an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal, an independent body established for that purpose.
The calculation and collection of commercial rates is a matter for local authorities.
199. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount spent on committees in the Houses of the Oireachtas and the number of staff employed in each year from 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46110/15]
View answerUnder the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003, responsibility for the expenditure and staffing of the Houses of the Oireachtas transferred to that Office from the Minister. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Service therefore has agreed to send the information requested directly to the Deputy.
200. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of establishing his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46111/15]
View answerThe total cost of setting up my Department is not easily identifiable and would necessitate a full-scale survey of Departmental costs in 2011 to identify any expenditure which might not have already been encompassed by Department of Finance allocations. It would take a disproportionate amount of time to identify, retrieve and collate any such costs.
201. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of appointments to State boards under the aegis of his Department; the number of appointments that have been advertised on his Department's website since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46259/15]
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) (Public Official) |
|
Des Dowling* |
01/09/2011 |
|
No) (Public Official) |
|
Dave Walsh |
01/07/2013 |
|
No (replacement for Des Dowling who transferred departments)) (Public Official) |
|
John McCarthy |
01/09/2013 |
|
No (replacement for Dave Walsh who transferred internally)) (Public Official) |
|
Dr. Deirdre O'Keeffe* |
01/09/2011 |
09/10/2014 |
No) (Public Official) |
|
Patricia Coleman* |
01/09/2011 |
|
No) (Public Official) |
|
William Beausang |
15/07/2013 |
|
No (replacement for Patricia Coleman who transferred internally)) (Public Official) |
|
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) (Public Official) |
|
Fiona Tierney |
20/03/2012 |
09/10/2014 |
Holds office on ex officio basis, current CEO) (Public Official) |
|
Sean McGrath* |
01/09/2011 |
|
No) (Public Official) |
|
Barry O'Brien |
01/09/2012 |
09/10/2014 |
No (replacement for Sean McGrath who resigned from his post)) (Public Official) |
|
Paul Lemass* |
09/10/2014 |
|
No) (Public Official) |
|
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)) (Public Official) |
|
Damien McCallion* |
01/07/2015 |
|
No (replacement for Barry O'Brien)) (Public Official) |
|
David Cagney* |
22/09/2015 |
|
No (replacement for William Beausang)) (Public Official) |
*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.
202. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of chairpersons appointed to State boards under the aegis of his Department who have appeared before the relevant joint Oireachtas committee since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46274/15]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that the two chairpersons of State Boards under the aegis of my Department, both of whom were originally appointed before I took Office, have not appeared before their relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee.
203. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of the Acts in force for which he has lead responsibility and that have parts or sections yet to be formally commenced, including the purpose of same, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46289/15]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question, the following table outlines a list of Acts currently in force for I have lead responsibility that have parts or sections yet to be formally commence:
|
Title of Act |
Sections yet to be formally commenced |
Purpose |
Expected Commencement Date |
|
Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015 |
Section 11 |
To introduce pay scales for the judiciary. |
2016 |
204. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will commit funding to the proper cleaning of the facade of a Garda station (details supplied) in Dublin 4. [46364/15]
View answerThe Commissioners for Public Works have included Donnybrook Garda Station on its list of planned maintenance projects to be carried out in 2016. The exterior of the Station will be power cleaned and the windows refurbished and painted. It is envisaged that these works will be carried out in Q2 next year.
205. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.50 for all employees directly employed, or in agencies funded by, his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46411/15]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question the table provides the annual cost of introducing a living wage minimal threshold gross salary of €11.50 for all employees in my Department, and those under my remit, are as follows:
|
Organisation |
Annual Cost |
|
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
€685,539 |
|
Valuation Office |
€11,897 |
|
Institute of Public Administration |
As the lowest salary offered exceeds the living wage, the introduction of the living wage of €11.50 per hour would have no cost implications for the Institute |
|
The Public Appointments Service |
€114,883 |
|
The Office of the Ombudsman |
€26,348 |
|
State Laboratory |
€3,597 |
I understand that the Office of Public Works will be contacting you directly with their response.
