Written Answers Nos. 87-95
87. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a study or review of the Garda Síochána fleet was undertaken by an external consultant (details supplied); if she has or will publish the review; the details of the recommendations made in the review; if she has acted on them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21432/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the day to day management of Garda resources, including the Garda fleet, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that, in 2008, An Garda Síochána commissioned review by Capital Eye, a fleet transport consultancy company, of the operation of the Transport Section in Garda Headquarters. I am advised that, on foot of the review, the work processes of the Garda Transport Section were changed from a repair and maintenance model to a fleet management model based upon professional industry standards. Having regard to the expiration of time since the review and the changed work processes introduced on foot of the review, I am advised that there are no proposals for it to be published.
The Deputy will be aware that An Garda Síochána works closely with the Office of Government Procurement for the placing of contracts for the delivery of each component of expenditure included in the Garda Transport budget. This will ensure that, over the life time of the published capital envelope 2016 – 2021, the planned investment of €46 million in Garda vehicles will provide An Garda Síochána with a modern fleet to meet all operational requirements.
88. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána stations in the Dublin metropolitan region which are not open on a 24-hour basis but which have a garda present for the purposes of minding the station during the hours when it is closed in tabular form. [21434/16]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that decisions in relation to Garda station opening hours are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are thirteen Garda stations in the Dublin Metropolitan Region which are currently not open to the public 24-hours a day, however Garda personnel allocated to those stations are deployed on a 24-hour basis, including the period the Garda Station is closed to the public. The following table details the opening hours of the stations concerned:
Opening Hours of non 24-Hour Stations
|
Region |
Station |
Monday - Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
DMR North |
Santry |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
Dublin Airport |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
|
Malahide |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
|
Howth |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
|
Skerries |
10am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm |
10am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm |
||
|
Lusk |
8am - 10am & 5pm - 7pm |
8am - 10am & 5pm - 7pm |
||
|
Garristown |
No set hours |
No set hours |
||
|
DMR South |
Sundrive Road |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
Terenure |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
|
DMR East |
Cabinteely |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
DMR West |
Cabra |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
|
Rathcoole |
10am - 1pm & 2pm - 6pm |
10am - 1pm & 2pm - 6pm |
10am - 1pm & 2pm - 6pm |
|
|
DMR South Central |
Donnybrook |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
7am - 9pm |
89. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 22 March 2016 if she will introduce legislation to curtail the level of fees her Department and An Garda Síochána can charge relatives for copies of reports concerned with fatal road traffic collisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21488/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware, from my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 22 March 2016, that I have no role in relation to the setting or collection of fees charged for abstracts of Garda reports, copies of witness statements and sketches or maps of the scene in respect of road traffic collisions.
I understand that the fee regime was last revised in October 2011, when the fee for an abstract was increased from €41 to €60 and the fee for a statement was increased from €21 to €40, and that the fees charged are kept under ongoing review.
While there are currently no plans to introduce legislation on the matter, I understand that An Garda Síochána is examining the current arrangements with a view to ensuring that fees charged to applicants do not become excessive.
90. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the percentage of charities holding a valid CHY number from the Revenue Commissioners on 15 October 2014 that had completed their online registration on the Charities Regulatory Authority website by the deadline of 16 April 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21603/16]
View answerThe Charities Regulatory Authority ('Charities Regulator') was established as an independent agency on 16 October 2014 and is responsible for the registration and regulation of all the charities active in the country. The Regulator's initial priority has been the compilation of the statutory Register of Charities, with a view to underpinning and supporting its investigatory and enforcement functions. On its establishment date, all charities with a valid CHY number, i.e. with tax exemption status from the Revenue Commissioners, were automatically entered on the Register of Charities.
I am advised by the Regulator that a total of 8,034 charities with CHY numbers were deemed to be registered on establishment day. Of these, some 3,788 or 47% of the total had declared their information on the Register complete by the deadline of 16 April 2016. I am further advised that the relevant number now stands at 4,592 or 57% of the overall total. The Regulator anticipates that the rate of completion will continue to increase. However, charities should be aware that they have missed a statutory deadline which could potentially lead to de-registration of their charitable status. I am advised that the Regulator is about to begin a final phase of contacting these charities in the coming weeks to establish if they are still operating. Those who fail to respond may be subject to enforcement action later in the year and by not completing their details for the public Register are putting their organisation at risk of financial and reputational damage.
91. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new recruits to the justice sector in each of the years 2011 to 2013; and the number of whole-time equivalent recruits. [21978/16]
View answerI understand that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are providing a reply covering recruitment across government Departments and that reply will include any recruits within the Department of Justice & Equality for the period in question. In respect of recruitment to other areas of the Justice sector I am informed that there has been no recruitment to An Garda Síochána during the period concerned however the Garda College re-opened for new recruits in 2014.
In respect of the Irish Prison Service there has been recruitment at the following grades between 2011 and 2013.
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
|
Prison Officers |
40 |
||
|
PASO Grade III |
29 |
||
|
Campus Governor |
2 |
||
|
Psychologist |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Nurses |
3 |
5 |
I can advise the Deputy that all new recruits are typically appointed on a whole time equivalent work pattern.
92. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff working in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General; the number of agency workers employed by it; the cost of outside consultancy staff or organisations outside the public service employed or commissioned to do work for it, in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21449/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables:
Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Staff Numbers 2011 to 2016 Whole Time Equivalents (WTE) a
|
|
2016 (estimate) |
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
|
Authorised maximum staff complement |
164 |
164 |
150 |
150 |
150 |
150 |
|
Actual average employed |
146 |
145 |
143 |
146 |
138 |
145 |
|
(As a % of staff complement) |
(89%) |
(88%) |
(95%) |
(97%) |
(92%) |
(97%) |
|
Other resources employed |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contracted in staff (temporary)b |
9 |
9 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
|
Outsourced audits |
6 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
|
Total |
161 |
161 |
155 |
158 |
150 |
155 |
Note:
a Whole Time Equivalent' (WTE) is the standard measure of numbers employed in the public sector. It takes account of staff employed on a job sharing or part-time basis.
b Qualified accountants are contracted in on a short term, agency basis (with sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform) to fill gaps in staffing while recruitment processes are undertaken.
The difference between the authorised number and the average actually employed in each year is generally due to the time lag between the date of staff departures and the completion of recruitment processes.
Costs of Contract or Consultancy Staff
|
|
2016 Estimate |
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
|
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
Cost of consultancy |
3 |
32 |
2 |
36 |
- |
101 |
|
Cost of contracted in staff |
495 |
536 |
171 |
283 |
198 |
192 |
|
Cost of outsourced audits |
500 |
398 |
424 |
401 |
414 |
394 |
|
Total |
998 |
966 |
597 |
720 |
612 |
687 |
Consultancy work mainly relates to the engagement of experts to support reporting and audit work in specialised and technical areas, for example, examinations of health or engineering matters.
Qualified accountants are contracted in on an agency-basis for short periods to fill temporary gaps which arise where permanent staff depart.
The Office outsources selected financial audits as a means of meeting part of the peak in audit demand and facilitating timely certification of financial statements. There is an agreement with staff unions to outsource audit work up to an average of 6 WTEs per year. Procurement of firms to undertake this work is subject to regular market testing.
93. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that due to the limited availability of certificates in agriculture courses from Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, which were not adequate to accommodate the number of persons who wished to complete same in order to qualify for the stamp duty exemption for transfer of land to young farmers; that some courses only became available to persons on a part-time basis in October 2015, but which will take two years to complete, and in the context of current legislation of section 81 of the 1999 Act only permits a refund be claimed where the educational qualification is received within four years from the date of transfer, and which in effect means that some farmers will exceed the four-year period specified therein; and if this period can now be extended so that persons in the foregoing position can qualify for relief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21502/16]
View answer105. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance if he will take steps to extend the four-year period specified in section 81 of the 1999 Act which allows for the refund of stamp duty and so on if the person received the educational qualification specified within these four years in the context of where there were not significant courses available to such young farmers in order to allow them to achieve the qualification with the specified time period, which has only been recently rectified by Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, providing additional courses to allow such person acquire the certificate in agriculture qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21500/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 105 together.
I am advised by Revenue that refunds of stamp duty are available to young trained farmers under section 81AA of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999. The section specifies that a refund is only available where a transferee obtains a specified qualification within 4 years of the date of execution of the instrument and the other conditions of the section are met.
I have been advised that due to changes in the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) in 2015, there was a significant increase in the number of applicants for agricultural training programmes. One of the criteria for the Department Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2015 Young Farmer Scheme and 2015 National Reserve (funded through RDP) was that the applicant must be the holder of an approved qualification or have commenced a training programme by December 2015
A number of Teagasc colleges and centres have commenced additional courses with significantly increased numbers of students. To date, Teagasc is not aware that the timescale for delivery of its courses is giving rise to difficulties with regard to the 4 year period for refund of Stamp Duty. Section 159A of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act specifies that a claim for a repayment of stamp duty must be made within 4 years of the date of stamping of an instrument by the Revenue Commissioners. This four year rule is consistent with the time limit for claiming refunds of other taxes and I would not be in favour of making an exception in such situations.
94. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Finance the cost of increasing the number of staff employed within the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General from 140 to 165; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21552/16]
View answerThe Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General estimates that the average number employed in 2016 will be 146 when account is taken of projected departures and planned recruitment competitions being undertaken though the Public Appointment Service on behalf of the Office. The cost to the Office of salary and PRSI of employing an average of 146 whole time equivalent (WTE) staff over a full year is €9.04 million.
The budget provided to the Office for 2016 is €10.3 million which is sufficient to employ 164 WTE staff.
The gap between the Office's complement of 164 WTE staff and the 140 WTE staff actually employed at the end of June 2016 is due to:
- a higher turnover of staff compared to previous years as opportunities for staff emerge with the improving economic environment,
- time taken to recruit new permanent staff.
95. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Finance his plans to respond to the recent announcement by the United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer to reduce the United Kingdom's corporation tax rate to 15% as opposed to a previous announcement reduction to 17%; if this poses a challenge to Ireland by reducing foreign direct investment here given a recent Economic and Social Research Institute study that says that every 1% drop in the United Kingdom rate would, all things being equal, reduce foreign direct investment from outside the European Union by 4.6 per cent. [20905/16]
View answerI am aware of media comments from the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer last week regarding a move by the UK to a corporation tax rate of less than 15%. This announcement is not surprising given that the UK had previously announced a cut to 17% by 2020. There appears to be no timeframe set for this further reduction and we will have to wait and see the details when they emerge, for example whether the rate cut is to be paid for by compensating base broadening measures. My Department will of course examine any such proposals when the details are available.
At 12.5%, Ireland has one of the most competitive and stable headline corporate tax rates in the OECD. I believe that Ireland's long-term commitment to the 12.5% rate ensures that we remain highly competitive and supports Ireland's ability to attract and retain investment from around the world. Our competitive rate of corporation tax has been an important part of our industrial policy since the 1950s, and has attracted real and substantive operations to Ireland since then.
The Department of Finance commissioned a research paper from Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) as part of a Joint Research Programme with the ESRI. The research paper is entitled "Corporate Taxation and Foreign Direct Investment in EU Countries: Policy Implications for Ireland", and it examined the extent to which Ireland and the UK are perceived as similar alternatives with respect to factors that determine the location choice of foreign affiliates.
The Report found that:
- Over and above the effect of corporate tax rates, a number of other location characteristics are found to significantly increase countries' chances of being chosen as a location for FDI, including market size, access to the European Single Market, low production costs, high R&D capacity, as well as cultural and geographical proximity relative to investors.
- EU and non-EU investors value location characteristics differently. Investors from outside the EU are mainly seeking access to the European Single Market and are more likely to choose locations with low corporate tax rates. Intra-EU investments are more likely to be located in countries where the corporate tax is high but where they benefit from other local advantages such as low production costs.
The research concludes that in addition to maintaining a competitive corporate tax rate, Ireland's attractiveness to FDI would benefit from policies aimed at maintaining cost competitiveness and enabling further R&D investment.
The Report states that, with everything else unchanged, a reduction of the UK s corporate tax rate by one percentage point from 20% to 19% would reduce Ireland s attractiveness to new FDI projects from non-EU countries by 4.3 per cent. The report does not state that this relationship would hold true for every 1% drop in the UK rate and does not take account of the effect of the UK leaving the EU, which is clearly a significant factor which will impact on both countries relative attractiveness to FDI.
