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Thursday, 21 Jul 2016

Written Answers Nos. 841-860

Living Wage Implementation

Questions (841)

Niall Collins

Question:

841. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport 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. [24168/16]

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Written answers

Policy making in relation to the terms and conditions, including the determination of salary rates, for all public servants including staff in the State agencies under the aegis of my Department is a matter in the first instance for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

The living wage is voluntary and is, currently, not a statutory entitlement. Should the living wage be implemented in the future, the calculation of the costs arising will be considered in the context of the overall staffing budget.

Living Wage Implementation

Questions (842)

Niall Collins

Question:

842. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions his Department has had with suppliers or service contractors to his Department, or to agencies of his Department, to ensure that employees of such suppliers and contractors are paid the living wage of €11.50 per hour; the cost of implementing this wage for these employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24183/16]

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Written answers

The living wage is a voluntary initiative centred on the social, business and economic case that, wherever it can be afforded, employers will pay a rate of pay that provides an income that is sufficient to meet an individual's basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transport and healthcare. As the living wage is voluntary and has no statutory entitlement it cannot be imposed on suppliers or contractors.

There has been no discussion between this Department and suppliers or service contractors to this Department in relation to the living wage.

The position regarding the agencies under the remit of this Department is a matter for their direct response. I have forwarded a copy of your question to them for direct reply. If you have not heard from the agencies within ten working days, please contact my private office.

Roads Maintenance

Questions (843)

Martin Heydon

Question:

843. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the progress of works to improve the condition and safety of the N81; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24185/16]

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Written answers

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act.

Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.

Question No. 844 answered with Question No. 836.

EU Directives

Questions (845)

Robert Troy

Question:

845. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the State has met its targets under the EU renewable targets for transport. [24220/16]

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Written answers

Ireland's 2020 renewable energy target is to increase the share of final energy consumption made up of renewable energy sources (RES) to 16%. This target was agreed under the EU Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC and is broken into three key sectors with individual targets for each sector: 40% of electricity supply (RES-E), 12% of heating (RES-H), and 10% of transport (RES-T).

By 2014, Ireland had a achieved a level of 5.2% for RES-T which is over halfway to the 2020 target. A distance of 4.8% remains to be reached in the period 2015-2020. Sustainable liquid biofuels has been and is expected to continue to be the largest contributor to RES-T in the period to 2020, through the biofuel obligation scheme where fuel suppliers are required to include a level of biofuel in their annual sales of transport fuels. There will also be a contribution to target from electrification. Although EVs have not contributed at the level originally expected by this point, I understand that with the implementation of further measures to increase the penetration of biofuels and EVs, the distance that remains to the target can be bridged by the end of 2020.

Air Pollution

Questions (846)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

846. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the Government’s position on the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, talks further to recent reports that discussions at the IMO on the decarbonisation of international shipping have stalled; his proposals to address this impasse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24229/16]

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Written answers

Ireland will continue to support the progressive approach to the decarbonisation of international shipping which is coordinated at European Union level in discussions at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

As part of its air pollution management regime from ships the IMO has adopted efficiency measures to address Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. These are the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) which sets compulsory energy efficiency standards for new ships and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) which requires ships to develop a plan to monitor and improve their energy efficiency.

The IMO is continuing with this work on the review of the EEDI. The IMO also approved a system for data collection for fuel consumption for ships. This is intended as a step in which the analysis of data would provide a basis for future considerations at the IMO.

The IMO also welcomes the Paris Agreement under the UNFCC and recognised the role of the IMO in mitigating the impact of GHG emissions from international shipping.

Local Improvement Scheme Funding

Questions (847)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

847. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount of funding allocated to the local improvement scheme programme in each of the years from 2010 to 2015 and 2016 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24270/16]

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Written answers

Details of the regional and local road grant allocations to each county council from 2010 to 2016 are available in the Dáil library.

In 2010 and 2011 a total allocation of €5 million was made available each year for Local Improvement Schemes (LIS) and the amounts per council are given in the allocation booklets.

No monies were made available for LIS in 2012.

In 2013 councils were permitted to use up to 7% of their Discretionary Grant monies for LIS (the Discretionary Grant amounts per council are given in the allocation booklets).

In 2014, 2015 and 2016 councils were permitted to use up to 15% of their Discretionary Grant monies for LIS (the Discretionary Grant amounts per council are given in the allocation booklets).

Freedom of Information Data

Questions (848)

Dara Calleary

Question:

848. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2016; the number of requests fully refused; and the number of requests partially refused. [24289/16]

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Written answers

The total of FOI Requests received to date in my Department is 152, of which 36 were fully refused and 40 partially refused.

Ministerial Allowances

Questions (849)

Jack Chambers

Question:

849. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of miles claimed for and the amount of travel expenses paid to him and each Minister of State in his Department in respect of their functions as a Minister in his Department between 1 January 2016 and 10 March 2016; between 11 March 2016 and 6 May 2016; and since 7 May 2016. [24304/16]

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Written answers

The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.

Ministerial Advisers Remuneration

Questions (850)

Jack Chambers

Question:

850. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide the name, position and annual salary awarded to his special advisers; to provide details for requests, if any, for an increase above the special adviser's pay cap as set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24321/16]

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Written answers

I have appointed one special adviser since I took up Office. Ms Aisling Dunne, my Special Adviser is on a current salary of €79,401, which is the first pay point of the Principal Officer salary scale. This is in line with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Guidelines for the staffing of Ministers' offices.

Driver Licences

Questions (851)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

851. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23673/16]

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Written answers

The European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (known as ADR) is given legal effect in Ireland by the European Communities (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment) Regulations 2011 to 2015. Under the terms of the European Agreement, drivers of vehicles with tanks and certain tank components, and some drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods in packages, must hold a special vocational certificate of training, commonly described as an ADR driver training certificate.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA), an agency under my Department, is the competent authority in Ireland for the administration and enforcement of all ADR hazard classes, apart from Class I (explosives) and Class 7 (radioactive substances). The ADR Regulations require the national competent authority to provide a training and examination regime for dangerous goods drivers. This training and examination regime is currently administered under a HSA contract, by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Ireland (CILT), a non-profit professional examination body.

I note the Deputy’s concern that apparent changes in the standard of the ADR driver training examination may have made it more difficult for drivers to acquire an ADR Driver Training Certificate. I am informed that no significant change has been made to the exam system that would affect individual performance in these exams, other than to introduce questions in line with adaptations to the ADR legislative regime affecting the mandatory training that has to be completed prior to sitting an exam. The examination is rigorously monitored by CILT, in conjunction with the HSA, to ensure that it is robust and fit for purpose. Individual exam questions are reviewed prior to introduction into the exam by subject matter experts and monitored in terms of candidate performance per exam by CILT.

I understand that pass rates have been consistent over the duration of the exams since they were first administered by CILT in 2006. Pass rates are in the region of 80%, which means that some candidates do not pass on the first attempt. These candidates are allowed to re-sit an exam, should they choose to do so, and they must repeat the training before presenting at the exam once again.

The details supplied suggest that heretofore exam questions were specific to the dangerous substances being carried by a particular driver and that consequently the type of questions being asked in the current exam make it more difficult for drivers to acquire an ADR Driver Training Certificate.

I am informed that Irish exam system processes approximately 2000 drivers every year, all of whom sit the Basic exam, which covers all hazards with the exception of classes 1 and 7 (explosives and radioactive substances). In addition, a specialisation exam is available to be taken by those who are road tanker drivers, or very occasionally by drivers who require specialisation in explosives or radioactive substances. The overall exam pass rate has remained consistent at approximately 80%, with no evidence to suggest the exam is more difficult than at any other time.

Prior to 2013, the exam regime allowed for an exam specific to Class 3 flammable liquids. While not specific to these substances, the exam had originally been provided to cater to the needs of the petroleum industry. However, the HSA, in conjunction with CILT, decided in 2013 to cease to offer the Class 3 flammable liquids exam following a steady reduction in take-up of this exam option by drivers in the fuel industry carrying diesel, kerosene and petrol. Most drivers were already opting to sit the full Basic exam, as it offered greater flexibility in seeking alternative employment opportunities at a time when many drivers in the fuel sector were being made redundant.

I am informed that exam questions in the original class specific exam were never confined to flammable liquid hazards alone, as this category of dangerous goods can also result in secondary hazards with toxic, corrosive, and environmentally hazardous characteristics, etc. The training and the exam questions associated with the previous class specific exam was therefore very similar to the content of the current Basic exam for an “all class” certificate. I am informed that at no stage have questions on explosives or radioactive substances been asked in either the Class 3 exam or the Basic exam.

Finally, the Deputy inquired about differences between the exam regime operating in Ireland and the position in other jurisdictions, notably the UK. Under the terms of the European Agreement, the different national competent authorities can specify the content for a Basic exam, which can focus on specific classes or even specific substances. This results in considerable variation in what is provided across the different jurisdictions. In Ireland an “all class” exam, together with specialisation exams for road tankers, explosives and radioactive substances, in line with the ADR standard, have proven to be the most cost-efficient and well-supported options.

I understand that the Health and Safety Authority, as the national competent authority, remains open to any requests from industry stakeholders to cater for a specific ADR class or substance – as had applied prior to 2013 in the case of the Class 3 exam. Representations by the fertiliser industry also led, for instance, to the introduction for a limited period of a Class 5.1 exam, but that class specific exam was short lived as the overall level of demand was low. No request has been forthcoming from a petroleum representative body for the development of a separate training course leading to the re-introduction of a separate Class 3 flammable liquids examination.

Research and Development Funding

Questions (852)

James Lawless

Question:

852. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total research and development Exchequer funding in each of the years from 2011 to 2015 and 2016 to date in monetary terms and as a percentage of GDP, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24200/16]

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Written answers

The Deputy asked for Exchequer funding on R&D, which for official statistics purposes is referred to as GBARD (Government Budget Allocations on R&D). GBARD comprises total government funding on R&D (all monies dedicated to R&D and channelled via research agencies/organisations). These official data are collected by my Department. GBARD fell from €787m in 2011 to €722m in 2013, but have since increased to €735m in 2015. As a percentage of GDP, GBARD was 0.45% in 2011 and is now 0.30% in 2015, the drop again owing to rising GDP.

Of the total GBARD figure, expenditure on R&D performed within the government sector (GovERD - Government Expenditure on R&D), was €132m in 2011 and has risen to €138m in 2015. This equates to 0.076% of GDP in 2011, but owing to rising GDP during this period, the 2015 percentage has fallen to 0.057%.

Gross expenditure on R&D (GERD), comprising all R&D public and private expenditure on R&D in the economy now stands at some €3.1 billion, equating to 1.27% of GDP.

Final allocations for 2016 are being collected by my Department and will be available in the autumn.

Table 1: Exchequer Funding on R&D in Monetary Terms and as a % of GDP

GovERD (€m)

GBARD (€m)

GovERD as % GDP

GBARD as % GDP

GERD as % GDP

2011

132

787

0.076

0.452

1.474

2012

132

752

0.075

0.430

1.564

2013

129

722

0.072

0.402

1.536

2014

130

727

0.067

0.376

1.471

2015

138

735

0.057

0.301

1.272

Source: Strategic Policy Division Surveys Unit, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

Research and Development Data

Questions (853)

James Lawless

Question:

853. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation based on latest projections for 2017, the cost of having total research and development Exchequer funding as a percentage of GDP at the levels of, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9% and 1%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24201/16]

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Written answers

The latest projections for GDP for 2017 are as per the Summer Economic Statement published on 21 June 2016 and were also published in the Stability Programme Update on 26 April 2016. Updated macroeconomic forecasts will be published with Budget 2017 in October.

The cost of having total Research and Development Exchequer funding as a percentage of GDP at the levels of 0.4 per cent, 0.5 per cent, 0.6 per cent, 0.7 per cent, 0.8 per cent, 0.9 per cent and 1 per cent is set out in the following table.

Percentage

€m*

0.4

1,163

0.5

1,453

0.6

1,744

0.7

2,035

08

2,325

0.9

2,616

1.0

2,907

*Figures are subject to rounding

Departmental Staff Sick Leave

Questions (854)

Jack Chambers

Question:

854. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the figures for her Department on the percentage of working days lost to sickness absence through certified leave and uncertified leave in each year from 2011 to 2015, inclusive. [23415/16]

View answer

Written answers

The data requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular format.

Sick Leave Statistics 2011 - 2015

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Percentage of Sick Days Total

5.37%

4.60%

4.44%

4.28%

3.90%

Percentage of Sick Days - Uncertified

0.50%

0.43%

0.35%

0.36%

0.27%

Percentage of Sick Days - Certified

4.87%

4.17%

4.09%

3.93%

3.63%

IDA Ireland Supports

Questions (855)

Brendan Smith

Question:

855. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the efforts made to date, and if any new initiatives are being undertaken, to attract an industry or manufacturing facility to a location (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23473/16]

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Written answers

IDA Ireland markets Co. Cavan as part of its North East Region, together with Louth and Monaghan. There are 33 multinational companies based in the North East, seven of which are based in Cavan, employing 1,165 staff. County Cavan also has a strong indigenous industry base – companies supported by Enterprise Ireland there added 362 net new jobs in 2015.

IDA Ireland currently positions the North East as having strong clusters in international business services and manufacturing, given the presence of companies such as eBay, PayPal, Becton Dickinson, Wellman and Abbott. The presence of these international brands serves as an attraction when additional companies are considering locating to the North East.

The IDA Ireland business and technology park in Killygarry consists of c.17 hectares, of which c.11 hectares are currently available on the park. These are currently zoned as ‘industrial and employment’. The main tenant is ATA Group, which is an Enterprise Ireland client company. IDA Ireland is continuing to work to attract further companies to the Killygarry park.

Action Plan for Jobs

Questions (856)

Catherine Martin

Question:

856. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she is aware that the Dublin region panel of enterprise champions has not been announced, while all other regional enterprise champion panels have been in place for six months; when this announcement will be made; the person who is overseeing the Dublin Action Plan for Jobs in the absence of an enterprise champion; her views that Dublin will be disadvantaged as a result of this absence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23734/16]

View answer

Written answers

The Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs, which covers the period 2016-2018, was launched in late January 2016 and was the last of the 8 Regional Action Plans to be launched.

Delivery of each Plan is being overseen by a Regional Implementation Committee, with membership drawn from industry, local authorities, Enterprise Agencies, education sector and other key stakeholders and agencies.

Some of the actions set out in the Regional APJs will require active engagement with, and the development of networks within, the private sector. To drive this process, key industry figures have been appointed to act as Enterprise Champions within each Region.

The Deputy will recall that, shortly after the launch of the Dublin Action Plan, the General Election was called for the 26th of February and the new Government was formed in May.

Shortly after my appointment as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I moved to identify Enterprise Champions for the Dublin Action Plan Implementation Committee. I was anxious to ensure that they would be well-regarded industry figures, from both an indigenous or multinational enterprise base and be in a position to bring their business acumen, skills and leverage in the wider business community to bear on the implementation and ongoing development of the Plan.

In this context, Ms Caroline Keeling, Chief Executive of Keelings has recently agreed to chair the Implementation Committee. Mr Ronan Harris, Head of Google’s operations in Ireland, will take the role of vice-chair, and Ms Julie Spillane of Accenture has also agreed to be an Enterprise Champion on the Committee.

Additional Enterprise Champions are currently being considered and will be appointed to the Committee in the coming weeks.

The Dublin Plan aims to increase employment in the Dublin region by 10-15% over the period to 2020, resulting in the delivery of 66,000 additional jobs to the region in that period.

Key sectors targeted as part of the plan include areas like technology, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing, tourism and retail as well as “smart cities” and the creative industries.

In addition to assisting the Committee with reviewing progress on the delivery of the actions in the Action Plan for the region on a regular basis, the Enterprise Champions will work with private and public stakeholders to identify new actions to be added to the Action Plan as they emerge over the lifetime of the Plan.

Collaboration between the private and the public sector has been a core element in the plan’s development, and will be central to its delivery. My Department will work closely with the Group as it progresses the Plan.

The first meeting of the Dublin Implementation will take place in September, when it will consider progress on the implementation of the actions contained in the Plan.

The first progress report of the Plan will be completed and published later this year.

Company Closures

Questions (857, 858)

Seamus Healy

Question:

857. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the grants, if any, that were paid to a company (details supplied); if any grants have been repaid; the grants that remain unpaid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23743/16]

View answer

Seamus Healy

Question:

858. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the cost of the liquidation process at a company (details supplied) and the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23744/16]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 857 and 858 together.

No grant funding has been paid by IDA Ireland to this company. However in the period between 1971 and 2010 - when this company was in different ownership and trading under a different name – grant assistance of €5.986m was provided by the State in support of it. These grants were variously in respect of specific Capital, Research and Employment initiatives and helped to secure and develop the operation in Clonmel over many years. There is no grant liability due to the State at this stage.

Regarding the recent High Court appointment of a liquidator, this Department has no involvement or legal standing in this liquidation and is not a party to that process. Accordingly I am not in a position to comment or give any details on the costs of the liquidation.

Consumer Protection

Questions (859)

Michael McGrath

Question:

859. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the consumer rights that apply to gift vouchers; her plans to introduce new rules concerning the time for which such vouchers must remain valid; her further plans to strengthen consumer rights in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23853/16]

View answer

Written answers

Gift vouchers supplied to consumers are subject to the provisions of general consumer protection legislation, in particular the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 on unfair, misleading and aggressive commercial practices and of the European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations 1995 (S.I. No. 27 of 1995). Gift vouchers that are not financial services products are covered also by the provisions of the European Union (Consumer Information, Cancellation and Other Rights) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 484 of 2013). Gift cards that come within the definition of “electronic money” in the European Communities (Electronic Money) Regulations 2011 are subject to the provisions of these Regulations unless the card can be used only to acquire goods or services in the premises of the card issuer or within a limited network of service providers or for a limited range of goods and services. The issuer of a gift card which comes within the definition of electronic money must, at the request of the electronic money holder, redeem the monetary value of the electronic money at par value at any time. Redemption may be subject to a fee in specified circumstances and any such fee must be proportionate and commensurate with the costs actually incurred by the issuer of the electronic money.

My Department published the draft Scheme of a comprehensive Consumer Rights Bill for public consultation on 25 May 2015. In addition to Parts dealing with the consolidation and updating of the law on the supply of goods, digital content and services and on unfair contract terms, the draft Scheme contains a number of provisions for the regulation of gift vouchers, including a proposed ban on expiry dates in contracts for the supply of gift vouchers. The responses to the gift card provisions raised a substantial number of issues, including concerns expressed by businesses about the impact of a complete prohibition on expiry dates and the need for clarity and certainty in respect of the regulation of gift cards that come within the scope of the European Communities (Electronic Money) Regulations 2011. While the present proposal is for a ban on expiry dates for gift cards that do not come within the scope of the Electronic Money Regulations, I am willing to listen to other views and possible approaches, such as a requirement that gift cards remain valid for a set period such as five years.

While I am anxious to progress the Scheme of the Consumer Rights Bill, I have to take account of current European Union legislative proposals for Directives on consumer contracts for the supply of digital content and consumer contracts for the online and other distance sale of goods. These proposals which were announced in May 2015 and published in December 2015 overlap very substantially with two of the main parts of the draft Scheme of the Consumer Rights Bill. Discussions on the digital content proposal at working party level have proceeded rapidly with a first reading of the proposal completed by April 2016 and agreement reached at the June Justice and Home Affairs Council on the basic principles of the proposal and on political guidelines for future work on it. The Slovak Presidency has indicated that it hopes to achieve agreement in the second half of 2016 on a full or partial general approach to the digital content proposal and to commence the examination of the proposal on online sales. In this situation, I will have to give serious consideration to whether it would be premature and inadvisable to bring forward a legislative proposal to the Oireachtas when a directly related and fully harmonised legislative proposal is proceeding through the European Union legislative process. The wisdom of enacting legislation in the Oireachtas in 2017 if large parts of that legislation would have to be repealed or substantially amended within a relatively short space of time is obviously open to question. I will review the progress of the two European Union proposals later in the year with a view to deciding the best course of action to take with regard to the Scheme of the Consumer Rights Bill.

IDA Ireland Site Visits

Questions (860)

Michael McGrath

Question:

860. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA Ireland sponsored visits for each year from 2014 to 2015 and 2016 to date for each county; and the detail of the IDA Ireland's strategy to ensure there is an equitable distribution of visits among counties. [23861/16]

View answer

Written answers

IDA Ireland collates data on its site visits on a quarterly basis. The latest data available is for the first quarter of 2016, during which there were 136 site visits countrywide. The breakdown by county of those is provided in the following table. Figures for the second quarter will be available early next month.

It is important to note that data on site visits is not an accurate measure of the level of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) activity in a region or county. That is partly because approximately 70% of all FDI investment won by IDA Ireland comes from its existing client base, rather than new companies.

IDA Ireland actively tries to encourage client companies to locate in regional locations outside of Dublin. This is consistent with the IDA’s strategy for 2015-2019, which identifies regional development as a key priority of the Agency. This strategy is also targeting an increase in investment of at least 30%-40% in each region outside Dublin.

The data in the following table reflects a steady increase in the number of site visits outside of Dublin. In 2015, 57% of site visits were to locations outside of the capital, up from 43% in 2014. Figures for the first quarter of 2016 show that this trend is continuing, with 58% of visits conducted so far this year being outside of Dublin.

The decision by a company of where to locate can be influenced by a number of factors. These include access to qualified talent, proximity to transport hubs, the ready supply of suitable property and the availability of sophisticated professional and business support services. Ultimately, while the IDA does its utmost to encourage companies to consider locations that are most in need of investment, the final decision of where to situate rests with the business itself.

IDA IRELAND SITE VISITS BY COUNTY 2014, 2015 and Q1 2016

County

2014

2015

Q1

2016

Carlow

2

1

0

Cavan

1

0

0

Clare

9

12

3

Cork

30

48

11

Donegal

6

5

1

Dublin

205

242

57

Galway

19

41

10

Kerry

3

6

1

Kildare

1

7

5

Kilkenny

4

10

4

Laois

0

4

0

Leitrim

2

8

1

Limerick

22

40

9

Longford

0

2

1

Louth

10

20

5

Mayo

4

3

2

Meath

2

7

2

Monaghan

0

2

0

Offaly

1

8

1

Roscommon

0

2

0

Sligo

7

15

4

Tipperary

3

12

4

Waterford

11

31

4

Westmeath

12

28

9

Wexford

1

4

1

Wicklow

4

7

1

Total

359

565

136

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