Written Answers Nos. 176-186
176. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts made by the Irish Government to secure the release of a person (details supplied) in view of the deferral of their court case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29034/16]
View answer179. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the recent efforts that have been made by the Government to secure the release of a person (details supplied) particularly in view of the deferral again of their court case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29158/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 179 together.
The case of this citizen remains a high priority for me and the Government. The Government is continuing to use every possible opportunity to underline our concerns about this case to the Egyptian Government, and also with the EU.
On 24 September I met with Foreign Minister Shoukry in New York where I again highlighted my concerns at the repeated delays in the court proceedings and reinforced the Government’s support for the recent Decree 140 application made by this citizen’s lawyers. Both I and An Taoiseach have communicated our support for this application in writing to Minister Shoukry and President el-Sisi respectively.
As has been previously reported to the House, An Taoiseach has been in direct contact on a number of occasions with President el-Sisi of Egypt about this case, underlining the Government’s concerns about the continuing detention of this young man, who has been in prison for over three years now without having been convicted of any crime, and who is part of a group trial that has been adjourned on fourteen occasions.
At the last hearing (29 June), the trial was adjourned until early October following an application by defendants for an expert review of the audio-visual evidence in this case. It was originally anticipated that a technical hearing connected to the audio-visual evidence review would take place on 2 October. However the hearing did not proceed as 2 October was in recent days designated as the opening day of the Hijra (Islamic New Year) Feast, and a public holiday.
The Court Office has indicted that the next hearing date is likely to be 12 November and we are awaiting confirmation of this date through official channels. On Sunday last, 2 October, I spoke directly to Egypt’s Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Ms. Soha Gendi, expressing my concern about further delays and underlined the Government's strong desire to see this citizen returned to Ireland as a matter of urgency. My officials are continuing to work closely with this citizen’s family and with his lawyers in Dublin and Cairo.
The Taoiseach and I stand ready to further engage with the Egyptian Government as and when appropriate, in line with our key focus of securing this citizen’s best interests; this means continuing our determined efforts to see him released by the Egyptian authorities at the earliest possible opportunity and, in the meantime, providing consular support for his welfare while he remains in detention.
All of the sustained and focused actions that have been taken by my Department throughout this case have been aimed at furthering these two objectives, and importantly, avoiding any action that could be counterproductive or detrimental to this citizen’s best interests.
177. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of persons outside of the State who were awarded the centenarian's bounty over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29063/16]
View answer178. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the method through which his Department locates Irish centenarians living abroad; if the onus is on the citizen to inform his Department of their upcoming birthday; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29064/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together.
This is a repeat of my reply to the same questions, Nos. 315 and 316, on Tuesday, 4 October 2016.
The Centenarian Bounty is the award made by the President of Ireland to people living in Ireland who have reached 100 years of age. On 23 March 2006, the Government approved the extension of the ‘Centenarian Bounty’ scheme whereby persons born on the island of Ireland, who have reached 100 years of age, wherever they may now reside, became eligible for the award of €2,540.
It should be noted that, while the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade processes applications received from outside the State, the decision to award the Centenarian Bounty is the responsibility of Áras an Uachtaráin. Once the Department processes an application, a recommendation is made to Áras an Uachtaráin on awarding the Centenarian Bounty.
From 1st January 2011 to 30th September 2016 the Department made recommendations to Áras an Uachtaráin for 1,005 bounty recipients resident outside of the State - 14% were men and 86% were women.
Information on the Centenarian Bounty is available online, particularly through the Department’s website and also on the websites of the President and of the Citizens Information Bureau. The Department also advertises the Centenarian Bounty through its public outreach work and mission network. The Department does not locate centenarians living abroad and applications are usually made by a close relative of the centenarian or by other people who know them such as a close friend, medical staff or social worker. Following the first application, centenarian’s details are recorded and for all subsequent birthdays a letter and commemorative coin is issued by Áras an Uachtaráin.
The majority of the recipients processed to date under the extended scheme are resident in Northern Ireland (approximately 55%) with residents of United States (approximately 20%) and people living in England (approximately 18%) accounting for the majority of the other recipients.
180. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a use it or lose it by year end rule is or has been in operation within his Department when devolving funding to agencies under his remit on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29197/16]
View answerThere are no agencies under the aegis of my Department so the issue raised by the Deputy does not arise for my Department.
181. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of plans for the refurbishment of a Garda station (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29041/16]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) is currently engaging with the Landlord of this leased property with regard to An Garda Síochána requirements at Ramelton.
182. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for the public sector pension levy provided for in the FEMPI legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29092/16]
View answerThe public service Pension-Related Deduction (PRD) is a key part of the set of reductions to public service pay and pensions provided for under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Acts.
As Minister I am required to review and report on the FEMPI legislation annually, and my most recent review was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 29 June 2016. The outcome of that review was that the FEMPI provisions impacting on public service pay and pensions continued to make a vital contribution to necessary fiscal consolidation, and that accordingly there was a need to continue to apply those provisions, including the PRD, subject to the amendments effected in the measures through the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015.
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015, which also implements the terms of the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA), partially unwinds the pay and pension reductions imposed on serving and retired public servants. This unwinding includes a significant element of relief in relation to PRD, with entry threshold changes implemented in two stages, 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2017, delivering an annual boost of €1,000 for most public servants.
My next review and report on the FEMPI legislation is due before the Houses of the Oireachtas before the end of June 2017, and will then include my assessment in relation to the continued application of PRD.
183. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position in relation to an application made by Mayo County Council under the minor flood relief scheme for funding assistance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29175/16]
View answerIt is a matter for Mayo County Council in the first instance to identify and address localised flooding issues within its administrative area. It is open to the Council to undertake any local flood mitigation works using their own resources or, if necessary, to submit an application for funding under the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection scheme.
All applications for funding under the Minor Works administrative scheme are assessed in accordance with the eligibility criteria for the scheme which includes a requirement that all proposed works are cost beneficial and subject to the availability of funding for flood risk management. The eligibility criteria for the scheme are published on the OPW's website www.opw.ie.
No application under the Minor Works Scheme has been submitted by Mayo County Council for the location in question.
The OPW only funds drainage works related to fluvial or river flooding. Any necessary works to address flooding caused by pluvial or inadequate surface water drainage systems are the responsibility of the local authority.
184. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a use it or lose it by year end rule is or has been in operation within his Department when devolving funding to agencies under his remit on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29201/16]
View answerFunding for bodies from the Vote of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is voted by the Dáil through the annual estimates process.
In accordance with the provisions of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 13/2014 - Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds, any amounts unexpended at year end are to be surrendered to the Exchequer. However, where pre-funding is required, for example, in the case of grant funding to a public sector body towards its running costs, prior approval must be sought from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. With the approval and sanction of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, these balances, or a portion thereof, may be retained by the grantee if deemed necessary to meet outstanding financial requirements. It is a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to determine, based on the particular circumstances of the body concerned, whether or not pre-funding or the retention of end year balances should be approved.
185. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the steps taken under the programme for Government commitment to act swiftly on the recommendations of the Post Office Network Business Development Group, and expand provision into areas such as motor tax and a new e-payment account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29051/16]
View answer186. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of times the Post Office Network Renewal Working Group has met; the number of meetings scheduled for the remainder of 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29052/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.
The final report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group, which was published in January of this year, made a number of recommendations to support the future sustainability of post offices. These include recommendations in relation to the renewal of the post office network, the development of a basic payment account, the provision of motor tax services, and the creation of hubs around which local economic and social activity could revolve. The report also recommended that An Post should, following appropriate consultation with postmasters and others, review and amend the five-year strategy for the post office network.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to acting on the recommendations in the report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group. A number of Working Groups have been established to progress the recommendations, including through the establishment of a Network Renewal Implementation Group, which is being independently chaired by Mr Bobby Kerr. This Group will continue to meet monthly in order to examine the number and spatial distribution of post offices, branch modernisation, the streamlining of products and services, postmaster payments and contracts, and training and qualifications for post office employees.
I have separately established the Post Office Hub Working Group, to identify potential models under which the post offices could act as community hubs, especially in rural areas. This group has identified 3 potential options around the hub concept and I expect to be in a position to report back to Government on the work of this group in the near future with a view to establishing a number of pilot projects.
My officials are also examining the potential for the post offices to deliver services such as motor tax payments and a basic payment account. My Department is continuing to work closely with Mr Kerr and the Network Renewal Implementation Group to ensure that all actions contained in the final report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group are considered by Government, once sufficiently advanced.
