Written Answers Nos 81-105
81. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the funding set aside in 2016 and 2017, respectively, for the social housing investment programme with a breakdown by the constituent elements; the projected number of units and bed spaces to be delivered via this funding in each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33173/16]
View answerTo support the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, I have secured €5.35 billion in exchequer investment to deliver 47,000 social housing units through build, refurbishment, acquisitions and leasing, over the period 2016 to 2021. This €5.35bn investment comprises some €4.5 billion in capital funding and €844 million in support of programmes funded from current expenditure.
The funding available in 2016 for social housing programmes comprises an Exchequer investment of almost €821 million across a range of housing programmes. In addition, local authorities will fund a range of housing services from surplus Local Property Tax receipts to the value of over €112 million, bringing the total housing provision in 2016 to €933 million. The specific amounts allocated to individual housing programmes in 2016 are available on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at the following link: http://www.per.gov.ie/en/rev/
The 2016 funding provision will provide for the housing needs of over 17,000 households to be met under a range of social housing initiatives, details of which are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/finance/2016-funding-social-housing .
The corresponding delivery target for 2017 is over 21,000, supported by the €1.2 billion allocated to housing programmes under Budget 2017. This will be supplemented by €92 million which local authorities will self-fund from surplus Local Property Tax receipts, bringing the total 2017 housing provision to €1.3 billion.
The 2017 funding provision will support the delivery of 4,450 social housing units which will be supplied via my Department’s capital programme, including 2,350 units to be delivered by local authorities through construction activity (i.e. new build and refurbishment/regeneration), 75 units to be acquired by local authorities, with the equivalent figures for approved housing bodies being 550 and 1,175. It is expected that some 300 additional new units will be built and made available for social housing via Part V mechanisms and will be owned by either local authorities or approved housing bodies. A further 150 units will be secured for social housing using the new Repair and Leasing Scheme and around 450 units will be leased directly by local authorities or AHBs from private property owners and developers under longterm lease arrangements.
In addition, 15,000 additional tenancies will be supported by the accelerated roll-out of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), and an additional 1,000 households will transfer into units supported by the Rental Assistance Scheme (RAS) during 2017.
82. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the causes of and cost factors associated with the very high cost of developing new homes here; his views on the costs published by the Society of Chartered Surveyors in May 2016 entitled, The Real Cost of New House Delivery; the costs he would dispute; the actions he is taking to secure a reduction in the costs of house building here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33178/16]
View answerThe costs associated with developing new homes and the factors influencing those costs are numerous and vary depending on the location and scale of development. The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland report on the Real Cost of New House Delivery, published in May 2016, outlined the costs of delivering a 113 square metre 3-bed semi-detached house to the market based on a study of a number of projects in the Greater Dublin Area.
In addition to measures such as reduced development contributions, a development contribution rebate scheme, changes to the Part V regime and new apartment guidelines, the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness published on 19 July 2016, sets out a broad range of further measures to tackle, among other things, some of the costs associated with the provision of housing in the interests of reducing construction overheads in order to facilitate an increased level of housing output into the future.
In particular, a €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) will provide much needed enabling infrastructure on key sites to open up lands for development from early 2017 onwards. In addition, the NTMA, through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), is developing proposals to offer competitive financing on a commercial basis, and in line with ISIF’s statutory mandate, to meet other infrastructure requirements on large development sites.
The Action Plan also contains a commitment to undertake a detailed analysis, in conjunction with the construction sector, to benchmark housing delivery input costs in Ireland. A working group, chaired by my Department, will begin work on this task over the coming weeks with representatives from the Construction Industry Council.
In the context of social housing provision, my Department undertakes analysis in respect of the average costs associated with the delivery of a range of differently sized social housing units, both in terms of construction costs and ‘all-in’ costs. These costs are based on an analysis of returned data from local authorities on social housing schemes.
My Department has also input into work led by the Department of Finance in relation to construction costs which was undertaken under the Construction 2020 Strategy. In addition, costs are examined in the context of proposed legislative changes, particularly in relation to Building Regulations and a cost benefit analysis and regulatory impact analysis is carried out on any proposed amendments.
83. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the progress to date on the creation of an NTMA fund or other special fund to finance the building of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33179/16]
View answerWork on developing the new funding vehicle is underway within the NTMA. Potential models for the structure of the vehicle are being examined and bilateral engagement is ongoing between the NTMA and my Department. A critical factor in the delivery of the action will be that the funding vehicle is ‘off balance sheet’ from a Government accounting perspective. Consultation involving EUROSTAT and the Central Statistics Office to address considerations affecting the potential balance-sheet treatment of the vehicle is ongoing.
84. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his estimate of the number of vacant dwellings currently under the control of banks, investment companies and NAMA in tabular form with a breakdown by location, institution type and bed spaces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33180/16]
View answerMy Department does not have the detailed information requested by the Deputy. However, in May 2016, the Housing Agency presented a paper in relation to vacant homes in Ireland to the Special Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness which – on the basis of the 2011 Census – indicated there were 230,056 unoccupied residential properties (excluding holiday homes) across the State. This figure includes all vacant homes in the State but no breakdown of this figure is available in respect of vacant dwellings under the control of the banks, investment companies and NAMA. The Housing Agency paper is available at: http://www.housing.ie/our-publications/latest-publications.aspx.
The 2016 Census conducted last April will provide more up-to-date information on the number of vacant units in Ireland, but initial published summary returns from the enumerators indicate a figure of 198,358 vacant residential properties, excluding holiday homes. My Department and the Housing Agency are liaising with local authorities and with the Central Statistics Office in order to obtain a better understanding of up-to-date numbers, characteristics and reasons why such homes are vacant.
Action 5.1 of the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness undertakes to develop a National Vacant Housing Re-Use Strategy by early 2017. To this end, the Housing Agency, which has lead responsibility for co-ordinating the development of the Strategy, has established a working group to inform the Strategy, with senior representatives from my Department, local authorities and from the Housing Agency itself. It has met twice so far. A number of local authorities have commenced, or are planning to commence, pilot programmes to identify vacant homes and bring them back into use; these pilot programmes will inform the Strategy. In addition, the Strategy will be informed by international best practice and experience, and research is being undertaken in this area.
85. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of single person applicants on the housing list in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33182/16]
View answer86. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of single bedroom self-contained units available for persons on the housing list in each county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33183/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together.
Details on the number of households on waiting lists in each housing authority area, including the number of single person households in each area, are provided in the statutory summary of social housing assessments. The most recent figures available are the results of the 2013 summary which was carried out on 7 May 2013. These are available on my Department’s website at the following link, and information on single person households is contained in Table A2.5 of the document:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,34857,en.pdf .
In accordance with a commitment given in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, the summary will be prepared on an annual basis from 2016 onward. Preparation of the 2016 summary, which will provide up to date figures of national housing need, is well advanced and will be available shortly.
Data on local authority rented housing stock is available on my Department’s website at the following link :
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/house-prices-loans-and-profile-borrowers/local-authority-rented-sector-activityDetails of stock for 2014 and 2015 are available by clicking on LA rented stock by area 2014 to date. The stock figures are broken down by house type and local authority area. However, the number of bedrooms in each property is not included in the data collected by my Department.
87. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the terms and conditions of the new renovation scheme to bring uninhabitable residential properties onto the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33213/16]
View answerRebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness recognises the important source of potential accommodation vacant private properties present. A new Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness this potential, and bring these vacant houses into social housing use to provide homes for families on local authority waiting lists.
The new scheme has just been launched in Waterford and Carlow on a pilot basis, and depending on the take-up from private property owners, will be rolled out to further local authorities early in 2017. The purpose of the pilot is to ensure that the scheme is workable from local authorities’ and AHBs’ perspectives. It is anticipated that other local authorities will come into the scheme on a rolling basis, with full roll-out expected within 6 months.
AHBs have a proven record in managing the refurbishment of properties and being good landlords puts them in an excellent position to play a key role in the success of the scheme. Several AHBs will be working together with Waterford and Carlow local authorities to manage the scheme in those particular areas. As the scheme is rolled out in other local authority areas, more AHBs around the country will become involved with local authorities in the delivery of the scheme.
The scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding required to bring them up to the standard for rental property. Subject to the suitability of the property for social housing, and the agreement of the property owner, the cost of the necessary repairs will be met up-front by the local authority or the AHB. This allows for the property owner to sign-up to a lease arrangement for a length that is linked to the value of the repairs, subject to a minimum of 10 years. The value of the repairs will then be offset incrementally against the agreed rental payment over a defined period within the lease.
A property owner can either choose to arrange a contractor to carry out the repairs themselves, or the local authority or AHB can arrange this instead. Property owners will not be required to take on landlord responsibilities and the local authority or AHB will have ongoing management and maintenance responsibilities in respect of the properties.
The local authority will determine the eligibility for the scheme having regard to the location and the suitability of the property for social housing and also taking into consideration the extent of the repairs that may be required. The maximum costs of repairs allowable under this initiative will be €40,000.
Early estimates are that at least 150 units will be secured in 2017 and up to 3,500 properties will be targeted over the next five years. I have provided €6 million in capital funding in 2017 for the cost of the repairs, and €140 million over the lifetime of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan.
88. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the levels of outstanding and unpaid development levies owed by developers to Fingal County Council for each of the years 2011 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33217/16]
View answer89. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the levels of outstanding and unpaid development levies owed by developers to Dublin City Council for each of the years 2011 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33218/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 89 together.
Development contributions allow local authorities to recoup some of the costs to public funds of servicing land for private development. They provide a mechanism by which developers can contribute to the cost of providing public infrastructure and facilities that benefit development in the area and are expended on public infrastructure defined under the Planning Acts. These include the provision of open spaces, recreational and community facilities, roads, some water services, public transport, schools, school sites, broadband and flood relief works. The adoption of these schemes is a reserved function of the locally elected members of each planning authority. It is a matter for the members to determine (i) the level of contribution and the types of development to which they will apply and (ii) the expenditure of contributions within the confines of their scheme-conditions.
Arising from the Government’s effort to meet commitments in relation to the general government deficit limit, the local government sector’s impact on the General Government Balance (GGB) is currently required to deliver a neutral position each year. The precise manner in which capital and current accounts are managed in order to achieve the overall balance necessary is a matter for individual local authorities themselves. However, within these overall limits, there is additional capacity for new non-mortgage borrowing and the expenditure of capital balances on hand by local authorities, which must be sanctioned by my Department. In reviewing requests for sanction, consideration is given to ensuring that priority infrastructural investment can proceed; that contractual commitments and on-going projects can proceed; and that development contributions already collected and aligned to specific capital projects can be utilised efficiently.
Local authorities are obliged to include data on current and long-term development contribution debtors in their Annual Financial Statements. As the audited figures for 2015 are not yet available, figures from the audited Annual Financial Statements for 2011 to 2014 are set out in the table below.
Current debtors are debts due within a year and are shown before any adjustment for bad debt provisions in the Annual Financial Statements. Total bad debt provisions for all current debtors are reported within the notes to the Annual Financial Statements but do not separately identify the portion relating to current development contribution debtors. Long term debtors are debts due in respect of periods greater than one year. Long-term development contribution debtors are matched in the Annual Financial Statement by deferred income. This acknowledges that the debts of long term debtors are not income in the current period, and are thus deferred to future periods and may or may not become due depending on the progress of individual developments.
It should be noted that local authorities operate on an accrual accounting basis and therefore recognise income as earned or billed and not just as cash received. Audited data in relation to 2015 should be available later this year.
|
- |
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Fingal County Council |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
Current Development Levy Debtors * |
|
115,144,987 |
101,864,648 |
50,058,710 |
53,678,246 |
|
Long Term Development Levy Debtors ** |
|
642,274 |
834,106 |
30,881,531 |
5,455,117 |
|
Dublin City Council |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
Current Development Levy Debtors * |
|
38,470,033 |
35,165,301 |
22,227,479 |
17,966,035 |
|
Long Term Development Levy Debtors ** |
|
48,456,370 |
35,289,748 |
15,155,717 |
15,161,373 |
* Current Development Levy Debtors – Source: audited local authority Annual Financial Statements, Note 5
** Long Term Development Levy Debtors – Source: audited local authority Annual Financial Statements, Note 3
90. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address an issue with regard to an invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33061/16]
View answerInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
The department received a claim for IP for this lady on 1 September 2016. She was refused IP on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. She was notified on 22 September 2016 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review or appeal.
As this lady has appealed the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO), a submission has been prepared by the department and was forwarded to the SWAO on the 28 October 2016 for determination. The SWAO will be in touch with her directly in due course in relation to the progress of her appeal.
Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) provides a basic weekly allowance to eligible people. This lady may make an application for SWA through her local community welfare service so that her eligibility may be determined.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
91. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to amend family income supplement application forms to allow applicants to nominate a post office as their choice of financial institution for the purpose of receiving payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33083/16]
View answerThe Department currently has 56,163 customers in receipt of Family Income Supplement (FIS).
I would like to outline to the Deputy that the Family Income Supplement (FIS) payment is a weekly payment for families at work on low pay. As the Family Income Supplement is an in-work payment the department considers that payment through an account in a financial institution better facilitates those who are in work.
Payments at Post Offices are actively encouraged by my Department as per the Programme for a Partnership Government subject to the necessary control measures.
I hope that clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
92. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the process involved should a person wish to have a back-to-work family dividend payment made into the post office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33084/16]
View answerAs outlined in my previous response to an earlier question from the Deputy, unfortunately there is no provision for the back to work family dividend (BTWFD) scheme to be paid to customers via the post office.
It is important to note that my Department facilitates customers to have their social welfare payments made via the post office. This is subject to overall control requirements. Under my instruction, a circular was issued to staff some months ago stating that, where possible, payments at the post office should be actively encouraged as per the Programme for a Partnership Government.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
93. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason FIS is assessed as income when applying for rent supplement, but not when applying for other housing supports, such as HAP or RAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33118/16]
View answer94. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason parents in full-time education or in receipt of one-parent family payments or jobseeker's transition payments are not entitled to rent supplement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33119/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together.
Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting some 49,700 recipients for which the Government has provided €267 million for in 2016.
Rent supplement is subject to a means test that is normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of their rent, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance (SWA). The means test also ensures that the amount of rent supplement payable is appropriate to their family circumstances, less a minimum contribution that recipients are required to pay from their own resources. The current weekly minimum contribution is €30 for a single adult household and €40 for coupled households. Many recipients pay more than this amount because recipients are also required, subject to income disregards, to contribute any additional assessable means that they have over and above the appropriate basic SWA rate towards their accommodation costs.
The rent supplement assessment provides for a gradual withdrawal of payment as hours of employment or earnings increase. Income from employment and family income supplement (FIS) in excess of the standard SWA weekly rate of payment attract an additional income disregard and are assessed as follows; the first €75 of such additional income together with 25% of any additional income above €75 is disregarded for means assessment purposes.
Persons in receipt of the One-Parent Family or Jobseeker's Transitional payments are not excluded from receiving rent supplement, however restrictions do exist in respect of persons engaged in full-time education. In general, persons engaged in full-time education are excluded from receiving rent supplement. It is the case that those participating in approved courses under the back-to-education allowance (BTEA) or the vocational training opportunities scheme (VTOS) may retain entitlement to rent supplement, subject to meeting all other conditions of the scheme.
My Department’s overall policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose as short-term income support by transferring responsibility for persons with long-term housing needs to the local authorities under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) under the auspices of the Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government.
Policy regarding the assessment of means under the HAP or the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) as operated by the local authorities is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
95. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has not received any communication or engagement with Seetec regarding a programme in which the person has been placed; if the person can be transferred to another community employment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33125/16]
View answerMy department will contact the person concerned and make arrangements to meet with her to clarify her situation and to determine the most suitable support available to assist her in gaining sustainable employment.
96. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department can investigate delays in transferring a person (details supplied) to a Tús position they have been selected for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33131/16]
View answerJobPath is a new approach to employment activation which caters for people who are long-term unemployed (over 12 months) to assist them to secure full-time paid employment or self-employment. Two providers are contracted to deliver JobPath for this Department– Seetec Limited and Turas Nua Limited.
The person concerned was referred to JobPath on 21 May 2016 and agreed a Personal Progression Plan with Turas Nua Limited on 30 May 2016. It is not open to him to pursue a Tús placement as he must continue to engage with Turas Nua Limited for a 12 month period. However, if he is not successful in securing employment at the end of his engagement with Turas Nua Limited, he would then be eligible to be referred to other employment schemes.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
97. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting times for the processing of carer's allowance and domiciliary care allowance; the measures he is taking to ensure applications are processed as soon as possible; his views on the matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33154/16]
View answer99. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting times for the processing of carer's allowance and for domiciliary care allowance; the measures he is taking to ensure applications are processed as soon as possible (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33170/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 99 together.
The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
The current processing times for Carers Allowance (CA) applications is 14 weeks and for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) applications is 16 weeks. Both schemes have seen a considerable increase in applications in recent years. Applications for DCA in 2015 were 33% higher than in 2013. Applications for CA in 2015 were 25% higher than in 2013. These increases, together with the need to introduce new revised decision making processes in early 2014, to demonstrate compliance with a High Court decision, have impacted on the volumes of applications processed within the set target.
Reducing these waiting times is a priority for the Department and we are working hard to make this happen. As part of its programme of service delivery modernisation, a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology, have been implemented by the Department in recent years. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.
In addition, staffing needs are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources. Where additional staffing is deployed to a scheme, such as has happened for carer’s allowance, there is a time-lag involved while those staff are trained and build up expertise. The Department has seen a significant reduction in CA processing from 22 weeks at the end of May to 14 weeks at the end of September and expects the processing times for both schemes to reduce further, as recently assigned staff get up to speed with the work involved in claim processing.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
98. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33155/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 5 October 2016.
This application will be processed as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. In the meantime, both the person concerned and his spouse are in receipt of a weekly social welfare support.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
100. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently on the live register with construction-related skills and or experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33177/16]
View answerAt the end of September there were 286,490 people on the Live Register (published by the Central Statistics Office at www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/lr/liveregisterseptember2016/).
My records show that 55,075 (19.2%) of those people stated at the time of making their Live Register claim that their principal skills and/or experience related to Construction, Woodwork, Metal and Related Industries.
101. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or with members of the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the provision of funding to address paramilitarism and tackle organised crime as provided for in the Fresh Start Agreement; if agreement has been reached on the level of funding; the source of such funding and the timescale for the proposed drawdown of these funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33098/16]
View answerThe Fresh Start Agreement of November 2015 saw the two Governments, in Dublin and London, and the Northern Ireland Executive agree a way forward to ending paramilitarism and tackling organised crime.
This was a recognition that while great progress has been made in Northern Ireland more needed to be done to complete the transformation of society. In addition to measures to tackle paramilitarism, criminality and organised crime through enhanced police and justice cooperation, the Agreement recognised that community engagement and support for change would be required. This included a commitment to develop a strategy on disbanding paramilitary groups.
Progress on implementing the provisions of the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements are considered at quarterly review meetings. These are attended by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the First and deputy First Ministers and, where relevant to her portfolio, the Northern Ireland Minister for Justice. I represent the Government at these meetings. The last review was held on 29 June 2016, with dates for the next meeting under active discussion.
The June quarterly review meeting discussed the report of a three-person panel, established on foot of the Fresh Start Agreement to recommend the elements of a strategy for the disbandment of paramilitary groups. This panel, comprising Lord John Alderdice, Monica McWilliams, and John McBurney, made over forty recommendations. The Northern Ireland Executive updated the review meeting on its then draft Action Plan to take these recommendations forward. In July, the Northern Ireland Executive published its Action Plan on Tackling Paramilitary Activity, Criminality and Organised Crime.
The Northern Ireland Executive is committed to carrying out research into the social costs and implications of paramilitarism; to undertake a public awareness campaign on the harms done by paramilitarism and organised crime; and to report on efforts to tackle paramilitarism which will be linked to wider cross-Departmental and statutory agency work programmes aimed at reducing community divisions and the causes of sectarianism.
Under the Fresh Start Agreement, the UK Government committed to providing an additional £25 million over five years to tackle continuing paramilitary activity, with the Northern Ireland Executive to match this amount. I understand that the Northern Ireland Executive has already begun its drawdown towards implementation of the Action Plan and related commitments.
On 13 September, I signed an international agreement with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to establish the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC), which the Fresh Start Agreement states will report annually on the progress towards ending continuing paramilitary activity connected with Northern Ireland. These reports will inform future Northern Ireland Executive Programme for Government commitments through to 2021.
The Government will shortly bring forward legislative proposals before the Oireachtas to establish the IRC in law. The aim is to get the IRC established and up and running as soon as possible.
102. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland has signed the Council of Europe treaty on the banning of organ trafficking in view of the widespread concerns regarding human rights violations due to organ harvesting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33137/16]
View answerIreland signed the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs on 8 October 2015.
The purposes of this Convention are to prevent and combat trafficking in human organs, to protect the rights of victims of the offences and to facilitate co-operation at national and international levels on action against the trafficking in human organs.
103. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the practice of organ harvesting from members of a group (details supplied) and other prisoners of conscience in China; the actions he has taken to address this disturbing practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33159/16]
View answerThe Government follows closely reports of human rights violations against Falun Gong practitioners, including renewed allegations of organ harvesting. On 27 October 2016, officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade met with a representative of the Irish Falun Dafa Association and two human rights defenders during which the issue of organ harvesting was discussed.
Human rights issues are discussed on a regular basis with the Chinese authorities during both bilateral and multilateral meetings, including during the visit of Premier Li Keqiang to Ireland in May 2015.
Through the formal framework of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, which was established in 1995, the EU continues to share with China its experience in the field of human rights protection and promotion, and to urge China to take clear steps to improve the human rights situation. The latest session of this dialogue took place on 30 November and 1 December 2015, and provided the EU with the opportunity to express its concerns about a wide range of human rights issues in China, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, freedom of religion or belief, freedom of assembly and association, arbitrary detention, torture and the death penalty. The individual case of Gao Zhisheng, a human rights defender detained for denouncing the persecution of practitioners of Falun Gong, was also raised at the dialogue. Most recently, human rights issues were discussed at the 18th EU-China Summit which was held in Beijing on 12-13 July 2016. The next session of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue is scheduled to take place before the end of 2016. The matter of alleged organ harvesting in China is due to be among the range of topics which will be discussed.
It should be noted that the Chinese Government denies accusations of human rights abuses against those who practice Falun Gong. It should also be noted that China has embarked on reforms in the area of organ donation with a view to stamping out illegal and unethical practices. However, the Embassy of Ireland in Beijing, in cooperation with our EU partners, is monitoring the Chinese reform efforts in the area of organ donation.
Trafficking of human organs is a deplorable activity which has developed into a global problem which violates the fundamental human rights and dignity of individuals. International cooperation is the only way to combat this crime, prosecute those behind it and protect vulnerable citizens who may be at risk of becoming victims of trafficking in human organs. In 2015 Ireland signed the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs.
The Irish Government, together with our EU partners, will continue to address human rights issues with China, in frequent and regular dialogue, through our contacts in both Dublin and Beijing and through the relevant multilateral channels.
104. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he will take to address the discrepancy in pay between temporary clerical officers and permanent staff in the shared services organisation in the Civil Service that has taken over much of the work done by local HR sections. [33143/16]
View answerI can confirm that the pay of Temporary Clerical Officers "TCO's" and Clerical Officers "CO's" in my Department, which includes the National Shared Services Office, is controlled by the relevant circulars issued by my Department. As with all civil servants, their pay is subject to Government pay policy and the two most recent circulars, 2/2014 and 17/2015 have been applied. I am not aware of any discrepancy and the current pay of TCO's and CO's reflects the appropriate pay scales and pension schemes.
105. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the role of temporary clerical officers; the payscales for this role; the options for permanency in this role; if the payscales are in line with permanent clerical officers; if not, the difference in scales and when this will be rectified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33164/16]
View answerTemporary Clerical Officers (TCOs) are generally recruited to cater for short term, seasonal staff absences in Departments, particularly in the Department of Social Protection, the Passport Office and the Revenue Commissioners or where particular roles require additional staff over a limited period. The TCO payscale ranges from €419.29 to €715.62 which is equivalent to the Clerical Officer payscale.
The TCO is a temporary position with no option for permanency. It is however open to TCOs to apply for full time Clerical Officer positions as and when they are advertised.
