Written Answers Nos. 252-266
252. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding a proposal for Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36656/16]
View answerThe National Aviation Policy (NAP) recognises the geographic and infrastructure characteristics that differentiate the respective roles of the three State airports, and indeed of the regional airports, and the differing challenges and opportunities that exist for them. It is a matter for all airports to identify, and to market opportunities for attracting, new business within their niche markets, in partnership with the relevant regional, tourism and industry bodies.
Clearly the size and location of Dublin Airport distinguishes it from the other State Airports And the NAP recognises that an opportunity now exists to develop Dublin Airport as a secondary hub. The importance of Shannon Airport is also recognised in the NAP. In particular the Policy confirms that Shannon Airport is of strategic importance for connectivity of the mid-West region and also serves as a "gateway" to the Wild Atlantic Way.
I have previously outlined that my Department's first priority, under the Capital Plan, is to ensure the maintenance of our existing transport infrastructure, including our rail network, at steady state levels so that it remains safe and fit for purpose. In view of the current constraints on availability of funding, the priority for the heavy rail network under the Plan is to improve efficiency and maintain safety standards, rather than expanding the network, or providing a super train from Dublin to Shannon.
We must ensure through our national aviation policy framework that adequate facilities are provided in the locations that airlines and people, including tourists and those in other business sectors, wish to travel to. A strong, competitive and efficient network of airports and international air links are vitally important for developing our trade and tourism sectors, particularly having regard to our island status and peripheral location.
The capacity enhancements planned at Dublin airport were foreseen by astute planners fifty years ago when, for example, they ensured that the approaches for the second parallel runway were kept clear of any substantial development. In terms of access, inward investment, economic development and tourism generally, Dublin Airport is, and is expected to remain, the primary gateway to the State.
254. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of vacancies on boards or agencies within her Department's remit that currently exist; the number that have been filled since 8 May 2016; the number of these that were filled through the Public Appointments Service; the timeline for filling remaining vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36650/16]
View answer264. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of vacancies on State boards in her Department; the number filled since she took office; the number filled through the Public Appointments Service; the timelines to fill vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36840/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 264 together.
There are currently two vacancies on State Boards that come within my Department's remit, both of which exist on the Board of IAASA. In this regard, there is one position for a Chairperson, for which a shortlist was submitted by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) to me. The selected candidate is now to meet with the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, prior to the formal conclusion of the appointment. The second vacancy, a Ministerial nominee, will be filled following public advertisement and recruitment process conducted by PAS.
The following positions have been filled on the State Boards under my Department’s remit since I took up office on the 8th May 2016:
Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority
1. David Devlin – Nomination of the Prescribed Accountancy Bodies was re-appointed with effect from 2 October 2016
The National Standards Authority of Ireland
1. Ms Nina Brennan – Department Representative
2. Ms Aideen Goggin – Re-appointment
3. Ms Deirdre O’Hara – Re-appointment
4. Mr Kieran Ryan – Re-appointment
5. Mr Roger Blackburn –following PAS recruitment campaign.
All of the above were appointed on 20 June 2016
IDA
1. Ms. Anne Fitzsimons - following PAS recruitment campaign with effect from 26th August 2016
2. Ms. Marian Corcoran - following PAS recruitment campaign with effect from 26th August 2016
3. Mr Dermot Mulligan – Departmental Representative with effect from 12 October 2016
Enterprise Ireland
1. Colum Horgan – Reappointment with effect from 29 August 2016
2. Geoff Meagher - Reappointment with effect from 29 August 2016.
Science Foundation Ireland
1. Rita Colwell - Reappointment with effect from 25th July 2016
2. Mary Doyle - Reappointment with effect from 25th July 2016.
Personal Injuries Assessment Board
1. Ms Breda Power, Departmental Representative – Reappointment with effect from the 26 October
Of course, neither candidates for reappointment nor Departmental representatives go through a “PAS” process.
255. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason the financial reward under the succeed in Ireland programme, delivered by ConnectIreland, is being discontinued; if she will provide the key statistics on the performance of the programme to date including the number of jobs created and total amounts paid out as financial reward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36694/16]
View answerThe Succeed-in-Ireland (SII) initiative has been operated by Connect Ireland (CI) on the basis of a contract that was agreed with IDA Ireland on 27 March 2012. This contract was due to expire to 26 March 2016. However, in advance of that date, CI and the IDA agreed to extend the term of the contract for a maximum period of one year.
The purpose of that extension was to facilitate both parties in effecting an orderly wind down of the original agreement, which is now set to conclude on 27 March 2017. In accordance with the terms of the extension, SII connectors who submitted leads before 26 September 2016, that led to a project being approved before the conclusion of the contract, will continue to be rewarded for any jobs that result.
I understand from the IDA that since SII commenced in March 2012, it has delivered 79 approved projects, 68 of which remain active. 2,267 jobs were projected to be created in those approved projects, 486 of which are now actual jobs on the ground. The majority of those jobs that have been created (60%) are situated in Dublin. To date, as I have been informed by IDA Ireland, €1,905,000 has been paid to CI as a financial award in respect of jobs created through SII.
256. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the rationale in the Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 for continuing the requirement for disclosure of directors' emoluments in small company financial statements while exempting micro companies from that requirement, in contrast to the equivalent legislation applying in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, which exempts both small and micro companies from the disclosure requirement (details supplied); if she has raised this issue with the representative groups for SMEs here and business representative bodies; if she has discussed the proposed requirement with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner; if her attention has been drawn to concerns that this requirement will result in the publication of commercially sensitive and personal data relating to individual business owners, which are not required of other persons that are subject to PAYE on their personal earnings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36709/16]
View answerThe disclosure of directors’ remuneration is a long-standing requirement in Irish company law. Since the introduction of the Companies (Amendment) Act 1986, small companies have been obliged to publically disclose directors’ remuneration. This requirement is now provided for at Chapter 6 of Part 6 of the Companies Act 2014, which largely re-enacts the existing provisions in earlier Companies Acts.
Section 26 of the Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 exempts micro companies from the requirement to disclose directors’ remuneration. Micro companies are a new category of company which will encompass only the very smallest of undertakings. To qualify as “micro”, a company must not exceed more than one of the following three thresholds: a turnover of €700,000, a balance sheet of €350,000 and an average number of employees of 10. Because of their very small size, micro companies will be exempt from disclosing a range of notes to the financial statements, one of which is directors’ remuneration. This is considered appropriate and proportionate given their very small size.
The introduction of the micro entity regime was part of a public consultation run by the Department in late 2013. As the relevant provisions for small companies had been in law for some time, and the Government was not considering any changes to them, those provisions were not referred to in the consultation. For similar reasons, it was not considered necessary to consult the Data Protection Commissioner.
I understand that concerns were raised previously on this issue. However, directors’ remuneration is an important piece of information for the understanding of the financial performance of a company. Its disclosure is an appropriate measure in light of the fiduciary duties owed by directors to companies.
257. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 282 of 17 November 2016, the way in which the view that Enterprise 2025 provides a robust framework that remains valid and sets out an ambitious policy approach can remain valid considering there was no allowance in forecasts in this strategy for the impact of Brexit on Ireland with regard to employment levels and export targets based on the various UK trading scenarios that may emerge post-Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36787/16]
View answerAs a small open economy, Ireland operates in an environment of continuous and fast-paced change globally. There are many external factors over which Ireland has no control. Nevertheless, we have put in place policies that ensure we are anticipatory and responsive and build resilience in our enterprise base. These policies are working. Based on the latest CSO data released earlier this week, 189,500 additional people are at work since the start of the Action Plan for Jobs Process in 2012. Over the last twelve months, an additional 56,500 are at work. The unemployment rate is now down to 7.9%, from over 15.1% in 2012. Over 72% of the additional jobs created were outside Dublin.
To sustain the progress being made on job creation in the context of the UK decision to leave the EU, we have taken a number of policy and expenditure decisions, including those outlined in Budget 2017, to ameliorate the impact on Irish based enterprises and to ensure we remain on track to achieve the ambitions set out in the Programme for Government and in Enterprise 2025. The Government will outline a full suite of measures in the forthcoming Action Plan for Jobs 2017.
As a policy framework, Enterprise 2025 does indeed remain relevant, in particular in the context of the events unfolding over recent months. Enterprise 2025 sets out a framework to ensure that we have coherence across relevant government departments and complementary policies – this coherence and cross-government commitment to job creation and sustainable growth remains crucial. The actions set out in Enterprise 2025 focus on three main aspects:
One: we are focused on achieving a significant uplift in the performance of enterprises based here in terms of innovation, export potential and productivity, and in attracting further investment;
Two: we aim to focus investments in areas where Ireland can differentiate itself internationally – specifically education & skills; place-making; innovation and connectedness including trade & investment. DJEI is working closely with DFAT in the development of a successor to our Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy and is engaged in the development of the successor National Planning Framework from the perspective of enterprise current and future needs;
Three: excelling on getting the fundamentals right in terms of finance, cost competitiveness, tax environment and economic infrastructures. The Government is confident that appropriate fiscal policies are in place that will help us to adjust to the economic effects of the UK’s negotiated withdrawal from the EU over a period of two years or more.
We are not blind to the potential implications arising from Brexit. I secured additional resources in the recent Budget to support our enterprise agencies in their increased efforts to work with Irish and foreign owned companies in the context of Brexit. In addition Budget 2017 introduced a suite of measures for agri-food, maintained strong support for the tourism sector with 9 percent VAT rate, and new schemes are under development relating to working capital. One response may have been to reduce our ambition and the potential set out in Enterprise 2025, or to reduce the targets I set for our agencies over the coming year. I do not believe that this would be the right response at this time.
We will continue to focus on taking action in the right areas to support enterprise as set out in Enterprise 2025 – this does not change because of Brexit. However, enabled by additional resources, the agencies will redouble their efforts in:
- working with our Irish owned companies to grow scale and to compete effectively on international markets;
- helping more Irish owned companies to export for the first time, and work with exporting companies to expand their international footprint beyond UK markets;
- attracting FDI from a wider range of source markets – FDI that adds value to our economy;
- helping a greater number of companies to invest in RD&I for the first time and support already R&D active companies to invest more in developing innovative products and services; and
- helping locally trading companies to increase productivity, to innovate and to invest in management and skills development through the LEO network.
As I have stated previously we can expect that many fluctuating macro-economic, trade and employment forecasts will be produced between now and the UK leaving the European Union. It remains to be seen precisely what the impact on the UK economy will be and much will depend on the new arrangements, including trade, to be agreed with the EU.
Meanwhile, we will remain focused across Government in responding to the challenges posed by Brexit and we will not be distracted from achieving our longer term ambition for sustainable employment growth in the medium term.
258. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 211 of 3 November 2016 and given that a dialogue process is under way with ICTU and IBEC to secure broad agreement before proposals are finalised in the area of zero- and low-hour contracts, the total number of meetings she has had to date with each of these social partners; the number of future meetings planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36788/16]
View answerIn addition to receiving written submissions as part of the public consultation process and subsequently, my officials have met with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) on 3 October and 3 November last, to hear their views on the draft proposals on the University of Limerick Study on the Prevalence of Zero Hours Contracts among Irish Employers and their impact on Employees. Similar meetings were held with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) on 4 October and 7 November last. This constructive engagement is being progressed as expeditiously as possible.
It is envisaged that further meetings will be held in the coming weeks.
259. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of new posts that will be created at the IDA in 2017 following the recent budget announcement to strengthen agency staff to respond to Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36791/16]
View answer260. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of new posts to be created in each State agency under her Department in 2017 following the recent budget announcement to strengthen agency staff to respond to Brexit, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36792/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.
Given the wide mission my Department has, the UK’s decision to leave the European Union will impact significantly on all policy fields across the Department as well as our family of Agencies. In our immediate response, the EU Affairs Unit of my Department exercised a dedicated overall coordination role across all of the relevant policy areas of the Department, and represented the Department in the work that is being undertaken at cross-Government level. However, in light of the volume of work to date, my Department has since decided to augment these existing arrangements with the establishment of a specific Brexit Unit. This Unit is headed up at Principal Officer level and will lead on the coordination of my Department's policy responses to Brexit including our approach to the negotiations within the EU and bilateral relations with the UK.
Moreover, immediately following the UK referendum result, I established a Coordination Group within my Department consisting of relevant enterprise, single market, and trade officials, together with the Chief Executive Officers of IDA and Enterprise Ireland to consider the short, medium and long-term issues arising for our stakeholders. I chair this Group, and I will continue to do so as part of my Department’s ongoing response to Brexit. In addition, my Department has also decided to establish a Senior Officials Group on Brexit, which will monitor developments across the Department on a regular basis at official level. Furthermore, the Management Board of my Department is also co-ordinating my Departments’ own response across all its Divisions to the referendum outcome.
In regard to new posts created in State Agencies, the additional €3million in Pay that I secured in Budget 2017 is targeted specifically to assist in our response to the evolving Brexit scenario. It will enable the Department and its Agencies to recruit an additional forty to fifty staff to supplement existing staffing numbers. In this regard, it is proposed to distribute the additional €3 million pay allocation across Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Health and Safety Authority, as well as to support the dedicated Brexit Unit within my Department. However, as the 2017 Revised Estimates Volume – or REV - is still being finalised it is not yet possible to be specific on the distribution of the additional posts across each Agency at this time, albeit that the 2017 REV will be published in early December by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
In the context of the additional resources being applied, it is also important to recognise that each Agency will be provided with an overall Pay ceiling within which they will have some flexibility to align their staffing resources to manage their overall operations and priorities, including Brexit-specific actions. In addition some Agencies also have Own Resource Income which they may wish to utilise to support some Brexit-specific actions, be that to cover operational Pay costs or some Non-Pay costs, such as running promotional and awareness campaigns. The additional Agency staff will be specifically tasked with assisting companies adjusting to the evolving challenges faced from Brexit, help enterprise clients to diversify into new markets, secure new business and explore innovation opportunities.
261. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the ratification process for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36793/16]
View answerAt the 16th EU-Canada Summit on 30 October 2016 in Brussels, EU leaders and the Canadian Prime Minister signed the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). CETA is a comprehensive and progressive trade agreement between the EU and Canada. It removes over 99% of tariffs that currently hinder trade between the EU and Canada. It is expected to increase bilateral trade by €12 billion per year, and to generate growth and new jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.
Given the position taken by Ireland and other Member States, the Commission submitted CETA to the Council for decision as a mixed Agreement. That is one requiring both EU and individual Member States ratification. As this process may take a number of years to complete the Agreement provides for provisional application. Provisional application allows businesses and consumers to enjoy the benefits and new opportunities of the agreement as soon as possible.
As the Agreement has now been signed the next step is for the European Parliament to give its consent. Should the Parliament give its consent, the Agreement will be provisionally applied. The process of ratification can then commence in Member States according to their constitutional requirements.
262. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on whether enterprise stabilisation measures are required as a policy tool following the recent Brexit referendum in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36794/16]
View answerThe recent Brexit referendum has introduced an amount of uncertainty into the trading relationships between Ireland and the UK, which has resulted in part from a degree of volatility in the Euro/Sterling exchange rates and concerns about future investment plans in the UK market. Exchange rate fluctuations will pose real challenges for low margin exporting sectors that are reliant in whole or in part on the UK market.
The volatility of exchange rates is clearly evident from developments over the last few months. An initial slide in the value of sterling was followed by a stable period which was then followed by a further weakening of the pound only for it to rebound towards £0.85:€1 in recent days.
Given Brexit is likely to represent a structural shift in the UK's trading relations with partners, short, medium and long-term responses are needed for Irish business. These include market diversification, cost reduction, value-add, innovation and price repositioning. My Department and agencies are putting in place measures to address these issues for client companies and I would encourage all companies hit by these changes to contact the enterprise agencies concerning measures to mitigate concerns.
Officials from my Department, the Department of Finance, Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland and Enterprise Ireland are also working on the issue of short term support for vulnerable but viable companies impacted by the Brexit referendum.
The objective of this approach is to design a tailored, targeted evidence based response to industry’s real needs. In this respect a structured dialogue with industry is currently ongoing and on conclusion of that dialogue I will, if appropriate, bring forward further proposals to address the ongoing concerns of Irish firms.
263. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the export credit support that is provided to Irish exporters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36795/16]
View answerThe issue of finance for exports is an ongoing concern for this Government and it has been addressed in the Action Plan for Jobs over the last two years.
A high-level group consisting of the Department of Finance, Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Enterprise Ireland, Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland and Ireland Strategic Investment Fund was established to progress the development of an export finance strategy for Ireland and arising from the work of that group it is proposed to roll out a Working Capital Guarantee Product in 2017 to support Irish exporting SMEs.
The pilot programme will run for an initial period of one year and its uptake and effectiveness will be assessed in order to determine the real demand from SMEs for export finance support.
265. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will invest in places of refuge for victims of domestic violence in order that places available are in line with the practice elsewhere in Europe of one place per 10,000 of the population, in view of the reports of just under 6,000 women being turned away from women's refuges in the past year (details supplied); the steps she will take to ensure the safety of victims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36689/16]
View answerIn 2016, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has allocated funding of €20.6m for a network of some 60 organisations providing services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland. Almost €12.0m is provided for emergency refuge and support services, a further €4.6m is provided for other community based domestic violence support services and €4.0m is provided for rape crisis centres.
Tusla provides revenue funding towards the running costs of emergency refuge accommodation. In the current year, Tusla is providing funding for 147 family units of emergency refuge spaces and eight family units of emergency non-refuge spaces. This includes eight additional family units of accommodation; six additional family units of emergency accommodation in Dublin and Kildare and two emergency safe housing units in Sligo which were funded by Tusla in 2016. The emergency domestic violence accommodation spaces in the Rebuilding Ireland - An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness will be in addition to those already supported by Tusla. On foot of Budget 2017, Tusla will be increasing its investment nationally on domestic violence services. The level of increase will be set out in Tusla's 2017 Business Plan, which will be submitted to me shortly for consideration.
The recommendation of the Council of Europe minimum standards document is for one refuge space per 10,000 adult female population. With availability of additional units of emergency accommodation in 2016, Tusla data indicates that the current rate of provision will be 1.45 refuge spaces per 10,000 adult women.
Tusla is engaged with a number of specialist domestic violence service provider organisations and other stakeholders about additional provision to support families in safe accommodation in 2017 and beyond. Tusla’s focus is on achieving the optimum use of emergency shelter accommodation and effective community based services to avoid in so far as possible the need for use of refuges by vulnerable women and families.
My priority, and that of Tusla, is to ensure that the needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence are being met in the most effective way possible. I am committed to continuing support for these vital services.
266. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of vacancies on boards or agencies within her Department's remit that currently exist; the number that have been filled since 8 May 2016; the number of these that were filled through the Public Appointments Service; the timeline for filling remaining vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36642/16]
View answerI am responsible for the appointment of members to the boards of the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), Gaisce (the President's Award) and the Board of Management for Oberstown Children Detention Campus.
There are currently seven vacant positions on the Gaisce Council, one vacant position on the Board of the Child and Family Agency and one vacant position on the Board of Management for Oberstown Children Detention Campus.
I am currently arranging for the seven vacant positions on the Gaisce Council to be advertised by the Public Appointments Service. The vacant position on the Board of Management for Oberstown Children Detention Campus is being progressed in line with the requirements of section 167 of the Children Act. I intend to make five appointments to the Board of the Child and Family Agency from 1 January 2017. Four of these positions that will become vacant on 1 January 2017 were advertised by the Public Appointments Service.
Since I assumed office in May this year I have made 16 appointments to Boards under my remit.
I appointed Ms Emer Egan to the Tusla Board with effect from 21 July 2016. Ms Egan was appointed following approval of Government to fill the unexpired term of office from 21 July 2016 to 31 December 2016 for the vacancy created by the previous nominee from the Department of Education and Skills.
I made 13 appointments to the new Board of Management for Oberstown Children Detention Campus with effect from 1 June 2016. The Board consists of the Chairperson and 12 Ordinary members. I appointed Professor Ursula Kilkelly, Dean of the School of Law, University College Cork as Chairperson. Professor Kilkelly is recognised as a leading expert in issues relating to the detention of children and has published widely on youth justice issues.
Of the 12 Ordinary members, the following 7 were appointed on foot of the requirements of section 167 of the Children Act 2001, as follows:
Mr Jim Gibson - interim Chief Operations Officer of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency was nominated by the Minister for Health;
Ms Fionnuala Anderson - an Education Officer in Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board was nominated by the Minister for Education and Skills;
Ms Sinead O’Herlihy and Mr Fiachra Barrett are members of staff on the Oberstown campus who were nominated for appointment on foot of a local balloting process by Oberstown staff in December 2015;
Mr Pat Rooney and Ms Elizabeth Howard are local community residents in the vicinity of the Oberstown campus and were nominated by Lusk Community Council in November 2015;
Mr Dan Kelleher is a former Principal Officer in the Irish Youth Justice Service, Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
I appointed the remaining 5 members following advertisement by the Public Appointments Service on 18 of February 2016:
Mr Charles Irwin is an Accountant with the Professional Development Service for Teachers, Dublin;
Mr Diego Gallagher is a solicitor with Byrne Wallace Solicitors, Dublin;
Ms Emer Woodfull is a practicing barrister at the Law Library, Dublin;
Ms Fiona Murphy is a service coordinator with Extern - a charitable organisation which provides services to children assessed as being high risk requiring intensive community based support;
Mr Michael Farrell is Corporate Secretary in University College Cork.
I have since made two additional appointments to this Board. Mr Tadgh Delaney was appointed 26 July 2016 following the resignation of Mr Dan Kelleher. Mr Delaney is an official in my Department. I appointed Mr Liam Walsh on 2 November 2016 following his nomination by the Minister for Education and Skills to replace Ms Fionnuala Anderson who had previously resigned.
