Written Answers Nos. 134-155
134. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the amount owing by businesses to the Revenue Commissioners under each tax heading; the age profile of the arrears; and the steps the Revenue Commissioners are taking to engage with businesses currently struggling to meet their tax liabilities. [40666/16]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that it reports on the tax debt as at 31 March each year.
On 31 March 2016 the total outstanding debt amounted to €1.81 billion. However, this figure included €902m of debt under appeal to the Tax Appeals Commission and €87m of insolvency debt.
The remaining amount of €823 million is regarded as a more accurate indicator of the actual debt that was available to Revenue for collection. Of this amount, €335m was under active enforcement and a further €108m was the subject of phased payment arrangements at 31 March 2016. The remaining €380m was at various other stages of the debt collection cycle, for example at 'Demand' stage or 'Negotiation' stage.
The table provides an aged analysis breakdown of the 'Debt Available for Collection' amount due under each tax heading as at 31 March 2016.
Revenue has confirmed to me that it continues to actively encourage viable businesses experiencing cash-flow or payment difficulties to make contact as soon as such problems start to arise to find an agreed way through the difficulties and restore timely tax payment compliance as quickly as possible. The €108m being collected under phased arrangements is a direct result of Revenue's approach in this regard.
|
Age Analysis of Debt Available for Collection by Year of Assessment as at 31/03/2016 Total €M |
||||||||||
|
Year |
Income Tax |
Corporation Tax |
Capital Gains Tax |
Pay As You Earn |
Pay Related Social Insurance |
Universal Social Charge |
Relevant Contract Tax |
Value Added Tax |
Capital Acquisitions Tax |
Total |
|
to 2008 |
109 |
4 |
44 |
7 |
10 |
0 |
9 |
63 |
6 |
251 |
|
2009 |
22 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
21 |
1 |
55 |
|
2010 |
28 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
22 |
2 |
65 |
|
2011 |
33 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
27 |
2 |
80 |
|
2012 |
34 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
29 |
5 |
85 |
|
2013 |
42 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
31 |
4 |
99 |
|
2014 |
91 |
29 |
5 |
11 |
18 |
6 |
1 |
44 |
7 |
211 |
|
2015 |
1 |
24 |
1 |
35 |
58 |
16 |
3 |
-176* |
15 |
-23 |
|
Totals |
360 |
63 |
60 |
80 |
115 |
25 |
16 |
61 |
41 |
823 |
Please note that rounding may affect totals
*The negative figure in respect of the 2015 VAT debt is a timing issue caused by the volume of credits (repayments) hitting the system at the point of measurement. The figure regularises as the repayments are processed.
135. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of contract outsourced staff employed at the Central Bank of Ireland; the roles they perform and their daily salary, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40667/16]
View answerI am informed by the Central Bank that there are currently 106 contractors engaged by the Bank. For commercial reasons it is not possible to disclose individual daily rates, however the average daily rate paid to these contractors is €551 (excluding VAT). The number of contractors varies from time to time and is determined by the business needs of the Bank.
The daily rate paid is determined by the role performed. These roles vary from temporary roles such as the provision of maternity leave cover to the engagement of specialists. These contractors are engaged via the completion of competitive tender processes.
These numbers include a significant number of IT resources and reflects the current number of IT projects underway and also the dynamics of the IT market place.
|
Role |
Number of Contractors |
|
Quality and Test Resources |
25 |
|
Solution Developers and Designers |
16 |
|
Project and Programme Managers |
20 |
|
Service Desk Resources |
11 |
|
IT Security Specialists |
7 |
|
Business System Analyst |
2 |
|
Service Operation Resources |
5 |
|
Temporary Administrators |
17 |
|
HR Consultant |
1 |
|
Security Consultant |
1 |
|
Audit Committee Advisor |
1 |
136. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the latest information he has available as to the amount of small and medium enterprise debt outstanding; the amount which is in arrears; the amount classified as non-performing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40668/16]
View answerI have been informed by the Central Bank that the Bank's statistics on SME lending are available in Table A14.1 via the link www.centralbank.ie/polstats/stats/cmab/Documents/ie_table_A%2014%201_Credit_Advanced_to_Irish_Resident_Small_and_Medium_Sized_Enterprises.xls on the Central Bank website. The statistics provide a breakdown of outstanding debt across a number of different industries. The Central Bank's SME market report shows default numbers (as per the Basel II definition of default) and can be accessed via the following link www.centralbank.ie/publications/Documents/SME%20Market%20Report%202016H1.pdf.
137. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the fines greater than €100,000 imposed by the Central Bank on financial institutions over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40669/16]
View answerI am advised by the Central Bank that it imposed fines in excess of €100,000 on eighteen financial institutions over the past three years.
Details of these fines are provided by the Bank in the following table:
|
|
Entity's Name |
Date of Settlement |
Fine Imposed |
Contravention |
|
1 |
Arch Reinsurance Europe Underwriting dac |
15/03/2016 |
€275,000 |
Breaches of the Corporate Governance Code for Credit Institutions and Insurance Undertakings 2010. |
|
2 |
New Ireland Assurance |
13/07/2016 |
€650,000 |
Breaches of the Consumer Protection Code 2012. |
|
3 |
Axa Insurance |
26/07/2016 |
€675,000 |
Breaches of the Minimum Competency Requirements 2006, the Minimum Competency Code 2011 and the Consumer Protection Code 2012. |
|
4 |
KBC Bank Ireland plc |
06/10/2016 |
€1,400,000 |
Breaches of the Code of Practice on Lending to Related Parties 2010, and the Code of Practice on Lending to Related Parties 2013 |
|
5 |
Capita Life and Pensions Services (Ireland) Limited |
11/10/2016 |
€1,150,000 |
Breaches of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995 and the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007. |
|
6 |
Ulster Bank Ireland DAC (formerly Ulster Bank Ireland Limited) |
27/10/2016 |
€3,325,000 |
Breaches of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. |
|
7 |
Springboard Mortgages Limited (trading as Springboard Mortgages) |
24/11/2016 |
€4,500,000 |
Breaches of the Consumer Protection Codes 2006 and 2012 in relation to tracker mortgages. |
|
8 |
Western Union |
19/05/2015 |
€1,750,000 |
Breaches of its obligations under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010). |
|
9 |
Irish Nationwide Building Society |
15/07/2015 |
€5,000,000 |
Breaches of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 395/1992) (as amended), the Building Societies Act 1989 (as amended), and Part 1 of the Credit Institutions Regulatory Document Impairment Provisions for Credit Exposures dated 26 October 2005 which was imposed as a condition on INBS s authorisation pursuant to Section 17 of the Building Societies Act 1989. Fine waived in the public interest as Irish Nationwide has no assets. |
|
10 |
Octagon Online Services |
09/12/2015 |
€105,000 |
Breaches of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 60 of 2007). |
|
11 |
Computershare Investor Services Limited |
17/12/2015 |
€322,500 |
Breaches of the Client Asset Requirements imposed pursuant to Regulation 79 European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 60 of 2007, as amended). |
|
12 |
Ava Capital Markets Limited |
06/03/2014 |
€165,000 |
Breaches of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007. |
|
13 |
UniCredit Bank Ireland p.l.c. |
13/03/2014 |
€315,000 |
Breaches of the European Communities (Capital Adequacy of Credit Institutions) Regulations 2006 and of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992. |
|
14 |
FBD Insurance plc |
08/05/2014 |
€490,000 |
Breaches of regulatory requirements contained in the Consumer Protection Code 2006. |
|
15 |
Squared Financial Services Limited |
16/05/2014 |
€100,000 |
Breaches of the European Communities (Capital Adequacy of Credit Institutions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 661 of 2006) and the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 60 of 2007). |
|
16 |
Bank of Montreal Ireland plc |
21/05/2014 |
€650,000 |
Breaches of the European Communities (Capital Adequacy of Credit Institutions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 661/2006) (as amended) and of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 395/1992). |
|
17 |
Ulster Bank Ireland |
12/11/2014 |
€3,500,000 |
Breaches of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992. |
|
18 |
Provident Personal Credit Limited t/a Provident |
01/12/2014 |
€105,000 |
Breaches of the Consumer Credit Act, 1995, the European Communities (Consumer Credit Agreements) Regulations, 2010 (S.I. 281 of 2010) and the Consumer Protection Code for Licensed Moneylenders.
|
138. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance the total use his Department has made of the Government jet since coming into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40681/16]
View answerThe Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) provides the Government and the President with an independent, flexible and effective air transport service to assist in meeting national and international obligations. The use of any Air Corps aircraft for Ministerial transport is subject to the authorisation of An Taoiseach.
Information relating to the Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) is published by the Department of Defence and I understand this information is updated on a monthly basis. This information details the Ministerial Air Transport use in tabular form (and which includes my Department since I took up office) and can be found on the Department of Defence website at the following web address: following web address: www.defence.ie/WebSite.nsf/Document+ID/FFF14F42B7DA240280257632003D5C94?OpenDocument.
139. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance the total use his Department has made of the Government jet per annum from March 2011 to February 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40698/16]
View answerIn response to the Deputy I wish to advise that the Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) provides the Government and the President with an independent, flexible and effective air transport service to assist in meeting national and international obligations. The use of any Air Corps aircraft for Ministerial transport is subject to the authorisation of An Taoiseach.
Information relating to the Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) is published by the Department of Defence and I understand this information is updated on a monthly basis. This information details the Ministerial Air Transport use in tabular form (that includes my Department from March 2011 to date) and can be found on the Department of Defence website at the following web address: www.defence.ie/WebSite.nsf/Document+ID/FFF14F42B7DA240280257632003D5C94?OpenDocument.
140. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance the gender balances on each of the State boards under his remit. [40726/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that in relation to the gender balances on each of the State boards under my remit, the gender balances are as follows:
Central Bank Commission 7 Male and 3 Female; Credit Union Restructuring Board 10 Male and 2 Female; Financial Services Ombudsman Council 1 Male and 2 Female; Irish Fiscal Advisory Council 4 Male and 1 Female; NTMA Board 5 Male and 3 Female; Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland 5 Male and 4 Female; The Board of the National Assets Management Agency 6 Male and 1 Female. The Deputy may wish to note that this information will be up-dated, as appropriate, at the State Boards.ie website http://membership.stateboards.ie/board/Irish%20Fiscal%20Advisory%20Council/.
141. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Finance his Department's plans to review betting duty in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40751/16]
View answerThe Betting (Amendment) Act 2015 was enacted on 15 March 2015, bringing remote bookmakers and Remote Betting Intermediaries within the scope of the existing licensing regime in Ireland from August 2015. The Act provides for a fair and equal treatment of all bookmakers (traditional, remote and betting exchanges) by extending betting duty to remote operators, thus widening the tax base and protecting the Exchequer from the leakage of potential tax revenue.
Prior to the enactment of the Betting Act, excise duty was only payable at a rate of 1% on bets entered into with a traditional bookmaker. Since the application of duty to the remote sector from 1st August 2015, licensed remote bookmakers are now liable for duty at 1% on the amount of a bet from customers in the State, and licensed remote betting intermediaries are now liable for duty of 15% on the commission charged to customers in the State. The new regulatory regime has been in place since August 2015 and receipts for the first 10 months of this year from the remote sector have yielded €22.6m.
During the Finance Bill committee stage debates in both the Dáil and the Seanad, my colleague, Minister of State, Eoghan Murphy TD, gave a commitment that betting duty would be examined as part of the Tax Strategy Group process in 2017.
142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance when it might be expected that borrowers in this jurisdiction might enjoy the benefit of the Single Market in the context of mortgage interest rates charged here, which continue to be in excess of the rate available throughout Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40786/16]
View answerThe 2014 Mortgage Credit Directive, which has been transposed into Irish law by the European Union (Consumer Mortgage Credit Agreements) Regulations 2016, seeks to develop a more harmonised, efficient and competitive internal market for the provision of residential mortgages to consumer borrowers and this should help to promote the closer integration of EU mortgage markets over time. However, it should also be acknowledged that there are many factors, such as differences in national legal and housing systems, cultural preferences, language, the proximity of lenders to borrowers, which will continue to inhibit the full integration of the residential mortgage market and of mortgage interest rates in the EU. More directly, differences in the nature of mortgage and other credit markets, credit and market conditions, mortgage default rates and the funding of mortgage credit will also impact on the levels of mortgage lending rates within and between different countries.
Nevertheless, the Government accepts that further action is required to drive down mortgage interest rates in Ireland and the Programme for a Partnership Government has set out a number of practical measures which seeks to improve the position of mortgage borrowers and variable rate mortgage holders in particular. For example, it has asked the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to work with the Central Bank to set out options for Government in terms of market structure, legislation and regulation to lower the cost of secured mortgage lending and to improve the degree of competition and consumer protection. Also the Government considers that measures to encourage and promote a greater level of switching in the mortgage market would help boost the level of competition in the market for existing mortgages. In particular, the Programme for Government considers that the development of a code of conduct for switching mortgage provider would be a useful and practical initiative which would have the potential to deliver savings to many existing mortgage holders. As the Deputy will be aware, research carried out by the Central Bank last year indicated that a significant number of borrowers could make savings by switching mortgages. Therefore, in order to promote the option of switching mortgages, I have also asked the Central Bank to consider and formulate a code in this area and in response the Central Bank has indicated that it has commenced a programme of research on this topic to inform its consideration of this matter.
The Government is of the opinion that real competition among lenders is the best way to ensure that retail mortgage lending rates are reduced in a sustainable way for the market as a whole but without giving rise to potentially undesirable consequences for new mortgage lending. This is a policy area that the Government will keep under active review in its ongoing engagement with mortgage lenders and in implementing the Programme for Government.
143. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance the amount expended by the Pensions Ombudsman and Financial Services Ombudsman on external consultants in the 2014-2016 period, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40859/16]
View answerI would firstly point out that the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the aegis of the colleague the Minister for Social Protection.
In relation to the Financial Services Ombudsman, the Ombudsman is independent in the performance of his statutory functions. The Financial Services Ombudsman has informed me that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows:-
The table outlines the amount expended by the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau on external consultants for the years 2014-2016. The 2016 figures are to the end of November only, and are unaudited.
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016* |
|
|
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
Business Strategy & Operations** |
- |
93,361 |
157,894 |
|
External Audit |
13,300 |
13,000 **** |
13,000 |
|
External Case Handlers |
650,617 |
377,575 |
173,081 |
|
External Mediators |
- |
4,920 |
55,838 |
|
Internal Audit |
13,608 |
10,344 |
11,772 |
|
IT** |
39,807 |
47,962 |
56,214 |
|
Communications** |
- |
9,649 |
7,232 |
|
Procurement*** |
- |
9,484 |
8,954 |
|
717,332 |
566,295 |
483,984 |
Notes to table:
* 2016 figures are to end November only
** These costs were combined and reported as Contractor costs in the 2014 and 2015 Annual Reports
*** Procurement costs were categorised under legal fees in 2015 Annual Report. They did not arise in 2014
**** The 2015 figure shown in the annual report was an accrued amount based on the cost in previous years. The actual cost of the audit came in €300 less than estimated.
The total figure of €169,612 for Contractor expenditure in the 2015 Annual Report contained expenditure of €18,640 which related to other services, such as translation and printing services.
Details of the Administrative Costs of the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau are available on the Financial Services Ombudsman's website at https://financialombudsman.ie/publications/.
144. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance the total SBCI loan stock currently available for SMEs to avail of; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40861/16]
View answerThe Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) began lending in March 2015 with a goal to increase the availability of low cost, flexible funding to Irish SMEs. The SBCI channels its funds through lending partners, known as on-lenders. The SBCI currently has three bank and five non-bank on-lending partners.
The SBCI has funding agreements in place with the European Investment Bank, KfW, ISIF and the NTMA and has a current funding capacity of over €1 billion to enable it to make low cost loans available to Irish SMEs across all qualifying sectors.
To the end of September 2016, the SBCI has lent €458 million to 10,684 SMEs. The SMEs who have received SBCI finance are from a variety of business and economic sectors and are spread across all regions of the country. SBCI loans are for a variety of purposes, including agricultural and other investment, working capital, lease and hire purchase and refinancing.
The SBCI is in the process of finalising additional funding agreements; this will increase the SBCI funding available to Irish SMEs who are seeking finance to invest in and grow their businesses.
145. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance his views on reports by an organisation (details supplied) showing Ireland as a tax haven; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40901/16]
View answerI strongly reject any allegation that Ireland is a tax haven. Ireland does not meet any of the international standards for being considered a tax haven. Ireland is fully compliant with all international best practices in the areas of tax transparency and exchange of information. We only have and want real substantive FDI, the kind that brings real jobs and investment into Ireland.
The Oxfam report includes Ireland's 12.5% rate as one of the factors in calling Ireland a tax haven. I strongly reject this characterisation of our tax rate. Interestingly, the report also recognises the benefits of the 12.5% and does not seek for the rate to change, while it appears to ignore that beside the 12.5 % rate, Ireland applies a 25% rate on passive income and 33% on capital gains. The 12.5% rate is fully in line with OECD and international best practice of having a low rate and applying it to a very wide tax base. The 12.5% rate is only available on trading profits where there is substantial activity in Ireland. Ireland's corporate tax policies are designed to attract real and substantive operations to Ireland. Ireland has not been and never will be a brass-plate location.
The Oxfam report also lists Ireland's tax incentives as being a feature of a tax haven. This is simply incorrect. Ireland has a very limited number of targeted tax incentives that are fully in line with agreed international best practice. The Knowledge Development Box, which is singled out in the report, was the first such measure in the world to be deemed fully compliant with OECD rules by the Forum on Harmful Tax Practices. While a number of countries not included on the Oxfam list have boxes which failed these rules and were considered harmful, Ireland's box was fully approved.
Finally, the Oxfam report mentions Ireland in the context of profit shifting activities. I have been clear that aggressive tax planning can best be countered by international tax reform. Profit shifting can only be carried out where global rules applied in all countries are ineffective or misaligned. This is why the BEPS project was needed and why the BEPS recommendations now need to be implemented globally. For this reason, Ireland is an active participant in global work to reform the international corporate tax system. We have implemented Country by Country Reporting, agreed the Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive and are working towards the implementation of the remaining OECD BEPS recommendations both domestically and internationally. On Budget Day, I published an Update on Ireland's International Tax Strategy which highlights our continuing efforts in this regard.
146. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons regarding whom the Revenue Commissioners provided data to the Health Service Executive under section 8 of the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2013 in 2015 and to date in 2016, in tabular form. [40933/16]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that the number of individuals about whom data has been provided, on request, to the Health Service Executive (HSE) under section 8 of the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2013 is as follows:
|
2015 |
1,236,788 |
|
2016 to date |
728,799 |
The data supplied by Revenue to the HSE, in accordance with the data exchange agreement in place between both organisations, generally consists of details of income returned by the taxpayer in their tax return; or in the case of PAYE taxpayers, income details provided by their employer. It should be noted that for a significant number of individuals in respect of whom Revenue receives requests from the HSE, Revenue would have no income details on its records for those persons because, for example, their only source of income is a pension from the Department of Social Protection. These individuals are included in the numbers shown in the table.
147. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of revenue foregone in each of the past ten years under section 847A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. [40981/16]
View answerSection 847A into the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for a scheme of tax relief for relevant donations to an approved sports body for the funding of approved projects. The scheme is applicable only to relevant donations received on or after 1 May 2002 in respect of expenditure incurred on approved projects on or after that date.
I am advised by Revenue that a Costs of Tax Expenditures Table is available on the Revenue Statistics webpage at www.revenue.ie/en /about/statistics/costs-expenditures.html.
This table provides an annual breakdown of the cost to the Exchequer for the 'Donations to Sports Bodies' from the years 2004 to 2014, the latest year for which data are available. This table will be updated in due course as newer data become available.
148. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the grants available for which chainsaw instructors may apply in order to provide training courses to trainees to enable them to secure skilled employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40598/16]
View answerThere are no direct grants available to providers. However, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) contract with private providers for the provision of training to address local skill needs. Procurement opportunities in this context may arise from time to time in the area identified by the Deputy.
149. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the programme for Government commitment to double the number of apprenticeships to provide a total of 31,000 places by 2020. [40851/16]
View answer150. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date of the programme for government commitment to target over 100 different apprenticeship schemes. [40852/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 together.
A detailed plan, setting out how we will deliver on the programme for government commitments, will be published shortly. The plan will include details of our approach to managing the pipeline of new apprenticeships identified through the 2015 call for proposals. The plan will set out a clear path for the development of new apprenticeships and will also set out the timing of a new call for proposals. It will set out how the 31,000 registrations will be distributed across existing and new apprenticeships on an annual basis. In targeting 100 regional apprenticeship schemes, we will focus on ensuring that national apprenticeships are delivered on a regional basis as appropriate and as supported by employer demand.
151. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills if persons (details supplied) can be accommodated on an already available school bus considering their health conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40484/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised school that is resourced, to meet their special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills' criteria.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.
In this case, the children in question are not attending the nearest school that is resourced to meet their educational needs and are therefore not eligible for school transport.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of conditions. However, Bus Éireann has advised that there is no suitable service operating to the school that these children attend.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs are applied equitably on a national basis.
152. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills following budget 2017 which makes provision for an increase in the number of teachers and the number of special needs assistants to cater for a growing number of students, his plans to increase the number of psychologists available to NEPS in view of the increasing demand for their services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40488/16]
View answerMy Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychological service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are in the NEPS section of my Department's website. Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
NEPS provides a valuable service to the school community and one which I view as a priority. The service has, over the course of recent economic difficulties, not only maintained psychologist staffing levels within NEPS, but has increased them by some 10% since late 2008, to 162 whole time equivalent psychologists currently employed.
Additionally the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the further expansion in the National Educational Psychological Service to ensure earlier intervention and access for young children and teenagers and to offer immediate support to schools in cases of critical incidents. The Programme commits to bring the total number of NEPS psychologists to 238 from the current sanctioned limit of 173.
NEPS psychologists are recruited via regional panels formed from national recruitment competitions administered by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The panel which had existed in this regard had reached the end of its useful life and proved unable to answer the recruitment needs from the viewpoint of ongoing staffing losses due to resignation or retirement or to bring the NEPS staffing complement up to its current limit of 173 w.t.e. It has now been closed.
A new national recruitment competition has been put in place by PAS to fill vacancies within all NEPS Regions. The closing date for applications is now passed and work is currently ongoing in relation to the examination of applications and short-listing of candidates for interview. It is envisaged following interviews that recruitment panels will be formed and active filling of vacancies will commence in the new-year and to provide for expanded staffing provision countenanced in the Programme for Government as resources allow.
153. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the review and expansion of the DEIS programme to additional schools; the criteria based on which schools will be added to the programme; the methods by which a school can apply to be considered in the programme; when details of the review and expansion of DEIS will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40524/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a process to review the DEIS Programme, which began last year is nearing completion and it is the my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion in the coming weeks.
The review process is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and between schools and its scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and Agencies, in order to improve effectiveness.
Among the measures to be included in the plan are a series of pilot schemes aimed at introducing measures, which have been shown to work well in improving results for disadvantaged children and students. The plan is expected to include targeted measures in the area of:
- School leadership
- School networks and clusters
- Teaching methodologies
- Integration of schools and other State supports within communities
- Greater use of Home School Community Liaison services
A new assessment framework is also being developed using centrally held CSO and DES data for the identification of schools for inclusion in a new Programme. The number of schools to receive supports under a new School Support Programme will be determined by this proposed new identification process, which will assess all schools in the country. Schools will not be required to submit an application for assessment as the methodology being applied involves the use of centrally held data already available to my Department.
Implementation of actions arising from the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion will begin in the 2017/18 school year, and will be a continuing theme in our wider Annual Action Plan for Education.
Further information on the DEIS Review process is available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/.
154. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has received the fully costed brief change from the design team in relation to a school (details supplied); if his Department has received same, if it has been reviewed and cleared by his Department; if the tender report has been submitted to enable the tender process to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40537/16]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained.
The Brief Change Request for the project was received by my Department. However, on initial review it was found that the documents submitted were incomplete and further information was requested and is awaited from the School and its Design Team.
When these outstanding documents are received and reviewed and a determination has been made on the Brief Change Request the Design Team will be in a position to finalise the Stage 2(b) Report. Upon receipt and review of this report my Department will revert to the school with regard to the further progression of the project at that time.
155. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of tenders received by the closing date of 10 December 2016, for a project (details supplied); when it is anticipated that the design team will submit the tender report to his Department; when he envisages construction will commence on site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40538/16]
View answerThe original closing date for the tender competition in question was 12 December 2016. However, at the request of a number of the pre-qualified Contractors, the closing date was extended until 19 December 2016.
The client for the project, which is the local Education and Training Board (ETB), expects its Design Team to turn the Tender Report around as quickly as possible. The ETB will be required to form its own view on the Tender Report before submitting to the Department for review and approval.
Given the scale of the project involved and the likely number of tenders to be received, it is not possible to be precise as to when this element of the project will be completed other than to say that it will be carried out as expeditiously as possible and that the project is expected to go on site early in the New Year.
