Written Answers Nos. 270-282
270. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which the knowledge development box provisions are likely to benefit the economy in the future in view of the ongoing changes in the geopolitical landscape; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6643/17]
View answerThe ongoing changes in the geopolitical landscape heighten the importance of maintaining Ireland’s world class business environment. Ireland will continue to provide a competitive offering, including tax offering, to attract foreign direct investment and to ensure that our innovative entrepreneurs establish and scale in Ireland which provides jobs for our citizens and contributes to funding the provision of services.
Ireland is the first country world-wide to introduce an OECD compliant Knowledge Development Box (KDB) offering. The certainty, predictability and clear signal that this sends to enterprise – including both Irish owned and foreign owned entities establishing and doing business from here - remains essential.
The KDB, introduced in Budget 2016 forms part of Ireland’s competitive offering to continue to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and to support Irish owned companies to innovate and to compete effectively on international markets. The Government and I are satisfied that the Knowledge Development Box is benefitting and will continue to benefit the Irish economy.
The continuing imperative to establish Ireland as the best place in which to succeed in business is reinforced in our national Enterprise and Innovation strategies. Our aim is that Ireland will be recognised as the place where businesses are innovative, competitive and productive – leading to growth that is sustainable and results in employment opportunities and a higher standard of living for all. These strategies set out the framework for investment over the coming decade to ensure that Ireland remains equally attractive to foreign direct investment and to Irish entrepreneurs and growth businesses in the context of an intensely competitive international environment.
The KDB complements the existing suite of initiatives and supports available to companies that undertake R&D activities in Ireland across the lifecycle of research and development – including R&D tax credits, RD&I grant supports, support for technology acquisition (S291A), significant state investments in National Research Centres and knowledge transfer infrastructures, and advisory supports for accessing Horizon 2020 funding – providing a competitive proposition for business investment.
The OECD nexus approach sets out the principles and guidelines under which income arising from IP assets can qualify for a lower rate of tax under a KDB initiative. Ireland’s KDB effective rate is 6.25 percent (half of the corporation tax rate of 12.5 percent) and is internationally competitive.
The Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016 to allow small and medium sized companies to avail of the Knowledge Development Box is going to Second Stage in the Dáil on 14th and 15th February 2017. Under the new scheme, the Patents Office will be the body certifying applications for inventions under the new certification scheme to check that they meet the criteria of being novel, useful and non-obvious.
The Bill is intended to open up the opportunity for companies across a broad spectrum to pay lower taxes on profits from Irish-based research and development activities. This includes companies in incubation units right through to high-potential start-ups in all industry sectors once they are generating income resulting from research and development activities. The scheme should serve to significantly boost Irish innovation and investment in research and development.
271. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the provision which will be made for child care services not currently under the registration remit of Tusla to access the new single affordable child care scheme, for example standalone afterschool services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6455/17]
View answerQuality assurance will be an absolute prerequisite for participation in the Affordable Childcare Scheme. The Scheme will be open to all Tusla-registered childcare providers, including childminders. In the Heads of Bill and General Scheme for the Affordable Childcare Scheme Bill, it is also proposed that the legislation should allow for the possibility of additional categories of childcare provider to access the scheme, including childminders who are currently exempt from the Early Years Regulations and standalone afterschool services, provided that such providers meet quality criteria that are to be specified in accordance with the legislation. While it is proposed that the legislation should allow for this possibility, no decisions have yet been made on whether, when or by what criteria specified groups of non-registered providers might access the Scheme. The issue will be further considered during the process of drafting legislation and in consultation with stakeholders.
In order to meet the needs of parents whose preference is to use a childminder, and to build capacity to cater for increased demand in future years, the Department has commenced talks with Childminding Ireland (CMI) in recent months to explore a number of options around how quality can be assured within the childminding sector. A Working Group has been established, chaired by CMI, and including officials from Tusla and the DCYA, to make recommendations on reforms and supports for the sector in the short, medium and long term, and the feasibility and implications of the migration from voluntary to mandatory regulation. These will include recommendations in relation to childminders who are not currently eligible to apply for registration with Tusla (those minding three or fewer pre-school children, or those minding school age children only).
My colleague Minister Bruton and I will shortly publish an Action Plan on School Age Childcare which will include actions relating to the development of quality standards for the school age childcare sector, as well as the establishment of a Working Group to recommend a robust quality assurance system for centre-based school age childcare settings.
272. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of expenditure by her Department or any organisations under the aegis of her Department for each of the years from 2005 to 2016, in tabular form, on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, interview training and preparation, including details of the events, campaigns or policies to which this expenditure related, and the company or individual to whom such payments were made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6533/17]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that the information below is from the establishment of my Department in June 2011. I am requesting the bodies under the aegis of my Department, namely, the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, Oberstown Children Detention Campus and the Ombudsman for Children's Office to provide the relevant information to the Deputy.
|
Photography Costs for Children and Young People's Participation EventsDate of Event |
Event |
Expenditure |
|
11/07/11 |
Report on consultations with young people on Reform of the Junior Cycle in 2nd level schools |
€590.20 |
|
27/07/11 |
Report of consultations with children living in the care of the State. |
€590.20 |
|
18/11/11 |
Dáil na nÓg Event |
€820.00 |
|
15/10/12 |
How we see it: Report of a survey on Teenagers Body Image |
€436.97 |
|
07/11/12 |
Life as a Child and Young Person in Ireland |
€493.72 |
|
09/11/12 |
Comhairle na Óg National Showcase |
€828.55 |
|
15/11/13 |
Dáil na Óg Event |
€1,094.70 |
|
20/11/14 |
Comhairle na Óg National Showcase |
€522.75 |
|
27/11/15 |
Dáil na nÓg Event |
€424.35 |
|
20/11/16 |
Comhairle na Óg National Showcase |
€528.90 |
|
Photography Costs for Other Events Date of Event |
Event |
Total Expenditure |
|
23/11/11 |
Research Launch |
€375.00 |
|
28/08/12 |
Report of Task Force |
€493.72 |
|
23/09/12 to 25/09/12 |
Visiting Vietnamese Delegation with Vietnamese Minister for Justice, Adoption Authority and Irish Vietnamese Society |
€1409.22 |
|
04/10/12 to 5/11/12 |
Children's Referendum Information |
€1709.70 |
|
04/03/13 |
Standards for Local Youth Groups |
€436.97 |
|
20/06/13 |
EU Presidency International Conference Event |
€120.00 |
|
19/09/13 |
Dublin Castle Networking of Four Youth Organisations |
€500.00 |
|
20/09/13 |
Launch of Board of Child & Family Agency |
€300.00 |
|
16/04/14 |
Launch of Better Outcomes Brighter Futures |
€189.80 |
|
05/03/15 |
Establishment of Mother and Baby Homes Commission |
€90.80 |
|
16/04/15 |
Supply of images for Mother and Baby Homes Commission |
€177.42 |
|
14/05/15 |
Photoshoot for Mother and Baby Homes Commission |
€120.37 |
|
Advertising Year |
Payment to |
Expenditure |
|
2011 |
No Spend |
|
|
2012 |
KD Nine Advertising and Marketing (Broadcast Media Advertising for Children's Referendum) |
€164,725.29 |
|
2012 |
Brindley Advertising (Advertising related to the Children's Referendum) |
€247,515.95 |
|
2013 |
FCR (Media Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€6,279.15 |
|
Public Appointments Service (Staff Recruitment) |
€3,769.09 |
|
|
2014 |
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€6,279.15 |
|
2015 |
MediaVest (Print media advertising campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€29,907.61 |
|
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€6,279.15 |
|
|
MediaVest (Public radio advertisement campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€30,529.83 |
|
|
2016 |
MediaVest ( National public consultation on the Affordable Childcare Scheme) |
€24,043.75 |
|
thejournal.ie (National public consultation on the Affordable Childcare Scheme) |
€3,690.00 |
|
|
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€5,960.58 |
|
|
MediaVest (Print media advertising campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€37,724.22 |
|
|
Phd Media (Public radio advertisement campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€26,754.25 |
|
|
Penhouse Design (Design of leaflet for publicity campaign for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme) |
€1,230.00 |
|
|
Watermans Ltd (Printing of leaflet for publicity campaign for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme) |
€1,798.50 |
|
Public Relations Year |
Payment To |
Expenditure |
|
2012 to 2013 |
MKC Communications service to assist with information and communications initiatives for the Children's Referendum, Report of the Child Death Review Group and the Child & Family Agency. |
€39,595.00 |
|
Website Development |
Year |
Payment to |
Expenditure |
|
2012 |
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Children's Referendum) |
€8,755.38 |
|
|
Penhouse Design (Design of site for Children's Referendum) |
€799.50 |
||
|
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Inventory of Data Sources on Children's Lives) |
€6,827.00 |
||
|
Penhouse Design (Design of site for Inventory of Data Sources on Children's Lives) |
€9,218.00 |
||
|
Fusio Ltd. (Update to the Children's Database) |
€492.00 |
||
|
2013 |
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Comhairle na nÓg) |
€17,589.00 |
|
|
Centre for Effective Services (Development of website for Children and Young People's Services Committees) |
€7,000.00 |
||
|
2014/2015 |
Penhouse Design (Update of Inventory of Data Sources on Children's Lives site) |
€3,259.50 |
|
|
2016 / 2017 |
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Access and Inclusion Model) |
€3,321.00 |
|
Interview Training & Preparation Year |
Payment to |
Expenditure |
|
2013 |
Carr Communications Interview & Interviewer Training – Middle Management Internal Promotions |
€4,750.00 |
|
2014 |
PAI Publications – Interview Skills for Interviewers |
€245.00 |
|
2015 |
Carr Communications Interview Preparation - Middle Management Training |
€700.00 |
|
Institute of Public Administration – Interview Preparation - Senior Management Training |
€850.00 |
|
|
PAI Publications – Interview Skills – Clerical / Executive Officer Training |
€345.00 |
|
|
2016 |
Carr Communications Interview Training & Preparation – Group Training, Clerical/Executive Officer and Middle Management Training |
€3,516.00 |
|
Institute of Public Administration – Interview & Interviewer Training for Internal Promotions |
€2,600.00 |
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
273. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to provide additional funding through a committee (details supplied) to child care providers in Cork city in the community setting; if she will provide additional staffing in the context of changes in regulations; when this funding will be available to drawdown; the timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6552/17]
View answerI am aware of the additional needs of childcare providers in Cork City as a result of the full implementation of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. I am committed to assisting services who find themselves in difficulty owing to these changes, and I will be making an announcement shortly in this regard.
274. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to challenges facing child care providers in the community setting due to recent changes in regulation; the action she will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6553/17]
View answer275. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether it is essential that disadvantaged communities have access to three years child care services; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some providers may struggle to provide such a service due to recent changes in regulation; and the action she will take. [6554/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 274 and 275 together.
Since early 2016 the Department of Children & Youth Affairs has been working with Childcare Committees Ireland to help services prepare for the full implementation of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. These regulations have been in development for several years and implementation was delayed until 31st December 2016 to give providers time to address any issues directly related to the impact of the regulations, in particular the provision whereby Community Employment workers without FETAC Level 5 qualifications in childcare are no longer counted towards staff: child ratios in services.
The Department also provided a series of learner fund programmes to enable childcare workers attain level 5 - and later level 6 - FETAC qualifications in childcare.
Nevertheless, acknowledging that a small minority of services had come to rely on CE Scheme workers as a core part of their business model, I have committed to providing funding to enable these services to recruit additional staff to meet their obligations under the regulations. I am currently finalising a package of support for services who have engaged with Childcare Committees Ireland and I will make this funding available shortly.
Under the ECCE programme children are eligible to start free pre-school once they have turned 3 (and were not more than 4 years and 8 months), and can continue in free pre-school until they start primary school (once the child is not older than 5 years and 6 months at the end of the relevant pre-school year i.e. end June). The Community Childcare programme is available for children from 0-15 years old, providing childcare at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents. Parents qualify as disadvantaged or low income on the basis of means-tested entitlements.
276. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will address a serious loophole in the operation of the ECCE scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6606/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the initial Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme had one entry point (September) from when children could begin pre-school, and children had to be aged between 3 years and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months by the September to avail of the free pre-school year (i.e. 38 weeks). The programme was then expanded by reducing the age of eligibility to 3 years and by increasing the number of entry points to three throughout the programme year (September, January and April). This means that children can begin to avail of their free place on the pre-school programme as soon as possible after they reach the age of 3. As with any scheme, there must be entry and cut off points. These rules for ECCE reflect evidence based policy and are necessary from an administrative and budgetary management perspective. Regrettably, it is the nature of such rules that they benefit some more than others.
Providing free pre-school for children from the age of 3 was a key recommendation of the Expert Advisory Group on the Early Years Strategy. Expansion of ECCE was also given significant consideration by the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Childcare which reported in July 2015. Senior officials from the Department of Education and Skills contributed to the discussions on an upper age limit for the scheme, taking a child centred approach.
I would note that this summer we will come to the end of the first delivery cycle of the newly expanded ECCE programme. My Department will ensure that the scheme is kept under ongoing review and that learning from this cycle informs its ongoing development.
I would also note to the Deputy that plans are currently in train to provide for a new national scheme of financial support for parents towards the cost of their childcare entitled the Affordable Childcare Scheme, which will replace the existing targeted childcare subsidisation schemes with a single, streamlined and more user-friendly scheme. The new scheme will provide a system from which both universal and targeted subsidies can be provided towards the cost of childcare. In the case of targeted subsidies, these will be payable for children from 6 months of age up to 15 years of age. The level of subsidy will depend on the investment available and on a family’s income. The new Affordable Childcare Scheme will “wraparound ECCE for pre-school and school-age children.
277. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if persons under 25 years of age on social protection payments are being sent invitations by the Defence Forces to engage in courses at counties Cork and Limerick barracks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6516/17]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government and the White Paper on Defence committed the Government to putting in place a new employment support scheme with the direct involvement of the Defence Forces.
The objective of this scheme is to help develop a path to economic independence for participants, aged between 18 and 24 years, who are at a serious disadvantage owing to their current socio-economic situation. The scheme is designed with the specific aim of equipping participants with life and other marketable and certifiable skills which will assist them both in their capacity to participate fully in society as well as their ability to enter the workforce and or to pursue further education for this purpose. Participation in the scheme is voluntary.
The scheme and the programme content have been developed through detailed discussions involving the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces, the Department of Social Protection and the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board. The Department of Social Protection identifies suitable participants. Participants retain any Department of Social Protection benefits that they are currently entitled to for the duration of the Scheme. Participants do not receive any payment from the Department of Defence.
The scheme is a training programme of ten (10) weeks duration, consisting of five (5) weeks of training delivered by the Defence Forces interspersed with five (5) weeks of educational orientated training by the Education and Training Board.
A successful pilot programme was held in Gormanston Camp from Monday 20th June 2016 to 26th August 2016 with 25 participants. Following an evaluation of the pilot programme and Ministerial approval, the current plan is to run up to 2 iterations of programme in 2017.
A programme will commence in Limerick on 22nd May 2017. The Department of Social Protection invited 1,006 persons selected from the Live Register in counties Clare and Limerick aged between 18 and 24 years to attend information sessions about the scheme.
A total of 260 persons attended the information sessions which were held on 16th and 17th January 2017 which were conducted jointly by personnel from the Defence Forces and Department of Social Protection. It was clearly pointed out at each information session that it was a voluntary training programme and not recruitment for the army.
There are 30 places on the programme and the selection process is ongoing.
278. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Curragh forum has made any progress in fighting illegal dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6404/17]
View answerThe Curragh is approximately 4,870 acres in area and extends for some 10km in a North-West/South-East direction and is 5km across at its widest and is one of the most open and accessible areas in the country. Because of this accessibility illegal dumping is an ongoing problem. The response to illegal dumping is managed by the Department land staff in cooperation with the County Kildare Litter Warden. The Department also has in place an environmental maintenance contract for the Curragh Plains which provides a removal/cleanup service where dumping has occurred. At the last meeting of the Curragh Forum several actions were agreed by the members of the Forum to assist in addressing a number of the problems in the Curragh , including illegal dumping. In line with agreed actions, a review of the Curragh Bye-Laws and the Curragh of Kildare Act is progressing with a view to identifying what changes can be made to current legislation in order to better deal with dumping and the other issues identified by the Forum.
279. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the level of expenditure by his Department or any organisations under the aegis of his Department for each of the years from 2005 to 2016, in tabular form, on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, interview training and preparation, including details of the events, campaigns or policies to which this expenditure related, and the company or individual to whom such payments were made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6535/17]
View answerI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Department. Due to the broad nature of this request, collation of this information will require further time. I confirm I will revert to the Deputy in due course.
280. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the level of air traffic control in operation at Baldonnel Aerodrome; if cover is on a 24/7 basis; and if not, the times not covered. [6547/17]
View answerAs I have previously confirmed, the Air Corps is currently experiencing shortages of trained air traffic control (ATC) personnel. This was exacerbated most recently by the unanticipated retirement of ATC personnel. These unanticipated retirements have impacted the level of ATC service than can be delivered, including the scheduling of flights into and out of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel. As the Deputy will appreciate, for security reasons, it would not be appropriate to disclose precise details of the implications for the management of Air Operations.
281. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current vacancies in the Air Corps; and the timeframe ffor which each vacant position has been vacant. [6548/17]
View answerThe number of vacancies in the Air Corps as of the 31st December, 2016 (the latest date for which figures are available) was 208 personnel.
The 208 vacancies are as follows:
- 47 Officers
- 57 Non-Commissioned Officers
- 104 Airmen / Airwomen
Currently some twenty-eight Cadets are in training. In addition, a new apprentice class will be inducted in March along with general service enlistment amounting to some 30 personnel. I will also be shortly announcing details of additional recruitment to the Defence Forces in 2017. This will include additional Cadets for pilot training, general enlistment to fill Airmen and Airwomen vacancies and a further apprentice class. Finally, agreement on a new promotion scheme for NCOs was reached recently with PDFORRA and work on promotion competitions to fill NCO vacancies across all three services in the Defence Forces is now in hand.
I am informed by the military authorities that it is not possible to provide information regarding the length of time each position has been vacant, as the Personnel Management System utilised by the Defence Forces does not record this data.
282. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will sanction an amendment to the headdress uniform (details supplied) for use by the Reserve Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6556/17]
View answerThe issue of military dress is a matter for the appropriate military authorities, in line with the relevant Defence Forces Regulations and Administrative Instructions, which set out in detail what can be worn by military personnel and when. Defence Force Regulations clearly distinguish between the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force. The Defence Force Regulations define both entities and therefore, it is considered to be prudent to identify both in regard to dress.
Peak Caps are not part of the issue to RDF members and I am informed there are currently no plans to amend this provision.
However, I am informed that a temporary derogation in this regard was granted by the Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) to a limited number of RDF members, who were selected to march in the Centenary Easter Sunday Parade in Dublin in 2016, for ceremonial reasons. This derogation ended after the parade.
