Wednesday, 17 May 2017

Written Answers Nos. 141-149

Departmental Staff Data

Questions (141, 142)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

141. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who are employed under the aegis of his Department through agencies in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23929/17]

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

142. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the persons employed through agencies in his Department, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23943/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 142 together.

The number of staff employed through agencies under the Department of Education and Skills on the 31st March 2017 are outlined in the following table.

PUBLIC SECTOR NUMBERS RETURNS - END Q1 2017

-	-	Q1  2017
Non Commercial State Agencies*
A11.7	Educational Research Centre - Pay	30
A14.1	PDST Technology in Education (NCTE)	10
B3.1	SOLAS	180
B6.1	QQI	71
C3	HEA - Administration incl IRC's	62
C14	Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA)	10
	Teaching Council	41
	Caranua	23
	TOTAL	427

Notes:

*Total excludes Agency Staff (GDA 4, HEA 1, & SOLAS 25)

Departmental Contracts Data

Questions (143)

Bríd Smith

Question:

143. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the monetary value of all work contracted out under the aegis of his Department to external agencies or consultancies for work completed or investigations undertaken in human resources and industrial relations including hiring and interviewing of staff and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23955/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Department of Education & Skills utilises the services of the Public Appointments Service (PAS) which was established under the terms of the Public Services Management Act 2004 and is mandated to recruit staff to the Civil Service.

In relation to top level management positions competitions for these are conducted by the Committee on Top Level Appointments in the Civil Service (TLAC). The costs of such competitions are met by PAS and TLAC respectively.

In 2016 three promotional competitions were held for the following professional grades:

Inspectorate

Senior School Inspector

National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

Regional Director

Senior Educational Psychologist

A feature of such competitions is that one interview board member is an expert engaged from outside the Department. In 2016 a total sum of €2,103.38 was paid to external interview board members. In 2016 my Department did not engage any external expertise to address any industrial relations matters.

My Department does not hold the information sought by the Deputy centrally on the bodies under its aegis. Officials at my Department have requested the information and it will be forwarded to the Deputy in due course.

Local Authority Funding

Questions (144)

Barry Cowen

Question:

144. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount collected by local authorities in development contributions in each of the years from 2000 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [23386/17]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The requested information is not available in my Department. Local authorities operate on an accrual accounting basis and recognise income and expenditure as incurred relating to the accounting period concerned, regardless of the cash transactions.  The Annual Financial Statements (AFSs), therefore, do not show cash movements or cash on hand in relation to development contributions but show the invoiced income and the amount of development contributions due to local authorities.

My Department is in the process of reviewing management information collected from the local government sector generally, including in respect of development contributions, and may make some changes to requirements in the coming year, following consultation with local authority Heads of Finance.

Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation

Questions (145)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

145. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the review of planning legislation to allow the change of use of vacant commercial properties in cities, town and villages, as outlined in the Action Plan for Rural Development, action 6, has taken place; if not, the stage the review is at; when the results will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23392/17]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Overall responsibility for the Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23 January 2017, rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. However, as the proposal listed at Action 6 therein relates to a planning matter, its delivery falls to my Department.

The proposed action - allowing for the change of use of vacant commercial premises in urban areas, including vacant or under-utilised areas over groundfloor premises, into residential units without having to go through the planning process - was also reflected in the Government's Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness - Rebuilding Ireland, published in July 2016.

My Department is presently progressing the drafting of the necessary revisions to the planning regulations to give effect to this action. It is intended that the new regulations, which will require the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas, will be made before the Oireachtas Summer recess.

Rural Resettlement Scheme

Questions (146)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

146. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the relative requirements and appropriate targets for an additional rural resettlement initiative have been reviewed, as outlined in the Action Plan for Rural Development, action 9; when the outcome of the review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23393/17]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The Government's Action Plan for Rural Development- Realising our Potential has a clear objective of working across Government Departments to deliver a co-ordinated group of strategies to ensure the success of vibrant rural communities across Ireland.

I hope to bring forward policy proposals under the Action Plan that will cover a broad range of issues in housing, planning and community policy. The Rural Resettlement Initiative is an important part of this work as it has the potential, if designed and implemented properly, to contribute to improving the lives of those living and working in rural communities.  I expect to be in a position to publish more details on this particular aspect of my Department's work before the end of 2017.

Housing Assistance Payments Administration

Questions (147)

Barry Cowen

Question:

147. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding the roll-out of the housing assistance payment scheme; the local authorities covered to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23442/17]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a key Government priority and the accelerated roll-out of the scheme on a national basis was an important early action for completion in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.

The nationwide roll out of the HAP scheme was completed with its introduction, on 1 March 2017, to the administrative areas of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council; this means that eligible households in all 31 local authorities can now avail of the HAP scheme.

More than 21,000 households are currently in receipt of HAP support. A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP, including the number of Rent Supplement transfers, in each local authority area to the end of Q1 2017 is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (148)

Barry Cowen

Question:

148. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount spent by his Department on renting car park spaces in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23449/17]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

There has been no expenditure by my Department, including Met Éireann, on renting car park spaces in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017.

My Department encourages the use of public transport by its staff through the operation of a Travel Pass Scheme under which they purchase an annual bus or rail pass in a tax efficient manner approved by the Revenue Commissioners.  My Department also encourages the healthier, sustainable option of cycling through the operation  of the Cycle to Work Scheme which was introduced under the Finance (No. 2) Act 2008.

Departmental Agencies Expenditure

Questions (149)

Barry Cowen

Question:

149. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount spent by bodies and agencies under the aegis of his Department on renting car park spaces in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23465/17]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is as follows:  

Agency	Email address
An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Housing Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Irish Water	[e-mail]
Irish Water Safety	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail].
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Pobal	[e-mail]