Written Answers Nos. 186-195
186. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will engage with a group (details supplied) in upcoming negotiations to ensure that the rights and conditions for retired public servants are fully addressed as part of future agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23511/17]
View answer188. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will meet with representatives of a group (details supplied) to discuss the restoration of pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23564/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 188 together.
There is no legislative provision for access to third-party adjudication in respect of pension increases for recipients of public service pensions. Indeed there is no such facility for recipients of the Contributory State Pension. However, the interests and concerns of public service pensioners in relation to public service pension issues have been regularly articulated in meetings between the Alliance of Retired Public Servants and my Department. This engagement has also included meetings between the Alliance, myself and my predecessor. Through that process of engagement with the Alliance, I believe that public service pensioners have had, and continue to be afforded, a meaningful and direct means of articulating their concerns in relation to pensions and related issues.
The period since the Alliance’s engagement with my Department commenced in 2013 has been marked by notable legislated pension improvements for many public service pensioners. Specifically, public service pensioners are benefitting significantly from the substantial reversal of the cuts to public service pensions above specified thresholds which were originally imposed by way of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) under the FEMPI legislation.
I and my Department are fully committed to maintaining the well-established dialogue with the Alliance of Retired Public Servants. Through ongoing recourse to that dialogue process, I believe that retired public servants and their representatives can be confident that their pension concerns will receive full and proper consideration as they have done in the past.
187. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of installing a changing place facility for adults with disabilities in Áras an Uachtaráin; his plans to construct more of these facilities; the proposed locations of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23513/17]
View answerChanging place is a combined toilet, shower and changing room for use by people with complex and multiple disabilities who require the help of assistants.
In 2016, a changing place facility was installed in Áras an Uachtaráin at a cost of just over €60,000.
Work is underway to provide a changing place facility in Farmleigh. Planning permission has been obtained and tenders for its construction will shortly be invited.
The Commissioners of Public Works are assessing the suitability of other properties for the provision of changing place facilities. Consideration will be given to progressing further projects once these assessments are complete and subject to availability of funding.
189. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the four innovation hubs in the Gaeltacht regions of counties Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Kerry, as outlined in action 84 of the Action Plan for Rural Development, have been developed; if not, the stage of development each hub has reached; the completion date for the hubs; the amount each hub will cost to develop; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23387/17]
View answerI have been informed by Údarás na Gaeltachta that the following is the current position in respect of the four innovation hubs referred to by the Deputy:
County Donegal: Áislann Ghaoth Dobhair
The work on the Digital Hub in Áislann Ghaoth Dobhair has now been completed. This development is part of the total investment made by Údarás na Gaeltachta in Áislann Ghaoth Dobhair. The digital hub will be open to the public in early June 2017.
County Kerry: Mol Tech – Daingean Uí Chúis
This digital hub opened to the public on 28 April 2017. It is being managed by local community groups under the umbrella of the Dingle Chamber and supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta and Kerry County Council.
Co. Mayo: Digital Unit, Béal an Mhuirthead
This digital hub is scheduled to open before the end of 2017 and will be managed by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Co. Galway: Digital Unit, An Spidéal
Capital provision is being set aside by Údarás na Gaeltachta to adapt a former factory in An Spidéal as the digital hub and Enterprise Development Center to serve the Connemara Coast. It is intended that this will be open to the public before the end of the year and will be managed by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Údarás na Gaeltachta has further advised me that the development of digital hubs and innovation centres is central to the organisation’s strategy for the development of various Gaeltacht areas and that, in that context, An tÚdarás intends to develop digital hubs in other Gaeltacht areas, including on Gaeltacht islands, in the foreseeable future.
190. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the recommendations of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas report and the charter for rural Ireland have been reviewed, as outlined in action 86 of the Action Plan for Rural Development; when the review findings will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23388/17]
View answerThe CEDRA report was a substantial body of research work on the issues affecting rural Ireland and it helped inform the preparation of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development which I published last January. The Action Plan builds upon, and goes further than, both the CEDRA report and the Charter for Rural Ireland. While the remit of the CEDRA report was to focus on the economic development of rural areas, the Action Plan for Rural Development also addresses the social and cultural development of rural communities.
The Plan contains over 270 commitments to be delivered by a range of Government Departments, State agencies and other bodies, and acts as an overarching structure for a coordinated whole-of-Government approach to rural development.
Action 86 of the Action Plan for Rural Development states that my Department, in conjunction with relevant partners, will "review the recommendations of the CEDRA Report and the Charter for Rural Ireland and identify how best to progress any recommendations that have not yet been implemented".
This action is due to be completed by the end of September and I can confirm that my Department has commenced work on the action with a view to its completion within the anticipated timeframe.
The outcome of the review will be published at the end of the year as part of the six-monthly Progress Report on the implementation of the Action Plan. However, I am open to considering publishing the details earlier, to avoid any undue delay.
191. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the industry-wide long-term plan for Ireland as a global hub for the production of film, television, drama and animation has been drawn up, as stated in the Action Plan for Rural Development; if not, the stage of completion the plan is at; the estimated date for publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23389/17]
View answerThe Creative Ireland Programme 2017 – 2022 which was announced in December 2016 is a cross-Government initiative to mainstream culture and creativity in the life of the nation and to promote individual, community and national wellbeing.
The objective of the fourth pillar of the Programme – establishing Ireland as a centre of excellence in media production – is to elevate the creative industries including media, architecture, design, digital technology, fashion, food and crafts together on an all of government basis. The initial focus of the Creative Ireland programme this year is to undertake to develop an industry-wide, long-term plan for Ireland as a global hub for the production of Film, TV Drama and Animation by the end of 2017. This objective is also reflected in the Action Plan for Rural Ireland given the importance of the film industry to rural Ireland.
In this regard, my Department has commissioned an economic analysis of our screen based creative industries, in partnership with the Departments of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. This study will examine the economic impact including employment and the potential of the Irish film, TV and animation sector. Following an open tender process, Olsberg SPI Ltd in association with Nordicity, was selected to conduct the study in November last year. The commissioning of the study was also a commitment in the Action Plan for Jobs 2016.
The recommendations of the economic study will inform the development of the plan envisaged under the Creative Ireland Programme and Action Plan for Rural Ireland.
On 5 May last, I hosted a very successful Media Production Workshop at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham which attracted attendance by representatives of the film, broadcast, animation and gaming industries. The outcomes of this event will also input into the consultants study and the proposed Government plan. It is intended that the economic study will be completed this Summer and that the Government plan based on the study will be published in the early Autumn.
192. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the review of the rural economic development zone initiative with regard to its impact on rural communities; the estimated date of completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23390/17]
View answerRural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) are geographic areas that reflect the spatial patterns of local economic activity and development. The central objective of the REDZ concept is to use the synergies and interdependencies between rural towns and their outlying areas to generate local economic activity.
A pilot REDZ initiative was launched in 2015 and, based on that pilot, I launched a further phase of the initiative in 2016. Following a competitive process, I approved total funding of €6.142 million in 2016 for 47 REDZ projects across the country.
As outlined in the Action Plan for Rural Development, I intend to conduct a review of the REDZ initiative this year. I anticipate that the review will commence in Quarter 3 and that it will be finalised by the end of the year.
In the meantime, based on initial feedback from the 2015 REDZ pilot, I am welcoming, under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which I launched in April, applications that demonstrate a REDZ-type component, to stimulate economic activity between towns/villages and their outlying areas.
193. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the scheme to indemnify private landowners with regard to recreational users of their lands, as outlined in the Action Plan for Rural Development; the estimated date of publication of this scheme; and the estimated cost of same. [23391/17]
View answerThe Occupiers Liability Act 1995 provides significant protection to landowners with regards to recreational users on their land.
In addition to the protection afforded under the Occupiers Liability Act 1995, an insurance policy is held by the National Trails Office which indemnifies all landowners and occupiers whose property or land is crossed or adjoins a “Recreational Trail”, provided the trail has been inspected and approved by the National Trails Office. The cover extends to liability attaching to the land or property owner arising from a user of the “Recreational Trail” sustaining accidental bodily injury or property damage when on the land of the owner for recreational or leisure activities connected with the designated Recreational Trail.
Nonetheless, my Department is working closely with the State Claims Agency in relation to the development and implementation of a strengthened National Indemnity Scheme, as indicated in the Action Plan for Rural Development, which would indemnify private landowners against claims from recreational users for injury or damage to property.
Discussions are at an advanced stage and I anticipate that a scheme will be agreed in a number of pilot areas before the end of 2017.
194. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount spent by her Department on renting car park spaces in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23444/17]
View answer195. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount spent by bodies and agencies under the aegis of her Department on renting car park spaces in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [23460/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together.
In general, matters relating to the acquisition and leasing of property for my Department and the bodies under its aegis are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works.
I am advised that no expenditure was incurred by my Department on renting car park spaces during the period in question.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the amount spent by those bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department that have incurred discrete expenditure on the rental of car park spaces during the period in question is set out in the tables below.
|
Body |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 (to date) |
|
Irish Film Board |
€3,569 |
€6,711 |
€8,089 |
€11,961 |
€12,210 |
€12,201 |
€10,183 |
An Foras Teanga (the North South Language Body), comprising Foras na Gaeilge and Ulster Scots Agency has advised the following expenditure in respect of car parking offices in Belfast.
|
Body |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 (to date) |
|
Foras na Gaeilge* |
€8,780 |
€8,276 |
€8,780 |
€8,372 |
€6,667 |
€10,286 |
€2,069 |
|
Ulster Scots Agency |
£10,367 |
£11,647 |
£9,725 |
£4,987 |
£4,503 |
£5,500 |
£4,200 |
*Converted from sterling.
