Wednesday, 17 May 2017

Written Answers Nos. 78-87

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (78)

Barry Cowen

Question:

78. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach 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. [23457/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The Department of the Taoiseach did not incur any expenditure on renting car park spaces for staff between 2011 and 2016 and to date in 2017.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (79)

Barry Cowen

Question:

79. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach 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. [23473/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

Nothing has been spent by bodies or agencies under the aegis of my Department on renting car parking spaces for the periods in question.

Brexit Issues

Questions (80)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

80. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach if work has commenced on the paper on the economic challenges of Brexit as referenced in the programme for Government annual report 2017; the specific topics that will be covered in this paper; and the expected publication date of this paper. [23563/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

At its meeting of 2 May, the Government welcomed the overall approach to and guidelines for the Brexit negotiations adopted by the European Council at its meeting on 29 April. The guidelines reflect Ireland's unique concerns - support and protect the achievements, benefits and commitments of the peace process; avoid a hard border; and protect the Common Travel Area.

They also recognise the desirability of moving to discuss the future relationship between the EU and the UK once sufficient progress has been made on the withdrawal issues, as well as the likely need for transitional arrangements. Furthermore, the statement agreed by the European Council acknowledges that in the event of a united Ireland, brought about in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement, the entire territory of such a united Ireland would legally be part of the EU.

This outcome is a major endorsement of Government's approach, and results from an intensive engagement with EU partners and institutions at all political and official levels in recent months.

Now that the overall approach to the negotiations has been set out by the EU, the Government has stated its intention to intensify its focus on the economic implications of Brexit, including on domestic policy measures to reinforce the competitiveness of the Irish economy, to protect it from potential negative impacts of Brexit and to pursue all possible opportunities that might arise.

To underpin this work, the Government will prepare a further paper on the economic implications of the Brexit challenge. This will draw on the extensive work already underway across Departments, including sectoral analyses, and will reflect the core economic themes of my speech to the Institute of International and European Affairs of 15 February, including:

- sustainable fiscal policies to ensure capacity to absorb and respond to economic shocks, not least from Brexit

- policies to make Irish enterprise more diverse and resilient, to diversify trade and investment patterns, and to strengthen competitiveness

- prioritising policy measures and dedicating resources to protect jobs and businesses in the sectors and regions most affected by Brexit

- realising economic opportunities arising from Brexit, and helpful businesses adjust to any new logistical or trade barriers arising;

- making a strong case at EU level that Ireland will require support that recognises where Brexit represents a serious disturbance to the Irish economy.

Policy decisions in support of these objectives arise across a wide range of areas, including the annual Budgetary process; the forthcoming National Planning Framework 2040; the new 10-year National Capital Plan; the review of Enterprise 2025; and sectoral policies and investment decisions in areas such as agriculture, enterprise, transport, communications and energy.

In taking this important work forward, the Government will continue to engage with stakeholders, including through the All Island Civic Dialogue process.

Departmental Staff Data

Questions (81, 82, 83)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

81. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach the number of persons who are employed under the aegis of his Department through agencies. [23937/17]

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

82. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach the persons employed through agencies in his Department, in tabular form. [23949/17]

Bríd Smith

Question:

83. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach 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. [23962/17]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 to 83, inclusive, together.

While there are no agency workers working in my Department, my Department is currently availing of a contract cleaning service as a temporary, emergency measure to ensure that service levels in my Department are maintained while a recruitment process for additional cleaning staff is undertaken.

There are no agency workers working in the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) - the only body under the aegis of my Department.

Neither my Department nor NESDO have contracted any consultants for work completed or investigations undertaken in HR and industrial relations.

Disability Activation Projects

Questions (84)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

84. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to specific businesses that place or recruit workers who have autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23371/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government’s Comprehensive Employment Strategy, which was was launched by An Taoiseach in October 2015, provides a cross-government approach focusing on actions by different Departments and State agencies in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on employment of people with disabilities. The purpose of the Strategy is to address the under-representation of people with disabilities in the labour force, and sets out a ten-year approach to ensuring that people with disabilities, who are able to and want to work, are supported and enabled to do so. Co-ordination of the Strategy’s implementation is the responsibility of the Equality Division in the Department of Justice and Equality. The Strategy's six strategic priorities are:

- Build skills, capacity and independence

- Provide bridges and supports into work

- Make work pay

- Promote job retention and re-entry to work

- Provide coordinated and seamless support

- Engage employers

Given the complex cross-government nature of the strategy, an oversight implementation group was established under the independent chairmanship of Fergus Finlay. This group is tasked with monitoring the progress of the above six strategic priorities of the strategy, ensuring that each Government Department is fulfilling its obligations and meeting its targets. The Chair of the Group recently published the Annual Report, which highlighted areas where greater progress needs to be made, and which also included recommendations in relation to priorities for 2017.

The Strategy contains a range of practical measures to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Of particular relevance to people with autism are:

- The establishment of special public service competitions for people with disabilities and where appropriate, the provision of alternative recruitment channels for people with disabilities into the public service. Discussions in relation to this commitment are underway between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Public Appointments Service.

- A national employer helpline, which was launched in January 2016, to provide expert guidance and peer support to employers in relation to the employment of staff with disabilities.

- An increase in the pubic sector employment quota from 3% to 6% on a phased basis to 2024, with work beginning on this later in the year.

The helpline was established by the employer bodies with support from the National Disability Authority and the Authority works with them to ensure greater awareness amongst and support for employers in employing people with disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum.

I might also mention the Action Plan on Autism, which the Department of Justice and Equality developed in conjunction with the National Disability Authority (NDA). The NDA monitors the implementation of the Plan and has initiated a number of actions relating to the Plan, including:

- Improving customer services for persons with disabilities with a specific focus on autism;

- Launching an online autism friendly public services training course;

- Providing training courses on autism friendly public services in connection with the autism advocacy and support organisation AsIAm to specific public services providers (e.g. An Garda Síochána, transport providers etc.);

- Updating and monitoring compliance with the statutory Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information provided by Public Bodies, with a specific focus on autism.

The Department is responsible for several specific objectives contained in the Plan including:

- Raising disability awareness, including the dissemination of autism related materials;

- Engaging, supporting and providing guidance to people with autism who come in contact with the criminal justice system;

- Working with the NDA to review the impact of disability related policy and legislation.

Full implementation of the Action Plan on Autism is one of the actions contained in the new National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017- 2021, which it is expected will be published soon.

Garda Procedures

Questions (85)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

85. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of ministerial permissions her Department has given to members of An Garda Síochána to open bank accounts for official purposes in the past 20 years, in tabular form; the reason for the account opening and the year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23368/17]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality

The information requested by the Deputy spans a large period of time and arrangements are in train in my Department to prepare a response. I will revert to the Deputy when the specific information is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A

I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 85 for answer on 17th May 2017 in which you requested details of the number of ministerial permissions my Department gave to members of An Garda Síochána to open official bank accounts in the past 20 years.

Prior to the commencement of section 29 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality was the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote. In the context of the opening of bank accounts for An Garda Síochána, such accounts are considered to be "public bank accounts" under section 18 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1866. The effect of that section is that the Minister for Finance (now Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform) would sanction the opening of such accounts. Requests for sanction to open such accounts would be sent by An Garda Síochána to the Department of Justice in the first instance. The Department would forward the request to the Department of Finance with a recommendation of approval for the account.

You will be aware from Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 17 May 2017 that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in the course of a reconciliation exercise undertaken across Vote areas in relation to public bank accounts, issued sanctions for some 113 public bank accounts for An Garda Síochána since 2011. These accounts had been in existence for some time but, owing to the elapse of time and file archiving practices, reconfirmation of the sanction was required by An Garda Síochána. In addition, I understand that, in the period 1997 to 2011, sanction was received from the Department of Finance on 13 occasions to open public bank accounts in the name of An Garda Síochána.

With the commencement of section 29 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 on 14 July 2006, the Garda Commissioner was enabled to "operate in the State or elsewhere bank accounts of any description". However, the prior consent of the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is required before any such accounts can be opened and operated. Since the commencement of the section, no requests for Ministerial consent have been received in the Department and no consents have issued.

Circular 16 of 2014 issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform sets out the procedures to be followed in relation to public bank accounts. Having regard to the requirement for dual ministerial consents under section 29 of the 2005 Act, requests from An Garda Síochána for such accounts to be opened must be submitted to the Department in the first instance.

I trust that the above is of assistance.

Garda Procedures

Questions (86, 87)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

86. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 40 of 15 November 2016, the number of those summonses not served in 2015 and 2016 that were re-issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23380/17]

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

87. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 40 of 15 November 2016 in which she stated that a summons struck out not served can be re-issued at the request of An Garda Síochána, if she will clarify same; if this is normal practice; the policies in place to enable a Garda to decide whether or not to have a summons re-issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23381/17]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together.

I have requested a Garda report on the matters referred to in the Deputy's questions and will contact the Deputy directly on receipt of a Garda report.