Written Answers Nos. 245-265
245. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the fitting of cell windows that do not conform to standards set by the OPW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37113/17]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) takes the safety and welfare of all users of Garda cells, and of OPW-managed buildings generally, very seriously. I can confirm that OPW has no reason to believe that the specification and installation of cell windows at the project sites you mentioned are not in accordance with the appropriate standards. However, OPW is continuing to look into the matter to establish whether there is any basis to the allegations and whether any action is necessary in order to confirm compliance with the relevant specifications.
246. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to change the policy of pensions ceasing on the demise of former HSE employees to allow the pension to pass to the spouse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37121/17]
View answerMy responsibility as Minister is for the Civil Service Pension Schemes, though I am also responsible for the development of general policy on occupational pension schemes in the wider public service.
The HSE, in common with most public service employers, operates a spouses' and children's contributory pension scheme, which provides benefits to the spouses and children of deceased members. In general, when a member dies after retirement, a spouse's pension of one-half of the former member's pension is payable. Dependent children are also entitled to a child's pension, the rate of which will depend on whether or not a spouse's pension is being paid and also on the number of eligible children. Spouses' and children's pensions are also payable in the case of death in service.
Under the provisions of the Superannuation Act 1956, there is a facility in the Established Civil Service Superannuation Scheme which enables a civil servant, at retirement, to surrender part of their pension so as to provide a separate pension for their spouse and/or dependent relatives.
The primary purpose of the facility is to allow an officer to make some provision for their families, particularly after their death. Although the facility is still available to civil servants, its use has sharply declined since the introduction of spouses' and children's pensions.
There is no provision in the Health Service Executive Employee Superannuation Scheme, 2010 (S.I. No. 362/2010) for allocating/surrendering of portion of pension. Therefore, employees recruited by the HSE would not have this provision. However, those employees of former Health Boards who were previously members of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme may still have access to this provision.
I have no plans to review the policy in relation to public service spouses' and children's contributory pension schemes at present.
247. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans and the timeframe for flood defences in the St. Mary's area of Limerick city (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37321/17]
View answerLimerick City and County Council (LCCC) is the Contracting Authority for the initial phase of the flood relief scheme for Limerick city at King's Island which includes an advance contract for works at Verdant Place.
LCCC advises that works currently underway at Verdant Place involve the construction of a flood defence wall. The wall extends from Thomond Bridge to St Mary's Community Centre, over a distance of 250 metres. This is Phase 1 of the King's Island flood relief works and was advanced in late 2016 due to recurring flooding at this location. The works on Verdant place are well advanced and are nearing completion.
The remainder of the King's Island flood relief works, including the area referred to by the Deputy, will encompass the entire King's Island over a distance of 3,000 metres. Consultants are currently finalising the Options Assessment Report on the remainder of the King's Island works. This report is due shortly and it is expected that a planning application for the remainder of the works will be lodged with An Bord Pleanala by the Council before the end of 2017. The timing of commencement of construction works will depend on planning approval.
248. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his position with regard to the mandatory retirement age in both the public service and private sector; the difficulties being faced by many retiring civil servants and public sector workers when they must retire at 65 years of age yet cannot access a pension until 66 years of age; if he will consider amending legislation in order to allow persons to be able to work until 66 years of age if they so wish; his views on whether the issue needs to be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37437/17]
View answerAn Interdepartmental Working Group, chaired by my Department was established in 2016 to examine the issues arising from prevailing retirement ages for workers in both the public and private sectors, in the context of the current age of entitlement to the State Pension and the scheduled increases to the State Pension age in 2021 and 2028.
The Group, whose Report was agreed by Government in August 2016, considered policy around retirement age in both the public and private sectors, examining implications arising from retirement ages now and in the future. The Group identified a set of framework principles to underpin policy in the area and made a number of recommendations assigned to Government Departments and Employer bodies for follow-up in that regard. A copy of the Report is available online at www.per.gov.ie/en/report-of-the-interdepartmental-group-on-fuller-working-lives.
In respect of the public service, and on foot of one of the recommendations of the aforementioned Report, my Department, with Public Service employers, was tasked with reviewing the current statutory and operational considerations giving rise to barriers to extended participation in the public service workforce up to and including the current age of entitlement to the Contributory State Pension. In the context of the review, which is well advanced, meetings were held with employers from all public service sectors, including the civil service, local authority and health sectors, supplemented by further interactions and discussions with the employers.
Future policy in this area will be considered by Government following the outcome of the review.
Any change in the compulsory retirement ages for public servants would require primary legislation.
249. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount his Department spent on each of the 14 national monuments in County Carlow in each of the years 2012 to 2016. [37519/17]
View answerThe Office of Public Works care for fourteen National Monuments in County Carlow. The sites are visited on a regular basis by OPW workstaff and general maintenance is undertaken as necessary.
The frequency of visits is dependent on the type of structure and its location eg, Agade is visited on a bi-annual basis while those sites where grass-cutting is required or are situated nearer areas of denser population (where usage levels are higher) are visited on a more regular basis. There are no concerns in relation to the condition of the National Monuments in the Carlow area and as such, it was not necessary to undertake conservation works at these sites in the years referred to by the Deputy.
General maintenance costs are not broken down on a site-by-site basis as this work is undertaken the direct workforce of the Kilkenny National Monuments Depot and is a charge on that Depots operational budget. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a breakdown as requested by Mr Deering.
250. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to extend permits to land on Skellig island (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37565/17]
View answerThe visitor season at Skellig Michael runs from approx. mid May until the end September/start of October, depending on weather and sea conditions.
As has been stated many times previously, it has not been possible to open the visitor season earlier in the year because a significant amount of essential work has to be done in the period immediately prior to the official opening. During this period, the site needs to be made ready to receive visitors and have significant Health and Safety preparations for the season carried out. In particular, the site needs to be fully assessed after the winter, any hazards cleared from public areas and any necessary repairs carried out. These essential preparatory works are absolutely necessary in advance of opening the island to the public. The Deputy will be well aware I am sure that there are regular rockfalls on the island and considerable time and attention is required to deal with them.
The island has gained somewhat of a greater profile in recent times and it is quite clear that there is a buoyant tourist interest in the area which already enjoys a good deal of visitor traffic associated with the Wild Atlantic Way/Ring of Kerry. However, it must be appreciated that the island itself has an extremely limited capacity to deal with large numbers of visitors, dictated not just by the weather and the availability of boats, but also by the fragility of the island and the impact large volumes of visitors can have on the sensitive historic structures there. As a result, it is clear that visitor numbers will continue to be directly controlled and it is likely as a result that not all who wish to visit will be able to make the trip.
Understanding that Skellig Michael is often unavailable to visitors even during the period that the island is officially open because of bad weather and recognising that there will be a number of tourists who are not able to visit, the OPW has, together with Fáílte Ireland and local Tourism interests, been developing alternative cultural tourism options in the immediate area which are not so weather dependant and which can be enjoyed by visitors without the need for an expensive and sometimes uncomfortable boat trip. This measure, as well as taking some visitor pressure off the island, will also have the benefit of spreading the economic benefit of these tourists to other locations and prolonging visitor dwelltime in the area. I have asked my officials in the OPW to keep the arrangements for the annual opening of the Skellig Michael site under review and, in the context of the 2018 season, to analyse the position fully again.
251. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of civil servants on contracts pre-1995 who have had their pay affected by the introduction of PeoplePoint (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37774/17]
View answerThe Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013 provides that I, as the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, can make regulations for a Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. These Regulations are contained in SI 124 of 2014 and SI 384 of 2015. The Regulations set out the terms for the granting of paid sick leave, including that Medical Certificates be provided.
PeoplePoint is the HR and Pensions Administration Shared Service Centre that carries out the administration functions related to HR and Pensions for the Civil Service, applying the Government’s HR and pension policies and procedures.
The role of PeoplePoint in the administration of sick leave is set out in the sick leave circular, Circular 12/2015 Arrangements for Paid Sick Leave. It states that PeoplePoint delivers the transactional elements of sick leave policy for those organisations within the HR Shared Service.
252. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public servants now employed; the number of vacancies in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37811/17]
View answerAs of the end of the second quarter of 2017, based on the information provided to my Department overall public service employment was 311,215 in Full-Time Equivalence terms. As the Deputy may be aware, in Budget 2015, the Moratorium on Recruitment and Promotion was formally ended and the Employment Control Framework was replaced by a new Delegated Sanction Arrangement in most Government Departments and Offices. Under the new delegated arrangement, each Government Department and Office is given a fixed multi-annual pay ceiling and, subject to compliance with Workforce Planning requirements and some restrictions related to senior appointments, has had delegated authority to determine staffing needs and fill vacancies once they remain within their pay ceiling. Departments can also implement similar cascade arrangements with agencies or bodies under their aegis. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to vacancies in the public service is not, therefore, held centrally by my Department. The Delegated Sanction Arrangements now in place are intended to enable a more responsive approach in public bodies to the management of their human resources, in particular frontline personnel, in responding to service needs.
253. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the Government has not implemented Labour Court recommendation No. 19293 which recommended the provision of a pension for community employment supervisors; the progress of the community sector high-level forum in dealing with this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37930/17]
View answerThe Community Sector High Level Forum was reconvened in 2015 and met most recently on 7th April 2017, to give consideration to the issues to which the Deputy refers.
It continues to be the position that state organisations are not the employer of the particular employees concerned and that it is not possible for the State to provide funding for such a scheme. The employees in question are, or were, employees of private companies notwithstanding the fact that the companies concerned are, or were, reliant on State funding.
In considering the matter, I must have regard to the costs and precedent of such an arrangement were one to be created. A costings exercise is currently being progressed by officials in my Department and should be completed later this year.
254. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on his Department’s work on allocating additional resources for infrastructure investment in view of the Taoiseach’s decision to abandon the 45% debt to GDP ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38038/17]
View answerThe Government set out its position in relation to the Debt Target in the 2017 Summer Economic Statement (SES) which was published in July. In this context, the planned debt to GDP target has not been abandoned rather it has been revised on an interim basis to 55 per cent which, in fact, falls below Ireland's obligations under the Stability and Growth Pact to reach 60 per cent which is expected to be achieved in 2022 as before. Thereafter, and once major capital projects have been completed, the Government will target a further reduction in the debt ratio to 45% of GDP.
This recalibration of the Debt Target will enable the Government to deliver additional medium-term fiscal flexibility to increase capital expenditure enhancing the capacity of the economy to continue to grow in a sustainable manner in the future.
The Programme for a Partnership Government committed to additional capital investment over the period of the Capital Plan to 2021, to be allocated on the basis of the outcome of the review of the Capital Plan. As set out in the Summer Economic Statement 2017, Government will invest a further €4.1 billion in key infrastructure supporting economic and social progress. This is in addition to the extra €2.2b in Exchequer funding already allocated to housing under Rebuilding Ireland.
The publication of the report of the review of the Capital Plan is a key milestone in terms of the Government's commitment to increase public capital investment and to maintain and enhance Ireland's public capital stock. The report contains a comprehensive update on public capital investment priorities based on detailed research by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service, engagement with all Departments and a public consultation. The review sets out the detailed analysis and evidence which will help inform decisions by Government, in the context of Budget 2018, on the allocation of the additional resources now available for increased public investment.
The report also sets the context for the preparation of a new 10 year National Investment Plan, which will be integrated with, and support the implementation of, the new National Planning Framework.
255. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cross-Border bodies that receive Government funding; the corresponding amount paid in each of the years 2010 to 2016, in tabular form; and the amount allocated for 2017. [38514/17]
View answerThe Government provides funding for the Six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement (Waterways Ireland, SafeFood, InterTradeIreland, SEUPB, the Languages Bodies, and the Loughs Agency) along with Tourism Ireland Limited.
Ireland’s expenditure outturn, rounded to the nearest euro, for the NSIBs for 2010-16, along with their allocations for 2017, are set out in the following tables:
|
Body |
Sponsor Dept |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
An Foras Teanga |
DCHG |
€16,431,876 |
€15,872,300 |
€15,397,309 |
€14,442,968 |
|
InterTradeIreland |
DBEI |
€7,848,001 |
€6,637,662 |
€8,164,021 |
€8,106,162 |
|
Loughs Agency |
DCCAE |
€2,187,985 |
€2,592,547 |
€2,765,208 |
€2,296,580 |
|
SafeFood |
DOH |
€6,665,400 |
€5,950,000 |
€5,250,000 |
€5,950,000 |
|
SEUPB |
DPER |
€1,122,000 |
€1,168,000 |
€1,226,000 |
€1,164,000 |
|
Tourism Ireland |
DTTAS |
€48,982,000 |
€51,948,000 |
€45,831,000 |
€44,294,000 |
|
Waterways Ireland |
DCHG |
€32,919,000 |
€ 30,300,000 |
€ 27,099,000 |
€ 25,463,000 |
Table cont
|
Body |
Sponsor Dept |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017* |
|
An Foras Teanga |
DCHG |
€13,469,372 |
€13,467,869 |
€13,249,411 |
€13,989,000 |
|
InterTradeIreland |
DBEI |
€7,761,983 |
€7,839,919 |
€7,560,000 |
€7,960,000 |
|
Loughs Agency |
DCCAE |
€2,601,693 |
€2,735,496 |
€2,499,661 |
€2,705,000 |
|
SafeFood |
DOH |
€5,712,000 |
€5,474,000 |
€5,236,000 |
€5,236,000 |
|
SEUPB |
DPER |
€1,075,000 |
€1,249,000 |
€1,200,000 |
€1,350,000 |
|
Tourism Ireland |
DTTAS |
€43,623,000 |
€40,750,000 |
€39,536,000 |
€41,307,000 |
|
Waterways Ireland |
DCHG |
€ 24,183,000 |
€ 24,451,000 |
€ 26,567,000 |
€ 24,859,000 |
256. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the capital investment and investment in education, health and child care, respectively, as a percentage of the GNI* data as opposed to GDP for the most recent year available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36893/17]
View answerThe latest published figures available for GNI* are for 2016.
The figures outlined in the following table demonstrate the substantial level of investment which was made in these public services in 2016.
As Ireland’s economic growth is maintained on the basis of the Government's prudent and responsible approach to fiscal policy and in keeping with the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to increase investment in public services, the Government has increased investment in all of these sectors in 2017. Indeed, the health allocation of €14.1 billion included in Budget 2017 means that spending this year will exceed its 2009 peak, both in total and per capita. Furthermore, as outlined in the 2017 Summer Economic Statement, public capital investment will increase by over 70% over the next four years to almost €7.8 billion by 2021.
In addition, as highlighted by the recent Spending Review, as far as current spending is concerned, and in the Committee on Budgetary Oversight's recent report on infrastructure and capital investment it is important that all public spending is undertaken on a value-for-money basis.
|
€ million |
2016 |
As a share of GNI* |
|
Total Gross Voted Capital Expenditure |
4,107 |
2.17% |
|
Gross Voted Expenditure by the Children and Youth Affairs Group |
1,063 |
0.56% |
|
Gross Voted Expenditure by the Education & Skills Group |
8,327 |
4.40% |
|
Gross Voted Expenditure by the Health Group |
13,649 |
7.22% |
Note: GNI* for 2016 is €189,163 million.
Source: DPER Databank (http://databank.per.gov.ie/), CSO National Income and Expenditure Annual Results 2016 - Annex 1 (www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/nie/niear2016/).
257. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of political staff employed in his Department, including parliamentary assistants, secretarial assistants, special advisers, drivers and other relevant positions; the number of civil or public service staff seconded to work within his Department or constituency offices; the salaries and job titles of each such person; the duty or role of each, in each of the years 2015 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36958/17]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the information provided in the following document is in respect of political staff who featured on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's payroll. Since the 31st Dáil, Personal and Secretarial Assistants working in Constituency Offices are employed by the Oireachtas and not on individual Department payrolls.
In the years 2015 to May 2016 there were 6 political staff employed by my predecessor Deputy Brendan Howlin and in the table the Deputy will find a list of their roles and annual salaries.
As a result of a change in Government in May 2016, Minister of State Eoghan Murphy joined my Department. Minister Eoghan Murphy had a dual portfolio with duties for both the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Department of Finance. As a result of this both my Department and the Department of Finance, split all costs associated with the staff in the offices of the Minister of State. The figure shown is the full cost of each of these staff.
The most recent cabinet reshuffle in June saw Minister of State, Patrick O'Donovan join my Department.
|
June 2017 - Present |
|
|
|
Minister Paschal Donohoe |
||
|
Role |
Salary |
Office |
|
Special Adviser |
€88,392.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Special Adviser |
€88,392.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€35,699.99 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€35,699.99 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Minister of State, Patrick O'Donovan |
||
|
Role |
Salary |
Office |
|
Civilian Driver |
€35,699.99 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€35,699.99 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Public Servant on Secondment |
€42,548.00 |
Constituency Office |
|
May 2016 - June 2016 |
||
|
Minister Paschal Donohoe |
||
|
Role |
Salary |
Office |
|
Special Adviser |
€82,587.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Special Adviser |
€82,587.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€34,699.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€34,699.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Minister of State, Eoghan Murphy |
||
|
Role |
Salary |
Office |
|
Special Adviser |
€57,614.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€34,699.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€34,699.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
2015 - May 2016 |
||
|
Minister Brendan Howlin |
||
|
Role |
Salary |
Office |
|
Special Adviser |
€87,258.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Special Adviser |
€106,880.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Personal Secretary |
€47,755.14 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Personal Assistant |
€54,490.00 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€32,964.72 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
|
Civilian Driver |
€32,964.72 |
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
258. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the flood risk management plans, including the eastern CFRAM, have been finalised; if they have been submitted to him for approval; the additional studies to be undertaken in respect of the further examination of flooding at Hazelhatch and Celbridge, County Kildare; when these studies will be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37033/17]
View answerThe core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Works (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. The Programme, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities, involves the production of predictive flood mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of Flood Risk Management Plans.
The current position is that the OPW, having reviewed and taken account of the submissions received during public and statutory consultation, has finalised three of the four Flood Risk Management Plans for the Eastern CFRAM Study area. These have been submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for independent review of the environmental assessments. The fourth Plan, is being reviewed by the OPW together with its engineering consultants and Fingal County Council, prior to submitting to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, for independent environment review in the coming weeks.
Once this independent review is completed and observations addressed, the final Plans will be formally submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for approval, in accordance with the statutory requirements for approval of the Plans.
I aim by the end of this year to seek approval from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for the 29 Flood Risk Management Plans developed by the national CFRAM Programme. These Plans will inform Government’s prioritised approach to further develop over 100 major flood defence schemes and investment to those that deliver feasible protection against significant floods risks.
With regards to further flood relief studies of Hazelhatch and Celbridge, in Co. Kildare, officials from the OPW met with officials from Kildare County Council and have confirmed that resources will be available to assist Kildare County Council to take the study forward, once the Flood Risk Management Plans are approved. In the meantime, work by OPW engineers to install additional Hydrometric Gauges in the Hazelhatch and Celbridge areas have commenced and will be completed shortly. The data gathered will help inform and facilitate further studies in the area.
259. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if additional funding will be provided under the capital review for the tourism capital development programme; his plans for the phase 2 restoration works to Maynooth Castle, Maynooth, County Kildare, if additional funding is provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37037/17]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government committed to additional capital investment over the period of the Capital Plan to 2021, to be allocated on the basis of the outcome of the review of the plan. Following the Summer Economic Statement 2017, Government plans to invest an additional €4.1 billion in key infrastructure supporting economic and social progress.
As part of the review of the Capital Plan, submissions were received from Departments and a public consultation process was also undertaken by my Department. The Deputy will appreciate that it is a matter for each Department, in the first instance, to identify its sectoral priorities and projects in their submission for any additional funding under the review.
Analysis carried out as part of the review includes an infrastructure capacity and demand analysis which will help inform decisions by Government in the context of Budget 2018 on the allocation of the available resources. Any decisions on the capital allocations will not be made until after that process is completed at Budget-time.
260. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of a reply to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37040/17]
View answerA reply to this correspondence issued on 25th August 2017.
The reply confirms that the OPW inspected the bridge in question. While the bridge crosses a watercourse maintained by the OPW, the structure is privately owned and the Office of Public Works has no maintenance responsibility for this bridge.
261. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual percentage of Civil Service staff who were women in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [37060/17]
View answerThe percentages by gender of civil service staff for the years 2010 to end-June 2017 are set out as follows.
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
|
Female |
58.4% |
58.9% |
59.8% |
60.1% |
60.3% |
60.4% |
56.6% |
56.5% |
|
Male |
41.6% |
41.1% |
40.2% |
39.9% |
39.7% |
39.6% |
43.4% |
43.5% |
262. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual percentage of public service staff who were women under the remit of his Department in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [37061/17]
View answer263. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual percentage of non-commercial State sponsored bodies' staff under the remit of his Department who were women in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [37062/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 263 together.
In response to the Deputy’s questions, the following table outlines the annual percentage of staff that were women in my Department and the bodies under its aegis, since the Department was established in 2011. It should be noted that a number of the bodies were only established in the period since 2011.
Annual percentage of staff that were women 2011-2017
|
Organisation |
2011 % |
2012 % |
2013 % |
2014 % |
2015 % |
2016 % |
2017 (to date) % |
|
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
50 |
54 |
53 |
54 |
51 |
51 |
52 |
|
National Shared Services Office |
N/a |
55 |
56 |
62 |
61 |
61 |
61 |
|
Office of Government Procurement |
N/a |
N/a |
N/a |
46 |
49 |
44 |
42 |
|
Office of Public Works |
29 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
31 |
|
Public Appointments Service |
73 |
75 |
76 |
75 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
|
State Laboratory |
51 |
52 |
52 |
56 |
58 |
55 |
55 |
|
Office of the Ombudsman |
48 |
49 |
48 |
47 |
50 |
49 |
50 |
|
Institute of Public Administration |
64 |
64 |
63 |
66 |
67 |
66 |
62 |
|
Special EU Programmes Body |
66 |
63 |
65 |
62 |
61 |
61 |
61 |
|
National Lottery Regulator |
N/a |
N/a |
N/a |
0 |
11 |
22 |
27 |
264. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will include a breakdown of staff by gender within his Department's online databank public sector numbers dataset. [37063/17]
View answerMy Department collects quarterly information on Public Service staff numbers and pay which is set out in the databank available on the Department's website. Other than in relation to the civil service, the aggregate-level data provided to my Department does not currently extend to a detailed breakdown of public service workforce characteristics, including on the basis of gender. Consideration is currently being given by my Department to expanding the scope of human resource data collated on a centralised basis subject to compliance with data sharing and data protection requirements as appropriate.
265. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of men and women, respectively, who have participated to date in the senior public service executive leadership programme and the principal officer level leadership programme. [37064/17]
View answerIn recognition of the need to improve gender diversity at senior levels, a target of equal representation was set for participation on the Senior Public Service (SPS) and Principal Officer Executive Leadership programmes. Ten female and ten male participants were selected for the SPS level programme. The Principal Officer level initiative has 21 female and 19 male participants on the programme.
