Written Answers Nos. 224-235
224. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a social welfare payment to a person (details supplied) was stopped in August 2017; and if the payment can be reinstated as soon as possible. [48415/17]
View answerIllness Benefit is payable to persons who are incapable of work due to illness and who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. During the course of a claim a person can be referred for examination by one of my Department’s Medical Assessors to ascertain if the medical conditions for receipt of the payment continue to be satisfied.
The person concerned is in receipt of Illness Benefit since 21 January 2016 and was due to attend an examination by a Medical Assessor on 21 August 2017. He did not attend the examination. Payment of Illness Benefit was, accordingly, suspended in respect of the period from 1 September 2017 to 2 November 2017. He was subsequently referred for further examination and was found eligible for receipt of Illness Benefit. Payment of benefit was resumed from 3 November 2017.
The disallowance of Illness Benefit from 1 September 2017 to 2 November 2017 has been reviewed and payment for this period is being re-instated.
225. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1218 of 7 November 2017, her views on whether a person's phone number is personal information in the context of verifying a MyGov account; if she will clarify point A of her original reply; if it is the phone handset or the device that is being verified or the phone number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48436/17]
View answerWhile a person’s phone number is an element of their contact information, it is also regarded as personal information. A phone number in itself cannot identify a person. No additional information, e.g., any of the Public Service Identity data held by my Department, is issued with any text sent as part of a MyGovID verification process.
Point (a) of my previous response related to the process for verification of an individual’s mobile phone. Currently, a person’s mobile phone number is verified in a Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection office. The person must attend themselves and have their mobile phone with them. The process takes place in the presence of an officer of the Department and involves an SMS incorporating a code being sent by the system to the mobile phone number provided by the person. That code is then entered confidentially onto a keypad by the person. Assuming the code inputted in the keypad matches that sent to the mobile phone number supplied, that mobile phone number is then considered verified and may be used as part of the verification of the person’s MyGovID account.
It is the mobile phone number that is being verified, not the handset or device.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
226. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if further new schemes will be approved in the event of Cavan and Monaghan County Councils providing extra land found suitable for housing. [48277/17]
View answerUnder Rebuilding Ireland, funding is available to all local authorities, to deliver additional social housing stock through both new construction projects, through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments and through working with AHBs (approved housing bodies) who also deliver important elements of social housing.
I will shortly be issuing new targets for social housing delivery by the local authorities out to 2021, in line with the Rebuilding Ireland national targets. It will be a matter in the first place for each of the local authorities to bring forward new social housing proposals of their own, or through working with AHBs, to meet that target. To the extent that their plans include additional projects on new sites as part of meeting targets, support is available under Rebuilding Ireland.
227. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of unoccupied houses awaiting acceptance of offer that each county council has on its stock book in tabular form. [48280/17]
View answerMy Department does not hold information on the number of unoccupied houses awaiting acceptance of offer in each county council area.
The allocation of social housing supports to qualified households is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with its allocation scheme made in accordance with section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations.
228. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason the funding models for turnkey projects vary from one county to another; the reason the flexibility of the funding model provided by the Cork local authority is significantly greater than that of other counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48389/17]
View answerMy Department provides 100% funding to all local authorities to progress turnkey projects. There are consistent approaches to funding of turnkey projects to minimise the risk to public funding. In the case of Cork County Council I understand that it has identified an approach to allow some advance funding to secure the public investment against the land.
My Department is considering this option, along with other options to improve the delivery of turnkeys, as these represent a very efficient way of delivering social housing as part of a suite of measures to deliver social housing.
229. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 1358 of 7 November 2017, the reason for the discrepancy in the figures for local authority voids contained in the NOAC report 12 of May 2017, table F, pp 60/61, and the figures for long-term voids returned to stock funded by his Department; the way in which NOAC reported 4,202 voids of all categories based on 2014 figures yet his Department is asserting that 8,430 long-term voids have been returned to stock between 2014 and 2017; and if ordinary short term voids are being included in the figures provided in the parliamentary question concerned rather than long-term voids as was asked in the question. [48394/17]
View answerMy Department introduced the Voids Programme to provide additional support to assist local authorities in remediating vacant local authority housing. Between 2014 and 2016 this programme remediated approximately 7,100 units. A key priority of this scheme is to rehouse homeless families to the fullest extent possible in homes that have been restored to an energy efficient condition.
The NOAC report provided data on the number of vacant units, whatever the duration, at the time of completion of the questionnaire (August to November 2015) whereas the Department’s figure is the number of units that were funded under the voids programme in a four year period. While it is likely that some of the units vacant in November 2015 could have been the subject of voids programme funding in 2016 or 2017, there is no direct relationship between the two figures.
230. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 196 of 8 November 2017, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the television service providers based and operating here are broadcasting recruitment advertisements for armed forces outside the State (details supplied); the steps he will take to ensure that persons here are not subject to the recruitment drives of other states' armed forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48369/17]
View answerIn parliamentary question number 196 of 8th November 2017 my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment set out the position with regard to the provision of broadcasting and on-demand audiovisual services in the European Union and the regulation of the channel referred to. In today's media rich world, citizens of Ireland may be exposed to advertisements through a range of media sources. These advertisements may include recruitment advertisements for foreign military organisations. However, it is my understanding that in the case of TV advertisements, these advertisements are intended for citizens of the State in which such audiovisual media services are established.
As Minister with responsibility for Defence, I am happy that the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) is the employer of choice for those Irish citizens who are interested in pursuing a military career in an organisation with a world class reputation. The PDF provides such individuals with training, career progression and ongoing development in a diverse range of roles.
231. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there are live tenders for the purchase of equipment such as armaments, clothing, ammunition, vehicles and so on; if there are contracts for the purchase of defensive equipment due to go to tender within the next six months; if so, the type of defensive equipment to be purchased, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48375/17]
View answer232. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the live and upcoming tenders for the purchase of defensive equipment; the date of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48376/17]
View answer233. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the contracts awarded to Israeli companies for the purchase of equipment, goods or services procured from Israeli based firms and companies over the past ten years by his Department or the Defence Forces; the value of each contract awarded; the nature of the goods procured under each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48377/17]
View answer234. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 17 May 2017, the number of firms that submitted tenders for the contract on the purchase of drones for the Defence Forces; the names of all such companies, the countries in which each firm was based; the difference in monetary terms between the value of the contract awarded and the next lowest tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48378/17]
View answer235. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if EU legislation, the EUROMED agreement or the EU Neighbourhood Agreements provide for the refusal to award a contract for the purchase of military or defensive equipment in circumstances in which there is reason to believe that the equipment may have been used or manufactured by those involved in the commission of significant atrocities and human rights abuses; the circumstances in which such provisions may be enacted; if such provision may be enacted by a member state unilaterally; if the government has ever enacted such provision; if he has ever sought or received legal advice on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48379/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 231 to 235, inclusive, together.
The primary focus for the procurement of defensive equipment by the Department of Defence is to maintain the capability of the Irish Defence Forces to fulfil the roles as assigned by Government. This includes undertaking overseas Peace Support Operations, and in this regard to afford the greatest possible force protection to Irish troops whilst on all missions.
The principle of competitive tendering for Government contracts is used by the Department of Defence for the acquisition of defensive equipment for the Defence Forces. Central to those procedures is the requirement to allow fair competition between suppliers through the submission of tenders following advertising of the tender competition on the e-tenders site and on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), where appropriate, in line with the EU procurement directives, including the Directive on the procurement of Defensive and Security Equipment. Details of tender competitions can be accessed on the Government’s eTenders website www.etenders.gov.ie .
Such tender competitions are open to any company or country in accordance with the terms of all UN, OSCE and EU arms embargoes or restrictions. In following these guidelines and codes, the Department of Defence must deal impartially with all companies that are entitled to enter its procurement competitions and must evaluate tenders on the basis of objective criteria.
The matter of barring companies or countries from entering tender competitions for the provision of military goods would be akin to Ireland unilaterally placing an embargo and this raises, inter alia, serious implications for Irish foreign policy which are outside my remit.
Trade policy and market access are largely EU competencies and any restriction or ban on imports from any particular country would have to be concerted at EU level.
The manner in which the Department of Defence procures both goods and services remains consistent with international best practice and is in line with EU and UN decisions on trade embargoes. I am satisfied that this is the appropriate way in which to continue, rather than Ireland taking any unilateral decision to target individual companies or countries in that respect.
As I outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question Number 62 of 17 May 2017 regarding the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) currently operated by the Defence Forces, 4 UAV Systems were procured between 2007 and 2009 from Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd based in Israel following a competitive tender process. An upgrade of the Defence Forces UAV systems was carried out by Aeronautic Defense Systems as the original equipment manufacturer in 2016. This involved the upgrade of 4 UAV systems, with 3 airframes in each system. A number of additional simulators and pneumatic launchers have also been procured.
Details of the contracts awarded to Israeli companies for defensive equipment and services over the past ten years, including the UAV systems, are set out in the following table.
Tabular Statement: Goods/Services ordered from Israeli Companies from 2007 to 2017
|
Year |
Item |
Company |
Value (ex vat) € |
|
2007 |
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems and Spares |
Aeronautics Defence Systems |
930,965.88 |
|
2009 |
Surveillance & Target Acquisition Equipment |
Elbit Systems |
1,966,350.00 |
|
2009 |
Equipment Software Updates |
Elbit Systems |
444,950.00 |
|
2009 |
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems |
Aeronautics Defence Systems |
1,444,461.00 |
|
2009 |
Maintenance Agreement for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems |
Aeronautics Defence Systems |
610,140.00 |
|
2010 |
Maintenance Agreement for Fire Control Computer System |
Elbit Systems |
180,000.00 |
|
2012 |
Helmets |
Rabintex |
26,678.70 |
|
2013 |
Cables |
Elbit Systems |
4,500.00 |
|
2013 -2015 |
Batteries for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems |
Aeronautics Defence System |
45,498.00 |
|
2013 to date |
Maintenance Agreement (Surveillance & Target Acquisition Fire Control Computer System) |
Elbit Systems |
710,000.00 |
|
2013-2015 |
Ground Surveillance Radars |
Elbit Systems |
2,314,166.00 |
|
2016-2017 |
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System - Upgrade |
Aeronautics Defence Systems |
2,406,760.00 |
|
- |
TOTAL |
€11,084,468.70 |
