Written Answers Nos. 112-131
112. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the €2 million allocated to the Coroner Service as outlined in budget 2018; the amount that has been spent; the way in which the money has been spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27250/18]
View answerThe budget allocation for the Coroner Service, as set out in the Revised Estimates for 2018, is €2.802 million and it includes €2 million in additional funding in respect of the transfer of responsibility for the Dublin Coroner Service from Dublin City Council.
The expenditure to the end of May 2018 for the Coroner Service subhead is €840,000 and is comprised of payroll expenditure of €308,000 and non-pay costs of €532,000.
113. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the €1.5 million allocated to courts reform as outlined in budget 2018; the amount that has been spent; the way in which the money has been spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27251/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that additional funding of €1.5 million, which represents a 1.9% increase on 2017 funding, was provided to the Courts Service in 2018. The additional funding provided in 2018 forms part of the overall Courts Service budget and it is not possible to isolate expenditure as directly attributable to the additional €1.5 million allocated.
The Courts Service has advised that given the demands for funding it was necessary to spread the additional allocation across a range of existing programmes and also to support the day to day operation of the courts. Programmes supported by the additional funding include Change Management (supporting the implementation of a range of reform projects), Learning and Development (including technical/legal skills training), Business Support and support for the implementation of Government legislative initiatives including the establishment of the new Assisted Decision Making Regime under the Assisted Decision Making Act 2015 and the establishment of the Legal Costs Adjudicators Office under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.
A significant element (€1 million) of the additional funding has been targeted at planned maintenance of the large number of court buildings around the country as well as at a comprehensive survey of all court buildings to be carried out during 2018.
114. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the model for resettlement being delivered by the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in the various counties in which it is operational in terms of the number of persons included in a programme; the staffing in terms of refugee resettlement workers and intercultural workers on a programme; and the length of time the programme is in place. [27290/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration (OPMI) is the primary entity within my Department responsible for resettling refugees. It has overseen the humanitarian resettlement programmes run by Ireland since they were established in 2000. The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was subsequently established in September 2015 and is now part of the OPMI.
The model for resettlement being used by the IRPP is identical to the model used by the OPMI in resettlements prior to the establishment of the IRPP. This has three broad phases:
1. Overseas selection missions in collaboration with the UNHCR.
2. Placement of refugees in Emergency Response and Orientation Centres (EROCs) for the purposes of acclimatisation, orientation, etc.
3. Settlement in communities in local authority areas, coordinated by an inter-agency working group chaired by the relevant local authority, with refugees supported by an "implementing partner" procured by the local authority. The funding for the implementing partner is provided by the IRPP and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), both under the auspices of my Department. Local Authorities play a critical role in ensuring the success of each resettlement through the procuring of a suitable implementing partner with expertise in community integration and relevant supports.
The implementation of the resettlement programme requires a high level of coordination among service delivery agencies at both national and local level. Service provision is mainstreamed and all the main statutory service providers such as Government departments, the HSE, Tusla and Local Authorities are represented on the national Taskforce which oversees delivery of the programme. The programme is coordinated overall by the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) but service provision remains the responsibility of the relevant statutory entity.
Once resettled, the implementing partner provides appropriate services for a period of twelve to eighteen months to assist with integration. The standard model is now focussed on an eighteen month period.
The following tables show the position in the counties in which resettlement programmes are underway. As the Deputy will appreciate, the numbers reflect the fact that the programme is a work in progress, with further resettlements planned and personnel yet to be recruited. Some counties will be resettling further refugees as their overall allocation is higher than their initial allocation.
Persons Included in the Resettlement Programme:
|
County |
Initial Agreed Allocation |
Persons Resettled |
|
Galway |
90 |
94 |
|
Mayo |
100 |
134 |
|
Cork |
120 |
116 |
|
Clare |
100 |
89 |
|
Limerick |
100 |
84 |
|
Kerry |
120 |
97 |
|
Leitrim |
50 |
60 |
|
Longford |
60 |
0 |
|
Carlow |
80 |
16 |
|
Roscommon |
90 |
5 |
|
Sligo |
99 |
73 |
|
Westmeath |
140 |
59 |
|
Kilkenny |
140 |
49 |
|
Donegal |
150 |
77 |
|
Wexford |
210 |
196 |
|
Meath |
160 |
33 |
|
Monaghan |
90 |
55 |
|
Waterford |
100 |
93 |
Staffing Levels:
|
County |
Resettlement Workers: Agreed Number |
Resettlement Workers Employed |
Intercultural Support Workers: Agreed Number |
Intercultural Support Workers: Employed |
|
Galway |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
1 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Cork |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Clare |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Longford |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Carlow |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Roscommon |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
1 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Donegal |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Meath |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Waterford |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
115. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if an evaluation of the Irish Refugee protection programme on the ground has been undertaken in the counties in which resettlement has taken place or is taking place; if not, if there are plans to do so; and if so, the way in which the work is procured. [27291/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) commenced in September 2015 with the first significant tranche of protection applicants only arriving in Ireland under in June 2016, due largely to delays in the establishment of hotspots and related arrangements overseas by the beneficiary States. Large scale resettlements in counties therefore only began in March 2017. It is too early to undertake an evaluation of the current resettlement programme as the resettlement process has not been underway for sufficiently long and the Programme remains in a heavily operational phase.
The IRPP constantly re-evaluates its operations and fine-tunes elements of the Programme as required. The Deputy should be aware that a provisional analysis of previous resettlements, prior to the establishment of the IRPP, is now underway. These resettlements employed the same model as currently used by the IRPP. This evaluation is in the early stages and is being undertaken on a contract basis.
Once this process has been concluded, which should be by the end of 2018, a determination will be made on future steps including the scope of any further evaluation process and how this might best be undertaken.
116. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of assaults perpetrated against members of An Garda Síochána in the course of their duties in each of the past ten years; the number of successful prosecutions for such assaults in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27296/18]
View answerI have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to this matter and I will contact the Deputy directly when the report is to hand.
117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) who wishes to become an Irish citizen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27335/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, entitlement to Irish citizenship is governed by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The Act provides that if either of a child's parents was, at the time of that child's birth, an Irish citizen, that child is an Irish citizen irrespective of the place of birth.
Section 6A of the Act also provides that a child born in the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 has an entitlement to Irish citizenship if, at the time of the birth of the child, one of his or her parents had, during the period of 4 years immediately preceding the person's birth, been resident in the island of Ireland for a period of not less than 3 years or periods the aggregate of which is not less than 3 years. Periods of unlawful residence, periods of residence which were for the sole purpose of having an application for refugee status determined or periods of residence where permission was granted for the purposes of study are excluded under the Act from the determination of periods of reckonable residence.
Where a child born in the State did not at birth have an entitlement to Irish citizenship, the parent or guardian or person who is in loco parentis to the child may lodge an application for naturalisation on behalf of the child if and when the conditions for naturalisation are satisfied, including a requirement to have 5 years residence in the State. Detailed information on citizenship and the naturalisation process, including the relevant application forms, is available on the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) website at www.inis.gov.ie.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
118. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the eligibility for upgrade of stamp 4 in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27336/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted residence permission and a right to work based on parentage of an Irish citizen child on 12 January 2016. The permission was subsequently renewed by the INIS until 08 July 2018. Documentary evidence has been sought from the person concerned and the application will be considered further on receipt of same.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
119. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) who has submitted representations pursuant to section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 as amended outlining their case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27337/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), written representations have been submitted on behalf of the person concerned.
These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and all other applicable legislation, in advance of a final decision being made.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
120. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedure to be followed in the case of a person (details supplied) who wishes to become an Irish citizen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27338/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned has not submitted written representations.
The position in the State of the person concerned will now be decided by reference to the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and all other applicable legislation. If any representations are submitted, they will be considered before a final decision is made.
The Deputy may wish to note that as the person concerned has no current right of residency in the State, he would not be in a position to meet the lawful residency criteria applicable to persons applying to my Department for a Certificate of Naturalisation.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
121. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of an application for naturalisation in the case of persons (details supplied); if all required details in this case have been received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27340/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the applications for a certificate of naturalisation from the persons referred to by the Deputy, is on-going. On completion of the necessary processing the applications will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements, not only within the State but also at European Union level, and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. While most straightforward cases are now generally processed within six months, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
122. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in view of the fact that the person has been signing on at the local Garda station for three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27344/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 16 December 2010. That order remains valid and in place.
In relation to the Deportation Order, the Deputy might wish to note that the person concerned made a request, pursuant to the provisions of section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to have that order revoked. Following the detailed consideration of the request made, a decision was taken to affirm the order and that decision was communicated to the person concerned by letter dated 16 June 2017.
The person concerned then lodged judicial review proceedings in the High Court, challenging the decision to affirm the Deportation Order. The High Court gave its Judgment in the matter on 23 January 2018. While the High Court did not set aside the decision to affirm the Deportation Order, the presiding Judge instead directed that certain specified matters be re-examined by my Department. I am advised that this judgment is being examined by the relevant personnel in the INIS at the present time to see how the Judge’s directions can be accommodated. That process has not yet been completed.
I am also advised that, separately, the person concerned has sought to be re-admitted to the international protection process. This request is under consideration at present. The Deputy might wish to note that the decision to ensue from the consideration of this request will be to grant or refuse consent to re-apply for international protection. Written notification of this decision will issue shortly to the person concerned.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
123. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the contingencies and supports in place to safeguard Irish SMEs and export businesses from a hard Brexit scenario; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27128/18]
View answerBrexit presents the most significant economic challenge of the past 50 years for businesses in all parts of the country, and my Department and its agencies are working hard to ensure that potentially impacted firms are taking the necessary steps to prepare and mitigate risks and to take advantage of potential opportunities.
I am confident that the agencies under my remit have the supports available to enable companies to consolidate market share within the UK, and also to become more resilient by broadening their sales to other international markets. Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are actively supporting their clients to achieve this. My Department provided for additional monies in 2017 to enable EI and the LEOs to ramp up supports in light of Brexit to drive improvements in:
- productivity,
- innovation,
- management capability and leadership skills.
Enterprise Ireland has launched several initiatives in response to Brexit, including:
- Brexit Scorecard: This interactive online platform can be used by all Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit under six business pillars. Based on answers supplied by the user, the Scorecard generates an immediate report which contains suggested actions and resources, and information on events for companies to attend, to prepare for Brexit.
- Be Prepared Grant: This grant offers SMEs a grant of up to €5,000 to assist them in preparing an action plan for economic shocks such as Brexit. The grant can be used to help cover consultancy, travel and travel expenses associated with researching the direction of their action plan.
- Brexit Advisory Clinics: Enterprise Ireland held four Brexit Advisory Clinics over the past few months in Portlaoise, Mayo, Cavan, Cork and today in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. The purpose of these Clinics is to support companies affected by Brexit to take immediate action to address their exposure.
- Brexit 'Act On' Programme: This funding is to support the engagement of a consultant to draw up a report with tailored recommendations to help clients address weaknesses and become more resilient.
In addition, EI is implementing extensive trade mission and event schedules focussed on global and sectoral opportunities, further developing in-market expertise and networks, placing greater focus on identifying new sectoral opportunities and stimulating demand for Irish products and services through international marketing campaigns. In 2017, EI launched a new Eurozone Strategy to increase exports to Eurozone countries by 50% by 2020.
The 31 LEOs nationwide are assisting clients with a suite of supports which includes
information, training and mentoring on Brexit related issues as well as advice on other sources of support.
InterTrade Ireland (ITI), has also been very active in assisting businesses address the challenges that Brexit may present for future cross-border commerce. A series of information and awareness raising events have been underway in towns across both North and South over recent months. ITI is also rolling out a ‘Start to Plan’ readiness voucher scheme, which enables companies to purchase specialist advice in areas such as customs, tax, tariff and non-tariff barriers, legal and labour mobility issues.
Other initiatives that my Department are advancing include the €300 million Brexit Loan Scheme, under which accessible finance is made available to businesses at favourable terms. I recently launched the second call of the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, which is aimed at supporting the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative projects that can sustain and add to employment at a national, regional and county level. Twenty-one successful applicants representing all regions of the country have secured up to €30.5m for their projects in the first competitive call.
The work of my Department is focused on supporting businesses throughout the country to withstand current challenges and succeed into the future, therefore I feel that all our efforts will put Ireland in a strong position in the event of a hard Brexit scenario.
124. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the key measures in the Action Plan for Jobs 2018 for persons with disabilities. [27129/18]
View answerThe Action Plan for Jobs is one of the Government’s key instruments to support job creation. The Action Plan for Jobs process has worked well to achieve its primary objective. Since the first Plan was launched in early 2012, there are over 345,000 more people at work. The unemployment rate has fallen from a high of 16 per cent to 5.8 per cent in May 2018.
The four key aims of Action Plan for Jobs 2018 are that:
- Ireland’s enterprise base remains successful amid the uncertainty created by Brexit;
- all parts of the country achieve their potential in terms of job creation;
- those entering, re-entering, or in the workforce have the incentives and skills needed to prosper; and
- Ireland’s enterprise base remains successful by focusing relentlessly on competitiveness, productivity, and innovation.
The Action Plan for Jobs 2018 reflects the Enterprise 2025 Renewed priorities and also the priorities within other Government strategies that are relevant to job creation, including for people with disabilities, e.g. Pathways to Work Strategy and the Action Plan for Education. Pathways to Work is the main Government initiative encouraging access to the labour market and ultimately participation in employment. It is complemented by the Action Plan for Jobless Households, the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities.
Under the Action Plan for Jobs 2018, there is a focus on increasing participation in the labour market, including assisting access to work for those who wish to do so, by ensuring they have opportunity to address real or perceived skills deficiencies, whether they are discouraged workers or people with disabilities.
Specific measures in Action Plan for Jobs 2018 include implementing the Pathways to Work Strategy, increasing awareness among employers of the range of services and supports available to maximise take up, and improving information flow on welfare-to-work schemes, targeting employers and inactive people.
There is also a specific action to increase the focus of activation efforts on groups outside the labour force, by:
- reviewing the range of income supports (including in-work supports) for people with disabilities to ensure payments are aligned between schemes and, if appropriate, amend the payment structure to ensure that it supports a return to work for people who wish to do so;
- expanding the use of Intreo Centres as a gateway to engage with people with disabilities and increase the number of Intreo staff trained in the provision of employment supports to people with disability; and
- developing online ready-reckoner tools for people on disability payments to assess the net benefits of returning to work.
125. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the progress in achieving more gender balance in funded research under Science Foundation Ireland’s Agenda 2020 strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27130/18]
View answerIn 2016, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) published its Gender Strategy for the years 2016-2020. This strategy provides a comprehensive framework for delivering SFI’s actions to retain and increase the participation of excellent female researchers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) careers. Since the launch, SFI has moved towards streamlining gender initiatives across all its programmes, with the overarching aim of redressing the gender imbalance amongst SFI award holders.
SFI’s Gender Strategy sets out the agency’s roadmap to improve the representation and progression of women in all aspects of STEM careers in Ireland:
- Strand 1 of the strategy focuses on gender equality across SFI education and public engagement initiatives, with the aim of increasing the participation and interest of girls in STEM-related activities.
- Strand 2 targets female representation within the SFI funded portfolio and SFI review panels. Concrete measures to achieve these targets are outlined.
- Strand 3 will ensure that gender perspectives are integrated into the research content of SFI funded research programmes.
In 2017, SFI achieved its Agenda 2020 target of making 25% of its awards to female researchers and this target has now been revised upward to 30%. This target has been aided by SFI providing incentives for research bodies to submit applications from female researchers to various programmes, with a focus on those aligned with early career stage.
The SFI Research Outputs Census 2017 shows that the percentage of female SFI Award Holders Active in 2017 was 28%, up on 25% in 2016 and 21% in 2015. The percentage of female team members (those employed on SFI awards) was 37%, an increase on 35% in 2016, which represents progress towards redressing gender imbalance.
Furthermore, award holders’ success rates (2016) shows that female researchers are as competitive as their male counterparts in terms of their SFI funding success rate i.e., 32% across all programmes. However, female researchers within the same cohort (2016) accounted for only 25% of SFI funding applications received.
SFI is also supportive of the Athena SWAN Charter which is the internationally recognised ‘quality mark’ for gender equality. It was established to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.
Science Foundation Ireland continues to implement specific grant management policies to deal with the needs of female researchers during periods of maternity and adoptive leave, and will continue to innovate in this regard. The policies being developed and associated outcomes will complement and support the Athena SWAN initiative, whereby the Irish Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland and the Health Research Board will require research bodies to have attained a bronze institutional Athena SWAN award by the end of 2019 and a silver institutional Athena SWAN by the end of 2023, to be eligible for research funding.
In further recognition of the Athena SWAN initiative, Science Foundation Ireland has, under the Starting Investigator Research Grant (SIRG) programme set criteria around addressing gender imbalance. SIRG aims to support excellent postdoctoral researchers and others who are yet to hold an independent research post in taking the initial steps towards a fully independent research career. Research Bodies are permitted to put forward a maximum of 12 candidates. A maximum of six candidates, out of the 12 permitted from each eligible research body, may be male candidates.
Another aspect of Science Foundation Ireland’s Gender Strategy is to ensure that gender is integrated as a perspective in all the research Science Foundation Ireland funds, when this is relevant. While this approach was launched for some programmes during 2017, applicants will in future be required to provide a statement articulating the sex/gender variables in their research and will include guidance for applicants and a request for comment from the reviewers.
Finally, further rollout of gender redressing initiatives amongst SFI award holders will include those to address gender imbalance in senior academic roles. Specifically, in order to encourage more applications from excellent female researchers to the SFI Research Professorship Programme, SFI is mandating that for all institutions wishing to nominate candidates to the programme, one of the next two successful Expressions of Interest (i.e., approved by SFI) must be associated with a female candidate, which must then be followed up with the submission of a Full Proposal.
The above detail shows that SFI is proactive in bringing about a sea change on gender equality matters in the field of research and development and I am confident that the initiatives employed by SFI to date will continue to bring further successes in the future.
126. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to resolve the issue of the serious shortage of chefs here. [27187/18]
View answerIn March 2017, following a review of the Highly Skilled and Ineligible lists of Employment earlier this year, which included a public consultation, I announced the removal of certain chef grades from the ineligible occupation list. This means that if an employer is unsuccessful in filling a vacancy either domestically or from across the European Economic Area (EEA) it can be filled by a suitably qualified non- EEA national.
The changes to the Employment Permit Regulations, which came into effect from 26th March 2018, involved removing the following chef grades from the ineligible list:
- Executive Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience at that level
- Head Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience at that level
- Sous Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience at that level
- Chef de Partie with minimum of 2 years’ experience at that level
My decision to remove certain chef grades from the ineligible lists will ensure that there is a mechanism to address the shortage of qualified chefs in the short-term. I have applied a quota of 610 employment permits to ensure that in the longer term the demand for chefs is met from a steady supply in the Irish labour market and to that end I am aware of the work that is underway to increase the supply of chefs through training initiatives such as the development of a new Commis Chef Apprenticeship and a Chef de Partie Apprenticeship.
An Interdepartmental Group (IDG), chaired by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, is currently reviewing the economic migration policies underpinning the employment permits system, the purpose of which is to ensure that current policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s emerging labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. A full report with recommendations on a framework for the future operation of the employment permits regime is due by the end of June.
127. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of positions on the board in respect of the board of agencies and commercial State companies under her Department’s aegis in tabular form; the quorum required for a board meeting; the number of ministerial appointee vacancies on the board to date; the length of time the ministerial appointee vacancy has been present for each vacancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27213/18]
View answerThe process for selection of Ministerial appointees to boards of agencies is managed by the Public Appointments Service in accordance with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards that is published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The information requested by the Deputy is listed in tabular form.
|
State Agency/Commercial State Body |
No. of Board Members/Positions: |
Quorum required for Board Meeting |
No. of Ministerial Appointee Vacancies on the board to date |
Length of time of Ministerial Appointee Vacancy |
|
Design & Crafts Council of Ireland |
12 |
5 |
0 |
n/a |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
12 |
5 |
1* |
12 months |
|
Health & Safety Authority |
12 |
6 |
0 |
n/a |
|
Irish Auditing & Accounting Supervisory Authority |
9 |
3 |
0 |
n/a |
|
IDA Ireland |
11 |
3 |
3** |
Since Q1 2018 |
|
National Standards Authority of Ireland |
13 |
5 |
0 |
n/a |
|
Personal Injuries Assessment Board |
11 |
6 |
1*** |
2 months |
|
Science Foundation Ireland |
12 |
5 |
0 |
n/a |
* One member retired from the EI Board in mid-2017. Following his retirement, significant consideration has been given to what additional experience and skills would most benefit the EI Board at this time. It is expected that the process for appointing a new board member will be concluded by the end of Q3 2018.
** Two of these vacancies will shortly be filled as the Minister has informed the Public Appointment Service of her decision on the successful applicants and a formal process to appoint these members to the Board is underway
*** A process is currently underway with the Public Appointments Service to fill this vacancy
128. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of companies that have completed the Brexit scorecard to date since it was established (details supplied) by company size in tabular form. [27318/18]
View answerTo be resilient to economic shocks, such as Brexit, Irish exporting companies need to be innovative, competitive and have a diversified global footprint. Enterprise Ireland’s focus for 2018 is to help client companies build on the strength of their 2017 performance by putting an increased emphasis on market diversification, driving innovation and competitiveness.
In addition to the agency’s increased focus on market diversification, innovation and competitiveness, Enterprise Ireland (EI) is undertaking a programme to promote companies’ awareness of and level of preparedness for Brexit which to date has included the launch and development of a Brexit SME Scorecard, an interactive online platform which can be used by all Irish companies, both clients of EI and non-clients, to self-assess their exposure to Brexit under six business pillars. There have been 2311 engagements on the scorecard to date.
The following table presents a breakdown of companies that have engaged with a Brexit Scorecard by company size:
|
Total Engaged With Scorecard |
2311 |
|
Number of Employees |
Number of Companies |
|
<10 (Micro) |
738 |
|
10 to 49 (Small) |
548 |
|
50 to 150 (Medium) |
215 |
|
151 to 249 (Medium) |
71 |
|
>250 (Larger than SME) |
110 |
|
Blanks (Where company sized not marked) |
629 |
129. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of Enterprise Ireland exporting client companies that have availed of be prepared grants to date by county in tabular form. [27319/18]
View answerTo be resilient to economic shocks, such as Brexit, Irish exporting companies need to be innovative, competitive and have a diversified global footprint. Enterprise Ireland’s focus for 2018 is to help client companies build on the strength of their 2017 performance by putting an increased emphasis on market diversification, driving innovation and competitiveness.
In addition to the agency’s increased focus on market diversification, innovation and competitiveness, Enterprise Ireland is undertaking a programme to promote companies’ awareness of and level of preparedness for Brexit.
Enterprise Ireland’s Be Prepared Grant supports the costs of SME clients in preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities arising from Brexit. This grant support, of up to €5,000, can be used to help cover consultancy, travel and out of pocket expenses associated with researching the direction of their Brexit action plan. To date, 112 companies have been approved for support under this initiative, as sorted by county in the following table:
|
County |
No of Approvals |
|
Carlow |
5 |
|
Cavan |
5 |
|
Clare |
5 |
|
Cork |
7 |
|
Dublin |
52 |
|
Galway |
7 |
|
Kerry |
5 |
|
Kildare |
6 |
|
Kilkenny |
5 |
|
Laois |
5 |
|
Limerick |
5 |
|
Louth |
5 |
|
Mayo |
5 |
|
Meath |
5 |
|
Monaghan |
5 |
|
Sligo |
5 |
|
Tipperary South |
5 |
|
Westmeath |
5 |
|
Wexford |
5 |
|
Wicklow |
6 |
|
Waterford |
5 |
|
Grand Total |
112 |
Please note numbers for counties with less than 5 Be Prepared Grants cannot be provided to protect the identity of client companies.
It is important to highlight that the level of uptake of Enterprise Ireland Brexit supports is in line with the range of Enterprise Ireland supports that exist to help companies plan for both the opportunities and risks that Brexit poses. In that context, Enterprise Ireland provides a range of financial and non-financial supports to companies to support this, including the recently launched Market Discovery Fund and the Agile Innovation Fund.
130. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of Brexit readiness vouchers from InterTradeIreland that have been availed of since being established by county; and the total value of such vouchers in tabular form. [27320/18]
View answer131. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of companies that have sought help via the Brexit advisory service of InterTradeIreland since the UK referendum to leave the EU in June 2016. [27321/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.
As part of its Brexit Advisory Service, InterTrade Ireland offers vouchers which enable companies to get professional advice in relation to Brexit matters. This support can help businesses obtain advice on specific issues such as tariffs, currency management, regulatory and customs issues and movement of labour, good and services. InterTrade Ireland offers 100% financial support up to £2000/€2000 (inclusive of VAT) towards this professional advice in relation to Brexit matters. To date 281 "Brexit Start to Plan" vouchers from InterTrade Ireland have been approved and there are another 135 pending. Details by ROI county are given in the following table.
A total of 3,016 companies have availed of the various elements of the Brexit Advisory Service to date.
|
County |
Vouchers Approved |
Amount Committed |
Vouchers Pending |
Total |
|
Carlow |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
13 |
€26,000 |
1 |
14 |
|
Clare |
2 |
€4,000 |
|
2 |
|
Cork |
3 |
€6,000 |
7 |
10 |
|
Donegal |
8 |
€16,000 |
2 |
10 |
|
Dublin |
31 |
€62,000 |
19 |
50 |
|
Galway |
4 |
€8,000 |
9 |
13 |
|
Kerry |
0 |
- |
2 |
2 |
|
Kildare |
3 |
€6,000 |
|
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
€6,000 |
1 |
4 |
|
Laois |
1 |
€2,000 |
2 |
3 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
€2,000 |
|
1 |
|
Limerick |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
Longford |
1 |
€2,000 |
|
1 |
|
Louth |
8 |
€16,000 |
6 |
14 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
€2,000 |
4 |
5 |
|
Meath |
5 |
€10,000 |
|
5 |
|
Monaghan |
9 |
€18,000 |
4 |
13 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
€2,000 |
2 |
3 |
|
Sligo |
2 |
€4,000 |
|
2 |
|
Tipperary |
5 |
€10,000 |
1 |
6 |
|
Waterford |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
€2,000 |
4 |
5 |
|
Wexford |
2 |
€4,000 |
5 |
7 |
|
Wicklow |
3 |
€6,000 |
1 |
4 |
