Written Answers Nos. 131-150
132. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which various cold cases continue to receive attention; if he remains satisfied with the adequacy of resources available in respect of such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42732/18]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that the manner in which all Garda investigations are conducted, including cold cases, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team. As Minister, I have no role in this regard.
That said, I am informed that the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) continue to review serious cases that remain unsolved.
There are around ten ongoing SCRT reviews, including a number of high-profile outstanding homicide investigations, such as the Kerry Babies case, a missing persons case in Ashbourne Garda District and the murders of Dessie Fox (1990) and Paul Quinn (2007). The SCRT is also assisting in the investigation of the missing person case involving Deirdre Jacob, which has recently been re-classified as a murder. It is intended that a further review by the SCRT of other missing persons cases under Operation Trace will begin shortly, in order to identify and provide investigative assistance to the original investigation teams.
With regard to resourcing, the Deputy will appreciate that all Garda activities, including the investigation of unsolved cases, will benefit from the very significant investments which have been made in policing resources. Budget '19 will see an increase in the Garda budget from €1.65 billion to €1.76 billion, an increase of €110 million.
Furthermore, under the National Development Plan and the overall vision in Project Ireland 2040, the Garda capital allocation has increased from €61 million to €92 million in 2019, a 50% increase. This will facilitate investment of around €65 million in Garda ICT which is now an important element in the investigation of crime.
As reflected in the Programme for Government, the Government is also committed to supporting Garda recruitment through the accelerated recruitment programme with a view to increasing Garda numbers to 21,000 by 2021.
133. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which forensic technology available to An Garda Síochána remains comparable with that in other jurisdictions adjoining and throughout Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42733/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the two bodies responsible for forensics in relation to policing in Ireland are the Garda Síochána National Technical Bureau and Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) which is under the remit of my Department. Both operate to the highest standards and their staff are to be commended on their expertise and dedication to the application of science to crime investigation in Ireland over many years.
The Garda National Technical Bureau provides assistance and technical support in the investigation of crime by conducting forensic examinations of crime scenes and the forensic examination of exhibits from such crime scenes and elsewhere. The Technical Bureau is a modern forensic examination facility with state of the art examination equipment and appropriately trained and qualified expert personnel in the areas of fingerprint examination, ballistic and firearm examination, forensic photography, forensic document and handwriting examination and the mapping of crime scenes. The Bureau has ISO 17025 accreditation.
FSI offers a broad range of forensic services that includes DNA analysis, drugs identification and quantification methods and physical and chemical analysis techniques. FSI has ISO 17025 accreditation and is a member of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutions (ENFSI). Many of these techniques are also used by other members of the ENFSI and this network promotes sharing and adoption of best practices across institutes.
The Deputy may wish to note that construction of a new FSI laboratory at the Backweston campus, Co. Kildare, will commence in the near future, providing a modern, purpose built facility, achieving best practice standards for evidence processing, analysis and storage.
134. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the action being taken or which can be taken to address the issue of threats and intimidation against individual members of An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42734/18]
View answerI condemn any attacks made on the brave men and women in An Garda Síochána in the performance of their duties to serve the community and protect the peace.
I am sure the Deputy will agree that we are all immensely grateful to An Garda Síochána for their outstanding dedication and commitment and for the important role that they play in our society, all too frequently putting themselves in real danger. It is imperative that Gardaí are protected in carrying out their work and that the law reflects and responds to the situations in which they find themselves.
As the Deputy is aware, it would not be appropriate for me to detail the operational measures that the Garda authorities have taken or would take generally in these situations. However, I can assure the Deputy that whatever protective and detection measures are deemed appropriate by the Garda authorities will certainly be taken.
I should also say that while the criminal law in this area is being kept under ongoing review, there is a range of robust legislative provisions available to the Garda authorities in circumstances where threats or assaults are made against Gardaí.
The Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 (as amended) provides explicit statutory protection for peace officers, including members of the Garda Síochána, in relation to offences involving assault to or obstruction of a peace officer in the execution of his or her duty. Section 19 of that Act provides that any person who assaults a peace officer acting in the execution of his or her duty is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years.
The general law relating to assault is contained in the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 which deals comprehensively with a wide range of assault provisions, the more serious of which carry heavy penalties. The assault and related provisions in that Act apply to assaults on all sectors of our community which of course includes members of An Garda Síochána.
135. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42741/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application referred to was refused by the Visa Office in Dublin on 12 March 2018. A subsequent appeal was unsuccessful and the original decision upheld. This was communicated to the applicant along with the refusal reasons on 28 June 2018.
Only one appeal is permitted per application. However, it remains open to the applicant to make a fresh application. If such an application is made, the applicant should bear in mind the refusal reasons communicated to her and be in a position to address those reasons in any new application.
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.
In addition, applicants may themselves e-mail queries directly to INIS (visamail@justice.ie).
136. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when an application for a work permit will be concluded in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42569/18]
View answerThe Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that a General Employment Permit for the person concerned (details supplied) issued on 15 October 2018.
137. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when an application for a work permit will be concluded in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42571/18]
View answerThe Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that a General Employment Permit for the person concerned (details supplied) issued on 16 October 2018.
138. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the details on the future growth loan scheme announced in Budget 2019; the way in which this scheme will operate; when it will be operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42594/18]
View answerThe Future Growth Loan Scheme is being developed by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) in partnership with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) and the European Investment Fund (EIF).
Through a counter-guarantee from the EIF, the Future Growth Loan Scheme will leverage €62 million of Exchequer funding, of which 60% will be provided by my Department and the remaining 40% will be provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine over a five-year period to make a fund of up to €300 million available to eligible Irish businesses for terms of 8-10 years.
The scheme will feature a two-stage application process. Businesses will first apply to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to confirm their eligibility for the scheme. Successful applicants will then be able to apply for a loan under the scheme with one of the participating finance providers.
The scheme will be available to eligible Irish businesses, including those in the primary agriculture and seafood sectors, to support strategic, long-term investment in a post-Brexit environment. The eligibility criteria have yet to be finalised, but the scheme will be open to SMEs with an establishment or branch in Ireland. Sole traders will be eligible for funding under the scheme. Finance provided under the scheme will be competitively priced and have favourable terms, including the interest rate, with loans up to €500,000 unsecured.
The scheme is expected to launch in early 2019.
139. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the Brexit related supports and schemes that are available under her Department's remit; the number of persons and-or companies that have applied for the supports; the number that have successfully been awarded support, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42595/18]
View answerThe information is contained in the table.
|
Scheme |
Uptake (as at October 2018) |
|
Brexit Loan Scheme |
262 applications received, 224 approved by SBCI, 38 Loans progressed to sanction at bank level to a value of €8.5 million as of 12 October 2018 |
|
Enterprise Ireland Brexit Scorecard - online platform for Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit |
2,962, Brexit Scorecards have been completed, which includes 204 LEOs clients, as at the 15 October 2018 |
|
Enterprise Ireland Be Prepared Grant |
137 Be Prepared Grants have been approved |
|
Enterprise Ireland Market Discovery Fund - A support to EI clients to research new markets |
113 projects have been approved under this initiative |
|
Enterprise Ireland Agile Innovation Fund - Gives rapid fast-track access to innovation funding |
30 Agile Innovation projects have been approved |
|
Enterprise Ireland Brexit Advisory Clinics |
8 Brexit Advisory Clinics have been run with approx. 590 in attendance |
|
Enterprise Ireland Brexit “Act On Programme” – A support funding the engagement of a consultant to devise report with recommendations to help clients address weaknesses and improve resilience |
105 “Act on” Plans have been completed |
|
Enterprise Ireland Strategic Consultancy Grant – A grant to assist EI clients to hire a strategic consultant for a set period |
1,042 Strategic Consultancy Grants have been approved |
|
Enterprise Ireland Irish Advantage Campaign – promotion of export campaign |
The Irish Advantage export promotion campaign is active in 20 markets and 15 sectors |
|
Local Enterprise Office Technical Assistance Grant for Micro Export - an incentive for LEO clients to explore and develop new market opportunities |
293 clients were approved assistance under the Technical Assistance Grant |
|
Local Enterprise Office LEAN for Micro - The LEO Lean4Micro offer was developed in collaboration between the EI Lean department and the LEOs to tailor the EI Lean offer for LEO micro enterprise clients |
192 LEO clients have participated in the programme |
|
Local Enterprise Office Mentoring |
263 mentoring participants solely focused on Brexit |
|
Local Enterprise Office Brexit Seminars/Events |
3,925 Participants at the Brexit Information events |
|
InterTradeIreland Brexit Advisory Service |
2,350 SMEs have directly engaged with the Brexit Advisory Service |
|
InterTradeIreland Brexit Start to Plan Vouchers |
There have been 619 applications, with 514 approved and 105 pending. |
|
Pilot Online Retail Scheme administered by Enterprise Ireland |
It is anticipated the pilot scheme will open for the first call in late October 2018 |
140. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the steps her Department and IDA Ireland are taking to increase job creation and attract companies to counties Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal; the recent occasion on which IDA Ireland visited these counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42637/18]
View answerIDA Ireland continues to highlight the benefits of expanding or locating in every part of Ireland, including in Counties Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal. There are now over 122,000 people employed across 649 firms in IDA client companies located outside of Dublin, with 45% of all new foreign direct investment (FDI) jobs created last year based in regional locations. The IDA is focused, as am I, on increasing those numbers further.
Last year, IDA client companies conducted 18 site visits to County Sligo, two site visits to County Leitrim, three site visits to Roscommon and two site visits to County Donegal. As for the first two quarters of 2018, there have been eight site visits to County Sligo, five visits to County Leitrim, one site visit to Roscommon and three site visits to County Donegal. Site visit activity, it must be remembered, does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as almost 70% of all new FDI comes from existing IDA client companies.
IDA Ireland is working to promote Counties Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal to a range of potential investors, but especially in the areas of global business services, research and innovation and high-tech manufacturing. The IDA also regularly engages - with a view to encouraging job creation and investment - with key stakeholders on the ground in these counties, including with local authorities, public bodies, the education sector and companies from both its own client base but also from the indigenous sector.
It is important to emphasise that FDI only forms one part of the broader approach to fostering enterprise and job creation in regional locations. Indigenous enterprise is also, of course, responsible for a significant portion of employment growth, especially outside Dublin. My Department and all its agencies, including Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs, work together constantly and collaboratively to ensure that jobs and investment are spread as fairly as possible across the country.
141. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the extent of measurement by her Department or State bodies under her Department's remit of market concentration in various consumer markets here; and the current level of market concentration as measured by an index (details supplied) or some other measure in each of the cases (details supplied) that come under her Department's remit. [42757/18]
View answerThe Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the statutory independent body responsible for the enforcement of domestic and EU competition law in the State.
Market concentration is a useful proxy measure for assessing the levels of competition in a market and it is used on a case by case basis when required by the CCPC to carry out its functions. The CCPC assesses market concentration using the Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) as it provides an initial indication whether a market seems to be concentrated and could pose a potential competitive concern, where further economic assessment is required.
In this regard, HHI can be used by the CCPC when assessing whether mergers and acquisitions are likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition in any market for goods or services in the State. HHI can also be used by the CCPC as part of a market study or when assessing potential breaches of competition law as an initial indicator of the levels of competition in a market. The HHI was applied by the CCPC as part of a wider economic analysis on the level of competition for CCPC studies covering the household waste collection market (2018) and in the mortgage market (2017).
Section 9 (5) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 provides that the Commission is independent in the performance of its functions. I, as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, have no direct function in relation to the day-to-day operational work of the Commission.
142. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the detail of State funding that is provided to religious organisations or persons here by her Department; the amount of funding provided for each of the years 2010 to 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43149/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Voted expenditure provided to my Department for the years in question did not include any provision for funding to religious organisations or persons.
143. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the addiction supports available to persons under 18 years of age across the country; the number of persons under 18 years of age accessing these supports; if there are waiting lists to access supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42611/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
144. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42572/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
145. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of staffing at an office (details supplied); his plans to increase staff at this location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42574/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
146. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42583/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason it took until 2017 and a whistleblower making contact with the Limerick coroner for UHL to initiate an internal and external review of the deaths of patients in UHL in whom CPE had been detected (details supplied). [42584/18]
View answerI welcomed the publication on Tuesday 9 October last of the final 'Report on the death of patients in whom CPE had been detected'.
My Department and I were kept informed of the external review commissioned last year by University of Limerick Hospitals Group (ULHG), regarding patients with CPE and concerns regarding whether CPE was a factor in the deaths of a number of these patients. An internal review was also conducted. This final Report combines the two review findings.
I am aware that the final Report was produced on foot of concerns raised under Protected Disclosures procedures and also concern by ULHG about the increase in detection of CPE in UHL in recent years.
I note that the Report found that out of a final group of 73 patients in which CPE was detected from February 2009 to May 2017, 8 patient deaths were identified in whom CPE was considered to be a contributory factor. The conclusion of the external review, however, which ULHG has accepted, was that no deaths were a direct result of CPE acquisition. All 8 patients had serious underlying diseases and co-morbidity factors. In addition, of the remaining 65 deceased patients, the external reviewer concluded that CPE was found not to have been an associative factor in their deaths.
This is an important finding and will inform the work already ongoing in my Department and the HSE to tackle healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance (HCAI/AMR).
The Deputy will be aware that since the first outbreak of CPE in a group of patients at UHL in 2011, the Hospital Group has been active in screening for CPE. ULHG have advised that they limited its spread within the hospital through enhanced 'cohorting' or isolating of patients known to be carriers of or those infected with this bacteria. Screening protocols have been in place at UHL for a number of years and indeed have been used as a template for the development of the national screening policy for CPE, published in February 2018. Measures taken by the ULHG over the past three years include the refurbishment of an inpatient ward at UHL to facilitate an Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) isolation ward; a second ward at UHL has also been refurbished. The new Emergency Department which opened at UHL in May 2017 was designed with IP&C in mind and has facilitated the management of relevant patients in en-suite isolation rooms.
My Department has provided funding to expand the HSE HCAI/AMR National Team and Implementation Leads to progress work on HCAIs/AMR across the HSE, including Hospital Groups and Community Healthcare Organisations. My Department has also provided funding for additional capacity in IP&C and laboratory services. This includes new posts for University Hospital Limerick.
I have been assured that ULHG have measures in place to appropriately support and manage patient care needs in line with national and international best practice.
148. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the way in which the €145 million above his Department's estimated spend announced in budget 2019 will be allocated to each CHO area for the provision of primary care; and the moneys from this which will be allocated specifically to County Louth. [42588/18]
View answer149. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the way in which the €145 million above his Department's estimated spend announced in budget 2019 will be allocated to each CHO area for the provision of acute services; and the moneys from this which will be allocated specifically to County Louth. [42589/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together.
The Health Service Executive is currently in the process of finalising its National Service Plan for 2019, in consultation with officials from the Department of Health.
Following completion of this process, detailed Operational Plans for the coming year for each of the Executive's service areas will stem from this process.
150. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the amount of the additional €55 million in funding for mental health services announced in budget 2019 which will be allocated to suicide prevention in each CHO area; and the moneys which will specifically be allocated to County Louth. [42591/18]
View answerBudget 2019 allocated an additional €84 million to mental health services, bringing the Mental Health budget to almost €1 billion, an increase of 40% on 2012. €35 million is apportioned for new developments, while €20 million is for the further growth of projects commenced in 2018. New developments will be progressed in the context of both the overall HSE Service Plan 2019, and the more detailed regional Operational Plan for Mental Health. These will be published by the HSE in the near future.
