Written Answers Nos. 81-93
81. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons employed at each level of the Civil Service from Secretary General to cleaner each year since 2016; the number of those at each level who are female in each year since 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18351/19]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the number of staff employed in each grade, by gender, from Secretary General to Service Attendant within the Department of Finance from 2016 to 31st March 2019 are contained in the following tables.
|
Jan. - 31st Mar. 2019 |
||
|
Summary Grade |
Gender |
Total |
|
Secretary General |
Male |
1.00 |
|
Asst. Sec |
Male |
6.00 |
|
PO |
Female |
8.90 |
|
Male |
17.80 |
|
|
AP |
Female |
31.60 |
|
Male |
44.80 |
|
|
AO |
Female |
25.20 |
|
Male |
42.00 |
|
|
HEO |
Female |
8.63 |
|
Male |
14.00 |
|
|
EO |
Female |
17.20 |
|
Male |
17.00 |
|
|
CO |
Female |
32.85 |
|
Male |
17.80 |
|
|
Driver |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Serv. Off |
Female |
1.00 |
|
Male |
15.00 |
|
|
Serv. Att |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Temporary CO |
Female |
2.00 |
|
Total |
|
306.78 |
|
2018 |
||
|
Summary Grade |
Gender |
Total |
|
Secretary General |
Male |
1.00 |
|
Asst. Sec |
Male |
6.00 |
|
PO |
Female |
8.90 |
|
Male |
19.00 |
|
|
AP |
Female |
30.40 |
|
Male |
42.80 |
|
|
AO |
Female |
26.60 |
|
Male |
45.00 |
|
|
HEO |
Female |
7.63 |
|
Male |
16.00 |
|
|
EO |
Female |
19.20 |
|
Male |
19.00 |
|
|
CO |
Female |
32.80 |
|
Male |
15.80 |
|
|
Driver |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Serv. Off |
Female |
1.00 |
|
Male |
15.00 |
|
|
Serv. Att |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Temporary CO |
Female |
2.00 |
|
Total |
|
312.13 |
|
2017 |
||
|
Summary Grade |
Gender |
Total |
|
Secretary General |
Male |
1.00 |
|
Asst. Sec |
Male |
6.00 |
|
PO |
Female |
6.90 |
|
Male |
16.80 |
|
|
AP |
Female |
30.80 |
|
Male |
36.80 |
|
|
AO |
Female |
24.00 |
|
Male |
53.00 |
|
|
HEO |
Female |
8.73 |
|
Male |
13.00 |
|
|
EO |
Female |
13.30 |
|
Male |
12.00 |
|
|
SO |
Female |
3.50 |
|
Male |
2.00 |
|
|
CO |
Female |
38.50 |
|
Male |
12.80 |
|
|
Driver |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Serv. Off |
Female |
2.00 |
|
Male |
15.00 |
|
|
Serv. Att |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Temporary CO |
Female |
1.00 |
|
Total |
|
301.13 |
|
2016 |
||
|
Summary Grade |
Gender |
Total |
|
Secretary General |
Male |
1.00 |
|
Secretary General Total |
1.00 |
|
|
Second Secretary |
Female |
1.00 |
|
Second Secretary Total |
1.00 |
|
|
Asst. Sec |
Male |
6.00 |
|
PO |
Female |
6.90 |
|
Male |
18.80 |
|
|
AP |
Female |
26.60 |
|
Male |
37.80 |
|
|
AO |
Female |
21.00 |
|
Male |
44.00 |
|
|
HEO |
Female |
10.83 |
|
Male |
15.00 |
|
|
EO |
Female |
18.00 |
|
Male |
6.00 |
|
|
SO |
Female |
5.50 |
|
Male |
2.00 |
|
|
CO |
Female |
35.07 |
|
Male |
13.80 |
|
|
Driver |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Serv. Off |
Female |
2.00 |
|
Male |
14.00 |
|
|
Serv. Att |
Male |
2.00 |
|
Temporary CO |
Female |
1.00 |
|
Total |
|
292.30 |
82. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance the number of social housing units identified by NAMA by county; the number transferred to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18365/19]
View answerNAMA has played a significant role in facilitating the supply of social housing across Ireland from its secured portfolio.
I am advised that NAMA has conducted regular reviews of the assets securing its loan portfolio to establish if vacant residential properties could be utilised for social housing. Up until end-2018, NAMA had identified a total of 6,984 residential properties as being potentially suitable for social housing. Of the units identified, demand was confirmed by local authorities for 2,663 properties, of which 2,481 have been contracted or delivered for social housing use by end-2018.
It is important to note that the confirmation of demand and decisions regarding the suitability of properties is a matter for the Housing Agency and local authorities, and NAMA plays no role in this. I am advised that local authorities take account of the requirement to provide an appropriate mix of housing tenures and to avoid undue housing segregation within individual developments and wider residential area. Social housing units are provided to local authorities; approved housing bodies (AHBs) or the Housing Agency and delivery can take the form of direct purchase or long-term leasing via NARPS. Of the 2,481 properties delivered to end-2018, local authorities have directly acquired or leased 234 units; AHBs have acquired or leased 2,228 and the Housing Agency has acquired 19.
The table below outlines the number of potentially suitable residential units identified by NAMA and the total number completed/contracted to end-2018, indicating delivery either to the local authority, Housing Agency or to a AHB. This and other information on NAMA’s social housing initiatives is available on the NAMA website, www.nama.ie.
|
Local Authority Area |
Identified |
Total completed/contracted |
Delivered to local authority |
Delivered to approved housing bodies |
Delivered to the Housing Agency |
|
Carlow Co. Co. |
193 |
103 |
0 |
103 |
|
|
Cavan Co. Co. |
49 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Clare Co. Co |
235 |
55 |
17 |
38 |
|
|
Cork City |
470 |
138 |
53 |
85 |
|
|
Cork Co. Co. |
817 |
322 |
35 |
282 |
5 |
|
Donegal Co. Co. |
137 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
|
|
Dublin City |
853 |
413 |
8 |
403 |
2 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Co. Co. |
480 |
282 |
28 |
253 |
1 |
|
Fingal Co. Co. |
312 |
143 |
25 |
109 |
9 |
|
Galway City |
203 |
196 |
22 |
174 |
|
|
Galway Co. Co. |
145 |
32 |
8 |
24 |
|
|
Kerry Co. Co. |
221 |
42 |
0 |
42 |
|
|
Kildare Co. Co. |
352 |
172 |
8 |
164 |
|
|
Kilkenny Co. Co. |
189 |
56 |
11 |
44 |
1 |
|
Laois Co. Co. |
133 |
35 |
0 |
35 |
|
|
Leitrim Co. Co. |
35 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Limerick City & Co. Co. |
163 |
17 |
0 |
16 |
1 |
|
Longford Co. Co. |
38 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Louth Co. Co. |
32 |
27 |
12 |
15 |
|
|
Mayo Co. Co. |
75 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Meath Co. Co. |
236 |
39 |
0 |
39 |
|
|
Monaghan Co. Co. |
65 |
38 |
0 |
38 |
|
|
Offaly Co. Co. |
83 |
30 |
0 |
30 |
|
|
Roscommon Co. Co. |
104 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Sligo Co. Co. |
122 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
South Dublin Co. Co. |
594 |
146 |
5 |
141 |
|
|
Tipperary Co. Co. |
161 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Waterford City & Co. Co. |
109 |
51 |
0 |
51 |
|
|
Westmeath Co. Co. |
108 |
20 |
0 |
20 |
|
|
Wexford Co. Co. |
225 |
102 |
2 |
100 |
|
|
Wicklow Co. Co. |
45 |
13 |
0 |
13 |
|
|
Totals |
6,984 |
2,481 |
234 |
2,228 |
19 |
83. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance the amount loaned out by Home Building Finance Ireland to date; the estimated number of homes to be built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18366/19]
View answerHome Building Finance Ireland (HBFI) was established in December 2018 to lend money to small and medium sized builders and developers for commercially viable residential developments, particularly those situated outside the State's major urban centres. HBFI has been provided with access to €750 million of funding from the Irish Strategic Investment fund, with which it is expected to facilitate the delivery of 7,500 units over the next five years.
Since its formal launch at the end of January, HBFI has engaged actively with small and medium sized builders and developers throughout the country through a range of market awareness raising initiatives. As part of this, HBFI attended a series of workshops organised by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and its constituent association, the Irish Home Builders’ Association (IHBA) that were strongly attended by small and medium sized builders and developers and generated significant interest in the work of HBFI.
Collectively, HBFI’s various engagement activities have resulted in a strong pipeline of interest from prospective borrowers. While no funding has been drawn down by borrowers to date, HBFI has approved its first lending facilities and is progressing a number of other applications through its credit process.
HBFI will be in a position to publish information on its lending activities on a half-yearly basis with the first such report to be published in July 2019.
84. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Finance the number of additional customs officers that have been trained and hired to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18373/19]
View answerIn September 2018, the Government granted approval in principle for the phased recruitment of an additional 600 Revenue staff to meet the challenges posed by Brexit.
Revenue has appointed over 470 staff from open recruitment and interdepartmental competitions since the start of 2019 to 10 April 2019. The majority of these have been assigned to customs roles or to backfill existing Revenue staff assigned to customs duties.
These posts have been filled by the recruitment of new staff from the Public Appointments Service, and from internal and interdepartmental competitions. As serving staff are taking up their new Brexit related positions, Revenue is backfilling the vacancies created through panels of candidates established from its general recruitment activity.
Over 400 staff have completed customs training in preparation for Brexit. A further 80 staff are to complete customs training during April 2019.
Revenue is an integrated tax and customs administration, resources are deployed based on the evolving business needs to tackle any risks as they emerge.
85. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will meet with representatives of community employment supervisors regarding the implementation of the 2008 Labour Court recommendation regarding the occupational pension scheme for community employment supervisors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18084/19]
View answerThis issue relates to a claim by community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors who have been seeking, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme.
The matter was the subject of extensive discussion at the Community Sector High Level Forum which was reconvened to examine certain issues pertaining to the Community Employment sector and in particular to ensure that the matter was fully examined having regard to both costs and precedent.
A detailed scoping exercise was carried out by my Department in 2017 in order to comprehensively examine and assess the full potential implications of the issues under consideration.
The scoping exercise clearly illustrated that this matter presents very significant issues for the Exchequer, with a potential cost to the State of between €188 million per annum and €347m depending on the size of the sector which is difficult to ascertain, in respect of funding to enable an employer pension contribution among all similar State funded Community and Voluntary organisations. This excludes any provision for immediate ex-gratia lump sum payment of pension as sought, which could, depending on the size of the sector, entail a further Exchequer cost of up to €318 million.
Significant engagement has taken place with unions on this matter but it continues to be the position that state organisations are not the employer of the particular employees concerned and that it is not for the State to provide funding for such pension scheme provision. The employees in question are, or were, employees of private companies notwithstanding the fact that the companies concerned are, or were, in receipt of State funding.
86. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the guidance notes or circulars his Department has published and circulated to Departments on the regulation of abnormally low tenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/19]
View answerWhere works and works-related services are concerned, guidance on abnormally low tenders is published by the Office of Government Procurement under the Capital Works Management Framework. The Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services published in July 2017 and its predecessor which was first published in 2004 also contains guidance on abnormally low tenders.
Where works and works-related service contracts are concerned, specific reference to unbalanced tenders, abnormally low tenders is made in Section 8 of the standard template Instructions to Tenderers published under the Capital Works Management Framework. These documents, which constitute the rules under which a tender competition is run, must be used in all public works tenders and have been published since 2008.
The EU directives set out the legal framework for the award of contracts that exceed the specified monetary threshold for supplies, services and works. Under Article 69 of 2014/24/EU, the EU Directive governing public procurement, contracting authorities are obliged to require tenderers to explain the price or costs in a tender where tenders appear to be abnormally low in relation to the works, supplies or services.
Contracting authorities must assess the response from the tenderer before coming to a decision as to whether they will admit the tender or reject it on the basis that it is abnormally low.
Where the explanation provided by a tenderer does not satisfactorily account for the low level of price or costs, having taken into account the circumstances outlined in the procurement directives, the contracting authority may reject the tender but they are not obliged to do so.
Where the contracting authority discovers that the price is abnormally low because the tenderer is not meeting their obligations in the field of social, labour or environmental law then the tender must be rejected.
87. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which remedial works have been undertaken at buildings and sites of historical or cultural interest in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16698/19]
View answerThe Office of Public Works is responsible for the care and maintenance of heritage sites in State care. This includes the National Monuments portfolio which comprises approximately 1,000 Monuments on a total of 768 sites and which is, I understand, the specific area that the Deputy is enquiring about.
The OPW’s maintenance responsibilities to this estate encompass both regular light maintenance such as grass cutting, fencing, and small repairs of loose masonry etc and more extensive interventions where substantial conservation efforts are required over a more protracted period. These latter projects may be either elective conservation works which are planned well in advance or emergency works required urgently to retrieve fabric or correct a serious structural issue / pending collapse.
In the period 2016 – 2018, the OPW has worked on a number of substantial projects of varying scale within the National Monuments portfolio in its care together with ongoing maintenance of both buildings and sites.
As the Deputy can appreciate, given the large number of sites in the portfolio and their broad geographic spread right across the country, a significant team of skilled construction specialists and general workers is deployed to keep properties in good order. In terms of funding, a considerable portion of the OPW’s annual budget for heritage therefore relates to operational staff wages expended on the skilled labour force that performs most of the tasks. Relatively less funding is provided for non-pay elements which are expended on items such as construction materials (stone and timber), and specialist services not available within OPW such as laser scanning, archaeological investigation, and other professional specialisms.
In terms of OPW’s total heritage spending on the National Monuments estate in State care for the last three years, including both pay and no-pay elements, the following is the position:
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
15,082,181 |
15,953,852 |
17,461,833 |
88. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if jobs can be secured from the Civil Service mobility scheme for rural areas (details supplied). [18106/19]
View answerThe Civil Service Mobility scheme which comes under the remit of my department, and is administered through HR Shared Service, National Shared Service Office, offers an opportunity for Civil Service staff to apply for mobility through an open and transparent system. The establishment of the scheme fulfils one of the requirements of Action 15 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan; and Action 14 of the People Strategy for the Civil Service which calls for the further expansion of a coherent mobility policy to facilitate staff development.
As the Deputy may be aware, the scheme launched on 13th November 2017 and is being implemented on a phased basis. Phase 1A of the scheme is for the general Civil Service grades of Clerical Officer (CO) and Executive Officer (EO) to apply for mobility between and within 46 zones - excluding mobility within Zone 46 (Dublin) which will be included in Phase 1B. There has been a high level of interest in the scheme since its launch with over 3,500 staff members applying for mobility and making an average of 9 organisational choices.
The scheme can only be used to facilitate mobility to locations where Civil Service branches are situated. I understand that there are no Civil Service branches in the location referred to by the Deputy. The operation of the scheme is kept under review by officials in my Department.
Phase 1B for the general Civil Service grades of CO and EO for mobility within the zone of Dublin and Phase 2 for the general Civil Service grades of HEO and AP will launch at a later date. Further information on the Mobility scheme is available to view at http://hr.per.gov.ie/civil-service-mobility/
Following the full roll out of the Civil Service Mobility Scheme, it is the intention to review and potentially extend mobility over time to provide additional development opportunities and enable greater mobility across the Public Service.
89. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there are or were previously staff from a company (details supplied) working in his Department in each of the years 2011 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the number of staff involved; the projects on which they were engaged; the nature of the transactional relationship between his Department and the company regarding those staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18113/19]
View answerSince its establishment in 2011, my Department has not awarded any contracts to the company in question.
90. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the plan for flood defences has been received from the OPW for Glanmire, County Cork; the cost of same; when approval will be given for the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18138/19]
View answerThe Office of Public Works through the Arterial Drainage Acts has submitted the proposal for the Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for formal Confirmation. The Minister will, over the coming months, undertake an environmental assessment of the proposed scheme. This assessment will be in line with required legislative requirements and will involve a public consultation. The appointment of a Contractor for this scheme will be progressed following formal Ministerial Confirmation.
The flood relief scheme will be funded from within the allocated €1 billion for flood risk management over the period 2018 – 2027.
91. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual cost to the OPW of maintaining the Phoenix Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18191/19]
View answerThe Office of Public Works has allocated €1,524,000 for the day-to-day maintenance and operations of the Phoenix Park this year.
This allocations provides for:
- the maintenance of landscape, gardens and infrastructure within the Park including roads, playground, footpaths, railings and historic fixtures such as the gas lamps
- the maintenance of vehicles and fleet
- the upkeep of lodges and buildings such as the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre
- the conservation of historic walls and important landscape features such as ha-has.
All utilities such as electricity and gas as well as fuel costs for agricultural and commercial fleet are funded through this allocation. The day-to-day maintenance of Arbour Hill Cemetery, Grangegorman Military Cemetery and the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham is also funded from this budget allocation.
92. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the State agencies and bodies under the remit of his Department; the location of each such body by county; and the number of full and part-time persons employed in each such body. [18237/19]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy regarding the bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out in the following table:
|
County |
Full Time Staff |
Part Time Staff |
Total |
|
Office of Public Works |
|
|
|
|
Athlone |
5 |
1 |
6 |
|
Carlow |
5 |
1 |
6 |
|
Clare |
10 |
1 |
11 |
|
Cork |
86 |
2 |
88 |
|
Donegal |
39 |
2 |
41 |
|
Dublin |
726 |
65 |
791 |
|
Galway |
175 |
9 |
184 |
|
Kerry |
96 |
3 |
99 |
|
Kildare |
34 |
3 |
37 |
|
Kilkenny |
129 |
21 |
150 |
|
Laois |
12 |
0 |
12 |
|
Leitrim |
20 |
0 |
20 |
|
Limerick |
87 |
2 |
89 |
|
Longford |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Louth |
21 |
0 |
21 |
|
Mayo |
74 |
12 |
86 |
|
Meath |
422 |
59 |
481 |
|
Offaly |
18 |
2 |
20 |
|
Roscommon |
9 |
0 |
9 |
|
Sligo |
20 |
1 |
21 |
|
Tipperary |
76 |
4 |
80 |
|
Waterford |
13 |
0 |
13 |
|
Westmeath |
47 |
1 |
48 |
|
Wexford |
43 |
4 |
47 |
|
Wicklow |
21 |
2 |
23 |
|
OPW total |
2,192 |
195 |
2,387 |
|
Office of the Ombudsman |
|
|
|
|
Dublin |
117 |
14 |
131 |
|
Public Appointments Service |
|
|
|
|
Dublin |
173 |
38 |
211 |
|
State Laboratory |
|
|
|
|
Kildare |
98 |
6 (students on placement) |
104 |
|
National Shared Service Office |
|
|
|
|
Dublin |
411 |
7 |
418 |
|
Galway |
94 |
8 |
102 |
|
Offaly |
111 |
5 |
116 |
|
Kerry |
144 |
7 |
151 |
|
NSSO Total |
760 |
27 |
787 |
|
Office of the National Lottery Regulator |
|
|
|
|
Dublin |
8 |
2 |
10 |
|
Institute of Public Administration |
|
|
|
|
Dublin |
77 |
9 |
86 |
93. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW will consider the taking in charge of a monument (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18247/19]
View answerDecisions in relation to property acquisition under the National Monuments Acts, 1930-2014 is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Such acquisitions tend to be made only in exceptional cases where a monument is not otherwise adequately protected. The Commissioners of Public Works have responsibility to care for and present already designated National Monuments.
The Commissioners would be happy nevertheless to meet with Kildare County Council to discuss the long-term conservation of this important structure and look forward to hearing from the Council in this regard.
