Wednesday, 30 Sep 2020

Written Answers Nos. 62-81

Primary Medical Certificates

Questions (62)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

62. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Finance if he will examine the criteria for applying for a primary medical certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27467/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from VRT and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The cost of the scheme in 2019, excluding motor tax, was €72m.

The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain organisations. In order to qualify for relief an organisation must be entered in the register of charitable organisations under Part 3 of the Charities Act 2009, be engaged in the transport of disabled persons and whose purpose is to provide services to persons with disabilities. 

In order to qualify for relief the applicant must hold a Primary Medical Certificate (PMC) issued by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer (SAMO) or a Board Medical Certificate (BMC) issued by the Disabled Driver Medical Board of Appeal. Certain other criteria apply in relation to the vehicle and its use, including that the vehicle must be specially constructed or adapted for use by the applicant.    

The terms of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994 set out the following medical criteria, and that one or more of these criteria is required to be satisfied in order to obtain a PMC:

- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;

- be wholly without the use of one leg and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that the applicant is severely restricted as to movement of the lower limbs;

- be without both hands or without both arms;

- be without one or both legs;

- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;

- have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.

A Supreme Court decision of 18th June found in favour of two appellants against the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal's refusal to grant them a PMC. The judgement found that the medical criteria set out in the Regulations did not align with the regulation making mandate given in the primary legislation to further define criteria for ‘severely and permanently disabled’ persons.

The Deputy will appreciate that the Supreme Court decision has raised complex legal and policy issues which will require careful consideration. In parallel to that consideration there is a need to examine how best the Scheme can target resources to those persons who most need them. My officials are currently examining the judgement, in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office, and will bring forward any policy and/or legislative proposals, as necessary, for my consideration in due course.

Departmental Correspondence

Questions (63)

Michael McNamara

Question:

63. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Finance when a person (details supplied) will receive a reply to a pensions and taxes query submitted in August 2020 and again on 3 September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27404/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

I am advised by Revenue that since the introduction of the pay and file system, self-assessed income taxpayers have been required to pay annually both preliminary tax for the current year and any balance of tax owing for the previous year.  The payment is due by 31 October in a year, or later if paying online via the Revenue Online Service (ROS). 

The amount of the preliminary tax payment is

- 90% of the current year’s liability;

- 100% of the prior year’s liability; or

- 105% of the tax due for the tax year preceding the immediately previous tax year (often called the ‘pre-preceding year’).

The “pre-preceding year” option only applies to taxpayers paying by direct debit.  Taxpayers not paying by direct debit can choose the lower of the other two options.

The other part of the payment – the balance of tax owing for the previous year – is the difference between the liability based on the individual’s self-assessed income tax return, and the preliminary tax paid last year.

In most cases individuals will not be paying the full amount of two years’ income tax liabilities (previous year and current year) at once, unless they paid no preliminary tax in the previous year and based on their self-assessed income tax return they now have a liability for that year.

Revenue has extended the deadline for customers to file their 2019 self-assessed income tax return and make the appropriate payment in respect of preliminary tax for 2020 and any income tax balance due for 2019.  The due date has been extended by four weeks from 12 November 2020 to 10 December 2020.  To qualify for the extension, customers must both pay and file through ROS; otherwise the relevant return and payment is due no later than 31 October 2020.

Revenue does not appear to have been directly contacted by the taxpayer but if the Deputy or the taxpayer would like to contact Revenue, they will be in a position to further advise.

Mortgage Lending

Questions (64)

Joe O'Brien

Question:

64. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance if discussions have been undertaken with a group (details supplied) on an extension of the mortgage moratorium on behalf of mortgage holders in Dublin in view of the increased public health restrictions in the county and associated reduction in economic activity; if so, the status of the talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27415/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

As the Deputy will be aware, on 18 March last, the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) announced a coordinated approach by banks and other lenders to help their customers who were economically impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.  The measures included flexible loan repayment arrangements where needed, including loan payment breaks initially for a period up to three months and then subsequently extended for up to six months. 

Banks have now provided for flexible options for borrowers who can recommence payments following a payment break, and the BPFI has produced a useful guide on this - https://www.bpfi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Final-BPFI-Coming-off-the-COVID-19-Payment-Break.pdf.  The Central Bank has also updated its Covid-19 FAQ in relation to mortgage payment breaks on 18 September.

However, I continue to make it clear to lenders - and I reiterated the point at a meeting with the BPFI and the CEOs of the main banks on Monday - that they should continue to work with and pro-actively assist their customers who are still experiencing difficulty as a consequence of Covid-19. I expect sympathetic and encouraging customer engagement from lenders at this time. This applies to mortgage holders across the country, including those in Dublin to whom the Deputy refers.

I would encourage any borrower who feels they may have difficulty in resuming payments after a Covid-19 payment break to contact their lender and if possible to do so before the payment break end date.  Borrowers have a suite of regulatory protections and lenders have specific obligations, under the Central Bank consumer protection framework, to support and work with borrowers in arrears or in pre-arrears. In particular, lenders are obliged to engage and work with co-operating borrowers to identify an appropriate alternative repayment arrangement having regard to the particular circumstances of a case, and lenders should use the full suite of solutions available to them for their borrowers who continue to be impacted by Covid-19. In this regard, it is important to note that, while the European Banking Authority recently stated it would not extend its 30 September closing date for applications to qualify for a Covid-19 payment break, banks can continue to support their customers with further breaks in payment after 30 September on a case by case basis if needed with such loans classified according to the normal prudential framework.

Cycle to Work Scheme

Questions (65)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

65. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance if persons can avail of the cycle to work scheme if they are availing of the wage subsidy scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27443/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) has now been replaced by the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), which was legislated for under the recently enacted Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Act 2020.  The specific nature and terms of the EWSS arrangement are separate and distinct from the TWSS.  Where an eligible employer makes a payment of wages, within prescribed limits, to a qualifying employee during the scheme, the employer can claim an EWSS subsidy in respect of that employee.

In effect, the EWSS provides a flat-rate subsidy to qualifying employers, based on the number of qualifying employees on the payroll.  For every qualifying employee paid between €203 and €1,462 gross wages per week, the level of subsidy is €203.  For every qualifying employee paid between €151.50 and €202.99 gross per week, the subsidy is €151.50.  No subsidy is paid for employees paid less than €151.50 gross or more than €1,462 gross per week.

I have been advised by Revenue that the question of an individual’s entitlements in an employment context are matters that are outside the remit of the EWSS.  Essentially, the scheme has no role in relation to the employer/employee relationship in so far as the terms, conditions and entitlements of the employment are concerned, subject, of course, to the employer paying the requisite amount of gross wages to an employee, as outlined above, in order to qualify for subsidy in relation to the employee.

The cycle to work scheme enables an employer to purchase a bicycle and safety equipment for an employee without a taxable benefit-in-kind (BIK) arising.  The exemption applies to the first €1,250 expenditure incurred by an employer. This exemption limit is increased to €1,500 where the expenditure relates to the provision of an electric bicycle. Any amount in excess of these limits is liable to tax.

A number of conditions apply in order to avail of the scheme, for example the bicycle must be new and must be for the employee or director’s personal use in undertaking the whole or part of the journey to or from work. An individual may avail of the cycle to work scheme once every four years.

Alternatively, an employer and employee may enter into a salary sacrifice arrangement under which the employee agrees to sacrifice part of his or her salary in lieu of a benefit i.e. a bicycle or bicycle safety equipment in this instance. A salary sacrifice is subject to the same limits referred to above.

Further information on the cycle to work scheme can be found on Revenue’s website, available here.

I can confirm that participation in the wage subsidy scheme has no impact on participation in the cycle to work scheme.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (66)

Matt Carthy

Question:

66. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Finance the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27558/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

I can advise the Deputy that my Department spent €5,688 on media monitoring services for the year 2020 to date from a private contract operator - KANTAR Media Services.

Credit Availability

Questions (67)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

67. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance the amount of PCP loans currently in operation in Ireland; and the cumulative total of those loans. [27576/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Central Bank has indicated that the latest data available for the total car finance market in Ireland - which includes both Irish resident banks and non-banks - is from end-September 2019. At that time, there were 76,153 Personal Contract Plan (PCP) loans outstanding representing a total outstanding stock of €1,456,939,000.

In its “Money and Banking” statistical series, the Central Bank also publishes data on a regular basis on the types of car finance provided to households specifically by Irish resident banks.  The latest data published by the Central Bank in Table A.19 of this series indicates that, at the end of February 2020, the outstanding amount of car finance consumer credit advanced to households by Irish resident banks by way of PCP was €1,171,000,000. This related to 62,078 PCP contracts.

Bank Charges

Questions (68)

Paul Murphy

Question:

68. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider calling upon the banks and the other institutions which provide banking services to cease deducting service charges from the accounts of persons in cases in which their only source of income is a jobseeker's payment, disability allowance, lone parent benefit or any other welfare payment in view of the fact that these persons have the least ability to pay such charges or to maintain a balance of several thousand euro; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27577/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

All credit institutions in Ireland are independent commercial entities and the imposition of bank fees and charges are decisions to be made by the boards and management of individual banks which need to be run on an independent and commercial basis. The Deputy will be aware that, as Minister for Finance, I have no statutory role in relation to the charges applied by credit institutions. Under Section 149 of the Consumer Credit Act 1995, as amended, the responsibility for the regulation of bank fees lies with the Central Bank of Ireland.

I would encourage all bank customers to shop around and compare the fees and benefits of the different current accounts available.  The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) website provides useful information to assist customers to compare and switch accounts; this website can be accessed at  https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/money-tools/.

Under the Payment Accounts Directive, all Irish banks must make available a basic bank account for people who currently do not have access to a bank account. The basic bank account is free of charge for everyday banking services for the first year. After one year, the bank will review your account and providing the total amount of money paid into your account each year is no more than the national minimum wage you will not be charged maintenance or day-to-day transaction fees for the first five years.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (69)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

69. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance if additional tax liability or wage deductions will accrue to employees in cases in which their employer is in receipt of the employment wage subsidy scheme and the employee has paid his or her statutory tax in full. [27594/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The specific nature and terms of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) are separate and distinct from the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) discussed below.  Where an eligible employer makes a payment of wages, within prescribed limits, to a qualifying employee during the scheme, the employer can claim a EWSS subsidy in respect of that employee.

The EWSS will re-establish the normal requirement to operate PAYE and PRSI on all employee salaries, providing for the regular deduction and remittance of income tax, USC and employee PRSI.  This means that some employees may see a reduction in their take home pay.  However, their future tax bill (that would have been accruing under the TWSS) will be reduced in turn and no additional tax liability on the salary payments should accrue to employees.

As regards the TWSS, tax was not collected in real-time through the PAYE system while the scheme was in operation.  Instead, liability to tax will be calculated by Revenue through the regular end of year review process.  It is important to note that there was no additional tax liability accruing to individuals paid via the TWSS than would have been the case had the employees received the same income directly from their employer (unsubsidised by the State).

This decision was taken in order to maximise the amount of financial support that was provided to recipients at a time when it was considered that they needed such support most, when the TWSS was first announced and expected to only be in place for 12 weeks. 

When the TWSS was extended for a further 10 weeks until the end of August 2020, Revenue took steps to minimise the amount of income tax and USC due, if any, on TWSS payments at the end of the year.  This was done by placing all recipients of the TWSS or PUP on the ‘week 1 basis’ of taxation for the remainder of the year so as to “preserve” unused tax credits that can then be used to offset any income tax or USC liabilities that arise at year end.

In the majority of cases the outstanding tax liability is expected to be modest.  In the case of lower income households or those whose income comprises solely of social welfare payments, a liability to tax typically does not arise because the value of social welfare payments received in a tax year are usually lower than the income sheltered by the main income tax credits.  Further, in cases where the tax liability for those payments exceeds unused personal and PAYE tax credits for 2020, the level of income tax and USC due may be reduced if the person has additional tax credits, for example health expenses, to offset.  

Revenue will be adopting a fair and flexible approach to collecting tax due on payments made under the TWSS or the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).  This will be achieved by reducing their tax credits for subsequent tax years, thereby further minimising any financial hardship to the greatest extent possible.

Revenue has also assured me that if any income tax and USC liabilities still arise following the allocation of unused credits, it will work with its customers to collect the outstanding liabilities and a number of flexible arrangements may be entered into, including the collection without interest over an extended period of time for 4 years beginning in 2022.

Tax Exemptions

Questions (70)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

70. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the special position of agridiesel and other agrifuels in the context of carbon tax in view of the lack of viable alternatives; if the matter will be taken into consideration when making future taxation decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27618/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

As the Deputy will be aware, it is a longstanding practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment, in advance of the Budget, on any tax matters that might be the subject of Budget decisions.

In regard to the position of the agriculture sector and the impact of the carbon tax, the main agriculture exposure to carbon tax comes from its application to Marked Gas Oil (MGO) which is also known as agri-diesel or green diesel.  MGO is subject to a very low excise rate.  The overall rate of excise applied to MGO is 11.8 cents per litre, significantly lower than the overall rate applied to auto diesel of 49.49 cents per litre.

In Budget 2012 my predecessor made provision for a double income tax relief for farmers to compensate for the increase in the carbon tax from €15 to €20.  Section 664A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides that a farmer may take an income tax or corporation tax deduction for farm diesel (including any carbon tax charged in respect of the diesel) and then a further deduction for farm diesel which is equal to the difference between the carbon tax charged and the carbon tax that would have been charged had it been calculated at the rate of €41.30 per 1,000 litres of farm diesel (the 2012 baseline).

Tax Credits

Questions (71)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

71. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost of increasing the earned income tax credit for the self-employed to €1,650; if the gap between the self-employed and PAYE workers will be bridged in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27619/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

I am advised by Revenue that estimated costs for increases to the Earned Income Credit are available on page 6 of the Revenue Ready Reckoner, which is available on the Revenue website at link: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/ready-reckoner.pdf.  As this sets out, the estimated cost of increasing the Earned Income Credit by €150 to €1,650 is €13m in the first year and €24m in a full year.

The Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’ contains a number of commitments relating to taxation, including those referred to by the Deputy. The intention is to deliver these commitments over the life of the Government and decisions will be made in due course.

Tax Avoidance

Questions (72)

Carol Nolan

Question:

72. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the issue of dividend arbitrage stock trading or cum-ex trading, which is an illegal tax evasion strategy, in the European Union; if his attention has been further drawn to such a practice here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27623/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The European Securities Markets Authority (“ESMA”), the EU’s securities markets regulator, launched a formal inquiry concerning Cum-Ex, Cum-Cum and other dividend withholding tax reclaim schemes in July 2019.  On 24 September 2020 ESMA published a final report on the findings of this inquiry, based on information received from National Competent Authorities (“NCAs”). The key recommendation in the report is that NCAs for securities markets should be empowered to share information with tax authorities to assist in the detection of withholding tax reclaim schemes. Ireland’s NCA is the Central Bank of Ireland, who consulted with Revenue in connection with its contribution to the ESMA report.

The report published by ESMA is available at the following link:

https://www.esma.europa.eu/press-news/esma-news/esma-makes-proposals-help-prevent-and-detect-wht-reclaim-schemes

As can be seen from the ESMA report, NCAs of many countries, including Ireland, do not consider their country to be a potential target of such schemes.  This is due to a number of factors such as the design of the underlying tax system or the way in which tax refunds are administered. In the context of Ireland, the relevant provisions of Irish tax legislation are not designed in a way that would enable or facilitate the use of these schemes domestically. In addition, Revenue’s internal controls surrounding the processing of repayments of tax withheld from dividend payments would minimise the opportunity for such abuses.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (73)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

73. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the amount expended on access to online and hard-copy media publications since May 2020 to date; and the breakdown of online and hard-copy subscriptions, including the publications to which his Department subscribes. [27641/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

I can advise the Deputy that the table below outlines the expenditure incurred by my Department on access to online and hardcopy media publications since May 2020 to date:

Publication	Format	Frequency	Cost May 2020 to date)
The Irish Times	Online	Cost from May   2020 to date	€5,861.75
Financial Times	Online	Cost from May   2020 to date	€1,612.50
New York Times	Online	Cost from May   2020 to date	€118.05
Wall Street Journal	Online	Cost from May   2020 to date	€144.95
Economist	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€752.04
The Irish Times	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€2,769.08
Irish Independent	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€498.31
Irish Examiner	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€164.23
Financial Times	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€910.72
Guardian	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€192.79
New York Times	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€214.20
Herald	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€92.83
Irish Daily Mail	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€354.98
Irish  Mail Sunday	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€19.20
London  Times	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€2.70
Mail on Sunday	Hardcopy	Cost from May 2020   to date	€5.00
Sunday  Independent	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€37.70
Sunday Observer	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€6.60
Sunday Times	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€22.40
The Guardian	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€19.00
Farmers Journal	Hardcopy	Cost from May   2020 to date	€46.24
OECD Economic Outlook	Online	Cost from May   2020 to date	€412.00
Other Subscriptions to be paid later this year:
Publication	Format	Frequency	Expected Cost
Bloomberg	Online	yearly	€263
The Business Post	Online	yearly	€149
The Economist	Online	yearly	€275
New Statesman	Online	yearly	€137
The Currency	Online	yearly	€200
The Times Ireland	Online	Monthly	(First month free) €5 (every month after)
Industrial Relations News	Online	Annual subscription	€800

In addition to the above, my Department subscribes to Bloomberg for market data at a cost of €14,417 since May 2020 and to Capital Economics for economic data at a cost of €15,000 since May 2020.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (74)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

74. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of his Department; if so, the costs of same and the companies engaged. [27659/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

My Department has engaged the following third–party company for the years 2017, 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020 for the purposes of media monitoring and providing reports on media coverage:

Service Provider	2017	2018	2019	2020
KANTAR Media Services	13,782	8,418	9,988	5,688

Credit Unions

Questions (75)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

75. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding credit unions. [27678/20]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

In response to the seven questions raised by the Deputy, the Central Bank of Ireland (Central Bank) have provided me with a response on each of the issues which are set out below:

1. Following the High Court appointment of the Joint Liquidators to the Credit Union referred to in the details supplied on 17 June 2020, the Central Bank published the partially redacted Resolution Report and Affidavit on the Central Bank’s website. The resolution report and affidavit were redacted in line with legislation applying to the publication of such information by the Central Bank.

1.2 No application for stabilisation support from the Stabilisation Fund was received by the Central Bank from the credit union in question.

1.2 Pages 32-43 of the partially redacted Resolution Report details the Central Bank's consideration of the circumstances pertaining to the Credit Union and the reasons for liquidation.

1.2 Adequate reserves support a credit union’s operations, provide a base for future growth and protect against the risk of unforeseen losses. Credit unions need to maintain sufficient reserves to ensure continuity and to protect members’ savings. The Central Bank may consider the imposition of lending restrictions in credit unions with higher financial, operational and/or governance concerns. The partially redacted Resolution Report and Affidavit details the Central Bank’s regulatory interaction and consideration of the circumstances pertaining to the Credit Union in question and the reasons for liquidation.

1.2 There are currently lending restrictions in place in 20 credit unions.

1.2 The partially redacted Resolution Report and Affidavit details the Central Bank’s consideration of the circumstances pertaining to the credit union in question and the reasons for liquidation. The partially redacted Resolution Report and Affidavit references the Central Bank and Credit Institutions (Resolution) Act 2011 (2011 Act), which provides the Central Bank with powers to present a petition for the winding-up of a credit institution (including a credit union) under any of the five grounds specified in section 77 of the 2011 Act, being that:

1 a) in the opinion of the Central Bank, the winding-up of that credit institution would be in the public interest;

1 b) the credit institution is, or in the opinion of the Central Bank may be, unable to meet its obligations to its creditors;

1 c) the credit institution has failed to comply with a direction of the Central Bank;

1 i. in the case of the holder of a licence under section 9 of the Central Bank Act 1971, under section 21 of that Act, or

1 ii. in the case of a building society, under section 40 (2) of the Building Societies Act 1989, or

1 iii. in the case of a credit union, under section 87 of the Credit Union Act 1997;

1 d) the credit institution’s licence or authorisation (as applicable) has been revoked and (in the case of the holder of a licence under section 9 of the Bank Act 1971) that it has ceased to carry on banking business; or

1 e) the Central Bank considers that it is in the interest of persons having deposits (including deposits on current accounts) with that credit institution that it be wound-up.

1.2 The Central Bank’s statutory mandate is to ensure the protection by each credit union of the funds of its members and maintenance of the financial stability and well-being of credit unions generally. The Central Bank notes the presence of alternative financial services in the area of the Credit Union referred to (including neighbouring credit unions) and understands that the appointed liquidator has been in communication with affected members in this regard.

Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Programme

Questions (76)

Ruairí Ó Murchú

Question:

76. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the catchment and flood risk management plan under CFRAM for County Louth; the progress on the implementation of same that has been made to date; the funding that has been allocated to the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27408/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Through the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, detailed engineering analysis, assessment and extensive public consultation was undertaken for 300 communities throughout Ireland, including 90 coastal areas, which in 2012 were identified as being most likely to be impacted by future coastal and fluvial flooding.  The CFRAM Programme studied 80% of properties at risk from the primary causes of flooding in Ireland, in communities that house almost two thirds of the national population. 

The key outputs of the CFRAM Programme were Flood Maps showing the flood risk for the 300 communities, which support planning decisions and emergency response, and Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMP’s) - one for each River Basin in the country. The FRMP’s contain proposed flood relief measures - informed by costs, benefits and environmental factors - to address the flood risk in each community and nationwide. As portions of County Louth are located in two River Basins, Louth is included in both the Neagh-Bann and Boyne FRMP’s.

The evidence provided by the CFRAM Programme, which was launched by the Office of Public Works in May 2018, supports the Government’s €1bn planned investment to complete 151 flood relief schemes through the National Development Plan 2018-2027 as part of Project 2040.   

As part of this, Louth County Council, working with the Office of Public Works, has agreed to be the Lead Authority in the delivery of flood relief schemes at Dundalk / Blackrock South, Drogheda, Carlingford / Greenore, Baltray and Ardee, all of which are in the first tranche of projects to be progressed.

- The proposed flood relief scheme at Dundalk / Blackrock South, Co. Louth, for which the current estimated total project cost is €80.9 million (this also includes the budget for the Ardee Flood Relief Scheme) would involve a series of hard defences, including flood embankments and walls, rock armour coastal protection, demountable barriers, road raising, a sluice gate and tanking of two properties, protecting 1,880 properties when completed.

- The proposed flood relief scheme at Drogheda, Co. Louth, for which the CFRAM Programme estimated a preliminary total cost of €16.83 million, would involve construction of a series of hard defences (flood embankments and walls) along the River Boyne and improvement of conveyance, hard defences and a flow diversion channel on various tributaries, protecting 381 properties when completed.

- The proposed flood relief scheme at Carlingford and Greenore, Co. Louth, for which the CFRAM Programme estimated a preliminary total cost of €23.41 million would involve construction of a series of hard defences (flood embankments and walls) and two pumping stations, protecting 409 properties when completed.

- The proposed flood relief scheme at Ardee, Co. Louth will also be progressed directly by Louth County Council in tandem with the Dundalk/Blackrock South Scheme with full funding from the Office of Public Works, the cost of which is included in the budget for that Scheme. The work proposed will involve the construction of a series of hard defences (embankments and walls) protecting 7 properties when completed.

- There is one proposed scheme initially not included in the first tranche of implementation. The scheme at Baltray, Co. Louth at a projected cost estimate of approximately €1.93 million would involve the construction of a series of hard defences (embankments and walls) protecting 73 properties when completed. However, the countywide project steering group comprising Office of Public Works and local authority representatives, has decided to progress the development of this project simultaneously with that for Drogheda.

While the CFRAM process investigated possible structural flood relief measures for both Annagassan and Termonfeckin, economically viable schemes for these communities were not identified, and so a review of the risk in these communities and the likely costs and benefits is to be undertaken to determine if viable schemes may be available.  The Office of Public Works has put in place a process for undertaking such reviews as recommended in the FRMPs nationally, which is currently being piloted in a number of areas, and it is envisaged that these reviews, including those for Annagassan and Termonfeckin, will be complete within the next 12 months. 

When developing detailed Flood Risk Management options for the selected projects, the adaptability of the option to climate change will also be assessed; for example, in a Project where a significant increase in risk is shown under the future scenarios, options with the best climate change adaptability are more important, whereas climate change adaptability in Projects with low-sensitivity is not as critical.  The appointed Design Teams will produce the detailed design of the options in areas of high sensitivity and will assess whether it is appropriate for the option to be designed to handle climate change from the start of the design process, or whether it is designed to be adaptable later, e.g. building extra capacity into the foundations of a wall to allow it to be increased in the future, or to leave undeveloped areas for flood storage to be added in the future. 

The Office of Public Works has also established Engineering Consultancy Framework Agreements, which Louth County Council are using to procure services to progress the design, development and planning of each project and which will help to speed up the process to construction. In addition, the Council has been provided with additional staffing resources by OPW to assist in the implementation of these schemes. 

The Steering Group for flood relief schemes in County Louth has proposed the following prioritisation for progression of first tranche projects for County Louth:

1. Dundalk/Blackrock South and Ardee - to be progressed simultaneously. The tender for Engineering Consultancy Services for Dundalk/Blackrock South and Ardee was advertised on 16 October 2019, with five tenders received on 24 January 2020. Tenders have been evaluated and the contract has been awarded.

2. Drogheda and Baltray - to be progressed simultaneously. The consultants brief for Drogheda and Baltray scheme is currently being finalised and is hoped to be advertised to the framework in the coming months.

3. Carlingford/Greenore. Progress on the Carlingford/Greenore consultants brief will begin following completion of the Drogheda/Baltray brief.

The Steering Group last met on 24 September 2020 where the project is now being progressed with the consultants now appointed on the Scheme.  Louth County Council is expected to tender for environmental and design consultants for the Drogheda and Baltray Flood Relief Schemes in the coming months. 

It is important to note that the measures set out in the flood risk management plans are not definitive and final, and that as part of the project-level assessment required to prepare the measure for planning/ Public Exhibition, more detailed assessments are required at a local level and further public and stakeholder consultation will be undertaken. As such, there is further scope for the community's views to influence the measures that are progressed to implementation. 

Once consultants are appointed to progress each scheme, consultation with statutory and non-statutory bodies, as well as the general public, will take place at the appropriate stages to ensure that all parties have the opportunity to input into the development of the proposals within the scheme.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (77, 79)

Matt Carthy

Question:

77. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27559/20]

Catherine Murphy

Question:

79. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of his Department; if so, the costs of same and the companies engaged. [27666/20]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 79 together.

The third party media monitoring costs for my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, are set out in the table below.  The details of the 2020 costs for the Department itself reflect a change of supplier earlier this year.

The Deputy may wish to note that some media monitoring is also conducted by staff of my Department’s Press Office as part of their normal duties.

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

	Company name	Cost
2017	Kantar	€3,919.93
2018	Kantar	€3,616.08
2019	Kantar	€4,688.97
2020	Kantar	€3,874.52
2020 (to date)	Rue Point Media	€1,018.17

Office of Government Procurement

Year	Company name	Cost
2017	Kantar Media	€5,587.75
2018	Kantar Media	€13,570.25
2019	Kantar Media	€9,967.32
2020 (to date)	Kantar Media	€4,875.06

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (78)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

78. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount expended on access to online and hard-copy media publications since May 2020 to date; and the breakdown of online and hard-copy subscriptions, including the publications to which his Department subscribes. [27648/20]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

The details requested for my Department and for the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, are set out in the tables below.

Hardcopy Media Subscriptions	Cost since May 2020
Irish Times	€236.56
Irish Independent	€151.47
Financial Times	€184.96
Examiner	€80.16
London Times	€37.40
Saturday Examiner	€13.60
Sunday Times	€27.63
Sunday Independent	€27.63
Sunday Business Post	€14.45
Mail on Sunday	€13.60
The Economist	€63.76
The Cork Echo	€105.40
The Herald	€22.10
The Star	€40.46
The Sun	€20.40
The Mirror	€25.50
Daily Mail	€61.20
Industrial Relations News	€141.70

Online Media Subscriptions	Cost since May 2020
New York Times	€330.47
The Currency News	€200.00
Telegraph Direct	€48.82
The Times	€108.35
Irish Times	€160.00
Irish Independent	€69.95
Bloomberg	€65.17
Economist	€105.00
New Statesman	€44.42
Business Post	€199.99
Industrial Relations News (8 Annual Subscriptions)	€3,656.75

Question No. 79 answered with Question No. 77.

EU Funding

Questions (80, 81, 83)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

80. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of plans by Ireland to maximise the European Structural and Investment Funds for the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27672/20]

Claire Kerrane

Question:

81. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the level of co-financing that will be available under the next round of the European Structural and Investment Funds for each region in Ireland. [27673/20]

Claire Kerrane

Question:

83. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated European Structural and Investment Funds that will be available to Ireland over the coming period; and the grounds on which funding will be distributed among the regions. [27675/20]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 81 and 83 together.

In July 2020, the European Council agreed a new position on the Multiannual Financial Framework, which sets out the budget of the European Union for the seven-year period from 2021 to 2027. Subject to agreement with the European Parliament, the European Commission has communicated revised allocations for each Member State from the European Structural and Investment Funds based on the revised funding under the Cohesion heading in the MFF.

In 2018 prices, Ireland’s allocation is expected to be €451 million for the European Social Fund, €351 million for the European Regional Development Fund and €258 million for European Territorial Cooperation (which includes the allocation for the PEACE Plus Programme), for a total of €1.06 billion.

The Commission has not yet provided the composition of this funding by Ireland’s three regions. The final breakdown will be based on an allocation formula agreed for each category of region as part of the MFF and set out in proposed Common Provisions Regulation (COM (2018) 375) based on population, GDP/GNI and a number of other socio-economic, migration and environmental indicators. The exact allocation method depends upon the category of region being supported. Ireland has two “more developed” regions and one “transition” region – the Northern and Western Region.

This EU funding must be co-financed by domestic sources at a rate dependent upon the category of region. This rate is the percentage of the total programme that the EU funding makes up (i.e. the remainder must be funding from domestic sources). For “more developed” regions, the rate is 40% and for “transition” regions it is 60%. Thus, the final size of Ireland’s 2021-2027 Funds will be determined when the breakdown of the allocation between Ireland’s regions is confirmed.