Written Answers Nos. 255-274
255. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit are working towards enabling access to employment for persons from minority and or disadvantaged communities, including, but not limited to, persons with disabilities, persons from ethnic minorities, Travellers, Mincéirí; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32744/21]
View answerAs Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have policy responsibility for recruitment to the Civil Service. The Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices. This commitment is demonstrated in the Civil Service 2030 Renewal Strategy that was launched last month.
The Public Appointments Services (PAS), which is an body under the aegis of my Department, is the principal recruiter for the Civil Service. PAS plays a central role in attracting a diverse range of talented people from all backgrounds to take up employment opportunities in the Civil Service.
PAS has established a dedicated Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit and embedded Diversity Champions throughout the organisation. In March 2021, PAS launched its first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2023 following extensive and ongoing engagements with NGOs, including representatives from organisations including, for example, Mi-Wow, New Communities Partnership, AkiDwA, Business In The Community, the National Youth Council, the Immigrant Council of Ireland as well as groups representing members of the Traveller and Roma communities.
Employment of people with disabilities
Officials from my Department and from PAS sit on the Implementation Group for the National Comprehensive Employment Strategy for the Employment of People with Disabilities 2015-2024. This national strategy commits to increase the percentage of staff with a disability from 3% to 6% by 2024 (presently 3% under the Disability Act 2005). This employment target is monitored by the National Disability Authority. At the end of 2019, 5.1% of civil servants self-declared as having a disability. Data at the end of 2020 is presently being collated for return to the NDA.
There are many positive examples under CES of how my Department, working alongside key stakeholders in the Civil Service including PAS, has been involved in promoting civil service employment pathways for persons with a disability. These include:
Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme
In partnership with AHEAD, this offers graduates with a disability a 6 month mentored paid work placement in either the private sector or Civil Service. My Department and PAS play a key role in driving the annual intakes of work placements across the Cvil Service. To date, WAM has placed over 490 graduates, of which 47% (230) have been placements across 33 Departments/Offices. Over 80% of WAM graduates have subsequently secured longer-term employment upon completion of their WAM programme. Officials from my Department are presently scoping the possibility of a confined competition to create permanent civil service employment opportunities for graduates of the WAM programme.
Oireachtas Work Learning (OWL) Programme
OWL is an applied learning, development and socialisation programme for adults with an intellectual disability that was launched as a pilot programme in September 2018. It is facilitated by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service in collaboration with two sponsor organisations, KARE and WALK. The goal of the Programme is to provide trainees with the skills, knowledge and ability to gain meaningful employment via the unique opportunity to gain practical work experience, as well as accredited learning over an 11 month period. Over a quarter of the initial OWL interns have since gone on to secure permanent civil service employment through confined competitions.
Employment of people from ethnic minority and socially disadvantage backgrounds including members of the Traveller and Roma Community
The Department of Children, Equality, Diversity, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is leading out on the Migrant Integration Strategy 2017-2021 that set a minimum 1% employment target for the people of ethnic minority/EEA migrant status.
PAS have recently undertaken a review of general competitions in 2020 at all levels within the Civil Service to review the number of applicants from ethnic minority backgrounds that applied for, and were successful in, competitions. This information is set out in the table below.
Officials from my Department are participating on a Joint Working Group with officials from DCEDIY to progress a number of Programme for Government commitments in this area, including the development of paid internships. It is planned to leverage the positive experience of the OWL and WAM Programmes by partnering with NGOs. My Department and PAS, for example, are presently supporting the introduction of a pilot paid internship programme for members of the Traveller and Roma Community by the Department of Justice.
Officials from my Department and PAS have also recently made submissions to, and appeared before, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community in relation to recent initiatives to promote employment opportunities in the civil service.
OneLearning, the Civil Service Learning and Development Shared Service Centre based within my Department, is in the process of tendering for its second generation of training courses for civil servants following extensive stakeholder engagement, including participating by representatives of IHREC. It is envisaged that a number of additional training courses on equality, diversity and inclusion will be developed for civil servants will come on stream and will include courses on the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty.
Under Action 16 of Our Public Service 2020, my Department has also recently developed and launched an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Vision Statement and Maturity Model for the Public Service.
In terms of civil servants based in my own Department, the HR Unit developed the People@PER HR Strategy that has a focus on embracing and embedding a culture of diversity and inclusion across the Department through diversity initiatives and training. This has included the establishment of a vibrant cross-Divisional and cross-grade Diversity and Inclusion staff forum, the PERspectives Group. My Department has a Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) who supports new members of staff with a disability or existing staff who acquire a disability and raise awareness about disability. New hires receive the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with a Disability in the Irish Civil Service, a welcome letter from the Department’s DLO and FAQs on Disability prepared by the National Disability Authority. The induction of new hires includes a presentation and Q&A session with the DLO.
In September 2020, I published a State Bodies Code of Practice Annex of Gender Balance, Diversity & Inclusion. This requires the Chairperson of each board to submit a comprehensive report to the relevant Minister each year that must set out progress in addressing gender equality and diversity issues.
In terms of bodies under my aegis, all have appointed Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) and have proactively made available work placement opportunities for participants on the WAM and OWL programmes, with a number of these being converted to permanent positions. Embedding diversity and inclusion with each body is a core focus of the respective Management Boards with key ED&I initiatives reflected in existing local HR strategies or those being developed by bodies, such as the EMPOWER People Strategy in the case of the Office of Government Procurement.
I am committed to ensuring that we continue to build a diverse Civil Service that is reflective of the modern Ireland that we serve.
In the case of Candidates that voluntarily identified to PAS as being from an ethnic minority background
|
2020 Civil Service Competition |
Total Applications for Competition |
Number of such candidates at application stage |
% total applicants for competition at application stage |
Number od such candidates subsequently placed on panel |
% of successful candidates subsequently placed on panel for assignment to a civil service employer |
|
Temporary Clerical Officer |
7,437 |
178 |
2.4% |
70 |
2.4% |
|
Clerical Officer |
26,356 |
481 |
1.8% |
14 |
1.8% |
|
Executive Officer |
14,602 |
344 |
2.4% |
4 |
.01% |
|
Administrative Officer (Graduate entry) |
8,259 |
619 |
7.5% |
4 |
4.4% |
|
Assistant Principal |
3,821 |
30 |
0.8% |
1 |
1.1% |
|
Principal Officer |
1,754 |
16 |
0.9% |
1 |
1.5% |
256. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which FEMPI restoration has been completed across all income brackets throughout the Public Sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32770/21]
View answerThe process of unwinding the Financial Emergency (FEMPI) legislation commenced under the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016 – 2018, with the remainder of the process largely completed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018 – 2020 (PSSA). This will continue under ‘Building Momentum: A New Public Service Agreement, 2021 – 2022’.
At this point, salary rates up to approx. €70,000, which accounts for over 90% of the public service, have been fully restored.
Further measures provided for in the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 that are needed to complete the unwinding of FEMPI can be found at Section 19 and Section 20 of the Act. Section 19 of the Act provides for the completion of FEMPI restoration for public servants earning annualised basic salaries of not more than €150,000 by no later than 1 July 2021. Section 20 of the Act provides for the completion of FEMPI restoration for public servants earning annualised basic salaries of more than €150,000 by no later than 1 July 2022.
Each year, under the terms of the FEMPI Act 2013, I am obliged to carry out an annual review of the operation, effectiveness and impact of the FEMPI Acts, having regard to the overall economic conditions in the State and national competitiveness. In this annual review, I am also to consider whether or not any of the provision of the relevant Acts continue to be necessary having regard to the purposes of those Acts, the revenues of the State and State commitments in respect of public service pay and pensions.
The 2020 annual review, a written report of which was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the 23rd June 2020, recommended the continuation of the unwinding of the FEMPI measures in line with the provisions enacted in the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017. The 2021 annual review will be published by the end of the month and will provide the Deputy with additional detail.
257. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which his Department monitors inflation in the construction sector with particular reference to the impact on the delivery and cost of major capital health projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32771/21]
View answerThe Construction Sector Group (CSG), established in 2018 and chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, ensures regular and open dialogue between Government and the construction sector. Its remit includes, but is not limited to, considering opportunities to introduce reforms within the sector that will help in controlling construction price inflation.
To support the work of the CSG an annual Build Report was produced by my Department in 2019 and 2020. The purpose of this report is to give a comprehensive overview of the performance and prospects of the Irish construction sector, based on the available official statistics and data. The report aids in monitoring of trends across the sector, ranging from output and investment to employment and cost inflation, so that risks and performance issues can be identified and addressed where necessary.
Inflation measures how much more expensive a set of goods and services becomes over a certain period of time. A number of measures relating to inflation in the Irish construction sector are detailed in the Build Report. The data included in the report is mostly obtained from the Central Statistics Office.
Two major costs for the construction industry are the cost of materials and the cost of wages.
Inflation in the cost of construction materials can be measured through the Wholesale Price Index. As for the wage inflation, this has been measured by monitoring average hourly earnings for the construction sector.
The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for Building and Construction Materials provides a general indication of price trends in the sector. WPI essentially measures the changes in the prices of goods sold and traded in bulk. In April 2021 the WPI for Building and Construction Materials stood at 3.4% on an annual basis. However within this there are certain materials which have seen elevated levels of inflation such as timber and steel.
Average Hourly earnings for the construction sector (includes all employees of construction) increased by 9% between Q1 2020 and Q2 2021.
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland Tender Price index reveals that national construction tender prices increased by 1.3% in the second half of 2020, up from 0.9% in the previous 6 months. The results indicate a slight rebound of tender price growth in the construction sector, with national annual inflation now at 2.2% (Jan 2020 to Dec 2020), however it is still significantly less than tender price inflation levels pre-Covid. The Index is the only independent assessment of construction tender prices in Ireland. It is compiled by the Quantity Surveying members of the Society. The Tender Price Index (TPI) is based largely on sentiment returns with actual tender returns included in the calculations. The TPI is for non-residential projects during the period in question. It is based on predominately new build projects with values in excess of € 0.5m and covers all regions of Ireland. The Index relates to average price increases across differing project types and locations.
Overall, while there was elevated construction sector inflation in 2019, construction price inflation slowed overall in 2020 as a result of Covid-19. Elevated levels of inflation possesses risk for the construction sector and wider economy as a whole by undermining value for money.
The impacts of this on the delivery and cost of major capital health projects is a matter for the Minister for Health. Under the delegated capital sanction provided to Departments each year they are expected to make programme and project contingency provision, factoring inflation along with other risks into their budgeting.
There is no cost adjustment available for inflation under the public works contractsuntil a period of 2.5 years after the contract is awarded. As part of the tender process contractors are expected to price for inflation which has typically been 5 – 7% per annum in recent years.
258. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which reform throughout the public sector continues to be an option in achieving good value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32772/21]
View answer265. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he plans to introduce further reforms with a view to achieving better value for money for the Exchequer and ultimately the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32779/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 265 together.
I thank the Deputy for the questions.
Ongoing reform of our Public Services continues to be an integral part of this Department's function since its establishment in 2011. In view of the significant and pervasive impacts experienced as a consequence of the Covid19 crisis, the Government's programme of reform and modernisation will become especially more relevant as we seek to return our economy and society to full recovery.
In accordance with the Department's Statement of Strategy, officials are currently preparing the next phase of public service reform (to succeed Our Public Service 2020) which will incorporate priorities that were articulated in the recently published Public Service Innovation Strategy, Making Innovation Real and sets its focus on the wider Public Service. My Department has also recently published an ambitious programme of renewal for the Civil Service (CSR 2030). Additionally, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in my Department is currently finalising a new Public Service Digital Strategy, which will be published in the coming months.
These new plans and strategies will reinvigorate the reform agenda and make certain that we capitalise on the positive changes that we have witnessed since the onset of the pandemic. They will also incorporate a number of Programme for Government commitments that will further enable the Public Service to be more responsive to the future needs of our citizens and to be resilient to any similar economic shocks of this nature.
As regards the drive for more value for money, the generation of efficiencies and the realisation of more cost-effective public services, all public organisations are required to treat public funds with care, and to ensure that the best possible value for money is obtained whenever public money is being spent or invested. This is in accordance with the Public Spending Code. Moreover, Action 5 of Our Public Service 2020 (Action 5) emphasises the need to ensure value-for-money principles are adhered to across the Public Service.
As part of this broader approach to ensuring value for money, the introduction of shared services and centralised procurement in earlier phases of reform have been further integrated in public service operations and expanded into new areas. These expansions will continue apace and this Department is actively exploring new areas and mechanisms to further embed reforms that will enhance the cost-effectiveness of public services; for example, through greater use of opportunities presented through digitalisation, intelligent automation, innovation and the implementation of new ways of working and service design.
The Deputy may also wish to note that by agreeing to the Public Service Pay Agreement ‘Building Momentum’, parties have committed to the ongoing reform and development of public services to meet the changing needs of citizens, communities, businesses and the staff who deliver our public services.
Parties have agreed to maintain the momentum for reform and to continue co-operation with regard to flexibility and change to support effective responses to the challenges posed by COVID-19, recognising the need to look beyond traditional ways of working, where necessary and appropriate, and to manage change to ensure high quality public services, high performance, the maintenance and development of staff skills and competencies, and the delivery of measurable outcomes for the public.
259. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if reform in the context of public procurement can be used as a means of producing better value for money in respect of State projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32773/21]
View answerSustained reform of public works procurement has been ongoing since 2004 when the construction procurement reform initiative commenced. The publication of the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) in 2007 marked a new departure in the procurement of public works projects. All public works projects that are delivered under the Exchequer-funded element of the Government's capital plan must be procured in accordance with the provisions laid down in the CWMF, which is mandated by circular. The CWMF provides an integrated set of contractual provisions, guidance material, technical templates and procedures that cover all aspects of the delivery process of a public works project from inception to final project delivery and review to assist contracting authorities in meeting their ongoing procurement requirements. The use of the framework results in a more cost effective delivery of public works projects because of the systematic and detailed approach to, amongst other things, planning (both preparatory and detailed), and capital budgeting as well as design and construction cost control. The process required under the CWMF reflects the balance that must be struck in awarding a public contract between value for money and a quality project outcome. All the documents that make up the framework are available online at: constructionprocurement.gov.ie.
A 2014 review of a key element of the CWMF, the public works contracts highlighted a number of areas that were contributing to poor project outcomes including cost increases. Poor definition of the project requirements was identified as one of the main sources of claims under the contracts, claims that were often upheld in the dispute resolution procedures under the contract. A range of interim measures were introduced in 2016 in response to the recommendations set out at the culmination of the review.
A broader review of the policies and practices deployed in the procurement of public works projects commenced in March 2019. The focus of the review is on improving the delivery of construction projects in terms of quality, timely delivery and cost outcomes.
The review will deliver significant changes to the CWMF over the coming years. The review process involves extensive engagement, both with industry stakeholders, and with the public bodies charged with the delivery of public works projects on a broad range of issues such as:
- price variation;
- risk management;
- creating a better quality: price balance in the award of contracts;
- adoption of BIM on public works projects;
- liability, indemnity and insurance requirements;
- performance evaluation;
- encouraging collaborative working.
A high-level strategy has been developed with the Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) that will guide the implementation that will be addressed primarily through the progressive refinement and enhancement of the CWMF.
The onset of Covid-19 has impacted on the conduct of the review as resources were deployed to address the disruption to projects arising out of the necessary public health measures since March 2020. Nonetheless progress continued on a range of issues which will be actioned throughout 2021 and 2022.
260. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the belief that public procurement policies here are a major obstacle to achieving parity with other European countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32774/21]
View answerPublic procurement is governed by EU and national rules, the aim of which is to ensure that procurement transactions and decisions are open and transparent, fair, equitable and achieve value for money. These rules govern the way public authorities and certain utility operators purchase goods, works and services.
The rules are set out in four principal EU Directives (Directive 2009/81/EC, Directive 2014/23/EU; Directive 2014/24/EU and Directive 2014/25/EU) which are transposed into national legislation in each Member State. These rules govern the conduct of public procurement procedures for public contracts whose monetary value exceeds a certain threshold. Public contracts applying below those threshold values are, nonetheless, expected to conform with principles of public procurement set out in the Directives, in particular equal treatment, non-discrimination, mutual recognition, proportionality and transparency.
Legal oversight of the procurement rules is set out in a further set of Directives governing review and remedy procedures for interested parties to a public procurement procedure. These Directives - 89/665/EEC, 92/13/EEC, 2007/66/EC – have been transposed into national legislation in each Member State and operate through a range of administrative and judicial bodies.
The uniformity of the procurement regime across the EU, established by the full suite of procurement-related Directives, is further reinforced by important procurement principles emerging from the case law in each Member State and from the Court of Justice of the European Union in the area of public procurement.
To further enhance coordination and coherence of approach across the EU, each Member State, including Ireland, is represented at the several EU Commission expert groups on procurement. These groups are designed to ensure a consistency of governance in public procurement and to guide ongoing developments in the area. Through the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), my Department is committed to ensuring Ireland’s procurement policy is fully aligned with other Member States.
261. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of incidences in which his Department has had to intervene to ensure good practice, better value for money and faster, more efficient delivery of public projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32775/21]
View answerIn my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at a Departmental level. Decisions on how and where those allocations are invested by Departments are a matter, in the first instance, for my ministerial colleagues. The role of my Department is in respect of the monitoring of overall expenditure by Departments, and not the oversight of individual projects.
My Department is also responsible for maintaining the national frameworks within which Departments operate to ensure appropriate accounting for and value for money in public expenditure such as the Public Spending Code. The Public Spending Code sets the value for money requirements and guidance for evaluating, planning and managing capital projects. Management and delivery of investment projects and public services within allocation and the national frameworks is a key responsibility of every Department and Minister.
The Public Spending Code is not static and was updated in 2019 following an extensive consultation process. This update has strengthened the guidance to better align with the realities of project delivery and with a particular focus on improved appraisal, cost estimation and management. In line with the principle of proportionality, the requirements for smaller projects have been streamlined and the requirements for larger projects support a better consideration of options, risks, costs and deliverability.
262. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which his Department have identified projects least compliant with the principal of achieving good value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32776/21]
View answerI should first explain that as Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform I am responsible for setting the overall multi-annual capital expenditure ceilings for each Ministerial Vote Group as set out in the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040. My Department is also responsible for maintaining the national frameworks within which Departments operate to ensure appropriate accounting for and value for money in public expenditure such as the Public Spending Code. The Public Spending Code sets the value for money requirements and guidance for evaluating, planning and managing capital projects. Management and delivery of investment projects and public services within allocation and the national frameworks is a key responsibility of every Department and Minister.
263. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which the public expenditure to date in 2021 is in line with budgetary expectations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32777/21]
View answer264. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if particular Government Departments or their subordinate bodies are shown to be less than compliant with public expenditure and reform guidelines; if so, if corrective steps have been taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32778/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together.
In the period from 2014, prior to the impact of Covid-19, the overall fiscal strategy adopted by the Government greatly improved the monetary position of the State with the deficit at the end of 2014 of €7.1 billion or 3.6% of GDP moving to a surplus of 0.5% of GDP at the end of 2019. The position regarding gross general government debt against GDP also improved over this time period, from 104.4% of GDP at the end of 2014 to 57.4% of GDP at the end of 2019.
Underpinning this fiscal strategy was the policy of sustainable annual increases in public expenditure during this timeframe, with gross voted expenditure increasing by a total of €13.1 billion or 24%, from €54.1 billion in 2014 to €67.2 billion in 2019. Over this period, to allow for the delivery of key infrastructure projects, there was a clear focus on increasing levels of capital investment by the State.
The decisions made in recent budgets have ensured that we had the financial resources to act in response to Covid-19 and to provide substantial supports to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic during 2020 and for 2021, with some €28 billion allocated to date across the two years for support measures.
For 2021, the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV) outlined an overall Government Expenditure Ceiling of €87.8 billion, which included almost €12 billion in funding to respond to Covid-19. Within this overall expenditure ceiling, €5.4 billion was set aside in reserve to be used as required during the year for temporary, targeted measures to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19.
This reserve was partially allocated as part of Further Revised Estimates agreed by Government in April, with almost €4.3 billion in additional funding provided to the Departments of Social Protection; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and Rural and Community Development for measures in response to the impact of Covid-19. In addition to this, additional Departmental Estimates will be presented to the Dáil in due course reflecting the various measures set out in the National Economic Recovery Plan.
It is a key responsibility of every Department and Minister to manage expenditure within their respective allocations, particularly given the exceptional level of funding being provided this year, and careful monitoring of spending against profile and of progress on programmes and projects is required. My Department is in regular contact with all other Departments and Offices regarding this.
Based on Departmental Estimates presented to the Dáil to date and as set out in the most recent Fiscal Monitor, total gross voted expenditure to end-May 2021 amounted to nearly €33 billion. While this is nearly €1½ billion ahead on the same period in 2020, the public health restrictions in place this year have impacted on spending plans of departments. Accordingly, gross voted expenditure is running almost €1.4 billion or 4% below profile.
In 2021 the main spending Departments will be reporting to Government quarterly on spending within their areas. This stands alongside a range of reforms implemented in recent years in order to enhance Ireland’s budgetary framework and to ensure efficient and effective management of public expenditure. Looking forward, the Programme for Government commits to continuing reform and improvement of the Budgetary process, building on the budgetary reforms already in place and the significant work on public service reform already completed.
Furthermore, inflationary pressures continue to be dealt with on a year-by-year basis as part of the normal budgetary process. The rationale for this approach is clear, where the non-application of price increases can be used as a mechanism to generate efficiency dividends and promote productivity where State bodies are effectively challenged to maintain the existing levels of service without making specific provision for indexation. As the economy recovers from the impact of the pandemic, this is an area that we will need to keep under review to ensure that value for money is delivered across Government projects and programmes.
266. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the funding allocated to the sports capital programme 2019, 2020 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32527/21]
View answerThe Sports Capital and Equipment Programme is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country.
Due to the nature of the Programme it can take grantees a number of years to draw down grants. Details of all payments and allocations under the Programme are published on my Department's website https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d13385-sports-capital-programme/#sports-capital-programme-applications-allocations-and-payments. The available annual funding for the Programme is contained within the relevant estimates volumes.
The 2020 round of the SCEP closed for applications on Monday 1st March, 2021. By the closing date, 3,106 applications were submitted seeking over €200m in funding. This is the highest number of applications ever received. Given the record number of applications and the detailed information contained in each application, the assessment process will take a number of months to complete. It is envisaged that allocations for applications for sports equipment- only will be made first during the Summer with allocations to other capital projects announced before the end of the year. It is intended to allocate a minimum of €40m under this round of the Programme.
267. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the projects that have been successful in their application to the large scale sport infrastructure fund in 2019, 2020 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32528/21]
View answer268. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the large-scale sport infrastructure fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32529/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 268 together.
The National Sports Policy published in 2018 provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the fund is to provide support for larger sports facilities where the Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount (€300,000) available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme. The National Development Plan provided a capital allocation of at least €100m over the period to 2027 for the Fund.
The first allocations under the Fund were announced at the beginning of 2020 and approximately €86.4m has been awarded to 33 proposals to date. Details of these projects can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/4113b3-large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif/
These projects are at various stages of a due diligence process and formal grant agreements have now issued to a number of the successful applicants.
While it is not proposed to open the LSSIF for new applications at present, my Department is undertaking a review of the LSSIF which is expected to be complete in the near future. This review will consider, inter alia, progress on all existing grants and whether any additional grants should be awarded including to previously unsuccessful applicants. The timing of any new call for proposals will also be considered. Any new allocations or a new call for proposals, will be considered in the context of the review of the National Development Plan.
269. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will report on the removal of the ban on guided tours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32566/21]
View answerUnder the current COVID-19 Regulations, taking account of public health advice, indoor guided tours are not permitted. However, in line with the provisions for small outdoor events, outdoor guided tours are permitted for up to 15 participants (not including those present in a professional capacity – e.g. the tour guide).
The Government is due to meet later this month to decide on the next phases in the easing of restrictions, subject to the evolving public health situation and continued good progress in the vaccination programme. I am hopeful for the safe resumption of indoor guided tours in July along with the planned resumption of organised indoor events, subject to maintaining progress with the virus.
270. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the cost of holding the test concert in the Iveagh Gardens on 11 June 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32604/21]
View answerThe first pilot event, in a series of events to roll out over June and July, was curated by the National Concert Hall and saw James Vincent McMorrow and Sorcha Richardson perform in the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin.
The OPW partnered with my Department and the NCH to deliver this concert and there was no charge for the use of the Iveagh Gardens as this was a Government approved pilot event. My Department will provide a grant to the NCH to cover the costs of the pilot events over and above the ticket receipts. I am happy that the grant provided for much needed employment for the crews and artists involved. Details of costs are currently being finalised and I expect it to be in the region of €130,000.
The feedback from the audience, artists and crews working at the Iveagh Gardens event was very positive given that it was the first live music event of any scale in 15 months. As it was the first event the numbers were intentionally small to help us review event management protocols and we will build on capacities as we move through the summer in a safe and controlled manner. I will continue to keep these matters under review as the pilots progress and as public health guidance evolves.
271. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the Office of Public Works provided the use of the Iveagh Gardens to the National Concert Hall for free; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32605/21]
View answerThe first pilot event, in a series of events to roll out over June and July, was curated by the National Concert Hall and saw James Vincent McMorrow and Sorcha Richardson, perform in the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin. The OPW partnered with my Department and the NCH to deliver this concert and there was no charge for the use of the Iveagh Gardens as this was a Government approved pilot event.
The feedback from the audience, artists and crews working at the Iveagh Gardens event was very positive given that it was the first live music event of any scale in 15 months. As it was the first event the numbers were intentionally small to help us review event management protocols and we will build on capacities as we move through the summer in a safe and controlled manner. I will continue to keep these matters under review as the pilots progress and as public health guidance evolves.
272. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of HSE public health staff who worked at the test concert in the Iveagh Gardens on 11 June 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32606/21]
View answerFollowing the recent Government decision to prepare for the safe reopening of live cultural, sporting and entertainment events, my Department has prepared a programme of pilot live events for June and July. This broad programme includes sporting, cultural and live entertainment events, both indoors and outdoors. These pilot events will allow for sports, arts, culture and entertainment organisations to test necessary control and other measures in venues across a range of settings and have been designed to inform the safe reopening of these sectors. They will be subject to ongoing review including with respect to the prevailing public health situation.
As part of the preparations for the events, my Department has worked and continues to work with representative bodies and stakeholders from the culture, sport and live event sectors on the programme of events.
The events are being organised with venue operators and promotors who are submitting Event Management Plans to my Department which are reviewed by Health and Safety consultants. There was no requirement to have HSE staff at the Iveagh Gardens concert. I will continue to keep these matters under review as the pilots progress and as public health guidance evolves.
273. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the amount her Department and associated agencies have spent on social media advertising since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32622/21]
View answerMy Department uses social media to promote the wide range of schemes and programmes operated under its auspices and it uses digital content to support engagement with citizens and communities across Ireland.
Effective communication with the public and stakeholders is essential in achieving the Department’s goals, particularly in relation to programmes such as Creative Ireland which is a culture-based, all-of-government initiative that aims to place creativity at the centre of public policy and public life. The core proposition of the Programme is to engage citizens and communities in creativity, recognising that personal and collective participation in creative activity has significant implications for individual, community and societal wellbeing. The Programme uses inter alia digital platforms to deliver its core proposition principally through the Creative Ireland website and social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram). The Programme has incurred costs of €563.46 on paid social media advertising from January 2021 to date. In addition, Culture Ireland spent €211.40 on advertising with Facebook for online promotion of the St. Patrick's Week Programme called SEODA.
Information on social media advertising spend by agencies of the Department is not held centrally. I am contacting the Agencies in this regard and I will forward the information to the Deputy in accordance with the timelines set out in Standing Orders.
|
Name of Public Body |
Expenditure |
|
Crawford Art Gallery |
€0 |
|
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland |
Regulatory body |
|
National Library of Ireland |
€100.00 |
|
Foras na Gaeilge(North South Body) |
€1,109.05 |
|
Ulster Scots Agency (North South Body) |
€201.55 * |
|
Údarás Na Gaeltachta |
€40.00 |
|
National Gallery of Ireland |
€2,208 |
|
RTÉ |
Commercial body |
|
Irish Museum of Modern Art |
€94.00 |
|
TG4 |
Commercial body |
|
National Museum of Ireland |
€24,126.97 |
|
National Concert Hall |
€15,621.05 |
|
Sport Ireland |
€150.00 |
|
Arts Council |
€0 |
|
Chester Beatty Library |
€651 |
|
Fáilte Ireland |
€49,500 |
|
Screen Ireland |
€368.24 |
|
Tourism Ireland (North South Body) |
€2,079,395 ** |
|
National Archives |
€0 |
|
An Coimisinéir Teanga |
€0 |
|
Total |
€2,173,564.86 |
274. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the amount her Department has spent on social media content production since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32639/21]
View answerEffective communication with the public and stakeholders is essential in achieving my Department’s goals. The Department uses social media, amongst other channels, to promote the wide range of schemes and programmes operated under its auspices and it uses digital content to support engagement with citizens and communities across Ireland. Total costs of €47,829.65 (ex VAT) were incurred by my Department for the production of social media content between January and 12 June 2021.
