Written Answers Nos. 463-479
463. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the plans he has to show his appreciation for all front-line workers under his remit other than a clap on the back; if he is planning a bonus, a gratuity payment for all those workers who have been struggling and worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic; if so, when this will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39615/21]
View answerWorkers across the economy, including of course our public servants, have made an extraordinary contribution during the COVID pandemic and I would like to pay tribute to them.
Notwithstanding the sacrifices and efforts of the last year or more and the progress we have made in recent months to roll out vaccines, this pandemic remains an ongoing challenge for us all and it continues, for now, to require our full focus and attention.
Accordingly, while this is not yet, I believe, the most appropriate time to deal with this matter, the Government will consider in due course how best to recognise the efforts made by workers during this pandemic.
464. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department plans to engage with union representatives of Seanad Éireann secretarial assistants in respect of their pay claim; if there has been progress on improving pay and conditions for Seanad secretarial assistants over the past 12-months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39791/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the staff in question are not public servants and are instead employed in the Houses of the Oireachtas by individual Senators.
I understand that the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission is engaged in an ongoing process including at the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to the terms and conditions of Seanad Secretarial Assistants.
As the Deputy will appreciate it is not appropriate for me to comment on an ongoing industrial relations process, however as in all such matters I would encourage the parties to continue to engage to address the issues. My officials will maintain contact with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission as appropriate.
465. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an equality budgeting statement will be forthcoming in budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39870/21]
View answerBuilt on the performance budgeting framework that has been progressively embedded into the budget cycle, Equality Budgeting in Ireland has been developed over recent years with a view to enhancing the role of resource allocation policies in advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights.
Equality objectives and indicators are published every year in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) and the Public Service Performance Report. Twelve departments are now reporting Equality Budgeting metrics. An Expert Advisory Group was established to guide development of Equality Budgeting policy, and has met regularly since September 2018. To further support the implementation of Equality Budgeting across all Departments, in March of this year, Government agreed to the establishment of an Inter-departmental Group on Equality Budgeting.
In 2019, my Department, in liaison with the then Department of Justice and Equality, commissioned the OECD to undertake a Policy Scan of Equality Budgeting in Ireland. This was published in tandem with Budget 2020. The report reviews Ireland’s equality budgeting programme and provides recommendations on its further development, in light of international experience.
In line with the OECD recommendation to develop an equalities data strategy, the CSO completed a data audit in cooperation with my Department, to ascertain the availability of public service data that is disaggregated by equality dimension. A report on this audit was published in October 2020.
Another OECD recommendation was the development of tagging and tracking functionality for departmental expenditure. My Department is working on this recommendation as part of an overall project to create a new architecture for Performance Budgeting. This project is funded under the EU Structural Reform Support Programme.
The OECD Policy Scan also raised the issue of an Equality Budgeting Statement. My Department is reviewing the different approaches to Gender Budgeting statements published by other OECD countries. The timing of publication, and the level of detail, vary greatly across OECD countries. This work will be used to inform future developments in this area taking into account: the level of detail in relation to Equality Budgeting currently published including in the REV and Public Service Performance Report; analysis published as part of the Spending Review process; existing tools such as the ESRI’s SWITCH Model; and linkages with the development of the Well-being Framework. In particular, this work will need to reflect that the approach to date with Equality Budgeting has been to embed equality perspectives across the whole-of-year budgetary process by setting out targets in the REV and reporting on performance versus targets in the Public Service Performance Report, with analyses such as Social Impact Assessments also supporting this whole-of-year approach.
466. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of progress of a well-being budgeting framework; if the framework is set to be included in budget 2022; if not, the expected timeline for completion and operationalisation of this well-being budget framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39871/21]
View answerFollowing the Government's decision in February 2021 to commence work on developing a well-being framework for Ireland, the Department of the Taoiseach, co-sponsored by the Department of Finance as well as my Department, established an Interdepartmental Working Group on the Development of a Well-being Framework for Ireland.
This Working Group provided a forum for representatives from across the policy system to have an input into the design of the Framework. The design of the Framework was also informed by a sub-group of stakeholders and experts that was established by the National Economic & Social Council and a consultation process that it facilitated with stakeholders, external experts and interested parties.
In July 2021, the first report of the Interdepartmental Working Group (IDWG) was published setting out an initial Well-being Framework for Ireland. This initial Framework has an outcomes-based approach that is focused on understanding people’s lived experiences across person, place and society, and builds on existing work in this area, in particular the work of the OECD. That said, it has also sought to integrate an Irish context into the aspects of well-being that are set out in this initial Framework; reflecting internal and external consultation.
The initial Framework sets out 11 dimensions of well-being:
- Subjective Well-being,
- Mental and Physical Health,
- Income and Wealth,
- Knowledge and Skills,
- Housing and Local Area,
- Environment, Climate and Biodiversity,
- Safety and Security,
- Work and Job Quality,
- Time Use,
- Community, Social Connections and Cultural Participation, and
- Civic Engagement and Cultural Expression.
In Autumn 2021, it is intended that an interactive dashboard of indicators associated with each of these dimensions will be made available by the Central Statistics Office.
This initial Framework will be developed further through consultation and engagement with policy makers, stakeholders, regional communities and citizens. Its development will also be supported by the use of the Framework in informing and shaping the direction of public policy.
The Mid-Year Expenditure Report has set out my Department's perspective on how the Well-being Framework can be utilised to locate well-being within existing expenditure policy in order to inform efforts to improve the impact of public policy on people's lives and to build knowledge of well-being as a policy objective, in order to better understand policy challenges and inform the design and implementation of more effective public policies.
An updated report will be submitted to Government in early 2022 and will include an updated vision and framework, progress on addressing data gaps, and set out recommendations for longer-term structures for developing and embedding the Framework.
467. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will produce daily updates on the EU Digital COVID Certificate roll-out. [40006/21]
View answerThere has been a huge amount of work across Government Departments and the HSE to ensure the introduction of Certificates for Ireland's full participation in the EU DCC scheme by 19th July 2021. This included the issuing of certificates to those who are fully vaccinated and negative test results provided by authorised COVID test providers and laboratories. The certificates issue by email where an email address was provided or via the postal system where no email was recorded.
Currently, daily updates are available on the Gov.ie website.
468. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the agencies and State organisations under his Department that are receiving State funding that do not have to declare salaries of employees under the 2016 code of governance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40041/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department in receipt of funding from the State declare the salaries of their respective employees, as set out in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016.
469. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the expected publication date of the final report as part of the Phoenix Park transport and mobility options study. [40087/21]
View answerThe Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study, Post-Consultation Report will be published by Minister Patrick O'Donovan on Tuesday, 27 July at 10.00 a.m.
470. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his Department’s role in the collection of disaggregated data as it relates to Government spending. [40099/21]
View answerPerformance budgeting was introduced in 2011 as part of a suite of reforms to the public expenditure framework and involves the routine use of performance information alongside financial details as part of the budget process. A key aim of the performance budgeting initiative is to maximise the reporting of relevant quantitative metrics capable of being used to assess trends over time in order to underpin the scrutiny and appraisal of expenditure programmes. The annual Public Service Performance Report seeks to present this information in a clear and accessible way in order to increase transparency and accountability.
Building on this progress, my Department successfully applied for funding to develop the Performance Budgeting Framework and systems under the EU Structural Reform Support Programme. This project incorporates all elements of Performance Budgeting, including Equality Budgeting and Green Budgeting, and also has linkages with the development of the Well-being Framework. The project is underway and focuses on key priorities such as improving the IT framework for Performance Budgeting and increased “tagging” of expenditure.
In 2019, my Department, in liaison with the Department of Justice and Equality, commissioned the OECD to undertake a Policy Scan of Equality Budgeting in Ireland. This was published in tandem with Budget 2020. The report reviews Ireland’s equality budgeting programme and provides recommendations on its further development, in light of international experience.
One of the recommendations of the OECD Policy Scan relates to the development of an equality data strategy to further bolster the impact of Equality Budgeting. Monitoring and reporting from a given dimension of equality is only possible if the necessary disaggregated data is available. With this in mind, the CSO has conducted a data audit to evaluate the quality of existing administrative datasets from an equality perspective. This audit was guided by a sub-group of the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group, and a report was published in October 2020. This will inform future work in relation to an equality data strategy.
Detailed information on the allocations to each Vote is also published in the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV) in December of each year, which breaks down funding allocated by programme and subhead. This publication also includes information on key outputs and activities and on context and impact indicators to provide information on performance.
Additionally, to provide greater transparency to the wider society in relation to public expenditure issues, a breakdown of expenditure data by Department can be found on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s databank, which can be found at databank.per.gov.ie. This website provides detail on expenditure back to 1994. Further to this, data visualisations of gross expenditure from 2011 to date are available on whereyourmoneygoes.gov.ie.
In addition to the data provided as part of the whole of year Estimates process, the Open Data Unit in my Department also provides information via the national Open Data Portal. The portal manages over 12,000 datasets created by 145 public sector bodies who publish their data to the portal. The Open Data Unit provides this forum for publishing non-personal data at its most granular level in a non-proprietary format, with an open data licence (CC-BY 4.0). The data is provided with explanatory metadata - allowing free re-use by all. However, it does not create or store this data, but provides training, organisational and technical support to public bodies, where necessary. Ireland’s Open Data Portal is recognised as a leader in the EU and OECD and the Open Data Unit can facilitate requests for data from members of the public.
471. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there are any further developments in relation to the long-term plans for the historic Westgate House on Narrow West Street in Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40124/21]
View answerThe property at Westgate House in Drogheda is the subject of an intra-State transfer between the Commissioners of Public Works and Louth County Council.
I understand from my officials that they continue to engage with officials in Louth County Council with a view to finalising the transfer of the property, which is due to be completed shortly. The long-term plans for the property will be determined by the Council.
472. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of discussions between his Department and Louth County Council to bring the site St. Laurence’s Gate in Drogheda town centre back into use and open to the public to draw much needed tourism to the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40133/21]
View answerWhile there has been contact between Louth County Council and the Office of Public Works regarding St Laurence's Gate, a more meaningful discussion surrounding the provision of a sustainable and efficient visitor presentation model is premature given the current concerns and issues surrounding the condition of the site.
As previously advised, it is the view of the Commissioners of Public Works that the site should in the future, be managed locally and the Commissioners are happy to consider any proposal in this regard.
473. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the latest status of the CFRAM schemes relating to Drogheda, Dundalk and Blackrock, Carlingford and Greenore, Ardee, Baltray and Mornington; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40142/21]
View answerThrough 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.
One key output of the CFRAM Programme were the Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMP’s) that contain proposed flood relief measures - informed by costs, benefits and environmental factors - to address the flood risk in each community and nationwide.
The evidence provided by the CFRAM Programme, launched in May 2018, supports the Government’s €1bn planned investment in flood relief through the National Development Plan 2018-2027 as part of Project Ireland 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 being progressed.
- The proposed flood relief scheme at Dundalk / Blackrock South includes the Ardee Flood Relief Scheme and will protect some 1,880 properties when completed.
- The proposed flood relief scheme at Drogheda and Baltray will protect some 450 properties when completed.
- The proposed flood relief scheme at Carlingford and Greenore will protect some 409 properties when completed.
The tender for Engineering Consultancy Services was awarded in 2020 to Binnies (formerly Black and Veatch) and Nicholas O ‘Dwyer (Joint Venture) for the Dundalk/Blackrock South and Ardee projects that are being progressed simultaneously.
The Engineering Consultancy Services tender brief for Drogheda and Baltray, was advertised in December 2020 and the outcome of the tender evaluation for this project is imminent.
The Engineering Consultancy Services tender brief for the Carlingford and Greenore scheme is currently being developed and is due to be published in the coming months.
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.
In 2012, the OPW completed €4.5m investment in a flood relief scheme in Mornington that is protecting some 160 properties. The CFRAM Programme has proposed that an extension to this existing scheme may be required to address some additional flood risk. As the scale of investment is small, estimated to be approximately €500,000 Meath County Council has agreed to lead on the development of a further scheme for this area. Funding for this is being provided by the OPW.
474. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a local community organisation will be facilitated on OPW-owned lands for the provision of a community facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40405/21]
View answerSince the inception of Ionad an Bhlascaoid at Dun Chaoin, the OPW has been highly engaged with the local community and Fondúireacht an Bhlascaoid in seeking to meet the cultural and social needs of the community.
The OPW’s role is to animate and present our national archaeological, natural and cultural heritage through compelling visitor experiences. The lands at Ionad an Bhlascaoid were acquired and are maintained by the State for the purpose of presenting the unique natural, literary and cultural legacy of the Blasket Islands.
The new Viewing Platform, which opened in 2020 following substantial investment, links to the headland walks and provides excellent outdoor recreation amenity for local, national and international visitors. We do not believe a playground would be compatible with the wider landscape surrounding the Ionad. Playgrounds are available in Ballyferriter and Dingle, 8km and 14km respectively from Ionad an Bhlascaoid.
As part of the current ongoing project works, parking, toilets, café and visitor facilities are planned to cater for the visitors to the Ionad. The additional visitor demand from users of the playground has not been factored into the building capacity or operating capacity of the site. Our vision is for much increased visitor numbers coming to engage with the great literary legacy of the Blaskets and the cultural life of the area. The facilities at the Ionad are not designed to meet the additional capacity demands that we know would be associated with a playground attraction.
We appreciate this may not be the outcome the community was hoping for but the OPW will continue to work closely with Comharchumann Dhún Chaoin and Fondúireacht an Bhlascaoid to develop the cultural and social programming at the Ionad to best meet the needs of the local community throughout the calendar.
475. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the up-to-date position in respect of efforts to prevent future flooding at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40406/21]
View answerKerry County Council carried out a pre-feasibility study for the Sneem area, the recommendation of which was to carry out further more detailed river modelling to assess the feasibility of the measures identified in the pre-feasibility study. Working in co-operation with Kerry County Council, the Office of Public Works (OPW) completed this assessment in April, 2021. This assessment concluded that no viable flood risk management measure for delivery though the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was identified.
Kerry County Council has informed the OPW that the current owners of the ‘Atlantic Gateway’ development, where all of the at risk properties are located, intend to progress their own flood risk management measures to protect the development. The OPW, through Kerry County Council, have committed to providing data to assist in the design of the works.
476. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for the provision of an improved and safer landing facility on An Blascaod Mór; if the preferred solution has been costed; if there is an indicative timeframe for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40407/21]
View answerThe provision of improved landing facilities on An Blascaod Mór is a long-held objective of the Office of Public Works.
A steering group was established several years ago comprising representatives from Kerry County Council, the OPW, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Fáilte Ireland. The OPW intends to reconvene this group to seek to advance this project. Due to the location and sensitivities of the Great Blasket from a marine ecology and biodiversity perspective, there are complex requirements to ensure the successful delivery of the project. Updated costing and a timeline are expected as an output of reconvening this group.
The OPW intends to continue to pursue this matter in conjunction with relevant agencies. Ultimately, the delivery of improved pier and landing facilities on the Island would be subject to relevant planning permission and the availability of funding.
477. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding that has been allocated by his Department for projects and initiatives in County Tipperary over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40494/21]
View answerDue to the nature of its role, my Department has not allocated funding to projects in County Tipperary in the last year from its own Votes. The main purpose of projects and associated investment undertaken by my Department is to deliver greater effectiveness and efficiency across the Civil and Public Service. While all counties ultimately benefit from my Department’s reform plans by delivering a more effective Civil and Public Service, any project expenditure is primarily invested in the Department's own ICT systems.
478. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has engaged with criminal barristers on their pay restoration given the cuts to their professional fees since 2008 and the lack of restoration; if he is planning on addressing this disparity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40554/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the reductions in counsel fees over the period of 2009-2011 were underpinned by Government decisions and formed part of a broader Government need to reduce costs across the public service.
I fully acknowledge and appreciate the very important work undertaken by barristers who prosecute criminal work on behalf of the State and my Department has engaged constructively with key stakeholders including the Bar Council of Ireland, the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions and the Department of Justice in relation to this matter. In particular it has sought evidence to support any claims that the reductions imposed are linked to significant recruitment and retention issues, thereby potentially adversely impacting the administration of justice. While my Department has not yet been provided with evidential data to support such claims, it remains available to review any further information that may be provided.
My Department has also sought advice from the Attorney General's Office as to whether the State has an obligation in relation to these professional fees. My Department will continue to keep this issue under review and engage with key stakeholders, as appropriate.
479. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will sign off on the flood relief scheme for Enniscorthy, County Wexford; the progress of this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40627/21]
View answerThe Enniscorthy (River Slaney) flood defence scheme is being progressed by Wexford County Council (WCC) on behalf of the Commissioners of Public Works as a scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. This is a significant scheme within the Office of Public Works €1 billion flood relief investment programme nationally, from which the relevant funding for the Enniscorthy scheme will be made available, and on completion will protect 236 properties in the town.
The Scheme requires formal confirmation from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (MPER) to proceed. This is a statutory requirement under the Arterial Drainage Acts(ADA), which now, under the recent European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019, also requires the MPER to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed Scheme. This involves, inter alia, a formal review by MPER of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) commissioned by WCC and recently submitted (along with a Natura Impact Statement) to MPER as part of the formal Confirmation process.
DPER ran the statutory public consultation period required in relation to this process from July 28th to August 28th, 2020. The initial phase of the review of the EIAR and NIS was carried out by consultants engaged for this purpose by DPER, during September and early October. DPER subsequently forwarded submissions from the public consultation, and the EIAR and NIS reviews, to the OPW, along with a request for supplementary information, pursuant to ADA regulations 2019, to ensure that the design of the scheme complies with relevant environmental directives and regulations.
The OPW, Wexford County Council, and scheme consultants Mott Mc Donald formally submitted their response to DPER in the final week of April 2021. DPER confirms that they have received the independent consultants’ review of this information and will be meeting with their consultants shortly to discuss some aspects of their analysis, with a view to confirming the scheme. It is not possible to provide a specific timeline for a formal decision regarding confirmation in advance of that.
Completion of the above tasks and the progression of the flood relief scheme is a priority for all parties. In parallel with the confirmation process, OPW and Wexford County Council have been working on the following to ensure as efficient progression of the works as possible once the scheme is confirmed –
- Foreshore Licence Application- public consultation has been completed, documentation is under review by the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, and approval is expected 2021.
- Technical approvals have been received from Irish Rail for the railway line crossings and from Irish Water for the diversion of services, the legal agreements with Irish Rail and Irish Water are complete, and will be signed post confirmation.
Tender Pre-qualification for contractors for the bridgeworks was re-advertised and is currently being assessed. This will expedite contractor appointment post-confirmation.
- Service Diversions - the detailed design & tender documents for these works are complete, the tender for these works will be advertised following scheme confirmation.
- Archaeological excavations are ongoing.
- Treatment of invasive species (e.g. Japanese Knotweed) is ongoing.
