Written Answers Nos. 21-40
21. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of requests for appeals in respect of the restart grant plus scheme for Covid-19 when the closing date was abruptly introduced; the number of appeals and the estimated quantum value of the appeals by county together with the number of appeals and the quantum of amounts that were approved on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42217/21]
View answerThe Restart Grant scheme was launched in May 2020 and was live on all Local Authority websites. It was advertised extensively both nationally and locally as well as across social media. The Scheme was initially intended to provide grants in tandem with the phased re-opening of the economy as per the Government’s Roadmap. As the Roadmap was accelerated, so too was the scheme available to all eligible businesses and sectors.
The numbers of applications nationally had begun to taper off as we considered introducing an expanded Restart Scheme with higher grant levels. As the Government decided to introduce the higher grant levels, to the benefit of a much larger group of businesses, it was decided to end the original scheme. The Restart Grant Plus Scheme was launched in August 2020, with increased minimum and maximum grants available to a larger cohort of businesses.
Businesses, for whichever reason, that were unable to apply for the original Restart Grant scheme were entitled to submit an appeal to their Local Authority. In this context it is important to note that for the purposes of the Restart Grant and Restart Grant Plus schemes, each Local Authority was the decision-making body and the appeals body, so individual appeals were directed in the first instance to their respective Local Authority, noting the circumstances/reasons for the particular appeal.
I can advise the Deputy that, of the total 123,380 applications for the Restart Schemes operated by the 31 Local Authorities on behalf of my Department, 108,634 applications were approved and paid. 14,746 were not approved. The funding provided to each Local Authority for the appeals is set out below by Local Authority area in tabular format, along with a breakdown by Local Authority area of the €633.2 million approved in grant assistance to eligible businesses.
|
RESTART GRANTS SCHEMES |
|||||
|
Local Authority |
Total Number of Applications |
Number of Applications Not Approved |
Number of Applications Approved |
Total Value of Appeals Funding € |
Value of Total Applications Approved € |
|
Carlow |
1,467 |
109 |
1,358 |
€0 |
€7,493,149 |
|
Cavan |
2,272 |
194 |
2,078 |
€16,722 |
€9,851,417 |
|
Clare |
3,185 |
333 |
2,852 |
€332,285 |
€15,062,331 |
|
Cork City |
6,458 |
1,126 |
5,332 |
€4,150,702 |
€36,951,412 |
|
Cork County |
11,946 |
1,243 |
10,703 |
€0 |
€34,124,468 |
|
Donegal |
4,599 |
207 |
4,392 |
€1,279,241 |
€24,298,505 |
|
Dublin City |
15,038 |
2,755 |
12,283 |
€3,019,326 |
€98,022,805 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
3,780 |
563 |
3,217 |
€723,941 |
€26,088,577 |
|
Fingal |
4,646 |
595 |
4,051 |
€400,000 |
€30,091,628 |
|
Galway City |
3,244 |
460 |
2,784 |
€1,000,000 |
€18,897,889 |
|
Galway County |
4,178 |
745 |
3,433 |
€1,180,744 |
€17,016,277 |
|
Kerry |
4,842 |
692 |
4,150 |
€500,000 |
€23,540,813 |
|
Kildare |
4,171 |
476 |
3,695 |
€2,001,820 |
€25,448,466 |
|
Kilkenny |
2,462 |
268 |
2,194 |
€0 |
€11,325,394 |
|
Laois |
1,611 |
230 |
1,381 |
€0 |
€7,693,446 |
|
Leitrim |
984 |
72 |
912 |
€0 |
€4,203,787 |
|
Limerick |
5,034 |
517 |
4,517 |
€54,692 |
€26,576,902 |
|
Longford |
1,407 |
71 |
1,336 |
€400,000 |
€6,196,951 |
|
Louth |
3,611 |
559 |
3,052 |
€1,298,948 |
€18,281,163 |
|
Mayo |
4,572 |
604 |
3,968 |
€477,033 |
€20,241,131 |
|
Meath |
3,681 |
221 |
3,460 |
€562,413 |
€18,973,679 |
|
Monaghan |
1,983 |
85 |
1,898 |
€0 |
€9,357,678 |
|
Offaly |
1,955 |
162 |
1,793 |
€613,344 |
€9,167,835 |
|
Roscommon |
1,779 |
64 |
1,715 |
€505,110 |
€8,242,244 |
|
Sligo |
1,850 |
23 |
1,827 |
€566,816 |
€9,009,109 |
|
South Dublin |
4,851 |
1,141 |
3,710 |
€500,000 |
€30,976,222 |
|
Tipperary |
4,500 |
227 |
4,273 |
€0 |
€20,401,593 |
|
Waterford |
3,106 |
278 |
2,828 |
€454,509 |
€15,779,672 |
|
Westmeath |
2,441 |
143 |
2,298 |
€61,185 |
€11,483,918 |
|
Wexford |
4,460 |
277 |
4,183 |
€1,532,492 |
€22,534,110 |
|
Wicklow |
3,267 |
306 |
2,961 |
€591,793 |
€15,897,283 |
|
TOTAL |
123,380 |
14,746 |
108,634 |
22,223,116 |
633,229,854 |
22. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on previous and upcoming scheduled meetings with the play and leisure industry to discuss the need for ongoing business supports due to the Covid-19 pandemic and plans to reopen the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42228/21]
View answerI and officials in my Department have continued to engage with various sectors throughout this pandemic to assess the optimal supports required. The Government have provided a comprehensive package to help businesses during the pandemic, details of the ongoing supports can be found here: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie).
A new Economic Recovery Plan was announced in June, with €4 billion of stimulus to fuel the economy and businesses to recover and rebuild. The Plan also outlined a number of changes to the current financial supports as public health restrictions unwind, assuring that the CRSS will remain in place for businesses that have to stay closed. The EWSS is being extended until the end of 2021, the commercial rates waiver will continue during the third quarter of this year for those availing of it, the 9% VAT rate was extended until the 1 September 2022, tax warehousing is being extended until the end of the year and will be interest free in 2022.
A new Business Resumption Support Scheme, administered by Revenue, has commenced this week for businesses with significantly reduced turnover as a result of public health restrictions, the details of which are available on the Revenue website.
As the Deputy is aware, the Government have agreed Ireland’s plan for the next and final phase response to the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting. During the period between 1 September and 22 October, the gradual approach to reopening will continue, you will note from this publication that indoor play centres may open from the 20th of September.
Subject to the continuation of this progress, we will enter a final phase on 22 October, which will see the majority of restrictions lifted and replaced by guidance and advice.
I would urge business owners to seek the supports outlined on my Department’s website if they have not already done so.
23. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has a draft timetable for full preparations up to and including the necessary referendum on the European Unified Patent Court system which Ireland signed up to and is now expected to be operational in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42435/21]
View answer24. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the preparations to host an Irish local division of the Unified Patent Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42436/21]
View answer25. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there are plans in place to develop a strategy to market the Irish local division of the Unified Patent Court internationally to ensure it is successful and delivers on its full economic potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42437/21]
View answer26. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is considering making a bid to host the central division of the Unified Patent Court system given that the UK’s withdrawal from the agreement means that the central division court destined for London will have to find a new home (details supplied); if there have been discussions with the enterprise agencies on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42438/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23 to 26, inclusive, together.
To enter into force, the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) must be ratified by 13 Member States (MS) including the three largest contracting states (by number of European patents). Originally, these were France, Germany, and the UK. The UK, which had ratified in April 2018, announced in February 2020 following Brexit, that it would not be participating in the UPCA. This led to a revision of the three contracting states to France, Germany, and Italy. To date, 16 Member States have ratified the Agreement including France and Italy. Germany has yet to ratify the Agreement. In addition, with the withdrawal of the UK, two further MS have to ratify it before the Unified Patent Court can come into force.
Ireland would have to hold a successful referendum before ratifying the Agreement. A decision on the holding of a referendum on this issue will be kept under review in the context of the timing of the coming into force of the UPC. Consideration of issues in relation to the potential location of local and central divisions of the UPC in Ireland would have to await the outcome of any referendum.
27. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he or his Department played any role in the procurement of ventilators from China at any point from 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021. [42589/21]
View answerMy Department did not procure medical equipment, including ventilators, between January 2020 and January 2021. However, during the earlier period of the Covid crisis, my Department did work with our enterprise agencies and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to support Government efforts to source increased supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical equipment. IDA Ireland, in particular, worked closely with the HSE and Office of Government Procurement (OGP) in identifying overseas suppliers of urgently needed PPE and medical equipment.
28. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the new Brexit impact loan scheme an important support for Irish businesses who are facing challenges arising from Brexit and Covid-19 will be open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42591/21]
View answerThe launch of the Brexit Impact Loan Scheme [BILS] is planned for mid-September. This will see the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland opening for eligibility applications and the first of the participating lenders making the scheme available, with further lenders to follow in the coming weeks.
This scheme is a successor to the Brexit Loan Scheme. It will make loans available to eligible Brexit-impacted businesses for longer terms, of up to six years, and provide for more competitive interest rates. The scheme will also allow some forms of refinancing, and, lending under the scheme can be used for investment purposes as well as for working capital.
This scheme has been developed in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and will be available to eligible primary producers (businesses engaged in farming and fishing).
The scheme is operated by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland through participating lenders and is underpinned by a guarantee through the European Guarantee Fund (EGF), which is being implemented by the European Investment Fund [EIF] on behalf of the European Commission.
I am conscious of the impact that Brexit has had on Irish businesses, on top of the changes brought about by the pandemic. The Brexit Impact Loan Scheme will make up to €330m available to eligible businesses as they navigate the dual impacts of the pandemic and the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
29. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the licensing and regulatory framework in place for the barbering trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42638/21]
View answerRegulations that apply to all businesses can be found on the www.businessregulation.ie Business Regulation portal. This portal provides assistance in identifying the main regulations which affect businesses and to provide links to relevant tools and contact points. For additional information on enforcement of any regulations relevant to this sector you may wish to contact my colleague the Minister for Health who has responsibility for the HSE and Environmental Health Officers.
30. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps that being taken to facilitate remote working within his Department in particular to encourage remote working for those who live in the regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42704/21]
View answerDepartments and Offices are currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. The Department has work locations in Dublin, Sligo, Carlow, Kilkenny and Ennis. Staff in each of these locations were supported to work from home during the pandemic in line with Government Policy.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is developing a central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service. This will be finalised in conjunction with employee representatives over the coming months. This framework will inform the development of organisation level blended working policies tailored to the specific requirements of each Department/Office, whilst ensuring a consistency of approach across the Civil Service.
Since the start of the pandemic, my Department has made significant efforts to facilitate remote working for staff, and to invest in assisting staff to work safely and productively from home.
My Department’s Management Board also recognised that customary approaches for ensuring staff development, team effectiveness and manager engagement needed to be reconsidered to support successful blended working. In October 2020, the DETE Management Board approved the launch of the ‘ConnEcTEd Teams’ pilot programme with the aim of identifying and promoting behaviours that support effective remote/ blended working for teams. The programme targets five key areas:
1. Maintaining team/ organisation-wide connectedness and trust;
2. Ensuring effective and efficient information flows;
3. Enabling continued on-the-job training and coaching activities;
4. Facilitating remote collaboration and innovation; and
5. Supporting employee wellbeing.
The most significant element of the ConnEcTEd Teams initiative is our project involving pilot teams from seven Divisions across the Department, representative of all grades and locations. Each of the teams underwent a process to identify and implement actions that could positively impact their remote/blended team working behaviours. Senior leaders from across the Department also participated in facilitated sessions that focussed on building a shared understanding of the strategic opportunities and challenges presented by blended working for DETE. It identified the skills required to be effective leaders in a hybrid work environment.
Based on the insights gained from the programme, our HR team is preparing a report which will present a menu of actions for consideration by individuals, teams, people managers and leaders seeking to embed effective blended team working behaviours. The report will highlight areas where the Department can focus its efforts to support blended working at an organisation-wide level (e.g. orientation, people manager supports, network creation, virtual collaboration training). The ConnEcTEd Teams project report, when approved by the Department’s Management Board, will be shared across the Civil and Public service with the intention that other organisations may learn from the process and insights uncovered.
In line with Government policy the Department has issued communications to staff and is convening planned information sessions to address questions and concerns that staff may have as we plan a phased return to the office from 20 September. The Department sees a phased return to the office, in all locations over the next three-six months, thus enabling staff a gradual return as measures are put in place during the pandemic to manage work/life commitments are recalibrated to meet the needs of the Department post pandemic.
31. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are accommodating requests for persons to work from home. [42754/21]
View answerDepartments and Offices are currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is developing a central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service. This will be finalised in conjunction with employee representatives over the coming months. This framework will inform the development of organisation level blended working policies tailored to the specific requirements of each Department/Office, whilst ensuring a consistency of approach across key policy areas.
Until such time as this framework is in place, and in line with Public Health guidance, my Department will support staff to return to the office commencing on the 20th September on a gradual and flexible basis. Communications have issued to staff and information sessions are planned to answer questions staff may and to provide support as staff return to the office.
These measures apply to staff in my Department and its Offices across five locations including Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Sligo and Ennis. Remote and Blended Working arrangements in the Agencies under the aegis of my Department are operational matters for the Agencies themselves.
32. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to ensure that Covid-19 vaccine trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights waiver is addressed through the WTO TRIPS Agreement. [42776/21]
View answerUniversal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19.
International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups, including on Intellectual Property.
As regards the broad waiver proposed by a number of WTO Members, on 4 June, the EU submitted a proposal to the WTO General Council, which proposed that WTO Members could agree on a global trade initiative for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics encompassing the three components of (i) trade facilitation and disciplines on export restrictions; (ii) concrete actions to expand production and ensure supply of vaccines at affordable prices to low and middle income countries during the pandemic and (iii) clarification and facilitation of TRIPS Agreement flexibilities relating to compulsory licences.
The EU has also submitted a Declaration to the TRIPS Council to assist the next phase of discussions with a view to trying to reach agreement with all Members of the WTO on how to achieve the shared goal of expanding production and facilitating equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics for all.
The EU continues to be committed to an open and comprehensive dialogue with all WTO members to explore how the multilateral rules-based trading system can best support universal and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, and to continue ramping up production, to share COVID-19 vaccines and medicines more widely and faster and to ensure equitable access to these products for low and middle-income countries. The EU considers that the COVAX Facility, the international initiative to ensure global access to COVID vaccines, is the mechanism that is best placed to ensure that high-income countries finance the vaccines and support the developing countries to secure their share of global supply. Ireland has consistently championed collaborative responses to the pandemic, with a focus on ensuring that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are served by our collective effort. As a member of the global health community, Ireland continues to play an active role in ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines for all. This includes supporting the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund, to develop, produce and equitably distribute effective technologies in the COVID-19 global response.
33. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has ever used his personal phones for Government business; and if so, if the personal phones have been hacked during his term of office. [42940/21]
View answerI occasionally use my personal phone for Government business at times when my work phone is not charged or on my person. There is no indication that my personal phone has been hacked.
34. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of freedom of information requests responded to by his Department in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the number of responses that included documents related to text messages and other phone message communications such as messages sent through an application (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42962/21]
View answerThe number of Freedom of Information requests responded to by the Department in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021 are set out below in tabular format.
|
Year |
Total FOI Requests made to the Department |
|
2016 |
209 |
|
2017 |
298 |
|
2018 |
281 |
|
2019 |
258 |
|
2020 |
259 |
|
To date in 2021 |
239 |
While the Department maintains a publicly available FOI log, this log does not report on the format of records released under each FOI request nor is this information collated elsewhere. For this reason it is not possible to provide the requested information.
35. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the cost of each commission of investigation under the remit of his Department over the preceding decade. [42991/21]
View answerThere have been no commissions of investigation under the remit of my Department in the period in question.
36. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of properties owned by the IDA in Tipperary town; and the number of vacant IDA properties in Tipperary town. [43005/21]
View answerWhile IDA Ireland does not own any property in Tipperary Town, they actively market the IDA Business Park in Knockanrawley, Co. Tipperary, located approximately 1km South East of Tipperary Town Centre.
The IDA in recent years sold two sites to non-IDA clients to facilitate their business expansion and support and create employment in the area. The remaining lands in the IDA Business Park, Knockanrawley, Co Tipperary comprise c.2.04 hectares and offer good potential for development subject to planning permission. The Business Park is zoned ‘IE’ (Industrial & Economic) under the current Tipperary Town & Environs Development Plan. These lands are currently for sale on the open market.
IDA Ireland has also proactively engaged with the local authority in regard to promotion of County Tipperary as a location for investment. There are 143 IDA client companies in the Mid-West Region (Clare, Limerick and Tipperary), employing 24,169 people. The FDI performance in the region has been consistent over the past five years with employment among IDA clients increasing by 29%.
There are currently 12 companies located in County Tipperary employing 4,180 people, including Abbott Vascular, Amneal, Boston Scientific, Fiserv and Waystone. The region and county is well positioned to continue to attract new FDI investment and grow employment in existing companies and IDA Ireland will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders and parties in the Region to achieve this objective under the Regional Enterprise Action Plan.
38. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to reopen applications for work permits for dairy farm assistants in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43049/21]
View answerThe employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, however, this objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.
The pilot quota-based scheme introduced in May 2018 following consideration of a detailed business case submitted by the sector, provided a quota of 150 general employment permits for the occupation of Dairy Farm Assistant. This pilot scheme has proved very successful for a range of employers in the sector and the quota of 150 employment permits is now exhausted.
In order to ensure that the employment permits system is responsive to changes in economic circumstances and labour market conditions, it is managed through the operation of the critical skills and the ineligible occupations lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for consideration for an employment permit. The lists are subject to twice yearly reviews which are evidence based and are guided by research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) and the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) in SOLAS, a public consultation process, input from the relevant policy Departments and the Economic Migration Inter-Departmental Group, chaired by the Department. Account is also taken of contextual factors such as Brexit and, in the current context, COVID 19 and their impact on the labour market.
A further review of the occupation lists is underway and the closing date for submissions from stakeholders was 12th August. Any submission by the sector to this review will be considered and it is envisaged that it will be finalised in the early Autumn.
39. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he and or his special advisers and or officials use or have used services (details supplied) to communicate in the past 18 months. [43069/21]
View answerNeither I nor my special advisers have used the services in question for official business in the past 18 months.
With regard to the use of these services by officials in my Department, I am informed by the ICT unit that the Department does not support Slack which is a cloud based collaboration platform. However, some staff members may be accessing this without ICT support, as the website is not currently blocked. The Department provides alternatives to Slack which are supported. With regard to Signal, 22 staff members have downloaded the application to their Departmental phones.
40. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he is taking to assess the water and energy requirements for data centres; his views on the impact on water and energy provision in cities, towns and villages in which there is a data centre nearby; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41455/21]
View answerMy Department does not have any function in the assessment of water and energy requirements for specific data centre projects. This would be a matter for the individual data centre applicant and the relevant planning authority in their assessment of such applications, and the interaction between a prospective data centre and Irish Water and EirGrid. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is Ireland’s independent energy and water regulator. Under Section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, the CRU has the power to issue directions to the system operators. In June 2021, CRU published a proposed Direction to the System Operators related to Data Centre grid connection, for consultation. This included a number of options for managing data centre connection demand. A final decision will be issued by the Regulator in due course.
