Written Answers Nos. 14-28
14. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an overview of the way his Department proposes to deal with ongoing vandalism and desecration of graves at Clare Abbey, Ennis, County Clare. [45585/21]
View answerThe Commissioners of Public Works have previously been in discussions with Clare County Council and members of the local community regarding vandalism at Clare Abbey and the desecration of graves at the site. I had the opportunity to meet with the Council and the local community along with my officials from the OPW at Clare Abbey in December 2020.
Following my visit the discussions took take place on the installation of CCTV and floodlighting. Both were considered but neither were deemed appropriate. The issues surrounding the CCTV are the power supply, cabling, archaeology as well as who would be responsible for supervising and curating the system. While wires-free options were also considered, there are a number of logistical issues associated with them, not least, compliance with GDPR legislation, which would need to be overcome. Floodlights would cause light pollution and can also be an attractor to antisocial behaviour.
The Commissioners have hired a local caretaker and he is calling daily to monitor the site. A passive visitor counter has also been placed on the site to track visitor movements, and there has been ongoing engagement with An Garda Síochána in relation to the security of the site. I understand the Commissioners of Public Works are not aware of any current vandalism at Clare Abbey or desecration of graves.
In recent years there have been increases in reports of damage to archaeological monuments. The OPW and the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage have, in recent times, taken proactive measures to negate this trend. Some of the damage is caused by visitor behaviour and a general lack of awareness of the significance of the monuments.
Following discussion with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, an online joint awareness campaign about protecting archaeological and built heritage was developed and run throughout July and August 2021. The aim was to address information gaps and lack of understanding of the impact certain behaviour is having to both archaeological monuments in State care and monuments in private ownership. The focus of the campaign was to raise awareness of the value, importance and uniqueness of Ireland’s archaeological heritage together with conveying the key messages for visitor behaviour at archaeological monuments.
The primary audience for this campaign was young people (18-30 years old) who may be unaware of the damage they may be causing to a site, either above or below ground. This was primarily a digital and social media campaign including three animated videos but also included a leaflet setting out the key issues that was distributed to stakeholders across the country.
15. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding that the Exchequer will receive from the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve; the expected timeframe for receipt of that funding; if he proposes to initiate a consolation process regarding the distribution of this funding; and the other proposals he plans to present in this regard. [44746/21]
View answer26. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the work on determining the disbursement of Ireland’s allocation of over €1 billion from the Brexit Adjustment Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45438/21]
View answer53. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the work on determining the disbursement of Ireland’s allocation of over €1 billion from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45211/21]
View answer59. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the Brexit Adjustment Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45424/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 26, 53 and 59 together.
At the end of June agreement was reached between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers on the European Commission’s proposal for a Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
The Reserve has a total value of €5 billion in constant (2018) prices, or €5.47 billion in current prices. All Member States are to receive a provisional allocation.
I am pleased to say that Ireland has been allocated €1.065 billion in constant (2018) prices, equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices. This represents 21% of the total value of the Reserve, the largest allocation for any Member State.
The reference period for expenditure under the Reserve runs from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023.
80% of the total Reserve will be made available as pre-financing in three instalments: 40% in 2021; 30% in 2022; 30% in 2023. The remaining 20% will be made available in 2025 once Member States have accounted to the Commission for expenditure under the Reserve. In Ireland’s case, the bulk of expenditure will be in the form of pre-financing.
The objective of Reserve is to provide support to counter the adverse economic, social, territorial and, where appropriate, environmental consequences of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. Importantly, the Reserve may only support measures specifically taken by Member States to contribute to this objective.
In Ireland’s case, the allocation of resources from the Reserve will be aligned with the annual Estimates process. Ireland has already spent a considerable amount on preparing for Brexit, with successive budgets since the UK referendum providing significant supports for business and the agri-food sectors, as well as the infrastructure required at the port and airport to maintain the flow of east west trade.
Possible areas for support under Reserve include enterprise supports; supports for the agri-food sector; fisheries; reskilling and retraining; and infrastructure for the ports and airport.
In line with the requirements of the BAR Regulation, a Designated Body will be established within my Department to oversee expenditure under the Reserve.
16. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the Glashaboy flood relief scheme; the status of the tender process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45413/21]
View answerI am pleased to provide an update on the progression of the Glashaboy River Flood Relief Scheme at Glanmire / Sallybrook, Cork. This scheme was confirmed on 18th January 2021 by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, pursuant to Section 7 of Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf. The confirmation is subject to the conditions that were agreed to by the Commissioners for Public Works in Ireland who are the Approving Authority for the scheme.
The twelve week period for judicial review expired on 12th April 2021 without receipt of any objections. The procurement to appoint the civil works contractor for this scheme is being progressed. I am advised by Cork City Council, as the contracting authority for this flood relief scheme, that it expects to invite tenders for this Civil Work contract in the coming weeks.
The scheme will provide protection to some 103 properties; 78 residential properties and 25 commercial premises. The scheme will address the flood risk in a number of locations in the Glanmire area and will include defences, such as walls and embankments; culvert upgrades; channel widening and road re-grading.
The flood relief scheme is being funded from the Government’s €1 billion investment for flood risk management over the period of the National Development Plan 2018-2027, as part of Project Ireland 2040. Provision for the cost of the Scheme is included in the Office of Public Works' multi annual capital allocation.
A Project Steering Committee with representatives from Cork City and County Councils and the OPW is in place, meeting monthly with the engineering consultants to steer and oversee the delivery of this project.
I know that this next stage of appointing a Civil Works contractor and progressing to construction is welcomed by the residents who have been affected by flooding in Glanmire. In addition, my Office and officials in Cork City Council are working closely with other State bodies, including Irish Water to ensure that all of the flood risk in the area is being addressed.
Finally, I would like to reassure the residents and business owners in Glanmire, that as with flood relief schemes completed in other towns, this scheme will provide the standard of protection against significant fluvial flood events.
17. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which civil service personnel are likely to continue remote working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45453/21]
View answer24. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his policy on blended working in the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45713/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 24 together.
You will be aware that the Government has committed in the Programme for Government to mandating public sector employers to move to 20% home and remote working.
In July, 2021 the Government approved a Policy Statement on Blended Working in the Civil Service, which was produced by my Department and agreed by the Civil Service Management Board. The Policy Statement commits the Civil Service to implementing a policy of blended working for the future that can provide flexibility to both employees and their employers in a manner that supports the continued delivery of high quality services to Government, the public and business while providing employees, where appropriate, with choice and opportunity.
Remote working in the Civil Service, post pandemic, will be facilitated on a blended basis. In this context, Officials in my Department have been working with, and continue to work with employers across the Civil and Public Service to develop a Blended Working Policy Framework for the Civil Service. This Framework focuses on the longer-term approach to remote working in the sector and can assist in providing a consistent approach across the wider public sector. The Framework will be finalised over the coming months, following engagement with employee representatives. When this engagement has concluded and the Framework is agreed, it will be rolled out to all civil service organisations. The Framework will provide consistency on certain issues and inform the development of organisational blended working policies which will be tailored to meet the specific requirements of each Department/Office.
18. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the provision of an improved landing facility on An Blascaod Mór; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45698/21]
View answerAn Blascaod Mór is a nationally significant heritage site due to the important literary and cultural output of its tiny community in the first half of the 20th century and the substantial collection of books – nearly 100 in all - that have been written about life on the Blasket Islands in the past century. An Blascaod Mór is also part of the Blasket Islands Special Area of Conservation with the highest level of environmental protection. The State purchased the majority of the holdings on the island in 2009 and the OPW has restored a number of the houses on the island since then. Ionad an Bhlascaoid, (the Blasket Centre), located on the mainland at Dun Chaoin, was built in 1993 as a cultural centre to present and interpret the extraordinary cultural and literary heritage of the Blasket Islands to visitors. It receives in excess of 100,000 visitors per annum and is currently being substantially upgraded by the Office of Public Works with support from Fáilte Ireland as a flagship visitor destination on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The Great Blasket Island, An Blascaod Mór, is a key visitor destination for the Dingle Peninsula. In 2018, the OPW introduced a guided visitor service on the Island and in 2019 almost 10,000 visitors were recorded as having visited the Island. Ferries operate from Dún Chaoin, Ceann Trá and Dingle but landing facilities for visitors arriving to the Island are very basic and require the transhipment of passengers by dinghy from ferry to a slipway on the island. The provision of improved landing facilities at An Blascaod Mór has been an objective of successive governments for many years and improvement of access facilities is an objective of the Fáilte Ireland Visitor Development Experience Plan published earlier this year.
Improved landing facilities, whereby boats could embark and disembark passengers directly to the island are desirable for two reasons: one being safety and the other as an essential element in the sustainable management of the island from heritage, tourism and environmental points of view. While ferry services are confined to licensed vessels with specific tender permits, it is not currently possible to manage access and visitor numbers to achieve a balance between sustainable tourism access and maintaining the fragile environmental balance of the island.
Planning permission was granted to Kerry County Council in 2003 for a pier at An Blascaod Mór but this project did not proceed at the time. The OPW has been advised by Kerry County Council that a fresh process of securing planning for a pier would now be required given changed circumstances concerning environmental protection in the interim.
The OPW has engaged with key stakeholders including Fáilte Ireland, Kerry County Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in recent years to agree a way to progress the planning of a revised project for An Blascaod Mór. The OPW also made a funding application to the Rural Regeneration Development Fund in 2019 to secure funds to bring to planning a suitable proposal for a new pier at An Blascaod More but this application was not successful. I assure the Deputy that this project continues to be one of great importance to the OPW in order to secure safe access for visitors and to protect the unique landscape of the Island into the future.
19. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the future use of St. Laurence’s Gate, Drogheda; if costings and feasibility reports have been undertaken in respect of opening the landmark for public tours and so on to further encourage tourism into the town centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45495/21]
View answerAs indicated to the Deputy in a previous Parliamentary Reply, the Office of Public Works has facilitated limited, controlled access to St Laurence Gate in recent years, for community events such as the Fleadh and Art’s Festival. At these occasions, access was strictly ticketed due to the physical constraints within the monument and general health and safety concerns. Facilitating this access placed a considerable demand on resources, as Office of Public Works staff provided the stewarding within the monument on all of those occasions.
A substantial conservation project would be required to address the issues identified at St. Laurence's Gate, as per the recent Office of Public Works commissioned structural report which was widely shared with local public representatives. While these works have not been quantified in terms of cost The Office of Public Works do not, at present, have the resources to carry out this work. However, it should be noted that if the monument was to be opened to the public on a regular basis all elements highlighted in the Structural Report would need to be addressed.
As with all National Monuments in the State care, OPW will continue to monitor and carry out routine maintenance on this monument in line with legislative obligation.
20. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied with the process of Government appointments in light of the recently aborted appointment of a former Minister to a UN position; and his views on whether the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointment) Act 2004 needs to be amended in this regard. [45415/21]
View answer28. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied with the process of Government appointments in view of recent events; and his views on whether the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointment) Act 2004 needs to be amended in this regard. [45587/21]
View answer75. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on whether the Top Level Appointments Committee should have a role in the recruitment of special envoys to ensure that the full details of any future appointments to be shared in advance and adequately considered in a proper way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45500/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 28 and 75 together.
The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 sets out procedures relating to the recruitment and appointments for the civil service and certain other bodies in the public service.
However as Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, I have responsibility under these acts for recruitment to the Civil Service only as set out by Section 58(1)(a) of the 2004 Act.
As the Deputy will be aware, all general appointments to the civil service are by way of open competition, and the Public Appointments Service (PAS), which operates under licence from the Commission for Public Service Appointments, is the principal recruiter for the civil service.
PAS continues to apply the standards of probity, merit, equity and fairness, consistent with the codes of practice set down by the Commission. The codes of practice are followed by PAS in the public interest, for the recruitment, assessment and selection of persons for appointments in the Civil Service and other public service bodies, as was set out in Section 34 (1) (b) of the 2004 Act.
Appointments to positions of Assistant Secretary General and higher in the civil service are generally undertaken by the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) with the assistance of the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The Government is again committed to ensuring a policy of open recruitment and the role of TLAC, as an independent body, is to support that and ensure that the recruitment and selection process for senior Civil Service posts is accessible to the widest pool of qualified candidates.
TLAC also operates under the Code of Practice issued by the Commission for Public Service Appointments in accordance with the principles of merit, consistency, accountability, probity, best practice and professional confidentiality.
My department has also taken a leadership role on appointments to State Boards. The Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, 2014 provides a framework for appointments to the boards of State Bodies. The guidelines help provide for a more robust and transparent process and assist in both the good governance of state bodies, and, together with other relevant policies such as the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, also help in driving progress towards wider Government goals. These guidelines and the Code of Practice, are kept under ongoing review.
Finally, I understand that the Minister for Foreign Affairs has asked his department to undertake a review of the role and appointment of special envoys. The terms of reference are currently being drafted and it is anticipated that the review will be completed by mid-October 2021. The members of the review committee will include senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the CEO of PAS and a management consultant who was formerly a Chair of TLAC. The review will look at the role and appointment of special envoys internationally; the role, status and work of special envoys appointed by Ireland to date; terms and conditions and value for money of special envoys appointed by Ireland; examine best practice in public appointments procedures in Ireland; consult with stakeholders in Ireland, the EU and other countries; and make recommendations on an appropriate model for the future appointment of special envoys in Ireland based on a transparent and competitive process.
21. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the plans he has in place to review the oversight and governance of major spending projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45656/21]
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.
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.
The updated Public Spending Code brings a renewed focus to:
- Robust options appraisal to support identification of the most efficient and effective option to achieve the identified objective;
- Gaining a more developed view of costs, risks and timeframes before committing to proceed with a project;
- Tighter governance of key decision points during project preparation and delivery;
- Ongoing updating of the business case for a project as it proceeds through design and planning phases; and
- Continued scrutiny of affordability throughout the process.
As part of the ongoing reform of the Public Spending Code and as one of the work streams of the review of the National Development Plan, my Department is developing a strengthened external assurance process for major projects with an estimated cost of over €100 million. This will involve an independent review of major projects at two key stages in the project life-cycle, specifically when the preferred delivery option is chosen and before approval is given to go to tender. The reviews will be conducted by independent experts in infrastructure delivery. The application of external review process will be the responsibility of approving authorities, the spending Departments in the main, and their Accounting Officers in order to rigorously assess business cases that have been issued to them from their Sponsoring Agencies. The responsibility will be on approving authorities to tender for the external review from a framework of experts and to ensure the feedback from the review is reflected in any updated business case.
The reviews will consider key issues including:
- Robustness of planned delivery;
- Accuracy of cost forecasts;
- Consideration of risk; and
- Appropriateness of procurement strategies.
In addition, a Major Projects Advisory Group is being established to support my Department's role within the overall project assurance process. The Group will support my Department in assimilating the outputs from the external reviews, informed by the perspective of those who have successfully delivered major public infrastructure in Ireland.
The detail of the process and arrangements for implementation will be delivered in Q4 2021.
22. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the measures he plans to put in place to deal with the under investment in the Northern and Western Regional Assembly areas and to move the region from a region in transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45653/21]
View answerBalanced regional development is a key priority of this Government and this priority is at the heart of Project Ireland 2040. This strategic plan includes the National Planning Framework, which sets the overarching spatial strategy for the next twenty years, along with the National Development Plan which is currently in the process of being reviewed and is due for publication shortly.
Ensuring close alignment between the two is necessary in order to accommodate a projected 1 million additional people by 2040 across Ireland's three regional assembly areas. The plan aims to ensure that 75% of growth takes place outside Dublin. One of the objectives of the review of the National Development Plan, is to ensure the alignment of investment with that strategy in order to promote regional development as planned.
The three Regional Assemblies are responsible for co-ordinating, promoting and supporting the strategic planning and sustainable development of their regions, by formulating Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies. The strategy for the Northern and Western Region has set out the priorities for the region based on the County Development Plans being integrated into a regional investment plan which is expected to be a major driver of the implementation of the NPF. Investment decisions made by Departments are informed by the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies.
A report on the Northern and Western Region will be published alongside the new NDP. The report details the specific regional projects and programmes which are being delivered in the North-West as part of the public investment detailed in Project Ireland 2040.
In addition, my Department publishes a major capital projects tracker, which sets out details of the key projects and programmes being implemented under the NDP, including the location of the projects. The Tracker includes a number of major projects directly related to the Northern and Western region.
23. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there has been engagement with the Department of Community and Rural Development in relation to vacant buildings owned or under the remit of the OPW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45699/21]
View answerI can confirm that my officials in the OPW have had several discussions with the Department of Community and Rural Development in relation to vacant buildings owned or under the remit of the OPW. As the Deputy may be aware, the Office of Public Works (OPW) manages and maintains a substantial and complex estate - approximately 2,500 properties -– valued at around €3.3 billion.
It is a diverse portfolio that includes office accommodation for all Government Departments, the property estate for An Garda Síochána and numerous properties for many State Agencies. The portfolio also houses specialised spaces such as public offices, laboratories, cultural institutions, warehouses, heritage properties, visitor centres and sites.
In any major portfolio, there will always be a certain level of vacant properties. Not all vacant properties are deemed surplus to the State’s requirements or deemed suitable for disposal.
The OPW, like other State bodies, is obliged to follow central Government policies and protocols on the disposal of surplus properties.
As a matter of policy, no property or site is disposed of until there is absolute certainty that there is no alternative State use for that property.
The OPW’s approach to managing vacant properties is firstly, to establish if the property is needed for alternative State use; if it can be re-purposed for Government Departments or the wider public service.
A number of strategic properties or sites are retained in case of future State use or development. We have to be in a position to meet demands arising from Government policy changes to public service provision.
Secondly, if no State use is identified, the OPW considers open market disposal – depending on market conditions.
Thirdly, we may consider community involvement, depending on a detailed submission showing that a community or voluntary group can insure, maintain and manage the property.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has had a disposal programme in place for many years, which is a normal part of managing any large property portfolio. In 2014, there were almost 240 vacant surplus properties, including the 139 closed stations.
Since 2014, the number of vacant and surplus properties reduced to 102 properties. This reduction includes 125 income generating disposals - generating income in excess of €22million for the Exchequer. Included in the remaining 102 surplus properties is 37 of the 139 Garda stations that were closed in 2012 and 2013. The disposal programme for these specific properties began in January 2014, but was delayed because of a request from An Garda Síochána in 2016 to postpone further disposals while two policing reviews were undertaken. The Reviews by AGS were completed in December 2018 and the OPW restarted the disposal process in January 2019. The programme of disposals was further interrupted by Covid-related lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, though the OPW progressed a number of transfers or disposals where it was feasible.
A number of public auctions are planned to the end of 2021, subject to pandemic restrictions, with 4 planned for 2022.
The OPW has provided a list of surplus properties to the Department of Rural and Community Development to consider their suitability for future community or other use.
In May of this year, my officials wrote to 12 local authorities advising them of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme funding that is available from the Department of Community and Rural Development. This arose from engagement between my officials and the Department in relation to this opportunity to renew some of the State’s vacant stock and improve the landscape in towns and villages around the country.
My officials offered the local authorities an option to lease or purchase 24 of the 37 remaining former Garda station properties for community use, with a view to them applying to the Department to avail of the funding necessary to refurbish the properties.
To-date, 6 local authorities have responded with an expression of interest for former Garda station properties. Heads of Terms have issued on a number of them with a view to progressing leases through the Office of the Chief State Solicitor.
25. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the work to improve the diversity of State boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45411/21]
View answer38. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress being made to strengthen gender diversity on State boards across the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45688/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 38 together.
I am committed to ensuring that we continue to build diversity within our State boards. This will be both better reflective of modern Ireland and also ensure we draw on the widest diversity of talent for better governance of our State bodies.
In terms of gender diversity, on foot of the 2019 Inter-Departmental Group report on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on State Boards, the Deputy may be aware that in September 2020 I published an Annex to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. The Annex deals with Gender Balance, Diversity and Inclusion. Provisions included in this Annex are specifically aimed at improving diversity on State boards such as reducing the board terms, and facilitating greater turnover of Board members.
In addition, the annual Chairperson's comprehensive report to the relevant Minister must set out progress being made in addressing gender equality and diversity issues; where the boards stands vis-à-vis the 40% gender balance requirements; measures being taken to address where the 40% requirements are not met and specifically measures being taken to address the situation where a board is either all male or all female.
Most importantly each board should carry out an annual self-assessment evaluation and this process should incorporate a detailed analysis and critical assessment of the gender, diversity and skills mix within the board, including where relevant a critical assessment of the reasons why gender balance in Board membership has not yet been achieved.
I am pleased to be able to report that there has been some progress in gender diversity on State Boards. An analysis carried out by my Department in June 2021 on 203 State Boards showed that there were 2,085 serving board members and the gender participation rates are 44.70% female (December 2018: 41.5%) and 55.34% male (December 2018: 58.50%), with 50.74% of Boards (December 2018: 47.6%) now meeting the 40% gender targets.
In terms of broader aspects of diversity on State Boards, since 2014 all appointments to State boards are managed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAS) and advertised on the website stateboards.ie. PAS have led on a number of activities to raise awareness about State boards, the process and who can apply, in order to increase the diversity of the boards. PAS regularly use social media and radio campaigns to promote individual campaigns and in order to reach a national audience and inform the general public about the process for appointment to State Boards. Information evenings have also been hosted in regional locations (Athlone, Cork, Galway, Dublin). I understand that PAS are considering further measures to broaden diversity and my Department will continue to engage with them on this important objective.
27. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of the State’s expenditure in 2022 that will be allocated by way of competitive bidding for resources based on the quality or innovation of proposals; the Departments that make least use of such models; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44808/21]
View answerThere is no central allocation of public funds by way of competitive bidding based on quality or innovation of proposals. The accounting officer of each public body is responsible for determining what portion of their allotted budget will be so allocated. All Irish public bodies are obliged to spend or invest public funds with care, and to ensure that optimal value for money is obtained in accordance with the Public Spending Code which sets out the rules and procedures to ensure that these standards are upheld across the Irish public service.
Section 19 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993, provides that each Accounting Officer is responsible for the safeguarding of public funds and property under his or her control; for the regularity and propriety of all the transactions in each Appropriation Account bearing his or her signature; and for the efficiency and economy of administration in his or her Department.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP), an office with my Department, publishes the Public Procurement Guidelines For Goods and Services to guide contracting authorities on the use of public procurement procedures. The Guidelines advise that contracts should be awarded on the basis of MEAT (most economically advantageous tender) in accordance with the 2016 Procurement Regulations (S.I. No. 284/2016 - European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016). This typically means a combination of price and quality where quality might include factors such as delivery date or period of completion, delivery process, running costs, aesthetic and functional characteristics, accessibility, and technical merit. The Guidelines also provide information on the use of innovation procurement for public bodies.
The following table illustrates figures for MEAT and Cost only for awards for 50 OGP central arrangements:
|
OGP Frameworks |
2019 & 2020 |
|
% assessed on MEAT |
98% |
|
% assessed on Cost only |
2% |
|
MEAT – mean quality |
60 |
