Written Answers Nos. 181-200
181. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the white-tailed sea eagle programme following the release of 21 chicks into the wild over the summer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46461/21]
View answerI am delighted to have the opportunity to provide the Deputy with an update on this important and highly successful biodiversity project.
The birds released in August this year were part of the second Phase of this project to reintroduce this magnificent bird to Irish skies. Once a conspicuous part of Ireland’s landscape, they were driven to extinction by human persecution here in the late Nineteenth Century. The first Phase ran from 2007-2011, managed by NPWS and the Golden Eagle Trust, when 100 chicks were released into the wild. Since then, over 35 Irish-born chicks have fledged here, some of whom have begun to rear their own chicks. Indeed, this year one nesting pair on Lough Derg produced three chicks. This is uncommon, even in the very extensive wild populations in Norway.
The Second Phase was launched last year, when ten Norwegian-born chicks were flown into Ireland and released into the wild on the Shannon Estuary and Lough Derg. Of these ten, an astonishing nine are still alive, and have travelled throughout the country, with one even travelling to Scotland.
In August 2021, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department and partners released a further twenty-one Norwegian-born Eagle chicks into the wild to bolster Ireland’s existing White-Tailed Eagle population from a number of locations in Cork, Kerry, Clare and Waterford. They were collected from nests by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research in June this year, and were imported to Ireland via Kerry Airport. They were kept in purpose-built enclosures while they grew, matured, and developed the feathers and muscles necessary for flight.
All 21 of the chicks are out in the natural environment and doing well. The birds will remain local for another 4/5 weeks and will then move out to explore and find new areas. All of the eagles are satellite tagged and readings are taken every day to discern their movements and locations.
The success of both this year's and last year’s releases was thanks to the hard work of both the NPWS staff and the input and assistance of other interested parties. These include representatives of the IFA, the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, and in particular local landowners and farmers, without whose enthusiastic support in monitoring nest sites and care of birds the Project could not succeed. The Project represent the ongoing cooperation of these different groups who are seeking to restore a lost element of Ireland’s natural heritage.
Returning this lost flagship species to Irish skies will be a huge step in restoring Irish natural heritage and improving Irish conservation efforts, and will benefit Irish biodiversity more broadly.
182. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to improve the compulsory purchase powers of local authorities following the publication of Housing for All; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46474/21]
View answerLocal Authorities have a range of legislative powers available to them to deal with under-utilised and derelict properties in their functional areas, for example, through the compulsory purchase powers and under Derelict Sites and Housing legislation.
I encourage Local Authorities to adopt a proactive approach in utilising their available legislative powers for compulsory purchase, where necessary, with the aim of bringing the greatest number of recoverable long-term vacant dwellings back into productive use. In many cases, however, the use of compulsory purchase powers is not necessary as agreement to purchase can be reached between the Local Authority and the property owner. To assist them in pursuing vacant properties, my Department introduced the Buy & Renew Scheme to facilitate the acquisition and remediation of vacant properties that may be suitable for social housing. Through this support mechanism, Local Authorities have delivered over 700 social housing homes to date and as outlined Housing for All I am keen to see further delivery in this way.
In addition, action 19.5 of Housing for All provides for a programme of CPO acquisitions, supported by a bridging finance facility from the Housing Finance Agency, which will allow Local Authorities to maximise opportunities to return vacant properties to productive use.
The objective of the programme, which will be introduced by the end of 2021, is for Local Authorities to acquire up to 2,500 vacant units by 2026 and present them to the open market for sale.
The Housing Agency will assist and advise Local Authorities with the CPO process. Vacant Homes Officers, already in situ in each Local Authority, will be responsible for driving this programme forward.
183. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Taoiseach the cost of providing secretarial services to all retired Taoisigh in each of the years 2017 to 2020. [46047/21]
View answerThe spend by my Department on the provision of secretarial assistance to those former Taoisigh availing of the service, is detailed in the table below.
|
Year |
Cost |
|
2017 |
0 |
|
2018 |
0 |
|
2019 |
€26,090.82 |
|
2020 |
€139,257.55 |
184. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach the percentage of households that have one or more self-employed member of the household. [46365/21]
View answerThe Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a household survey which provides quarterly statistics on employment and unemployment and is the official source of labour market estimates in the State. The primary classification used for the LFS results is the ILO (International Labour Organisation) labour force classification.
The most recent LFS figures available are for Quarter 2 (Q2) 2021.
In Q2 2021, 9.1% of households had one or more persons who were classified as self-employed in their main job. The share of households in which there was at least one person who was self-employed in their second job was just 1%.
185. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the number of businesses that have closed either temporarily or permanently in total and separately due to Covid-19 in 2020 and to date in 2021. [46478/21]
View answerThe exact information requested by the Deputy is not available. Annual statistics on the business population are generally published by the CSO with a time lag of 18 months, as these statistics depend on business tax returns which may be submitted to Revenue up to 11 months after the reference year. The latest business demography results show that there were 272,531 enterprises in Ireland in 2019. To provide faster information since the onset of COVID-19, the CSO has conducted surveys on business impact and has also introduced a Business Signs of Life series.
The results of the CSO's survey on the Business Impact of COVID-19 on SMEs 2020 were published on 3 June 2021. The results indicated that an estimated 56% of responding SMEs had ceased trading at some point in 2020. Of those that did close at some point in 2020, 43% reported closing multiple times while 57% closed just once. Responding enterprises closed for an average of 18 weeks in 2020 and more than 70% of responding enterprises reported a decrease in turnover in 2020 compared to 2019.
The CSO's second report on Business Signs of Life was published on 28 April 2021. The report provided indicators on the interaction between employment-related State payments and business activity, from the beginning of the pandemic up to January 2021, based on an analysis of administrative data sources. Using this analysis, the percentage of enterprises in which all staff in the business were receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) provides an indirect indicator of the percentage that are not trading at any given time. This analysis shows that 6.8% of enterprises had all their staff in receipt of PUP throughout the period from the initial lockdown in March / April 2020 to January 2021, i.e. they did not trade during that period. However, this is not an official indicator of enterprises that have ceased trading.
Monthly data from March 2020 to January 2021, showing the percentage of businesses in the Irish Business Economy in which all employees received the PUP, is set out in the following table:
|
Percentage of business that had all staff in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment |
|
|
Month |
Percentage |
|
March 2020 |
27.1% |
|
April 2020 |
29.5% |
|
May 2020 |
28.8% |
|
June 2020 |
23.8% |
|
July 2020 |
15.5% |
|
August 2020 |
11.9% |
|
September 2020 |
10.3% |
|
October 2020 |
14.0% |
|
November 2020 |
14.6% |
|
December 2020 |
15.1% |
|
January 2021 |
21.5% |
A third report on Business Signs of Life, including estimates of the percentage of businesses no longer trading, is being prepared by the CSO for publication in the fourth quarter of 2021.
186. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Taoiseach if he will ensure that all staff in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit who, by necessity of their work have to come into close proximity with others, including other employees or members of the public are provided with medical grade masks in the EN14683 category [44384/21]
View answerMy Department will continue to comply with latest public health advice and the Work Safely Protocol in relation to attendance by staff in the workplace. Attendance by staff continues to be on the basis of maintaining social distancing at all times in the workplace so the wearing of face masks is not mandatory. The same position applies in the National Economic and Social Development Office, which is the only body under the aegis of my Department. Face masks which comply with EU regulatory requirements are available to staff and visitors in both offices.
187. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Taoiseach the locations of all offices and buildings either owned or used by his Department or by public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit which are usually open to the public to access services. [44923/21]
View answerMy Department has no offices which are usually open to the public to access services and neither does the National Economic and Social Development Office, which is the only body under the aegis of my Department.
188. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach if he has deleted text messages or email correspondence related to Government or official communications at any point since January 2020 to date. [45047/21]
View answerIt is not my practice to delete text messages or email correspondence related to Government or official communications.
189. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Taoiseach if he will consider the suggestion by a person (details supplied) that everyone who died during the Covid-19 pandemic would be remembered in a national commemoration. [45086/21]
View answerAs we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic it will be important as a people that we pause and reflect, take time to remember and pay tribute both to those who have lost their lives in this terrible pandemic and to everyone who has contributed to how we have faced and are facing the challenges together.
The loss of a loved one is always a painful and traumatic event but the pandemic also disrupted our traditional ways of grieving and memorialising that loved one. The Government acknowledges that this is an extremely difficult time for families and friends who are bereaved and is giving careful consideration as to how we might collectively share in remembering those we have lost during this tragic time.
190. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach the position regarding Cabinet confidentiality; if his attention has been drawn to any member of Cabinet who has contravened Cabinet confidentiality since the formation of Government; and if so, the measures he has taken to address such a breach. [45114/21]
View answerCabinet confidentiality is provided for at Article 28.4.3 of the Constitution. It provides that the confidentiality of discussions that take place at the Government’s meetings shall be respected in all circumstances save where it is decided otherwise by the High Court. The Article provides that the High Court may determine that disclosure may be made in a particular matter in the interests of the administration of justice by a Court or where, on application by a tribunal, there is an overriding public interest at stake in the context of a tribunal inquiring into a matter of public importance.
This requirement to maintain confidentiality is set out in these terms in the Cabinet Handbook and all Cabinet members are expected to abide by it.
191. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Taoiseach if a census of population will be conducted. [45115/21]
View answerOn the advice of the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the Government decided on 15 September 2020 to postpone the 2021 Census to 3 April 2022.
The decision to postpone the Census scheduled from 18 April 2021 until 3 April 2022 was not taken lightly and was based on a number of factors. Foremost in the decision making, was the need to ensure the safety of the general public and CSO field staff, coupled with the need to deliver a Census that achieves the highest possible response rate, across all facets of Irish society.
Furthermore, the Census of Population is a major logistical operation and COVID-19 restrictions prevented or delayed many key planning activities from taking place over recent months.
On consideration of these challenges the Government decided to postpone the 2021 Census until April 2022 to enable the CSO to undertake a comprehensive, inclusive and safe Census in 2022 which will provide valuable and accurate data for our country in the years ahead.
192. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Taoiseach the steps taken by his Department to support the implementation of the national remote work strategy Making Remote Work; the approximate number or percentage of staff within his Department who have access to cloud services for remote videoconferencing and the capacity to work remotely; his plans to increase this percentage; and the framework under which procurement for this is managed. [45359/21]
View answer193. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Taoiseach the steps taken by agencies under the remit of his Department to support the implementation of the national remote work strategy Making Remote Work; the approximate number or percentage of staff within these agencies who have access to cloud services for remote videoconferencing and the capacity to work remotely; if there are plans to increase this percentage; and the framework under which procurement for this is managed. [45360/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.
Like all Government Departments and Offices, my Department and the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), the only body under the aegis of my Department, are currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for a gradual return to the office for staff from the 20th September having regard to individual operational arrangements. A significant proportion of staff have been working from home in full or on a part-time basis since March 2020, and such staff have secure access to the Department’s systems to allow them to work remotely. Access to all standard corporate ICT services is provided including video collaboration and conferencing tools. All equipment and services are procured in line with government procurement guidelines and utilise Office of Government Procurement Frameworks where possible. In line with the rest of the Civil Service, the Department will finalise and progressively roll-out its blended working policy for the longer-term which will be guided by the Central Policy Framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service currently being finalised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
194. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Taoiseach if his Department’s IT infrastructure is monitored for security breaches on a 24/7 basis; and the guidance provided from Government on same. [45319/21]
View answerIn common with other Government Departments, my Department has in place comprehensive arrangements to support ICT security and receives regular advice on these matters from the relevant authorities including the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the National Cyber Security Centre. The Deputy will understand that it is not the practice, for sound operational and security reasons, to disclose the detail of these arrangements.
195. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach further to Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; and the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen. [46191/21]
View answerMy Department has a comprehensive learning and development programme to ensure that staff at all levels have the required skills and knowledge to perform their individual roles and deliver the strategic objectives of the Department.
In addition to training provided by One Learning, the Civil Service Shared Learning and Development Centre, staff are encouraged to avail of the Refund of Fees Scheme, attendance at Conferences and Seminars on topics related to their roles, and participation in other training and development programmes in line with their individual training and development needs as agreed with their manager.
The programme in question was identified by the participant and their line manager as being the most appropriate programme available to meet specific leadership development needs.
196. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason home care sector workers cannot be recruited from outside the European Economic Area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46000/21]
View answerThe State operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The system is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy, while simultaneously protecting the balance of the labour market.
The system is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for an employment permit where there is a surplus of those skills in the domestic and EEA labour market.
In order to maintain the relevance of these lists of occupations to the needs of the economy and to ensure the employment permits system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, these lists undergo twice-yearly evidence-based reviews which are guided by research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU), SOLAS and involves public/stakeholder consultation. Account is taken of education outputs, sectoral upskilling and training initiatives and known contextual factors such as Brexit and, in the current context, COVID-19 and their impact on the labour market. Consideration is also taken of the views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group, chaired by the Department and of the relevant policy Departments, in this case the Department of Health.
The most recent review did not recommend removal of the occupation of care worker/home carers from the Ineligible Occupations List as the evidence suggests that other factors, such as the contracts of employment on offer and employment terms and conditions being offered are a factor in the recruitment challenges faced by the sector, rather than a demonstrable labour market shortage. The sector has also previously been advised that a more systematic and structured engagement with the Department of Social Protection needs to be demonstrated.
If a sector wishes to propose a change to the occupations lists, they need to submit a detailed evidence-based business case to substantiate their request. A review is currently underway, with submissions received, including submissions from the Home Care sector, under consideration. It is expected that the current review will be finalised in the autumn.
197. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason for extending eligibility for an employment permit to non-EEA healthcare assistants to work in hospital and nursing home settings but not in home care settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46048/21]
View answerThe State operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The system is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy, while simultaneously protecting the balance of the labour market.
The system is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for an employment permit where there is a surplus of those skills in the domestic and EEA labour market.
In order to maintain the relevance of these lists of occupations to the needs of the economy and to ensure the employment permits system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, these lists undergo twice-yearly evidence-based reviews which are guided by research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU), SOLAS and involves public/stakeholder consultation. Account is taken of education outputs, sectoral upskilling and training initiatives and known contextual factors such as Brexit and, in the current context, COVID-19 and their impact on the labour market. Consideration is also taken of the views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group, chaired by the Department and of the relevant policy Departments, in this case the Department of Health.
The most recent review did not recommend removal of the occupation of care worker/home carers from the Ineligible Occupations List as the evidence suggests that other factors, such as the contracts of employment on offer and employment terms and conditions being offered are a factor in the recruitment challenges faced by the sector, rather than a demonstrable labour market shortage. The sector has also previously been advised that a more systematic and structured engagement with the Department of Social Protection needs to be demonstrated.
If a sector wishes to propose a change to the occupations lists, they need to submit a detailed evidence-based business case to substantiate their request. A review is currently underway, with submissions received, including submissions from the Home Care sector, under consideration. It is expected that the current review will be finalised in the autumn.
198. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the changes that are being proposed within the employment permits section of his Department to combat the acute skills shortage at present within the Irish labour market specifically construction, healthcare and hospitality; and the action plan that is being implemented at the pace required to meet the needs of many companies across all these sectors. [46104/21]
View answerPolicy responsibility for the construction, healthcare and hospitality sectors is a matter for my colleagues, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Tourism Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media respectively.
Housing For All, the government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade, includes measures to support availability of the land, workforce, funding and capacity to enable both the public and private sectors to meet the targets.
From the outset of the crisis, in order to assist the HSE and all other medical providers in the State to respond to, and to assist with, the public health response to the threat of Covid-19, all medical employment permits are expedited with immediate effect.
The Tourism and Hospitality Careers Oversight Group, under the auspices of Fáilte Ireland, was established in 2019 to coordinate relevant bodies to agree and implement a work programme addressing labour supply and skills requirements in the tourism and hospitality sector.
The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, in circumstances where there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.
In order to maintain the relevance of these lists of occupations to the needs of the economy and to ensure the employment permits system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, these lists undergo twice-yearly evidence-based reviews which are guided by research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU), SOLAS and involves public/stakeholder consultation. Account is taken of education outputs, sectoral upskilling and training initiatives and known contextual factors such as Brexit and, in the current context, COVID-19 and their impact on the labour market. Consideration is also taken of the views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group, chaired by the Department and of the relevant policy Departments.
A review is currently underway with submissions received, including submissions from the construction, healthcare and hospitality sector, under consideration. It is expected that the review will be finalised in early Autumn.
199. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will publish the Four EU Free Trade Agreements – Opportunities and Impacts for Ireland report. [46139/21]
View answer200. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will publish the Four EU Free Trade Agreements – Opportunities and Impacts for Ireland report which has been distributed to other Departments. [46142/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together.
The report "Four EU Free Trade Agreements - Opportunities and Impacts for Ireland" was published on my Department's website on 28 April this year and is available at
enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/Four-EU-Free-Trade-Agreements-Opportunities-and-Impacts-for-Ireland.html.
