Thursday, 31 Mar 2022

Written Answers Nos. 252-262

Gaeltacht Policy

Questions (252)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

252. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta cén dáta faoina mbeidh na treoirlínte molta don phleanáil sa Ghaeltacht foilsithe. [16440/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Tá mo Roinnse ag obair go han-dlúth leis an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán (DTCAGSM) maidir le cúrsaí pleanála i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Ó thaobh an dlí de, tá bonn reachtúil ag forfheidhmiú leanúnach an phróisis pleanála teanga faoi Acht na Gaeltachta, 2012, arb é an príomhthiománaí é i ndáil le tacú leis an ngealltanas a rinneadh na cuspóirí atá leagtha amach i Straitéis 20 Bliain na Gaeilge 2010 go 2031 a bhaint amach. Is é Acht 2012 mar sin, a thagann laistigh de chúram mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, an phríomhuirlis beartais chun cosaint a thabhairt don Ghaeilge. Léirítear an gealltanas sin sa Chreat Náisiúnta Pleanála (NFP) agus áirítear ann Cuspóir 29 “tacú le cur i bhfeidhm pleananna teanga i gCeantair Pleanála Teanga Ghaeltachta, i mBailte Seirbhíse Gaeltachta agus i Líonraí Gaeilge”.

Ar leithligh, leagtar amach san Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt 2000, arna leasú, cuspóirí éigeantacha d’údaráis áitiúla, nach mór aghaidh a thabhairt orthu nuair atá a bPlean Forbartha Contae á dhréachtú, a rialaíonn beartais forbartha áitiúla. Áirítear ceanglas in Alt 10(2)m den Acht, nuair atá ceantar Gaeltachta laistigh de limistéar riaracháin an údaráis pleanála, nach mór forálacha agus cuspóirí san áireamh sa phlean forbartha a dhéanfaidh “oidhreacht teanga agus chultúrtha na Gaeltachta a chosaint, lena n-áirítear an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar theanga an phobail”.

Ar mhaithe le treoir bhreise a chur ar fáil i ndáil le beartais chuí a ullmhú, d’fhoilsigh mo Roinnse ‘Pleananna Forbartha, Treoirlínte d’Údaráis Phleanála’ in 2007 a thugann aghaidh ar an gcuspóir

éigeantach seo atá san áireamh san Acht. Tagraíonn na treoirlínte seo d’oidhreacht teanga agus chultúir chomh maith le riachtanais an phobail maidir le húsáid talún ar mhaithe le tithíocht, saoráidí pobail, fostaíocht, turasóireacht agus dearadh, lena n-áirítear fógraíocht agus comharthaíocht. D’fhéadfadh pleananna forbartha aonair oibleagáid a leagan freisin ar iarratasóirí ar chead pleanála sonraí nó faisnéis áirithe a chur ar aghaidh in éineacht le tograí forbartha i gceantair Ghaeltachta, amhail measúnaithe ar an tionchar teangeolaíochta a bheadh ag an bhforbairt bheartaithe, d’fhonn é a mheas i gcoinne bheartais ábhartha an phlean forbartha.

I mí Lúnasa anuraidh, d’fhoilsigh mo Roinnse Dréacht-Treoirlínte do Phleananna Forbartha nuashonraithe a dheimhníonn arís oibleagáidí údaráis pleanála i ndáil le forbairt na Gaeltachta.

D’ainneoin tabhairt chun críche threoirlínte an phlean forbartha agus foilsiú beartaithe na ndréacht-treoirlínte do thithíocht faoin tuath sa téarma láithreach bonn, beidh mé ag iarraidh go ndéanfar treoirlínte Alt 28 a ullmhú i gcomhar idir an dá Roinn chun aghaidh a thabhairt go sonrach ar chúrsaí pleanála i gceantair Ghaeltachta, mar go bhfuil cúrsaí pleanála sonracha tábhachtacha a bhaineann le ceantair Ghaeltachta a bhfuil breithniú níos mó de dhíth ina leith. Tá tionchar ag amlíne na dtreoirlínte sin ag líon breithnithe tábhachta eile lena n-áirítear comhairliúchán poiblí agus an gá a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ag aon mheasúnú timpeallachta eile amhail Measúnacht Straitéiseach Timpeallachta (SEA) nó Measúnacht Chuí (AA). Táim ag súil go mbeidh leagan de na dréacht-treoirlínte ar taispeáint do chomhairliúchán poiblí níos déanaí i mbliana.

Chun tacú leis an obair seo atá ar bun agus chun dlús a chur léi, leanann mo chuid oifigeach Roinne ag déanamh teagmhála agus ag casadh leis na hoifigigh ábhartha i Roinn na Gaeltachta agus leanfaidh an dá Roinn ar aghaidh leis an rannpháirtíocht dhlúth ar an ábhar seo d’fhonn gníomhartha breise a bhrú chun cinn.

Housing Policy

Questions (253)

Brendan Smith

Question:

253. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will introduce income eligibility limits for social housing with particular reference to the totally inadequate income limits in areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17349/22]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I refer to the reply to Question No. 343 of 22 March 2022 which sets out the position in the matter.

Gender Equality

Questions (254)

Holly Cairns

Question:

254. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to identify and address gender pay disparity in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17361/22]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department prides itself on being an equal opportunity employer. At the end of February 2022, 50.88% of the workforce was male while 49.12% were female. It is committed to equal pay and all salaries are equal regardless of gender.

Action 8.5 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan makes a commitment “to improve gender balance at each level by reviewing supports and policies to ensure these are impactful and measurable”. My Department fully supports this commitment.

My Department has proactively managed its gender balance particularly at senior management level where at Assistant Principal (AP) and Principal Officer (PO) levels there was a relatively low representation of females in the past. At the most senior level of my Department 50% of Assistant Secretaries and equivalents are female. However, in January 2021 only 28% of POs and equivalents and 44% of AP and equivalents were female. Following a concerted focus on encouraging greater numbers of women to apply for senior roles in my Department, these levels have improved over the past year and at the end of February 2022 of 43% of POs and equivalent were female and 46% of AP and equivalents were female. My Department is very encouraged by this growth in female participation in these two grades and will continue to monitor gender equality across all grades.

A gender action plan has been developed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department is committed to advancing the actions set down in the plan, and has developed its own departmental action plan. My Department has also established a senior working group who are looking at ways to improve female participation rate at a senior level. My Department actively supports family friendly initiatives such as flexible working hours, shorter working year and work sharing across all the grades where appropriate. A diversity policy will also be developed in 2022 which will include gender equality measures.

My Department does not hold the requested information in respect of the State Bodies under its aegis. These State Bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the table below.

State Body	Contact E-mail Address
An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
An Fóram Uisce (theWater Forum)	[e-mail]
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	[e-mail]
Ervia	[e-mail]
Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Heritage Council	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Irish Water	[e-mail]
Land Development Agency	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
National Oversight and Audit Commission	[e-mail]
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	[e-mail]
Office of the Planning Regulator	[e-mail]
Ordnance Survey Ireland	[e-mail]
Property Registration Authority	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Valuation Office	[e-mail]
Valuation Tribunal	[e-mail]
Water Advisory Body	[e-mail]
Waterways Ireland	[e-mail]

Transport Policy

Questions (255)

Holly Cairns

Question:

255. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to encourage active travel modes to and from work in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17380/22]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department is committed to encouraging the use of active travel measures when travelling to and from work. These efforts were recognised recently when my Department was awarded a Gold Certificate as a cycle-friendly employer under the European Bike2Work project. We are the second Government Department to achieve this certification and it acknowledges my Department’s work in improving active travel modes. The cycle-friendly employer certification scheme was developed to establish a European standard for cycle friendly organisations and to increase the number of employees who cycle to work. In addition, my Department is a member of the Smarter Travel Workplaces Partner scheme. This scheme is run by the National Transport Authority (NTA) who support member organisations in encouraging sustainable and active travel.

Various initiatives have been undertaken by my Department to improve active travel infrastructure across Departmental locations, including; the provision of lockers, secure bicycle storage facilities, changing rooms and shower facilities. Furthermore, my Department encourages staff use of active travel and sustainable transport options through regular internal communications to all staff relating to both the Annual Travel Pass scheme and Cycle to Work scheme and the active monitoring of staff participation in same.

The information requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for each agency is set out in the following table:

State Body	Contact Email
An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum)	[e-mail]
Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority	[e-mail]
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	[e-mail]
Ervia	[e-mail]
Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Heritage Council	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Irish Water	[e-mail]
Land Development Agency	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
National Oversight and Audit Commission	[e-mail]
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	[e-mail]
Office of the Planning Regulator	[e-mail]
Ordnance Survey Ireland	[e-mail]
Property Registration Authority	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Valuation Office	[e-mail]
Valuation Tribunal	[e-mail]
Water Advisory Body	[e-mail]
Waterways Ireland	[e-mail]

Passport Services

Questions (256)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

256. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will be processed on time for date of travel for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17124/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this is a Passport Express application which was received on 8 March 2022. The current turnaround time for Passport Express applications is 8 weeks.

British-Irish Co-operation

Questions (257)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

257. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress that was made at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on the New Decade, New Approach agreement’s outstanding commitments and the significant implications for freedom movement of non-Irish and non-British persons on the island of Ireland as a result of the UK nationality and borders Bill. [17221/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement was a significant shared achievement by the parties in Northern Ireland together with the two Governments, and its full implementation and the fulfilment of our own commitments made alongside the agreement, are key priorities for the Irish Government. While the implementation of the NDNA agreement was raised at the BIIGC, due to time constraints, there was not a detailed discussion of both Governments’ respective commitments.

I was disappointed to hear the Secretary of State’s announcement, on Monday, that he would not bring forward the language legislation before the Assembly election on 5 May. The package of language and identity legislation agreed in New Decade New Approach was detailed and balanced and should be implemented – as should all the commitments in NDNA. This would have been better done in the Assembly as intended but there is no reason for further delay or deadlock over the positive measures agreed in support of linguistic diversity and cultural expression in Northern Ireland. It should be advanced on the basis of the legislative provisions negotiated, agreed and published at the time of NDNA.

This Government has made significant progress to fulfilling its commitments agreed to at the time of the NDNA agreement with regards to support for the Irish language in Northern Ireland. This includes the allocation of: €1.2m per annum for 2021-2023 for Irish language broadcasting; €1.2m over three years (2020-22) to support the Irish language in Northern Ireland; and an All Island expansion of the existing Irish Language Network strategy.

Furthermore, the commitments made at the time of the NDNA agreement, which focussed on working with the Executive through the NSMC to deliver projects that benefit people across the island, including greater connectivity between North and South; investing in the North West region and in border communities; supporting the Irish language in Northern Ireland; and supporting reconciliation as an integral part of the Peace Process, are reflected in the Programme for Government. They are therefore at the heart of the Government’s approach to Northern Ireland.

With regard to the UK’s Nationality and Borders Bill, the Government has been engaging with the British Government at both official and political level to make clear our concerns with regard to the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme set out in the Bill, which is currently progressing through the British Parliament. As currently drafted, the Bill would provide that the UK’s immigration rules may require that non-Irish and non-British citizens obtain an ETA before travelling to the UK, including for journeys across the land border with Northern Ireland.

The implementation of such a scheme would have implications for daily lives and livelihoods on this island, with potential implications for cross-border healthcare, tourism, education, and integrated supply chains. Tens of thousands of people cross the border every day in the course of their daily lives, including to access essential services, for business, and for family reasons. It is a uniquely shared space. This is something which the Irish and British Governments recognised and committed to supporting in Strand 2 of the Good Friday Agreement. I raised these concerns with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Minister of State for Northern Ireland at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin. During our meeting, I expressed the Government’s serious concerns with regard to the draft Bill’s ETA provisions as they relate to cross border travel.

We will continue to engage on the issue and emphasise to the British Government our serious concerns, with a view to finding a satisfactory resolution that addresses them.

Passport Services

Questions (258, 261, 264)

Michael Collins

Question:

258. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if passports for persons (details supplied) can be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17233/22]

Pearse Doherty

Question:

261. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application applied for in January for a child (details supplied) will issue in time for travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17307/22]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

264. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason a passport in the case of a person (details supplied) has not yet issued given that it was due to issue on 14 March 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17391/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 258, 261 and 264 together.

With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Passport Services

Questions (259)

Michael Ring

Question:

259. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a person’s (details supplied) original passport can be returned as they need to travel as a matter of urgency. [17250/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has contacted the applicant directly to advise on the requirements for submitting a case to the Passport Service Travel Emergency Team.

Passport Services

Questions (260)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

260. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will issue in time for travel for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17251/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update on the status of the passport application to the applicant.

Question No. 261 answered with Question No. 258.

Gender Equality

Questions (262)

Holly Cairns

Question:

262. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he is taking to identify and address gender pay disparity in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17358/22]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Department of Foreign Affairs is fully committed to promoting gender, equality, diversity and inclusion and creating a culture of dignity and respect in the workplace, as set out in our Statement of Strategy 2021-2023. Over recent years, my Department has taken a proactive and strategic approach to advancing gender equality and wider diversity and inclusion issues. In 2012, a Management Board Sub-Committee focusing on diversity and inclusion issues, including Gender Equality was established, which brings together key stakeholders across the Department to provide leadership and strategic direction.

As part of my Department’s Human Resources Strategy 2019-2022, a number of initiatives and policies have been advanced to improve gender, equality, diversity and inclusion. In 2019, a dedicated Lead Officer for Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion was appointed who co-ordinates work in this area across the Department. Through the Human Resources Strategy 2019-2022, as part of a wider Gender Equality Action Plan, my Department has published a Maternity Leave Cover Policy; a Guide to Supports for Maternity, Adoptive and Parental Leave; and is finalising the adoption of a Menopause Policy, which is expected to be launched in Q2 2022.

Since 2019, my Department has published three reports on the Gender Pay Gap within DFA and in 2021 developed a Gender Pay Gap Action Plan. The Action Plan is structured around four key pillars: Workforce Planning; Support for Female Colleagues; Data Management and Analysis; and Outreach. Part of the analytics process shows that the Department of Foreign Affairs has reduced its Gender Pay Gap from over 30% in 2013 to 15.17% in 2021 and has made determined efforts to work towards a better gender balance at senior HQ and overseas positions. My Department’s current Gender Pay Gap has been determined based on internal calculations. The next Departmental Gender Pay Gap report will be published in line with regulations introduced under the Gender Pay Gap Information Act, 2021.

More broadly, as part of my Department’s commitment to tackling the Gender Pay Gap, it led on the establishment of an inter-departmental working group on the Gender Pay Gap, which acts as an informal means of sharing best practices in the area of reducing the Gender Pay Gap and promoting Gender Equality across the Civil Service.

While my Department has taken positive steps to reduce the Gender Pay Gap, I am conscious that further efforts are required to reduce the gap and I am committed to ensuring that work continues. The Department’s Human Resources Division is presently in the final stages of the development of a Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan which aims to further progress in the area of Gender Equality and also across the spectrum of equality, diversity and inclusion issues.

There are no public bodies or agencies under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs.