Written Answers Nos. 191-210
191. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline the rationale for the insertion section 2B, a new subsection into section 13 of the principal Protected Disclosures Act 2014. [38317/22]
View answerSection 13 of the Protected Disclosures Act provides that, "If a person causes detriment to another person because the other person or a third person made a protected disclosure, the person to whom the detriment is caused has a right of action in tort against the person by whom the detriment is caused".
Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill provides for the insertion of a new subsection - (2B) - into section 13 of the 2014 Act, which provides that, "In any proceedings under this section in respect of alleged detriment caused to a person, the detriment so caused shall be deemed, for the purposes of this section, to have been caused as a result of the person or another person having made a protected disclosure, unless the person whom it is alleged caused the detriment proves that the act or omission concerned was based on duly justified grounds. "
The effect of subsection (2B) is to reverse the burden of proof in any tort proceedings taken under section 13, so that the court must assume that the alleged detriment occurred because of a protected disclosure, unless the defendant can prove otherwise.
192. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he and or his officials consulted with and or received requests from the Minister for Justice or her officials in respect of the protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 and or amendments to the Bill. [38318/22]
View answerThe Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2020 provides for a substantial overhaul of the statutory framework for the protection of whistleblowers as well as for the transposition of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law. The process of developing the Bill has involved consultation with a broad range of interested parties.
The General Scheme of the Bill was approved by Government in May 2021 and the text of the Bill itself was approved by Government in February 2022. Observations on both the General Scheme and the Bill were submitted by the Minister for Justice on both occasions in accordance with standard Cabinet procedures.
The Department also engages regularly with Departments and other public bodies on the implementation of the 2014 Act and the impact of the new legislation through an informal Protected Disclosures Network. The Department of Justice participates in this group. The Department also deals with various ad hoc queries from Departments and public bodies on the operation of the Act from time to time.
193. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount that was spent in 2021, in relation to the Brexit Adjustment Fund; the estimated total spend in 2022; and the breakdown of the drawdown from this fund by Department, disaggregated by current and capital in tabular form. [38396/22]
View answerThe Brexit Adjustment Reserve came into force on the 11th of October 2021.
The eligibility period for expenditure runs from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023.
Ireland’s allocation from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve is €1.065 billion in constant (2018) prices, equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices, representing just over 20% of the total Reserve and the largest allocation for any Member State.
- €361.6 million received in 2021
- €276.7 million received in 2022
- Third tranche due in 2023
The allocation of resources from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve is aligned with the annual Estimates process, which has been the vehicle for allocating Brexit resources since the UK referendum on EU membership in 2016. Budget 2022 announced that around €500 million of the overall BAR allocation will be made available as a first tranche of funding, with the remainder available in 2023.
Areas for funding under the Reserve that have been identified include: enterprise supports; measures to support fisheries and coastal communities; targeted supports for the agri-food sector; reskilling and retraining; and checks and controls at ports and airports.
To allow Departments to proceed with programmes to be funded under the Reserve, some €54 million was allocated as initial funding in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2022.
|
Department |
- |
€ |
|
DFHERIS |
Skillnet Digital Skills Programme and Erasmus after Brexit initiatives |
€14.5 million |
|
OPW |
infrastructure for checks and controls at Rosslare Europort |
€1.8 million |
|
DAFM |
initial funding for fisheries and horticulture measures |
€33 million |
|
DETE |
variety of schemes, including customs readiness, to support business impacted by Brexit |
€5 million |
Further allocations will be made as the impacts of Brexit are worked through, including by means of supplementary estimates as required. Work is continuing across Government, with all Departments examining measures that need to be taken.
For example, work is underway on the development of additional inspection facilities at Rosslare Europort. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is progressing the implementation of a range of schemes to address the financial impacts of Brexit across the agri-food sector. This includes schemes for the fisheries sector involving Brexit Adjustment Reserve support of up to € 143 million. State Aid approval is anticipated for further schemes.
194. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the estimated costs of the inflation cooperation framework have been baselined for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38401/22]
View answerCosts relating to implementation of the Inflation Co-operation Framework (the Framework) are to be met from within existing capital expenditure ceilings, including those for 2023.
At this point, parties have begun their initial engagement and any agreement (and costs associated with inflation) will take a period of time to be worked through. Once the initial engagement is complete and the retrospective payments are made, the specified formulae will be applied to each interim payment in the manner set out in the template agreement to determine the cost adjustment (if any) that is due for inflation.
The cost associated with the implementation of the Framework will not be collated centrally. It is managed at a project level by contracting authorities and reported to approving authorities so the impact on their overall capital ceiling can be assessed and the programme adjusted accordingly. Approving authorities are working within their annual capital ceilings.
195. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions that his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department are taking to increase recruitment of members of the LGBTQIA+ communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38414/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department has policy responsibility for recruitment to the civil service. As reflected in the Civil Service Renewal 2024 Strategy, the civil service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices, and building a more diverse and inclusive workforce that is reflective of the modern Ireland that it serves.
OneLearning, the Civil Service Learning and Development Shared Service Centre based within my Department, provides staff with the opportunity to undertake a self-guided eLearning module developed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) on Equality and Human Rights in the Public Service. This eLearning module has been developed to support and enable staff to understand and meet their obligations under the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty (Public Sector Duty) within public bodies and to support the goal to develop more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
The Public Appointments Service (PAS), which is a body under the aegis of my Department, is the primary recruiter for the civil service and some parts of the public service. PAS are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce, with the skills and attributes to meet the future challenges of the public service.
The Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) in PAS participated in Dublin Pride’s “Pride@Work” conference on May 13th and 14th , on a panel entitled “Equity in Recruitment. A contingent of PAS staff participated in the Dublin Pride parade in June, alongside other civil service departments and public sector organisations.
A number of pieces of work are underway that will support underrepresented groups in general to access opportunities in the civil and public sector:
Workforce equality data provides powerful insights into the composition of a workforce. This type of data enables organisations to identify and address inequality of access, discrimination and under representation. PAS set out last year to develop its first ever Equality Monitoring Dashboard. The ESRI, the data partners for this project, have analysed data relating to 4,500 recruitment campaigns, including candidate profile information, applications made, and appointments made. This work will support the development, across the wider civil and public services, of a robust set of ED&I metrics and will help identify emerging trends.
Recruitment and selection processes, policies and procedures need to be reviewed, assessed and improved where required to encourage and enable access to opportunity for candidates from diverse backgrounds. An ED&I diagnostic review of PAS’s internal and external recruitment operations has taken place; the next steps will be to develop an action plan to deliver on the recommendations in the report.
PAS have also developed a school resource kit to bring careers in the civil and public sector to life for young people from all backgrounds, and in this resource kit PAS profile people from all backgrounds.
The position in relation to the remaining bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out below.
Office of Public Works (OPW)
The Office of Public works implements best practice procedures for recruitment and selection in accordance with Employment Equality laws, and acts as an equal opportunities employer. The Office does not collect statistical data about candidates or employees who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community and does not set recruitment targets for members of this community.
In accordance with its public sector duty under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014, the Office has regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and treatment for its staff. The whole OPW workforce has been involved in affirming our commitment to upholding the values of FREDIE - Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement. Among its strategic HRM objectives, the Office will continue developing policies and practices that ensure equality and parity of esteem for all staff, equality of opportunity, inclusion, diversity and a strong sense of belonging where difference is celebrated in all aspects of working life.
National Shared Services Office (NSSO)
The Public Appointments Service is responsible for recruiting staff to the NSSO and as such recruitment to the NSSO is arranged under the PAS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.
State Laboratory
The State Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer, and uses the Public Appointments Service and 3rd party recruitment agencies to undertake recruitment. Whilst positions have not been specifically ring fenced for LGBTQIA+ communities, the ethos as an equal opportunity employer prevails.
Office of the Ombudsman
The recruitment of staff in the Office of the Ombudsman over the last number of years has predominantly been undertaken through competitions run by the Public Appointments Service with the exception of one competition which the Office ran directly for a number of specialist posts. This Office is very aware of robust equality legislation being in place which includes the outlawing of sexual discrimination in the recruitment of staff and is also aware of the National LGBT+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-21.
Office of the National Lottery Regulator (ORNL)
The ORNL is a small office with Ministerial sanction for 11 staff, including two part-time staff. The Office is fortunate in that it does not have a high turnover of staff and has not needed to fill any vacancies since January 2020. Two vacancies have now arisen and the recruitment process to fill these vacancies is about to commence. The Office is, and always has been, an equal opportunities employer and actively and prominently welcomes applications for all posts advertised from any applicant (regardless of their LGBTQIA+ status, disability status, etc.) that meets the requirements of the post being filled. The Office is an inclusive environment and celebrated Pride month in June.
199. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the dividends paid by State owned enterprises in each of the last five years; the projected dividends to be received in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38614/22]
View answerDue to the nature of its role, my Department has no State owned enterprises under its aegis. The public bodies under the aegis of my Department do not pay dividends to it and are either grant funded or self-funded. The bodies under the aegis are the ESRI, IPA and the National Lottery Regulator.
200. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the breakdown of the €3 billion in the Summer Economic Statement related to already taken Budgetary decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38615/22]
View answer201. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the specific amount provided for in the in the Summer Economic Statement under budgetary decisions in respect of demographics; the details of the way that figure was arrived at; the breakdown of the projected need across all Departments; the amount that is required by the Department of Social Protection, Department of Health, Department of Education and Department of Housing to meet demographic needs; the underlying evidence for those figures in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38616/22]
View answer202. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the breakdown of the amount provided in the Summer Economic Statement under budgetary decisions for the full-year cost of measures announced in Budget 2022; the breakdown of those costs and each individual measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38617/22]
View answer203. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the breakdown of the amount provided for in the Summer Economic Statement under budgetary decisions for the cost of the existing public service pay agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38618/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 200 to 203, inclusive, together.
The 2022 Summer Economic Statement sets out the budgetary strategy for the period to 2025. As part of the total budget package set out for each year to 2025, amounts of between €3 to 3.4 billion are indicated as for ‘budgetary decisions’ in Table 1 of the document. For 2023, this figure under ‘budgetary decisions’ is €3.0 billion. This category comprises provision for Existing Levels of Service (ELS) costs and the planned core capital expenditure increases under the National Development Plan (NDP).
The NDP published in October 2021 provides a detailed and positive vision for Ireland over the next 10 years, and sees total public investment of €165 billion over the period 2021-2030. Core capital increases in upcoming Budgets will be in line with the parameters set out in the NDP, with an additional €0.8 billion in 2023.
Under the approach set out in last year’s Summer Economic Statement, 3% of the core current expenditure base is being set aside each year to meet ELS costs. These include costs arising from demographic pressures in areas such as Social Protection, Health and Education; carryover costs from measures already introduced in prior year Budgets; and public service pay commitments under existing pay deals. €2.2 billion is indicated under Budget 2023 to meet these costs.
The division of the available resources under this 3% provision between the areas covered by ELS will be examined and allocated as part of the Estimates process each year, with the breakdown published in the Expenditure Report.
204. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the breakdown of the amount provided for in the Summer Economic Statement under budgetary decisions for additional capital investment; the breakdown of the amount currently allocated to each Department; the projected increase for 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38619/22]
View answerAs set out in the Summer Economic Statement, core capital expenditure will reach €11.7 billion in 2023, in line with the National Development Plan 2021-2030 (NDP). Departmental capital allocations for 2022 were published in the Revised Estimates Volume 2022. Core capital allocations by Department have also been provided in tabular form in Table 4.2 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030 document, out to 2025 for each Department. Final Departmental capital allocations for 2023 will be finalised over the coming weeks as part of the Budget 2023 preparations.
The NDP, published in October 2021, provides for total public investment of €165 billion over the period 2021- 2030. The NDP is the largest in the history of the State, with Ireland’s annual capital investment budget as a share of national income now among the highest in the EU. This funding will provide for key investment across sectors including health, education and transport while also investing in Ireland’s climate goals.
As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level. The responsibility for the management and delivery of the individual investment projects, within the allocations agreed under the National Development Plan (NDP), rests with the individual sponsoring Department in each case.
205. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the additional resources that are available for the allocation in the Budget if the spending rule of 6.5% was increased to either 7%, 7.5%, 8% or 9% respectively in tabular form; the impact on the Exchequer balance in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38621/22]
View answerThe 2022 Summer Economic Statement (SES) set out an expenditure package of €5.7 billion over 2022 and 2023. €0.4 billion of this is to be allocated in 2022 for the early implementation of new current expenditure measures. This will result in a 2022 core expenditure ceiling of €80.5 billion. An additional €5.3 billion will be available in 2023 bringing the 2023 core ceiling to €85.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%.
The expenditure impact of increasing the 2023 ceiling by 7%, 7.5%, 8% and 9% over the revised 2022 ceiling is set out in the table below. The Exchequer balance position is dependent on revenues as well as expenditure. The Department of Finance updated the fiscal forecasts in the Stability Programme Update in April and will publish a full suite of forecasts alongside Budget 2023.
|
Percentage Increase |
7% |
7.5% |
8% |
9% |
|
€Bn |
€Bn |
€Bn |
€Bn |
|
|
Core Spending |
86.1 |
86.5 |
86.9 |
87.7 |
|
Annual Change |
5.6 |
6.0 |
6.4 |
7.2 |
|
Increase Over SES 2023 Amount |
0.4 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
2.0 |
206. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the breakdown of spending under the non-core expenditure allocation of €7.5 billion in the first six months of 2022; the estimated amount that is expected to be spent on Covid-19 measures in 2022; if €0.5 billion will be spent on the Brexit Adjustment Reserve; the estimated amount that it is expected to spend under the Ukraine Humanitarian Contingency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38622/22]
View answerBudget 2022 made provision for up to €7.5 billion in funding to continue our response to the Covid-19 pandemic and for the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. Following the Revised Estimates in December 2021, €3.9 billion of this funding remained unallocated. This contingency is held in reserve centrally to allow Government flexibility to respond to emerging needs during the year.
In February 2022, the Government announced a suite of measures to assist with costs of living pressures. This included the Electricity Credit to domestic account holders, which had an estimated cost of €400 million. This required a Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, given the scale of this amount in relation to the original Estimate for Vote 29. This Supplementary Estimate was brought before the Dáil in March to provide an additional allocation of €271 million with the remaining cost funded through reallocation of existing Vote 29 resources. Following this development, the remaining contingency balance stood at just under €3.7 billion.
While this is the only draw down from the contingency funding allocated in Departmental Estimates in the first six months of 2022, there are significant pressures and commitments on the remaining funding including:
1. Further Covid support measures, including the response to the Omicron wave will require additional funding over that foreseen at the time of Budget 2022. This includes income and employment support schemes in the Department of Social Protection, Department of Health Covid-19 response, the targeted Commercial Rates Waiver for Q1 2022 and Department of Education Covid response measures. These Covid-19 expenditure pressures are evident in the end June expenditure reported in the Fiscal Monitor with gross current expenditure in the Department of Social Protection €292 million ahead of profile and €284 million ahead of profile in the Department of Health.
2. Additional allocations may be required to fund the other cost of living measures announced in throughout the first six months of 2022.
3. Costs related to the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine will also need to be provided. Ultimate costs will depend on the numbers of refugees arriving, the length of stay, labour market participation over time and the accommodation solutions provided. There is considerable uncertainty in relation to these elements and it is too early to say how much will be required from the contingency at this point. To date approximately €186 million has been spent across a number of Departments.
4. An additional Supplementary Estimate of €110 million was presented to the Dáil at the beginning of July for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to make funds available to address security of energy supply for winter 2023/24 as set out in the EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022.
Further allocations from the contingency will be considered later in the year taking account of any offsetting underspends.
Regarding the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR), Budget 2022 announced around €500 million of the overall BAR allocation will be made available as a first tranche of funding, with the remainder (c.€0.6 billion) available in 2023.
Areas for funding identified under the BAR include: enterprise supports; measures to support fisheries and coastal communities; targeted supports for the agri-food sector; reskilling and retraining; and checks and controls at ports and airports.
To allow Departments to proceed with programmes to be funded under the BAR, some €54 million was allocated as initial funding in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2022. The details of this initial funding are set out in the table below.
|
Department |
- |
€ |
|
DFHERIS |
Skillnet Digital Skills Programme and Erasmus after Brexit initiatives |
€14.5 million |
|
OPW |
Infrastructure for checks and controls at Rosslare Europort |
€1.8 million |
|
DAFM |
Initial funding for fisheries and horticulture measures |
€33 million |
|
DETE |
A variety of schemes, including customs readiness, to support business impacted by Brexit |
€5 million |
Further allocations will be made as the impacts of Brexit are worked through, including by means of supplementary estimates as required. Work continues across Government Departments to examine other measures that can be taken under the BAR.
207. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an equality budgeting statement will be forthcoming in Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38629/22]
View answerEquality Budgeting in Ireland has been progressively developed over recent years with a view to enhancing the role of resource allocation policies in advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights.
Equality objectives and indicators are published every year in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) and the Public Service Performance Report. All government departments report Equality Budgeting indicators, with 26 metrics published in the latest Public Service Performance Budgeting Report published in May 2022. REV 2023 will continue this process.
More generally, the Equality Budgeting agenda is being progressively developed:
- An Expert Advisory Group was established to guide development of Equality Budgeting policy, and has met regularly since 2018. To further support the implementation of Equality Budgeting across all Departments, in March of this year, the Government agreed to the establishment of an Inter-departmental Group on Equality Budgeting.
- In 2019, my Department commissioned the OECD to undertake a Policy Scan of Equality Budgeting in Ireland. This was published in tandem with Budget 2020. The report reviews Ireland’s equality budgeting programme and provides recommendations on its further development, in light of international experience.
- In line with the OECD recommendation to develop an equality data strategy, the CSO completed a data audit in cooperation with my Department, to ascertain the availability of public service data that is disaggregated by equality dimension. A report on this audit was published in October 2020.
- The OECD Policy Scan also raised the issue of an Equality Budgeting Statement. In light of the recent developments in the area outlined above, my Department is reviewing the different approaches to Gender Budgeting statements published by other OECD countries. The timing of publication, and the level of detail, vary greatly across OECD countries. This work will be used to inform future developments in this area taking into account: the level of detail in relation to Equality Budgeting currently published including in the REV and Public Service Performance Report; analysis published as part of the Spending Review process. Existing tools such as the ESRI’s SWITCH Model; and linkages with the development of the Well-being Framework. In particular, this work will need to reflect that the approach to date with Equality Budgeting has been to embed equality perspectives across the whole-of-year budgetary process by setting out targets in the REV and reporting on performance versus targets in the Public Service Performance Report, with analyses such as Social Impact Assessments also supporting this whole-of-year approach.
208. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of progress of a well-being budgeting framework; if the framework is set to be included in budget 2023; if not, the expected timeline for completion and operationalisation of this well-being budget framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38630/22]
View answerIn Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, the Government set out a commitment to developing a set of well-being indices to create a well-rounded, holistic view of how Irish society is faring. In July 2021, the Government published an initial report, First Report on a Well-being Framework for Ireland, that set out an initial multi-dimensional well-being framework. The overarching vision of the Well-being Framework for Ireland is “enabling all our people to live fulfilled lives now and into the future”. In June 2022, the Government published a second report, Understanding Life in Ireland: The Well-being Framework, that builds on the initial report by taking account of the contributions to a public consultation and further research. Since autumn 2021, the CSO has hosted an interactive dashboard that flows from the conceptual framework and uses a cohesive set of indicators to measure life and progress in Ireland.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that the well-being framework is utilised in a systematic way across government policy making in evaluating programmes and reporting progress as well as in setting budgetary priorities (as an important complement to existing economic measurement tools).
As the budgetary process is a whole-of-year process, the well-being initiative is being developed in a way that seeks to inform this process as a whole.
Already, the use of a well-being perspective has been evident at the National Economic Dialogue. Over the course of the last couple of years, I have chaired breakout sessions that have been informed by a well-being perspective. This has provided participants with an opportunity to consider longer-term economic, social and environmental factors as part of their discussions of budgetary prioritisation.
Departments have been invited to consider how they might utilise the Well-being Framework as part of the Spending Review process. This is part of a wider effort to progress the use of the Well-being Framework as part of the policy process.
Finally, as noted in the Expenditure Report 2022, and subsequently in Understanding Life in Ireland: The Well-being Framework, the next phase of the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform's work in this area is to develop an approach to associating public expenditure with the various dimensions of the Well-being Framework. The intention is to develop over time a way of setting out budgetary decisions on the basis of well-being dimensions; an approach that would complement the existing Vote Group approach to presenting such decisions.
209. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on providing fully accessible changing places and toilet facilities open to the public in all buildings which his Department owns and public bodies and agencies under his remit to offer people with disabilities and carers a network of equipped spaces to take care of personal hygiene, in safety and comfort. [38724/22]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has representation on the National Disability Strategy Implementation Steering Committee since 2017. Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 required that service providers actively engage with disabled people and their representatives in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of public services. In 2019, to further engage in monitoring of the effectiveness of legislation around building access, under Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005, OPW and the NDA published An Operational Review of the Effectiveness of Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005 following focused user-group /stakeholder engagement. In this instance the OPW collaborated closely with the National Disability Authority. At present, and mainly as a result of Covid 19, the OPW does not have any such consultative committees in train.
In most instances, all new works are required to apply for a Disability Access Certificate (DAC). Historical buildings, protected structures and heritage visitor sites have some dispensations, depending on the impact of alterations on the historic fabric, attendant grounds, planning restrictions, archaearchaeology or the setting or all of the above. Often in these situations, modern facilities are provided in separate purpose-built temporary or permanent accommodation. This is usually subject to a suite of statutory obligations and to consents if it relates to a national monument. In any case, the Office of Public Works strives to comply with Disability Access Certificate (DAC) requirements in both modern and historical buildings within the State’s portfolio. With regard to modern buildings, built before the advent of DAC's, OPW have a policy and ongoing programme to update those buildings to modern compliance standards, as a high priority, for which there is a dedicated Universal Access Budget.
All new or significant upgrades to existing OPW owned or leased civil service office accommodation, completed since the advent of DACs, would have gone through a regulatory DAC process or equivalent. This means that the staff and visitors to these buildings have access to universal access facilities in compliance with the Technical Guidance Documents of the Building Regulations 1997-2010.
Due to the nature of its role, my Department and the Office of Government Procurement, which is also part of my Department, currently have no office locations that provide such facilities to the general public.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) also does not have public offices open to the public for this purpose but the Office manages a number of buildings and heritage sites around the country to which the public has access. Most of these are open, albeit subject to public health restrictions, and further information can be found on the OPW website.
With the exception of the Office of the Ombudsman, all other bodies under the aegis of my Department would not, under normal circumstances, be open to the public to access these facilities. I have been advised that the office of the Office of the Ombudsman has fully accessible changing places and toilet facilities which are open to the public.
210. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way that his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are implementing action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38742/22]
View answerMy Department and the bodies under its aegis work closely with a range of key stakeholders and organisations in the implementation of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021. As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have policy responsibility for recruitment to the civil service. As reflected in the Civil Service Renewal 2024 Strategy, the civil service is strong committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices and building a more diverse and inclusive workforce that is reflective of the modern Ireland that it serves.
My Department also works closely with the National Disability Authority, as well as the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, and with the Department of Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth to further embed Equality Budgeting in the performance budgeting and policy making process to help ensure that resource allocation decisions are appropriately targeted. This is done through the work of the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group and the Interdepartmental Group on Equality Budgeting established to further guide the ongoing rollout of Equality Budgeting.
DPER published the Public Service Performance Report in May 2022, which includes a section on Equality Budgeting. 26 metrics have been published and all the Departments reported on equality budgeting. Of these, four elaborated and provided data for disability metrics. An ongoing project with the OECD is developing a system for future tagging of equality budgeting to assist in further embedding the initiative and increasing coverage to support better policy outcomes.
In addition, my Department recently reported to the National Inclusion Strategy Stakeholder Group on the progress we made in these initiatives as part of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities.
OneLearning, the Civil Service Learning and Development Shared Service Centre based within my Department, provides staff with the opportunity to undertake a self-guided eLearning module developed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) on Equality and Human Rights in the Public Service. This eLearning module has been developed to support and enable staff to understand and meet their obligations under the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty (Public Sector Duty) within public bodies and to support our goal to develop more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
PAS, which is a body under the aegis of my Department, is the primary recruiter for the civil service and other parts of the public service. PAS plays a central role in attracting a diverse range of talented people from all backgrounds to take up employment opportunities in the civil service. PAS launched its first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2023 following extensive and ongoing engagements with NGOs.
In partnership with AHEAD, the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme offers graduates with a disability a 6 month mentored paid work placement in either the private sector or Civil Service. My Department and PAS play a key role in driving the annual intakes of work placements across the Civil Service. To date, WAM has placed over 550 graduates, of which 44% (241) have been placements across 39 Departments / Offices. Over 80% of WAM graduates have subsequently secured longer-term employment upon completion of their WAM programme.
In terms of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within my own Department, the HR Unit developed a HR Strategy that has a focus on embracing and embedding a culture of diversity and inclusion across the Department through diversity initiatives and training. This has included the establishment of a vibrant cross-Divisional and cross-grade Diversity and Inclusion staff forum, the PERspectives Group. My Department has a Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) who supports new members of staff with a disability or existing staff who acquire a disability and raise awareness about disability. New hires receive the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with a Disability in the Irish Civil Service, a welcome letter from the Department’s DLO and FAQs on Disability prepared by the National Disability Authority.
