Written Answers Nos. 165-184
165. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year yield that would be generated by establishing three new income tax bands of 49% on earnings between €125,000 and €185,000, 57% on earnings between €185,001 and €242,500 and 66% on earnings over €242,501. [44605/22]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that the estimated first and full year yields to the Exchequer of the additional Income Tax bands outlined by the Deputy are €2.0bn and €2.6bn, respectively.
This costing is indicative and has been prepared on the assumption that the new bands outlined would apply to all taxpayers equally regardless of their married or civil partnership status.
166. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year cost in 2023 if the number of dog teams within the Revenue Commissioners increased to 42. [44606/22]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that it currently operates 26 detector dog teams, including one team working on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The year one cost of each additional detector dog team is approximately €100,000. This includes the cost of a trained detector dog, salary of the handler, training for the handler with the dog, transport, and kennelling arrangements. Subsequent costs associated with each additional detector dog team is approximately €40,000 per annum. This includes salary, allowances, uniform, food, vet bills and other related costs.
I am advised by Revenue that the dog detector teams, which are an integral component of Revenue’s response framework targeting fraud, illicit trade, smuggling and organised crime, are just one component of a suite of resources, detection equipment and technologies deployed by them, in addition to the application of the comprehensive legal framework in place as set out in relevant tax and customs legislation. Intelligence development, electronic risk analysis tools, deployment of x-ray scan technology and maritime cutters are deployed as part of Revenue’s overall suite of measures. I am advised by Revenue that it keeps matters under regular review as regards the mix and blend of such measures having regard to risk assessment and evolving operational needs. I remain open to consider any proposals from Revenue that will support their work in combatting fraud, illicit trade and smuggling.
167. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the remote working from home relief from €3.20 per day to €5 per day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44705/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, there is a Revenue administrative practice in place that allows employers to pay a tax-free amount of €3.20 per day to employees who work remotely and satisfy certain conditions. As this payment is made tax free, details of the number of employees involved is not available. As such, I am advised by Revenue that it is not possible to provide an estimated cost to the Exchequer for increasing the tax-free payment from €3.20 to €5 per day.
It should be noted that any amounts paid exceeding the €3.20 daily rate are subject to tax, PRSI and USC in the normal manner.
If the employer does not make a payment of €3.20 per day, (or pays less than €3,20 per day) Remote Working Relief can be claimed, deducting any payment made by the employer.
As the Deputy will also be aware, in the Finance Act 2021, I enhanced and formalised the tax arrangements for working from home in line with Government policy to facilitate and support remote working. Accordingly, for the tax year 2022, Remote Working Relief provides an income tax deduction amounting to 30% of the cost of vouched expenses for electricity, heat and broadband in respect of those days spent working from home can be claimed by taxpayers.
168. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that under the tax rules landlords are only allowed to deduct the mortgage interest as an expense if they are registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (details supplied); if any of the Dáil Deputies who were not registered with the Board deducted the mortgage interest; if so, if the Revenue Commissioners are examining the matter. [44757/22]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that landlords are generally required to register details of their residential tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) but certain types of dwellings can be excluded from registration. The onus is on a landlord to ascertain whether s/he is excluded from the requirement to register tenancies. The excluded types of dwelling are listed under section 3 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 Act and include:
- business premises;
- former rent-controlled dwellings occupied by the original tenant or by her or his spouse;
- a dwelling occupied under a shared ownership lease;
- a tenancy where the landlord and tenant share the same self-contained unit;
- a dwelling in which the spouse, parent or child of the landlord is resident and where there is no written lease or tenancy agreement; holiday lettings; or
- a dwelling let by, or to, a public authorities.
Landlords are required to register details of all their tenancies within one month of the commencement of those tenancies. Revenue have advised that if all the tenancies in a dwelling are not registered for a particular year, all interest relief in respect of that dwelling will be lost for the year. There is no provision for apportionment where only some of the tenancies are registered.
An interest deduction is claimed under the normal self-assessment system. A landlord is required to state in the annual return of income that s/he has complied with the registration requirements. I am advised that Revenue regards the registration requirements for a chargeable period as met if they are met by the return filing date for that period. Revenue does not require that evidence of registration is submitted with the return of income, but such evidence should be retained for inspection in the event of a compliance intervention by Revenue.
In accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 as amended, I am advised that the RTB supplies Revenue with an annual extract of tenancy information held by the RTB. The data provides details of all tenancies with a commencement date beginning on or subsequent to 1 January 2016.
I am further advised that if a landlord’s tax return is selected for a Revenue compliance intervention, written confirmation of the registration of a tenancy from the RTB will be accepted as evidence of compliance with the registration requirements for that tenancy. In the case of an exempt dwelling, the onus will be on the landlord to show that s/he is not required to comply with the registration requirements. If a landlord has failed to comply with the registration requirements for a chargeable period, any interest relief that has been claimed will be withdrawn. Such a withdrawal of interest relief may result in an underpayment of tax and expose the landlord to interest and penalties.
While new tenancies should be registered within one month of their commencement, the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 Act provides for late registration at double the normal registration fee. I am advised that Revenue will accept an acknowledgement from the RTB confirming a late registration as evidence of compliance with the registration requirements provided for in Part 7 of the 2004 Act. However, a person claiming an interest deduction on their annual tax return must be able to indicate compliance with the Part 7 requirements at the time of making the return. I am also advised that if interest relief has been denied for a chargeable period because a tenancy was not registered by the return filing date, the relief can subsequently be restored if the landlord avails of the late registration facility, subject to the usual four-year time limit on claims for repayment of tax.
Revenue has a legal duty to protect the confidentiality of taxpayer information and is obliged to treat personal and business information of all taxpayers in the strictest of confidence. As such, it has advised that it would not be appropriate for it to comment further in response to the matters raised by the Deputy.
169. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44776/22]
View answerThe Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme (DDDPS) provides relief from VRT and VAT on an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant.
To qualify for a Primary Medical Certificate (PMC) an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled, and satisfy at least one of six specific medical criteria.. The PMC is issued by the relevant Senior Medical Officer in the HSE, or failing that an appeal may be made to the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMBA). The Minister has no role in relation to the granting or refusal of PMCs and the HSE and the Medical Board of Appeal must be independent in their clinical determinations.
The Deputy should note that I gave a commitment to the House that a comprehensive review of the DDDPS, to include a broader review of mobility supports for persons with disabilities, would be undertaken.
In this context I have been working with Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. We both agreed that the review should be brought within a wider review under the auspices of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS), to examine transport supports encompassing all Government funded transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities.
We believe that this is the most appropriate forum to meet mutual objectives in respect of transport solutions/mobility supports for those with a disability.
The NDIS working group, chaired by Minister Anne Rabbitte, with officials from both this Department and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as well as others, held its first meeting on the 26th January 2022. A stock-taking exercise of existing transport and mobility schemes currently supporting people with disabilities has been completed and was discussed at the most recent meeting of the group on 6th September 2022.
The Department of Finance established an information-gathering group to capture the experiences, expertise and perspectives of former Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal members and Principal Medical Officers (PMOs) in the HSE. A range of outputs have been produced, providing information on the DDDPS as inputs into the broader review.
My officials will continue to work closely with officials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to progress the wider review and on foot of that the NDIS working group will bring forward proposals for consideration.
I cannot comment on any potential changes to the scheme in advance of these proposals.
170. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered providing a VAT rebate or reduction scheme for domestic solar panel installation, as found in other jurisdictions including the UK and France; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44864/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, it is a longstanding practice that the Minister for Finance does not comment, in advance of the Budget, on any tax matters that might be the subject of Budget decision.
171. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance his views on concerns raised by a local business (details supplied) in respect of the worsening energy crisis that is debilitating businesses across the country; his plans to support businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44872/22]
View answer172. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance his views on concerns raised by a local business (details supplied) in respect of the worsening energy crisis that is debilitating businesses across the country; his plans to support businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44877/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.
Consumer price (HICP) inflation has picked up sharply over the course of this year and stood at 9 per cent in August. Almost every advanced economy in the world is in the same position, with inflation rates of 8.3 and 9.1 per cent recorded in the US and euro area respectively in August.
The key cause of the higher level of inflation at present is the sharp rise in wholesale energy, food and other commodity prices since the onset of the war in Ukraine. However, as highlighted in the correspondence, pass-through price effects from higher energy prices are increasingly being felt in other sectors including manufacturing. Indeed, non-energy or ‘core’ inflation has picked up sharply in recent months, to 6 per cent in August, suggesting inflationary pressures are increasingly broad based.
The Government knows the impact rising prices have had on households and businesses across the country and has already taken significant action to help. Some €2.4 billion in cost of living measures has been announced since last October. Looking ahead, the Government will continue to address these challenges head on. Budget 2023 will be a ‘Cost of Living Budget’ and will build on the fiscal supports the Government has already provided to cushion the impact of rising prices.
However, we know that resources are limited and while government policy will absorb some of the price shock, we cannot cushion households and businesses from the entire impact. The Government has to balance the response to the increased cost of living in Ireland with the unprecedented level of ongoing global economic uncertainty and macro-economic risk. Furthermore, in responding to the current challenges, it is important that we strike the right balance and ensure that policy doesn’t inadvertently add further inflationary pressures into the system.
173. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which he expects to meet the challenges arising from housing, energy and other cost-of-living price increases which currently challenge Irish consumers; if he is satisfied regarding the durability of the economy notwithstanding such challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44902/22]
View answerConsumer inflation (HICP) has risen sharply over the first half of 2022 and remained at exceptionally high levels. In August, annual inflation stood at 8.9 per cent. Rising price pressures are of course not unique to Ireland with most advanced economies experiencing similar price pressures. In the euro area inflation reached a record 9.1 per cent in August.
The pandemic initially had a deflationary impact on the economy. This was followed by an inflationary period as demand out-paced supply during the re-opening phase of many economies. However, the key driver of recent price spikes has been Russia’s war in Ukraine and the knock-on impact it has had on the energy markets and broader commodities market. However, spillover effects from higher energy prices are also being felt in other sectors, such as food (via fertilisers and fuel costs) and consumer goods and services (via higher energy inputs). Indeed, the recent rise in non-energy or ‘core’ inflation, which stood at 6¼ per cent in August, suggests that inflationary pressures are becoming increasingly broad-based.
Irish property price and rental inflation have remained at high levels, a trend fundamentally driven by a lack of supply. Resolving pressures in the housing market is a critical priority for Government and ‘Housing for All’ outlines the Government’s plan to increase affordability and home ownership. ‘Housing for All’ has the largest ever housing budget in the history of the State with in excess of €20bn in funding through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency and the Housing Finance Agency over a five-year period. In Budget 2022, a record €4 billion was allocated towards housing.
The Government knows the cost pressures currently facing households and businesses. That is why, to meet the cost of living challenges currently facing our economy, the government has announced €2.4 billion in cost of living measures to date. Furthermore, Budget 2023 will be a “Cost of Living Budget”, aimed at cushioning the inflationary blow to Irish households and firms, in particular the most vulnerable members of society. However, it must be stressed that resources are limited, and the public finances cannot bear the full costs of this inflationary cycle.
The prudent management of our public finances over the past few years has put the exchequer in a position to fund a substantive cost of living package in Budget 2023. However, we must remain prudent to ensure that our public finances remain on a sustainable trajectory.
174. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if further assistance will be provided for a couple (details supplied) in County Kildare to purchase their own home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44910/22]
View answerSupporting people to buy their first home is a key priority for this Government. To support this aim, the Help to Buy (HTB) assists first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. The incentive gives a refund on Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in the State over the previous four years, subject to limits.
I understand the nature of the circumstances highlighted by the Deputy, however the current position is that purchasers taking out a mortgage of less than 70% loan-to-value (LTV) do not qualify for the HTB incentive. Revenue have advised that a mortgage provided by a qualifying lender is the sole finance relevant for determining the loan aspect of the LTV ratio for HTB.
The Deputy may be aware that HTB is subject to a sunset clause which expires on 31 December 2022 and that it has also been subject to an independent review by external consultants, Mazars, ahead of Budget 2023.
With less than two weeks to go to the Budget, the Deputy will understand that I am not in a position to comment further on the scheme at this time.
175. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance his plans to extend the reduced tourism VAT rate of 9% beyond February 2023; the analysis that his Department has carried out in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45099/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, it is a longstanding practice that the Minister for Finance does not comment, in advance of the Budget, on any tax matters that might be the subject of Budget decision.
176. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a grant payment comparable to the fuel grant associated with the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme for persons who qualify for the scheme but who have electric vehicles. [45129/22]
View answerThe Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme (DDDPS) provides relief from VRT and VAT on an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. Subject to meeting vehicle and adaptation conditions, electric vehicles can avail of DDS provisions.
Under DDDPS provisions, the reliefs from VRT and VAT are generous in nature amounting to up to €10,000, €16,000 or €22,000, depending on the level of adaption required for the vehicle. There is no differentiation between electric and other vehicles in terms of available VRT/VAT relief.
Section 135C(3)(b) of the Finance Act 1992 separately provides that a Category A series production electric vehicle can avail of relief of up to €5,000 on the VRT due. Thus the amount of VRT due or paid on an electric vehicle may be lower than the maximum DDS relief permitted. In such cases the VRT relief provided through the DDS will equate to the actual VRT due or paid. VAT refunds are provided regardless of the type of vehicle.
DDS Scheme recipients with a petrol or diesel vehicle may claim payment of a fuel grant. The fuel grant covers the excise tax elements of petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It is based on a per litre rate of €0.636 for petrol, €0.535 for diesel and €0.118 LPG in respect of the mineral oil taxes applying to these products. An annual maximum of 2,730 litres applies in respect of a driver or passenger, and 4,100 litres in respect of an organisation.
However, as electricity supplied for household use is not subject to electricity tax, there is no provision under the DDS to cover a grant scheme for electricity used to recharge electric vehicles similar to that provided for petrol or diesel vehicles.
177. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance his views on introducing a windfall tax on energy companies provide support for households and SMEs experiencing substantial energy bill increases. [45130/22]
View answerThere is an energy crisis currently, affecting not only Ireland but also all of Europe, arising from the war in Ukraine which has led to volatility in energy markets, and supply constraints in the electricity market. I am well aware of the difficulties Irish households and businesses are going through arising from substantial increases in energy bills.
Since the beginning of the year, this Government has taken action to ease the burden for energy users as much as possible. We introduced a package of new measures to mitigate the increase in the cost of living, including an electricity credit of €200, a lump sum payment of €125 on the fuel allowance, a temporary reduction in public transport fares, and a temporary reduction in VAT on gas and electricity from 13.5% to 9%.
However, further measures to ease the cost of living for households and businesses will form a central part of the forthcoming Budget.
In conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, my Department has been assessing options for collecting a portion of the windfall profits that energy companies are currently making. This may be superseded by a new EU proposal for emergency interventions in the energy market. There is a benefit to coordinated action across the EU to effectively tackle high energy prices, and my officials are working to support officials in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in examining the EU proposals.
178. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the motor travel rates for home support sector will be reviewed given that there is an increased demand on staff to travel and rates and distance bands have not been reviewed since 2017 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45092/22]
View answerThe Deputy may wish to be aware that my Department has recently completed a review of Motor Travel Rates in conjunction with Staff Side representatives. The outcome of the review is that revised rates were introduced with effect from 1st September 2022.
The revised rates are set out in Circular 16/2022: Revised Motor Travel Rates.
This Circular sets out the rates which apply to the civil service and to public service bodies.
The revised rates are based on fuel prices as of 27th June 2022 and show an average increase of 10% over 2017 rates.
The Deputy may also wish to be aware that in recognition of Government commitments under CAP 21 in relation electric vehicles (EVs), it has been decided to recoup EVs at the same rate as that applying to internal combustion engines (ICE) vehicles with engine capacities of 1,201 cc to 1,500 cc. Moving from the 1,200 cc category at 2017 rates to 1,201 cc to 1,500 cc category at 2022 rates represents an increase of approximately 15%.
The application of distance bands, whereby the rate of mileage changes as the distance covered progresses, remain a feature of the agreed arrangements and these bands have not changed as result of this review.
179. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on Irish language-specific recruitment panels and the poor rates of appointment from these panels to full-time civil service posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44419/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 was enacted on 22 December last. It underpins a key Programme for Government commitment and it is notable that this coincides with Irish having become a full working language of the EU Institutions since January.
From submissions made to the Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community, the achievement of an ambitious 20% recruitment target of proficient Irish speakers by 2030 requires a cross-Government approach. This is against a backdrop whereby only 0.4% of posts are designated currently by civil service employers as being Irish-speaking posts.
The Act provides that within 6 months of the date of enactment, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media shall establish an Irish Languages Services Advisory Committee. Accordingly, Minister Martin and Minister of State Chambers established this Committee in June of this year. My Department is represented on this Committee at Principal Officer level and the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is similarly represented at the Committee. The committee is chaired by the Director of Irish at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The functions of this Committee are set out in the Act and include the preparation of a National Plan, within two years of its establishment, to increase the provision of services through the medium of Irish as well periodic surveying of the number of Irish speakers employed by the public service.
Some of the actions that my Department and PAS are already taking to increase the number of fluent Irish speakers in the civil service include:
- Dedicated recruitment and promotion competitions targeted at Irish language speakers: Since the summer of 2021, PAS has held general civil service competitions for individuals with fluency in Irish at Clerical Officer, Executive Officer, Higher Executive Officer and Principal Officer level. The outturn of these competitions reflects that the number of fluent Irish speakers applying to join the civil service, or otherwise declaring a fluency in Irish, remains low.
I am advised by PAS that since the enactment of the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021, a total of 44 candidates have been assigned to date from panels established from recruitment competitions - from Clerical Officer to Principal Officer level - where fluency in Irish was required for the post in question and for which proficiency in Irish was tested as part of the PAS assessment process.
Additionally, to the end of June 2022 PAS has assigned 101 candidates from competitions to posts where Irish was not identified by the hiring employer as a prerequisite for the post in question and where the candidate declared as part of their application that they had fluency in Irish. Their proficiency in Irish was not, however, tested as part of the PAS assessment process.
It is possible that some Departments or Government Officers may also have recruited fluent speakers directly under their local recruitment licence instead of PAS.
- Irish language training in the Civil Service: Along with the recruitment of staff with sufficient Irish language skills, the provision of Irish language training for the Civil Service is of particular importance, in order to enhance the linguistic abilities of current civil servants. OneLearning, the Learning and Development Centre for the Civil Service, was set up in 2017 and is responsible for delivering common training to all Civil Service Bodies (CSBs).
Irish language training courses continue to be made available to all existing Civil Servants via OneLearning - the Learning and Development Centre for the Civil Service based in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Since 2018, 1,454 civil servants have enrolled on an Irish language training course through OneLearning. 470 enrolments of these enrolments were in 2021 and 179 to date in 2022.
OneLearning signed a new contract for the provision of Irish language training in 2021 and is currently rolling out an expanded range of Irish Language training courses that will include the introduction of a Beginner’s Irish course, the first term of these courses will commence in September 2022. The Irish Language courses will be certified by Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG), which is administered by the Centre for Irish Language at Maynooth University. It is a comprehensive, graded system that allows learners to undertake examinations at five different levels of proficiency. The various levels in TEG are broadly based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching and Assessment (Council of Europe, 2001).
180. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when a person (details supplied) in County Clare who is a retired HSE staff member and who has not had their pension increased or arrears paid in respect of the October 2021 or the February 2022 public service pay increases, will receive their increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44448/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the previous Government approved the current pension increase policy as part of its commitments under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA). Under this policy, which applied for the duration of the PSSA, pay increases granted to serving staff over the course of the PSSA were passed on to those pensions awarded under the pre-existing public service schemes where the salary on which the pension was based did not exceed the salary of serving staff with the same grade and scale point, after the pay increase had been applied. If it qualified, the pension was eligible for an increase to the extent that this would ensure alignment with the pay of serving staff.
The Minister has approved the continuation of the above pension increase policy for the period to the end of 2022, including the pension increase in October 2021 as a result of the general round pay increase of 1% or €500, whichever is greater. In that regard, Circular 10/2021 was issued to sanction and give guidance on the application of the policy over that period in respect of pay restoration and pay increases for serving staff under Building Momentum, A New Public Service Agreement 2021-2022. The Circular can be found in electronic form at: www.gov.ie/en/circular/e3bc7-instruction-on-the-pension-increase-policy-in-the-public-service-until-end-2022/.
The application of pension increase policy falls within the remit of the pension administrator for the employing Department or body and therefore all further questions should be directed to the Health Service Executive in the first instance.
www.healthservice.hse.ie/staff/benefits-services/pensions/pension-area-contacts.html
181. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when a person (details supplied) in County Clare who is a retired HSE staff member will receive their pay increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44454/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the previous Government approved the current pension increase policy as part of its commitments under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA). Under this policy, which applied for the duration of the PSSA, pay increases granted to serving staff over the course of the PSSA were passed on to those pensions awarded under the pre-existing public service schemes where the salary on which the pension was based did not exceed the salary of serving staff with the same grade and scale point, after the pay increase had been applied. If it qualified, the pension was eligible for an increase to the extent that this would ensure alignment with the pay of serving staff.
The Minister has approved the continuation of the above pension increase policy for the period to the end of 2022, including the pension increase in October 2021 as a result of the general round pay increase of 1% or €500, whichever is greater. In that regard, Circular 10/2021 was issued to sanction and give guidance on the application of the policy over that period in respect of pay restoration and pay increases for serving staff under Building Momentum, A New Public Service Agreement 2021-2022. The Circular can be found in electronic form at: www.gov.ie/en/circular/e3bc7-instruction-on-the-pension-increase-policy-in-the-public-service-until-end-2022/.
The application of pension increase policy falls within the remit of the pension administrator for the employing Department or body and therefore all further questions should be directed to the Health Service Executive in the first instance.
healthservice.hse.ie/staff/benefits-services/pensions/pension-area-contacts.html
182. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if funding will be provided by the OPW to a community for the cleaning of a river (details supplied); if the OPW will arrange to clean this river; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44538/22]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the maintenance of Arterial Drainage Schemes and catchment drainage schemes designated under the Arterial Drainage Acts of 1945 and 1995.
As part of the Corrib Mask Arterial Drainage Scheme, the OPW regularly undertakes routine maintenance on the River Robe channel in the Bowers Walk area of Ballinrobe to ensure conveyance is maintained. In addition to the significant repair works undertaken by the OPW along the Bowers Walk stretch of channel in 2021, the OPW has plans this year to undertake works on the sluice gates at the weir on Bowers Walk and to undertake routine vegetation management to maintain conveyance in the channel.
It is also understood that Mayo County Council can provide support to Tidy Towns committees/groups by way of network meetings, seminars, funding supports and environmental initiatives. In addition, community and voluntary groups wishing to carry out litter clean up events can contact the Environment Office of Mayo County Council to avail of bags and gloves for their event - email: environment@mayococo.ie.
183. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons employed in his Department that have a formal agreement to work from home one day per week, two days per week and five days per week; his Department’s policy in respect of facilitating requests by persons to work from home; and the number of persons that have made requests to work from home in 2021 and to date in 2022, that have been declined. [44585/22]
View answerA Blended Working Policy for Staff in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was published on 31 August 2022. This Blended Working Policy provides for staff to apply to work remotely for up to 2 days per week. There is no provision in the policy for remote working on a 5 day per week basis.
The communication with this policy explained to staff that applications for blended working arrangements would be accepted from Monday 5 September 2022. To date (13.09.2022) 40 members of staff submitted applications. 11 staff have had their applications approved, 28 staff have applications pending approval and 1 member of staff has cancelled their application.
184. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Garda stations that currently have electric vehicle charging points in tabular form. [44613/22]
View answerThe OPW is working with Garda Estate Management to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points in Garda Stations around the country. A number of EV Chargers have been installed to date and future installations are currently being planned for this year and beyond
The following Garda Stations have Electric Vehicle charging points installed:
- Ballymun Garda Station
- Blanchardstown Garda Station
- Claremorris Garda Station
- Cong Garda Station
- Drogheda Garda Station
- Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station
- Garda HQ Phoenix Park
- Knock Garda Station
- Letterkenny Garda Station
- Rathfarnham Garda Station
- Stepaside Garda Station
- Westport Garda Station
- Wexford Garda Station
