Written Answers Nos. 404-422
404. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of requests that his Department received from the Comptroller and Auditor General seeking approval for the recruitment of additional staff during 2022; and of the number of requests received, the number that were approved. [1212/23]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that in relation to recruitment the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) operates under a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). This delegated sanction provides the C&AG with scope to manage recruitment up to and including Principal Officer Standard. For posts at Principal Officer Higher and above, the C&AG is required to request sanction from DPER. In 2022, no such requests were received by my Department.
405. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Public Appointments Service can adequately evaluate non-nationals applying for jobs in the public service who may have higher level qualifications such as level 9 and but not have an Irish Leaving Certificate; if any weight or account is presently taking by the PAS when looking at such applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1256/23]
View answerPAS utilises recognised standard education comparability frameworks to convert qualifications from non-Irish education institutions into their Irish equivalent, for example, NARIC By doing this we are able to understand if the qualification matches or exceeds the eligibility criteria as set out as part of a PAS competition. Only qualifications that are stated as requirements, or as desirable criteria, are taken into account for our General Grade and Professional and Technical roles; this is to ensure fairness for all candidates. If the Executive Officer grade is taken as an example, the only educational required per DPER guidelines is that candidates must: (i) have obtained a minimum Level 7 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications; or have obtained in the Established Leaving Certificate Examination a minimum of Grade D (or post 2017 Leaving Certificate O6 grade) at Ordinary level in Mathematics and Irish or English, having obtained a minimum of Grade C (or post 2017 Leaving Certificate H4 grade) in at least five subjects at Higher level; or hold a qualification, that in the opinion of the Public Appointments Service, is of a standard in terms of both level and volume of learning that is of at least an equivalent or higher standard; i.e. a qualification that is equal to a full Level 5 Major award or above on the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) National Framework of Qualifications.
Candidates must in addition to meeting all stated requirements also obtain qualifying scores in the competition assessments. Orders of merits for candidates are based on their performance in the assessment stages e.g. interviews.
406. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the PAS compiles any statistics on the recruitment levels of non-Irish nationals in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1257/23]
View answerPAS do not currently compile statistics on recruitment levels of non-Irish nationals in the public service. While PAS undertake a significant amount of civil service recruitment and, less so, public sector, they do not do all the recruitment for this sector.
Candidates do set up a profile on Publicjobs.ie when searching or applying for any number of roles advertised. At this point they can opt to fill in various equality monitoring questions; one of which is to identify their nationality. This information is voluntary, and one profile/candidate can apply for many roles. It is not tracked, monitored or reported on as part of the recruitment process. Where it is a requirement to be provided as an eligibility criterion, it is collected and confirmed independent to the account registration process. PAS are currently assessing the best way to gather, analyse and use the equality monitoring data they hold do, in line with emerging best practice and government action to ensure a diverse and inclusive public service.
407. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if current employment practices of the PAS may be discriminating against highly educated non-Irish nationals in attaining employment opportunities in the public service, specifically in relation to the treatment of graduates from abroad without an Irish education background; if these practices are compatible with EU equality principles; if his Department has any plans to amend current employment practices in the PAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1258/23]
View answerPAS utilises recognised standard education comparability frameworks to convert qualifications from non-Irish education institutions into their Irish equivalent, for example NARIC. By doing this PAS is able to understand if the qualification matches the eligibility criteria as set out as part of a PAS competition. PAS is satisfied that it has processes in place to assess whether qualifications obtained in other jurisdictions meet the entry requirements for all PAS-run competitions across the public service.
PAS has developed an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy in order to attract a diversity of applicants for public service roles, which focused on increasing knowledge and understanding of the Irish public sector workforce and recruitment pipelines; ensuring recruitment and selection processes encourage and enable access to candidates from diverse backgrounds; modelling best practice in ED&I at PAS, and support clients in building public sector workplaces that embrace inclusion and reflect society.
408. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will clarify an issue regarding the cleaning of a river (details supplied in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1294/23]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the maintenance of Arterial Drainage Schemes and Flood Relief schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts, 1945 and 1995 as amended. The maintenance of all drainage schemes carried out under earlier Acts, known as Drainage Districts, is the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority.
Both Akeragh Lough Drainage District, north of Ardfert, and the Banna Drainage District to the west, are under the maintenance responsibility of Kerry County Council as Drainage Districts. The OPW has no responsibility for the maintenance of this river, nor the authority to carry out any maintenance works there.
409. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the efforts that have been made to improve the recognition of Kilcooley Abbey, Gortnahoe, County Tipperary, as a tourism and heritage location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1339/23]
View answerKilcooley Abbey is in guardianship of the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland since 13 March 1911 for the purpose of maintaining the monument. This includes a right of way in order to carry out maintenance. While there are areas within the Abbey that are inaccessible, visitors are able to visit the wider site. On occasion, there may be restricted access if there is livestock present in the field that surrounds the Abbey.
Although the OPW has permission to enter the property to maintain the Abbey, it should be noted that the Kilcooley House Estate is privately owned. As a result, the OPW has no role in presenting the site as a tourism location. OPW staff can only access the right of way to the Abbey for the purpose of maintaining the Abbey and carrying out surveys etc. in relation to protection of the National Monument.
410. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works intends keeping the Corrib flood gates at Galway fully open for the foreseeable future to reduce the risk of flooding in the lower and upper Corrib basin due to heavy rains in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1359/23]
View answerThe Office of Public Works confirm that all gates at the Galway Sluice Barrage are currently open.
All the gates will remain open for as long as required, for the appropriate management of the lake levels on Lough Corrib.
411. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will list all State boards, commissions or other such bodies to which a person (details supplied) has been appointed by his Department from 1 January 2011 to date. [1430/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the person in question was not appointed to any State Board, commission or other such body by my Department since the Department was established in 2011 to date.
412. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the specific delegated functions that have been transferred to Ministers of State appointed in December 2022, in tabular form; and the date of transfer. [1475/23]
View answerThere are two Ministers of State appointed to my Department:
- Deputy Ossian Smyth is Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement and eGovernment; and
- Deputy Patrick O’Donovan is Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works.
Each of the two Ministers of State also has responsibilities at another Department.
With regard to my own Department, no formal Delegation of Ministerial Functions Orders have been signed. This position is kept under review in light of the requirements of the respective roles.
413. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the name of the company, organisation or persons contracted to provide media training to him from 1 January 2021 to date; the costs incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1512/23]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question, no costs were incurred providing media training to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform since 1 January 2021.
414. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the review into the workings of the Freedom of Information Act 2014. [1571/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address the review of the Freedom of Information Act.
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the work that has already been put in to this project by Minister McGrath. Under his guidance, an update setting out the current position in the review was brought to Government, and subsequently issued to stakeholders and published late last year.
Given the breadth and complexity of the issues involved, it is envisaged that the review will be completed and the report brought to Government for approval later in the first quarter of this year.
My Department is continuing its engagement with key stakeholders in the public sector on draft preliminary recommendations. I expect to shortly to be presented with final findings and recommendations in the form of a draft review report. In turn, I expect to present the review report to Government for approval and publication before the end of the first quarter of this year. At that point, subject to Government approval, amending legislation will be tabled if required and an implementation process will commence.
The review process has been an open and collaborative process, and received approximately 1,200 submissions to its consultation phases, as well as a further approximately 1,100 returns to a customer satisfaction survey. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the stakeholders across all sectors who took the time to make their contributions to this important process.
415. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency co-ordination working group held its last meeting; if he will call an emergency meeting of the working group in view of the impending serious flooding in the Shannon catchment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1654/23]
View answer416. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline the present discharge rate of water from Lough Derg via Parteen weir; and the corresponding discharge from Ardnacrusha Station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1655/23]
View answer417. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 223 of 10 November 2022, if he will outline the conclusions drawn from his engagement with the OPW on the outcome of the legal analysis of the current regulatory environment regarding the management of the River Shannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1656/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 415 to 417, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will be aware that the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group was established in 2016 by the Government to enhance the ongoing co-operation across state agencies involved with the River Shannon. The Group last met in Athlone on 20 October 2022. At that meeting, the Group discussed a range of issues relating to work underway to assist with flood risk management along the River Shannon.
The water levels on the three lakes are controlled and managed by the ESB. The levels in Lough Derg are managed for the purpose of electricity generation. The ESB does not store water in Lough Allen or Lough Ree for the purposes of electricity generation. The levels in Lough Allen and Lough Ree are managed to assist with navigation levels, to ensure that floods are passed safely and to ensure minimum navigation levels in the river during dry periods. The levels in between the lakes are managed by Waterways Ireland for navigation purposes.
Both the ESB and Waterways Ireland communicate on a daily basis as required to ensure a co-ordinated approach to sluice movements and water level management along the River Shannon.
The ESB is continuously monitoring the water levels throughout the River Shannon and continues to operate in accordance with its regulations and guidelines for control of the River Shannon.
There has been heavy rainfall throughout the catchment recently. This has resulted in increasing water levels in the River Shannon and its tributaries.
Lough Derg is currently in flood as defined in the ESB’s regulations and guidelines for control of the River Shannon.
Discharge at Parteen Weir down the old River Shannon Channel as of Tuesday 17 January is 210 m3/s. This is combined with discharge from Ardnacrusha Station which is operating at full throughput (thereabouts 380m3/s currently). Discharging more water than current would potentially result in lowering water levels in Parteen Basin below safe operating limits with the risk of causing stability issues to the Category A Earthen Embankment Dams that form Parteen Basin and the Headrace Canal.
While the ESB has an influence on water levels on some parts of the river as mentioned above, it does not control the water level of the River Shannon, nor was the Shannon Scheme designed for that purpose. The ESB can only manage the flow of water as it arrives at Parteen Weir from Lough Derg. All of the water arriving at Parteen weir is discharged either via Ardnacrusha station or down the old Shannon channel. The ESB does not store any water upstream of Parteen weir in the Parteen Basin The water flow from Lough Derg to Parteen Basin is restricted by the flow capacity of the outlet channel from Lough Derg at Killaloe. The capacity restriction acts like a bottleneck limiting the discharge from Lough Derg. The ESB is maximising the discharge of water from Lough Derg within the Dam Safety constraints.
With the latest Met Éireann weather forecast it is expected discharge from Parteen Weir may increase further during this week as further water flow arrives to Parteen Weir.
Predicted water levels and expected discharge amounts based on the latest Met Éireann forecast can be found on the ESB’s twice weekly Shannon Forecast available to view at: www.esbhydro.ie/shannon/01-shannon-hydro-forecast.pdf.
An analysis of the legislative landscape and the current regulatory environment regarding the management of the River Shannon was carried out. On the recommendation of the Attorney General, the OPW obtained legal services to support the examination of the legislative powers underpinning the bodies involved with the River Shannon.
The outcome of this legal analysis has informed a proposed approach which was sent to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for his consideration in October 2022.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform responded to the OPW in December 2022 and sought further information which is currently being progressed.
418. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a person (details supplied) has received the correct restorations to their public sector pension since their commencement of the pension in October 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1739/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, as the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for public service pension increase policy. For this group of retirees, pension increase policy is agreed until the end of this year, as part of the extension to the Building Momentum Agreement enacted in 2022. I also hold an approval role for certain pension schemes in the wider public sector, which are not tied to that agreement.
If an individual pensioner is experiencing issues or requires clarification regarding their pension increases, they should make contact with their former parent Department in the first instance to resolve the issue.
419. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the indoor and outdoor visitor numbers to the visitor centre in the Phoenix Park in each month from May to October 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1812/23]
View answerThe Phoenix Park Visitor Centre is a major tourist attraction located in the heart of the Phoenix Park, which has in excess of one million visitor per year. The complex comprises of the award winning Victorian Kitchen Garden, the Phoenix Cafe, universal access playground, visitor centre, gallery and toilets along with extensive pleasure grounds. Major events take place on an annual basis including Bloom and the Phoenix Park Biodiversity and Honey Show.
The Visitor centre is a hub for educational events, exhibitions, information sessions and many events throughout the year. The OPW guide service lead a range of historical and ecological tours and activities for all ages including a number of educational modules suitable for the primary school curriculum. Tours are also provided to Áras an Uachtaráin, Arbour Hill Cemetery, Grangegorman Military Cemetery and the Irish National War Memorial Gardens.
The schedules attached demonstrates the periods of restrictions during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and this is reflected in the indoor visitor numbers which are compiled on a weekly basis. As the figures required, specified calendar months to the end of October, some years include the first week in November figures.
Phoenix Park Visitor Centre – Numbers of recorded visitors for May to October -2017 to 2022.
|
Outdoor Area of Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Complex |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
|
2017 |
217,348 |
202,982 |
186,878 |
165,409 |
129,521 |
118,630 |
|
2018 |
221,150 |
152,954 |
200,241 |
160,465 |
138,379 |
131,304 |
|
2019 |
126,682 |
172,957 |
231,884 |
179,065 |
133,946 |
95,244 |
|
2020 |
91,327 |
168,834 |
182,225 |
188,195 |
177,873 |
181,953 |
|
2021 |
136,793 |
123,659 |
184,956 |
187,622 |
152,876 |
155,489 |
|
2022 |
208,812 |
199,320 |
177,544 |
186,189 |
170,920 |
148,505 |
|
Indoor area of Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Only |
May |
June* |
July |
August |
September |
October |
|
2017 |
6,606 |
4,485 |
10,611 |
8,164 |
8,386 |
6,486 |
|
2018 |
6,869 |
4,765 |
15,944 |
10,185 |
10,755 |
5,581 |
|
2019 |
6,813 |
11,040 |
9,943 |
10,811 |
11,270 |
6,142 |
|
2020 |
Closed |
Closed |
2,672 |
2,738 |
836 |
13 |
|
2021 |
1200 |
2402 |
2,853 |
4,151 |
3,583 |
5,000 |
|
2022 |
6886 |
1,453 |
9,379 |
11,088 |
7,554 |
4,800 |
*The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre closes during the Bloom Festival each year to allow staff to operate an outdoor reception desk. The numbers of visitors to this outdoor reception desk are not included in the indoor area of the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre numbers.
420. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department will arrange for the unveiling of a memorial in Kilmainham Gaol to persons (details supplied). [1902/23]
View answerIn 1960 the Kilmainham Gaol Restoration Society was formed with the aim of restoring the Gaol as a memorial. Over the next 26 years many voluntary workers gave up their time to help in this invaluable restoration project. During this time a number of plaques were placed in Kilmainham Gaol by the Restoration Society, the plaque to which the Deputy refers being one.
In 1986, a decision was made by the Restoration Society to transfer the running of the Gaol back to the State under the care of the Office of Public Works (OPW).
Since the Gaol transferred to the State in 1986, the OPW has not made any changes to or replaced any of the plaques installed by the Restoration Society, now the Kilmainham Gaol Board of Visitors. I have requested my Officials to discuss this matter, in the first instance, with the current representatives of the Board to ascertain their thoughts in relation to this proposal.
421. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 4 October 2022, if he will provide an update (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1993/23]
View answerThe OPW are currently engaged with colleagues in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) on this issue. Given the particular circumstances of the case, the Human Resources Section of the OPW is actively exploring a means of resolving the issues that have arisen so that a mutually satisfactory solution can be achieved in negotiations involving OPW staff, their trade union representatives and Management before OPW staff begin the season on Skellig Michael in April of this year.
422. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a copy of the briefing documents prepared for the incoming Minister and presented to him by his officials on his appointment in December 2022. [1997/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the briefing document provided to me by my Department following my appointment has been published on the Department's website and is available at this link - www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/a55f9-incoming-ministers-brief-2022/.
The published version has regard to the relevant provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2014.
