Written Answers Nos. 352-371
352. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide a clear timeframe as to when the OPW will have all the flood defence measures completed in Athlone, given this work was to have been completed by the end of 2022 and has yet to happen; the reason for the delay; and when the work is now scheduled for completion. [12488/23]
View answerThe Athlone Flood Alleviation Scheme is being led by Westmeath County Council with funding provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW). Construction of the Scheme is being undertaken directly by the OPW.
Defences are largely in place now in many areas of the Athlone Flood Alleviation Scheme with 81% of the flood defences constructed. It is anticipated the works undertaken to date in conjunction with the implementation of Westmeath County Councils Emergency Response Plan would significantly reduce the risk of the town flooding during an extreme weather event.
Delays to the scheme were incurred as a result of prolonged elevated water levels on the Shannon, Covid-19 and the introduction of high quality masonry finishes to the flood walls.
There are still a number of ancillary works to be completed, such as pumping stations and masonry cladding and steelworks.
Progression of the works is in general, dependent on appropriate water levels in the Shannon to allow works to be carried out, and landowner permissions being in place. I have asked my officials to provide you directly with an updated schedule to include the expected completion of the scheme.
353. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if a direction to scale back on capital expenditure has been issued to each Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12518/23]
View answerThe NDP published in October 2021 provides a detailed and positive vision for Ireland out to 2030 delivering total public investment of €165 billion over the period 2021-2030 and establishes the Government’s over-arching investment framework and broad direction for investment priorities for this decade. The level of capital investment in public capital infrastructure provided for over the lifetime of the NDP is necessary in order to provide the vital infrastructure needed to meet the requirements of our growing population and will help build resilience in our economy to provide a robust response to current and future needs.
In 2023, over €12 billion will be made available from the Exchequer for investment in public capital projects, which will provide more schools, homes, hospitals and other pieces of vital infrastructure. This level of expenditure will be pivotal in consolidating the progress already made, and, most importantly, delivering the infrastructure to support our future climate, social and economic requirements.
I can confirm to the Deputy that no direction to scale back on capital expenditure has been issued to Departments. This country has seen a step change in capital investment in a short period of time - in 2017 just before the first NDP we spent €4.6 billion on capital, in 2023 the equivalent figure is over €12 billion. However, to achieve the high quality stock of infrastructure that is required to meet our overall Project Ireland 2040 goals, this concerted and continual investment will be required beyond the life of this NDP. The Government is committed to delivering significant and essential infrastructural projects that will transform this country’s employment prospects, economic development and regional growth.
354. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an overview of the expenses and renumeration paid to retired public servants who provide their skills as members of interview boards; if he will provide information on the daily fee scales, the fees for preparatory work, if payments are taxable; the arrangements in place to cover meals and accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12549/23]
View answerThe following rates are payable to members of Interview/Selection Boards in the Public Appointments Service. These rates have been in place since 1st July 2013.
Retired Public Servants (on pension):
|
Secretary General |
€377 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
€295 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
€200 |
|
Principal |
€150 |
|
Assistant Principal |
€130 |
Payment is made only for interview days and not for preparation days.
As a source of income, I understand that these fees are subject to tax however, this is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners.
The arrangements in place to cover subsistence payable to members of Interview/Selection Boards are in accordance with DPER Circular 17/2022, attached for information.
The Interview/Selection Board rates are currently subject to a review by my officials. My Department is continuing to engage with the relevant stakeholders to obtain all of the necessary data and evidence to inform policy decisions. I expect the review to be finalised in the first half of 2023.
355. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update and provide any additional information on the transfer of ownership of the historic Westgate House, Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12578/23]
View answerWestgate House, Narrow West Street, Drogheda, County Louth is in the ownership of the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland.
Officials from the Office of Public Works have reached agreement to transfer the property to Louth County Council in line with the State’s property disposal policy. Contracts for the transfer are currently with solicitors for Louth County Council and the matter will be finalised as soon as possible.
356. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 7 March 2023, if he will set out the rationale for the age thresholds of children in respect of parental leave entitlements; and the reasons that parents of children aged 17 and 18 years may not avail of this leave. [12591/23]
View answerThe Parental Leave Amendment Act 2019 is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Parental leave legislation allows parents to take unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their children, of up to 26 weeks’ for each eligible child before their 12th birthday (or 16th birthday if their child has a disability or long-term illness). Policy in respect of the Civil Service is in line with this legislation. Civil Servants can take parental leave until the day their child turns 13, or 16 for a child with a disability or long-term illness.
As set out in the previous PQ referenced by the Deputy, all guidance which has issued to all Civil Servants is available on the National Shared Services Office, HR shared services centre website and can be accessed here;
www.nsso.gov.ie/en/services/parental-leave/
More generally in relation to leave issues, I would note that there are a range of leave options that can be applied for by all civil servants including work-sharing, shorter working year, domestic leave, career breaks and where appropriate carer's leave. The approval of applications for such leave are a matter for the relevant employer.
357. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if any projects under his remit are on hold due to Capital Funding pressures; if he will indicate the projects, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12631/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that there are no projects in my Department that are on hold due to capital funding pressures. Due to the nature of its role, my Department does not have responsibility for any major capital projects such as construction projects. The main purpose of the capital projects and associated investment undertaken by my Department is to support greater effectiveness and efficiency across the Department and the Civil and Public Service through investing in ICT.
358. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when he will sign off on the 3% pay increase for Eircom pensioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12682/23]
View answerThe Eircom Superannuation Scheme, which is a defined benefits pension scheme, makes provision for the granting of discretionary annual pension increases, subject to Ministerial approval. On 7 October 2022, Eir wrote to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications requesting Ministerial Consent for a 3% increase to pensions in payment and deferred pensions under the Scheme, effective from 1 July 2022. In accordance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and DPER Circular 16/2021 the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications wrote to my Department on 10 November requesting my approval to the increase.
NewERA were requested to analyse the proposal and to prepare a report. As this was the first pension increase since the eircom No. 2 Superannuation Fund, which funds pension benefits relating to service in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, moved to a pay-as-go-model funded directly by the exchequer, terms of reference were required between the respective Departments and NewERA in advance of the production of this report. Terms of reference were confirmed on 9 February 2023 and NewERA’s report was finalised on 23 February.
Under the rules of the eircom Superannuation Scheme the approval of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and the concurrence of the Minister for Finance is required for pension increases. My recommendation for the approval of the pension increase was relayed to officials in the Department of Finance on 27 February. On 14 March the concurrence of the Minister for Finance was confirmed and this was subsequently communicated to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The payment of the increase is now a matter for Eir.
359. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the progress made by his Department in respect of targets and goals set out in sustainable development goals of the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development under the policy remit of his Department; and if these targets and goals will be met by their respective deadlines. [12908/23]
View answerIn Ireland, a whole-of-Government approach has been taken to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The work of my Department is associated with the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
A renewed National Development Plan was published in October 2021, setting out the Irish Government's infrastructure priorities for the coming decade to 2030. The Government is targeting 5% of national income for investment in infrastructure and R&I across the decade with a total investment of €165 billion. In 2023, €12.1 billion is being invested in much needed infrastructure to deliver economic, social and climate action objectives. The priority projects are centred around the 10 National Strategic Objectives set out in the National Planning Framework: Compact Growth; Enhanced Regional Accessibility; Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities; Sustainable Mobility; A Strong Economy, supported by Enterprise, Innovation and Skills; High-Quality International Connectivity; Enhanced Amenity and Heritage; Transition to a Climate-Neutral and Climate Resilient Society; Sustainable Management of Water and other Environmental Resources; Access to Quality Childcare, Education and Health Services. Taken together, the National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework make up Project Ireland 2040.
Goal 12: Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns
With reference to SDG 12.7, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) promotes sustainable procurement in diverse fora, including via its Procurement Officer Network and its website. The OGP coordinates the Strategic Procurement Advisory Group, which brings together government departments wishing to use public procurement strategically to address their environmental and social policy objectives. The OGP and its partner Central Purchasing Bodies are including environmental and social considerations in their central purchasing arrangements. By the end of 2022, 156 out of the current 244 arrangements had been updated in line with Green Public Procurement (GPP) policy. In 2022, the OGP led the development of GPP Criteria Search, at GPPCriteria.gov.ie, an online search tool to facilitate ease of use of the Irish GPP criteria published by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA’s report on contracts awarded by government departments in 2020 showed that in the eight priority sectors set out in Green Tenders, Ireland's National Action Plan on GPP, 81% by value was reported as GPP.
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
A variety of different actions have been progressed that come with the scope of this SDG and its focus on developing effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels (SDG 16.6). The Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022 was published in September 2022 and finished its passage through Dáil Éireann on 1 March 2023. It is scheduled to be considered in the Seanad after Easter. The Bill aims to further strengthen Ireland's lobbying laws by improving the operation of the Lobbying Register, strengthen the existing legislation and its enforcement, and providing for sanctions for failure to comply with the post term employment restrictions in the legislation. This function was transferred to the Minister for Finance with effect from 1 March 2023 (SI No.89 of 2023).
The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 was amended by the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022 which takes into account the provisions of the new EU Whistleblowing Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/1937). The 2022 Amendment Act was enacted in July 2022 and its provisions commenced on 1 January 2023. It provides for a much broader scope, introduces a requirement for formal reporting channels with clear timelines for feedback for certain categories of employers, and reverses the burden of proof in civil proceedings.
The 2020 Programme for Government contains a commitment to “reform and consolidate the Ethics in Public Office Legislation”. As a first step in meeting this commitment, the Minister asked the Department to undertake a review of Ethics legislation in advance of bringing fresh proposals to Government. The Government approved the Review Report for publication and approved the preparation of a General Scheme for legislation based on the reports recommendations in December 2022. The report was published on 7 February 2023 and work has begun on a General Scheme. This function was transferred to the Minister for Finance with effect from 1 March 2023 (SI No.89 of 2023).
The following should also be noted that as part of the commitment to strengthening corporate governance in the civil service and following a consultation process, the Corporate Governance Standard for the Civil Service was published in 2018. The standard sets out a summary of good governance principles and an adaptable governance framework to be used by each Department and Office in the development of their governance frameworks. In accordance with the principles set out in the Corporate Governance Standard for the Civil Service, each Department and Office has documented and published their governance arrangements on their website.
In addition to SDG 16.6, there is also a focus on ensuring public access to information and to protecting fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements (SDG 16.10). A review of the Freedom of Information Act is almost complete. An update on progress on the review was published in December 2022. The main themes emerging are the need (1) for a more coherent approach to information governance and access; (2) to supplement formal FOI requests; and (3)improvements to the request process. It is intended to bring legislative proposals, informed by the review, to Government in 2023.
With regard to this SDG and its focus on ensuring responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels (SDG 16.7), the Department has convened its Open Government Round Table (made up of Government and Civil Society Members) on two occasions during Q1 2023. The Round Table has agreed the four thematic areas for the co-creation of Ireland's fourth Open Government National Action Plan 4 (2023-2025). On 8 March, the Open Government National Action Plan 2023-2025-Public Consultation was launched. There have also been a number of initiatives undertaken, including targeted events and an enhanced website, to raise awareness of State Board positions, provide comprehensive material on the roles available including the roles and responsibilities of a State Board member.
With regard to this SDG and its focus on ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms, in accordance within national legislation and international agreements (SDG 16.10), Ireland instigated its Open Data Initiative in 2015. A key output of this initiative is the national open data portal, data.gov.ie, which now provides access to over 14,500 datasets in open format which are being widely accessed and reused. The second Open Data Strategy (2023-2027) is currently being drafted following a series of online and in-person public consultations in 2022 to better understand the public needs and priorities. These will be reflected in the priorities and activities highlighted in the strategy. Furthermore, the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019 is now fully commenced. As part of the implementation of this legislation the Data Governance Board has been established. The data sharing framework that underpins the data sharing principles outlined in the Data Sharing and Governance Act is now in use across the Public Service. An area specialising in data governance is now in situ to assist departments across the public service to utilise the data sharing framework (to date 48 organisations have aligned with the process) and the development of data sharing standards is underway and due to be completed by quarter four 2023.
360. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he is satisfied that An Post, the Irish Aviation Authority and Coillte are complying with their respective founding legislation that contains a guarantee that the civil servants transferred to these bodies on their vesting day are entitled to "not less favourable" conditions in their pensions than those to which they were entitled prior to being transferred; if he is satisfied that these public servants are being treated equitably in the same way as other public service pensioners paid out of monies voted by both Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12926/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, Section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983 specifies that arrangements put in place by An Post to provide pensions for former civil servants transferring from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs must ensure that the conditions of such pension schemes are “not less favourable” than the conditions that applied immediately prior to vesting day. Equivalent provisions are contained in Section 44 of the Forestry Act, 1988 and Section 41 of the Irish Aviation Authority Act, 1993 in respect of former civil servants who transferred to Coillte Teoranta and to the Irish Aviation Authority respectively.
It is important to note that former civil servants who transferred to these commercial semi state bodies are no longer public servants post vesting day and as such public service pension increases and public service pensions policy does not apply to these individual’s pensions. They are members of the occupational pension scheme of the relevant commercial semi state body and are subject to the terms and conditions of these schemes.
The provisions outlined above in the relevant Acts were transitional provisions, intended to ensure that transferring officials were no worse off than they were immediately before transfer. These provisions provide parity in relation to pension terms and conditions immediately prior to vesting day only and do not necessitate that pensioners who transferred from the civil service would receive a pension no less favourable than those who remained with the Department.
Any increases to pensions in payment under the schemes established by these bodies are carried out in accordance with the rules of those schemes; must comply with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016 and DPER Circular 16 of 2021; and are discretionary in nature. Therefore the rules of the Schemes allow, but do not require, the respective company to grant pension increases subject to obtaining Ministerial approval from the parent Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
Details of the relevant pension increase policy rule for each of the Schemes are summarised below:
- An Post - Under paragraph 13 of the rules of the An Post Main Superannuation Scheme, An Post maintains discretion to pay pensions increases it deems appropriate, subject to Ministerial approval.
- Coillte - Under paragraph 11 of the rules of the Coillte Teoranta Main Superannuation Scheme Coillte may grant pension increases subject to Ministerial approval.
- Irish Aviation Authority - Article 10 of the Irish Aviation Staff Superannuation Scheme allows for annual pension increases to be granted subject to Ministerial approval and limited to the lesser of inflation, as measured by CPI, or 3%.
361. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the reason projects have been put on hold due to capital funding pressures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12954/23]
View answer362. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of projects and the projected cost that have been put on hold due to capital funding pressures, disaggregated by Government department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12955/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 361 and 362 together.
The National Development Plan 2021 – 2030 (NDP) published in October 2021 provides a detailed and positive vision for Ireland over the next 10 years, and delivers total public investment of €165 billion over that period. As Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level. My Department is also responsible for maintaining the national frameworks within which Departments operate to ensure appropriate accounting for and value for money in public expenditure.
The responsibility for the management and delivery of individual investment projects, within the allocations agreed under the National Development Plan (NDP), rests with the individual sponsoring Department in each case. Multi-annual capital allocations out to 2025 were set out in the NDP to give Departments certainty about funding over the medium term and to assist them in scheduling delivery of their projects in a planned manner.
It is important to recognise that the country has already seen a step change in capital investment in a short period of time. In 2017, the total level of Exchequer capital stood at €4.6 billion, which has jumped significantly to the c.€12 billion available this year from the Exchequer for investment in public capital projects, which will provide more schools, homes, hospitals and other pieces of vital infrastructure. When combined with the capital carryover of €687 million from 2022 into 2023, Departments and Agencies will have the potential to spend almost €12.8 billion this year. This level of expenditure will be pivotal in consolidating the progress already made, and, most importantly, delivering the infrastructure to support our future climate, social and economic requirements.
Delivery of NDP projects have been adversely impacted over the past three years as a result of pandemic related pauses in the sector, the inflationary impacts from both COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, with knock-on impacts on the supply chain for construction materials. This has resulted in underspends in capital spending over the past few years. Departments will be encouraged in 2023 to utilise their full capital allocations to the greatest extent possible while adhering to value for money principles.
In response to the changed mandate for my Department in terms of National Development Plan Delivery, I am currently examining the support structures and levers available across Government to maximise delivery of vital infrastructure. I will be working throughout 2023 to identify capacity and capability gaps across the public sector and construction sector in delivering the NDP.
363. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform his views on the allocation of capital funding for construction of schools in Budget 2023; his plans to commit additional funding to ensure construction can resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13023/23]
View answerAs Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments. Management and delivery of individual investment projects and programmes within the allocations agreed under the NDP is a key responsibility of each Department and Minister.
The National Development Plan 2021 – 2030 (NDP) published in October 2021 provides a detailed and positive vision for Ireland over the next 10 years, and delivers total public investment of €165 billion over the period 2021-2030. In 2023, over €12 billion will be made available from the Exchequer for investment in public capital projects, which will provide more schools, homes, hospitals and other pieces of vital infrastructure. It is important to recognise that the country has already seen a step change in capital investment in a short period of time. In 2017, the total level of Exchequer capital stood at €4.6 billion, which has jumped significantly to the c.€12 billion this year.
The Department of Education received an allocation of c.€790 million in 2022, in addition to this the Department of Education also received a supplementary estimate with respect to capital of €300 million to support the Schools Building Programme, particularly with respect to capacity for SEN, and to provide additional capacity for Ukrainian students enrolled in schools. In 2023 the Department of Education has a capital allocation of €860 million, as agreed under the NDP.
As you are aware, my Department has been renamed to give an additional focus on the delivery of the NDP and to assist Departments in delivering on their much needed priority projects within their existing capital ceilings. I am looking at all the policy levers and supporting structures at our disposal that could enhance the delivery of critical projects as well as working with colleagues across Government to remove any potential barriers that are impacting on delivery.
There is ongoing engagement between my Department and the Department of Education in the context of capital pressures. Increasing the supply of schools is a central commitment of Government, however, we must balance the significant demand for public investment across all sectors and regions of Ireland in the context of competing demands on expenditure.
364. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the reason that retired civil servants with qualifying pensions have not yet received the pay increases granted under Building Momentum - A New Public Service Agreement, 2021-2022; if he will provide a date for when said increases will be delivered to retired workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13080/23]
View answerI refer to the Deputy’s question regarding pension increases in relation to retired civil servants outstanding under the Building Momentum Agreement. As the Deputy may be aware, the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) operate the pension payroll for retired civil servants. The NSSO is working to deliver the pension increases for its customers and I can confirm that as of the March 16th pay date, the majority of employees and pensioners have received their increases.
However, this task is complex due to the period of retrospection applying and the broad range of categories where arrears are due. Certain elements of the work process have been completed. However, prior to making any payments the NSSO is carrying out a comprehensive validation of the arrears values to ensure that the arrears paid to individuals are correct. Unfortunately, this means that the timeline for making final payments will be beyond end of quarter one, 2023. While it is not feasible to provide specific dates at this point, we can assure you that every effort is being made to process these payments as soon as possible. A further update will issue when the dates for payment can be confirmed.
365. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the DAA is covered under the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13123/23]
View answerThe 2014 Freedom of Information Act expanded the scope of FOI to cover nearly 500 state entities directly. Generally FOI applies by default to public bodies, that is those that were created by the State or have significant State involvement in their governance structures. In respect of bodies that operate in competitive marketplaces, the approach adopted since FOI first came into effect in 1998 is that such entities should not be subject to FOI in their own right. The rationale for this approach is the risk of the uneven competitive market environment that would be created in circumstances that commercial State bodies operating in a competitive market were subject to FOI but their privately-owned market competitors were not. This would be expected to have an adverse impact on the commercial position of the State body in question, which would not be in the public interest or consistent with the need to safeguard the State's economic and financial interests. Moreover, very significant information is available on the activities of these commercial companies reflecting their obligations under company law, the information they provide to Government Departments and relevant sectoral regulators which is available for release under FOI or otherwise. However, it may also be noted a comprehensive review of the Freedom of Information regime is currently nearing completion. One of the issues currently under consideration, and around which submissions were sought in a public consultation, relates to designating which bodies are subject to FOI.
366. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the way his Department is handling rapidly increasing insurance premiums for individuals whose homes reside in the OPW's new fluvial tile, given many of these people are unable to obtain a quote from alternate insurance companies. [13171/23]
View answerThe Department of Finance has overall responsibility for policy matters in relation to insurance, including flood insurance.
The Office of Public Works (OPW), through its Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, carried out the largest ever flood risk study in Ireland to date, which assessed 80% of properties at risk from Ireland’s main causes of flooding. The OPW Flood Maps, that show the flood risk for 300 communities, are a key output of the study together with 29 Flood Risk Management Plans, with the proposed flood relief measures to address the flood risk in each community.
The Flood Maps are available to the public at www.floodinfo.ie however, it is important to note that they are community based maps. The maps were not designed to designate individual properties at risk. Therefore they do not show individual properties and they do not identify if a property close to an extent is, or is not, within an area at risk of flooding. The maps show the probable extent of flooding based future projections.
The Disclaimer and Conditions for Use of OPW Flood Maps on www.floodinfo.ie includes a provision that users of the website must not use the Flood Maps, or any other content of the website for commercial purposes. As such, the Disclaimer prevents insurance companies from using the flood maps generated by the OPW. The insurance industry has its own flood modelling tools for assessing the level of risk that it is willing to underwrite in relation to individual properties. It has highlighted to the OPW that it does not use the OPW Flood Maps to inform its flood modelling. The decision on whether to offer insurance, the level of premiums charged and the policy terms applied are matters for individual insurers. Insurance companies make commercial decisions on the provision of insurance cover based on their assessment of the risks they would be accepting on a case-by-case basis. Consequently, the Government cannot interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, as reinforced by the EU framework for insurance (Solvency II Directive).
The OPW has a role to assist insurance companies to take into account the protection provided by completed flood defence schemes. In this regard, the OPW has a Memorandum of Understanding with Insurance Ireland, the representative body of the insurance industry. This Memorandum sets out principles of how the two organisations work together to ensure that appropriate and relevant information on these completed schemes is provided to insurers to facilitate, to the greatest extent possible, the availability to the public of insurance against the risk of flooding. While the Memorandum does not guarantee the availability of flood insurance, Insurance Ireland members have committed to take into account all information provided by the OPW when assessing exposure to flood risk within the protected areas.
Current government policy on flood insurance is centred on significant investment in sustainable flood risk management and the exchange of information between the insurance industry and the OPW, as outlined above. The Department of Finance has advised that the Minister for Finance and Minister of State Carroll MacNeill, along with officials, will continue to engage on all aspects of insurance reform, including flood cover issues. These matters are a priority for this Government and efforts continue to be made to encourage a responsive approach from the insurance industry.
Insurance Ireland, the representative body for insurance providers in this country, operates an Insurance Information Service for those who have queries, complaints or difficulties in relation to obtaining insurance, which can be contacted at 01 676 1914 or feedback@insuranceireland.eu. Similarly, Brokers Ireland, the representative body for insurance brokers in Ireland, has access to a wide range of providers and products, and can offer advice for customers when sourcing cover. Brokers Ireland can be reached at 01 661 3067. Furthermore, where an individual considers that they have been treated unfairly, they have the option of making a complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO). The FSPO can be contacted either by email at info@fspo.ie or by telephone at 01 567 7000.
367. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he consulted with or plans to consult with the Climate Change Advisory Council in relation to the efficacy, or lack thereof, of the procedures in Circular 01/2020 in offsetting the carbon emissions from official air travel. [13368/23]
View answerCircular 01/2020 enables the public sector to lead by example on climate action by internalising the cost of greenhouse gas emissions from air travel within public sector organisations, with the revenue raised from this being allocated to the Climate Action Fund administered by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. This action is necessary because the cost associated with greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector is not currently fully incorporated into the price for air travel. The EU intends to fully incorporate the emissions impact of the airline sector within the scope of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) over time, and developments in this area will be monitored and updates made as appropriate.
The Climate Change Advisory Council was not consulted on the development of Circular 01/2020, and there are currently no plans to consult the Council on the procedures outlined therein. Assessment of the impact of the Circular on decision making within Departments about the use of air travel, or the beneficial impact of the additional funding for the Climate Action Fund, are matters for each individual Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, respectively.
368. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the cost arising from the procedures in Circular 01/2020 in offsetting the carbon emissions from official air travel associated with St. Patrick's day travel. [13369/23]
View answerIn January 2020, I as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform introduced mandatory new procedures for all Departments and agencies for offsetting the emissions associated with official air travel. In line with these procedures each Government Department, Office and agency must record the CO2 emissions associated with all official air travel, value these emissions based on the prevailing rates of Ireland’s domestic Carbon Tax in the relevant year and pay an amount equivalent to the travel emissions impact into the Climate Action Fund.
The circular in question is available at:www.gov.ie/en/circular/6d8829-procedures-for-offsetting-the-emissions-associated-with-official-air/
As outlined in the circular, it is the responsibility of each Department to keep records of all its official air travel, whether by commercial airlines or on the Government jet, and to estimate the CO2 emissions involved in all such travel undertaken within each calendar year.
Departments are free to reach their own determination on the optimal internal operational methodology for tracking their greenhouse gas emissions over the course of a year. This can be performed centrally by the Department’s travel unit for example or delegated to individual sections. However, there must be a central register maintained by each Department. This is to facilitate annual payments per Department to the Fund Manager of the Climate Action Fund and for potential audit. This Fund is administered by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, who accept payments from Departments and agencies and arrange a transfer of these amounts into the Fund in February of each year in respect of the previous year.
As official travel and other such administrative matters are within the delegated remits of each individual Department, my Department does not keep a central register of official travel undertaken by all Departments in any one year.
Also, I am advised by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications that, given that the payments are received on an annual basis with reference to the previous calendar year, rather than to occasions or periods, it would not be possible to provide the type of disaggregated breakdown requested, for Saint Patrick’s Day or any other specific occasion or event.
Any further queries on the administration of the Climate Action Fund should be directed to that Department in the first instance.
369. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when necessary maintenance work will be carried out on the Bunadober River near Bunadobar Mill, Ballinrobe County Mayo, given the channel is blocked and is causing a lot of flooding upstream from this part of the channel. [13416/23]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has a statutory remit for the maintenance of the Corrib-Mask-Robe Arterial Drainage Scheme under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. The area in question does not form part of this Arterial Drainage Scheme.
Local flooding is in the first instance a matter for each local authority to investigate and address. The OPW has been in contact with Mayo County Council in relation to the area concerned.
370. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the steps that have been taken, since the publication in March 2022 of the Government's Digital and ICT Strategy for Ireland's Public Service (Connecting Government 2030), to enable public sector bodies to take a cloud-first approach to delivery of services - public facing and back office, which is listed as one of that strategy's key objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13623/23]
View answerI am pleased to have this opportunity to inform the Deputy of a number of developments that enable public service bodies to expand their use of cloud to deliver services.
Connecting Government 2030: A Digital and ICT Strategy for Ireland’s Public Service restated my Department’s guidance from the previous Public Service Cloud Computing Advice Note that, subject to certain considerations, public service organisations should no longer decide whether to move to cloud for new or existing systems; the decision to be made now is what, how and when to move to cloud and which particular systems are suitable for cloud.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) previously published a detailed Cloud Services Procurement Guidance Note to assist public service organisations in their procurement of cloud services. OGP has completed significant engagement with domestic and European stakeholders to identify possible cloud services procurement solutions, their scale and scope, along with the associated challenges. OGP has also conducted a detailed analysis of demand for cloud services across the public service. Having reviewed and assessed all potential opportunities, OGP is planning to put in place a central arrangement for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) by Quarter 4 of 2023. The first significant milestone in the delivery of the IaaS central arrangement is to conduct a market consultation with suppliers of IaaS in relation to contractual terms and conditions that will apply to any new arrangement. The market consultation process was launched on 12th December 2022 and is currently in progress.
I recognise that a cloud-first approach does not mean cloud-only. Public service organisations should and will take a range of considerations into account such as the risk profile of the data, where it resides, and other such issues, which may determine that use of a private government cloud, in a State Data Centre, is most appropriate for particular circumstances.
In that regard, the Government approved the development of a shared State Data Centre to deliver high-quality Data Centre facilities which, by complementing public cloud offerings, are fit for purpose and capable of meeting government’s requirements now and in the future. A contract is in place to build the Data Centre with completion expected in 2024. The Data Centre presents an opportunity for sharing of infrastructure enabling public service organisations to locate their ICT and digital infrastructures in a purpose-built Government owned and run facility. This will consolidate outdated and inefficient computer rooms into a modern, secure, green facility.
In addition, my Department is tracking developments at EU level in relation to policy and regulations in this area.
371. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 595 of 21 February 2023, when the tendering process will next open for the transport of patients for dialysis and other treatments to hospitals in the HSE mid-west region, particularly north Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13847/23]
View answerMy officials in the Office of Government Procurement have no governance role relating to the Health Service Executive’s (HSE’s) procurement activities. The tender in question and its timing are operational matters for the HSE as the contracting authority. The Office of Government Procurement is engaged by public bodies by submitting a formal Procurement Service Request (PSR), which provides the details of such the proposed procurement project. In the event that such a request for procurement support for this requirement is received, my officials will endeavour to provide assistance, schedule and resources allowing.
