Written Answers Nos. 256-263
256. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide details of all procurement competitions, if any, in which companies (details supplied) won contracts from his Department since 2016. [14729/23]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my correspondence to him dated 14 February, 2023, which was a Deferred Reply to Parliamentary Questions 291 and 293 of 31 January, 2023. In that letter, I confirmed that my Department did not award any contracts to any of the seven companies the Deputy listed since 2016. For completeness, although not one of the companies listed by the Deputy, I added that my Department made a payment of €1,929.50 in November 2016 to a company called Designer Group FM Ltd. under an Office of Public Works (OPW) managed contract. This payment was for electrical works that were managed by the OPW but paid for by my Department as they related to the provision of network connectivity associated with Government Networks. I wish to confirm that the position remains that there have been no contracts awarded by my Department to the companies listed by the Deputy since 2016.
257. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the total costs of accommodation and travel expenses associated with his recent foreign trip, or foreign trips by Ministers for State at his Department, for St Patrick’s Day; and if a breakdown can be provided on travel costs, accommodation costs, country/state visited, number of departmental staff accompanying him, and the duration of the trip, in tabular form. [14747/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 51(1)(b).
258. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will confirm whether a contractor has been appointed for the Glashaboy flood relief scheme; if so, the details of same; if not, when it is expected one will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14795/23]
View answerThe Glashaboy River Flood Relief Scheme at Glanmire / Sallybrook, Cork is being progressed by Cork City Council. The Office of Public Works (OPW) in partnership with Cork City Council are engaging proactively to progress the flood relief scheme for Glanmire.
The Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme was confirmed in January 2021 by the Minister for Public Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 to 1995 and is being funded from the €1.3 billion in flood relief measures under the National Development Plan to 2030, and as part of Project Ireland 2040. When complete the scheme will protect 103 properties from a significant risk of flooding.
Tender documentation for the procurement and appointment of a contractor was issued in September 2021 with a return date of 24th January 2022. Unfortunately, Cork City Council was not in a position to appoint a Contractor for the works on foot of this procurement process.
An Invitation to Tender for the Civil Works Contract was issued on 23 January 2023 with a tender return date of 13 March 2023. Tenders have now been returned and the process of assessment is underway. Cork City Council intend to award the contract in Q2, 2023 to allow construction works to commence mid-year.
259. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will outline the use of the €1.065 billion Brexit adjustment reserve per Department to mitigate impacts from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023; the amount allocated from the fund to date; the purpose of each allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14796/23]
View answerThe European Union’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR), provides support to counter the adverse economic, social, territorial and, environmental consequences of the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. €5.47 billion euro was allocated to the fund. Ireland’s allocation is €1.065 billion in 2018 prices (equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices), representing just over 20% of the total Reserve, or the largest allocation for any Member State. Following agreement to transfer €150 million to Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Ireland’s BAR allocation will be €1.015 billion.
The application for BAR funding must set out the negative impacts of the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union and how the measures carried out under the Fund alleviate the adverse consequences.
The BAR eligibility period for expenditure runs from the 1st of January 2020 to the 31st of December 2023.
The Government has made significant allocations across a range of sectors, both before and during the 4-year BAR period. The purpose of these allocations is to mitigate against the negative consequences of Brexit and to adapt to regulatory changes. Following the BAR Regulation coming into force in October 2021, specific funding was provided in Budgets 2022 and 2023, as set out in the Table below, and further funding can be considered for allocation over the remainder of 2023. This would also include consideration of funding in relation to permanent infrastructure at Rosslare port required for customs and SPS checks.
My Department has been engaging with Departments to identify further spending outside of that allocated under Budgets 2022 and 2023 which may qualify for inclusion in the claim, including in respect of spending allocated to mitigate Brexit in advance of Budget 2022. A figure of c.€0.7 billion has been identified in this regard. Work is ongoing to verify for eligibility this significant funding allocated across 2020 to 2023 for inclusion in Ireland’s final BAR claim in September 2024.
Over the course of Budgets 2022 and 2023, some €389 million was allocated, as follows.
|
Department |
€m |
|
Agriculture |
271 |
|
Enterprise |
15 |
|
Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
37.3 |
|
Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform |
4.4 |
|
Foreign Affairs |
2.2 |
|
Tourism Culture Arts Gaeltacht Sports and Media |
7.75 |
|
Environment Climate and Communications |
24 |
|
Health |
5.5 |
|
Justice |
21.5 |
|
Transport |
0.1 |
|
Total |
389 |
260. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if all Garda stations custody suites are now fitted with CCTV cameras and audio recording facilities; if not, the estimated cost of fitting out the remaining custody suites with both CCTV cameras and audio recording facilities. [14978/23]
View answerUnder Section 26 (1) (b) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána including operational matters which includes fitting Garda stations custody suites with CCTV cameras and audio recording facilities. The matters raised are strictly a matter for the Commissioner. The Minister has no direct role in Garda operational matters and is therefore not accountable to the Dáil on this matter.
261. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the total cost savings in each year to date of the decision in 2011 to abolish the entitlement of former Taoisigh to the use of State cars and drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15142/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the Government decision of 15 March 2011 provided that former Office Holders including former Taoisigh should no longer be supplied with official transport but that such transport should be available to them on important State occasions. Arrangements for such transport and any cost associated with same are a matter for the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána in the first instance. I have referred the matter directly to them for reply to the Deputy.
262. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of persons that have visited the Rock of Cashel in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [15478/23]
View answerThe following visitor numbers have been recorded at the Rock of Cashel in 2022 and thus far in 2023 (up to 19 March):
|
2022 |
Up to 19/3/2023 |
|
278,803 |
22,228 |
263. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if funding will be provided for the replacement of equipment at a leisure centre (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15234/23]
View answerIn relation to my Department's responsibilities, capital funding for new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools was previously provided through the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP). 52 pools have been completed to date under the LASPP.
My Department's capital support for new swimming pools is now being provided through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The first LSSIF allocations were announced in January 2020 and thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals including 8 swimming pool projects. While the priority in the short term is to advance the projects that were already allocated funding, a review of the LSSIF Programme is underway. My Department has now met with all successful grantees and work is at an advanced stage in drafting the review. I expect this work to be finalised shortly. As part of that review, the Department is examining, inter alia, progress on all projects awarded funding to date, whether there is any scope to award additional grants and whether there should be a new call for proposals.
With regard to the purchase of sports equipment, the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising the needs of disadvantaged areas and groups (such as people with disabilities) in the provision of sports facilities.
With regard to the timing of the next round of the SCEP, following completion of the appeal process, my Department commenced a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP. The Review is nearing completion and I hope to publish it shortly. Any recommendations arising from the finalised Review will be reflected in the next round. Furthermore, my officials are engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the launch of the next cycle of the SCEP. Once this process is concluded, I will announce the exact dates from which new applications will be accepted.
