Written Answers Nos. 137-153
137. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach the estimated cost of establishing a new division within the Central Statistics Office; and the number of staff required at each level and the annual salary at each level required to establish such a division, in tabular form. [23886/23]
View answerCircular 02/2023 from Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform sets out the adjustments to civil service pay in accordance with the Public Service Agreement “Building Momentum – A New Public Service Agreement 2021-2023” from 1 March 2023. Circular 02/2023 provides the salary scales of all grades and CSO staff are paid in accordance with that circular.
The CSO’s mission is to describe Ireland, its people, economy, environment and society through verifiable data and accurate information while providing impartial insight for all. The evidence and insights delivered by the CSO underpin and inform the Civil and Public Service’s development of evidenced based strategic policy and data driven public service delivery across a broad range of economic, environmental and social spheres.
CSO currently operates with an organisation structure of seven Directorate level posts (Director General and six Assistant Director Generals) and 40 Divisions. Divisions can vary in size and grading structure depending on the range of roles and responsibilities assigned. It is not possible to estimate the cost of a new division without information on the particular requirements and responsibilities of the division. The following table provides the average salary cost of each CSO grade on 31 December 2022, inclusive of employer PRSI costs.
|
Grade |
Direct Salary Cost |
|
Directorate |
€181,022 |
|
Senior Statistician |
€122,594 |
|
Principal |
€118,955 |
|
Statistician |
€82,134 |
|
Assistant Principal |
€88,993 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
€65,621 |
|
Executive Officer |
€49,943 |
|
Clerical Officer |
€39,727 |
|
Temporary Clerical Officer |
€29,993 |
|
Services Attendant/Officer |
€34,143 |
|
Interviewer |
€21,462 |
138. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach the average annual salary of a junior statistician within the Central Statistics Office. [23887/23]
View answerCircular 02/2023 from Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform sets out the adjustments to civil service pay in accordance with the Public Service Agreement “Building Momentum – A New Public Service Agreement 2021-2023” from 1 March 2023. Circular 02/2023 provides the salary scales of all grades and CSO staff are paid in accordance with that circular. The revised pay scale with effect from 1 March 2023 for Statisticians appointed on or after 6th April 1995 that are paying the Class A rate of PRSI contribution and making an employee contribution in respect of personal superannuation benefits (PPC) for General Service Grades is
STATISTICIAN PAYSCALE AS AT 1 MARCH 2023
|
Grade Description |
STATISTICIAN - PPC |
|
|
Scale Point |
€ |
|
|
1 |
€36,450.00 |
|
|
2 |
€39,118.00 |
|
|
3 |
€39,883.00 |
|
|
4 |
€43,226.00 |
|
|
5 |
€47,501.00 |
|
|
6 |
€50,766.00 |
|
|
7 |
€54,044.00 |
|
|
8 |
€57,379.00 |
|
|
9 |
€60,708.00 |
|
|
10 |
€64,019.00 |
|
|
11 |
€74,701.00 |
|
|
12 |
€77,453.00 |
|
|
13 |
€80,241.00 |
|
|
14 |
€83,040.00 |
|
|
15 |
€85,834.00 |
|
|
16 |
€87,445.00 |
NMAX |
|
17 |
€90,265.00 |
First LSI |
|
18 |
€93,095.00 |
Second LSI |
139. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a breakdown of money that has already been spent by the shared island unit on projects under its remit, by year, to date. [24039/23]
View answer140. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a breakdown of the money that has already been spent by the shared island unit in each jurisdiction on projects under its remit, by year, to date. [24041/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.
Expenditure incurred directly by the Shared Island unit, the Department of the Taoiseach, relates primarily to the Shared Island research programme and dialogue series. Expenditure by year to date is set out in tabular form below.
This administrative expenditure by the unit is mainly in this jurisdiction, with the research programme work typically involving North/South or East/West research collaboration. Furthermore, two of the Shared Island dialogue events were convened in Northern Ireland to date.
Concerning the bulk of the Shared Island Fund expenditure, following Government decisions on allocations, individual projects are then taken forward by the relevant Government Ministers and Department. Fund allocations are made to and managed within Departmental Votes. In many cases, projects are progressed with funding from a number of sources, including Departmental or Agency resources, and/or with contributions from counterparts in Northern Ireland, the UK Government, or by Local Authority partners.
A full list of Shared Island Fund allocations is also provided in tabular form below.
|
Shared Island unit expenditure (Costs related to the Shared Island unit are covered within the administrative budget for the Department of the Taoiseach, as set out in the published Revised Estimates Volume each year.) |
|
|
2023 (January-April)* |
|
|
Research programme |
€4,080.00 |
|
Dialogue series |
€929.88 |
|
Admin (office equipment, IT, postal and telecommunications, travel and subsistence) |
€10,503.63 |
|
2023* - payments pending for research and dialogue activity to date |
€15,513.51 |
|
2022 |
|
|
Research programme (including with Economic and Social Research Institute, National Economic and Social Council, Irish Research Council, Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South) |
€620,000.00 |
|
Dialogue series (of which €44,999.51 was for dialogue events held in Northern Ireland) |
€211,845.69 |
|
Admin (office equipment, IT, postal and telecommunications, travel and subsistence) |
€29,557.46 |
|
2022 total |
€861,403.15 |
|
2021 |
|
|
Research programme (including with Economic and Social Research Institute, National Economic and Social Council, Irish Research Council, Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South) |
€344,520.25 |
|
Dialogue series (held online given public health requirements) |
€50,414.70 |
|
Admin (office equipment and IT, postal and telecommunications, travel and subsistence) |
€10,360.14 |
|
2021 total |
€405,295.09 |
|
2020 |
|
|
Research programme |
€0.00 |
|
Dialogue series (held online given public health requirements) |
€17,813.80 |
|
Admin (office equipment and IT, postal and telecommunications, travel and subsistence) |
€18,290.03 |
|
2020 total |
€36,103.83 |
|
Shared Island Fund allocations (€m) as at May 2023 |
|
Phases 2 and 3 of the Ulster Canal restoration contribution - €47m Taken forward by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
|
Bringing the Narrow Water Bridge project to tender stage - €3m Taken forward by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
|
North South Research Programme contribution (funding rounds 1 and 2, 2022-2027) - €50m Taken forward by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
|
All-Island Co-Centres for Research and Innovation contribution - €20m Taken forward by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
|
Electric Vehicle charging point scheme for Sports Clubs across the island - €15m Taken forward by the Minister for Transport |
|
Shared Island dimension to Community Climate Action Programme - €3m Taken forward by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications |
|
Shared Island Local Authority development funding scheme - €5m Taken forward by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
|
All-island biodiversity actions on peatlands restoration and biosecurity - €11m Taken forward by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
|
Shared Island Civic Society Fund contribution - €2m Taken forward by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs |
|
Shared Island dimension to Creative Ireland and cultural heritage projects - €8m Taken forward by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
|
All-Island arts capital investment projects - €7.4m Taken forward by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
|
Cross-border tourism brand collaboration and marketing initiative - €7.6m Taken forward by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
|
Cross-border innovation hub - €12m Taken forward by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
141. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Taoiseach if his Department and public bodies/agencies that operate under his remit have policies in place to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species, such as, but not limited to, insect hotels, bat boxes, nesting towers and beehives. [24270/23]
View answerImplementation of related actions set out in my Department's Resource Efficiency Action Plan are overseen by the Department's Green Team. The plan includes the provision of a wild garden/meadow in the courtyard area of Government Buildings which is under consideration by the Office of Public Works, who provide and maintain the building. The installation of a beehive is also under consideration.
The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), which is the only body under the aegis of the Department rents a small office space and does not have appropriate facilities to house such installations.
142. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach the caseload of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for each year since 2006. [23928/23]
View answerThe table below shows the total number of prosecution files received by the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) from 2006 to 2021.
|
YEAR |
FILES |
|
2006 |
14511 |
|
2007 |
14714 |
|
2008 |
16144 |
|
2009 |
16074 |
|
2010 |
15948 |
|
2011 |
16127 |
|
2012 |
15285 |
|
2013 |
13761 |
|
2014 |
14012 |
|
2015 |
14306 |
|
2016 |
13169 |
|
2017 |
13667 |
|
2018 |
14849 |
|
2019 |
15580 |
|
2020 |
17107 |
|
2021 |
18256 |
It should be noted that the numbers of prosecution files include different types of files including Direction files, District Court Appeals, High Court Bail Applications and District Court Representation files. I am informed also that the files received by the ODPP in more recent years involve more complicated and specialised prosecutions, frequent international co-operation and the management and review of significant volumes of data from digital devices. There are also increased demands arising from the enhanced legal rights of victims for information as provided for in the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017.
The figures for prosecution files does not include work undertaken by the ODPP in relation to other matters not directly related to criminal prosecution files such as requests for legal advice from the Garda Síochána, local state solicitors or other agencies, policy related matters or queries of a general nature.
143. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the plans sent to his Department by the Minister of State with responsibility for integration to recruit a team for community engagement and outreach in relation to the placement of asylum seekers. [24846/23]
View answerMore than 100,000 people from Ukraine and asylum seekers have arrived in recent times with over 84,000 successfully accommodated, but the ongoing situation is very challenging. Listening to and communicating with local communities is essential as new accommodation centres are opened. The Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Children, Equality, Diversity, Integration and Youth and other Departments are working together in the development of a more effective method of sharing information with communities. The work is nearing completion, a tender has been issued for additional supports for this work and is currently being reviewed.
The new arrangements will include any practices already in place which are working well and will also work with existing networks where possible to maximise effectiveness. These new arrangements do not preclude the expansion of existing arrangements by the relevant departments where considered appropriate.
144. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent developments with the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill by the British government during the final day of consideration stage in the House of Lords; if the British government advised the Government of the appointment of chief commissioner to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery pending royal assent; if the British government has advised the Government on the amendments it claims will be brought on the Bill; if he shares the assessment by an organisation (details supplied) and others that the Bill fails to fulfil the UK’s human rights obligations, and should be dropped; his view on how the UK government pressing ahead with the Bill informs the plans of the Government in relation to taking an inter-state challenge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24017/23]
View answerSince the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Bill was introduced at Westminster, in May 2022, the Government have been consistent in our view that the UK Bill is not fit for purpose.
I had my most recent exchange regarding the UK Legacy Bill and related issues with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 16 May in Dublin. That followed the conclusion of the Bill's Committee Stage in the House of Lords on 11 May. As I have on other occasions, I reiterated to the Secretary of State the Irish Government’s opposition to this Bill and urged that the consideration of the Bill be paused. I noted that during the debate in the House of Lords, an announcement was made of the Secretary of State's decision to select a Chief Commissioner of the proposed Commission.
I made clear my strong view that this Bill, if implemented as it stands, would not be compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights and would damage reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland. The Government has consistently maintained that any way forward on legacy must be consistent with human rights standards, with victims at its centre.
The Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers has on four occasions, namely June, September and December 2022, and again in March this year, expressed serious concerns about the UK Bill and its compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights. In their decision in March, the Committee expressed “serious concern” that amendments which had been introduced by then did “not sufficiently allay the concerns about the Bill”. Further amendments have been promised by the British Government but have yet to be published.
Any future examination by the European Court of Human Rights as to whether this Bill, if enacted, is compatible with the United Kingdom’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights would depend on the precise terms of the legislation as enacted and the factual circumstances pertaining at the time. A decision to refer an inter-state case to the Court concerning the UK Bill is, in the Government’s assessment, premature. The Government continue to keep this matter under review.
In April, I met with representatives from Amnesty International and families whose search for truth and justice for the deaths of their loved ones would be affected by the UK Bill. They made very clear to me that the UK Bill as it currently stands would not and could not deliver for them. I have spoken directly with and listened to several other victims’ support groups and individual families who lost loved ones. They are all very clear that as the UK’s Legacy Bill progresses, the prospect that current mechanisms for truth and justice could be closed increases their anxiety. It remains my position that every family deserves and is legally entitled to an effective investigation.
145. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is possible to determine the number of Irish citizens that are resident in Northern Ireland; and if so, if the number of those citizens that hold Irish passports can also be determined. [24117/23]
View answerThe last census in Northern Ireland took place on 21 March 2021. The population of Northern Ireland on census day, 21 March 2021, was 1,903,175.
As the Deputy will be aware the Good Friday Agreement recognises that it is “the birth right of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and… their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments”.
The first phase of main statistics results, www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/census-2021-main-statistics-for-northern-ireland-phase-1published on 22 September 2022 provided results for country of birth, passports held, ethnic group, national identity, language, and religion
The Passport Service does not track the country of residence of Irish passport holders. The Passport Service continues to see a steady demand for passports from applicants residing in Northern Ireland. Over 112,000 passport applications were received from applicants residing in Northern Ireland in 2022.
146. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is possible to determine the number of Irish citizens that are resident in England, Scotland and Wales; and if so, if the number of those citizens that hold Irish passports can also be determined. [24118/23]
View answerWhile we encourage Irish citizens to register with our embassies in their country of residence, there is no obligation on them to do so, and nor does the Passport Service track the country of residence of Irish passport holders.
The most reliable gauge of the numbers of Irish citizens or passport holders residing in a particular country will likely be that country's own records.
According to the March 2021 Census done across England and Wales, 523,014 Irish-born people are currently living in England and Wales (including the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) which is approximately 1% of the population.
The same census indicated that there are 364,725 Irish passport holders living in England and Wales.
The data doesn’t yet include Scotland, where a separate census was undertaken in March 2022, the results of which aren’t available yet.
Further detail and analysis is available from Irish in Britain (the national membership body for Irish community organisations in Britain), whose first summary report on the Census was released in April 2023: Census 2021: analysis - Irish in Britain www.irishinbritain.org/what-we-do/policy-and-representation/the-census.
The Passport Service continues to see a steady demand for passports from applicants residing in England, Scotland and Wales. Over 130,000 passport applications were received from applicants residing in England, Scotland and Wales in 2022.
147. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish citizens living in the United States that have secured citizenship through the foreign birth registration process. [24119/23]
View answerIt is not possible to provide the figures requested by the Deputy, as my Department does not maintain records on the country of residence of citizens registered on the Foreign Births Register.
The Passport Service received approximately 7,000 Foreign Birth Registration applications from applicants residing in the United States in 2022.
148. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport will issue on time for intended travel date of 17 May 2023 for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delayed alert to request new photographs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24169/23]
View answer152. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if a first-time passport application will issue for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal who is travelling next week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24773/23]
View answer157. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue to a person (details supplied); the reason the passport has not been issued to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24967/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 148, 152 and 157 together.
With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.
149. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department and public bodies or agencies that operate under his remit have policies in place to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species, such as, but not limited to, insect hotels, bat boxes, nesting towers and beehives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24262/23]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to climate action, sustainability and measures to support biodiversity across all our policy areas and in relation to property matters. Biodiversity is mainstreamed across the Irish Aid programme and key measures include our advocacy for sustainable food systems.
On the operations side, the Department’s Property Strategy 2021-2025 is anchored in a clear commitment to increasing the sustainability of our buildings across the globe. Since July 2019, when the Department launched a Green Foreign Ministry initiative, we have mainstreamed sustainability across our mission network, promoting efforts to increase energy efficiency and creating more awareness of our environmental responsibilities. We have a number of 'Green Star Missions' where investment has been made in initiatives to promote sustainability and biodiversity. In particular, projects in Jordan, Rome, Brasilia and Dar es Salaam have focused on bringing green spaces back into use and creating or protecting habitats for wildlife.
The Department of Foreign Affairs works closely with the Office of Public Works in relation to our office premises. In 2021, with the advice and support of OPW we installed beehives at our offices on Mount Street and there is a wildflower roof on our premises in Harcourt Street. We are in the process of reinstating the garden at the rear of Iveagh House following recently completed renovations to the building and will consider what measures may be put in place to support and encourage bees and other wildlife, such as a wildflower garden. Learnings from these initiatives will contribute to our plans for the Green Foreign Ministry Action Plan.
In March of this year, the Department published its first Climate Action Roadmap, which aims to reduce our carbon emissions and increase the energy efficiency of the Department’s HQ buildings. We will be working with the OPW and the SEAI closely to meet those targets. There are no public bodies or agencies under the remit of my Department.
150. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for an update on applications (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24548/23]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen in 2022.
FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of between 6 and 9 months from receipt of supporting documents. Applications which require further supporting documents will take longer to process.
Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Such documents take considerable time to validate.
With regard to the specific FBR applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the first application is currently being processed by the Passport Service and a member of the FBR team will be in contact with the applicant's parents in this regard. The second application was registered on 27 April 2023, and is being stored in a secure environment as it awaits entitlement checking. If there are overlapping supporting documents between both applications, the FBR team will contact the parents to request the relevant documents.
151. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of Ireland’s pledged contribution to the European Peace Facility that has actually been transferred out of Exchequer accounts; and the amount that has been spent to date on non-lethal military aid/assistance [24722/23]
View answerContributions under the European Peace Facility (EPF) are shared between the Department of Foreign Affairs (Vote 28) and the Department of Defence (Vote 36). The Department of Foreign Affairs covers costs in respect of Assistance Measures and the Department of Defence covers costs in respect of the European Union’s Military CSDP Missions and Operations.
In 2021, Ireland contributed approximately €4.2 million in respect of Assistance Measures and €1.9 million in respect of Missions and Operations. In 2022, Ireland contributed approximately €17.8 million in respect of Assistance Measures and €3.02 million in respect of Missions and Operations. Thus far in 2023, Ireland has contributed approximately €770,000 in respect of Assistance Measures and €1.7 million in respect of Missions and Operations. Payments made in respect of Assistance Measures include payments in respect of Ukraine, as well as payments in respect of other Assistance Measures around the globe, as agreed by EU Member States over the course of 2021, 2022 and 2023. All Assistance Measures to which Ireland has contributed are non-lethal.
Since the Russian invasion, the EU has agreed approximately €5.5 billion in support to Ukraine under the EPF, with the latest package of support politically agreed by the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 March. This consists of €5.12 billion for lethal equipment and approximately €380 million for non-lethal equipment.
In line with the Programme for Government, Ireland has constructively abstained on the lethal equipment elements of the support packages and will not contribute financially to this aspect. We will instead provide our contribution to the corresponding non-lethal Assistance Measure. Our total expected contribution currently stands at approximately €122 million exclusively for non-lethal support.
As is the case for all EU Member States, Ireland’s payments to the EPF are calculated on the basis of a GNI key and spread across the life cycle of the EPF, which runs up to 2027 in line with the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021 – 2027. Of the approximately €122 million committed so far by Ireland to Ukraine under the EPF thus far, approximately €10 million had been contributed to date.
153. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on the status of a passport application (details supplied) as the applicant’s travel date is imminent and all requested supporting documentation has been submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24836/23]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, further supporting documents for this application were received on 17 May 2023. Turnaround time from the receipt of further supporting documents is 15 working days.
