Parliamentary questions

Departmental Advertising

Peadar Tóibín

98. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount spent by his Department on online advertising in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023, in tabular form; if he will provide details in relation to this spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4857/23]

Departmental Advertising

Peadar Tóibín

99. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to any instances where the public relations unit and or press office of his Department undertook to create social media accounts under false names, which were operated in order to further the messaging or communications of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4875/23]

Recycling Policy

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

285. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the roll-out of the deposit return scheme; the number of retailers who have signed up to the scheme; if he will provide an overview of engagements with local authorities on potential planning permission requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3997/23]

Office of Public Works

Michael McNamara

286. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the visitor numbers for each visitor attraction operated by the Office of Public Works for each month in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4116/23]

Departmental Staff

Mairéad Farrell

287. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the names of advisers who have taken up employment in his Department since the Government rotation in December 2022; the annual salary being paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4129/23]

Office of Public Works

Catherine Murphy

288. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of full-time qualified tree surgeons employed by the OPW as of 24 January 2023. [4196/23]

Official Travel

Carol Nolan

289. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide data associated with his Department’s air travel and air travel associated with agencies under the aegis of his Department (details supplied) from 1 January 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4253/23]

Public Parks

Catherine Murphy

290. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update in respect of the bandstand in Stephen's Green, Dublin 2; the estimated reopening of same; and a schedule of costs attached to the works. [4266/23]

Public Procurement Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

291. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide details of all procurement competitions in which companies owned by a person (details supplied) won contracts since 2016. [4340/23]

Coillte Teoranta

Alan Kelly

292. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he or his Department became aware of the forestry deal between Coillte and (details supplied). [4626/23]

Public Procurement Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

293. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the difference between the tendered price and the actual price of delivery for each contract won by companies owned by a person (details supplied); and the final cost of each contract. [4656/23]

Office of Public Works

Matt Carthy

294. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the goods and services procured by the Office of Public Works in each of the years 2014 to 2022, inclusive, from companies (details supplied); and if such procurement was compliant or non-compliant or has been deemed to be compliant or non-compliant with procurement guidelines. [4690/23]

Pension Provisions

Michael Ring

203. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform why the pension for a person (details supplied) has not been transferred; when this will be done considering that he finished with the Permanent Defence Force in March 2020 before the freeze was put on the transfer of pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3853/23]

Civil Service

Marian Harkin

85. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a prison officer can apply for a transfer to another Department within the civil service; and if so, the mechanisms that are in place to facilitate such transfers. [3623/23]

Ethics in Public Office

Catherine Murphy

86. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reform and or upgrade enforcement sanctions and actions that SIPO may take in respect of non-disclosure and or non-compliance of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995. [3677/23]

Housing Provision

Catherine Murphy

87. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the date on which the first tranche of rapid-delivery homes will be delivered; the total estimated cost per rapid delivery home, including the cost of connecting them to services such as water and electricity; if he will provide a schedule of meetings that the OPW has had with an organisation (details supplied); if he will include the identities of stakeholders and service providers that have been consulted and or engaged on the delivery of rapid-delivery homes; and if he will clarify with whom responsibility lies in the context of repairs and long term upkeep of the rapid-delivery homes over their 60-year lifespan of use. [3678/23]

Office of Public Works

Neasa Hourigan

268. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will set out a timeline for the Chesterfield Avenue project, including details on the design, planning and construction phases and any potential stakeholder engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2724/23]

Ethics in Public Office

Patrick Costello

269. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the review of ethics legislation consultation; when the review of the ethics legislation report from 2022 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2789/23]

State Bodies

Patrick Costello

270. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of secretariat staff provided to the Standards in Public Office Commission by the Office of the Ombudsman in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2790/23]

State Bodies

Patrick Costello

271. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of funding provided to the Standards in Public Office Commission in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2791/23]

An Garda Síochána

Paul Donnelly

272. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW has fitted each Garda station custody suite with cell panic strip; and, if not, the estimated cost if the remaining Garda stations custody suites were fitted with cell panic strip. [2812/23]

Heritage Projects

Cathal Crowe

273. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works has allocated money towards the repair and upkeep of Bunratty Castle, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2814/23]

Departmental Funding

Catherine Murphy

274. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reinstate funding in order for a database (details supplied) to resume its work. [2849/23]

Flood Risk Management

Jackie Cahill

275. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when works will be carried out and completed on the River Thonogue, Ballylooby, Cahir, County Tipperary, following planning approval in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3011/23]

An Garda Síochána

Charles Flanagan

276. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current position on the national Garda station building plan; and the new Garda stations that are currently under construction across the State. [3112/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Neasa Hourigan

277. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he plans any changes to the additional superannuation contribution for public servants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3163/23]

Public Procurement Contracts

Mattie McGrath

278. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of each publicly funded Government contract awarded to a company (details supplied); the exact value and location of each contract, including the tendering procedures involved, the number of other companies and entities tendering for the same contracts since June 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3297/23]

Public Sector Pay

Gary Gannon

279. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform what delay pertains to sanctioning the offer devised by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science as recommended by the Labour Court; and if he will outline a timeline for the resolution of any such delay (details supplied). [3361/23]

Business Supports

Louise O'Reilly

280. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total monetary amount of non-repayable moneys provided by his Department through grants, funding supports, tax breaks or other means to businesses in each of the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [3387/23]

Public Procurement Contracts

Mairéad Farrell

106. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for reforming public procurement legislation to allow the procurement system to be used in a more strategic way. [63831/22]

Defence Forces

Cathal Berry

107. Deputy Cathal Berry asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount that was returned unspent by the Department of Defence from 2022; if any of this money was from pay savings due to the significantly under strength Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2528/23]

Construction Industry

Mairéad Farrell

108. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to increase construction sector capacity in order to better deliver on the targets of the national development plan. [63832/22]

Flexible Work Practices

Michael McNamara

109. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps that are being taken to implement the right to work from home in the Civil Service; the systems that are in place to ensure there is no resultant diminution of the output of the Civil Service; the way the impact on civil servants and the output of the Civil Service is being monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2614/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Richard O'Donoghue

110. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the Department of Rural and Community Development was allocated voted capital and current expenditure of only €331 million or 0.45% of the overall voted allocation in 2022 at a time when regional and rural infrastructure is creaking at the seams and many rural services are subpar or non-existent when compared with urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2526/23]

National Development Plan

Bernard Durkan

111. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he expects to be in a position to continue to implement the national development plan in all of its aspects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2350/23]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Mairéad Farrell

112. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions he will take to ensure fewer cost overruns in major public works contracts going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2280/23]

Flood Risk Management

Ruairí Ó Murchú

113. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress that has been made in relation to flood risk management at Annagassan and Termonfeckin in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2148/23]

Freedom of Information

Ged Nash

114. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will publish legislation informed by the recent review of the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2205/23]

An Garda Síochána

Charles Flanagan

115. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the timeframe for the proposed development of the new Garda station in Portlaoise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60253/22]

Electric Vehicles

Brian Leddin

116. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider developing a scheme, separate to grants provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, to support home help, home care and domiciliary carers who are car-dependent due to their work to purchase electric vehicles in order to support this sector and contribute to the Government’s climate goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2437/23]

Civil Service

James O'Connor

117. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the criteria which are applied for promotion relating to interdepartmental staff in the civil service; if any concerns have been identified for interdepartmental staff promotions within the civil service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2275/23]

Flood Risk Management

Pádraig O'Sullivan

118. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the selection of a contractor for the Glashaboy flood relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2162/23]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Éamon Ó Cuív

119. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total underspend of capital across all Departments, including capital allocations deferred to 2023; the steps that he intends on taking to ensure that the total capital allocation in this year’s Revised Estimates Volume is expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1372/23]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Ged Nash

120. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total additional cost to the Exchequer in 2022 of the inflation co-operation framework in respect of the delivery of projects under public works projects; if the framework will be reviewed in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2206/23]

Public Expenditure Policy

Bernard Durkan

121. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he will consider to maximise the benefits of reform in the context of public expenditure, with particular reference to ensuring any factors contributing to a challenge might be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2349/23]

National Monuments

Fergus O'Dowd

122. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the future use of a location (details supplied), following his visit to Drogheda in 2022 and his Department’s constructive engagement on the matter; if he will provide details of Louth County Council’s plan to develop the site to become a public realm for tourism and events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1345/23]

Ethics in Public Office

Pearse Doherty

123. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current progress of the Report of the Review of Ireland’s Statutory Framework for Standards in Public Office; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2281/23]

National Development Plan

Richard Boyd Barrett

124. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the role his Department has in ensuring the national development plan fulfils plans for expansion of acute, primary and community care in line with Sláintecare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2368/23]

EU Funding

Catherine Connolly

125. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of the new projects to be delivered in the northern and western region following the recent allocation of €217 million under the European Regional Development Fund programme; the details of any engagement between his Department and the Northern and Western Regional Assembly in the development of the 2021 to 2027 programme and, in particular, with regard to reducing regional inequality in Ireland, as highlighted at EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1885/23]

Freedom of Information

Peadar Tóibín

126. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the review of the workings of the Freedom of Information Act 2014. [1601/23]