Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 1990

Vol. 396 No. 3

Written Answers. - Commissioners of Public Works.

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

108 Mr. J. Mitchell and Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Finance the administrative provisions under which the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland are appointed; their total number; their terms of reference; their method of decision making; their salaries; the staff from among whom they are normally promoted; the way in which the Commissioners are answerable to the Government and to himself; and if he will give details of the role of the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, with particular reference to his powers and authority over the Commissioners.

Minister for Finance (Mr. A. Reynolds)

There are three Commissioners of Public Works, one of whom is Chairman. The number of Commissioners is defined by statute. The Chairman, who is secretary rank and the Commissioners, who are assistant secretary rank are selected through the Top Level Appointments Committee from officers of principal rank and equivalent upwards. Pay determination is in accordance with the recommendations of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector (Report No. 30). The salary of the Chairman is that of secretary (standard rate). The Commissioners are remunerated on the pay range appropriate to assistant secretaries.

The Commissioners of Public Works have duties imposed on them by the Minister for Finance as a matter of administrative convenience and duties and functions imposed by statute. The latter are numerous, being contained in legislation enacted over a period of 160 years. The principal Acts include the State Property Act, the Arterial Drainage Acts, the National Monuments Acts and the Canals Act.

The Office of Public Works is the Government's principal agent for the provision and care of buildings for State purposes. It undertakes a range of engineering works as well as the upkeep of certain parks and inland waterways. The office has central responsibility for various services and supplies to Departments through the Government Supplies Agency. The office has central statutory functions in relation to National Monuments and Wildlife.

The functional remit of the Commissioners is as decided by Government from time to time. Their current functions can be summarised as:

Property Management. Project Design and Management.

Arterial drainage works mainly on a catchment basis.

Waterways Conservation and Management.

Heritage Conservation.

Central Purchasing and Supplies.

Local Loans Fund Services.

The Minister for Finance (and through him the Minister of State) is the Minister responsible for the Office of Public Works. The Chairman is the Accounting Officer. The Commissioners are subject to the same controls as other Departments and offices in the matter of staff and salaries and wages. The Commissioners have certain delegated authority. They require the specific sanction of the Minister in certain areas e.g. the acquisition of sites, rental of accommodation, exhibition of a drainage scheme, acquisition of guardianship or ownership of a national monument, undertaking new works projects in excess of £2 million. Subject to these requirements the Commissioners can incur expenditure within the limits of the provisions in the various subheads of the Vote. Thus, in managing the Office of Public Works, the Commissioners' function is similar to that of top management in other Civil Service Departments, and offices. In their exercise of specific statutory functions the Commissioners act corporately.

The Minister of State at the Department of Finance has been assigned responsibility for the Office of Public Works. In managing the office, the Chairman and the Commissioners report to the Minister of State and, when exercising their statutory functions they have regard to Government policy as enunciated by him. Certain statutory functions of the Minister for Finance in relation to the Office of Public Works have been delegated to the Minister of State and a wider range is under consideration.