Vol. 662 No. 4
125 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he is satisfied that fair and proper employment procedures are upheld by all organisations under the remit of his Department; if he will review the practices employed by bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33567/08]
As the Deputy will be aware, there are a number of public bodies that are funded by or come within the ambit of my Department. These bodies are subject to relevant employment legislation and general Government policy on terms and remuneration of public service employees as detailed in various Department of Finance circulars.
In the case of the North-South bodies under my Department, An Foras Teanga and Waterways Ireland, the position is that these bodies must comply with fair and proper employment procedures and legislation in both jurisdictions. For example, they are subject to both the code of practice for governance of State bodies in addition to the combined code on corporate governance, which applies in Northern Ireland.
As regards groups which receive funding from my Department, these are subject to the relevant employment legislation.
Does the Minister accept that we have had nothing but controversy since Waterways Ireland was set up? First, we had a case of alleged harassment and bullying, an allegation that was upheld and settled and for which the taxpayer had to pay an individual a substantial amount of money. My colleague, Deputy Dinny McGinley, raised that issue in the Dáil and was provided with information the Minister subsequently had to come back and correct. The Department did not learn from that mistake.
Last week we heard of a case taken to the Equality Commission by an individual who did not get the opportunity to apply for a job because the job was not advertised or filled by open competition. This case too was upheld and the person was found to be justified in the complaint. Does the Minister accept that in the past we might have got away with that kind of procedure in the South? One thing we can say for the Unionists and the North is they have standards. We have been found out in this regard.
Did the Minister have any involvement in the process in question? Did he get a report from Waterways Ireland? Is he happy — although two cases were successfully brought to commissions and one case is currently going through the High Court — the procedures in place are working?
Contrary to what has been alleged publicly, I am satisfied that Waterways Ireland is delivering competently on the targets in its business plan and is an effective organisation. I am happy the body has a written policy on recruitment and promotions and on best practice principles, including fairness and transparency. I am assured the best public service practice is followed in all its appointments and promotions.
The Deputy raised an issue with regard to advertising. When the body was set up, it absorbed the staff that was in the canals and drainage division of the OPW in the South and the staff in the North. Deputy Ring must accept they had to be absorbed into the new body on the transfer and I presume he does not query that.
Does the Minister condone bullying and does he believe all jobs should be advertised in open competition? If he does not condone bullying, what has been done in the bullying case? Has the bully lost his position or been brought in and reprimanded or has he got away with it? Has the Minister not learned from the first case? There are procedures in place in Northern Ireland and I am glad of that. For too long in this jurisdiction, people have got away with certain practices, but they will not in Northern Ireland.
Of course posts should be subject to open competition but as I pointed out, when the body was set up the people in the previous organisations had the right of transfer into the new body. I presume the Deputy does not query that.
On the matter of standards, there are clearly written policies with regard to recruitment, promotions and best principles. These have been laid down by the two Ministers, who make all the decisions on Waterways Ireland. I am happy with the procedures in Waterways Ireland. Allegations were made and an independent process took place.
Both cases were upheld and substantiated.
Following the independent process recommendations were made and followed.
126 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the cocaine awareness campaign announced by him earlier in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33496/08]
As the Deputy will be aware, the national drugs public awareness campaign, led by the HSE, was launched by my predecessor, the Minister of State, Deputy Pat Carey, in February last. The campaign focused on cocaine and young people, highlighting not only the dangers for the individuals who use the drug, but also the damage caused by cocaine related activity in society, activity that is often disproportionately felt in disadvantaged areas. Apart from raising awareness and providing information, the campaign aimed to get individuals to challenge and change their own attitudes and behaviour and to dispel the myths surrounding drug misuse.
In research conducted by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, which advises the Government on problem drug use in Ireland, it was found that information campaigns of this nature achieve best results if they are sustained for a period of time and if they have a national and a local dimension. For this reason, the intention is to continue the campaign for some time and to initiate more local awareness campaigns to dovetail with the message and design of the national campaign run by the HSE.
In this regard, I have provided funding of €500,000 to the local and regional drugs task forces to run their own locally based campaigns which will highlight the issues raised in the national campaign but focus on issues relating to cocaine use in their own areas. The task forces are currently working on their individual campaigns and some are working on joint proposals. Some of the ideas coming forward include cinema and billboard advertising. It is hoped that all task forces will have their campaigns up and running before the end of the year.
With regard to the common helpline that was initiated at the time, is there any information on the geographical breakdown of the 10,000 hits on that line? Is there a breakdown of the callers? Were they users, parents, teachers or community activists? Can the Minister of State flesh out for us the interest people have in contacting the HSE in this regard.
Some time ago the death of a person following the use of drugs was very much in the news. At the time, many people considered the death was related to the use of alcohol with cocaine and co-ethylene. This drug mix was highlighted as a toxic development when used with alcohol. Has any further information been brought forward with regard to this or to the helpline?
I do not have information with regard to the breakdown of the numbers calling the helpline. That information is with the HSE. With regard to what we refer to as poly drug use, be it alcohol or other drugs, one of the findings from research done after the campaign was there was greater awareness among cocaine users of the heightened risk involved when using other drugs while using cocaine.
A report conducted by the HSE states that 42% of cocaine users did not think taking alcohol with cocaine was any more dangerous than using cocaine on its own. The report also found there was not total agreement among users on the dangers of addiction. Some 64% agreed slightly, while others disagreed cocaine was highly addictive. Some 41% of cocaine users were not concerned at all about the effect of the drug.
I have not seen signs of the campaign in my area. I have not seen posters or billboards up. How effective is the campaign and is it really hitting the target area? I am sure the local drugs task forces are doing excellent work, but are sports and community halls and schools being targeted with literature and advertising to try to protect our teenagers? We must look at alternative areas and highlight the dangers to young people as well as targeting addicts through the task forces.
I acknowledge the figures the Deputy mentioned, but if we look at the figures for both prior to and after the campaign, we see some significant changes with regard to people's perspective. The figures changed during that period. I agree with the Deputy that a one-off campaign is not sufficient. The HSE campaign was public and we are now conducting the local campaign. However, if we are to conduct campaigns in the future, they will need to be closely aligned and monitored. I am probably leaving myself open to criticism when I say the local campaign we are currently conducting should have been planned within a closer timeframe. In respect of advertising, the Road Safety Authority has fostered a shift of minds through its continual promotion of issues. Particularly with regard to the new national drugs strategy, this area deserves closer attention because we need to maintain momentum.
127 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he is satisfied that policy initiatives designed to bring growth and prosperity to rural regions are succeeding in developing economic growth and stability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33568/08]
My Department operates a range of initiatives, schemes and programmes that support the social and economic development of rural areas and the growth of rural business and enterprise. Relevant schemes include the rural development programme, the CLÁR programme, the rural social scheme, the enterprise scheme for non-Gaeltacht offshore islands and the community services programme and rural recreation schemes.
The Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 includes specific measures on rural enterprise development. The overall aim of the new Leader programme is to improve the quality of life in rural areas and promote the diversification of the rural economy, which I believe is key to achieving sustainable economic growth and stability in rural regions. The Deputy will be aware that I launched the programme earlier this year and I expect it to be open to applications from local project promoters shortly. The funding available for the delivery of Leader activities under the rural development programme will amount to €425.4 million, which is almost treble the €150 million made available for the 2000-06 period. The new programme will also complement the other rural development measures operated by my Department.
In addition to the schemes and programmes operated directly by my Department, the Deputy will also be aware that responsibility for the creation of employment in Gaeltacht areas rests with Údarás na Gaeltachta, a body that comes within the ambit of my Department. The work of this body includes the development of rural enterprises. Information on assistance provided by Údarás na Gaeltachta is published in that organisation's annual report and accounts, which under sections 18 and 19 of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Act 1979 are laid annually before each of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Information is also available on its website at www.udaras.ie.
Finally, the Deputy should note that the Western Development Commission, WDC, another body that comes within the ambit of my Department, has responsibility for fostering and promoting economic and social development, including rural enterprise and job creation in the western region. Information on the support provided by the WDC is published in that organisation's annual report and accounts, which are also laid annually before each of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Information is also available on its website at www.wdc.ie.
Particular concerns have arisen in rural areas regarding job losses. The announcement by Aer Lingus of 1,500 job cuts will have an effect on the Shannon region, there are concerns in the Limerick region for the future of Dell and today 14 jobs were lost at Knock airport.
What is the Department's current position in respect of decentralisation? Has approval to proceed been received from the Minister for Finance and has a site been bought? When can we expect work to commence on the project?
Has the Minister entered discussions with his colleagues on fostering new ideas for job creation in rural areas? Has he held discussions with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding broadband? The European average for broadband availability is 20% but this country is only at 17%. Many rural areas cannot access broadband services and I want to know what discussions have been held on addressing that so that employment can be developed.
Although the Deputy's supplementary inquiry on decentralisation is at a remove from his original question, I will be benign and supply him with the information he sought. The Deputy will possibly be aware that 101 of the projected 140 staff have already relocated to Tubercurry. I understand the OPW is pursuing matters in regard to the purchase of the site and, when these negotiations are complete, the final decision will be subject to the approval of the Department of Finance.
In regard to broadband, my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, is proceeding with the national broadband scheme and according to the information I have received from his Department, it is hoped an announcement will be made on the matter within the next month.
The main issue arising on my agenda in respect of rural jobs is the €425 million being made available under the Leader programme.
That is my next question.
The Deputy's last question pertained to this programme, which represents a significant fillip. The investment by my Department in rural recreation is also creating jobs. A lot is happening and more is planned.
The project introduced under the CLÁR programme to provide three phase electricity to small businesses was a major step in the right direction because many businesses in rural areas found their expansion plans stymied by single phase power.
The Minister has responsibility for rural employment. What is his view on the Government's decentralisation policies for transferring jobs from major centres to rural areas? Why did he allow the closure of 500 rural post offices? The country now has 1,200 post offices. How can he stand by while Teagasc closes an office from Crossmolina, a rural area, and reopens it in a town? How can he accept the closure of rural courthouses proposed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform?
The Minister is not responsible for all those issues. The Deputy should pursue them with the relevant line Ministers.
Is the Minister discussing these issues with his colleagues or does he follow a different policy from them?
I am answering Minister's questions, not questions for the Government. I can only speak about my Department's programmes and, as I explained to the Deputy, we have implemented the rural development programme. We have been closely engaged with the decentralisation programme and have transferred ten out of ten staff to Furbo, 101 out of 140 to Tubercurry, 25 out of 40 to Clifden and, despite a number of delays, are now making progress on Foras na Gaeilge. We have been creating jobs on the ground.
The rural development programme is my responsibility. I do not have general responsibility for rural enterprise, which falls to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, except for those elements addressed by the Leader programme. I hope to be able to make a decision on the scheme by the end of this month and roll it out in the following months.
128 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the roll-out of the Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13, with details of the local action groups’ selection process; the timescale on the delivery of funding under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33535/08]
The Deputy may be aware that the process for selecting local action groups to deliver the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 is at an advanced stage. I expect to announce the selection of the groups to implement the programme and the allocation of funding later this month. I anticipate the programme will be open to applications from the local action groups for funding shortly thereafter.
We need to see the roll-out of the Leader programme. Last week, I tabled a parliamentary question on Leader companies and was told a new company was being appointed to ensure EU regulations are observed. The name of this company is Mazars but I would call it a massager because it will receive plenty of State money. I understood it is now Government policy to get rid of these massagers. Does the Minister not have sufficient staff in his Department to ensure that Leader companies implement EU regulations? In regard to jobs, some of these companies will be amalgamated. Can the Minister guarantee these jobs will be open to competition and, if jobs will be lost, will the companies be amalgamated and the jobs retained even though sufficient work may not be available?
These are all independent companies. They are not semi-State agencies. Their boards are appointed in a certain way but the employees of these companies are not employed by the State. At the end of the day, these are private companies and, therefore, it is incumbent on them to comply with both EU and national law in regard to employment policy. They raised issues with regard to the cohesion process and bringing together staff in different organisations, and asked for expert advice, which is not available in my Department. To facilitate the process, we appointed consultants to give advice to these groups to make sure we facilitate them in complying, in their actions, with the law. The obligation is on them to comply with the law.
The Minister used the word "shortly" in his reply. When does he expect to announce the programme and provide the funding so that advertising can take place? It is important because we are losing jobs by the day in rural Ireland. Anything that can stimulate job creation is important. This programme should be rolled out. Already people are asking me and other elected representatives when the programme will be launched, when they can apply and what the scheme is about. We need to know this now and we need the scheme to be launched immediately.
I concur with the Deputy. I will not go back over what happened. As the Deputy knows, the cohesion process, which is a rationalisation process that in time will pay dividends, was difficult. There were delays and an issue was raised in Brussels, on which the European Union, thankfully, upheld the Department's position. I then found that some of the companies, despite all the time they had been given, had not set up their boards according to the direction of the Department, had not appointed chairpersons and so on. I had to take firm action at the beginning of the summer to try to get this process to move along. That seems to have happened. If I may say so, it is a case of "money talks". I am now hopeful that by the end of this month I will be able to announce the successful bidders. After that, of course, they must be awarded contracts. I hope they will be in a position to accept applications for the programme very shortly.
The good thing is that all of the €425 million is still there. The fact that the roll-out of the programme has been slightly slower than I anticipated in no way affects the amount of money involved. It just means more money will be spent over a slightly contracted period.
129 Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the provisions he will make in the new national drugs strategy to support and assist communities and families who are affected by drug abuse, particularly grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren as a result of their own children being drug addicts and unable for the responsibilities of parenthood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33857/08]
Support for families affected by drug misuse is a key priority of the current national drugs strategy and I expect it will continue to be prioritised under the new strategy which is currently being developed. As the Deputy knows only too well, problem drug use can have a devastating effect on the family and it is particularly important to have appropriate, accessible and timely services in place to help these families deal with the problems they face. In this context, my Department provides annual funding to support the development of the family support network, FSN, for families affected by problem drug use. This has facilitated the development of the network as a national organisation, thereby ensuring a more co-ordinated approach to the issue of family support within the drugs strategy. It has also allowed the existing FSN to be established on a much firmer and more organised footing, which has facilitated the co-ordinated development of local family support groups around the country, with ongoing opportunities for networking among them. In addition, links and partnerships between the families of problem drug users and others involved in the implementation of the drugs strategy have improved.
A number of family support projects are also being supported through the local and regional drugs task forces, including through the emerging needs fund. The services provided include support for parents, spouses and partners and assistance for children of problem drug users. Families receive support from both specific projects aimed at families and more generic services such as community drugs teams.
The role of the family was emphasised by the working group on drugs rehabilitation, which made specific recommendations regarding the role of families in the rehabilitation process. The Deputy should also note that the National Advisory Committee on Drugs published a study, The Experiences of Families Seeking Support in Coping with Heroin Use, which stresses the need to value the role of the family in treatment, rehabilitation and recovery. In the context of the findings of the NACD Report, the Family Support Agency and the Family Resource Centres have started to put in place links with the FSN in order to provide assistance and guidance where needed, along with the provision of funding to the FSN to allow further development of their organisation.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
During the consultation process undertaken in respect of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016, particularly in the series of public meetings around the country, the work taking place under the umbrella of family support was highly praised, although it was felt that enhanced resources and support are required in this area. The issue of support for family members, including elderly grandparents, who are caring for the children of other family members who are incapable of discharging their responsibilities due to problem drug use, was also raised. I fully expect that this, along with other family support issues which were raised, will be addressed during the deliberations of the steering group which is currently developing the new strategy. Their work will be ongoing over the coming months.
That sounds very good, but grandparents are the ones who must pick up the pieces when they become the primary carers and educators of children whose parents have been caught up in addiction. At the weekend I spent some time at the Irish Bishops' Conference on alcohol and drug abuse in parishes and communities. I noted that many of the people who spoke were grandparents and parents. Many of these mentioned the difficulties of accessing any kind of programme to help them deal with the challenges of bringing up their grandchildren. They find they are being sent from one agency to another. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that this is dealt with in the new national drugs strategy.
The Minister named some of the relevant agencies. Some of the people I spoke to at the weekend did not have a clue what these agencies were. These are the people who are at the heart of all this confusion. I ask the Minister to accept there is real concern out there among families, particularly grandparents, and ensure this is taken into account in the new national drugs strategy. These people should be dealt with fairly and the agencies made available to them so that they are not sent from one agency to another.
Before I address the Deputy's question, I want to clarify that at the moment there are quite a number of family support projects. Around 120 such projects are being run by local drugs task forces, while the regional drugs task forces are running 50 projects that have been identified as providing primarily family support. During the public consultation period for the new national drugs strategy, the issue raised by the Deputy came through loud and clear, with regard to both family support and grandparents who are primary carers. As the Deputy knows, the steering group, which consists of representatives of the key statutory, community and voluntary interests, is going through the deliberations. I have no doubt that the specific issues of family support and grandparents are being considered for the new strategy.
I appreciate what the Minister is saying. The goal of ensuring people know what services are available should be included in the national drugs strategy, as they do not seem to know at the moment. That was quite obvious to anybody who was at the conference at the weekend. Parents and grandparents cannot identify the groups that could provide support even in their own areas. That should be a focus of the national drugs strategy.
I agree with the Deputy. During the public consultation process it was found that the availability of services seemed to vary radically around the country. In some parts of Dublin services are more accessible and better established, while in other parts of the country there is clearly a deficit. I acknowledge and agree with the Deputy's point.
That concludes Priority Questions.
