Vol. 739 No. 3
23 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason delays are continuing to be experienced in her Department in deciding claims for carer’s allowance; the number of cases that are yet to be decided; the number of cases being reviewed; the number of cases being appealed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21437/11]
49 Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications she has received for carer’s allowance on a monthly basis for the past six months; the waiting time from application to the awarding of the allowance; if she is satisfied with the time that it is taking for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21395/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 49 together.
The average time taken to award a claim for carer's allowance in the first half of 2011 was 13 weeks. A total of 8,171 applications were registered in the first 6 months of 2011 and 6,702 were processed in the same period. There are currently 5,294 applications awaiting a decision. There are 51,134 carer's allowance claims in payment. There are approximately 100 carer's allowance applications on hand where the applicant has supplied additional information and requested a review of a refusal by a deciding officer. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are currently 2,300 carer's allowance cases awaiting a decision on appeal.
I acknowledge that the time taken to process carer's allowance claims is not satisfactory but I am satisfied that the Department is taking appropriate steps to resolve the situation.
In particular, a major service delivery modernisation project is underway to improve the efficiency of administration of the carer's allowance scheme. This involves the development of IT functionality and associated business process re-organisation. It is anticipated that the new system will introduce significant processing efficiencies and a quicker and more responsive service to the customer. Accordingly, this project is being given high priority and involves a significant level of time and commitment from the relevant staff in the Department, which has had, however, a short-term negative impact on claim processing times. The first tranche of new carer's allowance claims will begin to be processed under the new system in August 2011.
While these new systems and processes will facilitate a significant improvement in overall processing times it should be noted that individual claims may still take some time to process. Entitlement to carer's allowance is based on satisfying medical, means and residency conditions. In determining entitlement to the allowance there are, in certain cases, unavoidable time lags involved in making the necessary investigations and enquiries to enable accurate decisions to be made. Delays can also arise if people applying for the allowance are not in a position to supply all the necessary information in support of their claim.
I am assured that the situation is being monitored closely by the Department.
24 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the size of the cuts she envisages will be made to her Department’s budget each year to comply with the commitment to the EU and IMF to reduce social expenditure. [21322/11]
154 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the size of the cut she envisages will be made to her Department’s budget each year to comply with the Government’s commitment to the EU and IMF to reduce social expenditure. [21601/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 154 together.
One of the core commitments in the Programme for Government is the restoration of fiscal stability. As we all know, overall Government spending in 2011 will be roughly €18 billion more than this year's overall Government income and that level of Exchequer borrowing is clearly not sustainable. In round terms, the total income that Government will get from tax and PRSI in 2011 is €42 billion. My Department is expected to spend over €20 billion or almost half of tax and PRSI income combined. For that reason, the transition to a more balanced budgetary position simply cannot be made without affecting social welfare spending. The funding agreement with the EU and IMF commits the Government to a further adjustment of "at least €3.6 bn” in Budget 2012, including a reduction in expenditure of €2.1 billion. The Department of Social Protection necessarily has a major contribution to make in achieving a more balanced budget, as it accounts for 39% of gross current voted expenditure, equivalent to 16% of GNP.
The depth of the economic downturn and the size of the exchequer borrowing requirement are such that there will be an on-going necessity to curtail overall expenditure in 2012 and in later years. The exact level of contribution that spending on social welfare will make to the overall reduction in expenditure will be decided by Government later this year, informed by the outcome of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure that is currently underway in all Departments.
The objectives of the Review are to inform the best use of resources which will enable us to meet overall fiscal consolidation targets, re-align spending with Programme for Government priorities, target resources at the most effective programmes and set new objectives. This is necessary for many reasons, not least so that we can continue to make social welfare payments at appropriate levels, sustaining social cohesion and treating people with dignity.
I have also established an Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare which harnesses expert opinion and experience to address a number of specific issues around the operation and interaction of the tax and social protection systems. They will recommend cost-effective solutions as to how employment disincentives can be improved and better poverty outcomes achieved and identify the specific practical institutional and administrative improvements to their operation.
Any changes to the schemes and services provided by my department, including the levels of welfare payments, will be informed by the overall Government-wide options identified in the comprehensive review and by the findings of the Advisory Group
27 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make a statement detailing the consultancy reports or research commissioned by her Department in 2011; and the cost of same. [21325/11]
The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice) including the delivery of reports, studies, assessments, recommendations and proposals that contribute to decision making or policy making. As part of a drawdown contract on business processing, consultants have been commissioned to build on the work completed by the Department in the development of the National Employment and Entitlements Service. The cost of this project is €135,000.
The Social Inclusion Division of my Department has commissioned research on poverty trends through a three year contract at a per annum cost of €80,000. The researchers produce an annual report on poverty trends and technical reports and contributes to research seminars and briefings. The 2011 annual report is on childhood deprivation and poverty and the technical paper is on poverty measurement.
Funding is also provided for the Social Inclusion Research Innovation Awards (SIRIA), which is managed on behalf of the division by the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) as part of its Research Development Initiative 2010 . The total grant aid is €110,000, paid in two instalments in 2010 and 2011.
In addition to work commissioned by the Social Inclusion Division, the Department also commissioned, as part of a multi-annual programme, a range of research projects in pensions modelling and child income support. The allocation for this work in 2011 is €150,000.
The Department has contracted with a specialist Information Systems (IS) Internal Audit provider for a three year programme, commencing July 2011, to carry out internal audits on the Departments ICT systems. This is to provide independent assurance that internal controls and security are satisfactory in the IS area. The cost will be between and €29,040 and €54,450 per annum over the three years.
The Department has engaged assistance in developing and implementing information security standards and promoting best practice throughout the Department. The programme of work includes the provision of advice and support on a range of issues, including Identity and Access Management, Data Classification and Retention, Risk Assessment of critical IS systems and infrastructure and an Information Security and Data Protection awareness programme. €60,000 is allocated to this work in 2011.
This year €3,557 has also been spent to provide a practitioner's view of access requirements to General Registry Office (GRO) historical records for genealogical research.
28 Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will assure Dáil Éireann that there will be no further reductions in social welfare allowances. [21425/11]
41 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that there will be no cuts to current rates of social welfare payments. [20290/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 41 together.
The Government is committed to pursuing the deficit reduction strategy in a way that is fair, balanced, and which recognises the need for social solidarity. Sustainable public finances are a prerequisite for future economic stability and growth, and for maintaining and developing our social protection system. In that regard, the Government believes it is appropriate, in order to enhance international credibility, to stick to the aggregate adjustment as set out in the National Recovery Plan for the combined period 2011- 2012.
The appropriate level of overall expenditure by my Department will be considered in the context of Budget 2012 and subsequent Budgets. This consideration will be informed by the commitment in the Programme for Government to maintain social welfare rates.
The economic situation is such that there will be an ongoing requirement to curtail expenditure in 2012 and in later years. This is necessary for many reasons, not least so that we can continue to make social welfare payments at appropriate levels, sustaining social cohesion and treating people with dignity.
The priority of this Government is to get our economy moving, restore confidence, fix our banking system and support the protection and creation of jobs. The Jobs Initiative is the first step in our recovery strategy and includes a number of initiatives which will be administered by my Department including the recently introduced Internship Scheme JobBridge. In addition, the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011, provided for the halving of the lower rate of employer PRSI thereby making it cheaper for employers both to take on and retain workers and thereby reduce unemployment.
There are considerable challenges ahead including the need to protect, as far as possible, the key income supports and services operated by my Department. This process will be informed by the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure which will be completed over the summer. The findings of the Review will then be available to the Government and will feed into its discussions on possible changes to schemes and services generally. The key decisions in this area will be made in the context of framing the Budget for 2012.
29 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the proposals for converting the Money Advice and Budgeting Service into a strengthened personal debt management agency with strong legal powers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16720/11]
152 Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection when she plans to convert the Money Advice and Budgeting Service into a strengthened personal debt management agency with strong legal powers as described in the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21633/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 152 together.
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems.
There are 52 independent MABS companies operating the local MABS services from 65 locations throughout the country, with national support provided by the MABS NDL. In addition, the MABS National Telephone Helpline is available from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and the MABS website can be accessed 24 hours a day at www.mabs.ie. Some 90% of clients presenting to MABS are assisted through the telephone helpline, which provides assisted self-help to ensure clients take steps to assess and address their situation.
Responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) transferred to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) in 2009 to provide strong management support to the local voluntary MABS companies. As part of the ongoing review of its services the Board have put a new organisational structure in place, since April 2011, which enables CIB regional managers to get a greater insight into the nature of supports required by MABS companies on the ground to deliver an effective service.
The CIB recently submitted a position paper setting out options for the future shape of MABS taking into consideration commitments in the Programme for Government and recommendations contained in the final reports of the Law Reform Commission on Personal Debt Management and Debt Enforcement, and the Expert Group on Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt. This paper is currently under consideration.
In addition, The Citizens Information Board and the Department are also engaged with the Department of Justice and Equality concerning their plans for reform of personal insolvency law, and the role of MABS, in the context of the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission.
I am satisfied that MABS will continue to provide a high quality personal service to assist people in overcoming their indebtedness and managing their finances.
30 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the degree if any to which further staff redeployments are required or have been requested to deal with the extra social welfare payments arising from the economic downturn over the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21393/11]
192 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which adequate staff are available to her Department to clear backlogs in respect of various social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21847/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 192 together.
The staffing needs of my Department are kept under constant review to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources. In the context of the Employment Control Framework targets, as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department will continue to source available staff by way of transfer and redeployment from within the Department and from other Government Departments.
Arising from the economic downturn, in excess of 900 staff have been assigned to my Department, in the period since May 2008, to fill critical vacancies and additional posts that were approved to deal with the significant increase in claims for the various schemes operated by the Department.
It is recognised that the provision of additional staff in itself is not the only appropriate way to deal with the increased demands for the schemes operated by the Department. In this regard, all scheme areas in the Department are subject to continuous business process improvement supported by modern technology.
As the Deputy will be aware, one of the main impacts on current service delivery has been the increase in the Live Register. In this context, the Department has introduced a range of process improvement initiatives regarding claims for jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit. One of the most significant initiatives, aimed at reducing queuing and waiting times, involves customers attending their local office by appointment at which time the claim is taken and decided.
Processing times vary across schemes because of both the volume of applications and the differing qualification criteria. For example, means assessments are required for all of the social assistance schemes; medical examinations are required for some of the illness related schemes and customers must also satisfy the habitual residence conditions. In the case of the insurance-based schemes, it may be necessary to ascertain details of foreign insurance records.
Process improvements have resulted in a significant reduction in the number and proportion of all claims awaiting a decision. For example, there were 40,417 jobseeker's claims awaiting a decision on 9th July 2011 equating to 8% of the total claim-load. This compares favourably to 10th July 2010 when 52,542 claims or 10% of claim-load were awaiting decision and 82,520 claims or 17% of claim-load in July 2009.
As the Deputy is aware, it is planned to integrate the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive, and employment and other services from FÁS into my Department. When this process is completed it will provide the basis for a new model of service delivery in my Department. The aim will be to ensure that income and employment support services are delivered in an effective and more timely case management based approach.
31 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make a statement on the recently established advisory group on tax and social welfare, including the expected timeframe for and topic upon which its initial recommendations are expected to focus; and if she will make the recommendations available to the public as she receives them. [21321/11]
Creating jobs and tackling poverty are two of the key challenges that we face. It is essential that our tax and social protection systems play their part in addressing these issues and ensure that work is worthwhile. To this end, I recently set up an Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare. The first meeting of the Group took place on 30 June and I understand that the Group is considering its work programme.
The main rationale for setting up the Group is to harness expert opinion and experience to address a number of specific issues around the operation and interaction of the tax and social protection systems. The Group will also be tasked with recommending cost-effective solutions as to how employment disincentives can be improved and better outcomes achieved, particularly child outcomes, and with identifying the specific practical institutional and administrative improvements to their operation. The Group will initially prioritise the area of family and child income supports.
It is envisaged that the Group's work programme will be based, where possible, on producing modular reports on the priority areas identified in the terms of reference in line with a timetable agreed by myself, in consultation with the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. Where possible, the aim is to provide recommendations that can be acted upon in time for the annual budget/estimates and legislative cycle and to allow the Government to best address its commitments under the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support.
The Advisory Group is currently developing its mode of working and I expect that decisions in respect of publishing recommendations will be made at the appropriate time. It should be noted that the Group's recommendations will be considered in the first instance by a steering committee consisting of myself and the Ministers for Children and Youth Affairs, Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform and others, as considered necessary.
32 Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied that the measures in place to reduce the number of persons on the live register are adequate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21427/11]
While the primary responsibility for job creation rests with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and agencies under its remit, the Department of Social Protection has a role in supporting people from welfare to work and operates a range of employment support measures designed to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments. Supports available include the back to education programmes and back to work schemes. In addition, a fully integrated nationwide range of services and supports is available to employers and jobseekers through FÁS Employment Services, responsibility for which has been transferred to this Department.
The National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process is a key element in addressing the progression needs of those on the live register. It provides a stimulus to job search and affords an opportunity to explore and access, under professional guidance, a full range of employment and training services. Development of the NEAP is central to ongoing development in the labour market policy area and will be progressed within the framework of a new National Employment and Entitlements Service which, as provided for in the Programme for Government, is being established by the Department. The new service will integrate employment and benefit payment services, currently delivered by FÁS and the Department, respectively, within the Department and will be based on a case management approach with the objective of providing a more customised and personal service to customers.
In line with good international practice, this new service will focus primarily on activation. The objective is to encourage and enable customers to embark on developmental pathways appropriate to their needs; pathways to employment and /or training and/or personal development. The objective of the new service is to offer users a high level, personalised employment support and prioritise the provision of more intensive support for those on the live register who are identified as being most at risk of long-term unemployment. A key feature of the new service will be that customers will be expected to engage with these options in order to retain their entitlement to full benefit payments.
A number of pilot projects are ongoing in relation to the development of case management, the identification of those who are most at risk of falling into long-term unemployment, and the provision of appropriately tailored responses to their needs. These pilot projects will evaluated in the coming months after which approaches will be developed for their roll out nationwide as part of the national employment and entitlements service.
These developments are complimented by measures announced recently by the Government under the Jobs Initiative and include initiatives such as JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, which will provide 5,000 internship opportunities of 6 or 9 months in organisations in the private, public or community and voluntary sectors. Participants will retain their social welfare entitlements and will also receive a ‘top-up' of €50 per week. In addition, from July 2, the rate of employers PRSI on jobs paying up to €356 per week has been halved to 4.25%, up to end 2013. All of the measures outlined above will support people who are unemployed in acquiring the education and skills and work experience that will assist them in returning to employment while measures such as the PRSI reduction will encourage employers to new employment.
33 Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will be detailing changes to social insurance-related appropriations-in-aid in the outcome of her negotiation with other Departments as part of the Estimates process. [20320/11]
The appropriations-in-aid (A-in-A) from the Social Insurance Fund to the votes of various departments and agencies in 2011 are outlined in the following table.
|
Service provider |
Service provided |
2011 Estimate €m |
|
Department of Social Protection |
Administration of Social Insurance Fund schemes |
177.28 |
|
Revenue Commissioners |
Collection of PRSI contributions |
37.437 |
|
Department of Finance |
Superannuation |
30 |
|
Office of Public Works |
Maintenance of buildings |
8.327 |
|
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government |
Rates on the Department’s buildings |
0.741 |
|
Comptroller and Auditor General |
Audit of the Social Insurance Fund accounts |
0.14 |
|
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation |
Certain expenses relating to the administration of the Redundancy and Insolvency schemes. |
1.52 |
The overall purpose of these A-in-As is the payment by the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) of expenses incurred by various departments and agencies in the administration of SIF schemes. The most significant A-in-A is an internal transfer between the Social Insurance Fund and the Department's own vote.
The appropriations in aid from the Social Insurance Fund to various votes in 2012 will be considered as part of the forthcoming estimates process. The amounts agreed for 2012 under each heading in the table above will be published in the revised estimates volume for 2012. Any changes agreed for 2012 relative to the appropriation in aid agreed for 2011 will therefore be readily discernible once finalised.
34 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to put the household benefits package out to tender. [21431/11]
43 Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reconsider the cuts to fuel, electricity and phone allowances for the unemployed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21408/11]
44 Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection if she negotiated with providers, other than Eircom, in relation to recent changes in the telephone allowance. [21426/11]
46 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if, prior to announcing the cuts to the fuel allowance and household benefits package, she conducted a poverty impact assessment of the measure; and if so, the outcome of same. [21329/11]
48 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse her decision to cut the fuel allowance and household benefits package in view of the impact such cuts will have on thousands of vulnerable persons, including older persons and those with disabilities. [21320/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 43, 44, 46 and 48 together.
I have no plans to reconsider the changes to the fuel allowance and household benefits package which were announced last week. From September 2011 the fuel allowance is to be standardised at €20 per week, the rate currently received by the majority of customers, with no additional allowance for living in a smokeless area. The cost of the telephone allowance will be reduced following negotiations with Eircom which will ensure that customers receive €26.86 of value on their bills, at a cost to the State of €22.22 per month. The number of free units provided under the electricity and gas allowance will be reduced to the level at the start of 2007 (from 2,400 to 1,800). It should be noted that the unemployed do not receive these benefits apart from the long-term unemployed who may receive a fuel allowance. These three measures will generate savings of €17 million in 2011 and €65 million annually.
While we have had to implement these measures, the House should be aware that these savings were provided for last December in Budget 2011 but were not specified or announced by the then Government at that time. On the specific measures, the rationale for paying the smokeless allowance to customers in smokeless areas is no longer valid. The price differential between the types of coal is as low as 2% while the allowance represents an addition of 20% to the Fuel Allowance. Use of coal has dropped considerably, to about 3%. It is inequitable to continue paying this top-up allowance when it is not required.
As regards the telephone allowance, the deal negotiated with Eircom represents good value for the State and the customer. The main saving is that the Department will no longer pay a monthly rental for handsets, but customers will be able to keep their set at no charge. Indeed, a lot of households no longer use or have their original handsets so it makes no sense that the State would continue to pick up this cost.
The reduction in units in the electricity allowance and equivalent gas allowance is essential to control spending. Because the allowances are based on units the full cost of energy increases has been borne by the State, with no incentive for customers to switch to other cheaper companies. Only 16% of social welfare customers have switched companies compared to 42% nationally. People will be able to offset some of the reduction in units by availing of cheaper rates.
As regards the commitment to putting the household benefits out to tender, I am still exploring this issue. However, the Chief State Solicitor's Office has advised that the Department does not have the right to go to the market to procure electricity as it is not actually the customer in the first instance. This view has been endorsed by the Commission for Energy Regulation and the Competition Authority. I am indeed anxious to get the best value possible from the utility companies and the deal concluded with Eircom is a positive response in this regard. We are in negotiations with other suppliers also and I am hopeful that having regard to the difficult budgetary situation that we find ourselves in that they will respond positively too given their social responsibilities. We also have initiated contacts with smaller providers.
While of course we want to protect the basic social welfare payments which have very positive economic and social effects, regrettably there is an ongoing necessity to achieve savings due to our commitments with the IMF/EU/ECB Troika. There will be an ongoing necessity to curtail overall expenditure in 2012 and in later years. The Comprehensive Review of Expenditure currently under way in all government departments and agencies will form the basis for making the necessary decisions to achieve this.
A poverty impact assessment was carried out on a range of options for the future administration of the household benefits package. This focused on the potential impact of changing the electricity allowance from a unit base to a cash base to avail of cheaper rates available. The assessment concluded that the proposal would have limited impact.
Along with other Departments and agencies, my Department has been working with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on an Affordable Energy Strategy and this is expected to be brought to Government in the Autumn. Energy poverty is a factor of income, energy prices and the thermal efficiency of the home. The most cost-effective means of protecting households from energy poverty is to reduce their consumption of energy through improving the thermal efficiency of the home. Sustainable Energy Ireland has administered an energy efficiency programme for privately owned low income households (Warmer Homes) since 2001. Over 65,000 such households have benefited to date, with a further 15,000 expected to receive energy efficiency upgrades this year. A similar upgrade programme is also in place for local authority houses.
35 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she has taken to reform the operations of FÁS in so far as it falls under her remit. [21324/11]
From 1 January 2011 policy and funding responsibility for FÁS functions in relation to employment and community services was transferred to my Department in accordance with the provisions of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2010. This is a transitional arrangement. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010 provides for the transfer of all employment and community services, including staff and other resources, from FÁS to the Department of Social Protection. It is anticipated that this will be completed before the end of this year. Since January my Department and FÁS have been working closely to ensure that the various HR and administrative systems, such as payroll records and IT systems are put in place for the full transfer of staff and services before the end of the year. An intensive IR process is also under way which is dealing with staff terms and conditions.
To facilitate reform and to speed up the integration process at local level, a number of joint planning workshops between FÁS, CWS and DSP staff and senior management have taken place. Staff at local level have begun to implement integrated approaches to service provision following the identification by FÁS and DSP front line staff of actions and ‘quick wins' that can be undertaken to support the integration process and deliver early results. To accelerate the reform process, FÁS and the Department are working on a number of pilot projects in relation to the development of case management, the identification of those who are most at risk of falling into long-term unemployment, and the provision of appropriately tailored responses to their needs. These pilot projects will be completed and evaluated after which approaches will be developed for their roll out nationwide as part of the National Employment and Entitlements Service.
As part of such an approach, FÁS and the Department worked together on the development the new National Internship Scheme JobsBridge which was launched by the Taoiseach on 30th June 2011. It is expected that this scheme will provide 5,000 internships of up to nine months duration and participants will retain their social welfare entitlements and will also receive a ‘top-up' of €50 per week.
36 Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has satisfied herself that the automated service of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance is only making payments to persons who are entitled to them. [21432/11]
As the Deputy is aware, the administrative arrangements for the 2011 back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme are different from those that applied in previous years. In previous years these applications were manually processed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) on behalf of the Department. For this year the majority of back to school clothing and footwear allowance entitlements were fully automated with no application form required from customers.
This year the automated process identified some 127,000 households and generated payments in respect of some 243,000 children. The back to school clothing and footwear allowance is paid in respect of eligible children between the ages of: — 2 and 17 years of age, and — between the ages of 18 and 22, if in full time education.
In order to receive a payment on an automated basis the parent of the child must have been in receipt of a qualifying payment that included an increase in respect of a qualified child at the commencement of the scheme and also the household had to satisfy the means test for the scheme. The scheme commenced from the 1st June 2011 with the entitlement created based on the preceding week. As part of this year's administrative arrangements the Department will carry out a full review of the process and identify any improvements for subsequent years. In addition, if the Department establishes that any person received a payment to which he/she was not entitled, it will seek to recover that amount in full.
38 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has reviewed or plans to review customer service standards; if she has concerns about the capacity of her Department to adequately deal with the extent of communication being generated; if she has sought additional resources to meet this need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21438/11]
The Department's customer service standards are set out in its Customer Charter. Through regular consultation with customers and stakeholders, the commitments in the charter are measured to determine the extent to which these standards are achieved and these achievements are published every year in the Department's Annual Report. The Department's Customer Action Plan 2009-2011 builds on the commitments in the Customer Charter and sets out a range of aims and actions to achieve them during the lifetime of the plan.
A new Customer Charter and Customer Action Plan 2012-2014 will be drafted this year which will incorporate the changed role of the Department following recent Government decisions in relation to the Department's responsibilities and functions. As part of this process a new set of customer service standards will be established. Some 1.4m people each week receive a social welfare payment and when qualified adults and children are included, a total of over 2.1m people benefit from weekly payments. Some 600,000 families receive child benefit payments in respect of over 1.1m children each month.
The day-to-day activities of the Department include:
some 50 separate schemes and services;
over 2m applications cleared annually;
over 6.5m telephone calls to the Department annually;
over 85.3m payments annually;
processing applications for Personal Public Service Numbers for customers from some 140 countries.
As part of its ongoing modernisation agenda, the Department delivers services to customers through a range of contact channels — telephone, SMS text messaging, websites, online services and walk-in services. This gives customers more choice in how they access services, and also provides a more integrated service. The Department has been proactive in implementing new processes and procedures to improve service delivery, for example, in its local office process modernisation programme.
Any organisation experiencing peaks in demand for its service, as the Department has in recent years, may at times also experience periods where the service it provides may not always meet customer expectations. Additional staff have been appointed to the Department in recent times to help meet this demand, particularly in respect of Jobseekers payments. However, it should be noted that the Department must also achieve the employment control framework (ECF) targets, as agreed under the Public Service Agreement 2010 -2014, through compliance with the moratorium on recruitment. I am satisfied that my Department has the resources to meet the current demand for its services and will continue to deliver quality customer services to the public.
39 Deputy Willie O’Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the impact assessment that she is carrying out in relation to reforms of the joint labour committee system; and if she envisages any implications for her Department arising from the recent High Court ruling in relation to JLCs. [21429/11]
51 Deputy Willie O’Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in view of the fact that she is tasked with protecting the most vulnerable in society, she has satisfied herself that the there are adequate measures in place to protect the vulnerable workers affected by the recent High Court ruling in relation to joint labour committees. [21430/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 51 together.
The need for reform of the Joint Labour Committee system was clearly signalled in the Programme for Government. Following the commissioning of an Independent Review of Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) and Registered Employment Agreement (REAs) Wage Setting Mechanisms, my colleague, Richard Bruton, T.D., Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation undertook a consultation process on the main issues arising from the report. The outcome of this work is currently under consideration by the Government.
The Government will consider the impact of the reform proposals on workers with a view to achieving balanced reform which produces good outcomes for employment and social protection. My Department undertook an interim analysis of the broader impact of reform of EROs/REAs on low paid workers and the social protection system generally, and how reduced pay levels due to a reduction in Sunday premia and in overtime pay could possibly lead to an increased reliance on the social welfare system. This assessment will inform the Government's deliberations on the reform of EROs/REAs, with a view to achieving balanced reform for all those affected.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a number of schemes to support low paid workers and to prevent in-work poverty, including Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit, One Parent Family Payment and Family Income Supplement. These schemes provide financial supports for workers who meet the eligibility requirements and who may be affected through a reduction in earnings by the recent High Court ruling in relation to EROs made by JLCs.
40 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if the jobs initiative has had an impact on the live register to date. [21428/11]
The Jobs Initiative recently announced by the Government contains additional labour market activation measures that aim to provide unemployed people with enhanced opportunities to maintain and develop their skills and competencies while also offering the possibility of securing valuable work experience. These measures will assist those seeking employment to maintain their links with the labour market while also improving their prospects of securing employment. The Jobs Initiative contains an additional 20,900 education, training and work experience places for the unemployed.
A key element of that initiative was the introduction by my Department of the National Internship Scheme (NIS) last month which will provide 5,000 places for internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months in organisations in the private, public or community and voluntary sectors. These opportunities will provide participants with valuable work experience that will develop their skills and enhance their career prospects. The national internship scheme was launched earlier in July. In addition, from July 2, the rate of employers' PRSI on jobs paying up to €356 per week was halved to 4.25%, up to end 2013.
These measures and others announced as part of the jobs initiative, complement ongoing development in the labour market policy area. The 5,000 NIS places, for example, are additional to the 5,000 places announced under the Tús community work placement initiative in last December's Budget. My Department also operates a range of employment support measure designed to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments. Supports available include the back to education allowance, the back to work schemes and the employer job PRSI incentive scheme.
The measures announced under the Jobs Initiative, together with ongoing and planned further development of a range of activation and employment support measures, will have a significant impact on the Live Register, particularly in so far as they prepare unemployed people for jobs that will be generated as the economy improves.
42 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make a statement elaborating on and updating her plans to introduce a partial capacity scheme. [21323/11]
The legislative basis which provides for the introduction of the Partial Capacity scheme is contained in the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2010, which was enacted by the Oireachtas in December 2010. A programme of work is currently under way to cater for the new scheme. This includes the preparation of Regulations, as required by legislation, which will set out the rates of payment which will apply to those who avail of the scheme; and the finalisation of the medical criteria against which partial employment capacity will be assessed; and the development of the necessary processes and information technology systems to process, record and pay applicants.
Every effort is being made to complete these necessary steps to allow for the formal introduction of the scheme at the earliest possible date. At this stage, I envisage that the Regulations will be introduced in the Autumn of this year and that the scheme will be formally introduced before the end of the year.
The introduction of the Partial Capacity scheme will mark a key development of the social welfare system. The scheme recognises that the current structure of the welfare system, which categorises people as ‘fit to work' or ‘unfit to work', does not reflect the reality for many existing customers. It will provide an opportunity for people with disabilities, and assessed to have an employment capacity which is restricted, to avail of employment opportunities while continuing to receive an income support payment.
Questions Nos. 43 and 44 answered with Question No. 34.
45 Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her response to the revelation that there are 7.2 million PPS numbers in issue while the population stands at just 4.58 million. [21433/11]
The Department of Social Protection is responsible for maintaining the national database of Personal Public Service (PPS) numbers which are stored on the Department's Central Records System (CRS). There are currently 7.4 million customer records on CRS each of which is identified by a unique PPS number. The PPS number in its current format was originally a tax reference number. With the introduction of Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) in 1979 an individual's Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax reference number became known as a Revenue and Social Insurance (RSI) number. The RSI number was renamed the Personal Public Service (PPS) number in 1998 to reflect its future use as a unique identifier across the wider public service. CRS is a complete database of all the historical tax reference numbers which were used to pre-populate the database in 1979 and every PPS number which has been issued since then. In addition to those persons currently resident in the State who have been issued with a PPS Number, the figure of 7.4 million also includes any individual who, since 1979, required a PPS number and;
1) has died,
2) has been resident in the State and has subsequently left the jurisdiction, and
3) has not been resident in the State (e.g. an individual resident abroad who has benefited from an Irish Estate — the Revenue Commissioners have a requirement that all beneficiaries of Irish Estates should have a PPS number)
The Department is continuously monitoring customer records on its CRS in order to preserve and enhance the quality of the data including, where appropriate, consolidating duplicate PPS numbers as they emerge.
47 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has met the Data Protection Commissioner to discuss the additional security measures required to accompany the increased computerisation that is being rolled out across her Department; and her plans for same. [21326/11]
The Data Protection Commissioner is fully aware of the Department's investment in technology and how it is prioritising the security of customer information in its latest generation ICT systems. He has this knowledge from his audit of the Department in 2008 and subsequent ongoing progress reports and meetings with my officials. The Department continues to work closely with the Data Protection Commissioner to ensure that its information security standards and protocols reflect the highest international standards, in order to provide assurance to its customers that their personal information is fully protected and processed in a secure manner. My Department administers more than 50 separate social welfare schemes and services. Over one million people each week receive a social welfare payment. The nature and volume of its business means that my Department is heavily dependent on ICT facilities to carry out the bulk of its business and it bears responsibility for a significant amount of personal data.
The Department is fully aware of its obligation to safeguard the security of these data. It employs a wide range of measures to protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of information. Over the past few years, the Department has undertaken a number of Information Security projects. Examples of the work currently ongoing in this area include the development of a range of information security protocols, the classification and tagging of all personal data held on the Department's information systems and the implementation of an identity and access management framework. In addition, technical work has been carried out on the Department's infrastructures and systems. The Department is also ensuring that higher levels of data protection are built into its latest generation of ICT systems to reflect the increased threats in this area. Considerable resources have also been devoted to increasing the security and monitoring facilities in its older systems.
50 Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown on the number of applications for each of the disability-related payments in her Department in 2010; if all of these applications are passed to medical assessors before a decision is reached; the number of applications which necessitated the examination of the applicant by a medical professional; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21356/11]
The number of applications received for each of the main disability schemes in 2010 is set out in the following table. All applications for disability allowance, invalidity pension and domiciliary care allowance are desk assessed by the department's medical assessors who examine all the relevant medical reports and evidence submitted by the applicant. The practise of referring disability allowance and invalidity pension applications for in person assessments was phased out early in 2010. Consequently, the number of cases which underwent an in person assessment was low, as shown in table.
Illness benefit is a payment for insured people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance conditions. The benefit is paid weekly, in arrears, on receipt of required medical certification signed by an applicant's doctor. While receiving illness benefit a person's claim may be reviewed and he/she may be required to attend a medical assessment by one of the department's medical assessors. Injury benefit is paid and reviewed on the same basis.
All disablement benefit applications are referred to a medical assessor who carries out an in person assessment of the applicant's percentage loss of faculty.
Medical assessors are fully qualified and experienced practitioners who provide a second opinion to that of the person's own doctor for the guidance of the department's deciding officers. Their assessments conform to the ethical conduct and behaviour guidelines of the Medical Council. Medical assessors are required to be medical practitioners who are on the general register of medical practitioners while holding an appointment. They must have at least six years satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine since registration. Many of the medical assessors have specialist post-graduate qualifications and all have received special training in human disability evaluation. They also have special training in eligibility assessment and all are trained in disability evaluation. The medical assessors have an ongoing commitment to continuing medical education to ensure that standards are maintained and enhanced.
When conducting an assessment, the medical assessor does not dispute the existence of the certified cause of incapacity but rather s/he assesses the degree to which the loss of function in work-related activities, resulting from disease or injury, affects the person's ability to perform either their own job or alternative types of work.
|
Scheme |
Numbers Received 2010 |
In-Person Assessment 2010 |
|
Disability Allowance |
21,409 |
29 |
|
Illness Benefit |
289,962 |
Not normally assessed by the department’s medical assessors for initial eligibility |
|
Invalidity Pension |
8,774 |
52 |
|
Disablement Pension |
1,652 |
1,228 |
|
Injury Benefit |
15,157 |
Not normally assessed by the department’s medical assessors for initial eligibility |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
5,457 |
0 |
52 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has identified the barriers to successful implementation of the placement and internship programme; and if so, her proposals to remove these barriers. [21073/11]
The National Internship Scheme JobBridge is a key part of the Government's Jobs Initiative. It will provide up to 5,000 unemployed people with an internship opportunity ranging from 6 to 9 months in an organisation in the private, public or community and voluntary sectors. During this time participants will receive an allowance, which will consist of a €50 per week top up on their existing social welfare entitlements. The Internship scheme will assist in breaking that cycle whereby unemployed people cannot get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers whose existing skills will not be appropriate to the types of jobs that will emerge in post- recession Ireland. The scheme will give young people a real opportunity to gain valuable experience to bridge the gap between study and the beginning of their working lives.
In order for the scheme to be a success, host organisations must offer meaningful internships that allow participants to enhance their current skills and to learn new ones. To this end, a clear set of rules have been developed to protect the intern and safeguard JobBridge from potential abuse.
In order for an application from a host organisation to be put up on the JobBridge site it must meet a number of criteria so as to ensure that the potential internship is one of quality. These include the following:
That the placement does not allow the intern to work unsupervised;
That the intern accrues significant experience throughout the entire placement;
That an internship will not be approved where, in the absence of the intern, the organisation would have to recruit an employee to carry out the tasks identified in the internship.
Following this application process, in order for an internship to commence, a Standard Internship Agreement must be signed by both the intern and the host organisation. This Agreement clearly stipulates the terms of the internship including the maximum number of hours an intern is expected to work in a week, their entitlement to rest breaks, annual leave and sick leave. To ensure compliance with the scheme the Department of Social Protection and the Employment Services Division of FÁS are monitoring internships to ensure that they are of sufficient quality and that both host organisations and interns are abiding by the spirit and the rules of the scheme.
In this regard, each host organisation will be required to submit monthly compliance reports verifying that the internship is proceeding as set out in the Standard Internship Agreement.
Also, the Employment Services of FÁS will undertake random site visits of internships as part of this process. In addition, a ‘whistle blowing' feature has been introduced where any individual who suspects that an internship may be in breach of the scheme's criteria may contact the National Call Centre. All such claims will be investigated.
The control mechanisms and conditions have been put in place to protect the integrity of the scheme and to ensure that the intern and host organisation both benefit from the arrangement.
53 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Taoiseach the hourly rate paid for fees due to barristers who provided counsel at junior and senior level, respectively, for the Office of the State Solicitor and for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21628/11]
I am informed that given the very varied nature and complexity of the work undertaken, counsel is not paid an hourly rate by the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. Measurement of counsel's fees is governed by the nature and extent of the work done by counsel and the features of each particular case. The factors taken into account in assessing counsel's fee include:
The amount of time likely to have been reasonably spent on the work
The number of documents perused and their importance and technicality
The specialist knowledge and skill of counsel
The complexity of the work undertaken
The difficulty or novelty of the questions involved
The value of the claim and its importance
The responsibility involved
The place and circumstances where the work is performed
Whether there is any overlap with other work performed by counsel which reduces the work that would otherwise have been necessary
The performance of counsel.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which is involved only in criminal cases, does not pay barristers an hourly rate either, but rather uses a range of standard fees. The principal categories of fees, covering 95% of the fees paid, are brief fees, refresher fees, sentence fees and bail fees. The brief fee is payable for the first day of a trial or, if the case does not go to trial, the day the defendant pleads guilty. It covers both the work involved in preparing the case for trial and the appearance on the day in question. The current brief fee for junior counsel in the Circuit Court is €1,272. The brief fee paid to junior counsel in the Central Criminal Court is €4,225 in rape cases and €5,280 in murder cases.
A refresher fee is payable for the second and subsequent days of a trial. The current refresher fee for junior counsel in the Circuit Court is €636. The refresher fee paid to junior counsel in the Central Criminal Court is €1,157.
A sentence fee is paid for hearings that deal with the passing of sentence. There may be more than one such hearing in a case. The current sentence fee for junior counsel is €274.
A bail fee is payable for hearings where the defendant applies for bail and the matter is contested. The current bail fee for junior counsel is €196.
Where cases are heard in the Central Criminal Court, a senior counsel will also usually be appointed. On occasion, a senior counsel may be appointed to deal with a particularly complex case in the Circuit Court. The fees paid to senior counsel are one-and-a-half times the junior counsel rate.
54 Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of financial aid that will be provided to the escalating emergency in east Africa; if any additional funding will be provided on top of the €400,000 allocation from Irish Aid on 5 July 2011; if he has undertaken any engagement at UN level regarding the emerging reports of the scale of the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21445/11]
The Horn of Africa is experiencing the most severe food crisis in the world today. Between ten and twelve million people are severely affected in drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda — a thirty percent increase since the beginning of the year. The immediate cause of the crisis is a prolonged drought and the failure of at least two seasonal rains, with the situation severely compounded by the ongoing conflict in Somalia, where humanitarian access remains limited.
The Government has been following and responding to this growing humanitarian emergency for many months. At the beginning of 2011, in anticipation of a severe crisis, we pre-approved humanitarian funding of €4 million for UN Agencies and NGOs working in the region and in more recent weeks followed this with the disbursal of additional funding for Concern and Trócaire for their operations in Somalia and Kenya.
As the crisis deepened and in close consultation with the major UN agencies operating on the ground, I last week approved an additional €1 million in funding for emergency food relief and assistance to refugees across the region. Some €750,000 of this funding will help the United Nations World Food Programme in its efforts to dramatically increase the distribution of highly-nutritious foodstuffs to young children and pregnant women, and other vulnerable groups. The remaining €250,000 is being provided to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support this agency in providing shelter, health care, water and sanitation to the many thousands of Somali refugees fleeing to Ethiopia and Kenya from the drought and conflict in their own country.
Last week's announcement brings to €5.6 million the Government's funding to Concern, Trócaire, Goal and World Vision for emergency food, water, sanitation and health care, and to the United Nations agencies in the region so far this year. In addition, 11 members of the Rapid Response Corps administered by Irish Aid have deployed to the region. The Corps is made up of highly-skilled volunteers who work with UN and other humanitarian agencies in crisis situations.
Ireland also remains a major contributor to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which was established in 2006 following the Asian Tsunami to provide immediately-accessible funds to the UN for use in a crisis such as that currently under way in the Horn of Africa. Funds are now being drawn down by a range of UN agencies from the CERF for drought-related activities across the region. Ireland has contributed a total of €81 million to the CERF since 2006, including €4 million so far this year.
Irish Aid will remain in close contact with the UN and other humanitarian agencies in the Horn of Africa in order to assess how Ireland might best contribute to assisting the international relief effort.
55 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, further to Parliamentary Question No. 68 of 28 June 2011, if he will support a matter (details supplied). [21488/11]
As you are aware from the reply to your Question No. 68 of 28 June 2011, the Department wrote to the applicant's parents on 30 April, 2011 and again on 16 June 2011 to explain its decision in this case. I can confirm that there is no record in the Passport Service of a reply from the parents. Accordingly, there has been no progress with this application since 28 June, 2011.
If the Deputy is aware of any additional information that the parents may have provided (or if they intend to so), they should contact Mr. Paul Evans, Passport Officer in the Passport Office in Molesworth Street (tel. 6733035) for direct and immediate assistance.
56 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the deterioration in the service provided by the Passport Office and the difficulties citizens are experiencing by not only struggling to get a member of staff on the telephone but in exercising their right to travel as a result of substantial delays in the office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21493/11]
There are currently 41,223 passport applications in the system, which are being processed by the Passport Offices in Molesworth Street, Balbriggan, Cork and London. This is down by 10,019(24%) on the figure of 51,242 which was given in reply to Question No. 76 of 12 July, 2011.
This reflects an improved situation in passport services with the turnaround period for Passport Express applications, for instance, at 11 working days which is down from 15 working days. The combined measures of the recruitment of temporary staff, the use of overtime and the redeployment of staff and work within the Passport Service continue to be effective in bringing passport service levels back to normal.
These efforts should be seen in the context of the number of applications received so far this year. Year to date demand on all passport services is 12% up on 2009 levels. The figures for 2010 are not a reliable comparison due to the impact of last year's industrial action. In addition, the Passport Service received an average of 3,300 applications per day last week which is down from a daily average of around 4,000 applications for the months of May and June. This reduction provides some evidence that passport demand is beginning to ease. This trend is expected to continue as progress is made towards the end of the traditional summer season. The decrease in demand on passport services in the coming weeks will help our ongoing efforts to bring all passport services back to their standard service levels.
However, this reduction is still not reflected in the unprecedented demand for passports at short notice. It is not unusual for over 400 people to submit applications for a short notice priority passport service at the public office in Molesworth Street. In the context of these very high and unpredictable numbers of customers using the public counter service, it is clearly not possible, despite the best efforts of the Passport Office staff to be of assistance, to accommodate all requests for a short notice service. Citizens are advised that the public counter services should only be used in cases of genuine emergency. Priority at the public counters will be given to those who have a verifiable necessity to travel for reasons of family emergency i.e. travel is necessitated by the death, illness or welfare of a family member.
It should also be stressed that to protect the integrity of the system and the quality of the passport, the Passport Service cannot provide standard passports within a single day. The shortest turnaround time available, other than in cases of genuine emergency, is three working days for applications received over the public counter, accompanied by proof of travel. Priority will continue to be given to applications made through the Passport Express Services and Irish-based customers are strongly encouraged to use that service. Notice of the current extended turnaround time and its likely duration has been published on the Passport Service website www.passport.ie. The Passport Office has also informed An Post so that customers can be advised of the situation at the point of application.
The overwhelming numbers of applications that have been submitted through the ordinary post passport service or those that have been made through Ireland's overseas Missions are currently taking over 6 weeks to be processed.
I would like to express my regret at the length of time that it is taking to deliver all passport services to the customers of the Passport Service. However, I would strongly appeal to the public to assist the Passport Service by checking the validity of their passports well in advance of making bookings to travel abroad. A valid passport should be the first item on any check list when considering foreign travel.
57 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason a person (details supplied) in County Antrim was denied an Irish passport by the Passport Office and told they must apply for naturalisation. [21546/11]
There is no record of an application for the person in question in the passport system. If the person concerned was born in County Antrim, he is an Irish citizen by virtue of that fact and, as such, he has entitlement to an Irish passport. There would, therefore, be no need to apply for this person to become a naturalised Irish citizen.
If the person concerned wishes to apply for a passport he should submit a fully completed and correctly witnessed application to the Passport Service. It is recommended that the applicant avail of the express services offered by An Post in the Republic and the Post Office in Northern Ireland.
If the Deputy has any further details in relation to the dealings of the person concerned with the Passport Service, I would be grateful if he could forward them to me.
58 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will review a matter in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [21653/11]
I can confirm that the fee for applications submitted through ordinary post is an extra €15, which is €6.50 more than those applications submitted through Passport Express, allowing for the Post Office charge of €8.50. The new fee was brought into effect by the Statutory Instrument 47 of 2011, which was advertised in the national press before its implementation on 11 April 2011.
The difference in the fees charged is designed to encourage people to submit their applications through the Passport Express Service. The logging of the application by the Post Office enables the Passport Service to provide a much more efficient service of registration, tracking and production than applications submitted through the ordinary post. However, it is ultimately the choice of the customer which service they select. Applications submitted by ordinary post are, at present, taking six weeks and reducing.
Advertisements outlining the price increases were published in national newspapers. Notifications of the price increases were also displayed in the public offices of the Cork and Dublin Passport Offices. Details of all passport fees are also available on our website.
59 Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider an application made to the Revenue Commissioners to delete a certain vehicle registration (details supplied). [22033/11]
60 Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Finance the reason a person (details supplied) was refused a VRT refund and the deletion of his registration by the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21525/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 60 together.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that having reviewed this case they are prepared to allow de-registration subject to the owner establishing to the satisfaction of his local Revenue tax district that the vehicle concerned remains a new and unused item of stock.
The position is that when a de-registration takes place the VRT can only be repaid, where
the exceptional event arose within 7 days of the registration,
the vehicle has not been taxed for motor tax purposes,
the application has been made within 21 days of the exceptional event,
Revenue is satisfied that the event is "exceptional" and
the declaration made in support of the claim is completed satisfactorily and contains all the necessary information.
Since, in the case referred to, the application was made outside of the 21 day time limit (as provided for in Regulation 7 of SI 437 of 1992), in the event that de-registration is allowed, the VRT payment of €200 in respect of the registration will be retained.
61 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Finance the specific date on which the report from the Office of Public Works-chaired working group regarding the former ISPAT site at Haulbowline, County Cork, will be published; when this report will be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21535/11]
The Working Group submitted its final report to Government in June 2011 and its recommendations have been accepted.
It will be a matter for the Government to decide whether to publish this report.
62 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the provision that has been made at the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, following the merger of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society, due to liabilities that arise from deferred bonuses awarded to staff from the original institutions, as the IBRC assumed all outstanding liabilities; the figure of this liability; if he does not have this information, the steps he will take to inform himself of this liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21629/11]
63 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance when he expects to be able to provide Members with details of the levels of remuneration at the covered financial institutions; if he will provide a deadline for the furnishing of this important information to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21630/11]
66 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the reason his Department was previously able to provide answers to Parliamentary Questions No. 156 of 16 December 2010 and No. 96 of 1 December 2010 on the level of remuneration and bonuses at the covered financial institutions, yet his Department did not provide the requested up-to-date information in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 12 July 2011; if his Department is now restricting access for Members to data on the banks that destroyed the economy of this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21634/11]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 62, 63 and 66 together.
As outlined in my reply of 12 July 2011, to the Deputy's series of twenty four parliamentary questions on particular aspects of the remuneration of staff members in various financial institutions, as these institutions continue to be managed at arms length basis, notwithstanding the large shareholding the Government holds, I do not compile the data sought by the Deputy at the level of detail he is seeking. This also applies to his latest question (ref no 21629/11) where he seeks information on the subject of bonuses in addition to his questions of 12 July 2011.
My Department cannot compile data on a bespoke basis in relation to a large number of differently framed remuneration related questions at once, in the timeframe applicable to parliamentary replies and within the resources available, so I am seeking to find an approach that can properly respond to the clear public interest here.
Far from restricting access to such information I indicated in my reply of 12 July 2011 that I fully recognise that there is a real public interest in the levels of remuneration at the covered institutions. I have asked the institutions to compile data on remuneration practices and details with a view, as part of the remuneration review presently being conducted by the institutions at the request of my Department, to improving transparency on the issue. I will endeavour to have this completed in light of the above comments in the shortest timeframe possible with a view to putting the information into the public domain.
64 Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance when mortgage interest relief will be increased to 30% for first-time buyers between 2004 and 2008 as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21631/11]
As the Deputy is aware, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to help homeowners in distress. The Government will examine a number of proposals in relation to this commitment.
One of these proposals relates to increasing mortgage interest relief to 30% for First Time Buyers who bought between 2004 and 2008 and to finance this in part by abolishing mortgage interest relief for new buyers.
When this proposal has been thoroughly examined, I will decide on the appropriate action to be taken. However, any measures will not be introduced before Budget 2012.
65 Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Finance if all financial institutions in receipt of State support have provided cost-cutting plans to him to avoid increases in interest rates as described in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21632/11]
The financial institutions which the Deputy refers to are engaging in cost-cutting plans which are already under way. These are part of the plans arising out of the restructuring and recapitalisation programme announced last March.
The effects of these plans including the consolidation of the banks around two pillar banks made up of the merger of AIB and EBS, alongside Bank of Ireland will be to enable cost saving through shared services and economies of scale. They are also expected to bring about cost reductions which will improve operating margins and permit the banks to better absorb funding costs which should include increases in ECB interest rates.
The Government remains in consultation with the banks in connection with the more significant parts of these plans including a significant reduction of employee numbers.
67 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance, further to Parliamentary Question No. 98 of 7 June 2011, the reason he refused to release information on the bonuses awarded to staff of the National Asset Management Agency, part of the National Treasury Management Agency, yet proceeded to release the same data on bonuses in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 712 of 29 June 2011; if there is a specific policy in his Department as to the information is provided to particular Members of Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21636/11]
I assume the Deputy is referring to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 7 June 2011, which asked if I would provide an itemised list of all bonuses paid to staff of the National Asset Management Agency since its establishment. In my reply, I explained that all officers of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) are employees of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) and that the remuneration packages of all NTMA staff are negotiated on an individual contract basis and are confidential. This is the current factual position.
Parliamentary Question No. 71 of 29 June 2011 asked for more general information on bonuses paid at an NTMA-wide level, specifically details of the number of persons employed by the National Treasury Management Agency, including NAMA, who received bonus payments in 2010, the overall amount that was paid and the average payment to the employees in question. In my reply, I stated that the average payment made by the NTMA in February 2011 in respect of performance in 2010 was €7,681, that the overall amount paid was €1,981,760, representing 6.6% of the NTMA's overall payroll and that payments were made to 258 staff members. The information that I provided in my reply of 29 June was at an aggregate level and, in line with my reply on 7 June 2011, it did not provide information on payments made to individual employees of the NTMA.
I am satisfied that both questions were answered appropriately and I would also like to reassure the Deputy that it is my policy to answer all Parliamentary Questions put down to me by all Members of the House in as clear and comprehensive a manner as possible. Greater transparency in relation to expenditure on public services is a desirable objective. As I indicated in reply to a Parliamentary Question on 5 July 2011, it is my intention to examine the approach to remuneration in the NTMA in more detail in the coming months following consultation with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I will then see what changes, if any, might be appropriate in relation to the remuneration of all staff in the NTMA, having regard to the changing economic circumstances of the State and the need for transparency in public expenditure.
68 Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will reconsider establishing a commission of inquiry into the way the ACC bank was run and its alleged connections with republican subversives, based on reports to the effect that the ACC bank hired undesirable characters for repossessions, as a recent case in County Mayo highlighted, and the many other complaints about this bank and its employees regarding overcharging, some of which have been refereed to the Garda by judges of the High Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21677/11]
I have no intention of launching a commission of enquiry into the operations of ACC Bank. Regulation of the banks is a matter for the Central Bank. Individual complaints about ACC Bank should be brought to the attention of the Central Bank. If the Deputy has any information about the involvement of subversives in relation to the activities of ACC Bank or any other bank he should make it known to An Garda Síochána.
69 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance in view of the recent ECB interest rate increase, the implications and costs of this for Ireland in respect of the interest rate charged on our financial assistance package. [21687/11]
There is no automatic linkage between ECB interest rate changes and the interest rates charged by the EU and the IMF on their various loans to Ireland. In the case of the IMF, the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) interest rate is somewhat influenced by a European 3-month collateralised lending rate, EUREPO, which is correlated, but not linked, to the ECB interest rate. The other elements of the IMF's SDR interest rate are the returns on 3-month U.S. Treasury Bills, three-month U.K. Treasury Bills and three-month Japanese Treasury Discount Bills. However, this SDR interest rate is a minor component of the overall cost and most of the IMF interest rate to Ireland is made up of surcharges. The NTMA has converted the interest rate liabilities to the IMF to fixed rate euro borrowings thereby averting any minor influence that ECB interest rate changes may have on the IMF interest rate for borrowings already entered into.
In the case of new borrowings, the level of short term interest rates is one of a number of factors influencing the level of long term interest rates and through this the cost of borrowing. In the case of the EFSF and EFSM, the interest rates charged to Ireland on existing borrowings are fixed and, therefore, not directly influenced by ECB interest rate changes so that any influence is indirect. With respect to their future lending to Ireland, it is not possible to say to what extent ECB interest rate changes will have a bearing.
70 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider the abandonment of payment of promissory notes for Anglo Irish-NBS from 2012 onwards; and if this would enable him to abandon most of the projected cuts of €4.6 billion plus in the December 2012 budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21700/11]
71 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he would agree that the ending of promissory note payments for Anglo Irish-INBS would be the best outcome for the Irish people and to avoid a sovereign default; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21701/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 71 together.
It is the Government's policy to pay its debts when payment is due. Promissory Notes issued to Anglo Irish Bank and INBS are no different to any other Sovereign debt in this respect and will continue to be honoured by the Government as a matter of policy. Abandonment of payments of Promissory Notes by the Government would in fact amount to a Sovereign default which would have broader, negative consequences for the Irish State and its persons.
72 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance his plans to address distressed mortgages and provide security for deeply worried young families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21702/11]
I would like to inform the Deputy that there are measures in place to assist mortgage holders who are in genuine difficulties with regard to the payment of their mortgages. The Deputy will be aware of the work of the Expert Group on Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt. This Group published its final report in November 2010. All of the Groups recommendations are listed in Chapter 2 of the Report which can be accessed at www.finance.gov.ie.
One of the recommendations of the Group was that lenders should offer a Deferred Interest Scheme (DIS) to borrowers. Under this Scheme, subject to certain criteria being satisfied, borrowers are allowed to pay at least 66% of their mortgage interest but less than 100%. Payment of the balance may be deferred for up to 5 years. Lenders representing the majority of the market have already implemented (or indicated their willingness to implement) the Groups proposals for a DIS or a variation of it. While the Scheme is voluntary for all lenders, those who have signed up in support of the Scheme will be monitored by the Central Bank to ensure compliance.
Since the publication of the Groups Report, the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears (CCMA) has been revised by the Central Bank to reflect many of the Groups recommendations, including key recommendations relating to the introduction by all lenders regulated by the Central Bank of a standardised Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP). The most significant changes in the revised CCMA include:
penalty interest charges may not be imposed on borrowers in arrears who co-operate with the MARP,
harassment of borrowers through unsolicited communication is outlawed,
borrowers in financial difficulties, but not in arrears, are allowed to come under the MARP,
when determining the 12 month period the lender must wait before applying to the courts to commence legal action, the lender must exclude any time period during which the borrower is complying with the terms of an alternative repayment arrangement, making an appeal to the internal appeals board or making a complaint to the Financial Services Ombudsman.
The revised CCMA came into effect on 1 January 2011 and can be accessed at www.centralbank.ie. Lenders are required to comply with the CCMA as a matter of law. With effect from 30 June 2011, lenders must have in place the requisite systems and trained staff necessary to support the implementation of the MARP. Financial assistance is available to eligible claimants under the Department of Social Protections Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme. People in debt or in danger of getting into debt can also avail of the services of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service. This is a national, free, confidential and independent service.
73 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he would introduce legislation to promote recourse mortgages and handing back of keys and loans to mortgage companies to avoid the current suffering of young householders and in accordance with the best American practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21703/11]
I assume that the Deputy is referring to "non-recourse" mortgages. I have no plans to introduce legislation to promote such mortgages. There are accrued property rights which subsist as a consequence of existing property mortgages; legislation to alter such mortgage contracts could raise constitutional issues. The Deputy might wish to note that the provision of non recourse mortgages carries a higher level of risk for lenders. This risk would likely be reflected in higher costs to borrowers in the future.
74 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the total debt to GDP ratios for 2011 to 2015, inclusive; if he will indicate whether national debt levels of over 80% of GDP are remotely sustainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21704/11]
84 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance his views on the level of general Government debt that is sustainable; the way and by when he intends to reach that level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21714/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 84 together.
National debt is defined as the total outstanding amount of principal borrowed by Central Government and not repaid to-date less liquid assets available for redemption of those liabilities at the same date. General Government debt is the standard measure used within the EU for comparative purposes. It includes the National debt as well as Local Government debt and some other minor liabilities of Government. In addition, General Government debt is a gross measure and it does not allow for the netting off of cash balances, which had been built up considerably in recent years, so adding greatly to General Government debt.
The forecast General Government Debt to GDP ratios for the years 2011 to 2015 published in the Stability Programme Update in April last are set out in the following table.
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
111% |
116% |
118% |
116% |
111% |
While debt levels are currently very high, up until as recently as 2008 Ireland's debt was among the lowest in the EU. Since then, debt levels have risen considerably throughout Europe as a result of the financial crisis. Indeed, in 2010, the average eurozone general government debt exceeded 85% of GDP. Although General Government Debt is estimated on reasonable assumptions to continue to rise in the short term it is expected to peak in 2013 and begin to fall thereafter, and is thus sustainable.
Of course sustainability is predicated on a whole host of factors, including assumptions regarding future economic growth and interest costs, amongst other things. But in addition to our own estimates, as indicated in the table, the IMF, the European Commission and others also believe that our debt is sustainable (provided the appropriate fiscal and structural programmes are maintained), and on that basis have been prepared to make large loans to us. One measure which may be referenced in forming a judgment of whether or not a particular level of debt is sustainable is the proportion of tax revenues that must go towards servicing the interest on that debt. Based on the Stability Programme Update projections, it is estimated that around 15 per cent of tax revenues will be required to service the interest on the State's national debt this year. By 2015, almost 21 per cent of our total tax revenues will be required for that purpose. This is undoubtedly a significant level, but it is worth bearing in mind that it is well below the ratios experienced in the mid-1980s when around a third of the tax revenues generated in the State went towards servicing the interest on the national debt.
The first step in ensuring that our debt remains sustainable is to stop the debt from rising any further. Stabilising the debt is one of this Governments key policy objectives and that is why we are implementing policies which both consolidate the budgetary position and foster economic growth. The Government is committed to bringing the General Government deficit back below 3 per cent of GDP by 2015, and this is very important in achieving debt sustainability.
75 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will renew his valuable current efforts to secure a cut in interest rates on EU loans for the bailout programme; his views that Ireland should at least be paying no more than Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21705/11]
76 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that any bailout interest rate cut will also apply to repayments on loans already drawn down, which is also a critical outcome for Irish economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21706/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, in March 2011, the Euro Area Heads of State and Government agreed in principle to a reduction in the interest margin charged to programme countries. This has been applied in respect of Greece and Portugal. However, a decision to apply it to Ireland's loans has not yet been taken. This is because another Member State is asking for Ireland to deliver a quid pro quo in return for an interest rate reduction in the form of a change in our Corporation Tax. However, we have made it clear that we will not agree to this.
It is the Government's strong position that the margin being charged on loans from both the EFSM and the EFSF is excessive. This argument, which has been supported by the European Commission, is one that I and my Government colleagues plus our officials make at every possible opportunity. In my recent engagements with Troika senior officials I raised the issue of programme pricing. I have also continued to do so at every suitable opportunity at EU level.
The Government also avails of every suitable opportunity to press our case to have the reductions applied for the Greek and Portuguese programmes applied to Ireland. The value of any reduction granted to Ireland compared to what was agreed previously for Greece will be known if and when a decision is taken on granting such a reduction, and on the terms and conditions on which it is to be granted. This issue has now moved primarily to the political sphere. It has been raised on a number of occasions in the past two months, including the Taoiseach's meeting with President Sarkozy at last months European Council, the Tánaiste's meeting with his French colleague, Foreign Minister Juppé, and my own bilateral with the previous French Finance Minister Lagarde. The issue is a key agenda item at tomorrow's meeting of Euro Area Heads of State and Government — where the Taoiseach will once again present the Government's established position on the broader issue of the appropriate rate for the EU programmes.
In relation to the application of any reduction, it is my understanding that any interest rate margin reduction secured will apply to interest due on both existing and future drawdowns, but will not apply to any interest payments already made. In this context, I would refer the Deputy to my response to PQ 15570 of 14 June last.
77 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the growth rate for Ireland in quarters 1, 2, 3 and 4 of 2011 and for the same quarters of 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21707/11]
Quarterly Irish economic data can be very volatile and is subject to non-negligible revisions. This was evident once again in the latest Quarterly National Accounts, which revealed that, on a seasonally adjusted basis, GNP fell by 4.3 per cent quarter on quarter in Q1 2011 following positive growth of 0.3 per cent in Q4 2010. The previous estimate for the last quarter of 2010 was 2 per cent growth. Given this volatility, my Department's growth forecasts are based on annual averages rather than quarterly figures. On this basis, my Department's latest forecasts — set out in the Irish Stability Programme Update which was published at the end of April — are outlined in the following table. Growth will continue to be export driven over the short term before broadening out to the domestic side of the economy from 2013 onwards.
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
GDP |
0.8 |
2.5 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
GNP |
0.3 |
2.0 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.6 |
78 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he is concerned by the apparent disconnect between Irish savings and investment as outlined in recent Central Bank and Department reports; the way he proposes to address this issue to kickstart Irish economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21708/11]
The household savings rate in Ireland is currently at a high level relative to its historical average. This reflects the need to repair household balance sheets, the uncertain external environment, weak labour market conditions and concern surrounding forthcoming budgets. My Department forecasts that the savings rate will remain at a relatively high level over the coming years but with a gradual moderation over the forecast horizon (2011-2015) as confidence returns to the economy. One of the major obstacles holding back investment in the Irish economy is lack of confidence and certainty about our future. This Government has acted swiftly and resolutely to rebuild this confidence. We have stabilised the public finances and recapitalised the banking system and are vigorously implementing the terms of the EU/IMF agreement which will see our deficit fall below the 3 per cent of GDP target by 2015. In addition there have been significant improvements in our competitiveness, and this has contributed to a recovery in our exports and a pick up in inward Foreign Direct Investment, which underpinned the expansion of GDP in the first quarter of the year.
79 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he agrees with various celebrity economists that Irish employment levels will fall steadily to 2016 and beyond to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21709/11]
80 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the total number of citizens in employment in quarter 1 of 2007, Q1 2008, Q1 2009, Q1 2010, Q1 2011, Q1 2012, Q1 2013, Q1 2014, Q1 2015 and Q1 2016, when the Government’s term will end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21710/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 80 together.
Table 1 outlines the number of people employed in the State in the first quarter of each year from 2007 to 2011. Over this period total employment has declined by almost 285,000, or 13½ per cent. This reflects the sharp decline in activity in labour intensive sectors such as construction and retail. The construction sector alone accounts for more than half of the jobs lost since the start of 2007.
|
2007 Q1 |
2008 Q1 |
2009 Q1 |
2010 Q1 |
2011 Q1 |
|
|
Employment (’000) |
2,088.5 |
2,124.1 |
1,965.6 |
1,857.6 |
1,804.2 |
Quarterly Irish economic data can be very volatile. This was evident once again in the latest Quarterly National Household Survey data, which revealed that, on a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate fell from 14.8 per cent in the final quarter of 2010 to 14 per cent in the first quarter of this year. Reflecting this, my Department's labour market forecasts are based on annual averages rather than quarterly figures.
On this basis, my Department's latest forecasts — set out in the Irish Stability Programme Update which was published at the end of April — are outlined in Table 2. Given that recovery in the labour market typically lags that in economic activity, a further decline in employment in net terms is anticipated this year. Furthermore, with growth set to be driven by less labour-intensive export demand over the forecast horizon, employment will recover at a moderate pace. Nevertheless, net employment growth is forecast to return in 2012 and to continue in the following years. In total around 100,000 net jobs are expected to be created over the period 2012 to 2015.
In terms of longer term trends, it is important to emphasise that Ireland's underlying economic strengths remain intact despite the very sharp downturn that we have experienced. These strengths include a well-educated work force, relatively favourable demographics, a very open economy with a high tech export base and a pro-enterprise environment. These underlying strengths should continue to support economic growth in the longer-term and this will, in turn, create net employment growth in the economy.
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
Employment (’000) |
1,848.0 |
1,819.0 |
1,828.0 |
1,850.0 |
1,882.0 |
1,921.0 |
81 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the possible tax implications for Ireland’s positive external balance in comparison with other eurozone peripheral countries; if he agrees that the proposed massive fiscal contraction in 2012 may be necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21711/11]
Ireland recorded a current account surplus in 2010 for the first time since 1999. This is very encouraging and shows that Ireland is paying its way in the world. The balance of payments is split between the public sector balance and the private sector balance. The public sector element of the balance of payments has a significant deficit. For example the exchequer deficit in 2010 was €18.7 billion and is forecast to be over €18 billion again this year.
On the private sector side, the savings rate is at historically high levels. This reflects the fact that Irish companies and individuals are paying down their own debt as well as increasing their precautionary savings. This is resulting in a significant private sector current account surplus. The extent of this surplus outweighs the large public sector deficit. There are obvious tax implications from the higher level of household savings on deposit in the Irish banking system through DIRT. However, DIRT represents just over 1% of the overall tax take and that is unlikely to increase significantly this year, notwithstanding the increase in the DIRT rate from 25% to 27%.
The Government is committed to implementing an overall adjustment package of at least €3.6 billion in 2012. This is to ensure the deficit target for 2012 can be achieved. As we go through the second half of the year, we will have to study closely the emerging trends, both positive and negative, and formulate what the likely outlook for 2012 will be.
82 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he is concerned at the ongoing deterioration of Irish competitiveness as revealed in the harmonised competitiveness indicators; the steps he and others are taking to improve competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21712/11]
I note the recent disimprovement in the month-on-month nominal Harmonised Competitiveness Indicators (HCI). This has been evident for just a few months of 2011 and reflects the recent strengthening of the euro exchange rate. It goes without saying that if this trend persisted over a longer period of time it would be a concern.
However, in year-on-year (y-o-y) terms the nominal HCI actually improved in the first four months of 2011. Furthermore, I would direct the Deputy to the real HCI, which deflates the HCI by consumer prices. In this context, it is worth noting that on an EU harmonised basis, Ireland has had the lowest rate of inflation in the euro area over the last two years. Indeed, Irish inflation this year and next year will continue to be lower than in the euro area. This moderate rate of inflation has resulted in a much greater improvement (y-o-y) in the HCI in real terms when compared to the nominal improvement.
The Harmonised Competitiveness Indicator is not the only metric which can be used for gauging competitiveness developments. With regard to cost competitiveness, we are seeing the benefits of our labour market flexibility: according to the European Commission, unit labour costs — wages adjusted for productivity — declined in Ireland by 6% in 2009 and 2010, compared to a 4% increase in the euro area. Looking to the future, a further decline of 3% is expected by 2012 compared to an increase of 2% in the euro area.
While the recent price and wage adjustments together with improvements in productivity are helpful, we must not be complacent as further improvements in our competitiveness are essential to take advantage of the global recovery. To this end, both the Programme for Government and the EU/IMF Programme set out a series of structural reforms which will help to further restore competitiveness and support economic growth.
83 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the current level of the Irish structural deficit; how this has changed in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; his targets to eliminate the deficit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21713/11]
The latest estimates of the structural deficit, as a percentage of GDP, are presented in the following table. These figures were compiled on the basis of economic and budgetary forecasts published in the latest Stability Programme Update and submitted to the EU Commission at the end of April.
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
Structural balance |
-7.3 |
-9.3 |
-10.0 |
-8.3 |
-8.1 |
-7.7 |
-5.9 |
-4.6 |
Source: Department of Finance, Ireland — Stability Programme Update, April 2011
Estimates of the structural deficit are determined on the basis of the harmonised methodology, developed jointly by the EU Commission and the Member States, to decompose the headline deficit into its cyclical and structural components. This structural deficit, by definition, excludes all one-off measures, which in an Irish context are primarily composed of fiscal supports to the banking sector. In practice, all estimates of the structural position are subject to considerable uncertainty, the sources of which have been outlined in an annex in the latest Stability Programme Update.
Notwithstanding these considerable uncertainties, the figures in Table 1 indicate that a significant part of the deficit is structural in nature, and so will not be eliminated with economic recovery. The structural deficit is projected to decrease substantially over the next five years in line with ongoing fiscal consolidation. Although not fully eliminated, the budget deficit will be at a much more sustainable level at the end of this period. It is worth noting that the structural primary balance, which excludes interest expenditure from the calculations, is projected to return to positive territory in 2014.
85 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the views expressed by him and colleagues in relation to the recent ECB interest rate rise; his view on whether the rise was helpful to struggling Irish householders; the way he has indicated to Ireland’s eurozone partners that any further quarter-point rises will inflict major damage on Irish living standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21715/11]
86 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether further rate rises by the ECB, up to perhaps 2.5% plus, are sustainable for the Irish economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21716/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together.
The Deputy will be aware that the ECB's main task is to maintain price stability in the euro-area as a whole. In that context, the ECB cannot take account of the unique positions of individual Member States when considering interest rate changes. I would also stress that responsibility for monetary policy rests with the ECB, which is an independent institution, and that national Governments do not have any role in that decision-making process.
Having said that, I am fully conscious of the burden being placed on mortgage holders by increases in interest rates. This is why returning the economy to growth is so important — once employment starts to increase again it will have a beneficial impact on households' incomes.
87 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the total cost to the Exchequer and the Irish people so far of the bank bailout; if he is concerned at reports that another €35 to €40 billion in recapitalisation may be necessary to reach Basel III funding levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21717/11]
The recapitalisation commitments made by the State to date and the additional capital requirements of the banks as prescribed by the Central Bank under the March 2011 PCAR/PLAR stress tests are set out in the following table.
|
Credit Institution |
Cost of Share Acquisition |
Cost of Preference Shares |
Capital contributions |
Capital Provided by the State to 31 December 2010 |
PCAR 2011 requirement |
Contingent Capital |
Mar 31st Total(1) |
|
€bn |
€bn |
€bn |
€bn |
€bn |
€bn |
€bn |
|
|
Anglo Irish Bank |
4.0 |
— |
25.3 |
29.3 |
— |
— |
0.0 |
|
Allied Irish Banks |
3.7 |
3.5 |
— |
7.2 |
11.9 |
1.4 |
13.3 |
|
Bank of Ireland |
1.7 |
1.8 (2) |
— |
3.5 |
4.2 |
1.0 |
5.2 |
|
Irish Nationwide Building Society |
0.1 |
— |
5.3 |
5.4 |
— |
— |
0.0 |
|
EBS Building Society |
0.6 |
— |
0.3 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
0.2 |
1.5 |
|
Irish Life and Permanent |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3.6 |
0.4 |
4.0 |
|
Total |
10.1 |
5.3 |
30.8 |
46.3 |
21.0 |
3.0 |
24.0 |
(1) Before banks' potential capital raising actions (LME's/Asset Sales / Internally Generated Capital)
(2) Original investment of €3.5bn, of this €1.7bn converted to equity in May 2010
As the Deputy will be aware, the Financial Measures Programme ("FMP") announced on 31 March 2011 included an independent loan loss assessment exercise performed by BlackRock Solutions ("BlackRock"), the results of which have informed the calculation of capital requirements for AIB, Bank of Ireland, EBS and ILP under the PCAR. The PLAR completed as part of that Programme will set banks specific funding targets consistent with Basel III and other international measures of stable, high quality funding. The PLAR will outline measures to be implemented with a view to steadily deleveraging the banking system and reducing the bank's reliance on short term funding.
As I have said previously in my Statement on Banking in March, the PCAR bank stress tests carried out by the Central Bank are certainly among the most thorough and demanding such tests ever performed in Ireland and or indeed anywhere. The detailed results methodology and assumptions underlying these stress tests have been published, emphasising Ireland's firm commitment for this critical exercise to be fully open and transparent. In addition to the very conservative economic assumptions built into the capital scenarios the Central Bank has gone further than its international peers in setting its requirements by taking a three year, rather than two year outlook and also by requiring capital levels after any stress losses of 6%, rather than 5% of Risk Weighted Assets.
In specific terms I am satisfied on the basis of the results of the PCAR assessment carried out by the Central Bank, which have been endorsed by the external authorities, that the loan loss assumptions made reflects a high degree of conservatism and underpin the robustness and credibility of the exercise overall. It should be noted that stress testing is used by banking supervisors to determine whether a bank is adequately capitalised to withstand adverse macro-economic events or unanticipated shocks. Our banks will be well capitalised by international standards following the recapitalisation measures but this position will not then remain frozen in time.
I would nevertheless reiterate that based on the conservative assessments used in the PCAR/PLAR analysis of potential future scenarios for the banks, and indeed the Irish economy, I am entirely satisfied that the banks are currently well capitalised to serve the needs of the Irish economy following this round of measures.
88 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the level of bank deposit flight between Q3 2008 and Q2 2011; the impact of that flight on his bank recapitalisation plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21718/11]
The Central Bank has informed me that in the period from 23 Jan 2009 to 30 June 2011, customer deposit balances (retail, corporate and non-bank financial institutions) across the covered institutions fell by €96 billion from €255 billion to €159 billion. As the Deputy may know already, the single biggest driver of this decline has been the loss of corporate and institutional deposits from overseas as credit ratings on Irish banks and indeed the sovereign were reduced. This trend has effectively run its course. The overall trend in deposits has been stabilising in recent months particularly since the banking announcement on March 31st last.
In relation to the capital plans, the current and future funding structures of the institutions have been factored into the capitalisation plans during the stress testing (PCAR and PLAR) process.
89 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the full impact of the new loan-to-deposit, LTD, ratio of 122.5% on Irish banks; the parallel strategy he will undertake to address the credit crunch for Irish small and medium enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21719/11]
The banks involved in the PCAR process submitted detailed deleveraging plans for the three years to the 31 December 2013 to the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) as part of the Financial Measures Programme, which was announced on 31 March 2011. These plans outlined how the institutions would achieve a loan-to-deposit ratio of 122.5% by end 2013. To monitor progress, semi-annual interim targets have been set for each of the institutions and progress against these targets will be reported every six months. The first reporting date by the institutions to the CBI is 31 December 2011. Subsequent to 31 March 2011, AIB and BOI were required to provide alternative deleveraging options to account for the fact that the transfer of sub-EUR 20 million land and development loans to NAMA will now no longer take place. These plans were submitted to the CBI in May 2011.
The Deputy will be aware that the banking system restructuring plan creates capacity for the two Pillar Banks, Bank of Ireland and AIB, to provide lending in excess of €30 billion in the next three years. SME and new mortgage lending for these banks is expected to be in the range of €16-20bn over this period. In each bank, a team of senior managers will be dedicated to the task of ensuring lending continues to grow to support economic growth. This lending capacity is incorporated into the banks' deleveraging plans which allow for repayment of Central Bank funding through asset run-off and disposals over the period to 2013.
90 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance how Irish banks’ capital-to-assets ratios have changed from Q3 2008 to Q2 2011; where he intends these ratios to be configured in Q4 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21720/11]
The Deputy should be aware that this reply is based on the assumption by the Central Bank that the term ‘Capital to Assets ratios' referred to by the Deputy is a leverage ratio. The Central Bank has not imposed a leverage ratio on Irish banks. On this basis the Deputy will note that the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) has proposed a leverage ratio in Basel III proposals. Further details of the Basel III proposals can be accessed on the BCBS website.
The Deputy should also note that ‘total asset numbers' and ‘shareholder equity' for banks are reported on a half yearly basis and are available from the banks on their websites.
91 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the total amount paid to senior bondholders in the covered institutions since Q4 2008, especially including the amounts paid in 2011 and up to the present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21721/11]
I am advised by the Central Bank that the total principal paid to senior bondholders during the period from 1st October 2008 to June 2011 was €77.3bn. Of this amount €5.8bn was paid to senior bondholders during the period 1 January 2011 to June 2011. The Deputy should note that these amounts include scheduled repayments and buybacks.
92 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he is confident that the two pillar banking model will survive through the ongoing banking crisis and if he has given any consideration to the creation of a single Irish pillar bank based in the performing assets of the State-controlled institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21722/11]
The Deputy will be aware of my Statement on Banking of 31 March 2011 where I set out Government policy in relation to the matters the Deputy has raised. The Government has no plans to change its strategy at this stage.
The recent positive review delivered by the Troika as well as the EBA stress test results for the two pillar banks reinforces that decision and puts us on the path to re-start stability and economic growth in core businesses based on a sound and well capitalised banking system with two pillar institutions.
93 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether major write-downs plus equity for bondholders are crucial elements of the recapitalisation and restoration of Irish banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21723/11]
The Deputy will be aware of my Statement on Banking of 31 March 2011 where I set out Government policy in relation to the matters the Deputy has raised. As part of the PCAR 2011 results further recapitalisation measures are required to enable AIB/EBS, Bank of Ireland and IL&P to meet their regulatory capital requirements set by the Central Bank. The State has committed to completing the recapitalisations to the extent possible by 31 July as part of the Programme of Financial Support for Ireland and there are no plans to change to an alternative recapitalisation strategy.
The Government has, however, instigated processes which have reduced and will further reduce the cost to the State by looking for significant contributions from subordinated debt holders, by the sale of assets to generate capital and, where possible, by seeking private sector investors. It is expected that the effect of these actions will be to reduce the amount of capital required by the State very significantly. In particular, a number of the financial institutions have recently engaged in liability management exercises in relation to subordinated debt which have resulted in the generation of some €4.4bn in Core Tier 1 Capital, reducing accordingly the amount required to be contributed by the State to the €24bn PCAR capital requirement.
94 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he is considering in the context of budget 2012 encouraging competition in the Irish retail bank market including incentives to attract major new foreign entities into the Irish high street; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21724/11]
The Deputy will be aware that discussions around the Budget are on-going. There are, at present, a number of foreign owned entities that operate within the retail banking market.
In relation to competition within the retail bank market, barriers to entry and expansion are low. I would welcome further interest that foreign entities may have in entering or expanding in the Irish market.
95 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a full report on the recent establishment of the Credit Union Commission; the persons he has appointed to the commission; the number of times they report to him; the objectives he has given the commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21725/11]
The Commission on Credit Unions was established by Government on 31 May 2011 and has begun its programme of work. It met for the first time on 20 June 2011 and has had subsequent meetings on 24 June 2011 and 8 July 2011. The Commission will make initial recommendations on the strengthening of the regulatory framework by 30 September 2011 and will submit a final report to me, as Minister for Finance, by 31 March 2012.
Membership of the Commission is as follows:
Chairman
Professor Donal McKillop (Professor of Financial Services, School of Management, Queens University, Belfast) and Member of the Credit Union Advisory Committee.
Ordinary members of the Commission on Credit Unions:
Mr. Kieron Brennan (Chief Executive Officer, Irish League of Credit Unions)
Ms Fiona Cullen (Head of Legal Department, Irish League of Credit Unions)
Mr. Billy Doyle (Management Committee, Credit Union Development Association)
Ms Eileen Fitzgerald (Senior Manager in the Citizens Information Board, with responsibility for MABS)
Mr. Eamonn Kearns (Financial Services Division, Department of Finance),
Mr. Tom McCarthy (Chief Executive Officer, Irish Management Institute)
Mr. Tim Molan (National Secretary, Credit Union Managers Association)
Mr. Robert Moynihan (Qualified Chartered Accountant and Regulatory Consultant)
Mr. James O'Brien (Registrar of Credit Unions)
Mr. Dan O'Gorman (Solicitor)
Mr. Joe O'Toole (Former Senator), and
Prof. John Wilson (Professor of Banking, St. Andrews University, Scotland)
The Government agreed the terms of reference of the Commission on Credit Unions and these are as follows:
Having regard to the commitments
in the Programme for National Government 2011-2016 to review the future of the credit union movement and to make recommendations in relation to the most effective regulatory structure for credit unions, and
under the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland to design a strategy for the future evolution of the credit union sector, to assist credit unions with a strengthened regulatory framework including more effective governance and regulatory requirements and to make recommendations to the Minister on legislation to be submitted to the Oireachtas by end-2011; and
taking into account
the not-for-profit mandate of credit unions, their volunteer ethos and community focus, paying due regard to the need to fully protect depositors' savings and financial stability,
the comprehensive strategy to enhance the viability of the credit union sector prepared under the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland;
international best practice in the structure, organisation and regulation of credit unions or analogous entities; and
the strengths and weaknesses of the sector as set out in work done in the Strategic Review of the Credit Union Sector in Ireland;
the Commission on Credit Unions is invited to:
1. Define the role of credit unions in the context of a restructured financial services sector. This will focus on the credit union as a cooperative, owned and run by its members and providing its members with the financial services that they require. Consideration will also be given to the role of the credit union in relation to the community in general. In particular, the objects of a credit union as set out under section 6 of the Credit Union Act 1997 will be examined including the function of the common bond in the context of modern financial services systems. The Commission should also consider the question of the prudential supervision of loan societies and credit cooperatives registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1896 and the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1893 that engage in taking deposits from and providing loans to their members and make recommendations in this regard.
2. Propose a model for modern credit unions and define the structure/parameters within which financially viable credit unions will operate. At the same time, the Commission will examine how credit unions may continue to provide the services required by their members while meeting regulatory requirements sufficient to protect the savings of depositors and the financial stability of the credit union sector as a whole. This should examine how the size of a credit union, the variety and complexity of the services it provides and the competencies of its management and staff influence its viability. The question of credit unions competing with the larger financial institutions should be studied.
3. Options for restructuring. The Commission will make recommendations on the possibility of voluntary consolidation or restructuring of the credit union sector over time, recognising the need to maintain local presence and taking into account the not for-profit mandate, the volunteer ethos and community focus of credit unions. In this consideration, due regard must be given to the need to protect depositors savings and financial stability. Central Bank of Ireland proposals in relation to possible restructuring of some credit unions should be examined and recommendations made to the Minister for Finance as these may arise over the term of the Commission. The Commission is required to engage with the Department of Finance, make recommendations and exchange information on legislative proposals during the course of its deliberations.
4. Shared services. The Commission will examine the options for groups of credit unions to share services on a formal basis and the extent to which this model is appropriate. The Commission should consider which services are most suitable for delivery by a separate entity, e.g. purchasing, auditing, compliance, credit control, legal, marketing, human resource management, administration and training. Progress in relation to the introduction of modern information technology and management information systems for and in credit unions will be examined and recommendations made in this regard.
5. Determine and set out the basic governance and regulatory requirements that must be met. The Commission will focus on a set of benchmarks that credit unions should meet if they are to be registered to operate in the State. These benchmarks should include capital requirements, sizes of loan books and of loans, competencies of directors and staff, investments policy, fitness and probity and governance standards. Recommendations will be made in relation to management reporting arrangements both internally and with the Registry of Credit Unions.
6. Make recommendations for legislative change. The Commission will examine the existing legislation and in particular the Credit Union Act 1997 and make recommendations on changes required to implement their findings. The Commission should make initial recommendations required to strengthen the regulatory framework of credit unions by 30 September 2011. A final report should be submitted to the Minister for Finance by 31 March 2012.
96 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the number of illicitly imported tobacco products that have been seized by An Garda Síochána and Revenue officials in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; if he will raise the issue of the alleged importation of counterfeit tobacco products with his Chinese counterpart, given current allegations that most of these illegal products originate in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21727/11]
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners, who are responsible for the collection of tobacco products tax and for tackling the illicit trade in cigarettes and tobacco products, that the figures requested are as follows:
|
Year |
Number of Seizures |
Quantity of Cigarettes Seized |
|
2007 |
15,481 |
74,520,798 |
|
2008 |
10,191 |
135,243,859 |
|
2009 |
10,600 |
218,557,900 |
|
2010 |
9,012 |
178,347,306 |
|
2011* |
5,494 |
63,852,779 |
|
Year |
Number of Seizures |
Quantity of Tobacco Seized (Kgs) |
|
2007 |
763 |
1,516 |
|
2008 |
1,100 |
3,083 |
|
2009 |
1,171 |
10,451 |
|
2010 |
1,169 |
3,342 |
|
2011* |
710 |
1,444 |
*Jan to June 2011
The above quantities include tobacco products seized by the Gardaí and subsequently transferred to Revenue custody.
Of the above cigarette total the following quantities originated in China, all of which have been confirmed as counterfeit:
|
Year |
Number of Seizures |
Quantity of Cigarettes Seized |
|
2007 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
2008 |
2 |
17,080,000 |
|
2009 |
4 |
21,250,000 |
|
2010 |
10 |
58,693,000 |
|
2011* |
3 |
19,669,600 |
I am advised that there is an ongoing exchange of intelligence in relation to cigarette smuggling between the Revenue Commissioners, other Member States, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and third country Customs Administrations. In April 2005, the Chinese Government signed an agreement between the European Union, including its Member States, and the People's Republic of China on co-operation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters. This agreement provides the legal basis for OLAF, or an individual Member State, to seek the assistance of the Chinese Authorities in the course of cigarette smuggling investigations.
The European Commission, through OLAF, has established a special Unit titled Task Group Cigarettes to assist Member States in their investigations where the assistance of third country authorities is required. This Unit has an overseas officer stationed in Beijing on a permanent basis. The Revenue Commissioners have availed of the assistance of this posting to enhance liaison with the Chinese Authorities in the course of its investigations into large maritime seizures of contraband cigarettes originating in China.
The Revenue Commissioners regard the tackling of the illicit trade in cigarettes and tobacco products to be a high priority. Their strategy includes the development and sharing of intelligence on a national, EU and international basis; the use of analytics and detection technologies; and the optimum deployment of resources at points of importation and inland to intercept contraband tobacco product and to prosecute those involved.
97 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the proposed merger of EBS and AIB; if all the EBS staff will transfer to AIB; if the EBS and AIB branch system will be reconfigured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21728/11]
Since 1 July 2011 EBS has been a fully owned subsidiary which benefits from the full support of AIB. The new merged entity will be a stronger and more domestically focused institution which will leave it better placed to service the needs of the Irish economy and will help return the banking system to long-term viability. As announced on the date of the transaction, EBS Limited will initially operate as a standalone, separately branded subsidiary of AIB with its own branch network and the terms and conditions of customers' financial products remain unchanged following the transfer. As a result of the combination, existing EBS staff were also transferred and will initially continue in their previous roles.
This combination is part of the Government's strategy to return the banking system to long-term viability and profitability so it is no longer reliant on State support. The completion of the merger is a structural benchmark under the EU/IMF programme for support and the merger was completed ahead of schedule, three months after it was initially announced. The future organisational and operational structure of the combined entity is under detailed consideration and will be finalised over time in a manner which creates the strongest possible bank which can best meet the future needs of the Irish banking system.
98 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons currently employed in banking and financial services here in 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21729/11]
I am advised by the Central Bank that it does not keep statistics on employee numbers in the banking and financial services under their regulation. However based on information from Central Statistics Office who keep data on the labour market including the financial sector, in 2009, 108,700 people were employed in ‘financial, insurance and real estate activities', and in 2010, that number was 103,200. There are no 2011 figures available at present.
99 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the value of outstanding loans lent by Irish-based legal moneylenders as notified to the Financial Regulator in 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21730/11]
I have been advised by the Central Bank that the information requested by the Deputy is not available. There is no legal requirement on licensed moneylenders to prepare or to submit audited accounts to the Central Bank. The end of the year accounting period for financial accounting purposes varies from moneylender to moneylender.
100 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the number of Irish-based moneylenders registered with the Financial Regulator in 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21731/11]
I have been advised by the Central Bank that the number of licensed moneylenders registered in each of the years was as follows:
|
Year |
Number of Licensed Moneylenders |
|
2008 |
53 |
|
2009 |
52 |
|
2010 |
46 |
|
2011 |
46 (as at 30 June 2011) |
101 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the levies paid by moneylenders to the Financial Regulator in 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21732/11]
I have been advised by the Central Bank that the amount of levies paid to the Bank by moneylenders in the years 2008 to 2010 inclusive is as follows:
|
Year |
Levy amount collected |
|
2008 |
€162,000 |
|
2009 |
€244,000 |
|
2010 |
€257,000 |
The information for 2011 is not yet available.
102 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the number of illegal moneylending operations the Financial Regulator, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, has investigated and has brought charges against in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21733/11]
I wish to inform the Deputy that persons operating as illegal moneylenders are in breach of the law. It is a matter for An Garda Síochána to investigate their activities. Under Section 98 of the Consumer Credit Act 1995 (as amended), An Garda Síochána have sole responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of such offences. The Central Bank has no powers in this regard. If the Bank has reason to believe that a person is operating as an illegal moneylender, the matter is reported to An Garda Síochána. I will check with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, on whether or not data are available in this regard and have the information sent to the Deputy.
103 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the date on which he will publish the Betting (Amendment) Bill 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21846/11]
The Finance Act 2011 contains legislation that, subject to a Ministerial Commencement Order, provides for the extension of betting duty to remote bookmakers and betting exchanges. The tax changes provided for in the Finance Act can only be implemented once the Betting (Amendment) Bill, which will provide for a regulatory and licensing regime, is enacted. The Betting (Amendment) Bill 2011 is currently at an advanced stage of drafting.
104 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has undertaken any research on the number of postgraduates who have been awarded higher research degrees in the areas of science and information technology at Irish universities and who are now leaving the country to seek further employment and research opportunities; if he is concerned at a high-level brain drain in this area; if he has any proposals to address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21760/11]
The HEA publishes a First Destination Report annually which provides information on the position of Irish graduates nine months after graduation. The information is gathered through a survey of all graduates from publicly funded higher education institutions.
I have set out, for the information of the Deputy, data provided by the HEA in relation to students graduating in 2009 with Masters and PhD qualifications, the latest year for which data are available. Information is provided for the broad subject areas of science, engineering and food science and technology. Unfortunately, the nature of the survey does not allow for the disaggregation of data in relation to graduates in information technology specifically. Overall, these data show that 17.2% of graduates in 2009 went abroad to work or study.
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs advises the Government on skills needs and labour market issues that impact on enterprise and employment growth, and this advice informs broad education and training policy. While the downturn has impacted very significantly on levels of employment across the economy, significant employment opportunities are emerging in some sectors. In particular, the ICT sector in Ireland is actually experiencing difficulties in filling some vacancies. A key priority for the Government is to work with the sector to ensure that we increase the domestic supply of graduates with the appropriate levels of skills to support the expansion and growth of the ICT sector into the future.
Specifically, proposals are being developed for a joint industry/Government Action Plan which aims to increase the domestic supply of high level ICT graduates in the short term through expansion of conversion and re skilling opportunities while also boosting the longer term supply of graduates in terms of numbers and quality.
|
Science — Masters Degree Taught — Level 9 |
Engineering — Masters Degree Taught — Level 9 |
Food Science and Technology — Masters Degree Taught — Level 9 |
|||
|
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
|||
|
Number of Awards |
%Response |
Number of Awards |
%Response |
Number of Awards |
%Response |
|
Masters Degree Taught — Level 9 |
50.1 |
Masters Degree Taught — Level 9 |
45.08 |
Masters Degree Taught — Level 9 |
41.67 |
|
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
|
A Gained Employment IRL |
27.91 |
A Gained Employment IRL |
30 |
A Gained Employment IRL |
53.33 |
|
OS |
10.47 |
OS |
11.82 |
OS |
0 |
|
B Further Study or Training IRL |
20.16 |
B Further Study or Training IRL |
25.45 |
B Further Study or Training IRL |
26.67 |
|
OS |
3.1 |
OS |
2.73 |
OS |
0 |
|
C Seeking employment |
17.44 |
C Seeking employment |
21.82 |
C Seeking employment |
20 |
|
D Not Available for Employment |
20.93 |
D Not Available for Employment |
8.18 |
D Not Available for Employment |
0 |
|
Total |
100 |
Total |
100 |
Total |
100 |
|
Science — Masters Degree Research — Level 9 |
Engineering — Masters Degree Research — Level 9 |
Food Science and Technology — Masters Degree Research — Level 9 |
|||
|
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
|||
|
Number of Awards |
%Response |
Number of Awards |
%Response |
Number of Awards |
%Response |
|
Masters Degree Research — Level 9 |
32.04 |
Masters Degree Research — Level 9 |
40.82 |
Masters Degree Research — Level 9 |
35.71 |
|
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
|
A Gained Employment IRL |
36.36 |
A Gained Employment IRL |
50 |
A Gained Employment IRL |
60 |
|
OS |
12.12 |
OS |
10 |
OS |
0 |
|
B Further Study or Training IRL |
30.3 |
B Further Study or Training IRL |
20 |
B Further Study or Training IRL |
40 |
|
OS |
6.06 |
OS |
5 |
OS |
0 |
|
C Seeking employment |
15.15 |
C Seeking employment |
15 |
C Seeking employment |
0 |
|
D Not Available for Employment |
0 |
D Not Available for Employment |
0 |
D Not Available for Employment |
0 |
|
Total |
100 |
Total |
100 |
Total |
100 |
|
Science — Doctorate — Level 10 |
Engineering — Doctorate — Level 10 |
Food Science and Technology — Doctorate — Level 10 |
|||
|
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
First Destination of Graduates 2009 |
|||
|
Number of Awards |
%Response |
Number of Awards |
%Response |
Number of Awards |
%Response |
|
Doctorate — Level 10 |
52.43 |
Doctorate — Level 10 |
53.4 |
Doctorate — Level 10 |
25 |
|
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
Present Situation of Respondents |
% |
|
A Gained Employment IRL |
52.32 |
A Gained Employment IRL |
63.64 |
A Gained Employment IRL |
100 |
|
OS |
26.49 |
OS |
16.36 |
OS |
0 |
|
B Further Study or Training IRL |
3.31 |
B Further Study or Training IRL |
7.27 |
B Further Study or Training IRL |
0 |
|
OS |
1.99 |
OS |
0 |
OS |
0 |
|
C Seeking employment |
13.25 |
C Seeking employment |
7.27 |
C Seeking employment |
0 |
|
D Not Available for Employment |
2.65 |
D Not Available for Employment |
5.45 |
D Not Available for Employment |
0 |
|
Total |
100 |
Total |
100 |
Total |
100 |
Please note that these tables are informed by collating the findings of Engineering, Science and Food Science & Technology graduates.
The First Destination Report has been compiled annually by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) since 1982. The facts and figures presented in the FDR report have been instrumental in communicating the importance of higher education and helping to illustrate how education benefits the individual, society, research activity and the country in general.
The tables set out are based on the First Destination of Award Recipients in Higher Education Survey (FDR), an annual survey conducted by the Higher Education Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the Careers Officers in all institutions under the aegis of the HEA. The FDR surveys every graduate of publicly funded third level institutions (and HETAC approved courses in private institutions) in order to portray their circumstances nine months after graduation. The HEA analyses the datasets produced by these agencies.
They include an analysis of those in employment and those seeking employment in addition to levels of participation in further study and training. Graduates of all higher education qualifications are surveyed, from Higher/University Certificates to PhDs. It is important to reiterate that the data contained in this report are based on information provided by graduates nine months after they graduate.
The survey results will continue to be of particular relevance to those in higher education including educators, Government Departments, policy makers and research organisations. The findings will also be of interest to students, teachers and career guidance counsellors at second level to inform their future careers.
105 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [21453/11]
The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a third-level admissions scheme for students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Admissions to the institutions are regulated by the institutions themselves. The Deputy may wish to contact the Irish Universities Association, which operates the HEAR scheme on behalf of participating institutions. Further details are available at www.accesscollege.ie.
106 Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delays in compensation for loss of hours and redundancy for specifically for special needs assistants. [21484/11]
Applications for redundancy/partial redundancy for Special Needs Assistants are being received by my Department on an ongoing basis. Applications are processed in date order of receipt. Every effort is being made to process these applications as quickly as possible.
107 Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who has applied to his Department for compensation for loss of hours; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this person has been informed that it will take 12 months for their claim to be processed; his plans to ensure these claims will be processed promptly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21487/11]
I can confirm that an application for partial redundancy has been received by my Department from the person referred to by the Deputy.
Applications for redundancy are being received on an ongoing basis and are processed in date order of receipt. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is making every effort to process redundancy applications as quickly as possible. The application in question will be dealt with as soon as possible.
108 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the tender at a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath for construction of a new school building; and when the construction of the new building will commence. [21516/11]
The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 1 rating.
All large scale building projects, including the proposed project for the school in question will be considered within the context of my Department's Multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. In light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including the project referred to by the Deputy, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this will be updated regularly throughout the year.
109 Deputy Ray Butler asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a commencement date for construction of a primary school (details supplied) in County Meath will be established in July 2011, as construction work carried out throughout the summer months would cause minimal disruption to this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21519/11]
The project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. Subject to no issues arising, it is envisaged that the project will progress to construction in quarter 3 of 2011.
110 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the grants made through National Lottery funding under the heading of locally based community grants and community development programmes; and the procedures for accessing this funding. [21520/11]
My Department does not provide National Lottery-funded grants under the headings referred to by the Deputy. My Department does provide grants-in-aid, part-funded by the National Lottery, to a number of adult education organisations, such as AONTAS and the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA), which undertake adult education, cultural and scientific activities. The funding is for their general running expenses.
111 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a full list of primary and secondary schools in County Cork; and if he will further provide a breakdown of the number of pupils, teachers and support teachers for the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and so far in 2011. [21537/11]
Data on the number of pupils and teachers in each primary school are available on a county by county basis for the school years 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 on the Statistics area of my Department's website (link as follows). http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?pcategory=17216&ecategory=47122&language=EN.
Data for the 2010/11 school year for primary schools are not currently available and will be on my Department's website in September.
Pupil enrolment data at post primary level for the school years 2008/2009, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 for schools in Cork County and Cork County Borough are listed in the table below. The enrolment figures include pupils studying Junior Certificate, Transition Year, Leaving Certificate, Post Leaving Certificate and Core VTOS courses in the specified school years. The information relating to the number of teachers and support teachers is not readily available.
|
County/County Borough(Baile) |
School Name and Address(Ainm agus Seoladh na Scoile) |
Boys(Buachaillí) |
Girls(Cailiní) |
School Roll No.(Uimh Rolla) |
|
Cork County (Co. Chorcai) |
||||
|
Secondary Meanscoileanna |
||||
|
Bandon |
Bandon Grammar School |
284 |
261 |
62060R |
|
Bandon |
Coláiste Na Toirbhirte, Árd Aoibhinn |
0 |
581 |
62061T |
|
Bantry |
Árdscoil Phobal Bheanntraí |
104 |
148 |
62080A |
|
Blarney |
Scoil Mhuire gan Smál |
231 |
191 |
62090D |
|
Carraig na bhFear |
Coláiste An Chroí Naofa |
259 |
210 |
62130M |
|
Carrigtwohill |
St Aloysius’ College |
0 |
683 |
62140P |
|
Charleville |
St. Mary’s Secondary School, Convent Of Mercy |
0 |
387 |
62450H |
|
Charleville |
Scoil na mBráithre Chríostaí, Baker’s Road |
264 |
0 |
62440E |
|
Clonakilty |
Sacred Heart Secondary School, Convent of Mercy |
0 |
474 |
62170B |
|
Cobh |
Coláiste Muire, Bishop’s St |
317 |
279 |
62180E |
|
Crosshaven |
Coláiste Muire |
178 |
215 |
62200H |
|
Doneraile |
Nagle Rice Secondary School |
128 |
104 |
62210K |
|
Droichead na Bandan |
Árdscoil Uí Urmoltaigh |
319 |
0 |
62050O |
|
Fermoy |
Loreto Secondary School |
0 |
652 |
62270F |
|
Gleann Maghair |
Coláiste An Phiarsaigh |
257 |
285 |
62301N |
|
Kanturk |
Scoil Mhuire |
135 |
165 |
62290L |
|
Macroom |
St Mary’s Secondary School, Convent of Mercy |
0 |
354 |
62320R |
|
Macroom |
De La Salle College |
300 |
1 |
62310O |
|
Mainistir Fhearmuí |
Coláiste Cholmáin |
423 |
0 |
62260C |
|
Mallow |
Patrician Academy |
402 |
0 |
62330U |
|
Mallow |
St Mary’s Secondary School, Convent of Mercy |
0 |
593 |
62350D |
|
Midleton |
Midleton College |
211 |
114 |
62370J |
|
Midleton |
St Mary’s High School |
0 |
620 |
62380M |
|
Midleton |
Christian Brothers Secondary School, Castleredmond |
564 |
0 |
62360G |
|
Mitchelstown |
Presentation Secondary School |
0 |
324 |
62421A |
|
Mitchelstown |
Christian Brothers Secondary School |
332 |
0 |
62420V |
|
Rochestown |
St Francis Capuchin College |
588 |
0 |
62460K |
|
Rosscarbery |
Mount St Michael |
198 |
205 |
62470N |
|
Skibbereen |
Mercy Heights Secondary School |
0 |
410 |
62490T |
|
Skibbereen |
St Fachtna’s — De La Salle College |
260 |
0 |
62480Q |
|
Vocational Gairmscoileanna |
||||
|
Baile Mhic Íre |
Coláiste Ghobnatan |
112 |
102 |
70920O |
|
Ballincollig |
Coláiste Choilm |
679 |
648 |
71103K |
|
Bandon |
St. Brogan’s College, Bandon, Kilbrogan |
454 |
250 |
70910L* |
|
Bantry |
St Goban’s College, Sheskin |
232 |
177 |
70930R* |
|
Béal Atha an Ghaorth |
Scoil Mhuire |
41 |
56 |
70931T |
|
Charleville |
Mannix College |
51 |
55 |
71080B* |
|
Cill na Mullach |
Coláiste Pobail Naomh Mhuire |
124 |
95 |
76067L |
|
Clonakilty |
Clonakilty Community College |
519 |
121 |
70950A* |
|
Coachford |
Coachford College |
276 |
254 |
70960D |
|
Cobh |
Cobh Community College, Carrignafoy |
138 |
153 |
70970G* |
|
Dublin Hill |
St Aidan’s Community College, Ballincolly |
479 |
239 |
71101G |
|
Dunmanway |
Maria Immaculata Community College |
281 |
225 |
76086P* |
|
Fermoy |
Coláiste an Chraoibhín, Duntaheen Road |
381 |
268 |
70990M* |
|
Glanmire |
Glanmire Community College |
442 |
297 |
76064F |
|
Kanturk |
Coláiste Treasa |
247 |
199 |
71000A |
|
Macroom |
McEgan College |
152 |
166 |
71030J* |
|
Mallow |
St Fanahan’s College, Mitchelstown |
108 |
121 |
71040M* |
|
Mallow |
Davis College, Summerhill |
343 |
554 |
71020G* |
|
Midleton |
St Colman’s Community College, Youghal Road |
403 |
191 |
71050P* |
|
Schull |
Schull Community College, Colla Road |
240 |
209 |
71102I* |
|
Skibbereen |
Rossa College |
129 |
111 |
71090E* |
|
C&C Scoileanna |
||||
|
Mallow |
Boherbue Comprehensive School, Boherbue |
179 |
158 |
81009B |
|
Ballincollig |
Ballincollig Community School, Innishmore |
360 |
372 |
91386O |
|
Beara |
Beara Community School, Castletownbere |
157 |
149 |
91387Q |
|
Carrigaline |
Carrigaline Community School, Waterpark Road |
453 |
514 |
91388S |
|
Kinsale |
Kinsale Community School |
364 |
396 |
91499E* |
|
Millstreet Town |
Millstreet Community School |
130 |
113 |
91390F |
|
Passage West |
St Peter’s Community School |
155 |
161 |
91391H |
|
Youghal |
Pobalscoil na Tríonóide |
446 |
419 |
91513S |
|
Cork County Borough (Corcaigh) |
||||
|
Secondary Meanscoileanna |
||||
|
Corcaigh |
Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, An Mhainistir Thuaidh |
219 |
135 |
62531H |
|
Cork |
Presentation Secondary School, Ballyphehane |
0 |
336 |
62693K |
|
Cork |
St Patrick’s College, Gardiner’s Hill |
0 |
379 |
62730N |
|
Cork |
St. Aloysius’ School, St Marie’s of the Isle, Sharman Crawford Street |
0 |
282 |
62630J |
|
Cork |
Ursuline Secondary School, Blackrock |
0 |
244 |
62650P |
|
Cork |
Presentation Brothers College, The Mardyke |
652 |
0 |
62570R |
|
Cork |
Regina Mundi College, Douglas Road |
0 |
419 |
62691G |
|
Cork |
North Monastery Secondary School, Our Lady’s Mount, North Monastery Rd. |
326 |
0 |
62530F |
|
Cork |
Scoil Mhuire, 2 Sidney Place, Wellington Road |
0 |
441 |
62690E |
|
Cork |
Coláiste An Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown |
665 |
0 |
62580U |
|
Cork |
Deerpark C.B.S., St Patrick’s Road |
266 |
16 |
62540I* |
|
Cork |
Coláiste Chríost Rí, Capwell Road |
625 |
0 |
62560O |
|
Cork |
St Vincent’s Secondary School, St Mary’s Road |
0 |
287 |
62590A |
|
Cork |
North Presentation Secondary School, Farranree |
0 |
268 |
62621I |
|
Cork |
St. Angela’s College, St. Patrick’s Hill |
0 |
512 |
62640M |
|
Cork |
Mount Mercy College, Model Farm Road |
0 |
718 |
62661U |
|
Cork |
Christ King Girls’ Secondary School, Half Moon Lane, South Douglas Road |
0 |
1011 |
62692I |
|
Cork. |
Christian Brothers College, Sidney Hill, Wellington Road |
800 |
0 |
62520C |
|
Vocational Gairmscoileanna |
||||
|
Corcaigh |
Coláiste Daibhéid, An t-Ardán Theas |
95 |
97 |
71124S |
|
Cork |
Cork College Of Commerce, Morrison’s Island |
798 |
1433 |
71120K* |
|
Cork |
St John’s Central College, Sawmill Street |
586 |
607 |
71121M* |
|
Cork |
Terence Mac Swiney Community College, Hollyhill, Knocknaheeny |
167 |
175 |
71123Q* |
|
Cork |
Coláiste Stiofán Naofa, Tramore Road |
554 |
390 |
71122O* |
|
Cork |
Nagle Community College, Mahon, Blackrock |
162 |
71 |
71110H* |
|
C&C Scoileanna |
||||
|
Cork |
Ashton School, Blackrock Road |
298 |
206 |
81008W |
|
Cork |
Douglas Community School, Clermont Avenue, Douglas |
569 |
0 |
91396R |
|
Cork |
Bishopstown Community School, Bishopstown |
101 |
59 |
91397T |
|
Cork |
Mayfield Community School, Old Youghal Road, Mayfield |
237 |
71 |
91400F |
112 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown on a school basis of the number of children availing of the school transport scheme in County Cork for the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011. [21538/11]
Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes on behalf of my Department, has provided the following information regarding the number of pupils who availed of school transport services in County Cork: 2007/08 — 15,788; 2008/09 — 15,869; 2009/10 — 14,660; 2010/11 — 14,662.
The breakdown of these pupil numbers on an individual school basis is not available.
113 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and location, by address and county of bus school routes that did not meet the revised criteria for school transport; the number and location of these that had dropped below seven users; the number and location of routes that have been re-examined and that transport be will provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21544/11]
The detailed information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department's website.
Bus Éireann has identified a number of services where applications have fallen below the minimum number of eligible pupils required to retain a school transport service; these services will be withdrawn based on current information. However, Bus Éireann will continue to monitor the position and some services may be restored if late applications/payments are received from eligible pupils. As is currently the position, families of eligible pupils, for whom there is no school transport service available, may apply for the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.
114 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is entitled to a third level education grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21567/11]
The decision on eligibility for a grant is a matter for a student's local grant awarding body — the relevant Local Authority or VEC. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form, including those relating to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant.
The student in question should, therefore, apply to his local grant awarding authority to have his eligibility for a grant assessed.
115 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of mature students receiving the maintenance grant throughout the country, specifically in the counties of Galway and Mayo and more specifically in the National University of Ireland, Galway. [21569/11]
The information is not available in the format requested by the Deputy. However, it is estimated that nationally, some 30% of the student cohort or some 21,600, are mature students. Qualifying students in this cohort may be in receipt of either the Back to Education Allowance or the maintenance element of the student grant. In addition, qualifying students will have their fees or student contribution paid.
116 Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason substitute work completed prior to September 2008 is no longer considered when assessing teachers’ eligibility to join permanent teacher panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21691/11]
The primary redeployment panel rules agreed between the relevant education partners and my Department are published on my Department's website.
Prior to 1 September, 2008 the panel rules allowed for the counting of permanent and fixed term service of primary school teachers towards eligibility for the redeployment panels. Substitute service did not count for panel rights.
It was agreed through the Teachers' Conciliation Council that with effect from 1 September, 2008 the calculation of service for access to the redeployment panels at primary level includes the service of teachers engaged in non-casual substitution contracts. The Teachers' Conciliation Council is the recognised forum for dealing with matters relating to pay and conditions of service of teachers. The parties to the forum include representatives of the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions and the Departments of Education & Skills and Finance.
117 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the most recent figures on participation in third level education on a county basis and by postcode in the Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21757/11]
The most recent figures on participation in third level education on a county basis and by post code in the Dublin area are for the 2009-10 academic year. The tables below provide this information in relation to both Universities and Institutes of Technology. It is anticipated that data for the 2010-11 academic year will be accessible on the HEA Website in the autumn.
|
AIT |
CIT |
DIT |
DLIADT |
DKIT |
GMIT |
ITB |
ITC |
ITS |
ITT |
ITTRA |
LYIT |
LIT |
TI |
WIT |
Totals |
Grand |
|||||||||||||||||
|
County |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
M |
F |
Total |
|
Connacht |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Galway |
166 |
276 |
37 |
28 |
79 |
44 |
12 |
20 |
4 |
18 |
1515 |
988 |
8 |
5 |
21 |
18 |
109 |
118 |
1 |
1 |
18 |
10 |
19 |
19 |
135 |
113 |
2 |
1 |
23 |
30 |
2,149 |
1,689 |
3,838 |
|
Leitrim |
13 |
18 |
0 |
3 |
27 |
27 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
8 |
56 |
21 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
5 |
166 |
150 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
10 |
19 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
299 |
267 |
566 |
|
Mayo |
40 |
57 |
14 |
8 |
92 |
56 |
17 |
10 |
22 |
10 |
581 |
438 |
3 |
2 |
18 |
5 |
369 |
399 |
3 |
2 |
9 |
8 |
45 |
49 |
57 |
50 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
6 |
1,281 |
1,100 |
2,381 |
|
Roscommon |
154 |
178 |
2 |
9 |
48 |
43 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
119 |
84 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
2 |
161 |
160 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
12 |
11 |
16 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
8 |
548 |
529 |
1,077 |
|
Sligo |
9 |
20 |
3 |
3 |
39 |
38 |
8 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
82 |
38 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
4 |
464 |
446 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
16 |
28 |
14 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
658 |
606 |
1,264 |
|
Leinster |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Carlow |
3 |
5 |
7 |
3 |
77 |
30 |
7 |
10 |
2 |
9 |
11 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
435 |
312 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
107 |
84 |
667 |
470 |
1,137 |
|
Dublin (including postal districts) |
29 |
20 |
26 |
27 |
3547 |
2580 |
629 |
545 |
222 |
175 |
47 |
18 |
594 |
459 |
98 |
46 |
18 |
21 |
1,255 |
770 |
15 |
8 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
30 |
3 |
3 |
62 |
43 |
6,562 |
4,753 |
11,315 |
|
Kildare |
18 |
23 |
12 |
14 |
461 |
343 |
21 |
24 |
12 |
13 |
28 |
14 |
67 |
51 |
310 |
199 |
11 |
12 |
110 |
86 |
15 |
8 |
4 |
6 |
14 |
28 |
5 |
4 |
117 |
79 |
1,205 |
904 |
2,109 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
6 |
60 |
35 |
69 |
45 |
14 |
15 |
5 |
12 |
11 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
132 |
69 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
19 |
20 |
14 |
3 |
363 |
419 |
696 |
648 |
1,344 |
|
Laois |
43 |
60 |
8 |
13 |
59 |
45 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
28 |
20 |
4 |
2 |
143 |
126 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
38 |
21 |
16 |
8 |
105 |
78 |
463 |
398 |
861 |
|
Longford |
126 |
128 |
1 |
0 |
58 |
29 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
7 |
33 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
5 |
92 |
49 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
347 |
262 |
609 |
|
Louth |
7 |
12 |
0 |
4 |
146 |
105 |
12 |
12 |
928 |
851 |
11 |
7 |
15 |
10 |
14 |
5 |
17 |
14 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
15 |
10 |
2 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
9 |
1,183 |
1,055 |
2,238 |
|
Meath |
39 |
56 |
7 |
6 |
438 |
292 |
23 |
32 |
355 |
347 |
25 |
28 |
124 |
93 |
33 |
21 |
28 |
46 |
24 |
14 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
11 |
12 |
15 |
4 |
4 |
42 |
27 |
1,167 |
993 |
2,160 |
|
Offaly |
184 |
231 |
1 |
5 |
69 |
37 |
9 |
9 |
2 |
8 |
51 |
38 |
4 |
2 |
52 |
36 |
16 |
17 |
5 |
4 |
9 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
38 |
24 |
7 |
2 |
49 |
35 |
499 |
450 |
949 |
|
Westmeath |
505 |
557 |
2 |
5 |
97 |
80 |
8 |
7 |
13 |
31 |
52 |
46 |
11 |
4 |
17 |
19 |
73 |
50 |
4 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
7 |
15 |
11 |
4 |
5 |
16 |
12 |
829 |
845 |
1,674 |
|
Wexford |
0 |
5 |
46 |
37 |
177 |
87 |
39 |
36 |
3 |
9 |
20 |
7 |
7 |
3 |
189 |
307 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
12 |
14 |
4 |
4 |
509 |
483 |
1,018 |
1,001 |
2,019 |
|
Wicklow |
4 |
10 |
14 |
6 |
438 |
274 |
119 |
121 |
9 |
15 |
20 |
9 |
11 |
10 |
98 |
95 |
5 |
3 |
39 |
34 |
4 |
7 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
103 |
91 |
877 |
687 |
1,564 |
|
Munster |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Clare |
9 |
17 |
34 |
46 |
20 |
21 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
111 |
85 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
4 |
7 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
30 |
37 |
5 |
4 |
456 |
334 |
9 |
3 |
30 |
27 |
728 |
595 |
1,323 |
|
Cork |
4 |
12 |
3173 |
1976 |
37 |
61 |
19 |
15 |
7 |
15 |
29 |
15 |
3 |
1 |
38 |
14 |
7 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
112 |
124 |
3 |
3 |
107 |
100 |
14 |
4 |
143 |
188 |
3,698 |
2,535 |
6,233 |
|
Kerry |
2 |
11 |
420 |
203 |
25 |
35 |
10 |
9 |
2 |
7 |
25 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
739 |
805 |
4 |
0 |
104 |
81 |
4 |
5 |
31 |
20 |
1,381 |
1,197 |
2,578 |
|
Limerick |
4 |
15 |
116 |
81 |
20 |
26 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
26 |
32 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
70 |
94 |
3 |
1 |
872 |
629 |
18 |
8 |
52 |
50 |
1,204 |
955 |
2159 |
|
Tipperary |
15 |
36 |
210 |
129 |
56 |
38 |
13 |
13 |
2 |
8 |
25 |
16 |
3 |
3 |
41 |
24 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
18 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
314 |
176 |
147 |
154 |
291 |
333 |
1,140 |
943 |
2,083 |
|
Waterford |
2 |
3 |
125 |
85 |
21 |
28 |
6 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
9 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
25 |
15 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
15 |
7 |
5 |
1,115 |
985 |
1,343 |
1,157 |
2,500 |
|
Ulster |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Antrim (including Belfast) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
|
Armagh |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
Cavan |
38 |
68 |
3 |
3 |
148 |
89 |
10 |
9 |
156 |
128 |
25 |
18 |
15 |
9 |
8 |
5 |
105 |
99 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
13 |
11 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
542 |
444 |
986 |
|
Derry |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
5 |
14 |
|
Donegal |
11 |
12 |
8 |
5 |
69 |
47 |
6 |
9 |
17 |
14 |
122 |
69 |
3 |
2 |
10 |
0 |
131 |
182 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
956 |
964 |
13 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
1,363 |
1,315 |
2,678 |
|
Down |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
24 |
39 |
|
Fermanagh |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
|
Monaghan |
7 |
19 |
1 |
0 |
95 |
63 |
5 |
8 |
244 |
290 |
16 |
7 |
8 |
2 |
10 |
6 |
44 |
53 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
48 |
25 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
486 |
479 |
965 |
|
Tyrone |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
6 |
13 |
|
Unknown Ireland |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
|
Total |
1,433 |
1,855 |
4,331 |
2,736 |
6,424 |
4,578 |
1,016 |
942 |
2,047 |
2,032 |
3,079 |
2,060 |
895 |
661 |
1,754 |
1,348 |
1,850 |
1,864 |
1,469 |
947 |
1,096 |
1,147 |
1,207 |
1,196 |
2,290 |
1,726 |
264 |
215 |
3,217 |
3,027 |
32,372 |
26,334 |
58,706 |
|
Short form |
Long form |
|
AIT |
Athlone IT |
|
CIT |
Cork IT |
|
DIT |
Dublin IT |
|
DLIADT |
Dún Laoire Institute of Art, Design & Technology |
|
DKIT |
Dundalk IT |
|
GMIT |
Galway-Mayo IT |
|
ITB |
IT Blanchardstown |
|
ITS |
IT Sligo |
|
ITT |
IT Tallaght |
|
ITTRA |
IT Tralee |
|
LYIT |
Letterkenny IT |
|
LIT |
Limerick IT |
|
TI |
Tipperary Institute |
|
WIT |
Waterford IT |
|
Code |
University Sector |
Institutes of Technology Sector |
Totals |
|
County Dublin |
6,444 |
4,305 |
10,749 |
|
Dublin 1 |
292 |
91 |
383 |
|
Dublin 2 |
157 |
66 |
223 |
|
Dublin 3 |
739 |
239 |
978 |
|
Dublin 4 |
818 |
199 |
1,017 |
|
Dublin 5 |
756 |
305 |
1,061 |
|
Dublin 6 |
982 |
283 |
1,265 |
|
Dublin 6W |
743 |
307 |
1,050 |
|
Dublin 7 |
725 |
276 |
1,001 |
|
Dublin 8 |
533 |
261 |
794 |
|
Dublin 9 |
987 |
308 |
1,295 |
|
Dublin 10 |
113 |
52 |
165 |
|
Dublin 11 |
555 |
280 |
835 |
|
Dublin 12 |
561 |
290 |
851 |
|
Dublin 13 |
607 |
298 |
905 |
|
Dublin 14 |
1,276 |
422 |
1,698 |
|
Dublin 15 |
1,567 |
917 |
2,484 |
|
Dublin 16 |
1,408 |
716 |
2,124 |
|
Dublin 17 |
104 |
46 |
150 |
|
Dublin 18 |
993 |
428 |
1,421 |
|
Dublin 20 |
194 |
90 |
284 |
|
Dublin 22 |
363 |
223 |
586 |
|
Dublin 24 |
733 |
554 |
1,287 |
|
Dublin Unknown |
883 |
359 |
1,242 |
|
22,533 |
11,315 |
33,848 |
|
County |
University Sector |
Institutes of Technology Sector |
Totals |
|
Connacht |
|||
|
Galway |
6,451 |
3,838 |
10,289 |
|
Leitrim |
575 |
566 |
1,141 |
|
Mayo |
2,752 |
2,381 |
5,133 |
|
Roscommon |
1,215 |
1,077 |
2,292 |
|
Sligo |
1,296 |
1,264 |
2,560 |
|
Leinster |
|||
|
Carlow |
777 |
1,137 |
1,914 |
|
Dublin |
22,533 |
11,315 |
33,848 |
|
Kildare |
3,733 |
2,109 |
5,842 |
|
Kilkenny |
1,657 |
1,344 |
3,001 |
|
Laois |
1,140 |
861 |
2,001 |
|
Longford |
686 |
609 |
1,295 |
|
Louth |
1,484 |
2,238 |
3,722 |
|
Meath |
2,833 |
2,160 |
4,993 |
|
Offaly |
1,155 |
949 |
2,104 |
|
Westmeath |
1,488 |
1,674 |
3,162 |
|
Wexford |
2,011 |
2,019 |
4,030 |
|
Wicklow |
2,252 |
1,564 |
3,816 |
|
Munster |
|||
|
Clare |
2,916 |
1,323 |
4,239 |
|
Cork |
11,685 |
6,233 |
17,918 |
|
Kerry |
3,130 |
2,578 |
5,708 |
|
Limerick |
4,506 |
2,159 |
6,665 |
|
Tipperary |
3,052 |
2,083 |
5,135 |
|
Waterford |
1,678 |
2,500 |
4,178 |
|
Ulster |
|||
|
Antrim |
209 |
8 |
217 |
|
Armagh |
56 |
4 |
60 |
|
Cavan |
1,049 |
986 |
2,035 |
|
Derry |
88 |
14 |
102 |
|
Donegal |
1,853 |
2,678 |
4,531 |
|
Down |
195 |
39 |
234 |
|
Fermanagh |
63 |
10 |
73 |
|
Monaghan |
852 |
965 |
1,817 |
|
Tyrone |
102 |
13 |
115 |
|
Unspecified Ireland1 |
554 |
8 |
562 |
|
Total |
86,026 |
58,706 |
144,732 |
|
Postal Code |
University Sector |
Institutes of Technology Sector |
Totals |
|
County Dublin |
6,444 |
4,305 |
10,749 |
|
Dublin 1 |
292 |
91 |
383 |
|
Dublin 2 |
157 |
66 |
223 |
|
Dublin 3 |
739 |
239 |
978 |
|
Dublin 4 |
818 |
199 |
1,017 |
|
Dublin 5 |
756 |
305 |
1,061 |
|
Dublin 6 |
982 |
283 |
1,265 |
|
Dublin 6W |
743 |
307 |
1,050 |
|
Dublin 7 |
725 |
276 |
1,001 |
|
Dublin 8 |
533 |
261 |
794 |
|
Dublin 9 |
987 |
308 |
1,295 |
|
Dublin 10 |
113 |
52 |
165 |
|
Dublin 11 |
555 |
280 |
835 |
|
Dublin 12 |
561 |
290 |
851 |
|
Dublin 13 |
607 |
298 |
905 |
|
Dublin 14 |
1,276 |
422 |
1,698 |
|
Dublin 15 |
1,567 |
917 |
2,484 |
|
Dublin 16 |
1,408 |
716 |
2,124 |
|
Dublin 17 |
104 |
46 |
150 |
|
Dublin 18 |
993 |
428 |
1,421 |
|
Dublin 20 |
194 |
90 |
284 |
|
Dublin 22 |
363 |
223 |
586 |
|
Dublin 24 |
733 |
554 |
1,287 |
|
Dublin Unknown |
883 |
359 |
1,242 |
|
22,533 |
11,315 |
33,848 |
118 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants in each school in Dublin 5, Dublin 13 and Dublin 17 in September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21758/11]
The information requested by the Deputy on the number of special needs assistants employed in each school in Dublin 5, Dublin 13 and Dublin 15 in September is not readily available.
The number of Special Needs Assistants employed nationally from 2007 to 2010 is available in the attached document. The details for each year are the December figures for the year in question. The primary schools information is inclusive of the special schools details.
SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in their class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and/or resource teacher. As a result, the allocation of SNAs in each school can alter from year to year. Some schools may receive an increased allocation, while others may experience a reduction because the allocation of supports are provided in line with the needs of individual schools.
The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating special needs resources to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers and special needs assistants will continue to be deployed to schools to meet children's needs in line with my Department's policy.
|
Year |
Number of Special Needs Assistants in Primary schools |
Number of Special Needs Assistants in Post Primary Schools, including VECs. |
|
2007 |
8,038 |
1,786 |
|
2008 |
8,440 |
2,002 |
|
2009 |
8,392 |
1,950 |
|
2010 |
8,401 |
2,142 |
119 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is committed to guaranteeing that eight places will be available for the children of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 13 as per a recent meeting in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21759/11]
As the Deputy is aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. In particular, its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level and arranges for the delivery of special educational services. The SENOs act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs. Another specific function of the SENO is to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs. SENOs are a valuable source of support to parents who are actively sourcing a placement for their children.
The relevant SENOs are actively engaged with the parents of the children to whom the Deputy refers with a view to securing placements for them for the 2011-2012 school year.
120 Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the withdrawal of school transport in school (details supplied) in County Cork, if he will clarify the number of eligible and concessionary pupils who availed of the service in the 2010-2011 school year on each route; the number of pupils disqualified as eligible pupils for the 2011/2012 school year arising from revised eligibility criteria as published in the value for money review of school transport; and the financial savings being made on each of these routes by the withdrawal of this service. [21768/11]
Changes to the School Transport Schemes were announced in Budget 2011 and derive from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme.
The decisions announced include the uniform application of the distance requirement, the cessation of the Closed/Central School Rule (CSR), an increase in the minimum number of eligible children required to establish or retain a service and the introduction of charges for eligible primary pupils.
Bus Éireann has identified a number of services that will be withdrawn from the commencement of the 2011-12 school year where the number of applications received from eligible pupils has fallen below the minimum number required to retain a school transport service. Bus Éireann is continuing to monitor the situation and some services may be restored if late applications/payments are received.
The list of the services in question is available on my Department's website and includes details of the number of eligible pupils that have applied for school transport for 2011-12 school year. This number of eligible pupils is the same as the number of eligible pupils that travelled to the schools in question last year. Pupils applying for concessionary transport are not considered when calculating the minimum number requirement.
As is currently the position, families of eligible pupils, for whom there is no school transport service available, may apply for the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.
The cost of individual routes or services is regarded as commercially sensitive. However, the estimate is that savings of €3 million will accrue from the combination of the changes. It is essential to stress that the wider context within which all these changes are taking place, is a situation of the most serious financial difficulties. Under the four year recovery plan, there is a requirement to deliver savings of €17 million on the school transport budget and these measures are an integral part of this.
121 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the mid-term review of the national plan for equity of access to higher education; if the review outlines progress for students from lower income families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21769/11]
The mid-term review to which the Deputy refers is being finalised. Unfortunately, an analysis of progress by socio-economic background was not possible due to the four-year gap since the previous census and changes in the under-lying population. However, a new study of participation in 2010, which will draw on the 2011 census data will be carried out. This will include an update on participation by students in higher education from under-represented socio-economic groups.
122 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the review of the junior cycle; if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by teachers of history and geography; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21770/11]
The NCCA has been asked to review the junior certificate and advise on the scope for reform designed to strengthen literacy and numeracy, embed key skills, promote active learning and enhanced creativity and innovation, and ensure appropriate ways of generating evidence of learning. Concerns have also been raised about curriculum overload, and rote learning.
The Council has completed a public consultation process and is finalising its advice to me on the direction of reform, in consultation with the partners in education. I expect the Council's advice in the Autumn.
I am aware that teachers of history and geography have raised concerns that their subjects will no longer be compulsory. The requirement to study history and geography in a secondary school but to have different options in vocational schools is a historical anomaly which is no longer appropriate. I believe that students should have as wide a choice as is feasible in their schools given the overall level of student demand and interest, the teaching resources available, and the qualifications profile of staff. The importance of history and geography in promoting critical analysis skills, interculturalism, an understanding of human development, democracy, past and current world issues, and the skills for an environmentally sustainable life are fully appreciated. I will be guided by the NCCA's advice in this matter.
123 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he proposes to publish the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill; when the legislation is likely to be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21771/11]
The Government has approved the drafting of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill to provide for the establishment of a Statutory Fund to support the needs of victims of residential institutional abuse. The legislative proposals followed extensive consultations with representatives of survivors of residential abuse together with a public consultation process. The report on the consultation process and the General Scheme of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill are available on my Department's website. I will be meeting with groups representing survivors of residential institutional abuse to discuss the proposals later this week and I am confident that the proposals will receive broad support.
It is my intention to publish the Bill as soon as possible and I hope that this important legislation can be enacted in the autumn session.
124 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the application by a school (details supplied) in County Cavan for permanent accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21772/11]
I wish to advise the Deputy that the progression of a building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school to which he refers necessitates the acquisition of a site. The acquisition of the site and the delivery of the school building project will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally.
125 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the recent OECD Pisa Digital Literacy Test. [21773/11]
The OECD PISA 2009 Digital Literacy Assessment showed that Irish students' ability to read computer-based text was significantly above the average of the 19 OECD countries that took the test. It is reassuring to see that students in Ireland compare very well with their OECD counterparts in this study but there is no room for complacency about reading standards in our schools. The above-average results of Irish students on the digital literacy tests contrasts with their poor performance in the 2009 round of the traditional pencil-and-paper PISA literacy tests. These results seem to suggest that the reading standards of Irish 15-year olds may be better than the poor results achieved on the traditional pencil-and-paper test in 2009 but not at the above-average levels scored by Irish students in 2000.
126 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the skills agency will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21774/11]
As far as the training activities of FÁS are concerned, I am currently reviewing options regarding the provision of further education and training and the structures to support it. I propose to bring the matter to Government for discussion in the near future.
127 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in the roll-out of project maths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21775/11]
Project Maths is a major programme of reform in mathematics in second level schools, which is designed to encourage better understanding of mathematics, to reinforce its practical relevance to everyday life, and to ensure better continuity between primary and second level, and junior and senior cycle. It began in 24 project schools in September 2008 and was introduced in all schools in September 2010. Project Maths provides for a professional development model under which change will be implemented in various areas of maths on a phased basis. The curriculum will be phased in over a number of years covering the following five strands of mathematics:
Phase 1: Strand 1- statistics and probability; Strand 2- geometry and trigonometry
Phase 2: Strand 3- number; Strand 4- algebra
Phase 3: functions
Strands 1 and 2 began in all schools in September 2010 for first examination in 2012 at Leaving Certificate and 2013 at Junior Certificate. Strands 3 and 4 will begin in 2011, and strand 5 will start in 2012.
A comprehensive programme of professional development is being provided for teachers. Support will be provided on a rolling basis as each strand of the curriculum is implemented, and will continue until at least 2013.
128 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the proposal to withdraw the existing school transport arrangements for the traveller community at a location (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21776/11]
I wish to advise the Deputy that the exceptional school transport arrangements, which heretofore have been made available to Traveller children only, were reviewed in line with the Report and Recommendations contained in the Traveller Education Strategy published in 2006.
This Strategy was finalised following a comprehensive consultative process and was overseen by a group which included representation from three national Traveller organisations. The strategy recommended that both primary and post primary Traveller children should use the mainstream school transport scheme in operation at present and that only in exceptional circumstances, based on special needs, should special transport be provided as a positive action measure.
Consequently, the general terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, including the eligibility requirement that pupils reside 3.2 kilometres or more from their nearest school, is now being applied to all school transport applicants.
Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupils in question do not meet this distance criterion and are therefore not eligible for school transport.
129 Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria that is being used for selection of headquarters for the newly configured vocational educational committees. [21779/11]
Earlier this year my Department invited submissions from the relevant parties on the location of the headquarters for the new VEC entities, resulting from the reduction in the number of VECs from 33 to 16.
At the outset of this process, my Department advised that a fundamental requirement will be the need to ensure that the location of a VEC headquarters will, to the greatest extent possible, facilitate distance requirements under which staff may be redeployed to that location under a redeployment scheme, as envisaged in the Croke Park Agreement. In addition, parties were reminded of the need to operate at lower cost having regard to accommodation available in existing locations.
I am currently giving consideration to the question of where the headquarters of the new entities will be located. The outcome of these deliberations will be announced in the coming period.
130 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list, on a county basis, the numbers of special needs assistants working in schools in the academic year 2009/2010; and the proposed number of SNAs that will be employed in schools, on a county basis, during the new school term, starting from September 2011 onwards. [21820/11]
The information requested by the Deputy on the number of special needs assistants employed in schools on a county basis is not readily available.
The number of Special Needs Assistants employed nationally from 2007 to 2010 is available in the attached document. The details for each year are the December figures for the year in question. The primary schools information is inclusive of the special schools details.
SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in their class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and/or resource teacher. As a result, the allocation of SNAs in each school can alter from year to year. Some schools may receive an increased allocation, while others may experience a reduction because the allocation of supports are provided in line with the needs of individual schools.
The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating special needs resources to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers and special needs assistants will continue to be deployed to schools to meet children's needs in line with my Department's policy.
|
Year |
Number of Special Needs Assistants in Primary schools |
Number of Special Needs Assistants in Post Primary Schools, including VECs. |
|
2007 |
8,038 |
1,786 |
|
2008 |
8,440 |
2,002 |
|
2009 |
8,392 |
1,950 |
|
2010 |
8,401 |
2,142 |
131 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary which has applied for major capital funding; the timeframe for completion of works; the works that has yet to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21824/11]
The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 3 rating.
Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project referred to by the Deputy, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
All large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase are being progressed in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme and the available financial resources. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
132 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary which has applied for major capital funding; the timeframe for completion of works; the works that has yet to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21825/11]
The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for accommodation to cater for the amalgamation of the school to which he refers with another primary school in the town. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 1.4 rating.
Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project referred to by the Deputy, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
All large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase are being progressed in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme and the available financial resources. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
133 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary which has applied for major capital funding; the timeframe for completion of works; the works that have yet to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21826/11]
My Department has no record of an application for major capital funding from the school referred to by the Deputy. This school has been provided with an extension project which was completed in 2002. If the school wishes to request further capital funding towards a specific project, it should complete the appropriate form which can be found on my Department's website, www.education.ie, and forward the completed form to my Department. This form will then be assessed by my Department’s staff and a response will issue to the school when a decision has been made.
134 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school transport (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21832/11]
135 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding children travelling on school buses to a rural school because of the Closed School Rule; if they will still be eligible to travel on the school bus to complete their education; if they have siblings will they be eligible to travel on the school bus to be with their siblings in school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21833/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together.
Changes to the School Transport Schemes, including the ‘Closed School Rule (CSR)', were announced in Budget 2011 and derive from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme.
The change referred to by the Deputy in relation to ceasing the CSR is not scheduled to be introduced until the beginning of the 2012/13 school year. Pupils commencing their primary education from this date will have their eligibility determined by the distance they reside from their nearest national school, as determined by my Department, having regard to language and ethos. A sample survey undertaken as part of the Value for Money Review showed that the majority of pupils are in fact attending their nearest open school, so this change will not have any practical impact on these pupils.
My Department has requested Bus Éireann to conduct a detailed analysis of the "on the ground" impact for individual schools and the rural communities they serve. This analysis will be based on the most up to date information available on current school transport usage patterns and on the final data in relation to school transport requirements in September 2011. Given this fact, I do not expect to have the final details for some weeks yet.
These changes are not due to be implemented until September 2012 and as detailed consideration and assessment will be required it will be some time before this work is completed.
Eligible pupils who are currently availing of school transport services under the CSR will retain their eligibility for the duration of their primary school education cycle.
136 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for building works in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when a decision will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21834/11]
The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating.
Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project referred to by the Deputy, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
All large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase are being progressed in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme and the available financial resources. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
137 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding additional accommodation in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when the project will proceed to the next stage and be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21835/11]
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction on the school building project referred to by him commenced at the end of June.
138 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for capital funding for an extension for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when the project will proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21836/11]
The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 3 rating.
Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project referred to by the Deputy, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
All large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase are being progressed in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme and the available financial resources. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
139 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for building works by a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when a decision will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21837/11]
The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating.
Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project referred to by the Deputy, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
All large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase are being progressed in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme and the available financial resources. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
This school also applied recently to my Department for grant aid towards the provision of additional resource accommodation. Due to the fact that there have been no additional staff appointments at the school, it was not possible to provide funding for the additional accommodation requested.
140 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made in implementing his decision to reopen a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21844/11]
There has been no decision to re-open the school referred to by the Deputy.
The Forward Planning Section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. This study has been conducted using data from the Central Statistics Office, the General Register Office and the Department of Social Protection and with reference to recent schools' enrolment data.
School accommodation requirements in the area referred to by the Deputy have been considered as part of this study and the analysis indicates there will be no requirement for significant additional accommodation in the short to medium term. It is not envisaged that the school referred to will be re-opened.
141 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of pupils attending primary school by county in 2010; the number of special needs assistants positions by county; the number of remedial teachers by county; the number of pupils attending special schools by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21860/11]
Data in relation to the 2010/11 school year are not currently available. They will be available on my Department's website in September.
The number of pupils attending primary and special schools by county in 2009/10 is available in table 2.18 of the Annual Statistical Report which can be found on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?pcategory=17216&ecategory=46606&language=EN.
In December 2010 there were 8,401 SNA's in primary schools. A breakdown by county is not available. The number of learning support/resource teachers by county in 2009/10 are shown in the following table.
|
County |
Number of Learning Support/Resource teachers in 2009/10 |
|
|
Full-time |
Part-time |
|
|
Carlow |
70 |
6 |
|
Cavan |
85 |
19 |
|
Clare |
177 |
15 |
|
Cork City |
181 |
14 |
|
Cork County |
497 |
81 |
|
Donegal |
199 |
21 |
|
Dublin South County |
307 |
15 |
|
Dublin City |
504 |
52 |
|
Dublin Fingal |
268 |
17 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
187 |
20 |
|
Galway City |
93 |
7 |
|
Galway County |
244 |
43 |
|
Kerry |
170 |
27 |
|
Kildare |
256 |
17 |
|
Kilkenny |
99 |
18 |
|
Laois |
103 |
14 |
|
Leitrim |
39 |
8 |
|
Limerick City |
106 |
5 |
|
Limerick County |
172 |
14 |
|
Longford |
47 |
13 |
|
Louth |
144 |
18 |
|
Mayo |
160 |
18 |
|
Meath |
220 |
22 |
|
Monaghan |
58 |
11 |
|
Offaly |
105 |
17 |
|
Roscommon |
87 |
17 |
|
Sligo |
76 |
7 |
|
Tipperary |
226 |
19 |
|
Waterford City |
59 |
3 |
|
Waterford County |
66 |
20 |
|
Westmeath |
114 |
16 |
|
Wexford |
177 |
34 |
|
Wicklow |
160 |
25 |
|
Total |
5,456 |
653 |
142 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider allowing accredited researchers and genealogists to photograph for research purposes documents including Cancelled Land Books at the Valuation Office, Irish Life Centre, Abbey Street, Dublin 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21676/11]
I have been informed by the Valuation Office that it provides customers with photocopies of extracts from the valuation books and of portions of maps for a modest charge. The income received from the photocopy charge recoups a small fraction of the cost of providing the service. The use of digital cameras without flash may be permitted where special permission has been obtained in advance.
143 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is currently examining any proposals for new public private partnerships; if he will indicate which public private partnerships will proceed in 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21726/11]
My Department is responsible for the overall PPP investment framework, including the framework for the appraisal, assessment, procurement and evaluation of projects. Individual Departments are responsible for the projects and programmes in their areas, within that overall framework. Further details about individual projects can be obtained directly from the relevant Department. The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) provides financial, insurance and risk analysis advice to State Authorities in order to assist in determining the most appropriate procurement mechanism. I understand that to date in 2011 there are five PPPs at various stages of the procurement process of which the NDFA is acting as the procuring authority for three in the education sector. There are a further four PPP projects in the pipeline.
144 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in relation to attendance at Ministerial Councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21511/11]
This Department does not have responsibility for any specific Ministerial Council.
145 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform how he plans to prioritise investment in school buildings, non-national roads, health care; and when this investment will commence. [21682/11]
The Review of Capital Expenditure is currently underway and is running in parallel with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. It is intended that the review will be completed in the autumn. Programmes and projects that support economic recovery will be at the core of the capital review. This review will inform how we our prioritise capital investment programmes in future years. Prioritisation within the schools' building, non-national roads and health care programmes is a matter for the Ministers for Education and Skills, Transport, Tourism and Sport and Health respectively.
146 Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 53 of 14 July 2011, if he will answer the first part of the question and explain the purpose of the Secret Service. [21699/11]
Given the nature of this Vote, it is not the practice to provide detailed information as to how the annual allocation will be spent.
The Appropriation Account of the Vote for the Secret Service is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General in accordance with section 3 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993. The C & AG is furnished with certificates from the responsible Ministers which support the expenditure shown in the account. On the basis of these certificates, the C & AG expresses an opinion in the annual published Appropriation Accounts that the account properly presents the expenditure of the Vote for the particular year concerned. This arrangement has been accepted by the Committee of Public Accounts of the Dáil.
147 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21497/11]
I have recently approved the transfer of the Excellence through People scheme from FÁS to the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). The transfer arrangements provide that the FÁS Excellence through People assessors will provide operational assistance services to NSAI during a transitional period. The assessors will remain the staff of FÁS. The redeployment of the staff after the transitional period is in the first instance a matter for FÁS as the employer of the staff.
148 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will estimate the total number of citizens in employment in Quarter 1, 2007; Q1, 2008; Q1, 2009; Q1, 2010; Q1, 2011, Q1, 2012; Q1, 2013; Q1, 2014; Q1, 2015, and Q1, 2016, when the Government’s term will end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21761/11]
My Department does not collate statistics in relation to numbers in employment. However, following is a table provided to my Department by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) www.cso.ie, which details employment figures for Q1 2007 to Q1 2011. I would also draw your attention to the latest (April 2011) update on the Growth and Stability Pact, available on www.finance.gov.ie, and in particular paragraph 2.6, copied below, which estimates percentage changes in employment to 2015.
|
2010 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
(‘000s) |
% change |
||||||
|
Employment |
1,848 |
-4.2 |
-1.6 |
0.5 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
|
Unemployment Rate (QNHS) |
292 |
13.6 |
14.4 |
13.7 |
12.7 |
11.5 |
10.0 |
|
Labour Productivity (GDP per person employed) |
3.3 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
1.7 |
1.2 |
1.0 |
|
|
Compensation of Employees |
-5.4 |
-1.3 |
1.3 |
3.1 |
4.1 |
4.4 |
|
|
Compensation per Employee |
0.3 |
0.0 |
0.6 |
1.4 |
1.8 |
2.2 |
Source: 2010 — CSO and Department of Finance calculations; 2011-15 — Department of Finance calculations.
|
Persons aged 15 years and over in employment (ILO) |
|||||
|
’000 |
|||||
|
All persons in employment: |
Q1 |
Q1 |
Q1 |
Q1 |
Q1 |
|
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
|
2,088.5 |
2,124.1 |
1,965.6 |
1,857.6 |
1,804.2 |
Data may be subject to future revisionData may be subject to sampling or other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values or estimates of change:Reference Period Q1 — Jan to MarSource — Quarterly National Household Survey, Central Statistics Office:
149 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is concerned at the ongoing deterioration of Irish competitiveness as revealed in the Harmonised Competitiveness Indicators; the steps he and others are taking to improve competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21762/11]
National competitiveness is a broad concept that encompasses a diverse range of factors, including costs to business, and also policy inputs such as education and training, economic and technological infrastructure, and the taxation and regulatory framework. The Harmonised Competitiveness Indicators provide one measure of our competitiveness trends.
The recent report published by the National Competitiveness Council on Costs of Doing Business in Ireland states that Ireland experienced a significant loss in cost competitiveness as measured by the real Harmonised Competitiveness Indicator between 2002 and early 2008. Since 2008, however, we have regained some of this lost competitiveness and Irish competitiveness is now back to 2003 levels. This has been driven by favourable exchange rate movements and lower rates of inflation compared with our competitors.
Our competitiveness has also been improved through a reduction in the costs of doing business. Improvements have been seen in relation to labour costs, property costs, utilities and business services, as highlighted by the National Competitiveness Council in their recent report.
To continue to build on this improvement in our competitiveness, however, the Government recognises that it must put in place structural reforms to our cost base, to ensure that the gains we make are permanent and will not be eroded by a resumption in growth or exchange rate movements.
In this context, I have been in contact with my ministerial colleagues, highlighting the issues which the National Competitiveness Council believes must be addressed to strengthen the competitiveness of our cost base, and asking them to consider those recommendations.
As the Deputy will be aware, on 10th May the Government announced the introduction of a range of measures under the Jobs Initiative to improve the competitiveness of the economy, to support the maintenance of existing jobs and the creation of new ones, and to assist those who are currently unemployed to return to work.
Many of these measures have already been brought into effect, including the reduction of VAT on services primarily in the hospitality sector; the halving of the lower rate of employer's PRSI on earnings up to €356 per week; the launch of the National Internship scheme; and the focusing of the State's capital expenditure towards more employment-intensive projects in the areas of education, local and regional roads and sustainable transport projects. My Department is also currently working on developing a Loan Guarantee scheme and a Microfinance Start up Fund, to improve access to finance for businesses.
I am also continuing to develop proposals for substantial reform of our Sectoral Wage Agreements, as well as working to develop job opportunities in a number of emerging sectors, including Cloud Computing, Digital Gaming, Life Sciences, Medical Devices, Information and Communications Technology, Financial Services, Content Industry, Consumer and Business Services.
I will continue working with my Government colleagues, through the Cabinet Committee structure, to identify actions that can be taken to improve cost competitiveness in other areas, such as commercial rates, legal costs and administrative burdens. The Government will also in the near future legislate to address the commitment in the Programme for Government to abolish upwards only rent reviews in existing business leases.
150 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will ensure that the IDA Ireland Border-area headquarters remains in Cavan town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21777/11]
IDA is an autonomous Agency set up by statute with a mandate to attract foreign direct investment in manufacturing and internationally-traded service industries into Ireland, and to support new and existing FDI operations so as to maximise the related industrial employment, output, exports, economy expenditures including wages, and corporation tax contributions.
The management and location of IDA staff is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function. IDA's Head Office is located in Dublin and the Agency has a number of regional offices throughout the country as well as a network of marketing offices globally. IDA decides where it needs its resources in order that it can meet its strategic goals.
151 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding, by county, allocated to the county enterprise boards for 2010 and 2011; the number of grants offered and taken up; if any county enterprise board did not use its entire budget in 2010, the enterprise board to which it was transferred; the number of feasibility studies that were assisted with grant aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21861/11]
The role of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) is to provide support for micro-enterprises in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. The CEBs deliver a range of tailored Programmes and Supports in order to fulfil this role. The overall priorities for Capital expenditure by the CEBs focus on the promotion and stimulation of entrepreneurship at local level and the development of sustainable growth-orientated micro-enterprises, which, over time, can develop into strong export entities. This is done through the provision of both financial assistance and non-financial assistance.
An annual Exchequer allocation is provided each year for the operation of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs). The Exchequer allocation is made in the context of the overall public finances and in 2011 amounts to €27.242m, of which €15m in Capital is available for direct grants and training, mentoring and advice services to micro-enterprise clients. The bulk of the non-capital allocation to each CEB pays the salaries of the Business Advisors and other staff who provide direct advice and mentoring to client companies. This represents a strong investment in the micro-enterprise sector, notwithstanding the additional level of demand on CEB services generated in the current difficult economic climate.
It is a matter in the first instance for individual CEBs to determine how they will use allocated funds. The CEB Central Coordination Unit (within Enterprise Ireland) works closely with the CEBs throughout the year reviewing individual expenditures to ensure that the funding allocated to the CEBs is utilised to the maximum extent possible. As part of this process the CCU undertakes a surrenders and reallocation process whereby any potential underspend by a CEB is identified and made available to any CEB that has requested additional funding. Any monies surrendered are not transferred from one specific CEB to another but are pooled and reallocated as part of an impartial reallocation process. Some CEBs may not be in a position to spend the totality of their annual allocation when for example an approved grant is decommitted very late in the year in circumstances where the grantee is unable to draw down the grant within the time available. If this arises in the very limited circumstances where the money cannot be reallocated the money is surrendered to the Exchequer.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in tabular format following. Data breakdown of Feasibility Study/Innovation Grants paid for 2010 has not been available from the information available to the Department but is being sourced and will be supplied separately to the Deputy.
|
CEB |
Final 2010 Current Budget Allocation |
Final 2010 Capital Budget Allocation |
Total 2010 Final Budget Allocation |
2011 Current Budget Allocation |
2011 Capital Budget Allocation |
Total 2011 Budget Allocation |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Carlow |
352,808 |
439,655 |
792,463 |
348,881 |
344,532 |
693,412 |
|
Cavan |
403,455 |
469,606 |
873,061 |
398,290 |
358,658 |
756,948 |
|
Clare |
287,130 |
414,531 |
701,662 |
295,577 |
407,230 |
702,807 |
|
Cork City |
392,470 |
525,159 |
917,629 |
382,732 |
415,991 |
798,723 |
|
Cork North |
156,781 |
300,918 |
457,699 |
176,998 |
376,032 |
553,029 |
|
Cork South |
423,015 |
763,368 |
1,186,384 |
444,889 |
518,371 |
963,261 |
|
Cork West |
358,427 |
417,191 |
775,618 |
381,355 |
357,320 |
738,674 |
|
Donegal |
430,007 |
726,196 |
1,156,203 |
424,451 |
444,801 |
869,252 |
|
Dublin City |
445,469 |
1,146,082 |
1,591,551 |
443,597 |
816,172 |
1,259,769 |
|
Dublin South |
364,820 |
730,637 |
1,095,457 |
335,679 |
547,922 |
883,601 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/ Rathdown |
445,222 |
799,957 |
1,245,179 |
440,489 |
493,194 |
933,683 |
|
Fingal |
372,033 |
681,709 |
1,053,742 |
366,028 |
540,739 |
906,767 |
|
Galway |
323,208 |
743,667 |
1,066,875 |
264,682 |
532,129 |
796,810 |
|
Kerry |
360,892 |
666,432 |
1,027,324 |
345,829 |
437,115 |
782,944 |
|
Kildare |
354,601 |
427,345 |
781,946 |
360,629 |
485,225 |
845,853 |
|
Kilkenny |
345,745 |
432,923 |
778,668 |
350,394 |
383,029 |
733,423 |
|
Laois* |
298,659 |
329,459 |
628,118 |
288,322 |
361,820 |
650,142 |
|
Leitrim |
346,516 |
350,030 |
696,546 |
324,211 |
322,392 |
646,603 |
|
Limerick City |
369,846 |
412,209 |
782,055 |
365,488 |
346,798 |
712,286 |
|
Limerick County |
323,599 |
536,845 |
860,444 |
336,571 |
428,508 |
765,079 |
|
Longford |
283,591 |
365,909 |
649,500 |
277,743 |
328,021 |
605,764 |
|
Louth |
437,985 |
445,220 |
883,205 |
429,700 |
407,558 |
837,259 |
|
Mayo |
275,136 |
437,596 |
712,731 |
198,803 |
420,565 |
619,368 |
|
Meath |
397,755 |
500,777 |
898,532 |
406,973 |
460,907 |
867,880 |
|
Monaghan |
305,280 |
356,738 |
662,018 |
305,674 |
350,375 |
656,049 |
|
Offaly |
363,904 |
362,809 |
726,713 |
354,870 |
365,761 |
720,631 |
|
Roscommon |
261,248 |
343,042 |
604,290 |
199,479 |
353,242 |
552,721 |
|
Sligo |
360,728 |
448,085 |
808,813 |
364,979 |
355,442 |
720,421 |
|
Tipperary North |
352,593 |
356,423 |
709,016 |
353,844 |
360,748 |
714,592 |
|
Tipperary South |
346,901 |
424,840 |
771,741 |
348,451 |
378,541 |
726,992 |
|
Waterford City |
224,108 |
461,190 |
685,298 |
216,561 |
339,771 |
556,333 |
|
Waterford County |
284,013 |
445,647 |
729,659 |
179,272 |
356,806 |
536,079 |
|
Westmeath |
377,172 |
509,116 |
886,288 |
381,995 |
374,532 |
756,527 |
|
Wexford |
300,452 |
557,362 |
857,815 |
299,985 |
428,749 |
728,734 |
|
Wicklow |
402,286 |
551,842 |
954,127 |
413,743 |
423,002 |
836,745 |
|
**Total |
12,127,855 |
17,880,515 |
30,008,370 |
11,807,162 |
14,622,000 |
26,429,162 |
**Figures for 2010 are final allocations for each year (i.e. by year end, after any additional funding or reallocation within the Network have been conducted). Figure for 2011 is the initial allocation for the year
|
2010 |
2011 (Jan-July only) |
Feasibility/ Innovation Grants |
|||
|
CEB |
Number of Grants Approved |
Number of Grants Paid* |
Number of Grants Approved |
Number of Grants Paid* |
Number of Grants Approved/Paid 2011 to date |
|
Carlow |
32 |
30 |
25 |
17 |
6 |
|
Cavan |
29 |
20 |
18 |
5 |
3 |
|
Clare |
37 |
37 |
18 |
19 |
4 |
|
Cork City |
26 |
23 |
10 |
4 |
2 |
|
Cork North |
12 |
7 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
|
Cork South |
20 |
27 |
26 |
13 |
1 |
|
Cork West |
11 |
17 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
|
Donegal |
24 |
26 |
12 |
3 |
5 |
|
Dublin City |
79 |
92 |
29 |
10 |
9 |
|
Dublin Fingal |
34 |
57 |
17 |
20 |
3 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/ Rathdown |
75 |
33 |
29 |
33 |
11 |
|
Galway |
67 |
31 |
19 |
18 |
5 |
|
Kerry |
38 |
51 |
38 |
12 |
5 |
|
Kildare |
32 |
27 |
24 |
27 |
5 |
|
Kilkenny |
25 |
26 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
Laois |
21 |
26 |
17 |
13 |
8 |
|
Leitrim |
26 |
21 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
|
Limerick City |
20 |
30 |
15 |
4 |
4 |
|
Limerick County |
20 |
26 |
22 |
15 |
6 |
|
Longford |
18 |
22 |
13 |
11 |
2 |
|
Louth |
19 |
32 |
20 |
10 |
1 |
|
Mayo |
24 |
20 |
19 |
12 |
8 |
|
Meath |
32 |
29 |
10 |
7 |
0 |
|
Monaghan |
13 |
28 |
12 |
21 |
3 |
|
Offaly |
26 |
20 |
13 |
4 |
2 |
|
Roscommon |
16 |
18 |
8 |
20 |
1 |
|
Sligo |
26 |
23 |
9 |
2 |
1 |
|
South Dublin |
24 |
34 |
15 |
15 |
1 |
|
Tipperary NR |
21 |
19 |
16 |
11 |
2 |
|
Tipperary SR |
20 |
25 |
12 |
3 |
3 |
|
Waterford City |
22 |
31 |
18 |
6 |
3 |
|
Waterford Co. |
35 |
33 |
27 |
8 |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
38 |
43 |
21 |
7 |
5 |
|
Wexford |
41 |
41 |
19 |
7 |
9 |
|
Wicklow |
34 |
36 |
19 |
7 |
7 |
|
Total |
1,037 |
1,061 |
562 |
369 |
129 |
*Number of grants paid may be higher or lower than the number of grants approved — not all approved grants are drawn down by a project promoter, and also as grants are approved on an ongoing basis an approved grant may in some cases be drawn down/paid in the next calendar year
153 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of unemployed persons availing of the FÁS work placement scheme in north-west Dublin; the details of the local employers providing these placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21695/11]
There are no separate figures available for the Dublin north-west region. To date (1 June 2009 to 18 July 2011) there have been 310 starts on the work placement programme in the Dublin north region (Balbriggan, Baldoyle, Blanchardstown, Coolock, Finglas, Swords). These posts have been provided by 213 providers. There are currently 127 participants on the programme in the Dublin north region.
155 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will find the €55 million of savings elsewhere in her departmental budget rather than eroding the progress made for our senior citizens over the past 40 years due to the fact that the proposed reductions will have health implications for people who have insufficient fuel for their needs over the winter period. [21819/11]
I have no plans to reconsider the changes to the fuel allowance and household benefits package which were announced last week. From September 2011 the fuel allowance is to be standardised at €20 per week, the rate currently received by the majority of customers, with no additional allowance for living in a smokeless area. The cost of the telephone allowance will be reduced following negotiations with Eircom which will ensure that customers receive €26.86 of value on their bills, at a cost to the State of €22.22 per month. The number of free units provided under the electricity and gas allowance will be reduced to the level at the start of 2007 (from 2,400 to 1,800). These three measures will generate savings of €17 million in 2011 and €65 million annually.
While we have had to implement these measures, the House should be aware that these savings were provided for last December in Budget 2011 but were not specified or announced by the Government at that time.
While of course we want to protect the basic social welfare payments which have very positive economic and social effects, regrettably there is an ongoing necessity to achieve savings due to our commitments with the IMF/EU/ECB Troika. There will be an ongoing necessity to curtail overall expenditure in 2012 and in later years. The Comprehensive Review of Expenditure currently underway in all government departments and agencies will form the basis for making the necessary decisions to achieve this.
Along with other Departments and agencies, my Department has been working with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on an Affordable Energy Strategy and this is expected to be brought to Government in the Autumn. Energy poverty is a factor of income, energy prices and the thermal efficiency of the home. The most cost-effective means of protecting households from energy poverty is to reduce their consumption of energy through improving the thermal efficiency of the home. The SEI has administered an energy efficiency programme for privately owned low income households (Warmer Homes) since 2001. Over 65,000 such households have benefited to date, with a further 15,000 expected to receive energy efficiency upgrades this year. A similar upgrade programme is also in place for local authority houses.
156 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection, further to Parliamentary Question No. 253 of 12 July 2011, if she will make a statement on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [21444/11]
Qualified adult dependants, aged 25 and over, of eligible persons may avail of the spousal swap option. This involves the person exchanging his/her FÁS place with his/her dependant with the dependant inheriting the entitlements of the eligible person. Essentially, a person who is offered a position on a relevant FÁS scheme can choose not to avail of it and offer the opportunity instead to their qualified spouse/civil partner/cohabitant.
With respect to a placement on a community employment (CE) scheme, which I understand is involved in this case, the situation arises where a person in receipt of jobseeker's allowance is offered a CE place. They can choose not to take up the place by offering it to their dependent spouse/civil partner/cohabitant. They then become the dependent adult for the duration of the CE engagement.
As a result of this transfer of dependency status the original claimant becomes ineligible for jobseeker's allowance as a primary claimant.
157 Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff that are employed as community welfare officers (details supplied) both part and full time; her plans to reduce these numbers in the immediate future; if so, the number of same; if she will make provision for the allocation of temporary staff as they are needed over the coming months; if the JobBridge initiative is applicable for these positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21450/11]
I understand that the Deputy's office has confirmed to my office that this question relates solely to the operation of the central Rents Unit in Dublin.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is currently administered on behalf of the Department by the Community Welfare Services division of the Health Service Executive. Late last year agreement was reached between the Health Service Executive (HSE) and unions representing the Community Welfare Officers that the staff of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) would transfer to the Department of Social Protection with effect from 1st January 2011 on a secondment basis initially. The period of secondment is to last for 9 months until the end of September 2011. During this period these staff will remain employees of the HSE but are subject to the general direction and control of the Minster for Social Protection. From 1 October 2011 it is intended that the staff of the CWS will be transferred fully to the Department as civil servants and will be accountable to the Minister in the same way as other civil servants.
Historically rent supplements have been administered locally by the Community Welfare Officer (CWO) directly to the customer. However, as a result of a large increase in claims being made in recent years and the restriction on staff recruitment in the service, it was decided that priority had to be given to the demand on the local service for claims where an immediate decision was needed such as basic payments and exceptional needs payments. It was considered that rent supplement claims could be delivered more efficiently through centralised units. A unit to provide this service was set up on the North side of Dublin in December 2010 to take claims from Balbriggan, Swords and other areas of North Dublin where a large increase in demand for rent supplement had been experienced. As the Deputy is aware it is a matter for all Departments and public sector organisations to continue to manage services with diminishing resources taking advantage of business re-engineering possibilities as provided for in the Public Service Agreement 2010 — 2014.
I have been advised that a number of staff in the CWS were employed in a temporary capacity by the HSE in 2010 for a period of six months, including some of the staff in the rent unit in question. These contracts were subsequently extended to June 2011 from when they are being gradually withdrawn.
A number of Transition Managers have been appointed from within the Community Welfare Service, to work with the Department of Social Protection to oversee the transfer of the service to the Department and to manage the day to day administration of the service. The relevant Transition Managers are currently in the process of examining the service implications arising from the loss of these temporary staff, in particular from the rent units. They are also examining the model being used to deliver the service to ensure that the most efficient process will be used to improve service delivery. Further initiatives are also proposed which will result in process improvement with a realignment of resources. There are no plans at present to allocate additional temporary staff to this unit.
To avail of job-bridge, the national internship scheme, applicants must be currently in receipt of certain jobseeker's payments and have been unemployed for a minimum period of 78 days in the preceding six months. Potential providers of internship (host organisations) approach FÁS who will assess the vacancies to ensure that they are appropriate for the scheme.
One of the conditions of the national internship scheme is that no vacancies exist in the area in which the internship is being offered as such the positions in question would not qualify for inclusion in the scheme.
158 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a back to school clothing and footwear application 2011 form in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when a decision will be made; if it is anticipated the application will be successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21458/11]
The administrative arrangements for the 2011 back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme differ from those that applied in previous years. For this year, the majority of back to school clothing and footwear allowance entitlements were fully automated with no application form required from customers. For some people on the basis of the information available it was not possible to establish entitlement. These customers are required to complete an application form that is available for download from www.welfare.ie or by texting “Form BTSCFA”, followed by their name and address to 51909.
Processing has begun on the manual applications already received and it will take 4-6 weeks to process applications. In all cases a letter will issue to applicants informing them of the decision and, where payment has been awarded, when and where they can collect the payment. In the case of refusal of the allowance the procedures for review of the decision will be outlined to customers.
Due to the large volume of applications received, information regarding the receipt, progress or likely outcome of individual applications will not be available until such time as the applications have been examined and a decision taken.
159 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect to be called for an oral hearing. [21462/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case.
There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department has made a further 9 additional appointments to the office in recent weeks.
While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
160 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect a decision. [21463/11]
An application for carer's allowance from the person concerned was received on the 18 May 2011. On completion of the necessary investigations of all aspects of his case a decision will be made and he will be notified directly of the outcome.
161 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will be called for an oral hearing. [21464/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case.
There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department has made a further 9 additional appointments to the office in recent weeks.
While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
162 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect to be called for an oral hearing. [21466/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 June 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Social Welfare Services on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
163 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect a decision. [21467/11]
An application for carer's allowance from the person concerned was received on the 21 April 2011. The file was sent to the department's investigative branch for confirmation that all the conditions necessary for receipt of carer's allowance are satisfied. On completion of the necessary investigations, a decision will be made and she will be notified directly of the outcome.
164 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect a decision. [21468/11]
An application for domiciliary care allowance was received on 22nd September 2010. This application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued to the person concerned on 19th October 2010 advising her of the decision to refuse the allowance.
In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds, the applicant may submit additional information and/or ask for the case to be reviewed or they may appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The person concerned submitted further information and an appeal was registered by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 5th July 2011. As part of the appeals process, the application and the additional information is currently being reviewed by a Medical Assessor.
165 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect a decision. [21469/11]
An application for carer's allowance from the person concerned was received on the 26 April 2011. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of her case a decision will be made and she will be notified directly of the outcome.
166 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect a decision. [21473/11]
An application for carer's allowance from the person concerned was received on the 4 May 2011. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of her case a decision will be made and she will be notified directly of the outcome.
167 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect a decision. [21474/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 29 March 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 03 May 2011 and the appeal will be referred to an Appeals Officer, in due course, who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
168 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when this person will expect a decision. [21475/11]
An application for carer's allowance from the person concerned was received on the 2 February 2011. His application was refused on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full-time care and attention. Further medical evidence was submitted to the department and, on completion of the review of this new information, he will be notified directly of the outcome.
169 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision in relation to their application for back to school allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21485/11]
The administrative arrangements for the 2011 back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme differ from those that applied in previous years. For this year, the majority of back to school clothing and footwear allowance entitlements were fully automated with no application form required from customers. For some people on the basis of the information available it was not possible to establish entitlement. These customers are required to complete an application form that is available for download from www.welfare.ie or by texting “Form BTSCFA”, followed by their name and address to 51909.
Processing has begun on the manual applications already received and it will take 4-6 weeks to process applications. In all cases a letter will issue to applicants informing them of the decision and, where payment has been awarded, when and where they can collect the payment. In the case of refusal of the allowance the procedures for review of the decision will be outlined to customers.
Due to the large volume of applications received, information regarding the receipt or progress of individual applications will not be available until such time as the applications have been examined and a decision taken.
170 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an carer’s allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if she will expedite a decision. [21492/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 February 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 30 May 2011 and the appeal will be referred to an Appeals Officer, in due course, who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
171 Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will receive an oral appeal hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21496/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16 March 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 04 July 2011 and the appeal will be referred to an Appeals Officer, in due course, who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
172 Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection, further to Parliamentary Question No. 288 of 3 May 2011, if there has been further progress with her plans for community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21528/11]
As I have previously indicated to the House, I do not envisage any change in the community employment programme that would impact on the nature or range of services delivered given the important supports that are provided locally and the training and employment opportunities afforded by the programme.
With respect to the commitment to reform local government contained in the Programme for Government, work is ongoing under the lead of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government which will include consideration of a realignment of a number of functions now performed by a range of existing agencies, including community employment. You will appreciate that such realignment of functions will require significant planning and consultation before any proposal in respect of community employment can be considered.
173 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal of illness benefit claim in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [21549/11]
Payment of illness benefit, to the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. An appeal was opened and in the context of that appeal, his case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in the light of this second medical opinion, that office decided to afford him an opportunity of setting out the complete and up to date grounds of his appeal. On receipt of his response the relevant departmental papers will be requested from the Department and the appeal will then be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister of Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
174 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21563/11]
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, following receipt of the grounds of appeal from the person concerned, the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been sought. On receipt of its response the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
Question No. 175 withdrawn.
176 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make a statement on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [21587/11]
I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the person concerned was afforded the opportunity of setting out the complete and up to date grounds of her appeal including any further medical evidence in support of her appeal, by letter dated 23 March 2011. The current position is that the Appeals Office is still awaiting a response from her.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
177 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a mortgage interest supplement in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; if same is being paid; the amount of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21602/11]
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned had previously been in receipt of mortgage interest supplement which ceased on 18 July 2009 as the person concerned had secured a moratorium on her repayments at that time. The HSE further advised that the person concerned has been requested to make a new application for mortgage interest supplement. A decision will be made on her entitlement when the application form has been submitted to the HSE.
178 Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21610/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case.
There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department has made a further 9 additional appointments to the office in recent weeks.
While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
179 Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an application for unemployment benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21615/11]
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
180 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the categories of social welfare recipients that will be required to produce photographic identification in order to pick up their payments from post offices from the week starting 18 July 2011; if her Department is issuing free photographic identification; if so, the timeframe for same; and how persons who do not have photographic identification will collect their cheques. [21648/11]
An Post, with a network of 1,160 Post Offices and a further 181 postal agencies, is the principal agency through which payments are delivered to social welfare customers. The prevention of fraud and abuse is a vital priority for this Department and An Post, acting as our agent to make payments, is required to ensure that payment is only made to the person who is entitled to receive it.
It has always been a requirement of this Department that An Post staff satisfy themselves as to identity of the person presenting at the post office for payment. From time to time An Post has issued instructions reminding their staff of this requirement. The latest instruction from An Post to its staff reinforces previous instructions and sets out that there is an absolute requirement to seek ID from an individual if the counter staff member performing the transaction does not know for certain that the person seeking the payment is the individual named on the card for which the payment is sought or if the person is validly authorised as an agent to collect the payment. Acceptable forms of identification are a valid Passport, a valid Driving Licence, a Garda National Age Card or a Travel Pass accompanied by Photo ID. The identification requirements apply equally to those cashing a social welfare cheque as those using the social welfare services card to access their electronic payment. All claimants, of whatever scheme they are on, may be asked for proof of identification on collection of a payment from a post office, where they are not known to the counter staff.
he Department has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, the specifications for a Public Services Card (PSC) under the Standard Authentication Framework Environment, or SAFE, programme. The specification provides for identification features, including a photograph. The aim is to develop a card that acts as a key for access to public services in general, identifying and authenticating individuals as appropriate and where required. Registration has commenced and it is expected that cards will begin to issue later this year. There is no charge to the customer for this card.
181 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an oral hearing arranged in respect of a person (details supplied) was cancelled; and if another early date will be set for the hearing. [21660/11]
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the person concerned cancelled the oral hearing arranged for 29 June 2011 as he was not available to attend on that day. The person concerned has been advised that the hearing will be re-scheduled and he will be informed when the arrangements have been made.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
182 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal for disability allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [21668/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 13 July 2011 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the Social Welfare services on the matter raised in the appeal have been sought. In that context, an assessment by another Medical Assessor will be carried out.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
183 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection when payment of arrears of carer’s allowance will be paid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [21671/11]
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the evidence, including that adduced at an oral hearing, has disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
184 Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Social Protection when arrears of disability allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21679/11]
The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 15 September 2010. His claim was referred to one of the department's medical assessors who was of the opinion that the person was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and his claim was refused. The person was notified in writing of this decision on 15 January 2011.
The person subsequently appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. Based on the evidence before him the appeals officer found that the person concerned was not substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment by reason of a specified disability within the meaning of Social Welfare legislation and the appeal was not allowed. The applicant was notified of this decision in writing by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 27 June 2011. An appeal officer's decision is final and conclusive in the absence of any fresh facts or evidence
185 Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Social Protection when a carer’s allowance application will be processed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21683/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department has made a further 9 additional appointments to the office in recent weeks.
While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
186 Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21690/11]
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case.
There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department has made a further 9 additional appointments to the office in recent weeks.
While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
187 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Tús programme places available locally in north-west Dublin; the community organisations availing of those places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21693/11]
Tús is a community work placement initiative with the objective of providing up to 5,000 short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. This initiative will improve the work readiness of people on the Live Register with a clear focus on providing work placements. The initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht areas — referred to as Implementing Bodies. Each Implementing Body has been given an allocation based on the level of persons on the Live Register meeting the criteria for Tús within its area of operation.
Three Implementing Bodies cover Dublin North West with an allocation of 180 participants and nine supervisory staff. These bodies are charged with the phased roll-out of Tús in their area with the aim of achieving full implementation by the end of the first quarter in 2012. Responsibility for promoting, identifying and evaluating suitable work placements rests with each Implementing Body. A central database of organisations applying to offer work placements is not held. I have had enquiries made with the relevant Implementing Bodies and they have indicated that 53 organisations have expressed an interest in providing 96 work placements. The total number of work placements evaluated to date by the Implementing Bodies is 40 with 24 of these ready to receive personnel.
188 Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection, in view of recent investigations into social welfare fraud, the amount that can be deducted from convicted fraudsters under current legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21698/11]
The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. A four-pronged control strategy has been adopted by the Department, namely prevention of fraud and error at the initial claim stage, early detection through effective review of claims in payment, measures to deter fraud, and the pursuit and recovery of overpayments.
Where overpayments occur, the Department seeks to recover the overpayments in full. In cases of serious fraud, the Department will use all legal avenues open to it to recover the money defrauded.
There is no general prohibition on claiming welfare payments where a person has a conviction, even a social welfare conviction. However, if the sentence involves a period in prison, then s/he would not be entitled to claim any welfare payment for the period of imprisonment.
Under current social welfare legislation and regulations, the basic rate of subsistence to meet the needs of a person, is the basic Supplementary Welfare rate (SWA). The current weekly rate of SWA is €2 less than most main social welfare payments. Persons who have been found guilty of welfare fraud may receive the basic rate of supplementary welfare, provided they fulfil the statutory conditions in the normal manner. Therefore, in cases where a person has no income other than a social welfare payment, the Department can deduct €2 per week in respect of the overpayment. However, depending on the person's means and circumstances, amounts greater than this can be recovered. The Department makes every effort to recoup overpayments in full from all customers.
There is legislative provision which allows for the amount of any other social welfare payment that the person could have qualified for during the period in which the overpayment occurred, to be offset against the amount of that overpayment. However, I introduced an amendment in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, which was signed into law last month. legislation to ensure that persons who defraud the social welfare system — and who have an overpayment — do not get the benefit of this "offsetting" arrangement.
This new legislative provision ensures that the offsetting of other potential social welfare entitlements during the period in which an overpayment occurred, will only apply to cases where the overpayment did not arise as a result of the person defrauding the social welfare system.
189 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent that she has examined the impact of the economic downturn on various persons who may not, for whatever reason, qualify for a social welfare payment; the strategy she will put in place to meet such circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21780/11]
There are already adequate safeguards in the social protection system to qualify for a social welfare payment if they are of limited means. Many employees can establish an entitlement to a social insurance payment if they become unemployed on the basis of contributions paid by them and their employer. Employees with children in low-wage employment may qualify for family income supplement. Self-employed workers can apply for the means-tested jobseeker's allowance if their business ceases or if they are on low income as a result of a downturn in demand for their services. In general, their means will take account of the level of earnings in the last twelve months in determining their expected income for the following year. In the current climate, account is taken of the downward trend in the economy.
Furthermore, the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to any persons in the State , subject to qualifying conditions, whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. SWA provides a minimum weekly allowance to eligible persons who have insufficient means. Those eligible for assistance under the SWA scheme are normally in receipt of a social welfare or Health Service Executive payment. Certain qualified persons with low incomes may also be entitled to a weekly supplement to meet specific needs such as rent or mortgage interest supplement, diet supplement, heating supplement, or a once off payment to help with the cost of any exceptional needs they may have which they could not reasonably be expected to meet from their own resources. There is also provision for an urgent needs payment whereby someone who is normally excluded from payment of SWA may qualify for a payment (e.g. because of fire or flood).
190 Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for supplementary welfare allowance will be determined in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21821/11]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The HSE has advised that a weekly supplementary welfare allowance of €370.40 has been awarded to the household in question since February 2011. A back to school clothing and footwear allowance of €400 issued to the spouse of the person concerned on 23rd June 2011. The HSE has further advised that a decision on mortgage interest supplement entitlement will be made once the documentation requested by the community welfare officer has been received.
193 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects to increase the budget for her Department under various headings in the coming year in order to combat the impact of the economic downturn over the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21848/11]
197 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the anticipated percentage increase in the social welfare budget in the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21852/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 197 together.
The appropriate level of overall expenditure by my Department in 2012 will be considered in the context of the Budget to be announced later this year. This consideration will be informed by the commitments in the Programme for Government and the overall necessity to curtail overall Government expenditure.
194 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the number applying for various payments administered by her Department increased in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21849/11]
195 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she has been able to shorten the time taken to assess eligibility for various social welfare payments paid by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21850/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together.
This information in relation to applications for the main schemes within my Department and average weeks to award an application is set out in the following tabular statement.
The number of applications for Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance fell in June 2011, compared to June 2010, and the average time taken to decide claims for these payments was less in June 2011 than it was in June 2010. Taken together, these claims accounted for about half of all the claims received in the Department in the period in question.
|
Applications |
Average Weeks to Award |
|||
|
Jun-11 |
Jun-10 |
Jun-11 |
Jun-10 |
|
|
Jobseeker’s Benefit |
21,050 |
24,896 |
2 |
2 |
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
25,258 |
28,205 |
4 |
5 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
1,460 |
1,432 |
17 |
16 |
|
Illness Benefit |
25,554 |
23,400 |
2 |
1 |
|
FIS (new claims) |
1,792 |
1,653 |
15 |
11 |
|
FIS (renewals) |
2,091 |
1,930 |
17 |
11 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
1,074 |
1,678 |
13 |
8 |
|
Disability Allowance |
1,893 |
1,384 |
17 |
12 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
1,090 |
528 |
n/avail |
10 |
|
State Pension Contributory |
2,900 |
3,274 |
5 |
12 |
|
State Pension Transition |
1,981 |
1,402 |
5 |
5 |
|
Widow(er)’s Contributory Pension |
737 |
805 |
2 |
3 |
|
State Pension Non-Contributory* |
820 |
758 |
15 |
10 |
|
Widow(ers) Non Contributory Pension |
67 |
61 |
9 |
13 |
|
Household Benefits |
8,452 |
9,014 |
2 |
3 |
|
Free Travel |
769 |
856 |
5 |
4 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
488 |
558 |
9 |
8 |
|
Child Benefit Domestic (family) |
2,577 |
2,695 |
2 |
3 |
|
Child Benefit EU |
126 |
133 |
41 |
n/avail |
|
Maternity Benefit |
4,988 |
4,537 |
n/app |
n/app |
*Due to a change in IT systems and reporting mechanisms data for State Pension Non-Contributory June 2011 is not readily available. This figure is based on an average year to date monthly total.
196 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans regarding persons most recently self-employed but who otherwise have a full record of social welfare contributions but who may have to retire on ill-health grounds in view of the fact that such persons at present only qualify for a means tested payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21851/11]
A self-employed person, who previously had Class A contributions, may still have access to short-term social insurance schemes for a limited period of time, where they have the required number of paid Class A contributions in the relevant tax year. The relevant tax year is the second last complete contribution (tax) year prior to the date on which a claim for benefit is made. Thereafter a self-employed worker has access to social assistance-based payments, such as disability allowance, subject to a means test, if they are on low income as a result of a downturn in demand for their services or should their business cease.
Contributions previously paid at Class A together with PRSI paid as a self-employed contributor will both be reckonable to establish entitlement to the Contributory State Pension upon retirement.
198 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the action, if any, she proposes to take to speed up the process for the determination of eligibility of rent and mortgage support applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21853/11]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) provides for a supplement to be paid in respect of rent or mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is currently administered by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department.
Each application for mortgage interest supplement is determined by a community welfare officer taking account of the relevant legislative provisions and on the basis of the merits of each individual case. The timescale for determining applications for rent and mortgage interest supplements is dependent, among other things, on the availability of the required information, such as details of the applicant's income, bank statements, information from landlords, lending institutions etc. In addition, some aspects of the applications are inevitably time consuming and delays can occur where further investigations or third party evidence is required. Delays can also arise if the applicant is slow to respond to requests for additional information. Historically rent supplements have been administered locally by the Community Welfare Officer directly to the customer. However, as a result of a large increase in claims being made in recent years and the restriction on staff recruitment in the service, it was decided that priority had to be given to the demand on the local service for claims where an immediate decision was needed such as basic payments and exceptional needs payments. It was considered that rent and mortgage interest supplement claims could be delivered more efficiently through centralised units.
A number of Transition Managers have been appointed from within the Community Welfare Service and are currently examining the models being used to deliver rent and mortgage interest supplement claims to ensure that the most efficient process is used with a view to improving service delivery.
The provision of a prompt service is a major objective; however this has to be achieved in a manner that is consistent with the demands of natural justice and the need to ensure that every case is fully investigated. While certain cases may take more time to process than others, overall, the Department is satisfied that the CWS makes every effort to decide rent and mortgage interest supplement claims in an efficient, effective and timely manner.
199 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if habitual residency clause criteria, as applied here to persons born in the UK, is similarly applied to Irish persons applying for social welfare payments in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21854/11]
In the UK the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) is a two stage test, the first part being a test of the right to reside in the UK or other part of the Common Travel Area (which includes the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and the Republic of Ireland) and the second part being a test of habitual residence in the place where right of residence is held. The first part of the test is applied to everyone who claims Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based), State Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
The second part of the test (actual habitual residence) is only applied to people who have a right to reside and who have arrived or returned to live in the UK within 2 years of claiming these benefits. People who demonstrate a right to reside but who have been in the UK for more than 2 years are not subject to the second part of the test. Habitual residence is not defined in UK law and each case must be considered on its own merits. When applying the second part of the test decision makers take into account various factors including reasons for going to the UK, any previous work in the UK and intention to remain.
An Irish national (or passport holder) returning to the UK, or going to the UK for the first time has a right to reside in the Common Travel Area (CTA). They will need to satisfy the second step of the HRT only if they are going to the UK from outside the CTA and are not resuming earlier residence in the UK( i.e. they are taking up residence in the UK for the first time).
It is understood that the EU Commission is considering a challenge to the manner in which the UK condition is applied, with particular reference to the right to reside condition.
200 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when it is likely that all appeals pending can be determined within a reasonable time, with particular reference to those on appeal in respect of carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21855/11]
I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the number of appeals waiting to be processed at present is 19,525 (a reduction of some 1,500 since July 2010), of which 1,681 refer to carer's allowance.
These figures must be seen against a background where there has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 32,432 in 2010. Current indications are that, while there now appears to be a slight drop in the number of appeals being received in 2011, the annual intake is still likely to be close to 30,000 for the year.
In an effort to reduce the backlog of appeals, the Department has made 9 additional appointments to the office in recent weeks. These assignments will augment the 3 appointments made to the Office in 2010, bringing the total number of Appeals Officers serving in the office to 29. In addition, since July 2010, 8 retired Appeals Officers, equating to a further 3 full-time officers, have been assisting on a strictly part-time basis with the backlogs of appeals and it is intended that they will be employed until the end of the year.
Some 3,000 cases, registered prior to 31/12/10, have been ring-fenced and a team of 10 of the Office's most experienced Appeals Officers have been freed from all other work in the Office and will concentrate on clearing this backlog. This project commenced on July 1st.
In addition to these measures, more emphasis is now placed on dealing with appeals on a summary basis so as to increase productivity. As a result, the number of appeals dealt with by way of oral hearing was reduced from 42% for the first 6 months of 2010 to just over 30% for the same period in 2011.
As a result of the various initiatives taken, 10,540 decisions were made by Appeals Officers in the first six months of 2011, in comparison to 6,043 for the same period in 2010.
Overall, it is expected that the increase in the number of decisions being made by Appeals Officers will continue and this, combined with the slight reduction in the numbers received should lead to on-going reductions in the backlog of appeals.
201 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he has an inventory of the art collections held by the various covered financial institutions; if he will request the compilation of such an inventory, which could then be made available to the various cultural institutions of the State; his views on that the State should be given first option to take possession of objects contained in these art collections that may be of interest to the people before any commercial disposal of these assets due to the cost that has been borne by the people in rescuing these institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21635/11]
There has been a considerable engagement by my Department with a number of Irish financial institutions in relation to their art collections. Allied Irish Banks Plc, which has collected a considerable collection of art, is actively engaged with my Department to review its lending policy and to explore other means by which the public might have greater access to the collection. My Department will continue with that process. In relation to Bank of Ireland, donations were made to the Irish Museum of Modern Art after a request from my Department. In addition, Anglo Irish Bank has recently made a donation of 18 important artworks to the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
202 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in attendance at ministerial councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21503/11]
The Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Dinny McGinley, has responsibility for the Gaeltacht and the islands, which includes responsibility for the Irish language.
Minister of State McGinley attended a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in language sectoral format on 7 July 2011 in Armagh. The meeting was chaired by myself and was also attended by Ms. Carál Ní Chuilín, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland, and Mr. Jonathan Bell, Junior Minister at the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
During the period in question, there were no Ministerial Council meetings in an EU context that related to my Department's functional areas.
203 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will make a budget available to Donegal’s offshore islands in the years 2012 to 2015, inclusive; his proposals for a fair and sustainable budget for the Donegal islands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21618/11]
Considerable progress has been made in recent years with regard to the development of our offshore islands. As a result of funding from my Department, a range of subsidised transport services are provided to inhabited islands, consisting of ferry, air, bus and freight services. The number of subsidised services has increased from seven services in 1997 to in excess of twenty services in 2011. In addition, my Department also funds the management of the three airports on the Aran Islands.
During the period 1997 to 2010, in the region of €120m of expenditure was approved through my Department for island infrastructure. As a result of this investment, island life has improved considerably. Indeed, the preliminary results from Census 2011 show that the population on many offshore islands has stabilised or increased.
While recognising the significant financial constraints at present, it is my intention to continue to assist to the greatest extent possible in the provision of essential lifeline services to our offshore islands — including the Donegal islands — in the future.
204 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he has been in contact with the British authorities with a view to securing the return of any personal items, papers or other documentation belonging to those who were court-martialed by the British army following the 1916 Rising. [17259/11]
As the Deputy will be aware, there has been a continuing dialogue over recent years both at Government and official level with the British authorities in relation to commemorative initiatives, especially in relation to the Centenary anniversaries that will soon arise.
Reflecting the increasing public interest in this period of Irish history, several suggestions have been made from diverse sources regarding the transfer or repatriation of artefacts and records pertaining to Ireland. I can assure the Deputy that the possibility for such initiatives is being explored.
The Deputy will appreciate that separate and specific consideration is required for each case that arises in this context. I would also emphasise that loans or transfers between national collection institutions are achieved largely through goodwill, reflecting the cordial professional and other relations between the parties. The official dialogue will continue to identify and catalogue the many items in British collections relating to Ireland with the hope that, over time, access can be obtained by interested persons.
205 Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the security arrangements in place for Ministers, senior officials in the civil and public sector, the security forces and Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to prevent any occurrence of telephone hacking; if he will reassure the general public and particularly vulnerable citizens on telephone hacking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20895/11]
I wish to advise the Deputy that the security arrangements to which he is referring are not the responsibility of my Department and therefore I am unable to provide any information on this matter.
With regard to the general question of telephone hacking, it is my view that this is a matter, in the first instance, for An Garda Síochána. I am also aware that the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is considering this matter in terms of unauthorised access to personal information. That Office falls under the remit of the Department of Justice and Equality.
206 Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if, in view of the practice of one British newspaper in hacking telephones of victims of crime or their families, there are any current investigations or complaints, or if his attention has been drawn to any hacking of telephones here; his views regarding same; his further views on the need for legislation to outlaw such practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20894/11]
I am not aware of any current investigations or complaints in relation to the issue referred to by the Deputy. Such investigations would be a matter, in the first instance, for An Garda Síochána and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, which has responsibility for the protection of personal information.
I understand that the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is having discussions with some of the mobile phone operators in relation to this matter with a view to addressing potential problems with the existing voicemail access system.
Consumers can ensure greater security by ensuring that the default access code for voicemail is changed and by deleting messages in their voice mailboxes. I also understand that many new Smart Phone devices have built in privacy managers, which allow the user to customise how the phone manages personal information, and that these settings can be changed at any time and not just when an application is first installed. The use of PIN numbers for access to handsets and voicemail, and, in some instances, encryption of messages, allows users to protect information stored on their phones, such as SMS messages and emails, as well as enabling them to protect personal information, such as voicemails, stored on the telecommunications network.
I recently introduced the European Communities (Electronic Communications Network and Services) (Privacy of Electronic Communications) Regulations which oblige undertakings providing publicly available electronic communications networks or services to safeguard the security of its services and, indeed, it is an offence for such undertakings not to comply with these requirements. Provisions in relation to data breaches have also been strengthened. Responsibility for the enforcement of these measures rests with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.
207 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in attendance at ministerial councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21504/11]
As Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources I have taken responsibility for attendance at Ministerial Council meetings and have attended the Extraordinary EU Energy Council in Brussels on Monday 21 March, Telecoms Council in Brussels on Friday 27 May, the North South Ministerial Council, in Farmleigh House on Friday 10 June, the British Irish Council in London on Monday 20 June and the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh on Monday 4 July 2011.
The Minister of State at my Department, Mr Fergus O'Dowd T.D., as Minister of State with Special Responsibility for the NewERA Project, does not have a direct responsibility for attendance at Ministerial Councils and has not attended any such Councils since the formation of the Government.
208 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the changes announced to the greener homes scheme; the categories of item now included in this scheme; the items that no longer continue to be covered under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21603/11]
209 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the details of the home energy saving scheme; the works that can be grant assisted under this scheme; and any items that have been withdrawn from this scheme. [21604/11]
210 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the size of solar panels that are required to qualify for the better energy scheme; if this represents an increase in the size of solar panels required to qualify for a grant under this scheme compared to previous schemes; if there is any grant available for biomass burners or wood pellet burners; if there has been a reduction in insulation grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21605/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 to 210, inclusive, together.
I announced the launch of Better Energy: the National Upgrade Programme, in early May in the context of the Government’s Jobs Initiative. Better Energy Homes replaces the three existing energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes: the Home Energy Savings Scheme (HES), the Warmer Homes Scheme (WHS) and the Greener Homes Scheme (GHS).
The Better Energy grant levels have been set to ensure that the level of Exchequer support is in line with market prices. The grant levels represent approximately 30% of the cost of each efficiency measure supported under the Programme. Since the GHS and HES schemes were launched in 2006 and 2009, respectively, there have been substantial reductions in the prices being charged for most of the measures covered by the schemes, the exception being external insulation, which is a relatively new technology in Ireland.
Measures supported under Better Energy Programme are those designed to deliver the greatest energy savings, thus maximising the value achieved from the Exchequer allocation. The measures grant-aided under this strand include roof and wall insulation, high efficiency boilers, heating control upgrades and solar thermal. Full details of the grant amounts are contained in the following table.
The Better Energy Homes solar grant is €800 for every eligible home where the installation of the system meets the installation requirements as set out in the Code of Practice, which is itself aligned with the current Building Regulations in this area.
The previous renewable energy grant programme, Greener Homes, provided a pro rata grant based on the area and type of panel installed. Better Energy targets the improvement of the energy efficiency of the housing stock. By setting a performance standard for the solar thermal panel, the grant is appropriately linked to the relevant renewable contribution from the installation.
Support for biomass and wood pellet burners through the Greener Homes Scheme was designed to develop a mature and functioning market, which is now in place. Having achieved its objectives wood pellet, wood gasification and heat pump technologies are no longer grant aided and the Scheme has now closed. Since the launch of the Greener Homes Scheme, funding of over €72m has been provided towards the installation of over 33,000 renewable energy heating systems.
|
Measure |
Support Level € |
|
Roof Insulation |
200 |
|
Cavity wall insulation |
320 |
|
Internal Wall Dry-Lining |
2,000 |
|
External wall insulation |
4,000 |
|
High Efficiency Gas or Oil fired Boiler with Heating Controls Upgrade |
560 |
|
Heating Controls Upgrade |
400 |
|
Solar Thermal |
800 |
|
BER After Upgrade Works (Only one BER grant per home) |
80 |
211 Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that a fair and equitable market will be created between existing wind farms and renewable energy feed-in tariff-supported wind farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21622/11]
212 Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the cost per unit of the PSO levy to finance the wind renewable energy feed-in tariff; if this will be a higher or lower percentage than in our EU partner countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21623/11]
213 Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that the wind renewable energy feed-in tariff is in the best interests of and benefit of the Irish electricity consumer, who pays all the costs, but in the event of surplus income, this is returned to the electricity companies and not refunded to the consumer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21624/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 to 213, inclusive, together.
Ireland is obliged under the EU Renewable Energy Directive to achieve a binding target of 16% of energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020, a five fold increase on 2005. As set out in the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP), the bulk of Ireland's target will be met by the electricity sector. 40% of electricity consumption will come from renewable sources by 2020, and 36% of this will be from wind — the highest proportion in any Member State of the EU. While we have made excellent progress in the electricity sector in recent years, achieving a threefold increase in our electricity consumption from wind over the course of this decade will be challenging.
It is important to maintain a stable and predictable policy framework with respect to the support schemes for renewable energy and apply a cautious approach when considering measures affecting existing investments.
My Department has applied for State Aid clearance to continue to offer REFIT for Gate 3 projects. This application is currently with the European Commission for decision. REFIT operates by providing developers with a guaranteed floor price over a 15-year period. The scheme design was deemed necessary to incentivise sufficient new renewable development. Prior to finalisation of the new REFIT scheme I will be reviewing the arrangements comprehensively with my Department.
Financial institutions are unlikely to be willing to lend substantial amounts to developers to construct new renewable projects if a minimum price cannot be guaranteed, with significant negative implications for project build out, and ultimately for the achievement of our binding EU 2020 renewable targets and to ensure security of supply, improved diversity of energy sources and lower dependence on imported fossil fuels and their price volatility.
In January 2009, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (NIAER) published a study entitled "Impact of High Levels of Wind Penetration in 2020 on the Single Electricity Market (SEM)". The study finds that increasing the level of wind generation on the Irish electricity system may have significant benefits for Irish energy consumers, as well as environmental and economic benefits. One of the findings of the study is that the design of the Single Electricity Market (SEM) in Ireland is robust enough to allow for the entry of a significant amount of new wind generation in the coming years. In that context it is for the SEM Committee to address in its market rules the challenge of ensuring that all generators are reasonably and fairly remunerated in the market while ensuring the most economic prices possible for electricity consumers.
In Feb 2011, EirGrid and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland published a study entitled "Impact of Wind Generation on Wholesale Electricity Costs in 2011". Key Messages from that study show that the wind generation expected in 2011 will reduce Ireland's wholesale market cost of electricity by around €74 million. This reduction in the wholesale market cost of electricity is approximately equivalent to the sum of Public Service Obligation (PSO) costs, estimated as €50 million, and the increased constraint costs incurred, due to wind in 2011. The total cost of generation is the sum of the wholesale cost of electricity, the PSO cost of wind and the dispatch constraint costs. The total cost does not increase with the inclusion of the 2011 wind capacity.
214 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures he proposes to take to address the persistent problem of fuel poverty in society; if he will provide an estimate of the current number of households who are considered to be fuel poor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21765/11]
Enhancing the energy efficiency of low-income homes through structural improvements remains the most effective means of reducing energy poverty. To date, energy efficiency improvements in over 65,000 homes have been made under the Better Energy: Warmer Homes programme.
Better Energy: Warmer Homes provides energy efficiency improvements to homes in, or at risk of, energy poverty and is primarily delivered by 28 community based organisations (CBOs). The CBOs work in partnership with their local network of poverty and community support organisations including public health nurses, MABS and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to identify and address vulnerable homes. Private contractors are also engaged to address areas or technologies not covered by CBOs.
There are two predominant methods of measuring the number of households in energy poverty — the expenditure method and the subjective method. Using the expenditure method, estimates suggest that 301,368 or 19.4% of Irish households may have experienced fuel poverty in 2008. Alternatively, using the subjective method 127,984 households reported that they either couldn't afford to heat their home properly or had to go without heating at some stage in 2008. It is important to note that neither method fully captures the relationship between energy prices, income and the thermal efficiency of the dwelling. As a result, both methods should be considered to only provide a useful indicator of the number of households in energy poverty rather than an exact picture. This matter is addressed in detail in the forthcoming affordable energy strategy.
215 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if concerns have been raised with him over ComReg’s proposal to turn off the 900 MHz GSM voice and text service frequency in 2013; the way it will be replaced; when the regulatory process for the new mobile spectrum will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21766/11]
In accordance with its statutory function under the 2002 and its obligations under EU law, ComReg assigns rights of use for spectrum by way of a licence under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts.
Currently, the 900 MHz frequency spectrum is used to provide GSM (2G) voice and text services in Ireland. New technological developments now allow for innovative broadband services to also be provided in the 900 MHz band. This band is particularly valuable as it covers greater distances than higher frequency bands, allowing modern voice, data and multimedia services to be extended into less populated and rural areas. The provision of voice, data and broadband services are not mutually exclusive and it is anticipated that liberalizing the band will provide a wider range of services for consumers.
In 2009 the EU GSM Directive was adopted to allow the use of this band for electronic communications services additional to GSM. The objective is to allow a wider choice of services and technologies to consumers and to maximise competition in the bands so far covered by the Directive, while ensuring that services remain coordinated.
ComReg has responsibility for the operation and management of spectrum and is independent in its functions. ComReg has consulted openly on its proposal to liberalise and assign rights of use in the 900 MHz band together with the 800 and 1800 MHz bands from January 2013. These public consultations have been ongoing since July 2008 on this important matter. ComReg proposes to assign the rights of usage in this band by way of an auction later in 2011. The process aims to open the band for provision of significantly enhanced mobile broadband services which will deliver tangible benefits for consumers and business. ComReg is not proposing any switch off of voice services in the 900MHz band.
216 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the national digital switchover; when the national information campaign will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21767/11]
A Digital Switchover Steering Group (DSG) has been established to plan, coordinate and deliver switchover from analogue terrestrial TV to digital TV in Ireland by the end of 2012. The Group is chaired by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR) and comprises members from DCENR, RTÉ, RTÉNL, TV3, TG4, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and ComReg.
The Group has developed a digital switchover programme to ensure TV viewers are given the options, information and advice to switch from the analogue terrestrial TV network to a digital TV network or pay TV service, by the date of closure of the analogue TV network in Q4 2012.
RTÉ has built, owns and controls the new national digital TV network which they call Saorview. The RTÉ Saorview digital TV network was launched nationally on 26th May 2011.
RTÉ and the other broadcasters have been, and will continue to, operate a substantial Saorview information and awareness campaign to inform the general public about the availability of the new national digital TV network. In addition RTÉ has established a dedicated website, www.saorview.ie, and a telephone helpline to assist the public to access Saorview.
As Minister, I have promised to deliver a substantial information campaign, including a national telephone helpline, to provide households with information on the digital switchover and on their options for going digital. The tendering process is near completion and it is now envisaged that this national information campaign will start later this year.
217 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rules and guidelines his Department has issued on noise pollution created by home owners and tenants; the measures that exist to enforce them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21442/11]
Section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 provides local authorities with powers to require measures to be taken to prevent or limit noise from any premises, processes and works. The Environment Section of the relevant City or County Council is the appropriate contact point for reporting a noise nuisance in this regard.
In addition, under section 108 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, where any noise is so loud, so continuous, so repeated, of such duration or pitch or occurring at such times as to give reasonable cause for annoyance, then it is open to any person, or group of persons, to bring a complaint to the District Court. The Court may order the person or body making, causing or responsible for the noise to take the measures necessary to reduce the noise to a specified level or to take specified measures for the prevention or limitation of the noise and the person or body concerned must comply with that order.
The procedures involved have been simplified to allow action to be taken without legal representation. A public information leaflet outlining the legal avenues available to persons experiencing noise nuisance is available to download from my Department's website at the following address: http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Noise/PublicationsDocuments/File-DownLoad,1319,en.pdf.
Additional information in relation to addressing noise caused by individuals in private rented accommodation and in relation to noise nuisance caused by local authority tenants is also available to download from my Department's website at the following address: http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Noise/.
218 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the details of the new proposal which will see planning permission required to reclaim land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21459/11]
A judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Case C-66/06 on 20 November 2008 found that Ireland's system of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening for certain categories of agriculture related projects was over-reliant on size thresholds and did not take other relevant criteria (e.g. cumulative impacts of development, location relative to sensitive sites etc.) into account, and that Ireland was therefore in breach of its obligations under the EIA Directive.
The relevant project categories are: (a) projects for the restructuring of rural land holdings (1(a) of Annex II); (b) the use of uncultivated land or semi-natural areas for intensive agricultural purposes, (1(b) of Annex II); and (c) water management projects for agriculture, including irrigation and land drainage projects (1(c) of Annex II).
In preparing its response to this issue, my Department undertook extensive consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Following this collaboration, it was agreed that it would be more appropriate that most of these types of activities — essentially removal of field boundaries, converting semi-natural areas to intensive agriculture and general field drainage works — would be regulated by that Department. Accordingly, it was decided that only development involving the drainage or reclamation of wetlands would be retained in the planning system.
My Department has produced Regulations which reduce the threshold for mandatory environmental impact assessment of drainage/reclamation of wetlands from 20 hectares to 2 hectares, and reduce the threshold above which a planning application is required to 0.1 hectares. The Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 were laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 23 June 2011, and referred to the Joint Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht for consideration. The Committee discussed the Regulations at their meeting of Thursday 14 July, and referred them back to the Houses for approval. It is expected that the Regulations will receive the positive approval of both Houses on 20 July.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is currently preparing Regulations to implement a screening and consent system in relation to the other activities the subject of the judgment, which will therefore be exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission.
It is intended that both sets of Regulations will be signed shortly and that Guidance on the implementation of the Regulations will be issued at the same time by the two Departments.
219 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in attendance at ministerial councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21507/11]
Four EU Environment Council meetings, including two Informal Councils, and two North/South Ministerial Council meetings, for which my Department has responsibility, have taken place since the formation of the Government. While I may call upon Ministers of State from time to time to deputise for me at these meetings, I attended all of the meetings referred to above.
220 Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a sum of €445,000 of regeneration funding is to used for the refurbishment of local authority houses in the Cranmore estate, County Sligo; if any proposal has been made by Sligo Borough Council to use a portion of the remaining regeneration funding for remedial works on private houses in the estate; if private households in the estate will be offered the opportunity to availing of a 50:50 scheme where certain approved remedial or refurbishment works are 50% funded from regeneration funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21522/11]
My Department approved a proposal by Sligo Borough Council to refurbish up to 53 local authority owned houses in the Cranmore estate at an estimated cost of €445,000. Expenditure this year will be met from the €2 million allocation for regeneration.
So far, no proposal has been received from the Borough Council in relation to the improvement of privately owned houses in the estate. It will be a matter for the regeneration masterplanning process to determine the nature and extent of future refurbishment works in the Cranmore estate.
221 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Fingal County Council’s plan to spend €90 million on the construction of a super dump is a valid use of public funds (details supplied); and his views whether the Nevitt super dump is now needed, in view of the economic downturn and the fact that Bord na Móna possesses a landfill at Drehid suitable for use by Dublin Councils. [21532/11]
In accordance with the provisions of the Waste Management Acts, the preparation and adoption of a waste management plan, including matters in respect of infrastructure provision, is the statutory responsibility of the local authority or authorities concerned, and under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996 I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by a local authority, in particular circumstances, of a statutory function vested in it.
Financial considerations in relation to proposed local authority waste infrastructure are primarily a matter for the relevant local authority or authorities, in this instance Fingal County Council.
222 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, in view of widely available civil engineering publications from 1987 (details supplied) all of which warned about the necessity to determine the heave potential of rock containing pyrites, he will explain the method by which the building regulations for structures were and are produced; and the reason testing of engineering fill was not required to screen for heave-inducing pyrite, which could have prevented the devastating structural damage now being experienced by at least 50,000 householders. [21533/11]
The legal requirements for the design and construction of new buildings are set out in twelve parts (classified as Parts A to M) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations. Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) are published to accompany each part in order to demonstrate how compliance with the legal requirements can be achieved in practice. The onus is on the owner and the builder to ensure that all works undertaken are fully compliant with the relevant parts of the Building Regulations.
The key legal requirements relevant to the prevention of the use pyritic material in housing developments are set out in Parts D (Materials and Workmanship) and C (Site Preparation and Resistance to Moisture) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.
Requirement D1 specifies that "All works to which these Regulations apply shall be carried out with proper materials and in a workmanlike manner". Requirement D3 defines "Proper Materials" as "materials which are fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used". It is worth noting that the legal requirements outlined in Part D were applied in the judgement of the High Court delivered on 25 May 2011 in the case of James Elliot Construction Limited -v- Irish Asphalt Limited which found Irish Asphalt Limited liable on all counts for the supply of defective pyritic material. This demonstrates that the legal requirements outlined in Part D are relevant and enforceable where the use of defective pyritic materials in buildings is found to have occurred.
As mentioned in response to previous questions, most recently Question No. 91 of 19 May 2011, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), following an intervention from my Department, published a new amended Standard Recommendation on the use of aggregates as infill for civil engineering and road construction work. The new Standard Recommendation came into effect on 7 December 2007 and it addresses the quality standards of new homes and buildings insofar as problems relating to pyrite are concerned. TGD C (Site Preparation and Resistance to Moisture) was amended to incorporate the revised NSAI Standard Recommendation.
The Building Regulations are kept under ongoing review by my Department in conjunction with the Building Regulations Advisory Body. All proposals for new or amended requirements undergo a rigorous technical analysis and are subject to a comprehensive public consultation process, which includes the completion of a full Regulatory Impact Assessment, before they are signed into law.
223 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons on the social housing waiting list in County Cork; if he will provide a breakdown of same on a county council electoral area basis and by length of time on the list. [21539/11]
A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. Data for the 2011 Assessment of Housing Need are currently being compiled by the Housing Agency and will be published as soon as possible. The last assessment took place in 2008 and indicated that there were 56,249 households in need of social housing support. Detailed information on this assessment, including a breakdown by housing authority, is available on my Department's website —www.environ.ie.
224 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, further to Parliamentary Question No. 147 of 9 June 2011, if he will list all current residential construction commitments of Cork County Council; and if he will list all properties coming on stream through the Part V process. [21540/11]
Cork County Council envisages that over 40 housing units will be delivered under the social housing construction programme over the course of 2011, broken down as follows:
|
Project Name |
Number of Social Housing Units |
|
Gooldshill — Phase 4, Mallow |
16 units |
|
Shanagarry |
6 Units |
|
Ballymacoda |
1 Unit |
|
Slip, Bantry |
8 Units |
|
Knockaneroe, Castletownbere |
1 Unit |
|
Droum, Castletownbere |
6 Units |
|
Kilcrohane — Stage 3, Bantry |
6 Units |
The Council also has a number of financial commitments relating to final payments on completed projects. In terms of the acquisition of Part V properties, the Council has advised that up to 70 units may be acquired in 2011. It is not possible to provide a full list of these properties at this time.
225 Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications received under the 2011 tenant purchase scheme in each local authority area; the number of successful applicants in each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21541/11]
Information regarding to the number of applications received under the 2011 tenant purchase scheme is not yet available in my Department. However, statistics will be published in due course.
226 Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the proposals to extract water from the River Shannon for the midlands and greater Dublin area; if the new water authority has to be set up first; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21553/11]
Dublin City Council has been examining the feasibility of taking water from the River Shannon as a means of providing long-term security of supply in the Dublin region. Consultants working for Dublin City Council have completed a Preliminary Report which addresses this matter and outlines the options examined for source development, the type of treatment to be provided and how the water could be delivered and distributed. The preferred option identified in the report involves abstraction of water from Lough Derg and storing raw water in the midlands. Additional statutory procedures, such as Environmental Impact Assessment, Water Abstraction Order and planning consent, must be completed before such a scheme can proceed to construction.
This scheme is included as a scheme to advance through planning under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012 and will be subject to normal approvals procedures required for capital funding under this programme. The Programme for Government proposes the establishment of a new State-owned water company to be called Irish Water. The Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the European Union and International Monetary Fund commits Ireland to undertaking an independent assessment of the establishment of a water utility. My Department is overseeing an independent assessment of the establishment of the new water company. The assessment is to be completed later this year.
No decision has yet been taken on the functions to be assigned to the new company. The matter will be considered by the Government on completion of the independent assessment. Regardless of what entity is the promoter of the scheme, it must proceed through the statutory procedures outlined above.
227 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he received a request from a county council (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21571/11]
My Department is in discussions with Wicklow County Council regarding flooding problems at Glending Estate, Blessington, Co. Wicklow and is awaiting the Council's final proposal in relation to this issue. This proposal will then be examined by my Department's Housing Inspectorate. The Council has been assured by my Department that funding will be made available for urgent necessary works. There is a further issue of render failure which is the subject of legal proceedings initiated by the County Council. I understand that the Council is also pursuing the responsible parties in relation to a number of other matters such as central heating, leaking flat roofs and guttering.
228 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the proposed new fire station in Glencolmcille in County Donegal will start construction stage; if he has satisfied himself that the existing fire station complies with current standards in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21620/11]
The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981.
My Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy and guidance, and the provision of capital funding, including the recoupment (within the overall funding available) of costs incurred by fire authorities in relation to the approved purchase of fire appliances and emergency equipment as well as construction and upgrading of fire stations.
Donegal County Council, in partnership with my Department, has made substantial progress in modernising fire stations in Co Donegal and has replaced 12 fire stations following investment of some €11 million by my Department over the last decade. The following towns in County Donegal are now served by new fire stations: Milford (1998); Buncrana (2000); Letterkenny (HQ) and An Fál Carrach (both in 2003); Carndonagh and Donegal town (both in 2004); Killybegs (2005); An Clochán Liath, Glenties and Moville (all three in 2007); and most recently Gaoth Dobhair and Stranorlar (2009).
Given the current constraints on public finances, continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as the priority measure in the fire services capital programme at this time. In that context, I recently approved a new programme of joint procurement of 17 fire appliances. Further support from my Department to Donegal County Council under the fire services capital programme in the period ahead, including the provision of a replacement fire station in Gleann Colm Cille, will have regard to the Council's priorities, the extent of previous investment, the value for money offered by proposals, the spread of existing facilities and the totality of demands from fire authorities countrywide.
229 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, further to Parliamentary Question No. 211 of 31 May 2011 and No. 283 of 7 June 2011, his views on an amendment to the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 to enable the publication of those convicted of litter offences; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the case of tax defaulters, specific provision was made in the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to allow the publication of the names of such defaulters instead of a more general amendment of the Data Protection Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21637/11]
I am examining means to improve Ireland's response to the problem of littering and "naming and shaming" will be one of the aspects I will be considering. However, a new specific provision to amend the Litter Pollution Acts to enable the publication of those convicted of litter offences would require the necessary consultative procedures associated with primary legislation. Furthermore, great care would have to be taken to ensure that any such provision would not be in breach of the principles of data protection.
230 Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has performed a cost benefit analysis on the feasibility of a national water metering scheme; the findings of that cost benefit analysis; if he will provide information on any feasibility studies performed on his or the Government’s behalf of the financial costs of a national water metering scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21638/11]
240 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding water meters (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21684/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 240 together.
The Programme for Government provides for the introduction of a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water. The objective is to install water meters in households connected to public water supplies and move to a charging system based on usage above a free allowance. My Department is currently preparing a comprehensive strategy to implement these proposals and the approach to be taken for the procurement and installation of water meters. Work is also underway on the development of a cost-benefit analysis of the various options for the metering programme. Further details will be announced following the Government's consideration of the proposals. The Government's objective is to deliver the metering programme in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.
231 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the allocations that were made by local authority from the Local Government Fund in 2010 and 2011; if account will be taken for 2012 of the 2011 census of population changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21639/11]
I assume the Question refers to General Purpose Grants paid to local authorities out of the Local Government Fund. In relation to the basis for the 2012 allocations, this will be determined in line with the level of funding available, and it will be my objective to ensure that General Purpose Grant funding continues to make a significant contribution towards enabling local authorities to provide a reasonable level of services to the public.
The 2010 and 2011 GPG allocations are detailed in the following table.
|
Local Authority Name |
2010 Local Government Fund GPG Allocation |
2011 Local Government Fund GPG Allocation |
|
Carlow County Council |
11,331,276 |
10,128,725 |
|
Cavan County Council |
18,245,262 |
16,549,414 |
|
Clare County Council |
13,986,912 |
12,736,073 |
|
Cork County Council |
48,353,652 |
42,689,885 |
|
Donegal County Council |
38,913,388 |
36,345,399 |
|
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
34,624,434 |
31,522,005 |
|
Fingal County Council |
29,799,877 |
26,267,018 |
|
Galway County Council |
36,092,172 |
32,835,625 |
|
Kerry County Council |
25,572,631 |
23,238,216 |
|
Kildare County Council |
25,532,785 |
23,924,053 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
19,334,743 |
17,527,581 |
|
Laois County Council |
16,823,589 |
15,143,352 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
14,489,435 |
13,479,217 |
|
Limerick County Council |
23,724,090 |
21,355,645 |
|
Longford County Council |
13,856,743 |
12,849,645 |
|
Louth County Council |
12,118,470 |
10,914,165 |
|
Mayo County Council |
35,180,309 |
32,135,562 |
|
Meath County Council |
27,377,684 |
25,553,557 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
14,737,177 |
13,648,138 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
18,005,785 |
16,373,536 |
|
Offaly County Council |
15,388,672 |
14,139,586 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
20,110,463 |
18,490,254 |
|
Sligo County Council |
16,356,043 |
15,314,229 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
24,289,702 |
21,709,971 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
22,128,379 |
20,211,960 |
|
Waterford County Council |
21,990,654 |
20,583,798 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
20,003,602 |
18,494,866 |
|
Wexford County Council |
20,755,993 |
19,259,881 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
19,219,558 |
17,502,198 |
|
Cork City Council |
25,014,462 |
22,940,522 |
|
Dublin City Council |
88,769,969 |
78,722,867 |
|
Galway City Council |
8,512,430 |
7,534,888 |
|
Limerick City Council |
10,595,040 |
9,638,920 |
|
Waterford City Council |
7,564,315 |
6,713,415 |
|
Clonmel Borough Council |
3,115,507 |
2,785,896 |
|
Drogheda Borough Council |
4,434,266 |
3,966,978 |
|
Kilkenny Borough Council |
1,766,873 |
1,560,328 |
|
Sligo Borough Council |
2,927,408 |
2,580,497 |
|
Wexford Borough Council |
2,199,185 |
1,948,097 |
|
Arklow Town Council |
1,587,276 |
1,455,760 |
|
Athlone Town Council |
1,793,563 |
1,587,448 |
|
Athy Town Council |
749,251 |
690,500 |
|
Ballina Town Council |
1,580,583 |
1,445,712 |
|
Ballinasloe Town Council |
878,744 |
793,526 |
|
Birr Town Council |
780,485 |
704,969 |
|
Bray Town Council |
4,284,234 |
3,831,912 |
|
Buncrana Town Council |
913,089 |
804,777 |
|
Bundoran Town Council |
559,962 |
493,613 |
|
Carlow Town Council |
1,721,237 |
1,530,546 |
|
Carrickmacross Town Council |
586,800 |
535,346 |
|
Carrick-on-Suir Town Council |
1,139,383 |
1,047,814 |
|
Cashel Town Council |
655,338 |
593,045 |
|
Castlebar Town Council |
966,468 |
851,964 |
|
Castleblayney Town Council |
469,170 |
419,775 |
|
Cavan Town Council |
811,835 |
718,591 |
|
Clonakilty Town Council |
588,921 |
521,171 |
|
Clones Town Council |
570,359 |
524,434 |
|
Cobh Town Council |
1,177,961 |
1,046,319 |
|
Dundalk Town Council |
4,961,900 |
4,403,659 |
|
Dungarvan Town Council |
966,575 |
852,052 |
|
Ennis Town Council |
2,305,693 |
2,043,399 |
|
Enniscorthy Town Council |
1,151,903 |
1,016,035 |
|
Fermoy Town Council |
818,970 |
726,081 |
|
Kells Town Council |
473,188 |
421,572 |
|
Killarney Town Council |
1,778,486 |
1,603,506 |
|
Kilrush Town Council |
620,402 |
559,419 |
|
Kinsale Town Council |
391,048 |
344,812 |
|
Letterkenny Town Council |
1,096,274 |
966,369 |
|
Listowel Town Council |
748,119 |
665,706 |
|
Longford Town Council |
1,148,502 |
1,012,428 |
|
Macroom Town Council |
591,359 |
525,612 |
|
Mallow Town Council |
1,068,192 |
951,776 |
|
Midleton Town Council |
546,739 |
486,711 |
|
Monaghan Town Council |
1,105,999 |
976,889 |
|
Naas Town Council |
1,459,370 |
1,336,377 |
|
Navan Town Council |
545,635 |
483,948 |
|
Nenagh Town Council |
1,074,375 |
957,471 |
|
New Ross Town Council |
953,252 |
857,575 |
|
Skibbereen Town Council |
420,067 |
370,292 |
|
Templemore Town Council |
633,782 |
576,386 |
|
Thurles Town Council |
963,441 |
865,088 |
|
Tipperary Town Council |
829,034 |
745,880 |
|
Tralee Town Council |
3,056,595 |
2,694,458 |
|
Trim Town Council |
549,878 |
491,118 |
|
Tullamore Town Council |
1,235,028 |
1,089,931 |
|
Westport Town Council |
800,324 |
705,501 |
|
Wicklow Town Council |
1,557,309 |
1,391,457 |
|
Youghal Town Council |
1,090,968 |
965,305 |
|
Totals |
€870,000,000 |
€790,000,000 |
232 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the home adaptation and essential repairs grant allocations that were made by local authorities, in 2010 and 2011; if the absence of matching funds is impeding drawdown of these grants; if so, the location of same; if any local authorities have indicated a need for additional resources to administer the grant system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21640/11]
The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, introduced in November 2007, replaced the discontinued Disabled Persons Grant Scheme, the Essential Repairs Grant Scheme and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme, administered by the Health Service Executive.
The grant schemes are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed to each of the various grant measures, and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within their allocation. Exchequer funding amounting to €78.7m was allocated and recouped to local authorities in respect of the grant schemes in 2010. Allocations totalling almost €64m were notified to local authorities under the grant schemes on 17 February 2011. To date some €18.3m, amounting to 29% of the Exchequer funding, has been drawn down by the local authorities.
My Department is aware that these schemes are very heavily subscribed and available funding has been committed in many areas. My Department is also aware of the financial constraints on local authority own resources funding at this time and, in order to relieve the pressure on revenue funding, agreed to allow authorities to use internal capital receipts to boost the revenue funding available for supporting the grant schemes in 2011.
The allocations to local authorities for 2010 and 2011 are set out in the following table:
|
Local Authority |
2010 |
2011 |
|
€000’s |
€000’s |
|
|
Carlow Co. Co. |
1,442 |
1,079 |
|
Cavan Co. Co. |
1,310 |
1,500 |
|
Clare Co. Co. |
2,730 |
2,500 |
|
Cork Co. Co. |
7,907 |
5,000 |
|
Donegal Co. Co. |
2,938 |
2,477 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/R/down Co. Co. |
1,544 |
927 |
|
Fingal Co. Co. |
2,078 |
1,658 |
|
Galway Co. Co. |
1,755 |
1,900 |
|
Kerry Co. Co. |
3,335 |
2,767 |
|
Kildare Co. Co. |
3,892 |
2,851 |
|
Kilkenny Co. Co. |
1,526 |
1,494 |
|
Laois Co. Co |
1,470 |
917 |
|
Leitrim Co. Co. |
1,061 |
791 |
|
Limerick Co. Co. |
2,280 |
1,375 |
|
Longford Co. Co. |
1,109 |
1,000 |
|
Louth Co. Co. |
2,135 |
1,077 |
|
Mayo Co. Co. |
2,923 |
2,176 |
|
Meath Co. Co. |
1,471 |
1,171 |
|
Monaghan Co. Co. |
1,373 |
1,055 |
|
North Tipperary Co.Co. |
1,630 |
1,286 |
|
Offaly Co. Co. |
1,763 |
1,647 |
|
Roscommon Co. Co. |
2,196 |
2,050 |
|
Sligo Co. Co. |
810 |
798 |
|
South Dublin Co. Co. |
2,452 |
2,466 |
|
South Tipperary Co. Co |
2,478 |
2,500 |
|
Waterford Co. Co. |
1,560 |
991 |
|
Westmeath Co. Co. |
1,609 |
915 |
|
Wexford Co. Co. |
2,684 |
2,083 |
|
Wicklow Co. Co. |
1,867 |
919 |
|
Cork City |
2,385 |
2,166 |
|
Dublin City Co. |
9,175 |
9,089 |
|
Galway City Co. |
382 |
820 |
|
Limerick City Co. |
2,066 |
1,220 |
|
Waterford City Co. |
793 |
632 |
|
Sligo Borough Co. |
524 |
334 |
233 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts that were collected in motor tax on a county basis in 2009 and 2010, both online and directly through motor tax offices; if projections have been made for 2011 take; if so, the outcome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21641/11]
The published 2011 Revised Estimates Volume projected motor tax receipts of €953,227,000 for 2011. The information requested for 2009 and 2010 is set out in the following table.
|
Licensing Authority |
2009 Gross Motor Tax Receipts € |
2010 Gross Motor Tax Receipts € |
|
Carlow |
10,934,896 |
10,083,670 |
|
Cavan |
11,645,970 |
10,649,902 |
|
Clare |
19,848,442 |
18,669,347 |
|
Cork |
70,580,674 |
66,768,693 |
|
Donegal |
27,349,899 |
25,979,094 |
|
Galway |
37,495,688 |
34,801,297 |
|
Kerry |
22,545,569 |
20,222,833 |
|
Kildare |
23,741,876 |
22,133,820 |
|
Kilkenny |
15,203,721 |
14,192,540 |
|
Laois |
12,072,177 |
11,352,302 |
|
Leitrim |
5,476,294 |
5,203,306 |
|
Limerick County |
21,463,391 |
20,421,126 |
|
Longford |
7,067,227 |
6,472,094 |
|
Louth |
17,075,182 |
15,678,609 |
|
Mayo |
21,741,503 |
20,297,084 |
|
Meath |
23,962,053 |
21,766,051 |
|
Monaghan |
11,891,539 |
11,224,305 |
|
Offaly |
11,705,768 |
10,827,842 |
|
Roscommon |
11,543,618 |
10,788,815 |
|
Sligo |
11,098,369 |
10,463,763 |
|
N. Tipperary |
12,590,822 |
11,443,086 |
|
S. Tipperary |
16,364,564 |
15,431,227 |
|
Waterford County |
11,573,068 |
11,011,124 |
|
Westmeath |
14,896,166 |
13,922,139 |
|
Wexford |
23,953,921 |
22,317,211 |
|
Wicklow |
19,611,844 |
18,197,952 |
|
Dublin City |
120,656,664 |
112,129,772 |
|
Limerick City |
7,798,425 |
7,061,233 |
|
Waterford City |
6,950,649 |
6,147,867, |
|
On-line |
428,982,755 |
438,165,831 |
|
Totals |
1,057,822,734 |
1,023,823,935 |
234 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost in 2010 of administering the County and City Managers’ Association; if those funds were raised from local authorities; if there was a grant paid to the association by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21642/11]
The County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) is the representative body for senior Managers in Irish Local Government. The Association meets to discuss common areas of concern and promote a cohesive approach from the local authority system to issues of relevance and importance including development of best practice, implementation of legislation, and general operational issues.
The CCMA operates through a number of committees, each of which is concerned with a specific policy area and these committees interact with relevant Government departments and agencies on a structured basis. The CCMA is affiliated to and represented on many national and international bodies. The Office for Local Authority Management (OLAM), under the remit of the Local Government Management Services Board, was established to assist in the provision of management services to local authorities. The Office for Local Authority Management provides a range of services which include providing administrative services to the CCMA.
In accordance with Article 5 (20) of the Local Government Management Services Board (Establishment) Order, 1996 the expenses of the Board are recouped from local authorities. The cost of financing OLAM is €298,559 annually. There is no grant paid to the Association by my Department.
235 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will seek a common approach by local authorities to persons who have or are due to lose their homes due to mortgages that are unsustainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21652/11]
The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides for a new process of housing needs assessment for applicants for social housing support and empowers the Minister to make regulations setting out the criteria for determining the eligibility for such support. These criteria include, but are not limited to, income levels and the availability of alternative accommodation. Amended regulations have now been made under the Act to include the unsustainability of a household's current accommodation under the terms of the Code of Conduct for Mortgage Arrears 2011 as being amongst the criteria to be taken into consideration in assessing need. The amending regulations came into effect on 1 July 2011. The same income thresholds will be in place for households who have voluntarily surrendered their homes or had their homes repossessed as all others being assessed for social housing support.
236 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the allocations that were made to housing associations, by association, in 2010; the capital projects are being considered; if new projects are being considered; if an expanded role is envisaged into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21644/11]
My Department's voluntary and co-operative housing programme is supported through two funding schemes, the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) and the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS). The administration of both schemes is devolved to the local authority concerned, which assesses and approves each proposal prior to submission to my Department. In the case of the CAS, which provides capital funding to approved housing bodies for the provision of accommodation for people with specific categories of need including the homeless, older people and persons with an intellectual, physical or mental health disability, a total of €114 million was recouped to voluntary bodies in 2010. Due to the current level of commitments and having regard to available funding, new projects proposed under CAS will only be considered in the event of a new call for proposals. A decision on whether a call for proposals will issue in 2011 will be made later this year, having regard to funding considerations in future years. In the case of the CLSS, which provides funding for family-type accommodation, €61.3 million was recouped to voluntary bodies in 2010. CLSS is being wound down, with no further projects being considered, and allocated funding must be claimed and drawn down by the end of 2011.
237 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent of live unauthorised development cases on a county by county basis; the number of same that are warning, enforcement, and court stage; if he is satisfied with the timeframe for dealing with such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21645/11]
My Department gathers aggregate data on enforcement activity from planning authorities, including data on the number of enforcement notices issued under sections 154 and 155 of the Planning Act and the number of prosecutions initiated on foot of these enforcement notices. The most recently available data are published in the 2009 Annual Planning Statistics, which are available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. It is the responsibility of planning authorities to provide for proper enforcement of planning control and to take all appropriate steps to ensure development takes place in compliance with national and EU law. Planning authorities have substantial enforcement powers under the Planning and Development Act 2000. A planning authority may issue an enforcement notice, non-compliance with which is an offence, in connection with unauthorised development, which includes failure to comply with planning conditions, requiring such steps as the authority considers necessary to be taken within a specified period. If an enforcement notice is not complied with, the planning authority may take the specified steps and recover the expense incurred in doing so. A planning authority may also seek a court order requiring any particular action to be done or not to be done. The Planning Acts also place clear statutory obligations on planning authorities in relation to unauthorised development. A planning authority must issue a warning letter in relation to written complaints regarding unauthorised development, or other unauthorised development it becomes aware of (except in the case of trivial or minor development). The planning authority must then carry out an investigation. Where it establishes, following such an investigation, that unauthorised development has been or is being carried out and the person who has carried out or is carrying out the development has not proceeded to remedy the position, the planning authority must issue an enforcement notice or make an application for a court order unless there are compelling reasons for not doing so.
238 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of houses in housing estates, on a county basis, that are under construction and not yet taken in charge by local authorities; if they have been deemed to be ghost estates for the purpose of availing of the €5 million fund; the new measures that he will take to get completion of those estates, particularly where all houses are completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21646/11]
239 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has agreed with local authorities the ghost estates that will avail of the €5 million fund; the location of those estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21647/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 239 together.
The National Housing Development Survey database, published in October 2010, established an authoritative baseline analysis of unfinished housing developments to assist in fully understanding the scale and extent of the issues involved. A total of 2,846 developments were inspected where construction had commenced but had not been completed, and these included over 180,000 housing units with planning permission. Of these, some 120,000 have begun or progressed through construction, while work has yet to commence on 60,000. Of the 120,000 dwellings, some 77,000 are complete and occupied, 23,000 are complete and vacant, 10,000 are near complete and a further 10,000 dwellings are at various early stages of construction activity. The content of the baseline National Housing Development Survey database is available in tabular form on a county by county basis, together with the methodology employed in conducting the survey, on my Department’s website, www.environ.ie.
My Department introduced the Unfinished Housing Developments Safety Initiative to deal with the health and safety issues in unfinished estates where the means to make them safe are otherwise unavailable. Some €5 million has been allocated for this purpose. Local authorities have identified 238 estates nationally where funding for this purpose is required. Applications have been received in respect of 146 estates with the balance of applications expected shortly. My Department has sanctioned works to the value of €1.4 million so far and the initiative is receiving the highest priority. A list of the developments in respect of which applications for funding have been received is provided in the following table:
|
Local Authority |
Location |
Name of Estate |
|
Galway City |
Doughiska Road |
Fionnuisce |
|
Offaly |
Tullamore |
Church Hill |
|
Offaly |
Crinkill |
An Corrán |
|
Offaly |
Banagher |
Cois Callow |
|
Offaly |
Kinnitty |
Lismooney |
|
Offaly |
Edenderry |
BPMK site |
|
Monaghan |
Ballybay |
Wylies Hill |
|
Monaghan |
Monaghan Town |
Forest Walk |
|
Monaghan |
Carrickroe |
Chapel Court |
|
Laois |
Borris in Ossory |
Glenall |
|
Laois |
Mountrath |
Rush Hall |
|
Laois |
Mountrath |
Radharc Na Sléibhe |
|
Laois |
Portarlington |
Slí na Móna |
|
Cork Co Co |
Castletownbere |
Mariners View |
|
Cork Co Co |
Macroom |
An Faithín |
|
Cork Co Co |
Youghal |
Radharc na Mara |
|
Cork Co Co |
Dromina |
Ashbrook |
|
Dublin City |
Marsfield |
Clongriffin |
|
Dublin City |
Belmayne Block P20 |
Dublin 13 |
|
Dublin City |
Donaghmede |
Priory Hall |
|
Longford |
Stonepark |
Silver Birches |
|
Longford |
Abbeylara |
Abbeyview |
|
Longford |
Cullyfad |
Radharc an Choill |
|
Longford |
Moyne |
Slí Corglass |
|
Longford |
Newtownforbes |
McArt Meadows |
|
Longford |
Aughnacliffe |
Forthill |
|
Longford |
Cullyfad |
Woodland Park |
|
Longford |
Drumlish |
Sliabh Rua |
|
Longford |
Longford Town |
White Linen Woods |
|
Longford |
Granard |
Cnoc na Gréine |
|
Longford |
Newtownforbes |
An Caislean Breac |
|
Longford |
Carrickboy |
Rath Na gCarraige |
|
Longford |
Legan |
Hazelwood |
|
Longford |
Stonepark |
The Rocks |
|
Longford |
Clondra |
The Mill |
|
Longford |
Keenagh |
Clough Dillons 2 |
|
Longford |
Edgeworthstown |
Abhainn Glas |
|
Longford |
Abbeylara |
Mastersons Court |
|
Sligo |
Grange |
Granary Drive |
|
Sligo |
Rosses Point |
Oyster View |
|
Sligo |
Strandhill |
Dorrins Strand |
|
Sligo |
Gurteen |
Churchgate |
|
Sligo |
Ballisodare |
Avena Mill |
|
Sligo |
Ballygawley |
The Fairways |
|
Sligo |
Ballymote |
The Downs |
|
Sligo |
Riverstown |
Kincastle Const |
|
Sligo |
Dromore West |
Fairgreen |
|
Sligo |
Ballymote |
Earls Court |
|
Sligo |
Coolaney |
Ard Laighne |
|
Sligo |
Fish Quay |
Swan Point |
|
Clare |
Bunratty |
Dun Rí |
|
Clare |
Westbury |
Bruachlan |
|
Clare |
Newmarket-On-Fergus |
Gleann Cora |
|
Clare |
Sixmilebridge |
Chuirt An Droichead |
|
Clare |
Knockballymeath |
Carrig Mídhe |
|
Clare |
Shannon |
Cluain Aoibheann |
|
Cavan |
Maple Drive |
Drumgola Woods, Drumlark |
|
Cavan |
Mullagh |
An Cuinn |
|
Cavan |
Mullagh |
Abhainn Dubh |
|
Cavan |
Mullagh |
Cluain Mullach |
|
Cavan |
Bailieborough |
Ardán Na Curkish |
|
Cavan |
Bailieborough |
Rakeevan Heights |
|
Cavan |
Bailieborough |
Drumlin Manor |
|
Cavan |
Bailieborough |
Mulberry Manor |
|
Cavan |
Virginia |
The Ramparts |
|
Cavan |
Kingscourt |
Carrickleck View |
|
Cavan |
Shercock |
Clankee |
|
Waterford Co Co |
Comeragh |
Deerpark |
|
Waterford Co Co |
Dungarvan |
An Leachain |
|
Waterford Co Co |
Dungarvan |
An Crompan |
|
Waterford Co Co |
Lismore |
Port Na hAbhann |
|
Kilkenny |
Urlingford |
Togher Way |
|
Kilkenny |
Ferrybank/Belview |
Farmlea Manor, Abbeylands |
|
Kilkenny |
New Ross |
Castlehyde Park,Millbanks |
|
Kilkenny |
Gowran |
The Paddocks |
|
Kilkenny |
Graiguenamanagh |
Cois na Bearú |
|
Kilkenny |
Thomastown |
Dunan, Cloghabrody |
|
Westmeath |
Mullingar |
Cloon Lara |
|
Westmeath |
Castlepollard |
Rathgrave Green |
|
Westmeath |
Castlepollard |
Clois na Cille |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Abbeyfeale |
Cois na Féile |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Ballyagran |
The Hawthorns, Rossbane |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Broadford |
Banemore |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Broadford |
Cluain Dara |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Bruff |
The Grove |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Bruree |
The Village |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Castletroy |
Evanwood |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Clarina |
Clarina Village |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Kilmallock |
Wolfe Tone Street |
|
Limerick Co Co |
Rathkeale |
Baker Place/Well Lane |
|
Sth Tipperary |
Goatenbridge |
Cois Taire |
|
Sth Tipperary |
Gortnahoe |
The Paddocks |
|
Sth Tipperary |
Clonmel |
Ard Na Sídhe |
|
Wexford |
Bunclody |
Old Forest |
|
Wexford |
Gorey |
An tOileán |
|
Wexford |
Enniscorthy |
Fairfields |
|
Wexford |
Rosslare Harbour |
Barr na hAille |
|
Wexford |
Gorey |
Coill Na Giúise |
|
Wexford |
Clongeen |
Church View |
|
Wexford |
Wexford |
Ard na Cuan |
|
Wexford |
New Ross |
Belleville Apartments |
|
Galway CC |
Tuam |
Tír an Choir |
|
Galway CC |
Loughrea |
Carrig Mór |
|
Galway CC |
Loughrea |
Carraig Linn |
|
Galway CC |
Moycullen |
Bóthar na Sléibhe |
|
Galway CC |
Williamstown |
Glynndale Court |
|
Galway CC |
An Spidéal |
Ard na Spéire |
|
Galway CC |
Claregalway |
Cuirt na hAbhainn |
|
Galway CC |
Kinvara |
Ard an Mhuillin |
|
Mayo |
Castlebar |
The Waterways |
|
Leitrim |
Dromod |
Mac Oisín Place |
|
Leitrim |
Mohill |
Strawberry Beds |
|
Leitrim |
Rooskey |
Shannon Quays |
|
Leitrim |
Rooskey |
Knockmacrory Td. |
|
Leitrim |
Dromod |
Golf Course |
|
Leitrim |
Drumsna |
Oak Meadows |
|
Leitrim |
Carrick |
|
|
Leitrim |
Carrick |
Rosebank Hill |
|
Leitrim |
Carrick |
Ballynamony Td |
|
Leitrim |
Aughansheelin |
Corr Buí |
|
Leitrim |
Ballinamore |
Dun na Bó |
|
Leitrim |
Carrigallen |
Cois Locha |
|
Leitrim |
Newtowngore |
|
|
Leitrim |
Newtowngore |
Near School |
|
Leitrim |
Newtowngore |
Millview Park |
|
Leitrim |
Fenagh |
Cnoc Na Rí |
|
Leitrim |
Ballinamore |
New Road |
|
Leitrim |
Fenagh |
St. Callin’s View |
|
Leitrim |
Ballinamore |
Páirc Feá |
|
Leitrim |
Glenfarne |
Ceder Woods |
|
Leitrim |
Kinlough |
Hotel |
|
Leitrim |
Lurganboy |
Sruth Ard |
|
Leitrim |
Manorhamilton |
Holland Drive |
|
Leitrim |
Manorhamilton |
Glen Eoin & Tuckmill Park |
|
Leitrim |
Tullaghan |
Aigean Croith |
|
Leitrim |
Drumshanbo |
Carrigbreac |
|
Leitrim |
Drumshanbo |
Acres Cove |
|
Leitrim |
Drumshanbo |
Radharc an Baile |
|
Leitrim |
Drumshanbo |
Allenbrook |
|
Leitrim |
Drumshanbo |
Cnoc an Luir |
|
Leitrim |
Killarga |
Corra Bhile |
|
Leitrim |
Dromahaire |
“Speers Dev” |
|
Leitrim |
Killarga |
The Meadows |
|
Leitrim |
Leitrim Village |
|
|
Leitrim |
Leitrim Village |
Acorn Wood |
|
Leitrim |
Leitrim Village |
Dún Carrig Ceibh |
241 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the final position has now been agreed in regard to a grant for refurbishment works of an area (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21697/11]
My Department issued approval in principle to proceed with this project to Kildare County Council on 13 July 2011. It is now a matter for the local authority to submit a detailed project brief to my Department for examination, with a view to early progression of the project towards planning stage.
242 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider giving directions to all local authorities on the need to ensure the sustainable future development of new burial grounds across the country; if he is concerned that burial grounds in the greater Dublin area are at near full capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21756/11]
Under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Acts, 1878 to 2001, local authorities are deemed to be burial boards for their respective functional areas. Acting in their capacity as burial boards, local authorities are responsible for the management, regulation and control of burial grounds in their functional area. With the coming into effect of the Local Government Act 1994 Ministerial consent for the use of land as a burial ground is no longer required. Therefore, ensuring the adequate provision of burial facilities, in their functional areas, is entirely a matter for the relevant local authority.
243 Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce legislation to permit local authorities to refuse to release the bonds that are collected from developers to ensure that sewage, lighting and roads are up to standard until building defects in private residential apartment blocks built by bankrupted developers are corrected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21843/11]
I have established the National Co-ordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments, which I am also chairing, to oversee implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, entitled Resolving Ireland's Unfinished Housing Developments, together with the Government's response to the recommendations entitled Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments. Both reports are available on my Department's website —www.environ.ie. The Committee will be meeting on a regular basis with the aim of publishing a report on progress achieved within the next 12 months. In the meantime, the ongoing implementation of both reports will include, inter alia, an assessment of the framework for the operation of bonds, taking account of existing legislative provisions, statutory guidance and practical experience in the operation of bonds in order to determine what further policy advice and action are necessary in this regard.
244 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the judicial council Bill. [21491/11]
I would refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 220 of 14 July 2011 which read as follows: "As indicated in the Government Legislation Programme for the Summer Session announced by the Chief Whip on 5 April 2011, the Judicial Council Bill is in the course of being drafted with a view to being published in late 2011."
245 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality, further to previous parliamentary questions regarding the case of a person (details supplied) who is now on the list for three years, the period of time now being determined in regard to naturalisation; if this period is determined when the applicant can expect the application to be processed; if there is any aspect of the person’s application that needs further investigation or clarification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21461/11]
I can inform the Deputy that I recently announced a series of measures within my Department to provide for speedier processing of citizenship applications to bring about a substantial reduction in the processing timescale. The aim is to clear the backlog of applications awaiting a decision in excess of six months by spring of next year and from that time on the aim is, save in exceptional circumstances, that persons applying for citizenship will be given a decision on their application within six months.
In that context, the application referred to by the Deputy is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual Immigration cases may be made direct to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. The service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek this information through the more administratively expensive Parliamentary Questions process.
246 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of women who have been arrested for soliciting in the Bridewell Garda district area for each of the past ten years; the number of men who have been arrested for soliciting the services of prostitutes in that area in each of the past ten years; the number of prosecutions; the number of convictions in all these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21494/11]
Following the submission in 2004 of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, it was decided that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, from An Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 consequently makes provision for this, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. Following the setting up of the necessary technical systems and auditing of the data from which the statistics are compiled, the CSO is now compiling, publishing and responding to queries regarding recorded crime statistics.
I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy.
247 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in attendance at Ministerial Councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21509/11]
The Department of Justice and Equality has responsibility for the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Since the formation of the current Government in March this year, this Council has met on three occasions. Two of these meetings, April and June, have been scheduled while the third one in May was a one-off extraordinary meeting.
There has been one further informal meeting of the Council this week in Sopot, Poland.
Since being appointed as Minister for Justice and Equality, I have attended all scheduled meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, including the informal meeting hosted earlier this week by the Polish presidency.
I can inform the Deputy that Minister of State at my Department, Ms. Kathleen Lynch T.D., who has responsibility for Disability, Equality and Mental Health issues attended the extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in May. This meeting was held in Brussels on 12 May 2011 and was convened primarily to discuss the situation in the Southern Neighbourhood Region arising from recent events in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
248 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of incidences of farm-related crime, including theft of machinery, oil and cattle rustling, reported to the Garda on a county basis in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21514/11]
Following the submission in 2004 of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, it was decided that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, from An Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 consequently makes provision for this, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. Following the setting up of the necessary technical systems and auditing of the data from which the statistics are compiled, the CSO is now compiling, publishing and responding to queries regarding recorded crime statistics.
I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy.
249 Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied). [21524/11]
The person concerned arrived in the State on 25 September 2007 and applied for asylum. The Refugee Applications Commissioner refused him a declaration of refugee status. This decision was subsequently upheld by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. On 18 November 2010 it was determined that he was not eligible for Subsidiary Protection and a Deportation Order was made in respect of him on 24 November 2010.
The person concerned instituted Judicial Review proceedings on 14 February 2011 challenging the Subsidiary Protection refusal and the Deportation Order made in respect of him and accordingly, as the matter is sub judice, I do not propose to comment further.
I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. The service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek this information through the more administratively expensive Parliamentary Questions process.
250 Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of tiger kidnapping offences committed in each of the past five years; the number of prosecutions that have been initiated for such offences; the number of convictions arising from same; and the average sentence handed down in such cases. [21566/11]
I have asked the Garda authorities for the information sought in the Deputy's question. I will communicate with the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.
251 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice and Equality, further to Parliamentary Question No. 22 of 23 June 2011, the reason the statistical information sought is not readily available, in view of the fact that considerable expenditure has been incurred by the taxpayer in upgrading the PULSE system for the new firearms licensing system and the fact that the information sought must have been available to the Garda Commissioner to have enabled him to lay his report on the operation of the licensing system before Dáil Éireann; when the statistical information sought will be available to Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21577/11]
I can inform the Deputy that my officials have recently written to Deputy McConalogue with the information requested in his Parliamentary Question No. 22 of 23 June 2011.
At my request, the Garda Authorities have provided the following table detailing the number of applications for restricted firearms certificates received in each of the Garda Divisions from 1 August 2009 to 30 June 2011:
|
Division |
Number of Applications |
|
Cavan/Monaghan |
158 |
|
Clare |
41 |
|
Cork City |
63 |
|
Cork North |
74 |
|
Cork West |
51 |
|
D.M.R. Eastern |
97 |
|
D.M.R. North Central |
5 |
|
D.M.R. Northern |
108 |
|
D.M.R. South Central |
26 |
|
D.M.R. Southern |
108 |
|
D.M.R. Western |
108 |
|
Donegal |
159 |
|
Galway |
58 |
|
Kerry |
61 |
|
Kildare |
144 |
|
Kilkenny/Carlow |
64 |
|
Laois/Offaly |
76 |
|
Limerick |
107 |
|
Louth |
55 |
|
Mayo |
19 |
|
Meath |
42 |
|
Not assigned Division |
5 |
|
Roscommon/|Longford |
26 |
|
Sligo/Leitrim |
22 |
|
Tipperary |
82 |
|
Waterford |
22 |
|
Westmeath |
57 |
|
Wexford |
166 |
|
Wicklow |
103 |
|
National Total |
2,107 |
I can inform the Deputy that information on applications for firearms certificates was not required for the Garda Commissioner's Annual Report on the operation of the Firearms Acts. Section 31 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires the report to specify the number and classes of certificates and authorisations issued, rather than applied for, under the Firearms Acts.
252 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the legal costs incurred by the Garda Síochána to date in defending firearms licence appeals in the District Court, or, in the absence of the precise cost; an estimate of the District Court costs to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21578/11]
As the Deputy may be aware, the District Court is the designated appeals venue under the Section 15A of the Firearms Act 1925 (as amended). It has not been possible to compile the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report on the matter and I will write to the Deputy when it becomes available.
253 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will explain to Dáil Éireann the reason the wording of chapter 39 of the Garda code, which sets out the extent of the information to be provided to a firearms licence applicant concerning the reasons for refusal of a firearms certificate, was removed from an earlier draft of the Garda Commissioner’s guidelines which were agreed by him; if he will agree that the absence of this Garda code wording has in effect given rise to all of the firearms judicial review cases currently before the High Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21579/11]
I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report on the matter and I will write to the Deputy when it becomesavailable.
254 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of firearms licence applications which were lost or deemed lost by the Garda Síochána and which resulted in fresh applications having to be made by citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21580/11]
As it has not been possible to compile the information requested by the Deputy in the time available, I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report on the matter and will write to the Deputy when it becomes available.
255 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the internal audit unit in his Department has carried out any examination of the costs of having Chief Superintendents and other gardaí tied up attending District Court firearms licensing appeal cases and attending to the detailed preparations involved in almost 180 judicial review cases in the High Court; his plans to have such an examination undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21581/11]
The Internal Audit Unit in my Department has not carried out an examination of the costs associated with having Chief Superintendents and other Garda attending District Court licensing appeal cases or attending Judicial Review cases. The information requested is held by An Garda Síochána. I have requested this information from the Garda Commissioner and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as the information has been supplied.
256 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will accept that the hunting licence endorsement was omitted from firearms licences in the firearms provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, with the result that tens of thousands of sportsmen and women were unwittingly left hunting unlawfully in the 2009-10 hunting season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21582/11]
I am informed that the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2010 included a provision which allowed all holders of valid firearm certificates issued for shotguns, between 1 August 2009 and 31 July 2012, to be deemed to be holders of a hunting licence under the Wildlife Acts for the purposes of hunting game bird and hare species during the Open Seasons. This provision was introduced to address an issue which arose following the introduction of a new computerised firearms licensing system by An Garda Síochána which is not designed to issue hunting licences.
257 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if section 33 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 makes it an offence for a person to facilitate or engage in the use of a firearm for the purposes of practical or dynamic shooting; if there have been any prosecutions effected under this section to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21583/11]
Section 33 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 2009 provides that it is an offence for a person to facilitate or engage in the use of a firearm for the purpose of practical or dynamic shooting. For the purposes of the section, "practical or dynamic shooting" means any form of activity in which firearms are used to simulate combat or combat training. I can inform the Deputy that no prosecutions have been effected under this section to date.
258 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will reply to a matter (details supplied) regarding the introduction of identifying stickers on cans and bottles. [21589/11]
Section 22 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 provides for the making of regulations to specify particulars to be displayed on containers which are adequate to enable the licensee and the licensed premises concerned to be identified. However during consultations between my Department and the Office of the Attorney General on the implementation of section 22, the Attorney General's office expressed serious doubts about the evidential value of possession of a labelled container by an under-18 year old. For example, the container might have been taken from the home by the underage person, or legally sold to a person over 18 years and passed on to the underage person. This has cast serious doubt on the benefits to be gained from any regulations that might be made under section 22.
Section 14 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 makes provision for the test purchasing of alcohol products, the primary objective of which is to enable An Garda Síochána to target those licensed premises which are suspected of engaging in illegal sales of alcohol to young people. The alcohol test purchasing scheme entered into force on 1 October 2010. I am informed by the Garda authorities that, up to 17 March, 2011, section 14 of the 2008 Act has been invoked in respect of 29 licensed premises.
259 Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been brought to the fact that the Office of Public Works and the Garda authorities have been in consultation with Sligo Borough Council regarding the acquisition of a site which is in public ownership, east of the Cranmore Estate in County Sligo, for the purpose of developing a divisional headquarters for the northern Garda division; when a decision will be made in respect of the acquisition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21590/11]
The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation around the country is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), who have responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I am informed by the Garda authorities that they have requested the OPW to acquire a new Garda site in Sligo. The OPW has carried out an initial assessment of a number of locations and the process of the selection of a preferred site is currently ongoing.
260 Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding an application for leave to remain in the State in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and when a decision will issue. [21606/11]
The first named person concerned arrived in the State on 27th November, 2001 and had permission to remain in the State until 24th May, 2002, on student conditions. He has remained in the State since that date without permission. The second named person concerned arrived in the State on 10th April, 2002 and had permission to remain in the State until 9th October, 2002, also on student conditions. She has remained in the State since that date without permission.
Consequently, in accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), they were each separately notified, he by letter dated 3rd June, 2010 and she by letter dated 8th June, 2010, that the Minister proposed to make Deportation Orders in respect of them. They were each given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of consenting to the making of a Deportation Order or of submitting written representations to the Minister setting out the reasons why they should not have a Deportation Order made against them.
Representations have been received on behalf of both of the persons concerned. All representations submitted will be fully considered under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement before the files are passed to me for decision. Once decisions have been made, these decisions and the consequences of the decisions will be conveyed in writing to the persons concerned.
It is noted that the address supplied in the Deputy's Question does not match the address currently on record in my Department for the persons concerned. As it is incumbent on an applicant to notify my Department when they change address, the persons concerned should notify my Department of their up to date address without further delay.
I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. The service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek this information through the more administratively expensive Parliamentary Questions process.
261 Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will reassure ACC Bank customers whose complaints (details supplied) are currently being investigated by the Garda that the investigation of these cases will not be hampered by lack of resources in the Garda; his views on whether these cases are being hampered by a lack of resources causing undue delay; if the Garda will be given the necessary resources to carry out a thorough investigation into these matters, so that prosecutions of these bankers can proceed without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21678/11]
I am informed by the Garda authorities all fraud complaints, including those of the type referred to by the Deputy, received by them are thoroughly investigated in order to establish if a crime has been committed. All investigations undertaken by An Garda Síochána are dealt with as expeditiously as possible, and directions are then sought from the Director Public Prosecutions on whether to prosecute. I am confident that sufficient resources are available to An Garda Síochána to carry out such investigations.
262 Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will address the backlog in respect of Garda vetting of persons applying to be personal assistants in independent living centres. [21434/11]
I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the organisation to which the Deputy refers is a registered organisation with the Vetting Unit for the purposes of employment vetting. I recognise that it is important to process these applications within a reasonable time frame both for the benefit of the applicants and the organisations involved. I am determined to address this aspect of the Garda vetting process.
A number of immediate measures are being taken to improve the situation. The sanction of the Department of Finance has been obtained to retain the services of ten temporary employees in the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU). A further sanction has been obtained to engage an additional ten temporary employees for the Unit and the process of recruiting these is underway. This should have an impact on processing times. In addition, further steps are under consideration with a view to alleviating the pressure on the staff of the GCVU and to reduce the time taken for the processing of applications.
The average processing time for vetting applications fluctuates in line with periods of increased demand. In processing an individual vetting application, additional time may be required in cases where clarification is needed as to the details provided or where other enquiries need to be made, for example, when the person in question has lived and worked abroad. There will always be a reasonably significant time period required to process a vetting application. Registered organisations have been advised to take account of this in their recruitment and selection process. However, the Gardaí make every effort to reduce the time to the minimum possible consistent with carrying out what are very necessary checks. I am informed by the Garda Authorities that, at present, the average processing time for vetting applications received at the GCVU is approximately 10 weeks.
I am informed by the Garda Authorities that at present there is a total of five Gardaí, 76 full-time Garda civilian personnel and ten temporary civilian personnel assigned to the GCVU. This represents a very significant increase in the level of personnel assigned to the unit, which stood at only 13 before the current process of development in Garda vetting began in 2005. The GCVU has managed a substantial increase over recent years in the numbers of vetting applications it receives from around 188,000 in 2007 to almost 292,000 in 2010. At present, there are approximately 55,000 applications in the course of being processed.
263 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the criminal justice (forensic investigations) Bill will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21752/11]
I understand that the Deputy is referring to the legislation to provide for the establishment of a DNA Database for criminal investigation purposes, a commitment of the Programme for Government. Work is progressing on the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill with a target of publishing it before the end of this year. The Bill will facilitate the setting up of a DNA database and the taking of samples from a range of persons including those detained in connection with serious offences, certain prisoners and persons who are subject to the sex offender registration requirements. The Bill will also include appropriate safeguards in relation to the taking and retention of samples and the operation of the database.
My proposals will build on the 2010 Bill which lapsed on the dissolution of the last Dáil but will include more comprehensive provision in, for example, the area of co-operation with other States. I have long been an advocate for the establishment of a DNA Database and I am committed to the speedy enactment of the legislation following its publication.
264 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda checkpoints established in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011 to facilitate random breath checks on motorists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21753/11]
265 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of random breath checks carried out on motorists in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21754/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 265 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table shows the numbers of mandatory alcohol testing (MAT) checkpoints and roadside breath-tests conducted at such checkpoints for the years 2009 and 2010 and in 2011 up to 17 July.
|
Year |
Number of MAT Checkpoints |
Number of Breath Tests |
|
2011 (to 17 July) |
38,888 |
316,395 |
|
2010 |
56,451 |
564,559 |
|
2009 |
55,299 |
529,037 |
An Garda Síochána carries out MAT checkpoints in conjunction with its ongoing enforcement of drink driving legislation, with specific initiatives carried out over the Christmas and New Year period and bank holiday weekends. The objective of the checkpoints is to increase the compliance culture among road users and detect incidents of alcohol impaired driving, thereby reducing road traffic fatalities.
266 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 90 of 24 November 2010, if the report is now available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21827/11]
267 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the amount of income received for road traffic offences for the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011 by category; the amount of late payment penalties involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21828/11]
268 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 28 October 2010, if the information is now available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21829/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 to 268, inclusive, together.
The collection of payments under the Fixed Charge Processing System was outsourced to An Post in January 2006. I am informed by the Garda authorities that information provided by An Post details the amount collected in respect of fixed charge notices that attract penalty points and those that do not. These are referred to as Declaration Notices and Non-Declaration Notices respectively. The amounts collected in respect of Declaration Notices and Non-Declaration Notices for each of the years, 2008, 2009, 2010 and up to the 15 July, 2011 are shown in the following table.
|
Year |
Type of Notice |
Gross Amount Collected |
Charges |
Net Amount Collected for all notices |
||
|
Declaration |
Non-declaration |
Declaration |
Non-declaration |
All Notices |
||
|
2008 |
208,772 |
111,134 |
€16,535,460 |
€6,132,840 |
€934,648 |
€21,733,652 |
|
2009 |
199,221 |
103,999 |
€16,041,980 |
€5,921,230 |
€1,175,410 |
€20,787,800 |
|
2010 |
180,372 |
93,026 |
€14,456,460 |
€5,428,710 |
€814,105 |
€19,071,065 |
|
2011(as at 15 July) |
129,822 |
43,429 |
€10,554,060 |
€2,580,300 |
€659,169 |
€12,475,191 |
Fixed Charge Offences
I am further informed that information detailing the amount collected in respect of late payment penalties is not available for the years 2008 to 2011 and to extract this information would take a disproportionate amount of time and resources.
The amounts received in respect of Road Traffic Fines imposed by the courts from 2008 to June, 2011 are as follows:
|
Year |
€m |
|
2008 |
15.680 |
|
2009 |
15.665 |
|
2010 |
11.372 |
|
2011 |
5.640 (Jan — June) |
The matter of late payment penalties does not arise in respect of court imposed road traffic fines.
269 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Defence the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in relation to attendance at Ministerial Councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21506/11]
There is no separate Defence Ministers' Council within the EU Council of Ministers. However, twice a year — once during each Presidency — Defence Ministers attend the formal Foreign Affairs Council. Since the formation of the present Government there has been one meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council with Defence Ministers, held in Brussels on Monday 23 May 2011. The Secretary General of the Department of Defence attended this meeting as the Minister of State and I were involved in the visit of President Obama on that day.
The Minister of State at the Department of Defence does not have specific responsibility in relation to attendance at Ministerial Councils. While the Minister of State may be requested to deputise for me in the event of prior commitments on my part, this has not happened to date.
270 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Defence his views on whether issues regarding the corporate governance of the Irish Red Cross should be referred to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality in view of concerns expressed publicly about the running of this organisation and claims of maladministration within this society and in view of the large grant-in-aid given by his Department to the IRC every year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21547/11]
The Irish Red Cross society is an independent charitable body corporate which, in accordance with relevant legislation, is responsible for the handling of its own internal affairs. Whilst I am conscious of the importance attaching to its independence, I recently commenced an exchange with the Chairman of the Society in relation to corporate governance matters and I am satisfied that progress is being made in this regard. I also asked the Chairman of the Society for assurances regarding the use to which the funds that are granted annually from the Vote of the Department of Defence are put. Comprehensive and satisfactory answers were provided by the Chairman.
My Department is also engaged in ongoing consultations with the Office of the Attorney General on the extent of changes that can be made to the Irish Red Cross Order 1939. The 1939 Order sets out the basis upon which the Society is governed and was made pursuant to the Red Cross Act 1938. Following receipt of legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General, I will review the legislative changes that are proposed and consider bringing them to Government for approval. It is important to note that whatever changes may be made to the 1939 Order, a comprehensive review of all Red Cross legislation, and in particular the primary legislation, will be commenced by my Department in accordance with the Programme for Government. In this regard, I believe that an overriding principle should be to ensure that whatever legislative changes are made have the full support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
As regards the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, I am happy to leave proposals for the work programme of the Committee to its members.
271 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the fact that his letter to the chairman of the Irish Red Cross of 16 May 2011 regarding corporate governance issues within the IRC was not brought to the attention of the governing body of the IRC, the central council; his views on same; his further views on the apparent disregard by the IRC board of his views on corporate governance within the society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21548/11]
The Irish Red Cross Society is an independent charitable body corporate which, in accordance with relevant legislation, is responsible for handling its own internal affairs. Whilst I am conscious of the importance attaching to its independence, I wrote to the Chairman of the Society on 16 May 2011 regarding corporate governance, with particular reference to turnover and rotation at leadership levels in the Society. The Chairman, in his response, advised me that the issue of turnover and rotation at leadership levels was subsequently raised by him at the next Central Council meeting and that agreement was reached on a mandatory three-year break, or one full-term break, for Executive Committee members in circumstances where a member may have previously served for two full terms.
The Chairman also outlined a number of other changes and initiatives that have been taken recently. While progress is clearly being made by the Society, I believe that it is crucial that it makes further substantial progress to ensure its corporate governance structures comply with the highest standards.
272 Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Defence the consequences for a Civil Defence building (details supplied) arising from his decision to abolish the board of the Civil Defence and reverse the Civil Defence Act 2002; the knock on effect this move will have on the workforce; the future of this building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21584/11]
The Office of Public Works has a long term lease on the building in question and the Government's plans to abolish the Civil Defence Board, and return its functions to the Department of Defence, will not affect the existing lease arrangements. Civil Defence will continue to operate from Roscrea but will do so as a Branch of the Department of Defence. The staff are civil servants in the Civil Service of the State and this will not change as a result of the Government's proposals.
273 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on a proposal (details supplied) that would address personnel shortages within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and would not require contravention of the embargo on recruitment in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21585/11]
In the context of the Croke Park Agreement, my Department is implementing a range of actions, including those aimed at achieving greater flexibility of staff deployments, changes in work practices and cost efficient service delivery. The Deputy's proposal is compatible with the objectives set down in the Agreement.
274 Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps he is taking to ensure that replanting orders issued to private land-holders are fulfilled with the 12 month period required; if outstanding replanting following this period will be followed up; and the further steps he is taking to ensure that if no legal action has been taken in the 12 months following the expiration of a replanting order measures are in place to see that replanting will still be enforced, such as in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow. [21452/11]
In accordance with Section 49(3) of the Forestry Act 1946 each General Felling Licence granted by the Forest Service contains a compulsory replanting condition to replant the cleared area within 12 months of expiry of the licence. This condition transfers to the successor in title if the lands concerned are sold on. Under Section 4(3) of the Forestry Act 1946, legal proceedings for non-compliance with this condition may only be instituted within one year after the time at which the cause of the complaint arose.
275 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has had or plans to hold discussions with his European counterparts and the EU commission regarding the EU directive which will see farmers required to seek planning permission and environmental impact statement reports before improving their land holding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21460/11]
The EU Directive referred to is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive, 85/337/EEC (as amended). The primary objective of the EIA Directive is to ensure that projects which are likely to have significant effects on the environment are subject to a prior assessment of their likely impacts before a decision is taken as to whether consent is granted to proceed.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued a judgement against Ireland on the 20th November 2008. The Court found that Ireland, in relation to the specific projects the subject of the judgment, was overly reliant on size thresholds to determine if an EIA is required and did not take sufficient account of the nature, location and cumulative effect, etc. of projects. The action related to three categories of activities, restructuring of rural land holdings, (removing hedgerows or re-contouring land), the use of uncultivated land or semi-natural areas for intensive agriculture and water management projects for agriculture, including irrigation and land drainage.
The European Commission, on 1 June 2011, formally lodged an application with the ECJ to initiate second proceedings against Ireland for failing to implement the ECJ ruling. The Commission is requesting the ECJ to impose lump-sum and daily penalty fines on Ireland until the infringement ends.
The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and my Department have agreed that two sets of Regulations will be introduced to address the judgement. It was considered that, with the exception of drainage/reclamation of wetlands, all of the other activities are more appropriate outside of the planning system, and that legislation should be introduced by my Department that would provide a more accessible and timely screening and consent process for farmers. Therefore, these elements have been removed from the planning system by exemption and will now be included in my Department's Regulations.
The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has brought draft regulations to the Oireachtas for approval. These Regulations amend the EIA and planning exempted development thresholds for drainage/reclamations of wetlands. A Joint Oireachtas Committee meeting of the Transport, Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht was held on Thursday 14 July 2011 to discuss the draft Regulations.
Discussions on Ireland's response to the judgement between the European Commission and officials from both Departments are ongoing. It is my intention to introduce the legislation as soon as they have satisfactorily concluded.
276 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in relation to attendance at Ministerial Councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21502/11]
I have responsibility for attendance at meetings of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers. Since the formation of this Government, I have attended all six formal meetings held and one informal meeting.
277 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will appoint temporary staff to the Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, training school in Castletownbere, County Cork, to allow applicants complete the full skipper ticket. [21518/11]
279 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the staff in the Bord Iascaigh Mhara training school in Castletownbere, County Cork, will be replaced, in order that applicants can undertake the skipper full certificate course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21570/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 279 together.
BIM is an independent statutory body and the main provider of vocational training to the seafood industry and hence policy in this regard is a matter for the Agency. I am examining a request received from BIM in the last week for additional staff to meet the needs of delivering the Skipper Full Certificate course. This request must be considered in the context of BIM's Employment Control Framework targets and will require Department of Finance approval. BIM has advised my Department that in the interim it has sought to secure instructors on a service supply basis on the Government's eTenders site.
278 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will examine the files that became available to a person (details supplied) under the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts proving their claim that their herd amounted to 432 cows and not 107; and if he will reconsider his replies to previous parliamentary questions. [21556/11]
My Department has reviewed the file in this case and, as the person concerned has been informed on numerous occasions in the past, the position remains unchanged from that outlined in reply to previous Parliamentary Questions and representations.
As the person concerned is aware, these matters have been fully dealt with by the Irish courts many years ago and it neither possible not appropriate at this stage to re-open them.
280 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amounts of grant payments made, on a county basis, under the various farm payments in 2010; the way same changed from 2009; the changes that are planned for 2011 to the schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21650/11]
My Department is involved in the payment of a wide range of grants and subventions including, for example, payments under the Single Payment Scheme to some 130,000 beneficiaries and area based compensation allowances to some 102,000 farmers. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department and the resources required to compile the level of detail would not be justified in the required timeframe.
However, details of payments to legal persons made under EU Schemes for 2010 are available on my Department's website.
281 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the value of the horticulture industry, on a county basis, in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21651/11]
In 2010 the output value of horticulture, including the potato sector was estimated at €391.4 millions, as follows:
|
Product |
2009 Values€ million |
2010 Values€ million |
% change |
Main Counties of production |
|
Mushrooms |
98.8 |
98.5 |
-0.3 |
Monaghan, Kildare, Tipperary |
|
Field Vegetables |
71.4 |
59.9 |
-16.1 |
Dublin, Meath, Wexford, Cork |
|
Protected Crops |
70.6 |
71.6 |
+1.4 |
Dublin, Wexford |
|
Outdoor Fruit Crops |
5.5 |
7.8 |
+41.8 |
Dublin, Louth, Meath, Kilkenny |
|
Potatoes |
76.9 |
111.1 |
+44.5 |
Dublin, Meath, Wexford, Cork, Donegal |
|
Bulbs, outdoor flowers, foliage |
3.4 |
2.9 |
-14.7 |
Kilkenny, Wexford and Kerry |
|
Hardy nursery crops, Christmas trees and honey |
41.7 |
39.6 |
-5.0 |
Kildare, Tipperary |
|
Total |
373.8 |
391.4 |
+4.7 |
*Potato values based on CSO estimates. All other values based on DAFF estimates.
It is not possible to provide information on the value of the horticultural industry on a county basis. The significant variation in production of field vegetables and potatoes between 2009 and 2010 was very much influenced by weather conditions, including severe frost, and market prices.
My Department provides grant aid for horticultural growers who are making capital investments in specialist plant and equipment through the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector. The main objectives of the scheme are to improve the quality of products, facilitate environmentally friendly practices and promote diversification of on-farm activities in response to market demand. This year my Department allocated €4.1 million to 157 projects under this Scheme.
In its 2007 reform of the common organisation of the market for fruit and vegetables, the EU made further provision for financial assistance to producers grouping, on a voluntary basis, to form recognised Producer Organisations (POs) under the EU Scheme of Aid for Producer Organisations in the Fruit and Vegetables Sector. The POs play a vital role in supporting Irish producers of fruit and vegetables. The strengthening of their role is one of the main recommendations for the horticultural industry in the Harvest 2020 Report. Payments of €5.785m issued last year in respect of 2009 operational programmes implemented by Irish POs.
282 Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a decision will issue on an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; if a copy of correspondence in this appeal will be accepted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21680/11]
The Agriculture Appeals Office received the appeal from the person named on 24th January 2011. The Department's file was received at this office on 10th February 2011 and was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 23rd February 2011 for adjudication. The appeal is currently under consideration by the Appeals Officer and it is anticipated that the decision will be available in the near future. The person named has been advised of the situation.
283 Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received an application from a person (details supplied) in County Offaly for additional milk quota; when a decision on this application will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21686/11]
The person named has submitted an application for an allocation of milk quota under the Hardship Category of the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal for the 2011/ 2012 quota year. The closing date for receipt of applications for this Scheme was 1st July last.
Officials of my Department are currently processing the applications. The Tribunal will shortly commence consideration of these applications in strict order of receipt. When a recommendation has been made in this case a letter will issue to the person named and his Co-Operative advising of the result.
284 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to expedite an application by a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath under the Farm Improvement Scheme 2007 to 2013 which was implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2001; if this matter will now be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21696/11]
An application under the Farm Improvement Scheme was received by my Department on 31 October 2007 from the person named. As announced at that time, applications under the Scheme were processed up to the level of funding provided for in the Scheme as set out in the 2006 Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016 . As the scheme funding has been exhausted, it is not possible to grant aid further applications, including the application from the person named. I have no plans to re-commence processing of those applications for which no funding has been provided.
285 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the procedures that were followed in the transfer of herd number (details supplied); if the herd number was transferred before or after the death of the registered herdowner; if confirmation as to the ownership of the lands was sought or given; if permission of the landowner, or evidence thereof, was sought or given in respect of the issue or transfer of the herd number in question on a permanent or temporary basis; the date in which the application was made and by whom; if such person or persons had sought or received the permission of the landowner to occupy or administer the lands in question; if such evidence was sought or produced, whether authorisation attaching to the lands or herd number in question in respect of qualification for farm payments arising from entitlement or perceived entitlement on foot of any particular or specific evidence produced; if all of the procedures in accordance with the guidelines set out in his reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 260 and 261 of 14 July 2011 have been complied with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21778/11]
My reply of 14 July, 2011 sets out the procedures that are followed in relation to changes to a herdnumber.
On 9 December 2009 a copy of the death certificate of the person in whose name the herdnumber was registered was received by my Department. In accordance with standard procedures in such circumstances, the herdowner was then registered under personal representatives of the deceased person. An application was received on 4 January 2010 from the personal representatives of the deceased person to register details of the herdnumber in the name of the son of the deceased person. The application was accompanied by a copy of Probate of the Will of the deceased person, indicating that the son was the executor and sole beneficiary of the Estate. Following an on-farm inspection on 27 January 2010, it was decided that no change in registration of the herdnumber should take place pending clarification of the issue of ownership of the land and or cattle thereon. In the meantime, the herd keeper role, which assigns responsibility for the care and maintenance of the cattle to a nominated person, was assigned to the son of the deceased person in whose name the request for transfer of the herdnumber had been received. An on-farm inspection was carried out by the DVO on 27 January 2010 and all of the cattle present on the holding were inspected and found to be in order. As outlined in my earlier reply, a nominated keeper may or may not be the legal owner of the animals held under a herdnumber or the holding where the animals are held.
With regard to entitlements to certain farm payments, under EU Regulations governing the Single Payment scheme, entitlements are not attached to land and do not transfer automatically with land. Entitlements form an independent asset that is owned by a specified person and, upon the death of that person, is governed by normal testamentary procedure. In accordance with the will of the deceased person, the son was the executor and sole beneficiary of the Estate. Therefore he became the beneficiary of these entitlements which he subsequently sold to third parties from 2008.
With regard to Suckler cow and Disadvantaged Area payments, any payments due under these schemes issued into the bank account of the deceased person and hence the normal testamentary procedure regarding execution of the will and her estate would have applied to those payments.
On 5 May 2011 an application for registration as a herdowner was received from the daughter of the deceased person. Evidence of ownership of land accompanied this application. This application is currently under consideration and it is anticipated that a decision will be made in regard to that application in the near future.
286 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in her Department in respect of attendance at ministerial councils for which her Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if she will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21505/11]
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs was established in June 2011 and there are no Ministers of State assigned to it.
287 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in State care on a regional basis; and if a comprehensive study will be undertakento ascertain the supports and services that should be in place for vulnerable children. [21512/11]
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
288 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 542 of 15 June 2011, when a reply will issue from the Health Service Executive. [21858/11]
I have been informed by the HSE that a reply issued to the question referred to by the Deputy on the 23rd of June 2011.
289 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 544 of 15 June 2011, when a reply will issue from the Health Service Executive. [21859/11]
The DCYA has contacted the HSE in relation to the parliamentary question referred to by the Deputy. The situation is that the HSE will provide a response for the Deputy this week, however, some of the data required is not immediately available.
290 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the capacity of the accident and emergency department at Galway University Hospital; the actual capacity up to July 2011 based on the level of staffing; the current capacity based on the level of staffing; the actual numbers presenting at the accident and emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21940/11]
296 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the capacity of the accident and emergency department at Galway University Hospital; the actual capacity up to July 2011 based on the level of staffing; the capacity based on the level of staffing; the actual numbers presenting at this accident and emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21480/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 and 296 together.
My Department has asked the HSE for the detailed information sought by the Deputy and I will be in further communication with him when it is to hand.
291 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the membership of the review group on Guthrie cards; the professional background of these individuals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21441/11]
To comply with Data Protection Legislation, a number of changes are required to the Newborn Screening Card and the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme. In view of concerns expressed, the Health Service Executive (HSE) was asked to review the situation before the proposed changes take effect at year end. The Review is being undertaken by the National Newborn Screening Programme Governance Group, chaired by the Director of Public Health (Child and Adolescent Health). The Group also includes;
Consultant Paediatric Clinical Biochemist
Chief Medical Scientist
Risk Manager
Project Manager of the National Newborn Screening Programme
Bio-Ethicist
292 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths in the State from hypothermia in winter 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. [21446/11]
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has provided the following figures showing the numbers of deaths where a cause of death of hypothermia has been recorded for the winter months (Nov/Dec/Jan) for each year from 2005 to 2010. Please note that data for 2011 is not yet available and that data for 2009 and 2010 are provisional.
|
Winter Months |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2007/08 |
2008/09 |
2009/10 |
2010 (Nov-Dec) |
|
3 |
7 |
4 |
5 |
10 |
1 |
Source: Central Statistics Office
293 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he acknowledges the accuracy of the figures produced by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation showing that almost 1,900 acute hospital beds have been closed in the past 18 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21454/11]
294 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of acute hospital beds in each of the public hospitals in the State; the number in each hospital which are closed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21455/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 294 together.
My Department has asked the HSE for the detailed information sought by the Deputy and I will be in further communication with him when it is to hand.
295 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if it is still the case, as stated by the Health Service Executive in May 2011, that there are no plans to remove any services from the Midland Hospital, Mullingar, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21456/11]
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. Moreover, I have made it clear that I expect to be briefed, in advance, where there are any proposals to withdraw services from individual hospitals.
297 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when he approved the Health Service Executive plan for the closure of the accident and emergency department at Roscommon County Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21481/11]
298 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the steps that he is taking to fulfil commitments given to the people of Roscommon in Dáil Éireann on 5 July 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21482/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 298 together.
The HSE plan implementing the changes to the Accident and Emergency Services at Roscommon County Hospital came into effect on 11 July. This saw the establishment of an Urgent Care Centre in place of the Accident and Emergency Department. Persons with acute or life threatening conditions such as heart attacks are being brought by ambulance to larger hospitals, such as Galway, with higher volumes of patients and better outcomes for such conditions.
The Urgent Care Centre operates from 8am to 8pm seven days a week and is provided by Non Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) with clinical governance provided by an Emergency Medicine Consultant at Galway. As part of the transitional arrangements for a four week period, an NCHD is also available at the Urgent Care Centre from 8pm to 8am supervised by an on call consultant.
An enhanced ambulance service has been put in place. During the day four ambulances staffed by paramedics are available while three are available at night. In addition there is a special Rapid Response Vehicle, staffed by an Advanced Paramedic on a 24/7 basis. An out of hours GP service is also in operation. A Medical Assessment Unit is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. This is a medical admission pathway and accepts referrals from a range of sources, including General Practioners. I was briefed on the plan by the HSE in advance of its implementation. The plan was necessitated by the serious patient safety concerns of the HSE and of the Health Information and Quality Authority in relation to the accident and emergency service at Roscommon following the publication of the Authority's Report on Mallow. This was compounded because of NCHD recruitment difficulties.
Roscommon Hospital has a clear future, and will continue to provide key services to the people of the area. I am committed to the expansion of appropriate services like diagnostics at the hospital. I have asked the HSE to develop proposals in this regard as quickly as possible.
299 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the catchment of Roscommon County Hospital complies with the Health Information and Quality Authority targets for responses by the ambulance service to category 1 calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21483/11]
I am very pleased to note that the pre-hospital emergency response capacity for Roscommon has been significantly increased. There are now four paramedic emergency ambulances available during the day and three during the night time. In addition, there is a special Rapid Response Vehicle, staffed by an advanced paramedic, which is available 24 hours a day. The ambulances are based in Roscommon Town and Boyle.
The HSE National Service Plan 2011 provides for publication of HIQA response times data for the first six months of 2011, for all areas including Roscommon, at the first quarterly reporting date, September 2011. This information is being collected and must go through the HSE's testing and validation process prior to being available for publication.
300 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason the prescription levy has not been removed by now. [21490/11]
Prescription charges are provided for under Section 59 of the Health Act 1970 as amended by the Health (Amendment ) (No 2) Act 2010. Revoking these provisions requires primary legislation.
It is my intention subject to Government approval to introduce legislation to abolish prescription charges for medical card holders.
301 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will be establishing targets and outcomes in the new campaign to reduce cigarette smoking here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21495/11]
Targets were set on smoking initiation and prevalence in the Cardiovascular Report ‘Changing Cardiovascular Health' which was published last year. The Tobacco Policy Review Group is considering a range of measures in relation to tobacco control. I anticipate that their report will be completed in the coming months and that this will be brought to Government for decision.
302 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department regarding to attendance at Ministerial Councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister of State in attendance at each meeting. [21508/11]
The Ministers of State at my Department have not attended any Ministerial Council meetings since the formation of the Government.
303 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health his views on the provision of service to teenagers suffering form type 1 diabetes; and his further views on a reorganisation of diabetes services in order that intensive therapies can be assessed locally. [21513/11]
321 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the proposals of the Diabetes Action Group for improving child and adolescent diabetes services throughout the country; if there are plans to recognise services in the south east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21822/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 321 together.
The HSE's National Clinical Programme for Diabetes — which includes the care of children and adolescents with diabetes, has estimated that there are between 3,000 and 4,000 children and young adults with diabetes in this country. It was established by the HSE in 2010 with the express aim of defining the way diabetic clinical services should be delivered, resourced and measured. One of the key priorities is to facilitate future organised care and screening for diabetes related complications.
Type 1 diabetes is a particularly complex condition in children and young adults and so it is recommended that their care be delivered in a multidisciplinary setting with access to a consultant paediatric endocrinologist and other diabetes healthcare specialists.
One proposed national model of diabetes care is based on 8-10 regional networks, with the 3 existing Dublin centres acting as a tertiary hub of excellence and continuing to see one third of the national paediatric/adolescent diabetes population. This model has been proposed by the Diabetes Federation of Ireland. The second model came from the Expert Advisory Group, chaired by Dr Colm Costigan, Paediatric Endocrinologist in Crumlin Hospital. This proposes that care be centralised for each region in a dedicated paediatric/adolescent diabetes centre looking after at least 150 children/adolescents. Ideally the centre should be in a regional hospital that has an adult diabetes centre to facilitate transition to adulthood.
The national clinical leads for diabetes and paediatrics are to meet in the next couple of weeks to assess current services across the country; to agree a model of care; and to standardise these across the country. They will also develop criteria for use of CSII therapy (insulin infusion) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and work on policy to prevent and aid the early detection of diabetes in young children and adolescents.
Ultimately, the function of the HSE National Programme for diabetes, among others, is to consider which model is most appropriate and it is working to this end. In parallel, my Department and the HSE will be meeting the Diabetes Federation of Ireland with a view to progressing the issues around the appropriate model of care for children and adolescents with diabetes.
304 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a date for surgery for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21521/11]
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
305 Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if an inquiry by the Health Service Executive into contract awards to two building companies, Owenbee Services and Mallerwood Construction, was conducted in June 2006; and the outcome of this inquiry. [21527/11]
The management and delivery of the health capital programme is a service matter. Therefore the Deputy's question has been referred to the Executive for direct reply.
306 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health his plans to investigate the relationship between the toxic waste at the former ISPAT site at Haulbowline, County Cork, and general population health in the surrounding area; if he will conduct such an investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21536/11]
I do not consider that any further public health investigation is warranted in connection with the Haulbowline site in the Cork harbour area.
The Deputy will be aware that, as a result of concerns expressed by residents in the Cork Harbour area about the potential health effects of the Haulbowline facility, I asked my Chief Medical Officer to examine the case for a public health study into the effects of the site. The Chief Medical Officer has now completed an analysis of the factors involved and has advised me, based on the considered opinion of experts from the National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) and specialists in Public Health Medicine in the Health Service Executive (HSE) who have specific expertise and experience in the area of environmental health, that there are no identified public health grounds that warrant further investigative action.
The Deputy might wish to note that following a recent Government meeting, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has announced the establishment of a steering group to oversee an application for a licence to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address hazardous waste on Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour and oversee any necessary remedial action required.
307 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the cost of the general medical scheme of a product (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21545/11]
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
308 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding provision of ambulance services for Carnew, County Wicklow; the ambulance cover that is provided; and if there are plans to improve the service to this area. [21551/11]
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
309 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health his plans regarding the regrading of hospitals here in terms of module four, module three, module two and module one; the position regarding same; and his views and timescale for completing this process. [21592/11]
310 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the hospitals that have been identified as module four hospitals; the hospitals that have been identified as module three hospitals; the hospitals that have identified as module two hospitals; the timescales, plans and budgets to take account of these new categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21593/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 310 together.
In relation to the provision of hospital services generally, I have instructed the HSE not to withdraw any services from acute hospitals unless and until I receive a full briefing on the details of what is proposed, the alternative arrangements to be put in place, and the overall implications for patients.
The National Acute Medicine Programme provides a framework for the delivery of acute medical services in hospitals. It seeks to substantially improve and standardise the care of acutely ill medical patients. The programme has been jointly developed by the HSE and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, to enable the hospital structure to meet present day needs in appropriate settings, thereby providing optimal care for patients.
The classification of individual hospitals will determine the type of treatment they may offer. It will be based on a range of parameters, including the type and level of complexity of treatment that can be performed safely. This in turn will be determined by factors such as volume of treatment carried out and the complementary specialties, back-up services and range of clinical skills available. The programme will set out how hospitals operate. In particular it will allow smaller hospitals to increase activity in areas such as day surgery, minor injuries, outpatients, rehabilitation and diagnostics, which are growth areas for healthcare both nationally and internationally. I believe that smaller hospitals can and should provide as wide a possible range of services, close to the local community provided they are safe. I intend to prepare a framework for the development of smaller hospitals, which will set out how they will develop to reach their full true potential. This will specify what services are transferring to them, from the larger hospitals. Too often we have focused on what we are taking away rather than what we can add to services there.
All of this will be done with full regard to the safety issues highlighted by HIQA, in its reports on Ennis and Mallow Hospitals. When implemented, smaller hospitals will have vibrant role, doing more work — not less — and meeting as many as possible of the needs of their local community.
311 Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if it is intended that Portlaoise be designated as a module two hospital; the implications for the hospital in this situation in terms of budgets and staffing and medical and surgical procedures to be carried out in the hospital; and the future role of the accident and emergency unit in this hospital. [21594/11]
The configuration of services is constantly being reviewed and reorganised in the light of the clinical programmes currently being developed and rolled out by the HSE and in order to ensure the delivery of appropriate and safe health services. In all cases the future configuration of services will also need to meet the requirements of the recent HIQA reports on Mallow and Ennis.
The models described in the HSE's clinical programmes give guidance as to the appropriate role of hospitals and how they should interact for maximum effectiveness and best patient outcomes. No decision as to the exact role of any hospital, including Portlaoise Hospital, has yet been taken in terms of the clinical programme models .
I will be considering these matters in conjunction with the HSE and relevant experts and will arrive at my decisions in this regard based on the need to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients and the need to ensure safe delivery of health services in hospitals. As I have stated on several previous occasions, this Government is committed to developing and enhancing the role of smaller hospitals to ensure that their services can be put to best use for patients and local communities. I must reiterate, however, that the issue of safe delivery of health services for patients is paramount.
312 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the X-ray service in Dungloe Community Hospital, County Donegal, will be continued; if he will present a long-term plan for the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21617/11]
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
313 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health his views on the fact that a number of locum junior doctors will be leaving their posts in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal, in the August and September 2011; if these vacancies will be filled; if there will be any disruption to services, particularly the accident and emergency service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21619/11]
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
314 Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the date that the interim funding for the local drugs task force will be released; if he will be prepared to offer letters of comfort to the projects in order that they might be given overdrafts to ensure the continuation of the services offered and the payment of staff salaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21621/11]
In excess of €30m has been allocated to Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces in 2011 to support community based drugs initiatives. Funding for Drugs Task Force projects is channelled through designated agencies including the HSE, FÁS, certain Local Authorities and VECs. Funding is released by the Department of Health to designated agencies in two instalments, generally in January and July. The first instalment, which amounted to some €15m, issued earlier this year. The Department is in the process of releasing the second instalment in respect of all but one of the Drugs Task Forces, and is in contact with that Task Force in relation to outstanding matters.
315 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the waiting times, on a county basis, for speech and language therapy; his plans to ensure a better geographic spread in service provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21627/11]
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for this question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
316 Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health when a fair deal application for nursing home support in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21643/11]
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply
317 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the financial assistance or services available to persons (details supplied) in County Carlow; if he will expedite a reply from the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21655/11]
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
318 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the breakdown of the €13 million allocated for the development of St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny; the amount allotted to each phase of the development; when work is likely to commence on phase 1; the timeframe for the completion of the overall project; the date he or the Health Service Executive approved the decision to allocate the €13 million; if he will expedite a response from the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21658/11]
This HSE's draft Capital Plan is under consideration and reflects key capital priorities for health including those set out in the Programme for Government. I expect to be in a position to write to the Deputy, in the near future, with detail on the St Luke's project which the HSE has provided.
319 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if support and equipment required as notified to the Health Service Executive will be provided as a matter of urgency in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if he will expedite a response; and if he will insist on a response from the HSE. [21666/11]
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
320 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an application for a medical card under appeal will be approved and expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [21674/11]
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
322 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21831/11]
The scheduling of patients for hospital treatment is a matter for the consultant concerned in each case and is determined on the basis of clinical need. Should the patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he/she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant involved. As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
323 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when the special delivery unit will be in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21839/11]
324 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when funding will cease under the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21840/11]
325 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when new referrals for public patients to private hospitals will cease under the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21841/11]
326 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if the National Treatment Purchase Fund is still accepting persons who have been waiting over three months for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21842/11]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 to 326, inclusive, together.
I announced the establishment of the Special Delivery Unit (SDU) on 1 June. This has been one of my key priorities since becoming Minister for Health. The SDU is a key part of the Government's plans to radically reform the health system in Ireland, with the ultimate goal of introducing a system of Universal Health Insurance (UHI).
I have appointed Dr Martin Connor as the head of the SDU. Dr Connor is an international expert, with a proven track record in health service transformation. He has extensive experience in the NHS and led a similar initiative in Northern Ireland with considerable success. His principal task will be to build up the SDU and to prepare proposals for me on how best it can be placed on a permanent footing within the next six months.
The SDU will work to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting lists, including referrals from GPs. The SDU will work closely with the HSE, building on initiatives already underway including the clinical programmes.
The SDU's priorities will encompass:
emergency departments — waiting times for admission have been unacceptably high in a number of hospitals, often breaching the current 6-hour maximum waiting time target;
inpatient waiting times — the trend has been upwards recently, despite the work of the NTPF;
outpatient waiting times — the time from GP referral to an appointment with a consultant is unacceptably long in many specialties;
access to diagnostics — this forms an essential part of the patient journey for all of the areas of access above.
The SDU's success will allow for an alteration in the current role of the NTPF. The Fund's resources will be re-focused to align closely with the work of the SDU and, crucially, will allow for a progressive improvement in the performance of the nation's hospitals. For the moment, the NTPF will continue to operate as normal, accepting applications from persons who have been waiting for over three months for treatment.
An immediate priority for the SDU will be to ensure that waiting lists for inpatient services are managed properly and that hospitals take responsibility for managing patient flows. I have already stated that, in the transition period while the SDU is being established, there may be some increase in waiting lists, but this will be avoided if at all feasible. However, I cannot accept a position where some hospitals allow small numbers of patients to wait more than a year for their procedures and I expect this to be tackled quickly. The NTPF has welcomed the new initiative and has confirmed it will work proactively with the Unit to achieve the best possible results for patients.
327 Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the present closure of the ten-bed ear, nose and throat ward in Sligo General Hospital; and the savings this can incur when the nurses from this ward are redeployed to other wards in the hospital. [21857/11]
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
328 Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he plans to continue the local improvement scheme; if existing schemes will continue to be supported in the event of its withdrawal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21448/11]
The Local Improvements Scheme provides funding for non-public roads and while I am aware of the importance of this scheme to rural communities and the role it plays in assisting local development projects on non-public accommodation roads, the maintenance and improvement of these roads is in the first instance a matter for the relevant landowner.
The Government is undertaking a review of capital expenditure for the period 2012 to 2016. When my Department's capital provision for these years is known and the internal allocations within my Department are decided, I will then be in a position to decide what schemes will continue to receive support from the limited funds available to me at that time
329 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the grants that were provided, on a county basis, for maintenance and upgrade to the non-national road network in 2010; the additional grants that were made following the harsh winter conditions of 2010; if he is in dialogue with the Department about the balance between funding national primary and secondary and regional and county roads, if so, the outcome of the dialogue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21649/11]
Ministerial powers and functions in relation to regional and local roads were transferred to my Department from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in January 2008, however, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources supplemented by State road grants from my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
Following the severe weather in late 2009 and early 2010, local authorities were requested to provide details of exceptional road related costs associated with the prolonged severe weather, which fell outside the normal financial provision for winter maintenance.
The Department took account of the information received when deciding on allocations for 2010. The priority was to protect the massive investment of €6 billion in the regional and local roads network since 1997.
Local authorities were permitted to defer their planned rehabilitation works on regional and local roads in 2010 to allow greater flexibility to deal with the urgent repair of damage to the regional and local road network arising from the prolonged severely cold weather. A total of almost €411 million was provided to local authorities for works on regional and local roads in 2010.
The breakdown of regional and local road grants paid to each local authority in 2010 is outlined in the table:
|
COUNTY COUNCIL |
2010 Payment € |
|
CARLOW |
5,568,654 |
|
CAVAN |
12,788,480 |
|
CLARE |
15,281,499 |
|
CORK |
41,713,326 |
|
DONEGAL |
25,854,251 |
|
DÚN LAOGHAIRE-RATHDOWN |
5,889,541 |
|
FINGAL |
6,597,939 |
|
GALWAY |
21,983,169 |
|
KERRY |
18,495,053 |
|
KILDARE |
11,603,522 |
|
KILKENNY |
10,542,856 |
|
LAOIS |
9,436,062 |
|
LEITRIM |
8,411,208 |
|
LIMERICK |
12,569,833 |
|
LONGFORD |
5,839,490 |
|
LOUTH |
5,651,687 |
|
MAYO |
21,138,095 |
|
MEATH |
12,990,453 |
|
MONAGHAN |
12,372,214 |
|
NORTH TIPPERARY |
10,526,483 |
|
OFFALY |
8,148,717 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
14,253,841 |
|
SLIGO |
10,527,156 |
|
SOUTH DUBLIN |
11,547,738 |
|
SOUTH TIPPERARY |
11,147,079 |
|
WATERFORD |
10,283,903 |
|
WESTMEATH |
12,692,272 |
|
WEXFORD |
13,932,550 |
|
WICKLOW |
9,667,854 |
|
CITY/BOROUGH COUNCIL |
|
|
CORK |
4,281,800 |
|
DUBLIN |
7,152,246 |
|
GALWAY |
1,751,334 |
|
LIMERICK |
3,934,461 |
|
WATERFORD |
3,508,384 |
|
CLONMEL |
453,436 |
|
DROGHEDA |
425,000 |
|
KILKENNY |
414,955 |
|
SLIGO |
429,940 |
|
WEXFORD |
452,401 |
|
TOWN COUNCIL |
|
|
ARKLOW |
195,000 |
|
ATHLONE |
395,000 |
|
ATHY |
195,000 |
|
BALLINA |
195,000 |
|
BALLINASLOE |
195,000 |
|
BIRR |
195,000 |
|
BRAY |
425,000 |
|
BUNCRANA |
195,000 |
|
BUNDORAN |
139,000 |
|
CARLOW |
410,000 |
|
CARRICKMACROSS |
195,000 |
|
CARRICK-ON-SUIR |
195,000 |
|
CASHEL |
139,000 |
|
CASTLEBAR |
195,000 |
|
CASTLEBLAYNEY |
139,000 |
|
CAVAN |
195,000 |
|
CLONAKILTY |
184,606 |
|
CLONES |
139,000 |
|
COBH |
139,414 |
|
DUNDALK |
405,274 |
|
DUNGARVAN |
195,000 |
|
ENNIS |
391,827 |
|
ENNISCORTHY |
195,000 |
|
FERMOY |
195,000 |
|
KELLS |
58,359 |
|
KILLARNEY |
195,000 |
|
KILRUSH |
139,000 |
|
KINSALE |
195,000 |
|
LETTERKENNY |
395,000 |
|
LISTOWEL |
195,000 |
|
LONGFORD |
195,000 |
|
MACROOM |
139,000 |
|
MALLOW |
195,000 |
|
MIDLETON |
65,053 |
|
MONAGHAN |
195,000 |
|
NAAS |
410,000 |
|
NAVAN |
410,000 |
|
NENAGH |
195,000 |
|
NEW ROSS |
195,000 |
|
SKIBBEREEN |
139,000 |
|
TEMPLEMORE |
139,000 |
|
THURLES |
195,000 |
|
TIPPERARY |
194,761 |
|
TRALEE |
410,000 |
|
TRIM |
195,000 |
|
TULLAMORE |
195,000 |
|
WESTPORT |
195,000 |
|
WICKLOW |
195,000 |
|
YOUGHAL |
195,000 |
|
TOTAL |
410,930,176 |
330 Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the annual subvention to Irish Rail; and the way this is divided between track, rolling stock, services and fuel. [21457/11]
The Exchequer subvention paid to Irish Rail in 2010, through the National Transport Authority, was €155.137 million. The 2011 subvention is expected to be €147.42 million.
Irish Rail is required to keep and publish annually separate profit and loss accounts and balance sheets, on the one hand for business relating to the provision of rail transport services, and, on the other, for business relating to the management and maintenance of the railway infrastructure. The accounts are required to reflect the prohibition on State aid granted for the provision of transport services by Irish Rail transferred for use in the management of the railway infrastructure. Irish Rail's Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31 December 2010 have recently been published and are available on the CIE website at www.cie.ie and copies have also been placed in the Dáil Library.
A detailed note on the allocation of State grants and the relevant EU Regulations governing State Aid is included in the Annual Report — see Note 8 of the 2010 Accounts.
331 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the metro north; if he will ensure same will go ahead due to the potential opportunity to create 4,000 jobs and supporting local joinery businesses; his views on the fact that if he fails to start the metro north, compensation will have to be paid to the bidders, which in this current economic climate is not viable. [21489/11]
The comprehensive review of capital expenditure which is being overseen by my colleague Mr Brendan Howlin, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is currently underway. This review is examining all capital programmes and projects, as regards their affordability, their overall economic impact and job creation potential. A major consideration will be the need to prioritise funding to protect investment made to date and to maintain high safety standards.
The Deputy can be assured that I am fully apprised of how beneficial Metro North can be, for businesses, communities and future development in the North Dublin Region. As he may be aware, I am a former member of Fingal County Council and represent part of the town of Swords, which would be served by Metro North. The benefits of this project are not at issue, the issue is our capacity to fund it.
Metro North will cost several billions depending on the funding model used. In order for Metro North to be built, it will require both private funding by means of a PPP and exchequer funding. With regard to exchequer funding, this will be almost €1 billion during the term of this Government.
The successful awarding of a major PPP contract involving private funding is challenging at any time but is particularly challenging in current circumstances where Ireland has been the subject of intervention by the IMF/EU. Until financial credibility is restored the international debt funding market will be reluctant to lend funds to finance projects in Ireland, the repayment of which is ultimately dependent on the state. It is also not clear whether the Exchequer will be able to contribute its share of the cost in any case. In order for Metro North to be included in the revised National Development Plan 2012-2016, both private finance and exchequer finance must be available. The decision made on Metro North, will be made by the Government in that context.
The issue of compensation should it arise, would be dealt with under the agreed procurement terms between the RPA and the Metro North bidders, the details of which are commercially sensitive.
332 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of participation and responsibility of each Minister of State in his Department in relation to attendance at Ministerial Councils for which his Department has responsibility since the formation of the Government; and if he will list all such meetings which have taken place and the Minister in attendance at each meeting. [21510/11]
Minister of State Michael Ring TD represents the Government in relation to sporting issues at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council. The Minister was unable to attend the most recent meeting in May due to the visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland and the meeting was attended by officials from my Department.
333 Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding under the specific improvements grants scheme will be allocated for the realignment ofGarrycastle Bridge in Athlone, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21515/11]
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in its area is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
A total of €439,676,000 is being provided to local authorities for regional and local roads in 2011. This allocation includes additional funding of €60 million being provided through the Restoration Improvement Programme under the Government's jobs initiative. From this overall allocation Westmeath County Council has been allocated a total of €10,406,703 in 2011, which includes an allocation of €400,000 for the Garrycastle Bridge project under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme.
334 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will improve access to County Kerry by providing the necessary funding to upgrade the Cork to Kerry road and the Limerick to Kerry road, and also provide additional flights from Dublin to Kerry as this is vital to such a peripheral county as Kerry. [21517/11]
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual national road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's questions regarding road access to Kerry to the NRA for direct reply. The Deputy should advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within ten working days.
As regards providing additional flights from Dublin to Kerry, a tender process for a public service obligation (PSO) contract for the Kerry-Dublin air route, is currently underway following publication of the relevant notices in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 3 May 2011. In line with the EU Guidelines, the process of renewal of a PSO takes a minimum of six months from the date the notices appear in the Official Journal. In accordance with this, my Department is working to ensure that the new PSO air service between Dublin and Kerry commences at the earliest opportunity in November 2011.
335 Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the construction of the Bantry relief road; the timetable for the completion of this road project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21558/11]
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual national road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. The Deputy should advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within 10 working days.
336 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will have the initial estimates for the current and capital transport budgets for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21734/11]
Following a Government decision last April, my Department has carried out a Comprehensive Expenditure Review of its current and capital expenditure to identify possible savings for the years 2012-2014. I have recently reported back to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on expenditure proposals for the three year period.
It is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in the first instance, to consider these proposals. The detailed estimates that are finally settled will be set out in Budget 2012.
337 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the public will know if the metro north, the rail interconnector and the Luas BX and Luas link-up will proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21735/11]
The level of funding available for public transport investment from 2012 to 2016 will be dependent on the outcome of the review of capital expenditure which is being overseen by my colleague Mr. Brendan Howlin, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and is currently underway. This review, which takes place against a background of new funding realities, will examine all capital programmes and projects taking account of their overall economic impact and job creation potential. A major consideration for transport investment over the next five years will be the need to prioritise funding to protect investment made to date and to maintain high safety standards.
In relation to the large public transport projects in the Dublin area the availability of funding, both from the Exchequer and private sources, will be a key consideration in the review as will the contribution to transport objectives, including the potential to add value to existing services.
The outcome of the review on major projects should be available in September/October.
338 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the heads of the Bill for the proposed new road traffic Bill No. 3 have been drawn up yet; the broad scheme of measures that this road traffic Bill will deal with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21736/11]
The Government gave approval to draft the Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2011 in June 2011. In accordance with commitments regarding legislation in the Programme for Government, I presented the General Scheme to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht on 5 July 2011. I invited the Committee to undertake a preliminary examination of the Scheme and provide me with comments within a month. Details of the General Scheme are available on my Department's website.
While it is my intention to prepare a Road Traffic (No. 3) Bill 2011, no firm decision has been taken to date on the measures to be contained therein.
339 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of motorists that have been charged and found guilty of driving under the influence of illegal drugs each year since 2007; if he has reviewed the successful roadside testing programmes that are currently in operation in a number of Australian states including Queensland and Tasmania; if he has any plans to introduce similar roadside drug testing schemes here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21737/11]
The responsibility for enforcement of Road Traffic legislation is a matter for An Garda Síochána. Information in relation to the number of motorists charged and found guilty of driving under the influence of illegal drugs is a matter for the Gardaí and the Court Service.
The Medical Bureau of Road Safety is aware of and is studying the road side testing programmes that are currently in operation in a number of Australian States. These involve limited roadside saliva testing using the technology that is currently available.
I understand from the Bureau that the technology in use in Australia would not be suitable for use in Irish climatic conditions. However, the Bureau will continue to review the forensic options available as the technology develops.
I can assure the Deputy that when suitable technology becomes available I will provide the legislative basis for its introduction as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the Road Traffic Act 2010 includes provisions for field impairment testing i.e. non-technological methods by which the Garda can make a preliminary assessment about the possible presence of drugs.
340 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has received a report from the Road Safety Authority on their investigation into alleged illegal practices at some national car test centres that were recently exposed by a programme (details supplied); the findings and outcome of the report; the actions he has taken to ensure the integrity of the NCT system; if any action is to be taken in relation to the operators of the NCT system, Applus+; if he will also report on whether he has reviewed the performance of the RSA in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21738/11]
Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority has responsibility for the delivery of the National Car Test. The RSA has overall responsibility for the operation, oversight, development, quality assurance and delivery of vehicle testing arrangements. The testing function is carried out by Applus+, since January 2010, under a contractual arrangement with the RSA.
The RSA exercises a supervisory role to ensure the service is provided in line with the conditions of the contract. In order to assist the RSA in carrying out this supervisory role, the Authority has appointed a contractor to carry out certain supervisory services on its behalf. These relate to monitoring the achievement of the performance and acceptable standards by Applus+, and reporting regularly to the RSA. This service is currently provided by a consortium made up of Price Waterhouse Coopers and the Automobile Association. The RSA continuously monitors Applus+ performance and has regular meetings with them to ensure compliance with contract requirements.
There is regular and ongoing contact between the RSA and my Department on matters pertaining to the National Car Testing Service.
Following the "Prime Time Investigates" programme Applus+ has undertaken an internal investigation and the 7 vehicle inspectors who were identified as a result of the programme and internal analysis were suspended. 3 have now been dismissed. Applus+ has submitted a number of requests to RTE for the information under the Freedom of Information Act. Primetime has refused to provide the information on the grounds that it is outside Freedom of Information.
A Garda investigation is currently underway and Applus+ is providing all information and assistance required. Applus+ is implementing a number of measures to address the issues raised. While details of many of these must necessarily be kept confidential, they include preventative measures and fraud detection measures based on following up on specific risk areas identified.
The NCTS testing system is computer-controlled and highly automated and provides test security, consistency and accuracy. Uniform standards are set for what is tested, how the test is carried out and the reasons for failure.
Notwithstanding the recent issues highlighted by the Primetime programme, the RSA has acted swiftly and proactively to address the issues raised. I am assured that it will continue to take every possible action to tackle these issues head on.
341 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current waiting time to access the national car test at each test centre around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21739/11]
The subject matter of this particular question is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have referred the question to them for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.
342 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the pass and failure rates at each driving test centre around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21740/11]
The subject matter of this question, i.e. the driver testing service, is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, and I have referred the question to them for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.
343 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current waiting time to access a driving test at each of the test centres around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21741/11]
The subject matter of this particular question, i.e. the driver testing service, is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, and I have referred the question to them for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.
344 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the measures to abolish the air travel tax under the recent jobs initiative; if an agreement has been reached with the airlines in terms of a targeted increase in passenger volumes as a quid pro quo for the abolition of the air travel tax; the terms of that agreement; when it will come into force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21742/11]
In the recent Jobs Initiative, I announced a three-pronged strategy to encourage inbound tourism. The first element is the proposed suspension of the air travel tax, the second is a new growth incentive scheme which has been introduced by the Dublin Airport Authority and the third is more targeted co-operative marketing of new routes from key source tourism markets by Tourism Ireland, Dublin Airport Authority and the airlines to encourage more tourists to fly into Ireland.
My officials and I have engaged with the Dublin Airport Authority and with the four main Irish airlines about these initiatives and I also wrote to all of the other airlines operating services to and from the State airports. Some proposals for additional capacity and new routes put forward are being examined by my Department and by external consultants to assess their potential impact. I will await the outcome of that assessment and responses from other airlines before making a recommendation to my Cabinet colleagues on whether or not to suspend the tax. The recent enactment of the Finance (No. 2) Act 2011 has provided the basis for the suspension of the air travel tax if we decide to do so.
345 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on recent proposals from the National Transport Authority for the taxi industry including a uniform fleet, fleet colour and new vehicle size standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21743/11]
In my announcements of the 8th and 24th June respectively I have clarified the terms of reference and the membership of the Taxi Regulation Review Group, in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government. The aim of the review is to enable the necessary further reforms of the sector to allow consumers to have confidence in the taxi system while also ensuring that legitimate and competent operators and drivers can be rewarded fairly by operating under a regulatory framework that is adequately enforced. The review will address a wide range of issues relating to the taxi sector including the current regulatory policy and practices, licensing systems, enforcement and future dialogue with the taxi sector.
The regulation of the taxi industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. The NTA is currently carrying out a public consultation on proposed regulatory measures for SPSV vehicle standards with a view to advancing new regulations to come into force in January 2012. The results of this consultation process on SPSV vehicle standards will also feed directly into the work of the Taxi Regulation Review Group.
The idea on vehicle branding is to get feedback from operators in the taxi-sector on the matter and all responses will be assessed from there. The primary goal of the review is to seek to clean up bad practices currently being engaged in and to ensure that those who operate legitimately in the taxi sector are rewarded fairly for their work.
I should add that the invitation for submissions to be made on the Taxi Regulation Review and for the NTA consultation on SPSV vehicle standards extends to 5 August 2011.
346 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will introduce legislation specifically to prohibit the practice of tampering with a vehicle’s odometer; if he will report on the current departmental estimates for the number of cars on Irish roads and imported cars that have been clocked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21744/11]
Tampering with a vehicle's odometer, more commonly known as "clocking", is covered by consumer protection legislation, the enforcement of which is the responsibility of the National Consumer Agency.
The Consumer Protection Act 2007, (Part 3, Chapter 2, Regulations 42 and 43, entitled "Misleading Commercial Practices") states that it is an offence for a trader to engage in a misleading commercial practice which would include the provision of false information in relation to a "product's usage or prior history" to the extent that the information would be likely to cause the average consumer to make a transactional decision that the average consumer would not otherwise make.
I understand that the National Consumer Agency has been successful in taking prosecutions against car dealerships for selling or offering for sale used motor vehicles with altered-reduced odometer readings.
My Department does not maintain statistics on the number of ‘clocked' cars on Irish roads.
347 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the integrated ticketing system will be fully implemented on the bus, Luas, DART and rail system across the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21745/11]
Responsibility to develop, procure, implement, operate and maintain the integrated ticketing scheme in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) became a function of the National Transport Authority (NTA) with effect from 30th September 2010 with the commencement of section 58 of the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA) Act 2008.
Furthermore in accordance with section 63(1) of the DTA Act 2008, the Authority's functions in relation to integrated ticketing have been extended to the rest of the State.
I understand from the NTA that good progress is being made on the project with intensive testing of the system continuing. When this testing is completed and all defects are corrected the scheme will be launched to the general public.
348 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is concerned at the number of incidents in which vehicles have collided with Luas trams, in view of the massive disruption to commuters that is caused even if it is a minor collision with no damage; if any drivers have been prosecuted for dangerous driving or any other charge in the context of colliding with a Luas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21746/11]
Operational matters relating to Luas services are a matter for the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) while the prosecution of drivers for dangerous driving or other traffic offences is a matter in the first instance for the Garda Síochána. I have referred the Deputy's question to the RPA for direct reply. The Deputy should advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within ten working days.
349 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Luas trams have complete priority over other road traffic users at traffic lights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21747/11]
The issue of priority at road junctions is a matter for the relevant local authorities and not one in which I have any role.
350 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will liaise with the Department of Justice and Equality on bringing new legislation forward targeting anti-social behaviour on public transport that is directed at both commuters and public transport workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21748/11]
The question of bringing forward new legislation in relation to anti-social behaviour generally is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality.
The Light Railway (Regulation of Travel and Use) Bye-laws 2004 (S.I. No. 100 of 2004) were made by the Railway Procurement Agency under section 66 of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001 (as amended). This Statutory Instrument sets out by-laws for the regulation of travel on Luas, including prohibited acts such as acting in a manner that is abusive, threatening or offensive to any person. Similarly, section 22 of the Transport Act 1950 gives CIÉ the power to make by-laws and section 28 of the Transport (Re-organisation of CIÉ) Act 1986 provides that CIÉ's powers can be exercised on behalf of the subsidiary companies. The most recent by-laws relating to Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann are S.I. No. 394 of 1996 and S.I. No. 109 of 1984 respectively. These by-laws provide for the regulation of travel and use of the services provided by Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann and the maintenance of order on these services. The regulation of passenger behaviour in the case of Bus Éireann services is governed by the Road Traffic Acts.
The safety and security of passengers and staff including arrangements to deal with anti-social behaviour is a matter for the relevant transport operators in conjunction, as appropriate, with the Garda Síochána. I have referred the Deputy's question to the Railway Procurement Agency and CIÉ for direct reply. The Deputy should advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within ten working days.
351 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if EU Directive 95/21/EC on enhancing maritime safety, including pollution prevention and shipboard living and working conditions on ships using Irish ports, has been fully implemented; the steps he is taking to enhance the system for monitoring and enforcing the rights and conditions of all maritime workers on ships in Irish ports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21749/11]
Directive 95/21/EC on port State control of shipping was repealed on 1st January 2011 and replaced by Directive 2009/16/EC. This directive introduced a new port State control regime called the New Inspection Regime (NIR), which strengthens port State control and focuses on sub-standard ships and the companies operating them. It includes the provisions of the appropriate International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions.
The new directive was transposed by the European Communities (Port State Control) Regulations 2010 (S.I. No. 656 of 2010), which came into operation on 1st January 2011. The NIR is supported by a new international inspection database — "THETIS" — which is integrated with Ireland's maritime single-window web portal, "SafeSeasIreland" (SSI). The obligation on the shipping industry to report ship movements under NIR was publicised by Marine Notices No. 2 and No. 3 of 2011.
Ireland, as a member state of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (ParisMoU), implements an effective port State control regime and, each year, Port State Control Officers from my Department inspect foreign flagged ships in Irish ports. They detain any of these ships which have serious deficiencies related to safety, the environment, or living and working conditions.
352 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding proposals to develop Bremore Port, Fingal; if proposals for long-term co-operation between Dublin Port Company and Bremore Port are currently being examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21750/11]
The position in relation to Drogheda Port Company's plans for a new port at Bremore have not changed substantially since my response to the Deputy's Question No. 438 of 12 April last. The company is continuing to progress its plans. Drogheda Port Company has made an application for Ministerial approval for a Joint Venture for the project, which is currently at an advanced stage of consideration.
For its part, Dublin Port Company is currently preparing a masterplan for the port's envisaged development over the next 30 years.
I intend publishing the outcome of the current review of ports policy later this year. This will set out a policy framework for the long term, including the issue of future port capacity.
353 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is taking any initiatives to enhance Ireland’s ferry connectivity with our British, Scandinavian and continental European neighbours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21751/11]
Ireland offers a diverse range of maritime links to and from the State to facilitate trade and tourism. In terms of connectivity, Ireland is one of the best served countries in Europe for passenger ferry services. These links are frequent and competitive. There are currently six shipping lines providing year round passenger services, with over 500 sailings weekly between Ireland and the United Kingdom and continental Europe.
The latest ferry passenger data, currently being prepared by the IMDO for mid year 2011, suggests that passenger numbers for the first six months of this year are up on the same comparable periods during 2007, 2008 and 2009. This excludes 2010 as the traffic volumes were distorted by a surge in ferry passenger numbers as a result of the volcanic ash cloud crisis. The ash crisis was a timely reminder of the ability of our existing passenger services to adapt and deal with unprecedented demand in a very short period of time.
My Department through its agency the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) works closely with all existing operators and continues to promote Ireland as a location for new services. Likewise, our commercial ports are seeking to maximise their revenue potential with existing and new potential income streams. Any new initiatives to enhance connectivity must be market driven, as it is not Government policy to fund international ferry services.
Fáilte Ireland is also involved in active promotion and marketing of sea access routes to Ireland in their role of promoting Ireland as a high quality and competitive tourist destination. We will see record numbers of cruise passenger vessels calling to our ports this year. The cruise vessels, while seasonal, are a welcome boost to regional economies bringing thousands of passengers per day to local shops and tourist venues.
354 Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the erection of bus shelters with bus timetables in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, and the surrounding towns of Dromahair, Drumkeerin, Glanfarne, Kinlough and Drumshambo. [21856/11]
I wish to advise the Deputy that the construction of bus shelters, outside of the Greater Dublin Area, is a day-to-day operational matter between individual bus operators and the relevant Local Authority.
