Vol. 930 No. 2
6. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of vacancies on State boards in his Department, the number filled since he took office, the number filled through the Public Appointments Service, the timelines to fill vacancies and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36523/16]
151. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of vacancies on boards or agencies within his Department's remit that currently exist, the number that have been filled since 8 May 2016, the number of these that were filled through the Public Appointments Service, the timeline for filling remaining vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36652/16]
169. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of vacancies on State boards in his Department, the number filled since he took office, the number filled through the Public Appointments Service, the timelines to fill vacancies and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36842/16]
I have put this question to every Minister. It concerns the number of vacancies on State boards within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform but as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I would also like him to comment on vacancies on State boards generally.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 151 and 169 together.
The answer in respect of my Department is short. The board of the Public Appointments Service is the only State board under the aegis of my Department. There are no vacancies on the board of the Public Appointments Service and I can confirm that none has been filled since the current Government took office. I can give the Deputy more information if he wishes. In respect of vacancies on State boards, as a Minister who had responsibility in the past for many State boards, I am aware of all the work involved in respect of filling vacancies on those boards. I am undertaking a review of the process put in place by the previous Government and will consult all of my colleagues in government about whether it can be improved or changed. I believe there is a good process in place, but it is up to each Minister to make decisions in respect of appointments.
The Minister has said there is a good process in places. By extension, this leads me to say that he has confidence in the Public Appointments Service and its role in filling vacancies on State boards. He was previously Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Did he allow a situation to arise where 35 vacancies on crucial State boards were left unfilled? The Road Safety Authority and Irish Rail are two organisations that come to mind. Are there other Departments that the Public Appointments Service assists in terms of filling vacancies on State boards that face the same kind of challenges that have been identified by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, that is, providing too many people to fill the vacancies?
The Deputy asked me whether I have confidence in the Public Appointments Service and its work. The answer is "Yes". As the Deputy is aware, it has an enhanced role and does more work in this area than was the case in recent years. I believe this has led to the availability of better candidates than has been the case for many years because more people are aware of the process.
In respect of my tenure as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, while I cannot remember the exact number of vacancies that may exist at any point, the answer is that, of course, there were vacancies when I was Minister because you have responsibility for a group of boards and people may resign or go on to do different work. This can mean that despite your best efforts, there are vacancies that then take time to fill. Am I aware of the vacancy levels on other State boards? I do not have that information with me, but I know that the Deputy's party is putting questions on this issue to all my colleagues. However, I can get the information for him if he wishes. I suspect he will have it soon. I cannot give him answers relating to other Departments, but I am undertaking a review of the process to assess how it is working and if improvements can be made.
In respect of the interests of good governance of any State company or organisation, particularly those facing specific challenges such as Irish Rail and the Road Safety Authority and given the challenges we face at the moment or in any other Department where there are challenges, is it appropriate for there to be no appointments to a State board over a six-month period? I accept that Ministers are busy, vacancies happen and there needs to be a process, but surely in the course of six months, a Minister should do his or her job, make the appointments and do what he or she is paid to do.
A Minister is paid to make appointments with which he or she is satisfied. It is up to the Minister of the day to make decisions on the matter. That is what the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is entitled do to and I fully support him in all that work because I am aware of how important those appointments are. It is up to him to be satisfied as to who he wants to put on the boards of organisations for which he is responsible. He will have my support in respect of any decisions he makes.
If he makes them.
He is taking the time to which he is entitled to make decisions which he will ultimately be accountable to the House for. That is what he is doing. While he is doing that, we will continue with our work to assess how the process works overall to see if improvements can be made and what its current strengths are. I am seeking out the views of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on that. Of course, he will make the appointments he believes are in the best interests of the boards for which he is responsible.
Question No. 7 is in the name of Deputy Brendan Smith. I understand the Ceann Comhairle has agreed that the question will be put by Deputy Dara Calleary. Is that agreed? Agreed.
7. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the discussions he or his Department has had with the authorities in Northern Ireland in relation to the need to have drainage work carried out on the River Erne in County Fermanagh which impacts adversely with flooding in areas of County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36371/16]
Deputy Brendan Smith has been delayed and will not make it. He has asked me to state his concern regarding the need for drainage work on the River Erne in County Fermanagh which is affecting many areas downstream in County Cavan. The same applies to rivers all over the country, particularly at this time as we approach the time of year when flooding began last year. I will pass on the information relating to the River Erne to Deputy Brendan Smith, but the Minister of State might take a minute or two minutes to update people on flood readiness generally.
The core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Work's catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme. A total of 300 locations nationwide are being assessed under the programme, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities. Cavan town is one of these locations and part of the North Western-Neagh Bann CFRAM study.
The River Erne catchment is being assessed under the Office of Public Works in close co-operation with Northern Ireland's River Agency. This co-operation is part of our respective implementation of the EU floods directive and, therefore, the Erne system in both Ireland and Northern Ireland has been fully assessed as part of the CFRAM study.
Representatives of the Rivers Agency attend regular progress and steering group meetings of the North Western-Neagh Bann CFRAM programme. On 9 May 2016, a further high-level meeting of representatives from the Rivers Agency and the OPW to discuss issues of mutual co-operation took place. This co-operation is ensuring the measures will not adversely affect flood risk in other parts of the Erne catchment.
Public consultation on the measures in draft flood risk management plans, including the feasible measures for this CFRAM study area, closed on 28 October. The comments received will inform the final plans due to be finalised for approval by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in spring 2017.
The River Erne does not form part of any of the OPW's arterial drainage schemes under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. The statutory duty of maintenance for drainage districts rests with the local authorities concerned.
The Minister of State has hit the exact point that he and I have discussed. It is not the responsibility of the OPW, but that of the local authority. When the local authority is contacted, it claims it is not its responsibility but that of somebody else. Nothing gets done and flooding happens, and we go back through the same scenario.
Has Cavan County Council received any money for minor works on the River Erne that might assist downstream areas and might provide coverage and protection to people in the weeks and months ahead? Will the action plan for 2017 be funded directly through the OPW or will it be done on a cross-Border basis?
The Deputy asked several questions. He asked about the minor works scheme. I do not have that information to hand but I can find it out for the Deputy.
As I said previously, the CFRAM programme is the way forward. It identifies the 300 areas of risk. There is close co-operation between the Rivers Agency and the OPW. The Office of Public Works has a role to play. It is normally the lead agency that brings forward the schemes. The schemes are financed through the Office of Public Works. That has worked successfully. There are 12 flood relief projects on the ground compared with only four in 2015. A further 23 schemes are in place nationally. We have a huge number of minor works going on. We have protected 7,000 properties under the major relief schemes and have protected 5,000 properties under minor works.
8. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the preparations his Department is taking for the presidency of Donald Trump in the United States; the contingency planning being undertaken by his officials in view of current knowledge regarding the President-elect's policy plans; the areas he is prioritising for protection in view of the upcoming economic uncertainty in 2017 with the expected triggering of Article 50 for Brexit and the presidency of Donald Trump in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36368/16]
We appear to be facing a triple whammy. We previously discussed the potential impact of Brexit on revenue and expenditure. I discussed with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, quantitative easing which looks like it will taper off in 2017. The third whammy is the upcoming presidency of Donald Trump. Many of us still cannot understand how in such a close federation as the United States it is possible for a candidate to win the popular vote overwhelmingly and still not become President. We are faced with President-elect Trump. Based on the indications we have had in the very often confused and rambling pronouncements of the President-elect during the campaign, are we right to be concerned? Is the Minister taking any steps to see how this might impact on our expenditure?
While it would not be practice to prepare contingency plans for the range of outcomes of elections in other jurisdictions, the Government, its officials and our embassy in Washington were monitoring closely developments regarding the US presidential election and were ready to engage with the new US Administration, regardless of the outcome.
It would be premature to anticipate or comment at this early stage on President-elect Trump's specific policy priorities or on our potential responses to them. We are acutely conscious of the particular responsibility of the United States for leadership and engagement across the globe in our endeavours to address shared challenges.
The Government will continue to work constructively and productively to ensure our bilateral relations with the United States will continue to prosper during the next four years, and we look forward to working closely with the new administration in the White House. In the meantime, the Government will continue to engage actively with the administration of President Obama until he completes his term on 20 January 2016.
The Government has robust arrangements in place to address the challenges Brexit poses. The Taoiseach is chairing a Cabinet committee of which I am a member and which is overseeing a whole-of-Government response, including the economic impact, and the negotiations at EU level and with the administrations in London and Belfast. Work is under way across all Departments on the key strategic, policy and operational issues.
The Government's spending plans, outlined in budget 2017, support planning to meet key challenges including Brexit. They provide measures to underpin our international competitiveness, strengthen our medium-term economic potential, underpin the achievement of societal and social objectives and support the effective functioning of the economy. They are prudent and financially responsible, and provide a secure basis for the planning for future economic growth in a sustainable way.
Has the Minister received any specific requests from Cabinet colleagues for additional funding for next year, particularly for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation? Obviously we greatly depend on foreign direct investment. Microsoft, Dell, Intel, Apple, Google and other key IT companies have their European headquarters and often African and Asian headquarters based in Ireland. Given the pronouncements of the President-elect that he may slash the US corporation tax rate from 35% to 15% are there concerns over how we might meet that challenge?
The other characteristic we have gleaned from the bruising campaign, as the President-elect has called it, is that he is very hostile to trade agreements. He will immediately scrap the trans-Pacific agreement and he is hostile to NAFTA and the TTIP. Ireland is a small open economy that depends on trade. Is there an indication that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and his staff will need greater resources in order to meet these challenges?
The Deputy asked if I had received any additional request for investment in response to Brexit or the other threats he mentioned. I have not received any such request since the budget, but the budget only took place a few weeks ago. I continually receive proposals for additional expenditure. I expect that early next year there will be further claims and demands both within government and elsewhere to look at how we can respond to the challenges. Within the budget and spending plans we have for next year, we have very strong plans to respond to the threats the Deputy mentioned.
The Deputy raised a very important point on trade agreements. Ireland has built much of our recent prosperity on ordered trade agreements with other countries and the Single Market is the best example of that. I believe this will be one of the greatest areas of challenge in the future. Have additional requests for funding in that area come in since budget day? The answer to that question is "no". However, I believe this will be a major area of focus in coming years. For that reason it is important that the House unites behind Ireland's continued membership of the Single Market, in particular.
The Minister mentioned the committee on Brexit and preparing for the other challenges to the economy. I know that the Taoiseach and perhaps one or two other people have been in contact with the President-elect. Has there been any contact in the context of Irish business with those involved in the incoming presidency?
We have just passed the Finance Bill. I saw the Acting Cathaoirleach battling to the end at about 3 a.m. this morning.
I know that other colleagues were here with us and that the House was pretty full, but I did not notice any of our media or journalist colleagues present for these important debates.
Leave them alone; they are very tired.
We were here. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will be reporting to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. Given the Trump presidency, is tax expenditure something at which the Minister needs to look again? Last night during debate on the Finance Bill we sanctioned further tax expenditure, funding the Minister could have had but will not now have.
We have made an adjustment of 0.5% in national income arising from expected economic growth next year. The rate has been reduced by that amount. This has been built into our expectations for how much revenue will be available to spend, as well as into our tax plans. We are not proposing a further change. Our colleagues in the media are always with us and I am sure they will be commenting on the Deputy's words.
10. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way he is addressing the current public sector industrial unrest; his plans to address fairly the concerns of public sector workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36366/16]
156. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he remains satisfied that the unions that signed up to the various agreements such as the Lansdowne Road agreement are not penalised as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36715/16]
I know that the Minister had a lengthy discussion earlier with other colleagues on the Lansdowne Road agreement. It is often perceived that the agreement is effectively in tatters because of some of the Government's actions in recent months. It seems to have used a huge portion of the available space in dealing with some of the earlier public sector disputes. Is the Minister going to address fairly the concerns of public sector workers and can we expect to see early in 2017 serious discussions and negotiations to restore their pay and conditions?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 156 together.
I have already outlined the plans for what will happen in the aftermath of the Lansdowne Road agreement. Briefly, the plans are to allow space for the Public Service Pay Commission to conduct its work and to then have discussions and negotiations on what will happen after the Lansdowne Road agreement. That continues to be the case. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan has alleged that the agreement is in "tatters," to use his phrase, due to actions taken by the Government. Will he clarify to what actions he is referring? The agreement we made with the INTO and the TUI is recognised as being inside the Lansdowne Road agreement. If the Deputy is referring to the issues that developed in the aftermath of the proposed settlement with An Garda Síochána, does he believe gardaí should have access to the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission? If he believes they should have access to these institutions which are independent of the Government, does he believe we should ever be at a point where Government would not accept the recommendations of these bodies and thereby undermine their work for the entire economy in the future?
The Minister's key responsibility is to restore the living standards of all public servants. He has mentioned the Garda deal. I am not sure what the final figure is, but some have suggested it might be €50 million which has been set aside from the little money the Minister had in the kitty. That is the overall cost. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and SIPTU have made a request that serious negotiations begin on the organisation of pay and conditions for public sector workers post the Lansdowne Road agreement. I welcomed the appointment of the Public Service Pay Commission. We have heard quite a few people, including Deputy Sean Sherlock and others, speak about having an employer-labour conference across the economy, not just for the public service. Does the Minister agree that Fine Gael has a fairly brutal record when it comes to social partnership? It has not created the connections that are necessary to get us all moving forward together. I do not think anybody denies that restoration of pay and conditions is necessary. The Minister clearly has the key responsibility to try to carry on the work of his predecessors.
I thank the Deputy for his comments, but he did not answer the question I put to him. It is an important question for people who are critical of the Government, including in this House, to tease out. Of course, they are entitled to be critical, but the question must be asked if they are in favour of gardaí having access to the Labour Court and if they are, do they believe an employer should not accept the Labour Court's recommendations? That is the position in which the Government found itself and it has created consequences for those who work in public services, as I have acknowledged to the Deputy and publicly. That is the reason I am engaging with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on what happens in the aftermath of the recommendations.
On the Deputy's particular question about a labour-employer forum, we actually had an initial meeting of such a body some weeks ago in the run-up to the budget. Perhaps it was not given the profile it merited. Such a mechanism will be a help in the future.
To respond to the Deputy's question on social partnership, at times it had a pretty bad track record. That is something of which my party was critical and I think at times our criticisms have been acknowledged as being correct. However, that we engage with all elements of society in a collective approach to public sector pay is a necessity in the context of how we deal with the issues raised by the Deputy, including Brexit.
I believe all public servants should have access to the industrial relations machinery of the State. That is a sine qua non, on which I agree with the Minister. It is, however, his responsibility to engage with all elements of the public service. We made reference to the debate on the Finance Bill last night. I acknowledge the great support given to Members by staff of the House in carrying out our duties, of which we are deeply appreciative. Has the Minister and his Department given any thought to or sketched what the landscape post the Lansdowne Road agreement will look like? We still need restoration. Living costs in the State are the fifth or sixth highest in Europe. A person working in the public service, while he or she has job stability and security, is certainly not going to make a fortune. Has the Minister given any thought to that matter?
We have given a huge amount of thought to it. I am actively engaged in considering it because the figures are exceptionally large. The Deputy referred to restoration. If one equates restoration with equalling the earnings that are not available owing to the FEMPI legislation, the figure comes to €1.4 billion per year. How the State responds presents an exceptional challenge. A Programme for a Partnership Government makes it clear that the only way we can respond is in an orderly and affordable way for everybody. I am committed to doing this. The Public Service Pay Commission will have a very important input into that work. The consequences for other things the Deputy wants to see happen are large. He sent me an excellent budget submission which was very lengthy. I did not agree with everything that was in it, but he had put a lot of thought into it. He made reference to all of the things he would like to see happen, the money for all of which would have to come from a single fund. That is why how we manage future wage levels in the State is so important.
12. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he expects to approve the final flood risk management plans for the Wad, Santry, Moyne and other rivers and streams in Dublin Bay North following this summer's public consultation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36367/16]
I thank the Minister for his comments. As he knows, I tried to balance the proposed budget.
In fact, I gave him a surplus of approximately €4 billion.
With a hint of neo-liberalism about it.
God forbid.
I hope there was not. I would have balanced the books.
The Deputy will have to look at it again.
This question is about the ongoing work under the CFRAM programme which started in 2011. I have attended some of the meetings as part of the consultation process in Dublin Bay North. We have had problems with a number of rivers. I have mentioned the River Wad, in particular, with the River Naniken, the Santry River, also known as the River Raheny and the River Moyne, as well as the area of Dublin Bay in Clontarf. I ask for an update on what the Minister of State is doing about flooding in these areas.
The core strategy for addressing areas potentially at significant risk from flooding is the OPW's catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme. A total of 300 locations nationwide are being assessed under the programme which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities.
The CFRAM programme is being completed in six study areas, including the eastern catchment flood risk assessment and management study. The programme is the biggest flood risk planning exercise ever undertaken by the State. A national public consultation process on the draft flood maps ended on 23 December 2015. The programme also involves the development of preliminary flood risk management options and flood risk management plans. The statutory public consultation process for the draft flood risk management plans for the eastern CFRAM programme will close on 2 December and the comments received will inform the finalisation of the plans in spring 2017. The plans include a prioritised list of feasible measures, both structural and non-structural.
One of the worst things that can happen to any individual or family is for their house to be flooded. Those of us who have been fortunate enough not to have experienced it are deeply sympathetic. I heard the Minister of State and Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran speak about their plans in the midlands and along the River Shannon and commend them warmly for them and bringing forward the sum of €100 million. What people went through in the bad years of 2011 and 2014 was totally intolerable. Baldoyle in my constituency is a polder which is below sea level and because of the topography in some adjoining areas there is a move to provide for flood relief measures. I hope the Minister of State will be supportive. The Naniken and Wad rivers which run through Artane and Donnycarney flooded badly in 2014. The River Moyne also has a long history of flooding and some works were carried out by previous Governments. The Minister of State has been moving to deal with the problems in Clontarf. One might not think those living in an urban constituency would have such an interest in flooding but we do. I warmly commend the Minister of State and Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran who speak at great length and with precision about this problem.
I thank the Deputy for his kind comments. There is a whole-of-government approach; it does not involve only me in the Office of Public Works. I commend the entire Government for the approach taken to dealing with flooding. The investment has been laid out. Some minor works schemes, of which the Deputy may or may not be aware, have been carried out and will continue. They take place to provide instant relief. Where there is flooding and people are suffering, urban and rural areas are treated in the same way. When the CFRAM process is complete, we will start early next year with the rural CFRAM programme which will concentrate on areas of population and where properties are most at risk. We have identified 300 areas.
18. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which the Lansdowne Road agreement in respect of public expenditure remains intact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36538/16]
The question is self-explanatory. It relates to the extent to which the Lansdowne Road agreement remains intact and will be a key feature of pay negotiations which are likely to take place in the future.
As the Deputy heard me say in previous replies, I believe the Lansdowne Road agreement will be a central element to how we manage public pay in 2017 and 2018. With all of the understandable focus on the current challenges in public service pay, we should not lose sight of the fact that more than 20 unions have signed up to the Lansdowne Road agreement. More than 200,000 public and civil servants are inside it. That is the very reason I take this issue so seriously and why I am engaging with the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. I am doing so because I believe strongly that a collective approach to how we manage public pay is an essential element of how a small open economy such as Ireland will be able to respond to the volatility we see and the type of challenge to which Deputy Tommy P. Broughan referred earlier.
I thank the Minister for his comprehensive replies to this and related questions. What is the extent to which he is satisfied he can continue the progress made in recent years, albeit with great sacrifice, and at the same time reward those who have made such sacrifices to try to keep the strategy on the straight and narrow for the future?
It is a significant challenge. We have the challenge of meeting the expectations of citizens with the money availabile from the State to actually meet them, whether it be increased wages, quality public services or infrastructure. The only way we can do this is by looking to make steady and incremental progress in all of these areas concurrently because what we cannot do is make a big leap forward in one area at the expense of progress in others. That is why the Lansdowne Road agreement and other collective wage agreements are so important. They certainty add to our ability to manage the public pay bill. The benefits are both ways. For unions inside collective wage agreements such as the Landowne Road agreement, they confer benefits on their members and those leading the unions in terms of their ability to plan their agendas and raise issues about which they may have concerns such as job security. We used the Haddington Road and Croke Park agreements to reach agreement on these matters in what were some very difficult years for the country.
I thank the Minister for his reply. On the basis of progress made to date, is he satisfied that it is likely the economy will remain as competitive as it was in the coming four or five years?
That will be a key consideration for the Government in how it plans for public pay rates in the future. As the Deputy knows well, wage rates in one part of the economy have consequences for competitiveness elsewhere. This is included in the terms of reference of the Public Service Pay Commission. The future competitiveness of the country is an issue on which the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor, is leading on behalf of the Government. I am confident that Ireland will be able to retain its competitiveness in the coming years, but I do not believe it will be possible to make the progress we have made in recent years without further changes and big decisions being made.
There was positive momentum from other developments in the global economy that added to and supported the great work done here at home. The two things, put together, allowed the economy to move forward at a pace that would have appeared unthinkable in 2009, 2010 and 2011. These global conditions are clearly changing, which is why we have to be so careful about decisions we are now making.
20. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his Department's review of Government expenditure ceilings as set out in the ministerial brief; the progress made and timeframe involved; if he will make the results of the review available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36522/16]
I am asking the Minister to outline his view of the review of Government expenditure ceilings that has been under way for some time, when the results will be available and whether there have been changes to the review in the past few weeks.
The mid-year expenditure report indicated that my Department would examine proposals for the options available for reinforcing the role of three-year expenditure ceilings in further restoring stability to Ireland's public finances and sustaining this stability in the medium-term period. This is particularly relevant in the light of the increased uncertainty and risks faced by the economy in the wake of the United Kingdom's decision on EU membership. Related to this, I announced in my Budget Statement that a spending review would be undertaken prior to budget 2018. I have consistently reiterated the need to consider the totality of spending when examining budget priorities. Spending reviews previously played an important role in our efforts to reverse unsustainable expenditure growth. The spending review is an integral part of the reformed public expenditure architecture, drawing on the lessons learned from previous spending reviews. The purpose of this review will be to ensure all expenditure will be examined when Government is deciding on its spending priorities. Better information and stronger evaluations should also guide and inform these decisions.
It is my intention, as we move to a different fiscal, economic and political context, to reflect on the design of budgetary reforms introduced in the crisis period. As such, the approach to setting medium-term ceilings remains under consideration and will continue to be examined in parallel to the spending review process that I aim to have completed by next year.
When the Minister made the commitment to review the expenditure ceilings in the mid-year statement, the context of Brexit was quite new to us. It is now becoming apparent how serious it is going to be. Various ESRI reports reflect this view, as does the change in UK budgetary policy announced by the new Chancellor yesterday. Does the Minister intend to inject a Brexit-proofing element into the spending review? Does he intend to use the ESRI's report on the potential impact of Brexit on Government expenditure? Following on from the discussion he had earlier with Deputy Thomas P. Broughan, what are the consequences of major changes in US policies on taxation and their potential impact on our revenues and expenditure?
The transmission mechanism for changes in the State will be what happens to our rate of economic growth. It has already been revised by the Minister for Finance and, as part of budget 2017, will be under continual review. The Minister will confirm the latest figures in his summer economic statement next year. He will give an indication of future rates of growth in the economy and the impact on expenditure, concluding with next year's expenditure report. In this way we will look at the effect on expenditure ceilings. We need to take care to recognise that it is still up to governments and policy makers to set their priorities each year and I have raised this issue with my Department. Expenditure ceilings are a very important part of how we plan future growth, but I do not believe they can be at the expense of the Minister for Finance, or any Minister of the day, having some latitude in how they spend, if only to respond to the issues the Deputy has raised. The key aspect is to meet the requirements imposed on us by the fiscal rules and the commitments we, as a state, have given on deficits and debt, the main components of how we look at the issue of budgetary discipline. In any given year, on budget day, a Government Minister should still have discretion in how he or she allocates funding and in terms of any new initiative he or she wishes to instigate, as long as it is inside an affordable budgetary framework.
The budget came out unscathed from the European Commission, but there was also a comment to the effect that, while across the European Union the medium-term target is 0.5%, there would be greater flexibility in 2017. This was severely criticised by the German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, but will it give the Department more wriggle room in 2017?
The Minister for Finance will examine any determination or view from the Commission on future deficit or debt targets within the fiscal rules. He and I are committed to maintaining a sensible approach to the public finances and we have set our plans for next year. We are going to deliver on the deficit and on the employment targets to which we are committed. We will take account of any view from the Commission, but the approach of the Government will be to focus on balancing the books in 2018 and using resources that will be freed to address all of the challenges in the economy. As the Deputy appears to be a recent convert to the benefits of budgetary surpluses, I am sure he will be pleased when we reach that point.
21. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he is taking to advance detailed design of the Baile Bhuirne flood defences; and when the scheme will advance to construction. [36369/16]
Flood defences at Baile Bhuirne have been discussed for many years and were part of the original CFRAM pilot programme. There were exhibitions in November 2011 and draft designs were advanced in 2014. Householders are being flooded repeatedly in the absence of flood defences and need to see progress. They need peace of mind and protection from floods.
I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the Ballymakeera-Ballyvourney scheme is at outline design stage where the preferred options of the scheme are being finalised.
As the River Sullane has a history of freshwater pearl mussels which have protected status as an annex II listed species under the EU habitats directive, an environmental survey was carried out to establish the status of the population and the likely impact of works. Given the impact the proposed works will have on the freshwater pearl mussel population, a solution to avoid damage had to be illustrated which was submitted to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. This submission has now been approved, which has allowed progress to be made to where site investigations will be carried out, with the results informing the preferred options of the scheme.
It is proposed to hold a second public information day, to be followed by a public exhibition of the preferred scheme in 2017. When these stages are successfully completed, the scheme can be progressed to detailed design stage and confirmation, following which, if considered viable, construction can commence. My office continues to liaise with Cork County Council and local representatives on the scheme.
It seems that the scheme has not advanced a great deal in the past one or two years. The freshwater pearl mussel has always been in the river and we have lived together for a long time. It is important that the mussel be protected, but the proposed defences are not in the river but up river banks, set back some distance and with walls. They should have minimum impact and the freshwater pearl mussels could be protected without further delaying the construction of the defences.
It also frustrates locals when they see that a wind farm can be fast-tracked through the key infrastructure planning process only 100 m from the same riverbank and build embankments and bridges onto the riverbank, without the difficulties posed by the freshwater pearl mussel, while locals are held back. We need to get defences in place to give residents in Baile Bhuirne peace of mind that flood waters will not be coming in around their ankles at night and that they will not constantly have to rebuild their lives after floods.
I share the Deputy’s concerns about how some projects can get stuck in the process. There are five stages, the first of which is the feasibility study and preparation of a flood risk management plan. Stage two is public consultation; while stage three is public exhibition, effectively a planning permission phase which has a statutory timeframe. If it comes through public exhibition stage quickly and with no objections, it will move to detailed design, confirmation and tender stage. I am hopeful the project will progress. It has got over the sticky environmental issues and will continue to progress. It has a budget of €3 million which makes it a sizeable project. We have to take it in its entirety to meet the cost benefit analysis. The Deputy asked why we did not do the walls first and then deal with the pearl mussel up river, but it has to be undertaken as a full scheme to meet the cost benefit analysis. I will keep it on the radar and officials in the Department will continue to liaise with the local authority in that regard.
The details the Minister of State has laid out are helpful. It is difficult for residents who saw exhibitions in 2011 and draft designs in 2014 to feel the scheme has not advanced in the meantime and may still be moving more slowly. They have a constant fear of flooding. To see another development no more than 100 m from the riverbank moving along and receiving planning permission without the same hold-up is difficult. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach do mhuintir Bhaile Bhuirne go mbogfaí ar aghaidh leis an bhfalla cosanta agus go ndéanfar an obair chun iad a chosaint ó na tuilte i mBaile Bhuirne. The floods impact not only on householders but also block the national primary road, the N22, which should further strengthen the cost-benefit analysis. I ask the Minister of State to prioritise the scheme with his officials.
Flood relief schemes generally are a priority for the Government. We have a whole-of-government approach to them. This scheme is in progress. Sometimes progress is not made as quickly as people would like because there are complex environmental engineering solutions to be found. We have the solutions in place, but we have to have an exhibition, followed by a tender process. I take on board the view that no project should be held up. I am not aware of the other project mentioned by the Deputy and cannot comment on how it got through or by what mechanisms. While people are critical of the CFRAM programme, it will knock approximately two years off the time it takes to complete a project. This one is moving ahead and I look forward to it starting on site.
22. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount spent in each of the past three years on the Baile Bhuirne flood defences; the funding in place to advance same; if this is sufficient to complete the construction; and the next step in the works. [36370/16]
The flood defences in Baile Bhuirne were part of the pilot scheme for the CFRAM programme throughout the country. For several years considerable background work was carried out on it. How much will that work cost and how soon will it benefit people in Baile Bhuirne?
I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the Ballymakeera-Ballyvourney, Baile Mhic Ire-Baile Bhuirne, scheme is at outline design stage where the preferred options for the scheme are being finalised. A total of €55,000 has been expended to date on the scheme. A total project budget will be finalised before public exhibition, but the initial indications are that the cost estimate will be approximately €3 million. The Office of Public Works has included provision for the costs of the proposed works in its financial profile in the period up to 2020. It is proposed to hold a second public information day, to be followed by a public exhibition of the preferred scheme in 2017. When these stages have been successfully completed, the scheme can be progressed to detailed design stage and confirmation, following which it will proceed to construction.
Is the "period up to 2020" the timeframe for detailed design stage or to move to construction?
The money budgeted for for the scheme is built into our profiles of expenditure for the period 2016 to 2020. It is in place in the overall capital investment plan of €430 million and will be allocated when the project comes on stream.
