Written Answers Nos. 140 - 151
140. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form the amount of funding given to special schools and to mainstream schools with special classes in each year since the funding was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45565/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnhanced rates of capitation funding are paid in respect of children with special educational needs who attend special schools or special classes attached to mainstream schools.The following table outlines these rates and the total expenditure in recent years. Information going back to the introduction of special needs funding many decades ago is not readily available and would involve an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile in view of the lengthy period involved. Capitation expenditure - Special needs pupils
|
Year |
Primary |
Post Primary |
|
2010 |
€8,174,761 |
€1,533,763 |
|
2011 |
€8,133,251 |
€1,384,546 |
|
2012 |
€7,892,703 |
1400000 (allocation) |
Primary Special Needs Capitation Rates
|
Category |
Under 12 years |
12 years & over |
|
Visual Impairment |
€857 |
€857 |
|
Hearing Impairment |
€857 |
€857 |
|
Profoundly Deaf |
€879 |
€879 |
|
Mild General Learning Disability(Mainstream School) |
€456 |
€679 |
|
Mild General Learning Disability (Special school) |
€568 |
€857 |
|
Moderate General Learning Disability |
€857 |
€857 |
|
Severe/ Profound General Learning Disability |
€879 |
€879 |
|
Specific Learning Disability (Mainstream School) |
€456 |
€679 |
|
Specific Learning Disability (Special school) |
€568 |
€857 |
|
Emotional Disturbance |
€857 |
€857 |
|
Severe Emotional Disturbance |
€879 |
€879 |
|
Physical Disability |
€857 |
€857 |
|
Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) |
€879 |
€879 |
|
Specific Speech and Language Disorder |
€857 |
€857 |
|
Multiple Disabilities |
€879 |
€879 |
|
Traveller Children |
€251 |
€251 |
|
Out of Control |
€879 |
€879 |
|
Post Primary Special Needs Capitation |
Per Pupil |
|
Special Class Grant |
€191.00 |
141. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special schools here. [45566/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently 141 Special Schools in the State.
142. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of mainstream schools with special classes here. [45567/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2011/2012, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 254 mainstream schools with special classes in the State.
143. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of guidance counsellors working in our schools. [45568/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe day to day management of how teaching resources are used in schools is done at local school level. It is established policy that guidance is a whole school activity and under existing arrangements each school develops a school guidance plan as a means of supporting the needs of its students. I am confident schools will act in the best interest of students. I acknowledge that the reduction in resources to second level schools is challenging for schools. However, the budget measure that requires schools to manage the provision of guidance from within their standard staffing allocation, the alternative to which was to make an adjustment to the standard staffing schedule, must be seen in the context of our very difficult budgetary constraints. As part of the budgetary measure my Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations. My Department also provided some limited short-term support to schools through curricular concessions in order to help them manage within their approved teaching allocation.
144. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form the rate of capitation grant paid in 2012 and each year since 1997. [45569/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra145. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent on the capitation grant in 2012 and each year since 1997. [45570/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools and post primary schools within the free education scheme. My Department provide funding to primary schools by way of per capita grants, subject to a minimum grant equivalent to 60 pupils and a maximum grant equivalent to 500 pupils.The funding arrangements made by my Department for post primary schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. My Department provides funding to Community and Comprehensive schools on a budget basis that is based mainly on pupil numbers, but also take into account additional factors which vary from school to school such as age of buildings, size of school etc. With regard to the VEC sector financial allocations are made to VECs as part of a block grant. VECs are given a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of this grant and each is allowed to distribute its allocations in line with its priorities and perceptions of need. My Department provides funding to voluntary secondary schools by way of per capita grants. Fee charging schools do not receive any capitation or related grants from my Department.Information going back to 1997, as requested by the Deputy, is not readily available. The capitation rates and total expenditure in recent years is outlined in the following tables.
Post Primary Capitation and SSSF rates 2003-2012
|
Year |
Capitation |
School Services Support Fund (SSSF) |
|
2003 |
€266.49 |
€127 |
|
2004 |
€274.49 |
€131 |
|
2005 |
€286 |
€145 |
|
2006 |
€298 |
€159 |
|
2007 |
€316 |
€189 |
|
2008 |
€331 |
€204 |
|
2009 |
€345 |
€212 |
|
2010 |
€345 |
€212 |
|
2011 |
€328 |
€201 |
|
2012 |
€317 |
€201 |
Primary Capitation and Ancillary rates 2003-2012
|
Year |
Primary Capitation |
Primary Ancillary |
|
2003 |
€111.58 |
€102 |
|
2004 |
€121.58 |
€127 |
|
2005 |
€133.58 |
€133 |
|
2006 |
€145.58 |
€139 |
|
2007 |
€163.58 |
€145.50 |
|
2008 |
€178.58 |
€151.50 |
|
2009 |
€200 |
€155 |
|
2010 |
€200 |
€155 |
|
2011 |
€190 |
€147 |
|
2012 |
€178 |
€147 |
Primary and Post Primary Capitation Expenditure 2006-2012
|
Year |
Primary Capitation Expenditure* |
Voluntary Sector Post Primary Capitation Expenditure* |
|
2006 |
€134,028,786 |
€91,324,187 |
|
2007 |
€149,812,343 |
€100,450,756 |
|
2008 |
€165,634,230 |
€100,165,292 |
|
2009 |
€184,385,345 |
€101,213,329 |
|
2010 |
€193,281,276 |
€107,237,915 |
|
2011 |
€186,933,442 |
€104,280,000 |
|
2012 |
€183,500,000 (estimated) |
€103,000,000 (estimated) |
*Figures include enhanced capitation grants for special needs pupils, programme grants and book grants since 2010.
146. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form the total amount spent on the school book grant in 2012 and each year since 1997. [45571/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 2010 funding to schools towards the provision of school books has been allocated to all schools on a per capita basis.
The rates for 2012 are as follows:
Primary DEIS - €21
Primary non-DEIS - €11
Post-primary DEIS - €39
Post-primary non-DEIS - €24
Funding for book grants was withdrawn in 2009, except in the case of DEIS schools. Funding was re-instated in 2010 for all schools.
The information requested by the Deputy since 1997 is not available. However, the funding allocated to book grants by the Department since 2006 is detailed as follows.
2006 - €12,995,966
2007 - €14,257,084
2008 - €14,421,563
2009 - €7,000,000
2010 - €14,671,063
2011 - €14,883,440
2012 - €15,000,000.
147. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has had, or intends to have, any engagement with the Insurance Federation or representatives from insurance companies to discuss the difficulties facing certain communities that experienced flooding in accessing house insurance, especially those communities in which extensive flood repair work has been carried out and in respect of homes in areas which were flooded but where particular sections were not flooded. [45495/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am very much aware of the difficulties some people have been experiencing in securing insurance cover for flood risk at affordable prices or at all.
In areas where flood defence and alleviation works have been carried out, I cannot accept that any property protected by significant public capital investment would not be able to receive a quotation for insurance at reasonable cost.
In March 2012, I had a constructive engagement with the insurance industry about the scope and scale of the work undertaken by the OPW on flood risk management, on the alleviation schemes being undertaken in many of our large cities and towns and, in particular, on the mapping of areas subject to flood risk nationally which will emerge from the OPW's catchment flood risk assessment and management programme (CFRAM).
I indicated then that I wished to see an agreement reached as quickly as possible between the OPW and the IIF on a sustainable system of information sharing particularly for locations vulnerable to flooding and for identifying flood alleviation schemes and works completed and where the standard of protection afforded by these works could be verified.
To meet the technical requirements set out by the industry for risk assessment purposes, a proposed template for providing the required information was presented to the IIF and a number of the main insurance companies in July 2012.
I understand the IIF has indicated in recent days that it is in the process of collating the responses it has received from its members on the OPW information proposals and it hopes to be in a position shortly to formally respond on this.
I look forward to receiving the IIF response and I very much hope that it will be positive and allow for speedy agreement on the format of the information to be provided by the OPW.
148. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a full; itemised list of all premises being leased by Government Departments and State agencies where there is an upwards only clause contained in the lease; if he will state the annual rent being paid on each premises; if he will make known any correspondence he has received relating to such commitments form the Comptroller and Auditor General or if his attention has been drawn to any recommendations made by the CAG in relation to same; if he has taken any steps to instruct the removal of these clauses from new leases entered into by the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45373/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe list of premises currently leased by the Commissioners of Public Works which contain an “upwards only” rent review covenant, and the annual rent payable in each case is set out in the following table. The Commissioners do not currently hold data relating to leases held by other State Bodies or Departments.
The Commissioners of Public Works have not received any correspondence or recommendations from the Comptroller and Auditor General in the matter of “upward only” rent reviews.
The Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009, Section 132, banned the inclusion of “upward only” rent review clauses in all new leases, it is not applicable retrospectively to Leases entered into before the Act came into force.
The Commissioners of Public Works are contractually bound by leasehold covenants in the same manner as all tenants, both public and commercial, under Landlord and Tenant legislation.
|
COUNTY |
NAME |
ADDRESS 1 |
RENT PA |
|
CARLOW |
Carlow D/ETE Office |
O'Brien Road |
€369,436.00 |
|
CLARE |
Crusheen GS + MQ |
Ennis - Gort Road |
€25,000.00 |
|
CLARE |
Kilrush Revenue Office |
Enterprise House |
€85,050.00 |
|
CORK |
Cork SWO - ESB Premises |
ESB Premises |
€120,000.00 |
|
CORK |
Bantry SWO - 7 Main Street |
7 Main Street |
€24,000.00 |
|
CORK |
Cork Government Office Irish Life Building |
Irish Life House |
€61,448.00 |
|
CORK |
Cork Environment Office |
Unit 7, Eastgate Avenue |
€76,773.52 |
|
CORK |
Cork Government Office Irish Life Building |
Irish Life House |
€69,914.52 |
|
CORK |
Cork C&E Centre Park House |
Centre Park House |
€43,940.00 |
|
CORK |
Cork C&E Centre Park House |
Centre Park House |
€110,000.00 |
|
CORK |
Fermoy SWO - Connolly Street |
Connolly Street |
€9,000.00 |
|
CORK |
Cork C&E Centre Park House |
Centre Park House |
€48,000.00 |
|
CORK |
Cork Marine Office |
Riverview Business Park |
€58,500.00 |
|
CORK |
Cork Government Office Doughcloyne |
Doughcloyne Industrial Estate |
€42,158.41 |
|
CORK |
Carrigaline DSFA Office |
Units 2 & 4 |
€103,940.00 |
|
DONEGAL |
Letterkenny Driving Test Centre |
Unit 5 Pearse Road |
€15,000.00 |
|
DONEGAL |
Ballyshannon Maritime Office |
Top Floor, Iona Office Block |
€25,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
North Circular Road Park House |
North Circular Road |
€92,778.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Raheny DTC |
4 All Saints Park |
€60,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Swords Agricultural Inspectors |
Castle Shopping Centre |
€8,253.30 |
|
DUBLIN |
Gardiner Street Upper 77 CWS |
77 Upper Gardiner Street |
€201,190.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Malahide SWO |
Main Street |
€15,871.73 |
|
DUBLIN |
Irish Life Centre Block 5/7 |
Lower Abbey Street |
€1,110,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Molesworth Building Setanta Cntre |
Molesworth Street/South Frederic |
€1,145,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Airways Industrial Estate |
Unit 1 |
€290,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Harcourt Sq Garda Block 1 |
Harcourt Street |
€1,300,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Molesworth Building Setanta Cntre |
Molesworth Street/South Frederic |
€114,388.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Cabinteely GS |
Bray Road |
€34,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Finglas Probation & Welfare Service |
Poppintree Mall |
€66,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Jamestown Business Park Unit 38 |
Jamestown Business Park |
€120,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Dun Laoghaire Probation & Welfare Service |
Foundation House |
€85,999.36 |
|
DUBLIN |
Harcourt St Harcourt Centre Block 2 |
Harcourt Street |
€228,500.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Harcourt Sq Garda Block 2 |
Harcourt Street |
€1,832,500.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Harcourt Sq Garda Block 3 |
Harcourt Street |
€1,278,800.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Mountshannon Road Furniture Branch Office Block |
Mountshannon Road |
€460,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Lombard St East 8 - 11 Joyce Hse |
8 - 11 Lombard Street |
€560,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Harcourt Sq Garda Block 4 |
Harcourt Street |
€417,250.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
East Essex Street Dolphin House |
East Essex Street |
€655,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Mount St Upr 36 |
36 Upper Mount Street |
€200,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Ely Place 7-8 Ely Court |
7-8 Ely Place |
€730,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
St Stephens Gr 94 |
94 St Stephens Green |
€612,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
St Stephens Gr 94 |
94 St Stephens Green |
€408,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Ballyfermot Probation & Welfare Service |
Le Fanu Road |
€39,500.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Park West Ind Est Unit 4 |
Unit 4/Site 39 |
€180,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Clondalkin SWO Ninth Lock Rd |
Block B |
€215,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Earlsfort Terrace Earl Centre Block |
Earlsfort Centre Block J |
€150,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Leeson Street Lower Ossory House |
Earlsfort Centre |
€900,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Irish Life Centre Block D E & F |
Lower Abbey Street |
€900,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Shelbourne Rd 21Shelbourne Hse |
21 Shelbourne Road |
€1,018,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Sandyford Furze Road |
90-91 Furze Road |
€255,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Capel Street 89 -94 |
89 -94 Capel Street |
€689,321.76 |
|
DUBLIN |
Mount St Lr 73-79 Ballaugh House |
73-79 Lower Mount Street |
€612,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Park West Business Park Block 43 |
Block 43 |
€212,585.90 |
|
DUBLIN |
Bishops Square |
Redmonds Hill |
€1,495,500.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Bishops Square |
Redmonds Hill |
€1,525,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Bishops Square |
Redmonds Hill |
€1,120,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Waterloo Road St Martins House |
Dublin 4 |
€570,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Adelaide Road 29-31 |
29-31 Adelaide Road |
€2,970,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Balbriggan Passport Office |
Unit 1,Fingal Bay Business Park |
€390,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Finglas Finance Storage |
Unit 9 Jamestown Business Park |
€72,500.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Holles Street Holbrook House |
Holbrook House |
€174,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Conyngham Road Phoenix House |
Phoenix House |
€365,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Tallaght PIAB |
The Grain Hse,Blk 1,The Exchange |
€188,553.75 |
|
DUBLIN |
Clonmel Street [Clonmel Place] |
Clonmel Place |
€804,500.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Garden Lane Probation & Welfare Office |
Carmans Hall |
€55,980.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Great Strand St Millennium House |
52-56 Great Strand Street |
€265,675.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Harcourt Road Dun Sceine |
Iveagh Court Block A |
€850,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Blanchardstown Government Office |
Block A Westend Office Park |
€638,678.25 |
|
DUBLIN |
Swords Business Campus Unit 4 |
Swords Business Campus |
€390,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Swords Business Campus Unit 5/6A |
Swords Business Campus |
€231,443.68 |
|
DUBLIN |
Swords Business Campus Unit 5/6C |
Swords Business Campus |
€173,226.50 |
|
DUBLIN |
Bow Street Government Office |
31-35 Bow Street |
€450,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Finglas Driving Test Ctr+Rev Store |
Unidare Industrial Estate |
€45,520.15 |
|
DUBLIN |
The Chancery Building |
3-10 Chancery Lane |
€543,880.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Abbey Street Upper 26 - 30 |
Chapter House |
€994,569.76 |
|
DUBLIN |
Tallaght Gda Vehicle Pound |
Airton Road |
€1,051,020.41 |
|
DUBLIN |
Abbey Street Upper 26 - 30 |
Chapter House |
€672,175.55 |
|
DUBLIN |
Abbey Street Upper 26 - 30 |
Chapter House |
€1,206,096.51 |
|
DUBLIN |
Abbey Street Upper 26 - 30 |
Chapter House |
€211,542.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Parnell Sq 16 |
16 Parnell Square |
€1,493,644.72 |
|
DUBLIN |
Revenue Castleview Georges St |
Block C |
€1,827,522.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Nth King St 90 Georges Court |
Smithfield |
€1,353,509.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Nth King St 90 Georges Court |
Smithfield |
€655,940.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Finglas Driving Test Yard |
Jamestown Business Park |
€120,000.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Navan Road Ashtowngate Block B |
Navan Road |
€254,401.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Kings Inn House SWO & ESO |
Parnell St |
€208,275.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Kings Inn House SWO & ESO |
Parnell St |
€558,200.00 |
|
DUBLIN |
Smithfield Office of Film Classification |
Block B2 |
€255,955.00 |
|
GALWAY |
Galway DAF Dockgate |
Dockgate |
€922,250.00 |
|
GALWAY |
Galway Liosbaun Garda Unit 1B |
Liosbaun Business Park |
€25,987.50 |
|
GALWAY |
Galway Millenium House |
Westbridge |
€19,407.50 |
|
GALWAY |
Galway Gov Off Hynes Building |
Hynes Building |
€222,425.00 |
|
GALWAY |
Galway Irish Water Safety |
Long Walk |
€41,722.00 |
|
GALWAY |
Galway Probation & Welfare Service |
Abbey Arch Units 1,4, 5,7 & 8 |
€34,274.04 |
|
GALWAY |
Galway Probation & Welfare Service |
Abbey Arch Units 1,4, 5,7 & 8 |
€27,068.28 |
|
GALWAY |
Loughrea Transport & RSA Temp Office |
Clonfert House |
€51,837.50 |
|
GALWAY |
Loughrea Transport & RSA Temp Office |
Clonfert House |
€31,225.00 |
|
GALWAY |
Loughrea Transport & RSA Temp Office |
Clonfert House |
€56,187.50 |
|
KERRY |
Killarney D.T.C. |
Killarney Race Course |
€40,000.00 |
|
KERRY |
Tralee Agriculture Warehouse |
Ballinorig Road |
€18,324.86 |
|
KERRY |
Listowel Revenue Office |
Old Mill Road |
€244,923.70 |
|
KILDARE |
Naas SWO - Rathasker Square |
Unit 2 Rathasker Square |
€23,000.00 |
|
KILDARE |
Naas Agriculture Office - Poplar House |
Poplar House |
€95,696.00 |
|
KILDARE |
Willow Hse Millennium Pk Block 6 |
Block 6, Willow House |
€119,163.00 |
|
LAOIS |
Portlaoise Agriculture Warehouse |
Kylekiproe Industrial Estate |
€107,919.25 |
|
LAOIS |
Portlaoise DAF Appeals Office |
Kilminchy Court |
€84,051.49 |
|
LAOIS |
Portarlington Data Protection Commissioner Office |
Data Protection Commissioners |
€73,500.00 |
|
LAOIS |
Portlaoise Agriculture Records |
Unit 11 |
€98,133.16 |
|
LEITRIM |
Carrick-on-Shannon SWO |
Attyory |
€800,000.00 |
|
LIMERICK |
Newcastlewest Probation & Welfare Office |
Churchtown Road |
€39,613.16 |
|
LIMERICK |
Limerick Government Office Houston Hall |
Houston Hall |
€373,568.00 |
|
LIMERICK |
Limerick DFA Office |
Henry St |
€900,000.00 |
|
LOUTH |
Drogheda Probation & Welfare Service |
23 Laurence Street |
€66,000.00 |
|
MAYO |
Castlebar Probation & Welfare Service |
Unit 10, N5 Business Retail Park |
€38,259.80 |
|
MAYO |
Swinford DSFA Office |
Chapel Street |
€18,840.00 |
|
MAYO |
Ballina Road Safety HQ Unit 3 |
Moyvalley Business Park |
€121,250.00 |
|
MAYO |
Ballina Road Safety HQ Unit 4 |
Moyvalley Business Park |
€121,937.50 |
|
MEATH |
Navan SWO |
Kennedy Road |
€230,000.00 |
|
MEATH |
Navan Government Office Kilcairn |
Kilcairn |
€573,700.00 |
|
MEATH |
Navan Athlumney House |
Atulumney House |
€439,921.00 |
|
MEATH |
Navan Revenue Abbey Mall |
Abbey Road |
€575,360.00 |
|
MONAGHAN |
Monaghan Drainage Workshops |
Drumbear |
€32,500.00 |
|
OFFALY |
Tullamore SWO Castle Buildings |
Office Suite 1 & 2 Castle Builds |
€204,044.80 |
|
SLIGO |
Sligo Customs and Excise Store |
Rhodaville Warehouse |
€24,000.00 |
|
SLIGO |
Sligo Government Office - Westward Town Centre |
Westward Town Centre |
€42,260.00 |
|
SLIGO |
Marino House |
Finisklin Business Park |
€57,642.00 |
|
SLIGO |
Lough Arrow Field Study Centre |
Lough Arrow |
€33,430.00 |
|
SLIGO |
Marino House |
Finisklin Business Park |
€57,640.15 |
|
SLIGO |
Sligo Government Office - Westward Town Centre |
Westward Town Centre |
€53,250.00 |
|
TIPPERARY |
Nenagh Justice Office |
24 Kenyon Street |
€36,270.00 |
|
TIPPERARY |
Borrisokane GS |
Main Street |
€14,000.00 |
|
TIPPERARY |
Roscrea Civil Defence Office |
Enterprise Hse, Benamore Bus Pk |
€25,000.00 |
|
TIPPERARY |
Roscrea Civil Defence Office |
Enterprise Hse, Benamore Bus Pk |
€178,825.00 |
|
TIPPERARY |
Tipperary Temporary Office |
Block 2 Rossmore Village |
€103,957.50 |
|
WATERFORD |
Waterford RSA Test Centre |
Six Cross Roads Bus Park |
€40,000.00 |
|
WATERFORD |
Waterford Agriculture Belview |
Marine Point |
€13,220.00 |
|
WATERFORD |
Waterford RSA Test Centre |
Six Cross Roads Bus Park |
€156,000.00 |
|
WEXFORD |
Rosslare Harbour Government Office |
Port Terminal |
€10,860.00 |
|
WEXFORD |
Rosslare Harbour Government Office |
Port Terminal |
€79,206.26 |
|
WEXFORD |
Enniscorthy SWO Portsmouth Hse |
Unit 9, Portsmouth House |
€25,000.00 |
|
WICKLOW |
Arklow Prob & Welfare Service |
Wexford Road |
€19,046.07 |
|
WICKLOW |
Dunlavin GS + MQ |
Market Square |
€10,500.00 |
|
WICKLOW |
Block D Bray Civic Centre |
Cualann Centre |
€471,541.36 |
149. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he intends to publish the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45420/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn July 2012 the Government approved my proposals to reform Freedom of Information and extend the Act to all public bodies. I have submitted the detailed General Scheme of a Freedom of Information Reform Bill to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform for its views and recommendations. I believe that the Committee can on its own account and drawing on the perspectives, experience and expertise of a broader range of relevant parties make a very significant contribution to the further development and refinement of these important legislative proposals. I expect to be in a position to publish the Freedom of Information Bill following careful consideration of the views to be furnished by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the legislative proposals and the drafting of the Bill by the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel in due course.
150. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there are any health and safety regulations in place for sports clubs nationwide to prohibit the use of dangerous chemicals to line pitches such as lime, petroleum products and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45535/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is responsible for legislation governing workplace health and safety and the Health and Safety Authority, which operates under the aegis of my Department, is the national statutory body with responsibility for enforcing and investigating alleged breaches of that legislation. The Authority has workplace inspection programmes in place, and insofar as a sports club would be a workplace such clubs would be liable to inspection under health and safety legislation.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 places a responsibility on all employers to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of their employees. In meeting this responsibility, employers must identify hazards at the place of work and carry out an assessment of the risk presented by any such hazards. Following a review of this assessment the employer is required to implement appropriate steps to bring about any necessary improvement to the safety, health and welfare at work of their employees.
In relation to chemicals such as lime or petroleum products, there are no specific occupational health and safety Regulations that provide for the prohibition of such chemicals. However, health and safety information on chemicals can be found on product labels in line with the EU’s Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemicals Regulation (1272/2008). Under that Regulation, if the chemicals are classified as hazardous, then a Safety Data Sheet must be provided to professional users at work and must be prepared in a format set out in the EU “REACH” Regulation (1907/2006).
“REACH” provides for the uses of some hazardous chemicals to be prohibited or restricted across Europe so as to protect human health and the environment. However, there is no specific restriction on the use of lime currently under “REACH”. In that regard, specific details of the chemicals used would need to be checked against the technical Annexes of the “REACH” Regulation. Chemicals such as plant protection products and biocides are also regulated and controlled by specific legislation.
If the Deputy has concerns regarding the safety of a particular industrial chemical he should contact the Health and Safety Authority Helpdesk (Tel: 1890 289 389 or chemicals@hsa.ie). Furthermore, if the concern relates to a pesticide or biocide then contact should be made with the Pesticide Registration and Control Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
151. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action he is taking to assist small and medium enterprises to optimise their share of public procurement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45385/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe public sector spends in the region of €14 billion on the purchase of goods and services each year. Public procurement therefore offers significant business opportunities for enterprises, and particularly SMEs, who can compete successfully and win a share of these contracts.
The Action Plan for Jobs contains a series of actions designed to improve access to public procurement opportunities for SMEs. These include ensuring that the qualifying criteria for public contracts are proportionate, and providing advice to firms on how to improve their engagement in the procurement process. Some of these actions are for delivery by the National Procurement Service (NPS) and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which has overall responsibility for public procurement policy in Ireland.
With regard to my own Department and its agencies, Enterprise Ireland is actively supporting its client companies in preparing and competing for public contracts. The agency has assigned 18 Advisors to work with companies in the procurement process. This support is in addition to the one-to-one engagement undertaken with client companies by Enterprise Ireland’s Procurement Team. In the last 12 months, 697 clients have participated in events organised by the Public Procurement Team.
Enterprise Ireland, along with the NPS, has been encouraging client SMEs to register on the eTenders.ie and Procurement.ie websites so that they are alerted to upcoming public procurement opportunities. The agency has also been involved in “Meet the Buyer” events which bring together public sector buyers and potential suppliers.
A ‘Procuring Innovation Initiative’ has been introduced under the Action Plan for Jobs, with the aim of encouraging a more flexible approach to tendering that focuses on procuring innovative solutions to an organisation’s needs, rather than prescribed products or services which may be less effective. This approach will afford an opportunity for innovate SMEs to demonstrate their capacity to win public contracts. A number of State bodies have agreed to participate in the Procuring Innovation Initiative.
In conjunction with the NPS, Enterprise Ireland is also exploring the potential for developing a panel of contractors on the Government’s eTenders website which could be available to principal contractors who are looking for subcontractors or specialist partners to complete a project.
Progress in relation to the initiatives under the Action Plan for Jobs to improve SME access to public procurement are published in the Quarterly Progress Reports which are available on my Department’s website, www.enterprise.gov.ie.
