Written Answers Nos. 110-119
110. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to introduce a reduction in the pay and pay scales for special advisers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12054/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraDiscussions have taken place between public service employers and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions regarding the Government’s stated intention to reach agreement on securing the required overall savings of €1bn from the public service pay and pensions bill by 2015. Following intensive engagement between the parties, which was facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the LRC has developed and recommended a set of proposals for consideration and agreement. The stated intention of the Government is that these proposals when given effect will apply to all public servants including special advisors. The proposals which will involve inter alia a pay cut for special advisors are currently under consideration by all public servants and are available on the LRC website.
111. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has considered the Certified Public Accountants Ireland Entrepreneurship Report for 2012; his views on the recommendation to introduce a national skills register to allow employers to find the right persons with the required skills; the recommendation to introduce specific promotional and support programmes to address the low level of entrepreneurship amongst women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12131/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Certified Public Accountants Ireland Entrepreneurship Report for 2012 was launched by the Taoiseach on 11 December 2012 and officials in my Department are currently examining the report in light of ongoing work on this issue at Department and EU level. The Deputy will be aware that my Department recently launched the Action Plan for Jobs 2013, which is a key element in rebuilding the economy and getting people back to work. This Plan has a specific section on driving entrepreneurship and start-up companies, and includes a commitment to publish a National Entrepreneurship Policy Statement.
To deliver on this commitment, a comprehensive work programme is being developed that will involve research and consultation with interested parties and relevant stakeholders and will include examination of the development of a national skills register. I will shortly be launching a public consultation as part of an assessment of the current environment for entrepreneurship activity. This focus on entrepreneurship is particularly timely given the work currently being undertaken to restructure the County Enterprise Boards and establish Local Enterprise Offices in Local Authorities to reform the system for delivery of support to start-ups and micro enterprises. The proposed National Entrepreneurship Policy Statement will complement this major reform programme, to ensure that the operating environment is more coherent, responsive and conducive to entrepreneurship.
Several Government Departments have a role to play in enhancing the entrepreneurial dynamic. Given the whole of Government approach to the Action Plan for Jobs, this is an ideal opportunity for a National Entrepreneurship Policy Statement to underpin the importance of entrepreneurship as an explicit policy priority for job creation. The Action Plan for Jobs also contains a commitment to implement a range of female entrepreneurship initiatives during 2013, as a follow-on from the programme for female entrepreneurs launched by Enterprise Ireland in 2012.
112. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide information on imports from China in 2012 in relation to import value, details of the types of products being imported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12146/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere follows a table showing the value and categories of goods imported from China (including Hong Kong and Macao) in 2012.
Country- specific services import figures for 2012 will not be available until Q3 2013.
In 2011, the last year for which full year figures are available, the total value of imports of goods and services from China (including Hong Kong and Macao) was €3,039 million, while the total value of exports of goods and services to China (including Hong Kong and Macao) amounted to €4,774 million.
Goods Imports from China (including Hong Kong and Macao) 2012
|
Category |
SITC Code |
Year 2012 |
|
- |
- |
€000 |
|
Live animals other than animals of Division 03 |
00 |
10 |
|
Meat & meat preparations |
01 |
4,190 |
|
Dairy products & birds’ eggs |
02 |
0 |
|
Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and preparations thereof |
03 |
462 |
|
Cereals & cereal preparations |
04 |
685 |
|
Vegetables & fruit |
05 |
11,012 |
|
Sugar, sugar preparation & honey |
06 |
3,379 |
|
Coffee, tea cocoa, spices & manufactures thereof |
07 |
3,293 |
|
Feeding stuff for animals (excl. unmilled cereals) |
08 |
1,127 |
|
Miscellaneous edible products & preparations |
09 |
2,163 |
|
Beverages |
11 |
710 |
|
Tobacco & tobacco manufactures |
12 |
13 |
|
Hides, skins & furskins, raw |
21 |
38 |
|
Oil seeds & oleaginous fruits |
22 |
400 |
|
Crude rubber (include synthetic & reclaimed) |
23 |
335 |
|
Cork & wood |
24 |
7,216 |
|
Pulp & waste paper |
25 |
0 |
|
Textile fibres & their wastes |
26 |
498 |
|
Crude fertilisers & minerals, excl. coal, petroleum etc. |
27 |
5,628 |
|
Metalliferous ores & metal scrap |
28 |
140 |
|
Crude animal & vegetable materials nes |
29 |
2,632 |
|
Coal, coke & briquettes |
32 |
64 |
|
Petroleum, petroleum products & related materials |
33 |
201 |
|
Gas, natural & manufactured |
34 |
31 |
|
Fixed vegetable fats & oils |
42 |
78 |
|
Animal or vegetable materials nes |
43 |
72 |
|
Organic chemicals |
51 |
75,882 |
|
Inorganic chemicals |
52 |
2,207 |
|
Dyeing, tanning & colouring materials |
53 |
2,555 |
|
Medical & pharmaceutical products |
54 |
61,872 |
|
Essential oils, perfume materials; toilet & cleansing preps |
55 |
10,670 |
|
Fertilisers (other than those of Division 27) |
56 |
1 |
|
Plastics in primary forms |
57 |
2,182 |
|
Plastics in non-primary forms |
58 |
12,520 |
|
Chemical materials & products nes |
59 |
8,391 |
|
Leather; leather manufactures nes; dressed furskins |
61 |
6,768 |
|
Rubber manufactures nes |
62 |
42,891 |
|
Cork & wood manufactures (excl. furniture) |
63 |
31,635 |
|
Paper, paperboard & articles thereof |
64 |
27,208 |
|
Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles & related products |
65 |
37,901 |
|
Non-metallic mineral manufactures nes |
66 |
37,774 |
|
Iron & steel |
67 |
14,053 |
|
Non-ferrous metals |
68 |
8,534 |
|
Manufactures of metals nes |
69 |
88,789 |
|
Power generating machinery & equipment |
71 |
26,316 |
|
Machinery specialised for particular industries |
72 |
28,452 |
|
Metalworking machinery |
73 |
2,706 |
|
General industrial machinery & equipment nes & parts nes |
74 |
50,030 |
|
Office machines & automatic data processing machines |
75 |
595,431 |
|
Telecommunications & sound equipment |
76 |
285,041 |
|
Electrical machinery, apparatus & appliances nes & parts |
77 |
216,151 |
|
Road vehicles (include. air-cushion vehicles) |
78 |
13,422 |
|
Other transport equipment |
79 |
3,983 |
|
Prefab buildings; plumbing & electrical fixtures & fittings |
81 |
38,748 |
|
Furniture & parts thereof; bedding, cushions etc |
82 |
73,401 |
|
Travel goods, handbags & similar containers |
83 |
51,539 |
|
Articles of apparel; clothing accessories |
84 |
440,334 |
|
Footwear |
85 |
119,823 |
|
Professional, scientific & controlling apparatus nes |
87 |
28,799 |
|
Photographic apparatus; optical goods; watches clocks |
88 |
24,803 |
|
Miscellaneous manufactured articles nes |
89 |
312,777 |
|
Special transactions and commodities not classified according to kind |
93 |
465 |
|
Coin (other than gold coin), not being legal tender |
96 |
36 |
|
Gold, non-monetary (excluding gold ores and concentrates) |
97 |
60 |
|
All other commodities and transactions |
99 |
31,607 |
|
- |
Grand Total |
2,860,134 |
113. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason a work permit is required in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12218/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Employment Permits Acts 2003 and 2006, non-EEA nationals are prohibited from employment within the State unless they have been granted an Employment Permit from my Department or are exempt from obtaining an employment permit on some other basis under the Act such as being permitted to work as part of their immigration status as determined by the Department of Justice and Equality. I understand that the person concerned does not currently hold an immigration status which includes permission to work and therefore requires an employment permit.
An application for an employment permit in respect of this person was received in my Department on 3 January 2013. My Department wrote to the employer on 12 February 2013 seeking additional information relating to this application. Some of the information sought has been provided and I understand that officials of my Department are in contact with the Employer’s accountants with a view to finalising these matters. When all of the above outstanding information has been received the application will then be given further consideration.
114. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an invalidity application in respect of a person (details supplied). [12040/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12th March 2012. 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 1 March 2013 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an 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.
115. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Waterford will receive a decision on their application for illness benefit appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12043/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 24 January 2013, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an 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.
117. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families that have voluntarily given up their child benefit payment either for financial or other reasons. [12088/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is only aware of two families that have voluntarily given up entitlement to child benefit by way of submitting a clear request that payment be discontinued. However, it may be possible that others have chosen not to respond to correspondence and have, by default, discontinued claiming child benefit.
119. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the credit history of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the reason this person was told that they had been signed off; the way in which this error came about in view of the fact that her Department were made aware of any changes to this person's circumstances; and the way this matter will be resolved and the credits backdated and restored. [12136/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned made a claim for jobseeker’s credits on 7 November 2011. His claim was automatically closed by the computer system from 15 July 2012 as he did not attend his Social Welfare Local Office to sign on in order to certify that he was still unemployed, despite being requested by letter to do so. Any documentation received from the person concerned after his claim was closed was held on file pending him submitting a new claim. I understand that the person concerned has attended his Local Office recently to re-open his credits claim. Any credits that are due to him will be applied when his claim is processed.
