Written Answers Nos. 222-233
222. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of staff in his Department who availed of term time in 2012; the average duration of such in 2012; the number who will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31203/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra223. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of staff in organisations or agencies under the aegis of his Department who availed of term time in 2012; the average duration of such in 2012; the number who will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31219/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together.
The Term Time scheme was superseded by the Shorter Working Year Scheme under the provisions of Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 14/2009. Under the terms of the Shorter Working Year Scheme, special leave is available in blocks of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 13 consecutive weeks. The leave may be taken as one continuous block, or as a maximum of 3 separate blocks each consisting of not less than 2 weeks and not exceeding 13 weeks in total.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of civil servants of my Department and civilian employees attached to military installations is set out in the following tables:
Civil Service Staff of the Department
|
Year |
No. of staff applications |
Average duration of Special Unpaid Leave |
|
2012 |
38 |
5 weeks |
|
2013 |
36 |
N/A |
The only agency under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. No Civil Service staff attached to the Army Pensions Board availed of the Shorter Working Year Scheme in 2012 or 2013.
Civilian Employees attached to Military Installations
|
Year |
No. of staff applications |
Average duration of Special Unpaid Leave |
|
2012 |
23 |
4.6 weeks |
|
2013 |
15 |
N/A |
Permanent Defence Force
Members of the Defence Forces may be granted term time leave under Defence Forces Regulations, and this leave is not restricted to blocks of weeks but may be availed of in days. The following table sets out details of term time leave availed of by the Defence Forces in 2012 & 2013.
|
Year |
No. of staff |
Average duration of Special Unpaid Leave |
|
2012 |
13 |
49.9 days |
|
2013 |
8 |
N/A |
224. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of staff in his Department who availed of study or training leave in 2012; the average duration of such leave; if all staff availing of this leave received full pay and benefits during the time; the number that will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31235/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra225. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of staff in organisations or agencies under the aegis of his Department who availed of study or training leave in 2012; the average duration of such leave; if all staff availing of this leave received full pay and benefits during the time; the number that will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31251/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together.
The rules governing study leave and examination leave for civil servants are set out in Department of Public Expenditure & Reform Circular 23/2007: Post-Entry Education – Refund of Fees, Study Leave and Examination Leave.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of civil servants of my Department and civilian employees attached to military installations is set out in the following tables:
Civil Service Staff of the Department
|
Year |
No. of staff |
Average duration of paid study leave |
Average duration of unpaid study leave |
|
2012 |
12 |
5 |
0 |
|
2013 |
10 |
5.5 |
1 |
The only agency under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. No Civil Service staff attached to the Army Pensions Board availed of study leave during this period.
Civilian Employees attached to Military Installations
|
Year |
No. of staff |
Average duration of paid study leave |
Average duration of unpaid study leave |
|
2012 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2013 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
The information relating to the Defence Forces is currently being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.
226. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Defence the changes that are planned regarding the annual fitness test for the Reserve Defence Forces; if any changes proposed for 2014 have been brought forward; where RDF personnel are in full time employment if it is feasible to arrange the fitness test outside of normal working hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31264/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the military authorities that the Defence Forces will undertake a fitness evaluation/survey of Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) personnel in the third quarter of 2013. PE Testing Officers will complete this survey of personnel from 1 Brigade, 2 Brigade, the Defence Forces Training Centre, and the Naval Service, mainly utilising RDF training camps.
Following completion of the evaluation/survey, revised fitness programmes based on the Defence Forces Annual Fitness Test (which comprises a 3.2km Run, Push-Ups, Sit-Ups and a 10 km terrain walk) will be developed for RDF personnel. These revised programmes will be distributed to every Unit in late 2013 and will also be available through other Defence Forces information mediums for planning and preparation purposes.
The military authorities advise that for 2014 RDF personnel will be permitted to achieve a reduced grade in a fitness test. The reduced grade for 2014 testing will be based on the results of the fitness evaluation/survey conducted throughout 2013. RDF personnel will have one (1) year to train for the Defence Forces fitness tests. It is planned that in 2015 all RDF personnel will complete the Annual Fitness test as per Defence Forces Regulations. In previous years only RDF Personnel proceeding on specified military courses had to complete the fitness test. Fitness tests will take place during RDF planned training.
The individual Reservist is responsible for achieving the physical fitness standards appropriate to his/her rank on his/her own time. While time or facilities will not be made available to the Reservist for this purpose during training periods, Defence Forces leisure and sports facilities will be available to RDF Personnel during programmed recreational periods while on annual camp (at the discretion of the Reservist’s Command Officer).
227. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Defence the discussions he has had with officials in his Department and the Irish Defence Forces regarding a policy review and a detailed discussion document of Irish defence policy; if it is proposed to amend the triple lock system that is currently in place where deployment of the Irish Defence Forces requires the approval of the Government, Dáil Éireann and a UN mandate; if he will detail other discussions held with officials regarding new policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31331/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe White Paper on Defence, published in 2000, has provided the policy framework for Defence for the last thirteen years. In the period since its publication, there have been significant changes in the defence and security environment and the defence policy framework has continued to evolve. In this context, the Government decided that there is a requirement to prepare a new White Paper on Defence. This will provide the policy framework for Defence, in all its aspects, for the next decade.
Following Government approval, I initiated the preparation of a Green Paper on Defence. The Green Paper is intended to inform and stimulate a mature and informed debate about Ireland’s defence policy. When published, it will initiate a broad public consultative process which will provide for members of the public and interest groups to input their views as part of the process of developing the new White Paper on Defence.
An interdepartmental group comprising representatives from the Departments of Defence, Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Justice and Equality as well as the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána have undertaken a defence and security assessment. This is incorporated within the Green Paper. I have had broad discussions on the Green Paper with officials from my Department and the Defence Forces. In addition, the draft Green Paper was circulated to all Government Departments for their observations. All of these inputs have contributed to the final document.
The Green Paper will set out an overview of the current defence policy framework, the changes that have occurred since the publication of the White Paper on Defence (2000) and an assessment of the challenges in the defence and security environment. These issues inform a number of policy focused questions which will be set out in the Green Paper and are intended to guide submissions.
I hope to publish the Green Paper and initiate the White Paper public consultative process in the coming weeks. It is anticipated that the new White Paper on Defence will be approved by Government and published before June 2014.
228. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline Ireland's recent interaction with the World Food Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31184/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe WFP is Ireland's main humanitarian partner. It is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide and, on average, provides food assistance to more than 90 million people in 70 countries every year. Ireland has consistently been one of the WFP's most generous donors and key partners, being the twenty-fourth highest contributor of 133 donors from 2009 to date.
Ireland’s contributions to the WFP are made up of an annual core contribution from my Department which amounted to just under €10 million in 2012, and support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through the Irish Aid programme, for the WFP's response to specific humanitarian emergencies. In 2012, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provided humanitarian funding in support of the WFP's activities in Chad, Syria and the Sahel region in West Africa. In addition, funding was provided to support the operation of the UN's Humanitarian Air Service, which is managed by the WFP. To date in 2013, €3.25 million in humanitarian funding for the WFP has already been approved by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. My Department’s contribution of €9.96m will be paid in Q3 of this year.
Ireland was most recently a member of the Executive Board of the WFP for a one-year period in 2011. The Board provides an opportunity for UN Member States such as Ireland to oversee WFP's humanitarian and development food aid activities, with three meetings each year at WFP’s headquarters in Rome. When not a Board member, my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade attend in an observer capacity and contribute to the Board's work with our EU partners. Most recently during our Presidency of the EU, we guided this EU position by coordinating the views of the other Member States and the European Commission for presentation at the Board meeting.
As a sign of our commitment to the WFP, I was pleased in April of this year to co-sign with Minister Joe Costello T.D. a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between Ireland and the WFP. This SPA is a bilateral agreement between us as the donor country and the WFP setting out:
- Shared objectives in the area of humanitarian emergencies;
- Multi-annual financial contributions. In this regard my Department has committed to contributing minimum €7m in core funding each year from 2013 to 2015. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has committed to continue to make available funding on a case by case basis in response to humanitarian crises;
- Management, reporting and evaluation of the contributions.
In addition and unrelated to our contributions, the WFP has identified Ireland and Irish companies as potential suppliers for the products which it procures on an annual basis. My Department and Enterprise Ireland are working to pursue these opportunities.
229. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite a disadvantaged area scheme appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31186/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the holdings of eligible applicants were required to have met a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of six consecutive months, in addition to maintaining an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year.
As the holding concerned has not satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements, no payment was made in respect of the 2012 Scheme. While the person named appealed this decision, the appeal was unsuccessful. The person named has been advised accordingly, in writing, and also of the further right of appeal to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office.
230. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff in his Department who availed of term time in 2012; the average duration of such in 2012; the number that will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31199/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy's question, I have detailed as follows the information requested:
|
Year |
2012 |
2013 (to date) |
|
Total Number of staff availing of shorter working year |
339 |
304 |
|
Total Number of weeks |
1688 |
1618 |
|
Average Duration of Shorter Working Year Scheme (Weeks) |
5.0 |
5.322 |
231. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff in organisations or agencies under the aegis of his Department who availed of term time in 2012; the average duration of such in 2012; the number that will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31215/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter of term time within the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the bodies themselves.
232. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff in his Department who availed of study or training leave in 2012; the average duration of such leave; if all staff availing of this leave received full pay and benefits during the time; the number that will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31231/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhen staff in my Department attend work-related training courses, they are deemed to be on official business and consequently receive full pay. Staff who participate in the Refund of Academic Fees Scheme are also entitled to paid study leave in respect of academic courses deemed relevant to their Civil Service employment. The following table is a summary of the information the Deputy has requested in this regard. The figures for the remainder of 2013 are estimates only.
|
Year |
No. of Staff who Availed of Study Leave |
Average Duration of Study Leave |
No. of Staff who Availed of Training |
Average Duration of Training Leave |
|
2012 |
53 |
5.43 |
1,881 |
2.82 |
|
2013 to date |
42 |
5.67 |
1,342 |
1.61 |
|
Estimate for remainder of 2013 |
20 |
5.5 |
500 |
2 |
233. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff in organisations or agencies under the aegis of his Department who availed of study or training leave in 2012; the average duration of such leave; if all staff availing of this leave received full pay and benefits during the time; the number that will do so in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31247/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue of study or training leave within the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the bodies themselves.
