Written Answers Nos. 72-76
72. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the funding and construction of a new flood relief scheme for a town (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51196/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the South West Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study currently being undertaken by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in partnership with Cork County Council, Clonakilty was identified as a significant flood risk area for further assessment. Following severe flooding in Clonakilty in June 2012, the CFRAM work for the town was accelerated to assess the risk and develop a potentially viable flood relief scheme as a matter of priority. In July 2013, the outcomes of the accelerated work, namely flood maps and a preferred Scheme option, were presented to the public. The preferred Scheme option for Clonakilty includes:
- Flood-water storage in an embanked storage area upstream of Clonakilty to reduce fluvial flood risk, and,
- On-land flood defences to reduce coastal flood risk.
The OPW is currently in the process of procuring consultants to develop the design and assist with the implementation of a Scheme for the town. Tenders are due in shortly on this and it is expected that consultants will be appointed early in 2014. Stage one of the consultant's contract will be to further assess the outcome of the CFRAM Study and to bring a viable, cost-effective and sustainable scheme forward to public exhibition later in the year. Subject to such a scheme being acceptable after this public consultation stage it will then be taken forward to detailed design and construction.
Provision for funding the design and development work on the Scheme and the construction works has been made in the OPW's multi-annual capital works programme.
73. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any concerns regarding the abolition of the redundancy rebate to employers, in particular, regarding the impact of its abolition on employers who themselves are considering retiring and closing their business but who will then face a very substantial redundancy bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51170/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the redundancy payments scheme is to compensate workers, under the Redundancy Payments Acts, for the loss of their jobs by reason of redundancy. Compensation is based on the worker’s length of reckonable service and reckonable weekly remuneration, subject to a ceiling of €600 per week. It is the responsibility of the employer to pay statutory redundancy to all their eligible employees.
Where an employer can prove that he/she cannot afford to pay a statutory redundancy payment, the State makes a lump sum payment, from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF), directly to the individual. Some of the employers to which the Deputy refers may fall into this category. Where the State makes a statutory redundancy payment directly to an individual a debt is raised against the employer which the State will endeavour to recover.
Employers who pay statutory redundancy payments to their employees are entitled to a rebate of a portion of that payment from the State if the date of dismissal by reason of redundancy is before 1 January 2013. In Budget 2012 the level of the rebate was reduced from 60% to 15% and in Budget 2013 the Government decided to remove the redundancy rebate to employers in respect of redundancies where the date of dismissal is on or after 1 January 2013. Rebates to employers are also paid from the SIF.
One of the factors which influenced the Government’s decision to reduce the level of the rebate initially and to remove it in Budget 2013 was the significant cost of rebates in recent years. Expenditure in this regard was €373.2 million in 2010; €185.3 million in 2011; and €167.4 million in 2012. While the SIF is constituted primarily from employer contributions, the taxpayers’ contribution is also significant.
I am very concerned about the deficit in the SIF and I do not see why this country should continue to borrow money to plug the hole in the SIF in order to compensate often profitable companies for the cost of making their employees redundant in Ireland and, in some cases, transferring their employment abroad. The continuation of the rebate payment was not sustainable in the current economic climate. While this may cause difficulties for employers it should be noted that redundancy rebate payments to employers are not common in many EU and other jurisdictions. The current arrangements bring Ireland more closely into line with practice in other countries and it is not proposed to review the matter.
74. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department’s strategy relating to the advertising of jobs in foreign jurisdictions to jobseekers here; the number of persons that have been targeted by this strategy; if she will provide figures on those who have taken up employment as a result of this strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50877/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the integration of certain FÁS services within the Department of Social Protection, the Department has assumed responsibility for public employment services in Ireland. This service includes EURES (European Employment Service) which is a European wide network of all the public employment services in the European Union and the European Economic Area. Under EU regulations, public employment services are obliged to use EURES to advertise employment vacancies throughout Europe and, when requested by another European Public Employment Service, to source applicants for such vacancies. This is considered an important enabler of the single market for labour in Europe.
As part of the EURES network the Department informs jobseekers in Ireland of job opportunities in the wider European labour market which may be of interest to them. At any one time, there are over 1 million vacancies displayed on the EURES website and people are entitled to apply for these jobs as they wish. It is an opportunity for jobseekers in Ireland to seek work in the wider European market. It also provides a system whereby Irish employers can advertise vacancies free of charge throughout Europe in situations where such vacancies cannot be filled by jobseekers in Ireland. A number of large employers have used these services to recruit people with specialist language skills and in so doing have secured the future of their mainly Irish workforce.
From time to time the Department, via EURES, is also asked to assist State or Public employment Services in countries outside of the EU/EEA, typically Canada, Australia and the USA, to advertise and fill vacancies. Depending on the nature of the posts to be advertised the Department will respond positively to such requests on a reciprocal basis. In the past the State and Public Employment Services in these countries facilitated Ireland in advertising vacancies and matching candidates for these vacancies. As part of these reciprocal arrangements the country advertising the posts typically provides assistance in securing employment visas and accommodation for jobseekers.
To date in 2013, approximately 4,000 letters have issued to jobseekers in respect of jobs in Spain, Norway, France and the UK for a range of positions including English teachers, plumbers, sales & hospitality, mechanics and electricians. As jobseekers apply for these vacancies through the EURES portal, it is not possible to know how many people applied for and secured employment using the service.
It is important to note that there is no obligation on unemployed jobseekers in receipt of income supports to apply for overseas vacancies. In notifying jobseekers of such vacancies the Department is simply drawing jobseekers attention to vacancies that exist and that are simultaneously being brought to the attention of jobseekers in other countries. The Department would be failing in its duties if it did not offer Irish jobseekers an equal opportunity to compete for such vacancies if they so wish.
76. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection the date on which she will make the back-to-education allowance scheme available to all postgraduate courses. [51118/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses that leads to a higher qualification than that already held and to continue to receive income support equivalent to the value of their prior social protection payment for the duration of a course of study, subject to conditions. BTEA covers full-time second level courses and third level courses to higher diploma level (level 8 in the national framework of qualifications) including the professional diploma in education (primary and secondary teaching). The BTEA does not provide income support for students pursuing other postgraduate qualifications, masters or doctorates.
My Department conducted a review of employment supports schemes, including BTEA, in 2012 and published the report in January 2013. The recommendations of that review are being implemented to better support Government policy on activation as set out in Pathways to Work. Discussions on the future focus of BTEA and the range of courses that will be supported are on-going, including consideration on broadening the scope of support to selected postgraduate courses linked to skill shortages in the economy and the possible impact on existing supports provided by BTEA at second and third level. I have no immediate proposals to use scarce resources as suggested by the Deputy.
