Written Answers Nos. 68 - 74
68. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will request the Office of Public Works to carry out emergency flood prevention works to the bank of the Laune River, Lower Bridge Street, Killorglin, County Kerry, as a matter of priority, as homes, businesses and properties in this area were flooded/damaged during the recent storm, high tides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4707/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe River Laune is not a designated channel under an OPW arterial drainage scheme and therefore the OPW is not responsible for its maintenance. The channel is in a Drainage District and its maintenance is a matter for Kerry County Council. It is open to the Council to apply for funding to undertake any necessary works on the river under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme, where they have been damaged in the recent storm. Any application received will be assessed under the eligibility criteria, which include a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. Any work for which funding is sought will be carried out by the Local Authority. It is also open to Kerry County Council to carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
69. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total funding that will be provided by the European Union and by the British and Irish Governments for the Peace IV programme; when this programme is likely to be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4756/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs a result of the efforts of the Irish Government, a special allocation of €150 million (2011 prices) for a new cross-border PEACE programme was included in the 2014-2020 round of Structural Fund. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has indicated that an additional €50m for PEACE IV will be provided from within the UK's overall ERDF allocation. Member States will then contribute match funding at the rate of 15%.
The Programme is currently being developed by the Special EU Programmes Body, in close consultation with Irish and Northern Ireland Government Departments, and is expected to be approved by the EU Commission by the end of 2014.
70. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount spent by the Office of Public Works on legal services in each of the past three years; the procurement process followed by the OPW for legal services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4758/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following amount was spent by the Office of Public Works on Legal Services in 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Expenditure on Legal Services
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Legal Services |
€342,033.24 |
€1,013,987.18 |
€178,814.08 |
The Office of Public Works uses the services of the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor (CSSO) for legal advice. All procurement of external counsel by the CSSO, on behalf of the OPW, is handled by that Office, upon the nomination of the Attorney General.
The costs associated with the provision of advice to the OPW by the Office of the Attorney General and the office of the Chief State Solicitor are borne by their respective Votes.
For areas which the CSSO does not have the necessary expertise, OPW entered into a service level agreement with the CSSO in 2005, which negotiates rates with a number of legal firms for the provision of legal advice.
71. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the consideration that has been given to allowing workers in the public sector who wish to remain in employment until 66 years of age to do so, in view of the fact that the State pension transition has been abolished for new applicants; if any exemptions have so far been granted; the public bodies involved; the number of personnel involved; and the basis on which the exemptions were granted. [4761/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraPublic sector workers who are obliged to retire at age 65 will continue be able to draw their occupational public sector pension at age 65. The changes regarding State Pension (transition) will have no impact on such public sector workers who are on modified PRSI. However, for those public sector workers who are fully insured and in defined benefit pension schemes, their occupational public sector pensions (and contributions) are, like many occupational pension schemes, integrated (or co-ordinated) with social welfare benefits. This means the occupational pension paid is based on the assumption that the pensioner also receives the State Pension.
Where the State Pension is not payable, a discretionary supplementary pension may be payable under the relevant public sector pension scheme to bring the pension up to the same amount as would be paid to an equivalent public servant on modified PRSI. In such cases, a supplementary pension is only payable where the individual, through no fault of their own, does not qualify for social welfare benefit or qualifies at less than the maximum personal rate. It is therefore necessary to claim any available social welfare benefits in order to receive a supplementary pension. This situation is not new and already applies to public sector workers who have a retirement age below 65. Accordingly, there are no plans to introduce additional arrangements for public sector workers arising from the changes to the State Pension (transition).
72. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works has responsibility for the maintenance of embankments and sluices on old Land Commission schemes; if the OPW will now deal with their responsibilities at Ballymacprior, Killorglin, County Kerry, as a matter of priority, as properties in these areas were flood-damaged during the recent storm and high tides. [4770/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has no statutory responsibility for maintenance of former Land Commission embankments and sluices and it is not the intention that it would take responsibility for them. The OPW has no responsibility for any embankments at Ballymacprior, Killorglin, County Kerry. Following the abolition of the Land Commission, a Public Trustee administers a fund that was intended to provide for maintenance of the former Land Commission embankments. In practice, however, there is little, if any, funds remaining for maintenance of any of these structures. Maintenance works have been carried out in some places on these embankments by the relevant landowners. The investigation and addressing of coastal protection problems at these locations are matters for Kerry County Council in the first instance. It is open to the Council to apply for funding to deal with coastal protection under the Office of Public Works (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the eligibility criteria, which include a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding.
The Office of Public Works wrote on 10th January, 2014 to City and County Managers in coastal areas indicating that it will accept applications under its Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme for funding to assist with repairs to built flood defences and coastal protection structures which have been damaged by the recent storms. This is a once-off measure to reinstate built coastal defences to their pre storm condition. The specific application form for this entitled Coastal Storm Damage Flooding Questionnaire 2014 is available on OPW's website www.opw.ie under Flood Risk Management. Any work for which funding is sought will be carried out by the Local Authorities. It is also open to Local Authorities to carry out flood mitigation and coastal protection works using their own resources.
73. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will assist in ensuring the security of jobs at a company (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4708/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed by Enterprise Ireland that the company concerned is carrying out a review of its processing operation at the plant concerned and that the company has entered into a consultation period with its employees. The company has been experiencing ongoing competitive pressure in some of its key markets and is seeking to explore a number of viable alternatives to address the difficulties currently being experienced. The review at the facility concerned will be conducted within a matter of weeks, and it would be inappropriate for me to comment further while the review is underway.
I understand from Enterprise Ireland that they are in ongoing contact with the company concerned with a view to assisting where possible within the agency’s remit. However, given the sensitive nature of situations such as this, such discussions are conducted on a confidential basis.
74. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the credit options or State support that a farmer who wishes to invest but is unable to access funding through the banks might avail of. [4630/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWithout having the specific detail of the particular type of farming investment that the Deputy is referring to, it is difficult to prescribe appropriate options available for the enterprise in question. In relation to being unable to access bank funding, the enterprise can seek support from the Credit Review Office who accept applications from SMEs, sole traders and small and medium-sized farm enterprises that have had their application for credit refused or reduced or have had credit facilities withdrawn, and who feel that they have a viable business proposition and feel that the bank’s decision is unjustified.
Depending on the type of activity proposed, the enterprise may be eligible to access credit through either Microfinance Ireland or the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme, two schemes introduced by my Department. Microfinance Ireland provide loans for up to €25,000, available to start-up, newly established, or growing microenterprises, with viable business propositions, that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by banks. The SME Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) supports SMEs who, because of lack of collateral or because of the sector they operate in, face difficulties in accessing traditional bank credit. The assistance provided through both of these initiatives, like many Government-backed business support activities, are regarded as State Aid and are governed according to the European Commission's De Minimis State Aid rules. Therefore primary agricultural production (i.e. farming) is excluded from both Schemes. However, investment for the purpose of value-adding downstream processing and marketing activities are regarded as being “industrial” and so are eligible for the Microfinance and SME Credit Guarantee Schemes.
We continue to have a very strong focus on delivering new and innovative ways to tackle access to finance issues, in recognition of the huge importance that it plays for enterprise growth and overall economic recovery. The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 will continue the work undertaken by the Government since taking office to support and improve access to finance for SMEs. I will soon be launching the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 which will set out in detail the actions we will be taking this year to address challenges in this arena.
