Written Answers Nos. 80-87
80. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will intervene and ensure all 700 jobs in a store (details supplied) are saved; if he will make immediate contact with this fully Irish-owned company and the examiner and ensure an early resolution to the current impasse is found; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12364/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra83. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of staff at a store (details supplied) in view of the fact the chain of stores is in examinership; the steps being taken to ensure all 700 jobs are protected and secured; if he will give an assurance that any bids for this store are examined in the context of job and store protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12453/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 83 together.
I understand in the case of Staunton sports that the Examiner is currently in the process of engaging with various parties who have expressed an interest in the business, including the Management Team, and as part of the process has requested proposals from each of the parties as to their plans for the business and the employees of the company. The Examiner has not yet concluded this process. It should be noted that as Examinership is a judicial process, I have no function as Minister.
Examinership is the main debt restructuring system for companies in Ireland and has been in existence since 1990. Examinership allows for the rescue of companies that find themselves insolvent but have the potential to return to financial viability and continue in operation into the future. The key feature of the process is a period of court protection, lasting up to 100 days, during which no one may institute proceedings against the company or petition for the company to be wound up. The Examiner uses this time to devise a scheme of arrangement, in consultation with creditors, the company management, potential investors and any other parties that would be affected by that scheme. The scheme of arrangement is then put to the court. If a majority of the company’s creditors agree and the court approves, it becomes binding.
I believe that Examinership is a good option for companies that have real prospects for the future but find themselves in financial difficulty at a point in time. It is also a balanced procedure, taking into account both the interests of the ailing company and the rights of the creditors, and giving the courts a role in ensuring a fair and appropriate outcome.
For that reason, the Oireachtas enacted the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 late last year, to allow small private companies to apply for Examinership directly in the Circuit Court, rather than having to go first to the High Court. I hope that this will make Examinership an option for more companies in the future. In the meantime, I am keeping the law on Examinership under review to identify if there are any other ways in which we can make it less costly.
81. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of times he and departmental officials have met a company (details supplied) and or its representatives since he took office; if he will provide details, in tabular form, of the dates of each meeting; the names of the company representatives involved; the titles of the departmental officials involved; the reason for each meeting; the matters discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12375/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere have been no meetings between either myself or officials of my Department with the enterprise referred to by the Deputy since my taking up office on 9 March 2011.
82. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form the reports, reviews and studies commissioned by him, the Department or agencies under the aegis of the Department since 9 March 2011; the dates on which they were commissioned; the dates on which they were completed; the dates on which they were published; the cost of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12434/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following reports/reviews/studies were commissioned by me or my Department since 9th March 2011.
9th March 2011 to 31st December 2011
|
Details of reports/reviews/studies |
Date commissioned |
Date completed |
Cost € |
|
An independent Copyright Review Committee was tasked to review the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 in relation to the Digital Environment to identify any areas of Irish Copyright legislation that might be considered to create barriers to innovation and, if this was found to be the case, to identify solutions for removing these barriers |
The Copyright Review Committee was appointed in April 2011 |
October 2013 |
The review was carried out by the Copyright Review Committee on a pro-bono basis |
|
IT Security assessment of new hosting site in Revenue Hosting Centre |
June 2011 |
July 2011 |
8,276.00 |
|
Computer Server Virtualisation Strategy Review |
August 2011 |
November 2011 |
7,093.00 |
|
Focus groups with business were held to gather views on the development of a web portal on regulation affecting businesses; a report on the focus groups was produced by the facilitators |
29 June 2011 |
22 July 2011 |
3,570.00 |
January to December 2012
|
Details of reports/reviews/studies |
Date commissioned |
Date completed |
Cost € |
|
Security reviews of ICT systems |
Series of reports commissioned throughout the year as required |
December 2012 |
39,095.00 |
|
ICT systems review – Patents Office Ptolemy System |
January 2012 |
August 2012 |
29,667.00 |
|
Recommended Procurement Strategy for a Customer Relationship Management System (CRMS) for the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court |
July 2012 |
August 2012 |
2,560.00 |
January to December 2013
|
Details of reports/reviews/studies |
Date commissioned |
Date completed |
Cost € |
|
ICT security reviews |
Series of reports commissioned throughout the year as required |
December 2013 |
24,627.00 |
|
Report on the Informal Competitiveness Council May 2013 Reflection of the debate on Innovative Pathways to Jobs and Growth and Entrepreneurship, Access to Finance and Internationalisation of SMEs |
April 2013 |
May 2013 |
7,500.00 |
|
The Evaluation of the Workplace Relations Pilot Early Resolution Service |
February 2013 |
September 2013 |
35,498.00 |
|
Youth Unemployment A review of wage costs and other factors which may affect the employment of young people in Ireland |
November 2013 |
December 2013 |
5,547.30 |
|
Review of Joint Labour Committees by the Labour Court |
January 2013 |
April 2013 |
17,835.00 |
1st January 2014 to date
|
Details of reports/reviews/studies |
Date commissioned |
Date completed |
Cost € |
|
Security review of online system |
November 2013 |
January 2014 |
11,592.75 |
|
Security review of website |
November 2013 |
February 2014 |
4,797.00 |
|
Security review of online system |
January 2014 |
February 2014 |
2,398.50 |
In addition to the reports listed above, Forfás, in the context of its statutory functions, from time to time prepares reports for my Department on matters relevant to enterprise and competitiveness.
Reports/reviews/studies commissioned by Agencies of my Department are a day-to-day matter for the individual Agencies concerned for which I have no direct function.
I have asked all Agencies under the aegis of my Department to advise me of any such reports/reviews/studies and I will communicate this information to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
84. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection when additional placements for community employment schemes in County Mayo will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12230/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs announced in Budget 2013, an additional 2,000 places were made available on Community Employment (CE) nationally. Of these places an additional 52 places were awarded to CE schemes based in County Mayo. These additional places were allocated in July 2013, following an invitation for CE schemes to submit an application for increased numbers. The Department continuously monitors the operation and progress of CE schemes and should the need arise may consider the reallocation of places, as appropriate. At present, all CE places have been allocated in County Mayo.
85. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will correct the anomalies whereby a person born on 31 December 1947 who paid an average of 21 PRSI contributions per year receives an old age pension of €225 per week but a person born on 1 of January 1948 who paid an average of 29 PRSI contributions per year receives an old age pension of €196 per week. [12232/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe figures provided by the Deputy do not entirely correspond with the rates of payment under the State pension (contributory) and it may be that one of the pensioners is in receipt of another payment, such as the State pension (non-contributory).
From 1 September 2012, people awarded a State pension (contributory) with an average of 29 contributions paid or credited will generally be paid a personal rate of €196 weekly. Another pensioner with an average of 21 contributions would be entitled to the same personal rate, as they would both be in the same band. This would apply both to pensioners born on 31 December 1947 and 1 January 1948. While both might be entitled to increases in respect of qualified adults and/or children, it would not appear that either individual would qualify for a State pension (contributory), based on his or her PRSI contributions, at a rate of €225 weekly. It may be, therefore, that the latter rate of payment is a means-tested one, rather than one based on his or her PRSI record.
The State pension is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to State pension, all contributions (paid or credited) from when they first enter insurable employment until pension age are taken into account when assessing whether they are entitled to a State pension, and the level of any such entitlement.
Once over 16 years of age, the date a person enters into insurable employment is taken as the date used for averaging purposes in order to qualify for a State pension.
To qualify for a state pension a person must:
- have at least 520 paid contributions and
- satisfy a yearly average condition (a yearly average of 48 contributions paid or credited is required for a full rate pension, and reduced rates of payment may be payable for pensioners with lower averages).
The yearly average test has been in existence since 1961 when contributory pensions were first introduced. The scheme was designed with a view to ensuring that people could qualify for contributory pensions immediately and to suit a system where social insurance coverage was limited.
The rates of State pension paid were more closely linked to the number of contributions paid in Budget 2012. Under the pension reform programme, it is planned to adopt a total contributions approach where the number of contributions paid over a work life will closely reflect the rate of payment received. For example, 30 years contributions (1,560) could qualify a person for maximum State pension (contributory). A person would accumulate 1/30th of a pension for each year of contributions up to a maximum of 30/30ths inclusive of a certain number of credits. It had been planned to introduce this change in 2020 but in the context of changing demographics and longer working, this date may change.
The OECD Review of the Irish Pension System which was published in April 2013 also endorsed the move to a total rather than an average contributions test to determine entitlement to a State pension.
An increase for a qualified adult, which is a means tested payment, may be made in respect of an individual who does not qualify for a pension in their own right or qualifies for a lower rate of pension due to gaps in insurance. It may also be the case that a means tested non-contributory pension may be available to an individual who meets the qualifying criteria for that payment.
86. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12262/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 20th January 2014. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take up to 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.
87. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the proposed centralisation of community welfare officer public clinics to Intreo offices in Achill, Ballina, Belmullet, Castlebar and Westport, the consideration given to persons needing community welfare services in rural areas in County Mayo who will have difficulty accessing public transport to travel to Intreo offices under these new arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12263/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe introduction of Intreo nationally is not intended to dispense with the Community Welfare Service (CWS) but will provide a full range of services, including the CWS, in one location.
The CWS play a vital part within the overall social welfare system in providing a responsive and flexible approach to meeting the needs of the disadvantaged. The role of the CWS and the objectives of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme which they administer are compatible with the goals and objectives of this Department having regard to income support, social inclusion and integration of services. The need for a flexible and responsive approach to meet the needs of members of the public experiencing disadvantage continues to remain central to the CWS.
When a clinic is closed, an increased level of service is made available to the customers at alternative locations in the general vicinity. The change is a move away from the traditional model of one officer serving an individual location and delivering the full range of community welfare services, towards a sustainable team-based approach which is more efficient, effective and economical. The new arrangements have enhanced service provision, lead to greater value for money in terms of savings in respect of costs such as rent and have facilitated an improved utilisation of staff resources.
Where the CWS has been re-structured, alternative arrangements have been put in place to ensure that customers are provided with on-going access to the supports provided by the service. In general, this means that the frequency of available public clinics has increased, an improved and enhanced phone service and dedicated email addresses are available and alternative arrangements are in place for those who cannot travel to the clinic. Customers in affected areas are encouraged to contact the service by phone, email or post in the first instance and in most cases their queries can be answered without them having to attend a public clinic. If a face to face meeting is still necessary, but the customer is unable to travel to the public clinic an officer will arrange a visit to the customer’s home.
The Department’s services are continually monitored and kept under review by management taking account of the views of staff, public representatives and users of the service to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service. I am very conscious of the need to provide efficient and effective customer facing services at a local level for clients of the Department. It is therefore essential that the services provided are reconstituted to meet the changing needs of Irish society.
