Wednesday, 9 Jul 2014

Written Answers Nos. 449-463

Departmental Contracts

Ceisteanna (449)

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

449. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the number of public sector workers that are on temporary contracts or other non-permanent contracts of employment in his Department. [30402/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

My Department has staff on secondment or on loan from other agencies within the health group who are not direct employees of the Department. In addition there are also a number of staff on fixed term (pensionable) contracts including advisors, civilian drivers and other staff engaged by Ministers in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines for ministerial appointments whose employment contracts are coterminous with the Ministers holding Office. The Department has no other public sector workers on temporary contracts or other non-permanent contracts of employment.

Appointments to State Boards

Ceisteanna (450)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

450. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he is concerned by the number of appointments to State boards under his remit that do not go through the Public Appointments Commission; his plans to review the manner in which State board members are appointed to ensure that the most suitably qualified persons fill vacancies that arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30804/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In line with Government Decision S180/20/10/14234 of 2011, relating to the advertising for expressions of interest in vacancies on State Boards, my Department currently advertises for Board vacancies as they arise, where I, as Minister for Health, have nominating rights. Competencies are developed and agreed in conjunction with relevant Boards, depending on their requirements. The suitability of applicants is assessed against these criteria and a short-list is compiled from which I may make appointments. Appointments may not necessarily be from one of the applications received through the advertising process, which is also in line with the Government Decisions.

Boards need a broad range of competencies in order to function effectively. My Department has developed a protocol for the filling of vacancies on boards, which involves the advertising of posts through PAS, taking account of the specific competencies and skills required in each case, and this has been circulated to Departmental officials who are responsible for the governance of boards. To date my Department has posted over 30 notices for expressions of interest to State boards on its website or through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) and this process will continue as a way of ensuring the best mix of skills and experience both from public and private sectors is available to our Boards.

I am confident that the appointments made by me are contributing in a meaningful way to the important work undertaken by the various State bodies under the aegis of my Department.

State Bodies Data

Ceisteanna (451)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

451. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in a tabular form the annual salary of the chief executive officers of all commercial State companies under his remit. [30864/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The VHI is the only Commercial State Body under the remit of my Department. The remuneration package for the Chief Executive of that body, sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, comprises an annual salary of €238,727, a pension contribution of 25% and a car allowance of €25,000.

State Bodies Data

Ceisteanna (452)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

452. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in a tabular form a list of the annual salaries of the chief executive officers of all non-commercial State-sponsored bodies under his remit. [30893/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The current approved salaries of CEOs of non-commercial State agencies under the aegis of my Department are as follows;

Board	Salary of CEO €
Irish Blood Transfusion Service	€148,964
Health Products Regulatory Authority (formerly Irish Medicines Board)	€136,496
Food Safety Authority of Ireland	€143,564
Health Research Board	€109,580
Medical Council of Ireland	€136,275
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland	€127,588
Mental Health Commission	€137,481
Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland	€106,424
Health and Social Care Professionals Council (CORU)	€93,297
Dental Council	€94,410
Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC)	€99194
Health Insurance Authority	€100,977
National Paediatric Hospital Development Board	€125,761
Opticians Board	€84,296

The CEO positions in the National Cancer Registry (NCR), Food Safety Promotion Board (FSPB) and the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) are currently vacant. The salary levels for the future CEOs of these organisations are being reviewed by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). The CEO position of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is also vacant and the duties of the CEO are being undertaken on a part-time basis by an official from the HSE at no extra cost.

Ministerial Advisers Remuneration

Ceisteanna (453)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

453. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the annual saving to the Exchequer if the pay of all ministerial special advisers was capped in his Department at the first point of the principal officer grade. [30911/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The annual savings to the Exchequer if the pay of all Special Advisors to Ministers in my Department was capped at the first point of the Principal Officer Standard scale (excluding employer's PRSI) would amount to €11,611.

State Bodies

Ceisteanna (454)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

454. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form a list of all non-commercial State-sponsored bodies under his remit. [30922/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The non-commercial State agencies under the remit of my Department are as follows:

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland /An Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann

Dental Council

Food Safety Authority Ireland

Food Safety Promotion Board/Safefood

Health and Social Care Professionals Council (CORU)

Health Information and Quality Authority

Health Insurance Authority

Health Research Board

Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS)

Health Products Regulatory Authority (formerly Irish Medicines Board)

Medical Council of Ireland

Mental Health Commission

National Cancer Registry Board

National Paediatric Hospital Development Board

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Opticians Board

Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland

Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC)

Departmental Expenditure

Ceisteanna (455)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

455. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what appropriations-in-aid expenditure will be entailed in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30037/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The table below sets out the appropriations in aid for 2014, the majority of which is made up of receipts from the Local Government Fund which may, under the relevant statutes, be applied to roads and public transport.  

-	Subhead	2014 Estimate €000
F.1	Receipts from Pension Related Deduction on Public Service Remuneration	4,631
F.2	Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) Refund of Subscriptions to International Organisations	7,095
F.3	IAA Recoupment of Rents, etc.	394
F.4	IAA Associated Costs	2,391
F.5	Road Transport Licence Fees	479
F.6	Receipts from Local Government Fund	376,443
F.7	Miscellaneous Land Transport Receipts	2,000
F.8	Receipts under the Merchant Shipping and Wireless Telegraphy Act	400
F.9	Tourism Ireland Pension Receipts	168
F.10	Irish Sports Council Receipts	90
F.11	Miscellaneous Receipts	340
-	TOTAL	394,431

Departmental Policy Reviews

Ceisteanna (456)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

456. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the policy reviews to be undertaken by his Department in 2014; the expected reviews for 2015; the cost of these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30040/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

A review of tourism policy commenced in August 2013 and will be finalised later this year. The review is being fully undertaken within my Department with no outside consultants involved. Accordingly, any costs associated with the Tourism Policy Review will not be significant and will only relate to incidental expenses such as printing. 

The draft of a new national aviation policy was published in early May and stakeholders have been invited to submit comments on the draft by the end of July.  Following review of the submissions received, the Minister intends to finalise and adopt the national aviation policy before the end of 2014.

My Department also intends to undertake the policy reviews listed in the table below in 2014 and 2015.

Value for Money and Policy Reviews	Work will commence before the end of 2014 on VFM Reviews relating to Traffic Management Grants in Regional Cities and the Sports Capital Programme. As all of these reviews will be carried out within the Department, there are no planned costs other than the allowed expenditure on independent chairs for each review, which are set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
National Cycle Policy Framework	Work has begun on the review of the National Cycle Policy Framework and completed actions have been identified.  A stakeholder consultation will be held later in the year.   There will be no associated external costs
Strategic Framework for Investment in Land Transport	During 2013 and 2014 my Department has also undertaken a wide-ranging review of land transport capital investment, with a view to developing a Strategic Framework for Investment in Land Transport. This work has involved research and review of areas including recent trends in transport demand, assessing the return on capital investment in transport, benchmarking against international investment levels, and developing a comprehensive understanding of necessary expenditure to maintain our existing land transport network. An expert Steering Group, informed by this evidence base, has completed their report, which will shortly issue for public consultation along with associated environmental reports key to the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of the Framework. This work was predominantly carried out within my Department. There was some expenditure on consultancy services relating to the development of the Framework and Steering Group meeting related expenses which together are expected to total less than €45,000.  In addition, consultancy services, meeting and required consultation related expenses in respect of the development of the SEA of the Framework are expected to amount to less than €50,000.
Safety Policy and Culture	The Irish Maritime Administration of the Department is undertaking a review of safety policy and culture in respect of all marine sectors including the fishing industry, passenger/ cargo vessels  and leisure/recreational craft users. The objective is to produce a Maritime Safety Strategy by end 2014 which will target actions aimed at achieving zero fatalities and reducing the level of incidents occurring in the maritime sector. The process, which includes a large element of public consultation and engagement with stakeholders, is estimated to cost of the order of €30,000.
National Intelligent Transport Systems Strategy	This review is planned for completion in Q1 2015. Information on cost will be available once work currently underway to select specialist advisors to help develop the Strategy is completed.
The Road Safety Authority’s Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020	The Road Safety Authority’s Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 includes a commitment to "Review policy on licensing of road transport operators to assess if own account operators should be included."  The Secretary General of my Department is responsible for the delivery of this commitment.  Details of the review have yet to be fully finalised and the matter of cost will be determined when that is done.

It is also intended to commence a review of the economic regulation of airports later this year.  There are no estimates of the costs involved at this time.

Sport and Recreational Development

Ceisteanna (457)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

457. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown by category of the estimated expenditure on sports and recreation services in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30041/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

 According to the Revised Estimates Volume, Sports and Recreation Services includes three subheads, namely, D3 Grants for sporting bodies and the provision of sports and recreational facilities  (i.e. Sports Capital Programme), D4 Grants for provision and renovation of swimming pools (i.e. Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme) and D5 Irish Sports Council/National Sports Campus (Grant-in-aid).

The amounts in the subheads for 2014 are D3 €23m, D4 €10.3m and D5 €60.136m. D5 includes a current allocation of €44.236m of which €42.496m is to the ISC and €1.74m is to NSCDA, as well as a capital allocation of €15.9m to National Sports Campus (which includes €13m in stimulus funding for the national indoor arena).

Departmental Expenditure

Ceisteanna (458)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

458. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown by category of the estimated expenditure on tourism services in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30042/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The information that the Deputy seeks is available in the 2014 Revised Estimates for Public Services, which was published on 18 December 2013.

Departmental Staff Training

Ceisteanna (459)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

459. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of the expected training and development and incidental expenses with the list of training and development courses he expects officers in his Department to undergo in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30043/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

Training and development courses can be broadly broken down into two categories: third level academic courses under the refund of fees scheme and courses related to developmental needs of individual officers. Demands for the first category for the 2014/15 academic year have yet to be determined. Demand for the second category is generated under the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) as set out in the training section of an individual officer’s Role Profile form. This category is generally subject to a competitive tendering process for each course which means that the actual figures will be only become apparent at a later date.

Departmental Offices

Ceisteanna (460)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

460. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport under the category of office premises expenses if he will list the individual offices operated by his Department in the State alongside the expenses that they will incur in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30044/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

Expenditure on items such as utilities (gas and electricity), waste disposal and office furniture are catered for under office premises expenses as part of the estimates process. It is not been the practice to formulate the estimate on a building by building basis. This is because of the challenges involved in estimating items such as energy costs in which unpredictable weather conditions can play such a large part. Accordingly it is not possible to estimate how much will be spent on the remainder of the year on an individual building basis. However I can give assurances that overall expenditure will be kept within budget with savings made wherever possible.

Rural Transport Programme

Ceisteanna (461)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

461. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of staff currently employed by the rural transport programme; the number to be made redundant due to the restructuring of the programme under the 18 transport co-ordination units; the redundancy package to be offered to those staff members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30048/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

 Following a Government decision in January 2012, responsibility for the integration of local and rural transport services, including management of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP), was assigned to the National Transport Authority (NTA) with effect from 1st April 2012. This includes responsibility for implementing the restructuring of the RTP announced by me on 9th July 2013.

I have forwarded your specific question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.

Departmental Expenditure

Ceisteanna (462, 463)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

462. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the annual saving to the Exchequer from a 20% reduction in all professional fees for his Department, including but not limited to legal, consultancy, IT-related, advisory, advertising and accountancy fees; and the company name and amount invoiced between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014. [30073/14]

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

463. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form a list of all professional fees for his Department, including but not limited to legal, consultancy, IT-related, advisory, advertising and accountancy fees; and the company name and amount invoiced between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014. [30088/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together.

The information requested in relation to expenditure on various types of external services is published as a matter of course on my Department's website and can be found at the following link:http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/expenditure-external-services for the period to 31 December 2013. My Department is in the process of collating expenditure figures for Quarter 2 2014 and these will be published shortly. A 20% reduction in the Department's spend on these external services (based on the 2013 out-turn) would result in a saving of around €770k.