Written Answers Nos. 73-79
73. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons who are on public or Civil Service pensions and who have been recruited for work on any basis, either permanent or temporary, under the remit of his Department in 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39550/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe details requested by the Deputy are set out in tabular format. In the period ten retired public servants were engaged on temporary contracts by my Department including two civilian drivers engaged by me and one civilian driver engaged by one of the Ministers of State.
I have asked all Agencies under the aegis of my Department to advise me of the information as relevant to each Agency, and I will communicate that information to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
|
Grade |
Reason for Temporary Hire |
|
Former public servant, employed as Civilian Driver |
Appointment co-terminous with Minister's appointment |
|
Former public servant, employed as Civilian Driver |
Appointment co-terminous with Minister's appointment |
|
Former public servant, employed as Civilian Driver |
Appointment co-terminous with Minister of State's appointment (March 2011 – July 2014). |
|
Accountant Grade 1 (Assistant Principal equivalent) |
Retirement date 12/11/13. Retained to 20/12/13 to complete outstanding work. Pension deferred for the period of the appointment. |
|
Former Assistant Principal at DJEI, temporary rehire at AP grade |
01/10/12 - 31/07/13 (EU Presidency 2013). Pension deferred for the period of the appointment. |
|
Former Principal Officer at DJEI |
Irish Government representative and Deputy Chair of the Board of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) based in Helsinki, Finland. Ended 30/6/2014. Paid on a fee per day basis in respect of each Board meeting that he attended and also for attending meetings of the Board Sub-Committee which he chaired. (All monies including expenses are claimed by way of invoice). |
|
Former Principal Officer at DJEI |
From 1 March 2012 to completion of Interdepartmental Committee Report in February 2013 – to establish facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries. Pension abatement not applicable. Payment was below the rate of pay the pensioner would have received if he had continued to serve in the former post. |
|
Former Director of Corporate Enforcement |
29/02/12 - 27/08/12 Acting Director of Corporate Enforcement. His pension was abated for the period that he remained on in his post in an acting capacity. |
|
Former Secretary General, Department of Transport |
16/6/2010 - Quarter 2 2014. Chair of DJEI Audit Committee. In line with centrally agreed procedures for external audit committee members in the Civil Service, a fee of €450 per meeting was paid, subject to a max. of €1,800 per annum. Pension abatement not applicable (i.e. fee plus pension did not exceed the rate of pay the pensioner would have received if he or she had continued to serve in the former post). Ended Q2 2014. |
|
Former Assistant Secretary DJEI |
Retired 2007. Appointed to NERA Advisory Board 2008. Pension abatement not applicable. The only payments made for participation on the Advisory Board are Travel and Subsistence payments in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform rates for civil servants. |
74. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a disadvantaged area payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38912/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraPayments under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme began issuing, on target, on 24 September. Processing of the application of the persons named has recently been finalised, with payment due to issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the applicants.
75. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their disadvantaged area scheme payment for 2014; the reason for the delay in payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38857/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraPayments under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme began issuing, on target, on 24 September. Payment has not yet issued to the person named as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. Immediately the holding concerned is confirmed as having met these requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment issuing to the person named at the earliest possible date thereafter, provided all other Scheme requirements have been satisfied.
76. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of European agricultural farm scheme funding that Ireland has returned unallocated over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38868/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraOne of the main EU funded Schemes is the Single Farm Payment (SFP) under Pillar One of the Common Agricultural Policy. Since 2009, my Department has paid in excess of €6.2 billion to some 125,000 farmers under the SFP. Essentially, all of the EU funding available was drawn and paid to farmers during that period. In 2009, following the CAP Health Check agreement, provisions were adopted for the use of unused SFP funds. This was based on a proposal from Ireland and a number of other Member States. Since that time, over €107 million was paid to Irish farmers from unused SFP funds under the Upland Sheep Scheme, Grassland Sheep Scheme, Dairy Efficiency Programme, Beef Data Programme and the Burren Farming for Conservation Programme. Under Pillar Two of the Common Agricultural Policy, Member States develop multi-annual Rural Development Programmes (RDP), which are co-financed by EU and national exchequer funding. Ireland's overall European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) allocation from the EU for the 2007-2013 period is some €2.5 billion. The 2007-2013 RDP is nearing the end of its cycle, as under the N+2 rule expenditure may continue until the end of 2015. Expenditure will continue up to until the end of 2015 with the aim of maximising the drawdown of available EU funds. To date Ireland has one of the highest rates of drawdown amongst the EU Member States.
In addition, Ireland submitted its draft Rural Development Programme for the 2014-2020 period earlier this year. There is €2.19bn EAFRD funding available for the new programming period.
77. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if approval has been given to an application under the single payment scheme 2014 and disadvantaged area-based payment scheme 2014 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if a disadvantaged area scheme, DAS, payment for 2014 has issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38884/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraPayments under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme began issuing, on target, on 24 September. Processing of the application of the person named has recently been finalised, with payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 8 October 2014. I can confirm that 50% advance payments under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme will commence on 16 October 2014 as is provided for in the relevant EU Regulations. The application of the person named has been finalised and I expect that payment will issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
78. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the 2014 disadvantaged area-based scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38885/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraProcessing of the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas application of the person named has recently been finalised by my Department, with payment due to issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
79. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the 2014 disadvantaged area-based scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38886/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraPayments under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme began issuing, on target, on 24 September. Payment has not yet issued to the person named as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. Immediately the holding concerned is confirmed as having met these requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment issuing to the person named at the earliest possible date thereafter, provided all other Scheme requirements have been satisfied.
