Written Answers Nos. 92-96
92. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if performance-related pay has been paid to any of his staff or staff in his Department for the years 2011 to 2013, inclusive, and to date in 2014; if so, the number of staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39396/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo performance related pay has been paid in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 or 2014 by my Department.
93. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of Irish passports currently held by persons resident in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39405/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs there is no requirement for Irish citizens overseas to register their place of residence, it is not possible to confirm the number of Irish passports currently held by persons resident in the United States. However, I can confirm that the number of Irish passports issued by the Irish Mission network in the United States since 2005 to be 108,233.
94. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason persons under the age of 26 on jobseeker's benefit only receive a €100 training allowance on FÁS training schemes while those under 26 on jobseeker's allowance automatically receive an increase of €60, bringing their payment to €160 per week; her plans to bring these people on jobseeker's benefit into line with those on jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39415/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe payment of a SOLAS (formally FÁS) training allowance is aligned to a person's social welfare entitlement as it replaces a participant's social welfare payment for the duration of a training course. The amount of that entitlement is determined by the Department of Social Protection in accordance with the rules of the various social welfare schemes. The rules encompassing these social welfare schemes are a matter for the Minister for Social Protection.
95. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm that employment scheme supervisors who were working for FÁS up until its dissolution and who continue to work in that capacity for SOLAS and who paid pension contributions during their time at FÁS may have their prior contributions counted towards their current occupational pension plan with SOLAS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39506/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSOLAS was established on 27th October 2013 and FÁS was dissolved as part of this process. All staff employed by FÁS on the day immediately before that date were transferred to SOLAS on the establishment day under Section 28 of the Further Education and Training Act 2013. Section 29 of the Act provides that any previous service as a member of staff with FÁS will be regarded as a period of reckonable service and where a superannuation benefit falls due for payment for these staff the benefit will be calculated on the basis of pensionable service with SOLAS aggregated with previous reckonable service with FÁS.
96. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reinstate the minor works grant scheme for the 2014-15 school year in view of the importance of this scheme over the years to maintain basic accommodation requirements in many schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39321/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraCircular Letter 0062/2013 which was published as the Minor Works Grant for the school year 2013/2014 issued last November states "the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits". The focus under the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 is on meeting the demand for additional school places. Consequently, there is no funding provided at this time in the 2014 capital allocation for the payment of a Minor Works Grant.
I am aware that whenever my Department is in a position to issue a Minor Works Grant (to all primary schools with permanent recognition) that it is welcomed by school communities and management bodies as a valuable contribution towards the cost of maintaining school infrastructure.
