Written Answers Nos. 81-90
81. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of reports from external consultants commissioned by his Department in the years 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the costs incurred by his Department to commission these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42590/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy's question the following table outlines the total amount spent on external reports commissioned by my Department since its inception in 2011:
|
Name of External Report |
Costs |
Date of Commission |
Date or Expected Date of Publication |
Name of External Consultant |
|
Independent verification of savings arising under the Public Service Agreement |
€35,819.80 |
16 May 2011 |
June 2011 |
MKO Partners Ltd |
|
Report on Reasons Behind Voter Behaviour in the Oireachtas Inquiry Referendum 2011 |
€41,043.20 |
23 November 2011 |
January 2012 |
Red C Research and Marketing Ltd. |
|
Options for the next National Lottery licence |
€615 (including VAT) |
7th February 2012 |
2 March 2012 |
Davy Corporate Finance |
|
Independent verification of savings arising under the Public Service Agreement |
€31,586.40 |
23 March 2012 |
13 June 2012 |
Grant Thornton |
|
Capacity and Capability Review of Central Procurement Function |
€30,750.00 |
May 2012 |
6 September 2012 |
Accenture |
|
ICT-MF Executive Assessment |
€30,750.00 |
August 2012 |
November 2012 |
Innovation Value Institute, NUIM |
|
Independent verification of savings arising under the Public Service Agreement |
€24,206.40 |
4 February 2013 |
3 July 2013 |
Grant Thornton |
|
Debt Management Final Report |
€110,000 plus VAT |
Q2 - 2013 |
Published 24th July 2014 |
BearingPoint |
|
Report of a Consultation with Civil Society Representatives and Citizens on Ireland's Participation in the Open Government Partnership
|
Funding of €25,735.25 was provided to Transparency International Ireland in 2013 following a competitive tender process to support a public consultation with civil society and the preparation of a report of their recommendations and proposals for potential inclusion in Ireland's Open Government Partnership National Action Plan. |
10 June 2013 |
Published on 2 October 2013 |
Transparency International, Ireland |
|
Capacity & Capability Review of the Estate Portfolio function of the Office of Public Works (excluding Heritage Services) |
€130,000.00 + VAT |
12 November 2013 |
Report has been received by the Office of Public Works and circulated to staff
|
Concerto Partners LLP |
|
Open Data project: - Best Practice Handbook - Data Audit Report - Roadmap for Open Data - Evaluation Framework - Open Data Publication Handbook |
€19,188.00 |
3 March 2014 |
July 2014 |
Insight Centre for Data Analytics, NUI Galway |
|
Development of Training & Organisation Development |
€22,900 |
March 2014 |
July 2014 (date is approximate, relates to draft Report) |
Baker Tilly Ryan Glennon. Trinity House, Charleston Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 |
|
Value for Money Report of Dublin Castle's Conference Facilities |
€4,674.00 Incl Vat. |
7 April 2014 |
Qtr 3, 2014 |
Newmarket Consulting |
|
Fund Structuring Services Agreement for Social Housing and Energy Efficiency in Ireland |
€26,766.65 |
27 February 2014 |
5 November 2014 |
European Investment Bank |
In the course of its normal business activity, the Office of Public Works engages technical consultants on many of its projects, primarily architectural and engineering. The costs of these consultants would be included in the overall project costs and are not included here.
82. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he expects it may be feasible to encourage further investment in the public housing procurement programme in order to address the serious housing crisis inherited from the previous administration with the emphasis on the number becoming homeless on a daily basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42609/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for developing housing policy, proposals for its funding and implementation are primarily a matter for my colleague the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government. As indicated in my announcement of a €2.2 billion investment for social housing in the Budget, I understand that he will be shortly bringing forward a new Social Housing Strategy that will contain more detailed proposals in this regard.
83. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he is satisfied that all expenditure and reform targets have been met to date and will continue to so do far in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42616/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra85. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he and his Department have anticipated budgetary overruns in any particular Departments or State bodies in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42618/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra86. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which public expenditure objectives set out by the troika remain on course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42619/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra87. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which targets achieved to date in the area of public expenditure and reform will have a lasting and beneficial economic impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42621/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra88. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied that progress to date on the issue of public expenditure and reform remains in line with expectations. [42632/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra89. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he expects public expenditure reform targets to remain on course for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42658/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 85 and 86 to 89, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will note that Ireland is no longer subject to the Troika programme as this was successfully exited at end-2013. There remain, however, annual deficit ceilings set out in the Excessive Deficit Procedure which the Government must meet, and our fiscal policies are predicated on achieving these. To date, the Government's approach to fiscal consolidation, comprising both tax and expenditure measures, has proven successful as we have achieved all targets.
2015 represents the last year in which Ireland will be in an Excessive Deficit Procedure, and Budget 2015 and the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015 to 2017 are designed to deliver a deficit of below 3% of GDP. In the subsequent years, Ireland is committed to managing its public finances in line with the provisions of the Stability and Growth Pact.
Our task in achieving our fiscal targets has of course been assisted by the strong recovery under way in our economy. The latest GDP data shows that output expanded by 7.7% in the year to Q2 2014, while unemployment, a key priority of this Government, continues to fall. This has offered the Government a degree of flexibility in implementing fiscal policy as the latest Exchequer returns show that revenues from taxation are almost €1.1 billion ahead of profile.
This recovery has of course been aided by the fiscal policy objectives and reforms implemented by this Government. A precondition for economic growth is prudent and sustainable management of the public finances. Added to this, the economic growth-friendly environment and policies, as well as the significant public sector reforms undertaken, provide the foundations for sustained economic growth and prosperity for years to come.
Aside from their contribution to economic growth, reforms to the way in which the public sector operates will provide Irish citizens with high-quality public services that are delivered in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The increased focus on evaluation of expenditure policies and programmes has also contributed to our ability to effectively manage and allocate resources across all areas of public policy. For example, the forthcoming publication of the Capital Review will set out multi-annual capital expenditure ceilings for Departments, and identify those areas in which the Government must invest in order to promote future growth and resolve pressing social issues.
With regard to expenditure management in 2014, my Department regularly analyses expenditure trends across all areas of Voted expenditure. As of end-October 2014, Gross Voted expenditure of €44.2 billion was 0.9% ahead of profile, with Health Group expenditure being 3.8% over profile. My Department continues to engage with all Departments to ensure that expenditure overruns are managed without posing risks to the Government's overall fiscal objectives.
84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide any future reform objectives over the next two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42617/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince this Government took office, sustainable and far reaching Public Service Reform has been a key element of our strategy to meet the challenges that have faced the country in recent years. Public Service Reform will also continue to play a key role in our recovery.
As the Deputy will be aware, we published our first Public Service Reform Plan in November 2011. A Progress Report on the Reform Plan was published in September 2012 and a second Progress Report was published in January this year (available at www.reformplan.per.gov.ie). These reports set out the significant progress that has been made to date.
In January this year, I published the Government's second Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016. There are over 230 specific actions set out in the Reform Plan including greater use of shared services and innovative approaches to service delivery; increased use of technology and improved engagement with service users; more efficient and effective public procurement and property management; increased accountability and transparency in public decision making; enhanced leadership and performance management; and a continued focus on building the required capacity and capability to deliver reform and service improvements across the Public Service. The new Reform Plan is also available at www.reformplan.per.gov.ie.
Last week, the Taoiseach and I launched the Civil Service Renewal Plan. This ambitious plan incorporates a vision and a three year action plan to renew the Civil Service. It delivers on a key Programme for Government commitment and represents a fundamental new vision and direction for the Civil Service. The Plan outlines the practical changes that will create a more unified, professional, responsive, open and accountable Civil Service, providing a world-class service to the State and to the people of Ireland.
Overall, I am satisfied that we have made very strong progress to date on the delivery of reform and that we have also set out a clear and ambitious reform agenda for the Civil and Public Service over the coming years.
90. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if Irish Water is subject to the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42487/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraContracts for the supply of water would be considered to come within the scope of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980.
As the economic regulator for public water services, the Commission for Energy Regulation is required by Part 5 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 to have regard, among other things, to the need to ensure that the customers of Irish Water are provided with the quality of service provided for in a code of practice approved by the Commission. The Commission has published an Irish Water Customer Handbook that includes a Customer Charter, terms and conditions of supply for domestic customers, and Codes of Practice on customer communication, metering, billing, vulnerable customers, network operation and complaint handling. The Charter and the Codes contain specific requirements relating to the consumer protection measures to be put in place by Irish Water.
While the Commission for Energy Regulation has the primary responsibility for protecting the interests of water customers, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission remains responsible for consumer legislation of general application, such as the Consumer Protection Act 2007 and the European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations 1995 and 2000.
