Written Answers Nos. 681 to 692
681. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount spent on external information technology consultants by his Department in each of the years 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23453/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra684. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has re-negotiated external information technology consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23570/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 681 and 684 together.
While my Department makes use of external IT service providers for various support and maintenance requirements for its data and communications networks, it has not engaged or re-negotiated contracts with any IT consultants since March 2011.
In 2010 and 2011, the Department engaged consultants for the purpose of providing infrastructure and systems-related security advice and the amounts expended were €65,545 and €23,529 respectively.
It is my Department’s policy to seek competitive tenders and to test the market on a regular basis for all IT requirements.
682. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the protocols in place since March 2011 to set standards in parliamentary replies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23501/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra683. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied that parliamentary questions are adequately replied to within his Department; the steps he has taken since March 2011 to ensure parliamentary questions are fully responded to within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23517/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 682 and 683 together.
In my Department, answering parliamentary questions is a high priority. In 2014, my Department answered 1304 such questions. In that year, a Departmental notice issued to all staff on the procedures to be followed in dealing with parliamentary questions. The notice served also to re-emphasise to all officers the right of the Dáil to seek information on any matter within my competence as Minister and, insofar as it is possible and practicable to do so, my duty to respond. Officers of my Department continue to assist and facilitate me as Minister in the discharge of my obligations to the Dáil including answering parliamentary questions.
685. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the number of appointments to State boards; the number of vacancies on State boards; the number of vacancies on State boards publically advertised; and the number of appointments to State boards drawn directly from the public advertisement process in the period March 2011 to date. [23586/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no State boards under the aegis of my Department.
686. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, for each year from 2009 to 2014 and for 2015 to date, the total number of freedom of information requests received by his Department; the total refused, granted, part-granted, successful appeals, and part-successful appeals; and refusals of appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23609/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table following. I also refer the Deputy to the response to Parliamentary Question No. 467 on 18 December 2014 in which my Department provided him with much of the same information as set out in the table. My Department returns annual figures on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC). However, the OIC does not request details of decisions at internal review stage and these statistics are not available for all years. The total number of requests refused includes cases where the information requested did not exist.
Number of FOI requests received by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
|
Year |
Total Requests* |
Requests Granted |
Requests Part-granted |
Requests Refused |
|
2009 |
86 |
37 |
33 |
8 |
|
2010 |
87 |
23 |
27 |
19 |
|
2011 |
68 |
16 |
34 |
8 |
|
2012 |
138 |
39 |
47 |
17 |
|
2013 |
88 |
29 |
23 |
21 |
|
2014 |
117 |
34 |
42 |
18 |
|
2015 to date |
56 |
17 |
10 |
10 |
*Total Requests include requests subsequently withdrawn, withdrawn and answered outside the FOI Act or transferred.
Number of FOI requests appealed and subject to an internal review
|
Date |
Internal Reviews |
Original Decision Annulled |
Original Decision Varied |
Original decision affirmed |
|
2009 |
4 |
Not available |
Not available |
Not available |
|
2010 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
2011 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
2012 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
|
2013 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
|
2014 |
9 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
|
2015 to date |
4 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
687. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. [23640/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra688. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department since September 2013. [23666/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 687 and 688 together.
No Bills have been initiated by my Department since September 2013.
689. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if his Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits in kind; if these processes have been revised, in view of the Revenue Commissioners concerns over practices in other State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23682/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department comprises two separate votes, Vote 28 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vote 27 International Co-operation. The total amount spent in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and to 31 May 2015 on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments is as per the table following.
|
Year |
Subsistence |
Taxi fares Reimbursed |
Total |
|
2011 |
754,865 |
151,755 |
906,620 |
|
2012 |
793,643 |
166,775 |
960,418 |
|
2013 |
829,662 |
182,027 |
1,011,689 |
|
2014 |
858,950 |
202,753 |
1,061,703 |
|
(to 31 May)2015 |
312,082 |
81,235 |
393,317 |
|
TOTAL |
3,549,202 |
784,545 |
4,333,747 |
Given the nature of my Department’s responsibilities, officers are obliged to undertake a significant amount of official travel. Travel and meetings often take place out of hours and away from the officer’s headquarters leading to subsistence and/or taxi requirements. The central aim of the departmental travel policy is to minimise official travel costs and to achieve value for money for expenditure necessarily incurred, consistent with the effective discharge of official duties.
The Department complies with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circulars in relation to subsistence payments, including reimbursement of taxi costs. The Department is subject to audit by both the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Department’s Internal Audit function.
In September 2014 the Revenue Commissioners commenced an audit of my Department. Prior to this audit, my Department reviewed findings of similar audits of other Government Departments previously undertaken by the Revenue Commissioners. On that basis, my Department undertook a review of certain expenditure for the period to be audited. Based on this review, my Department made a voluntary declaration to the Revenue Commissioners in relation to certain taxi costs where it was considered that there was an additional tax liability.
The Revenue audit covered the period 1 January 2012 to 31 July 2014. On the completion of the Revenue audit in November 2014, my Department made a payment of €33,570.12 in respect of taxes, interest and penalties.
This settlement comprises €22,340.97 in respect of underpaid PAYE; €5,614.36 underpaid Employer PRSI; €2,820.23 interest on late payment and €2,794.56 penalties. Because of the voluntary declaration, the Revenue Commissioners applied a penalty rate of 10%.
The settlement covers the following areas:
1. Taxis €26,660.90 - this relates to taxi journeys between officers’ home and headquarters. In accordance with Departmental policy, officers who come in before 07:00 and leave after 21:00 may use a taxi. Under tax legislation, travel between home and headquarters gives rise to a Benefit in Kind tax liability.
2. Interview Boards €2,679.65 - while the Department deducted withholding tax from payments to individual board members, the Revenue Commissioners have advised that these payments should be processed through payroll. This would result in the Department paying Employers PRSI.
3. Payments to two retired staff taken back to undertake project work €4,229.57 - while the Department deducted withholding tax from payments to these individuals, the Revenue Commissioners have advised that these payments should be processed through payroll. This would result in the Department paying Employers PRSI.
As a result of the Revenue Commissioners audit, my Department has introduced new procedures for processing payments to external members on interview boards and retired civil servants returning to work on contract; and to applying tax on official taxis costs taken by officers between headquarters and home in accordance with Revenue regulations.
690. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, by year, all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and publication date. [23698/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is responsible for two Votes – Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Vote 27 (International Cooperation). The Department commissions external expertise where highly specialised skills are not available within the Department and particularly where ongoing independent evaluation of programmes and projects is required. During the course of their engagements, these consultants/experts may prepare reports and other documentation for the Department.
In-depth analysis of issues by external experts has informed - and continues to inform - my Department’s policies, allowing for more targeted use of resources and greater accountability in the allocation of budgets.
These services are procured by open competitive tender in accordance with EU and national rules and comply with the overall value for money objective of the Department. Separately, a low number of consultancies are occasionally engaged directly by our Missions abroad from time to time. The following tables set out the details of external reports commissioned by the department under Vote 28 and Vote 27 since March 2011.
External Reports commissioned under Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade)
|
Date of Commission |
Experts/Consultants |
Report/Subject |
Cost (€) |
Date of publication |
|
06.09.2012 |
Mike Williams |
Evaluation of the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation |
12,247 |
July 2013 |
|
16.11.2012 |
PA Consulting Group |
Evaluating the value of the economic relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland. |
73,083 |
July 2013 |
|
06.05.2013 |
Peter McEvoy |
Evaluation of a number of Organisations funded by the Emigrant Support Programme(ESP) |
13,075 |
July 2013 |
|
11.07.2013 |
Wright Consultancy Ltd |
Gender Equality Audit |
14,000 |
Publication Imminent |
|
13.05.2014 |
Tierney & Associates, Risk & Governance Consultants |
Audit of grants awarded under Emigrant Support Programme. |
19,934 |
Publication Imminent |
|
25.07.2014 |
Hogan Lovells, Washington |
Review of tax, social insurance and health obligations and other conditions of service in respect of locally-recruited staff members at our 7 missions in the United States. |
39,923 |
* |
*This report, commissioned by the Department, is an internal management report and not for publication.
External Reports commissioned under Vote 27 (International Cooperation)
|
Date of Commission |
Experts/ Consultants |
Report/Subject |
Cost (€) |
Date of Publication |
|
28.04.2011 |
Kevin Moore |
Support to the Governments of Zambia and South Africa to develop Special Economic Zones for the promotion of inward investment and employment |
17,861 |
Not Applicable – see footnote* |
|
28.04.11 |
Paul Sheane |
Support to the Governments of Zambia and South Africa to develop Special Economic Zones for the promotion of inward investment and employment |
9,965 |
* |
|
05.05.2011 |
Stefanie Meredith |
Review of Irish Aid Support for Product Development Partnerships in developing countries. |
10,100 |
* |
|
05.05.2011 |
Samia Saad |
Review of Irish Aid Support for Product Development Partnerships in developing countries. |
9,198 |
* |
|
05.05.2011 |
Paud Murphy |
Development Education Reviews - to examine the current funding support and engagement in each of the priority areas identified in the Development Education strategy (primary, post primary, third level, adult, community and youth work). |
9,064 |
* |
|
05.05.2011 |
80:20 |
Development Education Reviews - to examine the current funding support and engagement in each of the priority areas identified in the Development Education strategy (primary, post primary, third level, adult, community and youth work). |
9,870 |
* |
|
05.05.2011 |
Eilis Murray |
Development Education Reviews - to examine the current funding support and engagement in each of the priority areas identified in the Development Education strategy (primary, post primary, third level, adult, community and youth work). |
6,068 |
* |
|
05.05.2011 |
ISOS |
Development Education Reviews - to examine the current funding support and engagement in each of the priority areas identified in the Development Education strategy (primary, post primary, third level, adult, community and youth work). |
42,247 |
* |
|
01.06.2011 |
Bernard McLoughlin |
Review of the Irish Aid Centre, Dublin |
6,143 |
* |
|
01.06.2011 |
Cathal Higgins |
Preparation of a report on the programme of education sector budget support towards school infrastructural development in Karamoja region and skills development in the oil sector (Uganda) |
5,000 |
* |
|
12.09.2011 |
Humanitarian Policy Ltd |
Review of Security Policy & Practice among Irish Aid Humanitarian Partners |
33,930 |
* |
|
12.08.2011 |
Mike Williams |
Review of Humanitarian Programme Plan for Irish Aid |
18,742 |
* |
|
09.01.2012 |
Cathy Roche |
Review of the Our World Awards 2005-2011 |
6,300 |
* |
|
18.05.2012 |
Everywhere Consulting |
Feasibility Study on the Establishment of a Humanitarian Hub at Shannon Airport |
40,584 |
* |
|
01.06.2012 |
Fintan Farrelly |
Review of the Irish Aid Strategic Environmental Partnership Programme |
6,000 |
* |
|
01.11.2012 |
Mike Williams |
Review of Misean Cara |
15,099 |
* |
|
01.02.2013 |
Mary Jennings |
Review of HRD (Human Rights and Democratisation) Scheme Irish Aid Palestine |
15,500 |
* |
|
01.03.2013 |
Bronagh Hinds & Karen McMinn Consultants |
Report on the implementation of Ireland's National Action Plan on UNSCR (United Nations Security Council Resolution) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security |
20,811 |
June 2013 |
|
01.04.2013 |
ASTEC Global Consultancy Ltd |
Review of Irish Aid Financial Policies and Procedures |
44,493 |
* |
|
07.07.2013 |
Gareth Williams |
Review of Financial and Programme of the Camara Education Programme |
20,000 |
* |
|
05.07.2013 |
John Geraghty |
Review of University College Cork’s Programme of Technical Support Internships for Food Security |
7,568 |
* |
|
01.07.2013 |
Natural Research Institute |
Review of Irish Aid Support to Fair and Ethical Trade Initiatives |
19,292 |
* |
|
01.03.2014 |
Andy Pollak |
Review of Irish Aid support for Initial Teacher Education |
11,564 |
* |
|
31.05.14 |
Tom Collins |
Feasibility Study - Celebrating and Sustaining Ireland’s relationship with Africa |
5,000 |
* |
|
30.05.14 |
ITAD Limited |
Mid Term Review of the Civil Society Support Programme |
68,135 |
* |
|
01.08.14 |
Willis Risk Services (Ireland) Limited |
Consultancy for insurance policy report and tender documentation for the Rapid Response Corps |
5,000 |
* |
|
07.04.14 |
ADETEF |
OECD DAC EVALNET Study on Collaborative Partner- Donor Evaluation Work |
25,000 |
* |
|
22.07.14 |
Cathy Gaynor/Niamh O’Grady/Gill Roe |
Evaluability Assessment of the Programme of Strategic Cooperation |
43,200 |
* |
|
17.11.14 |
Karen McMinn |
Report and final review on the implementation of Ireland's National Action Plan on UNSCR (United Nations Security Council Resolution) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security |
9,750 |
2015 |
|
01.02.15 |
Peter McEvoy |
Professional Services for the appraisal of Irish Aid fellowship Training Programme |
16,560 |
* |
|
01.04.15 |
Coffey International Development Ltd |
Review of the Irish Aid Programme Grant Mechanism |
23,588 |
* |
|
11.05.15 |
Johnny O ‘Regan |
Organisational Assessment of Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice |
4,400 |
* |
|
11.05.15 |
ASM- Amanda Mc Maw |
e provision of audit services to examine grants awarded under the ESP |
14,700 |
* |
*Reports commissioned by the Department in relation to Irish Aid matters are generally for internal management usage and not for publication. However, many are published on the Irishaid.ie website or, in appropriate cases, can be made available on request.
691. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the sanctions by the G7 states against Russia. [23785/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe annual summit of G7 countries took place in Elmau, Germany on 7-8 June. The conflict in Ukraine was among a number of important foreign policy issues which was discussed. In their summit declaration, G7 leaders expressed full support for the efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict within the framework of the Normandy format and the OSCE Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine. They called on all sides to fully implement the ceasefire and withdraw all heavy weapons from the contact line. On economic sanctions against Russia, the G7 agreed that the duration of existing restrictive measures should be clearly linked to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. This is foreseen by 31 December 2015 under the terms of the Package of Measures signed by the parties to the conflict on 12 February in Minsk. The G7 also reaffirmed that the sanctions could be strengthened or relaxed depending on developments. This is consistent with the EU position on economic sanctions against Russia as agreed at the March European Council.
692. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport will be issued in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23927/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passports Act, 2008 provides, among other things, that only Irish citizens are entitled to be issued with Irish passports. Each application received by the Passport Service must, therefore, contain relevant evidence that clearly demonstrates that person’s entitlement to Irish citizenship before a passport can issue to him/her. The child in question was born in the State in 2013 to parents who are non-EU nationals. His entitlement to Irish citizenship is, therefore, subject to Section 6A of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended (the Act). This provides that a person, born in the State on or after 1 January 2005, where neither parent is an Irish or British citizen or otherwise entitled to reside in the State or Northern Ireland without restriction at the time of that person’s birth, may claim citizenship by birth in the State (and thereby establish eligibility for an Irish passport) only where a parent has been lawfully resident in the State for three years of the four years preceding that person’s birth. It should be noted that periods of authorised residence in the State for study are excluded under the Act for the purposes of section 6A.
In line with guidelines provided by the Department of Justice and Equality (D/JE), which is responsible for immigration and citizenship, the proofs of lawful residence of a non-EU parent, which are accepted and considered by this Department for the purposes of passport applications are immigration stamps in passports or the registration cards/books, which are given to persons registering with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
A passport application for this child was received by the Department on 5 March, 2014. However, it could not be finalised for passport issue because the duration of his mother’s lawful residence was insufficient to demonstrate his entitlement to Irish citizenship under section 6A of the Act.
This decision was reached on the basis of submitted evidence of the mother’s lawful residence, which included the immigration stamps on her passport and her registration card.
The Department wrote to the applicant’s mother on 19 May, 2014 to inform her of this. This included a request for any correspondence, which she may have received from the D/JE that granted her right to reside in the State. (This letter would have enabled her to subsequently obtain the relevant immigration stamps from GNIB for her passport.)
This evidence is crucial to the Department’s assessment of her child’s passport application. The calculation of residence for the purposes section 6A of the Act is strictly based on the validity period of an immigration stamp and/or registration card. However, as a letter from the D/JE would normally predate the validity date of a stamp/card, the calculation of the reckonable residence can be extended back to the date of that letter – thus rendering more residence to the parent.
If such evidence exists, it has not yet been submitted to the Department for consideration.
The submitted application is now out of date and has been cancelled. A new application should be submitted with the any additional original evidence plus any correspondence from the D/JE in regard to the granting of residence to the child’s mother.
If this is not feasible, the parents may wish to apply to have their child naturalised. To do this, they will need to contact the D/JE. In the event that an application is successful, a certificate of naturalisation would be issued to the child. This certificate would be sufficient evidence to demonstrate his Irish citizenship for any future passport application.
