Tuesday, 16 Jun 2015

Written Answers Nos. 154 - 167

Departmental Staff Expenses

Ceisteanna (154)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

154. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach if he will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent in each of the years 2011 to 2014, inclusive, 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. [23688/15]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

The total amount spent per annum by my Department on subsistence payments to staff and on taxi costs from 2011 to 11 June 2015 is provided in the following table:

Year	Subsistence	Taxi
2011	€27,487.01	€41,174.93
2012	€38,803.34*	€30,273.37*
2013	€46,802.27*	€28,609.89*
2014	€45,636.17	€24,828.37
1 Jan - 11 June 2015	€16,835.65	€12,473.66

* Note: this includes impact of EU Presidency

My Department has not been audited for tax compliance on these payments. However, my Department's Appropriation Account is audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

In March 2014, following a review by my Department, an unprompted voluntary disclosure was made to the Revenue Commissioners which included a liability for benefit in kind in relation to the use of taxis to and from home of €24,506 (including penalties and interest). This reflected a long-standing practice where staff are sometimes required to work outside normal office hours in order to carry out their official duties, in most cases due to Oireachtas sittings. Revenue guidelines state that benefit in kind is due on the costs of taxis from home to headquarters and vice versa. My Department has put in place revised arrangements to ensure compliance with Revenue Guidelines in respect of benefit in kind on taxi journeys to and from home.

Consultancy Contracts Data

Ceisteanna (155)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

155. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach if he will provide, in tabular form and by year, details of all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and the publication date. [23704/15]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

The table details the external consultant reports commissioned by my Department since March 2011.

Year	Name	Details	Cost
2011	QTS	Health and Safety Statement 2011	€1,270.50
2012	QTS	Health and Safety Statement 2012	€1,270.50
2013	QTS	Health and Safety Statement 2013 and Risk Assessment	€1,783.50
2014	QTS	PEEP Assessment and Disabled Access Review	€307.50
-	-	-	€4,632.00

Census of Population Data

Ceisteanna (156)

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

156. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Taoiseach the number of persons over 65 years of age, by county, in counties Wicklow, Wexford, Louth, Tipperary and Mayo. [23866/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach

According to the 2011 Census of Population, there were 4,588,252 persons enumerated within the state on Census night, of which 535,393 were aged 65 years and over.

The following table provides details of the number of persons aged 65 years and over requested by the Deputy.

County	Total Population	Total aged 65 years and over
Wicklow	136,640	15,001
Wexford	145,320	18,367
Louth	122,897	13,477
Tipperary	158,754	21,196
Mayo	130,638	19,539

International Summits

Ceisteanna (157, 158)

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

157. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the issues that were discussed at meeting of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; the decisions that were taken; the actions that will prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23949/15]

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

158. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he had any bilateral meetings around the meeting of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; the issues that were discussed at these meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23950/15]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 158 together.

The EU - CELAC summit of Heads of State and Government took place in Brussels on 10th and 11th June on the theme "Shaping our common future: working for prosperous, cohesive and sustainable societies for our citizens".

The format of the Summit involved two working group sessions and a discussion session. I attended both working group sessions and spoke on the theme "Re-invigorating the bi-regional partnership". Minister of State for European Affairs and Data Protection, Dara Murphy TD, attended the less formal discussion session on 11 June on my behalf.

In my intervention I supported closer ties between the EU and CELAC and raised the key global challenges of development and climate change, our priorities with regards to human rights, disarmament, and conflict resolution, and the importance of 2015 for global cooperation.

I noted the historic opportunity this year provides for global consensus on many of the key challenges we face, particularly the UN’s post-2015 development agenda and efforts to tackle climate change where Ireland is one of the UN co-facilitators for the final negotiations of this agenda.

En marge of the Summit, I had three bilateral meetings with the Presidents of Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

In my meeting with President Bachelet Jeria of Chile, I expressed my congratulations on the "Start up Chile" programme and my appreciation that Irish entrepreneurs have had the opportunity to participate in the programme. I also extended an invitation to the President to visit Ireland.

During my conversation with President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, I noted Ireland’s support for the peace process in Colombia, the efforts of the Colombian government to promote human rights, and Ireland’s recent ratification of the EU-Colombia/Peru Free Trade Agreement as well as an interest in growing our relations with Colombia.

I also noted that the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Ms Patti Londoño, is due to visit Ireland on 17-18 June.

I also met President Peña Nieto of Mexico and discussed trade issues between Ireland and Mexico as well as the EU-Mexico Global Agreement and reiterated an invitation made by President Higgins in Mexico in 2013 to the President to visit Ireland.

I am circulating the Political Declaration titled A Partnership for the Next Generation and the Action Plan agreed at the Summit herewith.

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Ceisteanna (159)

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

159. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party, Ms Nicola Sturgeon, since the recent election in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23951/15]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

I have not spoken to the Leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party since the recent election in the UK. I last met with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the British Irish Council Summit in the Isle of Man last November. I will meet with her again at the British Irish Council Summit which is convening in Dublin this Friday 19 June.

Question No. 160 answered with Question No. 147.

Proposed Legislation

Ceisteanna (161)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

161. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the advice or recommendations advanced in the formulation of the Gender Recognition Bill 2014; if she is satisfied that the proposed removal of a provision for a medicalised model of recognition is adequate or safe in view of the fact that a long-term study (details supplied) of up to 30 years which followed 324 persons who had sex reassignment surgery found that, beginning about ten years after having the surgery, the transgendered persons began to experience increasing mental difficulties with suicide mortality rates rising to almost 20 times higher than the comparable non-transgender population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23060/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The approach which is being taken in the Gender Recognition Bill 2014, whereby gender recognition for person aged 18 years or more will be based on a system of self-determination without the need for supporting statements from a medical practitioner, is very much in line with the approach advocated by, amongst others, the Council of Europe, advocacy groups within the transgender community, and Oireachtas Members who have contributed to date on the legislation. It is an approach which also reflects the latest international developments in this policy arena.

The self-determination approach will have the effect of separating the formal legal recognition of the preferred gender of a transgender person from the care pathway which any such person may follow. It does not in any way seek to minimise or diminish the importance of those care pathways or to suggest that continued medical supports may not be required by a person who applies for gender recognition. By the same token, while the overdue introduction of formal legal recognition will undoubtedly be a positive step for the transgender community, it will not, of itself, address all of the issues that this community faces.

The research cited by the Deputy relates to persons who underwent sex reassignment surgery, as opposed to the objective of the Gender Recognition Bill which is to legally recognise a person’s preferred gender. The key conclusion drawn from the research is that consideration be given to enhancing the levels of care provided to transgender people. That conclusion remains valid regardless of the system of legal recognition in place.

One-Parent Family Payment Expenditure

Ceisteanna (162)

Pat Breen

Ceist:

162. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the implications of cuts to the one-parent payment for persons (details supplied); her plans to address this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23166/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Expenditure on the one parent family payment (OFP) scheme is estimated to be €607 million in 2015 with almost 70,000 recipients.

However, despite considerable investment, the scheme has not succeeded in preventing lone parents from being significantly more at risk of consistent poverty than the population as a whole.

The reforms seek to address the long-term social welfare dependency and poverty experienced by many lone parents by providing them with improved access to the Department’s range of education, training, and employment supports. Access to these services and supports is imperative for lone parents, in order to ensure that their prospects of securing employment and financial independence are improved.

Family income supplement is financially the best option available to lone parents who may suffer a financial loss as a result of the reforms. Lone parents who transition to family income supplement will be eligible to qualify for the new back to work family dividend and as such will be able to retain the child proportion of their welfare payment for one year after transitioning from one-parent family payment and half that amount in the second year. For each child (subject to a maximum of four children) this equates to an additional payment of €1,550 per annum in the first year and €775 in the second year.

In order to claim family income supplement, a person must be working a minimum of 19 hours a week or 38 hours a fortnight. In the case you have outlined this customer is working 30 hours per week and may qualify for FIS subject to the normal conditions of the scheme. She may then also qualify for the back to work family dividend. I would advise that this customer should contact her local Intreo Centre/Social Welfare Office to discuss her options.

Invalidity Pension Payments

Ceisteanna (163)

John O'Mahony

Ceist:

163. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on an invalidity pension; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22967/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 21 May 2015. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on 2 July 2015. Any arrears due from 21 May 2015 to 1 July 2015 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 15 June 2015.

Illness Benefit Appeals

Ceisteanna (164)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

164. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for illness benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23020/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Payment of illness benefit, to the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.

An appeal was opened on 12 May 2015 and the Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the Department was asked for the documentation in the case and the Deciding Officer’s comments on the grounds of the appeal. In that context, an examination by another Medical Assessor will be carried out. The person concerned will be notified when arrangements for the examination have been completed.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Ministerial Meetings

Ceisteanna (165)

Lucinda Creighton

Ceist:

165. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on all public and private official and unofficial engagements and meetings with a person (details supplied) and senior executives within the person's media companies here; and the outcome of such meetings. [23051/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

I have had no engagements and meetings, either public or private, official or unofficial with Mr. Denis O'Brien. I would have encountered him informally at a business function in New York, on official St. Patrick's Day business representing the Government. Given my position involves regular interaction with the media, I have met and spoken with senior editorial staff and journalists of several of the media companies in question.

Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals

Ceisteanna (166)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

166. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 was awarded a rent supplement payment that was €123 lower than the person had received while at a previous address in Dublin 22, in view of the fact that the rent and the person's income and family circumstances were the same for both claims. [23063/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The person concerned has been contacted by the Community Welfare Service to undertake a review of her rent supplement payment. She will be notified of the outcome when the review has been completed.

Question No. 167 withdrawn.