Written Answers Nos. 84 - 92
84. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons who have opted to pay their local property tax by means of a deduction from their social protection payment; the number of instances where the maximum deduction allowable did not cover the full liability and resulted in a shortfall at the end of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42272/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Revenue that the €186 'de minimis' weekly welfare payment from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) is enshrined in legislation and any deductions, including deduction of Local Property Tax (LPT), cannot reduce that weekly payment below that amount.
For the 2013 LPT half-year almost 14,000 property owners opted to meet their obligations through deduction at source from their DSP payments. Of these, just over 1,200 did not meet the full LPT liability through that payment method because of the 'de minimis' rule.
The number of property owners that opted to use the DSP deduction at source payment option increased to 24,000 for the 2014 tax year and 25,000 for the 2015 tax year. The numbers that failed to meet the full liability on foot of the 'de minimis' rule for those years were almost 2,000 and 300 respectively.
Revenue has confirmed to me that where the full LPT liability could not be deducted from the DSP payment, direct contact was made with the property owners in question and alternative payment arrangements (including deferral) were put in place to meet the outstanding balance.
85. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the amount paid out to named consultants and consultancy firms in 2015 to date, in tabular form; the description of the work provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42273/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below.
|
Consultant/consultancy firm |
Description of the work provided |
Amount |
|
Loman Cusack Design |
Design and branding work for Living City Initiative |
€11,667 |
|
Arthur Cox |
Legal advice (restructuring of Irish banking system etc) |
€754,202 |
|
Matheson |
Legal advice (banking sector/professional fees (secondment)/transposition of EU Directives) |
€33,333 |
|
William Fry |
Legal advice in relation to banking sector |
€465,657 |
|
Philip Baker QC |
Legal services |
€106,832 |
|
Geon Legal Solutions |
Legal: e-Discovery services |
€114,445 |
|
Vincent Madigan |
Legal:assisting with a Government Bill |
€5,100 |
|
Red C |
Professional services (SME Lending Survey*) |
€58,979 |
|
Strata Three |
Testing and review of Departmental website |
€2,060 |
|
John H Martin |
Report on the appropriateness of the Special Regeneration Areas |
€2,500 |
|
John Baker |
Facilitating discussion on National Risk Assessment |
€894 |
|
NAMA |
Incidental expenses of the Ministerial Advisory Group on NAMA. The members of the group operate on a pro bono basis. |
€8,581 |
|
Alexander Caffrey |
Legal: professional fees documentary counsel |
€24,364 |
|
Antaris |
Health & Safety services |
€16,113 |
|
Dillon Eustace |
Professional services (secondment) |
€36,900 |
|
ESRI |
Research work |
€152,963 |
|
Emma Doyle BL |
Legal: professional fees documentary counsel |
€20,139 |
|
IBFD Publications |
Research project |
€77,054 |
|
Mason, Hayes & Curran |
Professional services (access request) |
€18,282 |
|
Merc Partners |
Professional services (executive search to assist with a Central Bank appointment) |
€45,100 |
|
Nick Reilly BL |
Legal: professional fees documentary counsel |
€18,304 |
|
Kate Hanley BL |
Legal: professional fees documentary counsel |
€27,633 |
|
Silvia Martinez |
Legal: professional fees documentary counsel |
€21,842 |
|
Carr Communications |
PR consultancy services (mortgage arrears) |
€12,177 |
|
EBRD |
Contribution towards advisor (banking) |
€39,164 |
|
Indecon |
Professional fees (Marine Tax study) |
€106,887 |
|
Sarah Jane Hillery |
Legal services |
€9,997 |
|
VMForensics |
eDiscovery services |
€7,380 |
*reimbursed by AIB and Bank of Ireland
86. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff of the Revenue Commissioners who earn salaries from €300,001 to €400,000; €200,001 to €300,000; €150,001 to €200,000, and €100,001 to €150,000 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42275/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Revenue Commissioners have provided me with the following information in response to the Deputy's question.
Table 1: Revenue Commissioners - Current Staff Earnings
|
Currently Earning |
€100 - €150 |
€150 - €200 |
> €200 |
|
Total |
22 |
3 |
0
|
The Revenue Commissioners have advised that Revenue staff salaries are paid in accordance with the relevant Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars and sanctions.
87. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff at the Revenue Commissioners who earned salaries between €300,001 and €400,000; €200,001 and €300,000; €150,001 and €200,000, and €100,001 and €150,000, at the end of 2012 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42276/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Revenue Commissioners have provided me with the following information in response to the Deputy's question.
Table 1: Revenue Commissioners - Staff Earnings at end 2012
|
2012 |
Grade Level |
€100 - €150 |
€150 - €200 |
> €200 |
|
|
Secretary General |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Assistant Secretary |
14 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Principal |
58 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Total |
72 |
3 |
0
|
The Revenue Commissioners have advised that Revenue staff salaries are paid in accordance with the relevant Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars and sanctions.
88. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff at the Revenue Commissioners who are in receipt of so-called retention payments, in tabular form; the amount of the payments in each case; the gross salary the employees enjoy as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42277/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they do not have any staff in receipt of retention payments.
89. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason funding, an application for which was made in August 2015 but was rejected, will not be made available by the Office of Public Works for the drainage of swallow holes and the cleaning of the channel from Grannagh to Blackrock in Peterswell, County Galway, when the lack of funding and action in this area has led to excessive flooding, causing extreme inconvenience and discomfort to the local residents, involving houses and lands being flooded and lengthy detours around flooded areas to access services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42055/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraGalway County Council submitted an application for funding to the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Minor Flood Mitigation and Coastal Protection Scheme for works at this location. The OPW was not able to approve this application for the following reason.
From the information contained in the application it was not possible to adequately determine the benefits that would be derived from the proposed works due to the complexity of flooding attributed to groundwater in this area and in the South Galway area generally. For example, there are up to six swallow holes in close proximity to each other at Blackrock and one upstream of Ballybackagh Bridge.
It is open to the Council to provide clarification on these matters to support its application for funding. The OPW has informed the Council that further technical guidance can be obtained from engineering staff in the OPW's West Region office in Headford.
90. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will confirm the recent recommendations of the consulting engineer in relation to the tendering for and appointment of a contractor for the Skibbereen flood relief scheme, further to the preferred contractor withdrawing from the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42059/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCork County Council, as the Contracting Authority for the Scheme, has very recently received a recommendation from its consultants in relation to the tender process and on 24 November, wrote formally to the Office of Public Works on the matter. The OPW is considering the correspondence from the Council and will be replying shortly on it.
91. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount paid out to named consultants and consultancy firms in 2015 to date, in tabular form; the description of the work provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42274/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy's question the table below outlines the amount paid to consultancy firms and the description of the work provided to my Department since 1 January 2015.
|
Consultants/Consultancy Firms |
Description of Work |
€ |
|
Astec Global |
Civil Service Financial Management Shared Services Project: Project Management Services |
€140,195
|
|
Capita |
Civil Service Financial Management Shared Services Project: Consultancy Services |
€30,221
|
|
Resolve Ltd |
Civil Service Financial Management Shared Services Project: Consultancy Services |
€26,191
|
|
Gartner |
Civil Service Financial Management Shared Services Project: Consultancy Services |
€30,602
|
|
Deloitte |
Civil Service Financial Management Shared Services Project: Consultancy Services |
€808,276
|
|
Harvey Nash |
Civil Service HR and Pensions Administration Shared Services Consultancy (Paid in 2015, for 2014 consultancy work) |
€13,284
|
|
Bearing Point |
Civil Service HR and Pensions Administration Shared Services Business Analyst |
€109,788
|
|
Bearing Point |
Consultancy services for the provision of Debt Management Project Manager |
€115,805
|
|
Accenture Consulting |
Civil Service HR and Pensions Administration Shared Services Analytics Work |
€31,144
|
|
The Communication Clinic |
Project implementation training |
€3,750 |
|
Clarion Consulting |
Business process review of the Civil Service Disciplinary Code |
€23,985 |
|
AA Ireland |
Category Specific Advisory Services |
€2,460 |
|
Accenture
|
Provision of Procurement Benefits Measurement Guidance Support |
€29,582 |
|
Accenture
|
Build to share Public Service ICT strategy |
€339,188 |
|
Achilles Procurement Services
|
Procurement Capacity Support |
€93,649
|
|
Empirica
|
Data Review |
€3,921 |
|
Ernst & Young
|
Procurement Capacity Support |
€197,682 |
|
Gartner Ireland
|
Category Specific Advisory Services |
€159,285 |
|
Adrian O Donoghue Service Design Workshop |
Workshop Facilitator |
€378 |
|
Aspiracon Ltd
|
IT Consultancy |
€10,240 |
|
Astron Consulting
|
Consultancy Services for Quality Assurance |
€15,498 |
|
Brooker Consulting
|
Consultancy Fees for Quality Management System |
€7,995 |
|
Darcy Lynch
|
Provision of Audit Services |
€39,330 |
|
IT Allowance Outsourcing
|
IT Consultancy |
€13,456 |
|
John Gallagher
|
Consultancy Services for Quality Assurance |
€8,408 |
|
Gartner Ireland
|
Research and advisory services
|
€162,903 |
|
Innovative Procurement Solutions
|
Procurement Capacity Support
|
€49,853
|
|
John O'Hehir & Associates
|
HR Consultancy
|
€17,589
|
|
OVE ARUP & Partners
|
Category Specific Advisory Services
|
€22,866
|
|
Pantaleon Consulting Limited
|
Category Specific Advisory Services
|
€1,250
|
|
Papernet
|
Category Specific Advisory Services
|
€4,615
|
|
Peter Bacon and Associates
|
Economic Consultancy |
€25,598 |
|
Schneider Electric (M&C Ireland)
|
Category Specific Advisory Services
|
€213,749
|
|
The Analytics Store |
IT Consultancy
|
€1,845 |
|
Dovetail Technologies |
Business analysis and preparation of a draft specification for an electronic data exchange system for EU funding |
€46,371
|
|
TMG Translation Services |
Translation of Partnership agreement into Irish |
€9,238 |
|
Mazars |
Audit services |
€11,921 |
|
Dr. Michaela Greenwood, Chartered Occupational Psychologist |
Work carried out in 2014 in relation to the development of 360 tools for the SPS executive coaching programme
|
€3,304 |
|
Core HR Consulting
|
Consultancy for Payroll Shared Services Project
|
€686,787
|
|
Deloitte
|
Consultancy for Payroll Shared Services Project |
€93,374
|
|
Deloitte
|
Consultancy services for the NSSO |
€187,611
|
|
EY
|
Consultancy services for the NSSO
|
€43,173 |
|
PWC
|
Expert assistance in relation to the implementation of Public Service Reform initiatives |
€36,900 |
|
Byrne Wallace
|
Legal Services |
€70,897
|
|
McGrath Associates
|
HRM Facilitation and Consultancy
|
€8,000 |
In the course of their 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 cost and are not included here.
My Department ensures that every effort is made to limit the use of consultants where possible. All contracts are negotiated with a view to achieving best value for money and are kept under review to ensure this is maintained. When the use of consultants is unavoidable the staff in my Department ensure appropriate skills transfer to reduce the requirement for consultants going forward.
92. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the reformed approach advocated by the European Union for investment protection in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations changes the fundamentals of an approach which enshrines corporate access to justice ahead of that of ordinary citizens. [41853/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU Commission’s mandate to negotiate with the U.S. also includes in its scope, investment protection. This is designed to ensure that Irish and EU enterprises trading into 50 different US States will not face unfair discrimination in any particular State where the legal code may not fully transpose elements in the agreement. Equally US investors in the EU expect common investment protection standards and common redress mechanisms, and not 28 different set of standards and 28 different redress procedures.
The mandate makes it clear that the inclusion of investment protection will depend on EU interests being met and on the final balance in the Agreement. Importantly, the mandate states that the objectives of any investment protection provisions would be without prejudice to the right of EU and the Member States to adopt and enforce measures necessary to pursue legitimate public policy objectives for the protection of citizens in a non-discriminatory manner.
While no negotiation has commenced on such a mechanism the model which the European Union has developed of Dispute Settlement provides:
- It can only be invoked where there is targeted discrimination on manifestly unfair ground, or a fundamental breach of fair process.
- Adjudicators must be approved by Governments and be from among persons qualified to be judges.
- Procedures must be transparent.
- There will be an independent appeal process.
- It must respect and protect the right of governments to regulate.
In addition, the EU Commission has published and formally presented to the US its proposal for a new and more transparent system for resolving disputes between investors and states – the Investment Court System. This proposal is the outcome of a lengthy public consultation process with the Member States, the European Parliament, stakeholders and the public.
This European position is taking the opportunity to create a new generation Investment Protection model that addresses the weaknesses identified in older Bilateral Investment Agreements.
On 8 July 2015 the European Parliament voted for a resolution supporting the EU-US Trade Agreement including a reformed investment protection mechanism.
I welcome these improvements and the Commission’s efforts to follow up on the views expressed by Member States, the European Parliament and other stakeholders.
