Written Answers Nos. 106-115
106. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Bills relevant to his Department from the previous Dáil that he will re-initiate; the Bills he will introduce in the coming sessions; when he will introduce each Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15200/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI had not initiated any Bills prior to the dissolution of the last Dáil that require to be re-initiated.
I intend to bring forward two Bills – the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill and the Diplomatic Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. The purpose of the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill is to make provision in Irish law to enable the State to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of an armed conflict and the 1999 Protocol to the Convention. I hope to be in a position to publish the Bill during this session. The purpose of the Diplomatic Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is to revise various legislative provisions in order to update and improve the operation of our diplomatic relations. I hope to be in a position to submit the draft General Scheme of the Bill to Government by the end of 2016.
107. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when his Department will restore the goalposts on the Dublin County Board's camogie pitches in the Phoenix Park in County Dublin; and if he will ensure that they are installed for the summer matches. [15081/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the responsibility of the Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association to provide, erect and maintain, in a safe condition, goal posts on playing pitches allocated to it in the Phoenix Park.
108. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will bring forward the planned dates for payment of the restored public service pensions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15084/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn June 2015, Government approved proposals for a significant amelioration of pension reductions which had been applied under the financial emergency (FEMPI) legislation to all public service pensions above specified thresholds. This amelioration of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR), which subsequently became law under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015, provides for changes to occur in three phases, on 1 January 2016, 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2018.
On 1 January 2016, increases in the exemption thresholds for PSPR application were activated. These exemption threshold increases fully removed PSPR from a significant number of pensions with relatively lower values, while those pensions which continue to be impacted by PSPR received a boost of €400 per year.
On 1 January 2017, additional PSPR amelioration, acting principally via further exemption threshold increases, will fully remove PSPR from another significant tranche of public service pensioners, while at the same time boosting those pensions which remain affected by PSPR by €500 per year.
On 1 January 2018, the third phase of PSPR amelioration will ensure that all PSPR-impacted pensions with values up to €34,132 will be fully restored, meaning that PSPR will no longer affect such pensions, while those pensions which continue to be impacted by PSPR will get a boost of, in most cases, €780 per year.
These phased PSPR changes across the public service will cost an estimated €90 million on an annual basis and, when fully implemented, will ensure that only the top 20% higher value public service pensions will continue to be impacted by the PSPR. I have no plans to propose alterations to the dates on which these phased changes to the PSPR are to occur, as provided for under FEMPI 2015.
As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am required to undertake an annual review of the necessity of the FEMPI legislation and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas. That report is currently being prepared and will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas later this month.
109. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Bills he will re-initiate relevant to his Department from the previous Dáil; the Bills he will introduce in the coming sessions; when he will introduce each Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15201/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy's question the table outlines the list of all Bills I intend to re-initiate relevant to my Department from the previous Dáil and a provisional timescale for each:
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Intended legislation to be introduced in the current Dáil Session
|
Title |
Purpose |
Status of Bill |
|
Public Sector Standards Bill 2015 |
To significantly enhance the existing framework for identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interest and minimising corruption risks, and ensures the institutional framework for oversight, investigation and enforcement is robust and effective. This Bill gives effect to the recommendations of the Tribunals. |
Published on 23 December 2015. Pre-legislative scrutiny has taken place. Completed Second Stage in the Dáil on 20th January 2016. |
|
Data Sharing and Governance Bill |
To create a general legal framework setting for Public Service Bodies to share data, while respecting the Data Protection Acts. To specify transparency and governance measures to be applied. To create confidence to act, while respecting the constraints on processing of personal data. |
Heads of the Bill were approved by Government on 7th July, 2015. Legal drafting of the Bill is expected to be completed during the Autumn session. The draft legislation will be submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny during the Autumn session. |
|
Statute Law Revision Bill 2016 |
To repeal spent and obsolete legislation enacted by the Oireachtas between 1922 and 1950, resulting in a significant reduction in the size of the Statute Book for that period; to facilitate the process of regulatory reform. |
Published in the Seanad on 25th January 2016. Pre-legislative scrutiny of Bills of this nature may not be necessary. |
|
Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2016 |
Legislative amendment will facilitate the streamlining and strengthening of the civil service disciplinary decision making and appeals processes and the realisation of the commitment in the Civil Service Renewal Plan (Action 11.3) to strengthen the Disciplinary Code to enable managers to take effective and decisive action as required to tackle underperformance, including exit. |
Government Decision of 7th of July 2015 to amend the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956 - 2006 and the Public Service Management Act 1997 to provide that disciplinary action up to and including dismissal can be delegated below the level of the Head of the Organisation/ Appropriate Authority. |
|
An Bille fán Oifig Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Comhroinnte, 2016 National Shared Services Office Bill 2016 |
To establish the National Shared Services Office as a separate office under the aegis of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The purpose of this legislation is to create a formal and lasting structure to lead Civil Service Shared Services, which meets the requirements of international best practice in this area. |
Bill approved by Government on 26th January 2016. Published, 29th January 2016. The Bill made it on to the Order Paper dated 2 February but then fell with the order paper by virtue of the election being called. |
110. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an update on the pay position for newly qualified primary school teachers; the plans in place to review this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15294/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants, including Teachers, who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered before that date was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA). Any further consideration of remuneration for any group of public servants, including issues relating to more recently recruited public servants, will fall to be examined within the provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 -2018 (Lansdowne Road Agreement). Any such considertion will also of course have to comply with the terms of the Financial Emergency in the Public Interest Acts 2009 - 2013 (FEMPI), as well as its affordability being underpinned through delivering enhanced work place practices and productivity.
It is particularly worth noting that under the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) the process of restoring public service pay is commencing. An important feature of this process is the flat rate increases which are being implemented and which are proportionately more valuable to those public servants including Teachers who are at an early stage in their careers. Furthermore and specifically in respect of Teachers the restoration of the Supervision and Substitution payment is also provided for under the LRA subject to there being compliance on the part of the relevant unions with the provisions of that Agreement.
The Programme for Government also states that Government will establish a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the public service. The precise structure of such a commission and the technical aspects as to how it would operate have yet to be decided upon and would require broad consultation, including engagement with staff representatives as was committed to in the Lansdowne Road Agreement. My officials have begun to review international best practice in respect of public service pay determination models. This will help frame the Government's thinking on how to establish a fair, transparent and accountable process for determining public service pay, taking into account the views of all stakeholders.
111. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht given the figure currently being discussed in the media that Ireland spends 0.1% of gross domestic product on arts and culture by comparison with the EU average of 0.6%, if she will provide accurate, up-to-date figures for comparative purposes. [15111/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for a Partnership Government contains a very important commitment to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board, as the economy continues to improve.
I can assure the Deputy that I will be engaging with my colleagues in Government and with the Oireachtas to seek to advance this commitment in the context of the forthcoming estimates and budgetary processes.
I understand that the figures quoted by the Deputy are from the Council of Europe from a project called Compendium - Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe. I understand that many European counties are not included in the figures, including ten EU member states. The data for the Compendium project are provided by independent researchers and it is not a standardised system for collection of statistics.
I further understand that the Compendium itself warns that data provided by the researchers are not comparable across countries because each researcher includes different elements in the definition of culture and these elements are reflected in the figures for public expenditure. Figures can also include some, or all, of national, regional or local expenditure.
The issue of a definition of culture and of capturing public expenditure on culture is one which was discussed in the public consultation process that was held for the purpose of developing Ireland's first National Cultural Policy, Culture 2025. This will be reflected in the draft policy document which I intend to submit to Government for consideration in the coming weeks. As I have stated previously, this first such policy will be a living document and will form the basis of an ongoing dialogue with all who are interested in cultural policy. I look forward to consideration of Culture 2025 by the Oireachtas following its publication and would very much welcome the adoption of an all-party approach in this matter.
Expenditure on the arts in Ireland comes from multiple sources, both public and private. I understand that the CSO does not produce national statistics that capture the totality of this expenditure as a percentage of GDP. However, I do consider that further research on this issue is warranted in the context of Culture 2025.
112. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the targets and key performance indicators included within the Arts Council funding process to ensure that funds are distributed among all socio-economic sectors; and if targets are met and the results of these. [15115/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council.
Last September, my Department completed and published a comprehensive review of the Arts Council’s activities and operation over the period 2009 to 2012. It was undertaken by my Department’s Evaluation Unit under the guidance of an expert Steering Committee chaired by Dr. John O’Hagan, Professor of Economics at Trinity College. The Value for Money Policy Review recommended the establishment of a set of 11 performance indicators, linked to the objectives of the Arts Council, to assess the results of the Arts Council’s annual programme. A subset of these include the number of arts projects that involve groups identified in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion and the number of participants as a percentage of all Art Council funded programme participants, as well as the percentage of the Arts Council’s annual programme funding allocated to social inclusion projects.
The recommendations of the VFM report are reflected in the Arts Council’s ten-year strategy Making Great Art Work (2016-2025) which set outs how it will lead the development of all aspects of the arts in Ireland over the next decade. The five high level values of the Strategy include a comment to excellence as well as respect for diversity of artistic practice, of public engagement, and of social and cultural traditions.
113. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the Bills relevant to her Department from the previous Dáil that she will re-initiate; the Bills she will introduce in the coming sessions; when she will introduce each Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15202/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSteps are in hand to re-instate the Heritage Bill 2016 for consideration at Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann. The Bill will provide, inter alia, for the amendment of the Wildlife Acts to revise and update arrangements for the cutting and burning of vegetation and the cutting of hedgerows.
I am also proposing that two further Bills will be introduced in the current session – a Wildlife (Amendment) Bill to allow for the de-designation of certain Raised Bog Natural Heritage Areas and a National Archives (Amendment) Bill to amend the rule governing the transfer of records under the National Archives Acts from 30 years to 20 years.
114. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she explored other methods of incentivising investment into the cultural sector apart from direct State funding; and to provide details and timelines on these. [15210/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraPrivate support for the arts is an important funding source and the Government continues to support this through tax incentives and other initiatives. The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to encourage strong, mutually beneficial links between the business community and the arts community to assist arts organisations to capitalise on sponsorship opportunities and to develop business partnerships and fundraising skills. In this regard, I recognise the important work carried out by Business to Arts for which my Department provides a small amount of assistance.
In addition, the Arts Council operates the RAISE programme, which seeks to enhance fund-raising skills in arts organisations with a view to diversifying the sector's sources of funding. It is designed to assist the sector in securing philanthropic contributions to the arts in Ireland.
My Department also operates small capital grant schemes, which requires co-funding from private or philanthropic sources.
In terms of other capital investment requiring co-funding, I have announced a new €9 million investment scheme for arts and cultural centres to run over the next three years, focussed on upgrading the existing stock of such centres around the country. The funding, which is being made available as part of the Capital Investment Framework 2016-2021, will be dependent on matching funding being secured by project promoters and will therefore provide an opportunity for philanthropists to involve themselves in the arts.
115. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to develop a ten-year plan for the arts amid recent concerns regarding its downgrading; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15256/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSignificant progress has been made in drafting the first National Cultural Policy - Culture 2025. This followed a major public consultation process in 2015, including a national cultural workshop held in October at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
Work by my Department, the expert steering group and a wider expert committee continued on the document in early 2016 and is currently ongoing.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the publication of Culture 2025 as a priority and I intend to submit the draft policy to Government for consideration in the coming weeks. As I have stated previously, this first such policy will be a living document and will form the basis of an ongoing dialogue with all who are interested in cultural policy. I look forward to consideration of Culture 2025 by the Oireachtas following its publication and would very much welcome the adoption of an all-party approach in this matter.
It should also be noted that the Arts Council, which has specific responsibility for promotion of the Arts in Ireland, have published a ten-year strategy, Making Great Art Work, in which it sets out how it will lead the development of the arts in Ireland over the next decade. The strategy has five priority areas:
- The Artist;
- Public Engagement;
- Investment Strategy;
- Spatial and Demographic Planning;
- Developing Capacity.
The Arts Council strategy and the overall Cultural policy will complement each other.
It should also be noted The Programme for a Partnership Government contains important commitments to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board, as the economy continues to improve. I can assure the Deputy that I will be engaging with my colleagues in Government and with the Oireachtas to seek to advance this commitment in the context of the forthcoming estimates and budgetary processes.
