Written Answers Nos. 271-282
271. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position and anticipated timeframe for a project (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27935/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects (such as the N70) is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for TII in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy’s question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
272. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position and anticipated timeframe for a project (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27936/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects (such as the N86) is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for TII in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy’s question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
273. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the attempts he and his departmental officials have made to encourage the parties involved in the Dublin Bus dispute to try to find a resolution to the dispute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27952/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have clearly and consistently made known my view in this dispute that these issues will only be resolved by both employer and employees engaging in open and constructive dialogue and agreeing upon a reasonable solution. I have been equally clear that as Minister I have no role or function in the discussions required to end this pay dispute between the employer and its employees.
As with all commercial State companies under my remit, I exercise the role of shareholder on behalf of the State and my Department maintains communication with all such companies to ensure I am fully briefed on all relevant issues.
I obviously welcome the talks that commenced in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on Monday 26th September, and I also welcomed the helpful suspension of the industrial action which had been planned for Tuesday and Wednesday, so as to allow for further discussions to take place.
My hope now is that both sides can agree upon a resolution that ensures not just a good deal for the company and its employees but a good deal for the travelling public also.
274. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the process undertaken in the appointment of the chief executive of Sport Ireland, from the original ministerial statements that the position would be filled by public competition, to the filling of the position for a year with a commitment that it would be advertised at the end of that period, to the appointment being made on a permanent basis by the board without any competition. [27954/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe appointment of a chief executive of Sport Ireland comes under Section 22 of the Sport Ireland Act 2015. Section 22(5) provides that the first Chief Executive shall be appointed by the Minister and my predecessor appointed the then Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council to be the first Chief Executive of Sport Ireland. This was for a one year term to facilitate the transition to the new body.
Section 22(2) provides that thereafter the chief executive shall be appointed by Sport Ireland with the approval of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. The terms and conditions attaching to such appointments are also subject to the approval of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, to be given with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
275. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will give consideration to the appointment of part-time members of the CCPC as provided for under section 12(3)(c) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 in order to ensure that the CCPC has sufficient expertise to allow it to carry out its competition enforcement functions more effectively than is currently the case. [27929/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently no plans or need to appoint any part-time members to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) under section 12(3)(c) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014.
This sub-section (which was originally contained in section 35(1)(c) of the Competition Act 2002) is aimed at appointing part-time members to the CCPC where current members are unable to serve due to illness, unavailability due to absence from the State, etc. so as to ensure that the CCPC remains properly constituted or quorate.
Under the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014, the CCPC must comprise a Chairperson and between 2 and 6 members: the current CCPC has a Chairperson and 4 members. Appointment of full-time members is governed by section 12 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 which states, amongst other provisions, that such appointments by me, as the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, shall follow an open competition undertaken by the Public Appointments Service.
Enforcement of competition law is one of the statutory functions of the CCPC as a whole, including its staff. Recent recruitments will see the staffing level of the CCPC rise to 91 by the beginning of October. Further recruitment is underway to fill the 16 existing vacancies. The recruitment process is very advanced on some of those posts.
276. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of vacancies that currently exist on State boards and agencies under the aegis of her Department; the length of time that such vacancies have existed; if such vacancies have been advertised on www.stateboards.ie; and when she intends to fill the vacancies. [27930/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently 3 vacancies on the Board of IAASA: the Chairperson, vacant since May 2016, a Ministerial nominee vacant since September 2015, and a Prescribed Accountancy Bodies (PAB) nominee since June 2016. There is an ongoing PAS process to fill the vacancy of Chair of IAASA. The Ministerial nominee vacancy will be filled through a PAS competition after the position of Chairperson is finalised, and the Prescribed Accountancy Bodies’ nominee vacancy is a matter for the PABs.
There are currently no vacancies on any of the other State Boards under my Department’s aegis.
277. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she or her Department are involved with trying to resolve the Dublin Bus dispute; her views on the economic impacts of same on business; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27950/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to assure the Deputy that the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court remain available at all times to assist in the resolution of this dispute.
I welcomed the suspension of the industrial action that was proposed for earlier this week to allow further exploratory talks to take place at the Workplace Relations Commission.
I acknowledge the considerable disruption suffered by commuters, the financial impact on business in Dublin and the losses suffered by the parties resulting from the this on-going dispute
However, even what often appears to be the most intractable of disputes is capable of resolution where both sides engage constructively and in good faith in this voluntary process.
The principle of good faith implies that both sides in a dispute make every effort to reach an agreement and endeavour, through genuine and constructive negotiations, to resolve their differences.
278. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when a work permit will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27988/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Contract for Services Employment Permit application was refused by my Department on 27th September 2016. In the first instance the State's general policy is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of the EU and other EEA states. In accordance with this my Department operates an Ineligible Categories of Employment List (ICEL) which is reviewed biannually. The occupation of Stone Mason is included on the current ICEL. In addition, at the time of application the employee was in the State without current immigration permission. Also, although the employer sought this application under my Department’s Trusted Partner initiative they were not registered as a Trusted Partner under the scheme.
The application was also refused for a number of reasons that relate specifically to the category of employment permit sought: the annual remuneration stated was less than €40,000, the prescribed remuneration in respect of permits of this type; the contractor did not made appropriate arrangements to provide board or accommodation or health insurance for the foreign national for the period they are due to be in the State; the foreign national was not employed by the contractor for at least 6 months prior to this application as required; supporting documentation indicated that the foreign national concerned may not be employed by the contractor concerned during the period for which the employment permit is to be granted. Finally, as the application was not on my Department’s Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List (HSEOL), as it was not supported by an Enterprise Development Agency such as IDA Ireland, or Enterprise Ireland, and as the annual salary stated was less than €60,000, the employer was obliged to undertake a Labour Market Needs Test. This Test, which ensures that job opportunities are made available to Irish and EEA nationals, was not undertaken by the employer as required.
The applicant has been informed that in accordance with Section 13 of the Employment Permits Act 2006, as amended, they may seek a review of this refusal decision within twenty-eight (28) days from the date of refusal letter. To date no such request for review has been received.
279. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will examine a case with regard to an HSE inspection carried out in a preschool (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27820/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Child and Family Agency/Tusla to consider the Deputy’s request, to liaise with the Health Service Executive, if required and to respond directly to the Deputy with the information he requests in no later than 10 working days. I have asked my officials to follow up on this and to ensure delivery of the information to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
280. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will confirm having received a submission from the National Forum of Family Resource Centres, seeking an adequate level of operational funding for the FRC programme which will ensure that each FRC throughout the country is funded to meet its overhead costs and has adequate staff levels to deliver the family support within the best practice guidelines for working with children and families in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27840/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that I recently received a pre-budget submission for 2017, from the Family Resource Centre National Forum, seeking additional funding to support the Family Resource Centre Programme funded by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
There are currently 109 communities supported through the Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme. Tusla provides core funding to Family Resource Centres to cover the employment of two or three members of staff and some overhead costs. Expenditure on the programme in 2016 is of the order of €13.5m. Tusla also funds the Family Resource Centre National Forum from within this amount.
I recognise and value the very positive impact of the work of the Family Resource Centres in supporting families and local communities. The Centres provide a holistic service of child, family and community support and advocacy to all children and families in their community. This universal accessibility allows for early identification of need, provision of appropriate interventions, and timely referrals to appropriate services for more intensive and targeted work as required.
While it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this time on any future decisions that may be taken by the Government in the context of Budget 2017, I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to support the work of the Family Support Centres and to the targeting of available resources at those services which make the greatest impact on vulnerable children and families.
281. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total funding for the area-based childhood programme for children since 2006 and each subsequent year to date in 2016; her plans or proposals for expanding same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27847/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a joint prevention and early intervention initiative led by my Department and The Atlantic Philanthropies. The ABC Programme commenced in 2013 and was co-funded for the period 2013 to 2017 in the amount of €29.7m, providing areas with multi annual budgets. The aim of the programme is to test and evaluate prevention and early intervention approaches in 13 areas of disadvantage in Ireland to improve outcomes for children, in particular children and families living in poverty. The focus of the work under the ABC Programme covers: Child Health & Development; Children’s Learning; Parenting; and Integrated Service Delivery.
Prior to the ABC Programme, the Prevention and Early Intervention Programme (PEIP) ran from 2007-2013. PEIP funding amounted to €36m and funded the following three organisations: youngballymun, Childhood Development Initiative Tallaght, and the Preparing for Life Programme Darndale.
When combined with the funding provided to the PEIP programme since 2007, the total spend on both programmes will be €67.1m.
The Government is fully committed to ensuring that learning from all sites funded under the ABC programme will inform other services and supports for children in the area of prevention and early intervention. Such an approach would offer a greater reach, in scope and depth, which will in turn enhance outcomes for children throughout the country. While the National evaluation of the ABC programme will not be complete until 2018, the Department is currently reviewing the emerging learning from the programme in terms of design and implementation and having regard to most recent developments in our own policy domain and in other related areas. It is acknowledged given Programme for Government commitments that some decisions will need to be made on the future of the programme in advance of the completion of all the elements of the evaluation.
The Department is preparing a paper on the options for a future ABC Programme. The paper will set out the optimum course(s) of action for the future of an area-based approach in line with Programme for Government commitments. It is intended that the Minister will present a Memo for Government in the coming months in relation to the Programme for Government Commitments.
282. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding supports available to a youth club (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27977/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector, to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff, including youth workers and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.
The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. The scheme is open to some 1,600 youth groups and clubs, with an estimated 89,000 club members around the country. In 2016, €1.065m was allocated to this scheme, which has now closed. The scheme, which is open to new entrants, is advertised locally and applications for funding are invited by the Education and Training Boards from local groups in their respective areas. Each year, some 600 local youth clubs benefit from the scheme.
The youth club in question may wish to contact Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board regarding their applying for funding in 2017.
