Written Answers Nos. 235-245
235. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection the final costs to the Exchequer of each commission of investigation that has been completed to date in his Department in addition to the estimated costs to date of ongoing commissions of investigations. [5310/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommissions of investigation can investigate matters of significant public concern and are set up by Government order. Such commissions are currently provided for by the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004.
No such commissions of investigation have either been completed, or are currently ongoing, in my Department.
236. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the potential investment projects his Department put forward to the Department of Finance task force for the European Fund for Strategic Investments. [4866/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government supported the Commission’s proposal for a European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI). The Regulation establishing EFSI was adopted in June 2015. At that time, prior to the wider restructuring of Departmental European Union functions last year, my Department had no role in the matter. Nor was it involved in the Irish contribution to the EU Task Force on Investment that reported in December 2014. That contribution was coordinated by the Department of Finance, working closely with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and those other Government Departments having policy responsibility for potential investment projects in specific sectors.
237. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the final costs to the Exchequer of each commission of investigation that has been completed to date in his Department; and the estimated costs to date of ongoing commissions of investigations. [4722/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy's question, my Department has not been responsible for setting up any Commissions of Investigation since it was established in 2011.
238. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current terms and conditions of the offer available to the CPSU relating to the merger of the staff officer grade with the executive officer grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4770/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter of the amalgamation of the Civil Service Staff Officer grade with the Executive Officer grade is currently under deliberation between the management and union side parties concerned. As this deliberative process has yet to be concluded it is considered that it would not be appropriate in the circumstances to comment on any issues that may arise between the parties concerned.
239. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the merger of the staff officer grade and executive officer grade will occur (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4771/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter of the amalgamation of the Civil Service Staff Officer grade with the Executive Officer grade is currently under deliberation between the management and union side parties concerned. As this deliberative process has yet to be concluded it is considered that it would not be appropriate in the circumstances to comment on any issues that may arise between the parties concerned.
240. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the merger of the staff officer grade and executive officer grade would have continued on the basis of the offer from his Department or if his Department would not have gone through with the grade merger had the CPSU membership in its recent ballot (details supplied) voted not to go to arbitration. [4772/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter of the amalgamation of the Civil Service Staff Officer grade with the Executive Officer grade is currently under deliberation between the management and union side parties concerned. As this deliberative process has yet to be concluded it is considered that it would not be appropriate in the circumstances to comment on any issues that may arise between the parties concerned.
241. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the Public Appointments Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4794/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would refer the Deputy to my reply to PQ 40171/16 answered on 13th December 2016. The position remains the same.
242. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the potential investment projects his Department put forward to the Department of Finance task force report for the European Fund for Strategic Investments. [4870/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI take it that the Deputy is referring to the Special Task Force established in October 2014 to develop an EU project pipeline of viable investments of European significance across the public and private sectors. This Task Force was jointly chaired by the EIB and the European Commission and its work was completed in advance of the development of the legislative proposal for the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), subsequently launched in November of that year. No potential investment proposals were put forward to the Special Task Force by my Department.
243. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will commence negotiations on a successor to the Lansdowne Road agreement; if representatives of retired public servants will be included in such negotiations, having been excluded as part of the Haddington Road process; if he envisages any reduction or reversal to the current de facto pension cut of 5.5% for public sector workers who retired from March 2012 onward compared with those who retired previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4873/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPreparatory work for Phase 2 of the Government's planned engagement on pay with the public service unions in 2017 is already underway, with parties making submissions to the Public Service Pay Commission. An initial report from the Commission is expected in Q2 2017. Once this report is available, the Government intends to initiate negotiations on a successor to the Lansdowne Road Agreement ahead of Budget 2018 considerations. These negotiations will be between the Government as employer and the public service trade unions and representative associations on behalf of public service workers. In that employer-employee negotiation context, the issue of pensioner representation in the talks does not arise.
The interests and concerns of public service pensioners on public service pension issues have been regularly articulated in meetings between the Alliance of Retired Public Servants and my Department. This engagement has also included meetings between the Alliance and me and my predecessor as Minister. On that basis I believe the Alliance have had, and continue to be afforded, a meaningful and direct means of articulating their concerns in relation to pensions and related issues.
This engagement by the Alliance over several years past has been reflected in legislated pension improvements for many public service pensioners. Specifically, many such pensioners are benefitting significantly from the substantial reversal of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) based cuts to public service pensions imposed by way of the FEMPI legislation. This reversal, which will incur a cost estimated at €90 million on a full-year basis in 2018, is happening in three stages under FEMPI 2015, with PSPR-affected pensioners getting pension increases via PSPR amelioration on 1 January 2016, 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2018.
As I have previously indicated, it will be for Government in due course to consider the issue of how to adjust the post-award value of public service pensions through appropriate pay or other linkages, as we move beyond FEMPI and PSPR restoration towards more normal pay and pension setting conditions in the public service.
In addition, I would also point out that public service pensions payable to persons who retired before March 2012, although acknowledged to be based on higher salaries payable before the 2010 public service pay reductions, are subject to a more onerous PSPR treatment than that applying to later retirees.
244. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will provide a list of the 600 towns that are to receive investment and support under the action plan for rural development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4813/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Action Plan for Rural Development contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work and to increase their tourism potential.
As part of Budget 2017, I have secured funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme this year. This represents a trebling of the original 2016 baseline allocation of €4 million for the scheme. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme for 2017 will be launched shortly and towns and villages to be included in the scheme will be selected through an application and assessment process. The scheme will be funded by my Department and administered by the Local Authorities. Details of the successful applicants will be published following the assessment process.
As part of the scheme, I intend to launch a pilot project separately, later in the year, to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages. This pilot will be launched in the second half of the year, when details of the scheme have been finalised in consultation with relevant Departments. The pilot will examine ways in which properties that are currently not in use in town centres can be renovated to allow them to be used for residential purposes.
My Department will also provide funding through a number of structured schemes for the conservation and protection of heritage buildings, including the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, the Structures at Risk Fund and other initiatives operated by the Heritage Council. These schemes will also contribute to the rejuvenation of towns and villages across the country.
245. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the potential investment projects her Department put forward to the Department of Finance task force for the European Fund for Strategic Investments. [4861/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that the list of economically valuable strategic investments of European significance compiled by the Special Task Force did not include any projects from my Department. My Department does seek to advance priority investment projects on an ongoing basis and particularly in the context of the annual Estimates process and the periodic reviews of Expenditure which occur from time to time.
