Written Answers Nos. 59-78
59. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the 2018 town and village renewal scheme; when it will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8738/18]
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.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme focuses on projects which could stimulate and encourage economic activity in our rural towns and villages. Following a competitive process, in October 2017 I announced the allocation of €21.6 million to 281 projects in towns and villages across rural Ireland.
Under Budget 2018 I secured a funding allocation of €15M for the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and officials are currently reviewing the scheme criteria with a view to launching the 2018 scheme during April. The deputy should note that I recently wrote to all Local Authorities advising them of an indicative schedule of scheme launch dates in respect of the Local Improvement, CLÁR, Town and Village Renewal and the Rural Recreation schemes.
60. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the rural recreation scheme 2018; the allocations and projects funded since 2016 under this or a similar heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8736/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Action Plan for Rural Development includes a series of measures to maximise Ireland’s rural tourism and recreation potential in recognition of the contribution that these sectors make to rural economies. Actions under this Pillar are implemented across a number of Government Departments and agencies.
My own Department delivers a number of funding initiatives that support the development of rural recreational infrastructure and I will continue to deliver these initiatives in 2018.
The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure. In 2016 and 2017 the scheme facilitated the development of numerous greenways, blueways, walks and other trails across the country. This scheme will continue to support important local, regional and national rural recreation projects in 2018 and I will be launching the scheme in April.
In 2016, Rural Recreational funding of €7.4 million was approved for 117 projects to facilitate the development of new recreational facilities and the maintenance of existing recreational infrastructure throughout Ireland.
The 2017 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provided funding under the following measures;
Measure 1: Small Scale Maintenance/Promotion and Marketing
Measure 2: Medium Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Trail Development
Measure 3: Large Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Strategy Trail Development
Funding of €11.4M was allocated under Measure 1 and Measure 3 for a total of 219 projects. Additional funding of €2.2M was allocated in January 2018 under Measure 2 of the 2017 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme for 32 projects.
Lists of all projects funded under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme can be found on my Departments website at
http://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/rural-development/rural-recreation/.
61. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of contracts Pobal holds with Departments; the fees Pobal has received for these contracts for the most recently published year; if the contracts Pobal holds with Departments were awarded via a tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8732/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra62. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the contract his Department has in place with Pobal; the services Pobal provides on behalf of his Department; if the contract with Pobal was awarded following a tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8731/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 62 together.
Pobal is a not-for-profit company that manages programmes on behalf of the Irish Government and the EU. The Company operates under the aegis of my Department, which has an oversight and governance role.
The overall governance arrangements between my Department and Pobal are set out in a framework Service Level Agreement (SLA). In addition, there are programme-specific Service Agreements in place in respect of each individual programme which Pobal operates on my Department's behalf. The most recent framework SLA relating to Pobal was signed by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in July 2015 and expired in December 2017. My Department is currently in the process of finalising an updated SLA and the previous SLA remains in operation until the new agreement is concluded.
Pobal currently has responsibility for delivery of approximately 25 programmes on behalf of four different Government Departments. The majority of the programmes operated by Pobal are managed on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; other Government Departments who use Pobal’s services are the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Department of Health and my own Department. Each programme that Pobal manages and supports differs, as does the extent of Pobal’s involvement. The company operates within programme-specific Service Agreements established with each individual Department. Each year the Company agrees a Programme of Work with each Government Department for any work they are requested to undertake.
With regard to procurement, legal advice was obtained a number of years ago from the Attorney General's Office to the effect that, due to the nature of its work which is exclusively on behalf of the State, Pobal was exempt from the requirements of the EU Procurement Directive. Accordingly, the services provided by Pobal on behalf of Government Departments in the management and operation of state funded programmes are not subject to a tendering process. Pobal are, however, subject to audit on an annual basis by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
In relation to fees, the most recent audited and published accounts of the company show that, in 2016, Pobal administered programmes to the value of approximately €428.4m and their administration budget was 4.65%. The details are set out in the table below. Pobal will publish details of 2017 service fees following the Annual General Meeting of its directors later this year. `
|
Dept |
Name of Programme |
Fees€ |
Comment |
|
DCYA/Atlantic Philanthropies |
Area Based Childhood |
360,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Better Start Quality Development Service |
2,905,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Better Start Access and Inclusion Model |
3,395,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Community Childcare Subvention |
1,632,323 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Early Years Compliance |
1,383,296 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
County Childcare Committee/Voluntary Childcare Organisations |
1,027,232 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Training and Employment Childcare scheme |
756,201 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Early Childhood Care and Education |
861,960 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Early Years Capital |
500,681 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Learner Fund |
143,307 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Early Childhood Care and Education Payments Expansion |
343,982 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Access and Inclusion Model Direct |
575,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Youth Services Grant Scheme |
30,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DCYA |
Comhairle na nOg |
34,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DHPLCG |
Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme |
1,900,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DAHRRGA |
LEADER |
1,025,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DSP |
Community Services Programme |
1,800,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DAHRRGA |
Dormant Accounts Fund |
200,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DSP |
Rural Social Scheme |
426,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DSP |
Tús |
1,706,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DSP |
Gateway |
527,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DHPCLG |
Senior Alerts Scheme |
331,000 |
Based on SLA |
|
DHPCLG |
Scheme to Support National Organisations |
350,000 |
Based on SLA |
63. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a status and implementation report on the Action Plan for Rural Development will be provided; the main progress made in 2017; the expected progress in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8510/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Action Plan for Rural Development was published in January 2017. The Plan contains over 270 actions for delivery across a range of Government Departments, State agencies and other organisations to support the economic and social progress of rural Ireland.
My Department has been liaising with our implementation partners since late last year with a view to compiling the second six-monthly Progress Report on the implementation of the Action Plan. The Monitoring Committee for the Action Plan will meet this week to consider the draft Progress Report and I expect to be in a position to publish the report in the coming weeks.
I intend that the Action Plan will continue to deliver progress on rural development issues across Government in 2018. In terms of actions being progressed by my own Department, I am pleased to report that many of the funding schemes run by my Department which were such an outstanding success in the first year of the Action Plan's implementation, such as Town and Village Renewal, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure, CLÁR, and the Local Improvement Scheme, will also be run again in 2018.
I would also note that the recently launched Project Ireland 2040, gives clear support to the objectives of the Action Plan for Rural Development. One of the ten strategic objectives set in the National Planning Framework is to ensure strengthened rural economies and communities. The NPF highlights both the continued potential of the traditional pillars of the rural economy as well as the opportunities that will arise through new technologies and investment.
In addition to funding across sectors such as transport, tourism, energy and communications, the National Development Plan commits to establishing a Rural Regeneration and Development Fund which will provide €1bn over ten years to support the sustainable growth of towns, villages and rural areas. This will support the achievement of the objective of strengthened rural economies and communities.
64. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to commission data research and a deprivation analysis of the midlands counties in order to ascertain the validity of designating special status to a defined region and establishing a development commission. [8721/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pobal HP deprivation index provides a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area using data compiled from various Census. The Pobal index is compiled at small area, county and regional level. As such it includes data for the Midlands region. Further information on this index, and the index data itself, is available at https://www.pobal.ie/Pages/New-Measures.aspx.
With regard to the economic development of the midlands counties, the National Planning Framework provides for Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies to be developed by each of the three regional assemblies. These strategies will set out the strategic development framework for each region including their towns, villages and rural catchments. They will be the key strategies in term of setting out the future vision for economic and spatial development of the regions.
65. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the LEADER funding that has been drawn down to date by groups in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8741/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a multi-annual EU co-funded programme to support rural development. Ireland has an allocation of €250 million under the programme over the period 2014-2020, including both national and EU funding. The programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG area.
€220 million of the €250 million approved for LEADER under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020 has already been allocated to each LAG area. This allocation covers the full duration of the Programme as it provides greater flexibility to Local Acton Groups in managing their allocation within and between years.
As has been the case under previous LEADER Programmes, there is a natural lead-in period required where the Local Action Groups conclude calls for proposals and work with potential applicants to develop and finalise funding proposals which will ultimately be delivered in each area. This is consistent with the experience of other EU programmes.
Details of the allocations provided for the delivery of the Programme in each of the areas referred to by the Deputy is provided at Appendix 1 along with the details of the approvals issued and payments made by the respective Local Action Groups. No project expenditure has yet been incurred in the Cavan sub-regional area.
I anticipate that there will be a significant increase in project expenditure over the course of 2018 based on the progress which has been made by the LAGs in approving projects in recent months. My Department has also introduced a number of administrative improvements to the Leader programme which will also assist LAGs and project promoters in their delivery of the programme.
LEADER project applications and approvals in Counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath on 19th February 2018.
|
Sub-Regional areas |
LEADER 2014-20 Allocation |
No. of Applications Received |
Value of Applications Received |
No. of Approvals Issued |
Value of Approvals |
Value Project Claims |
|
Cavan |
8,522,285.84 |
19 |
893,733.54 |
15 |
827,390.54 |
0.00 |
|
Monaghan |
7,592,719.51 |
25 |
2,340,118.35 |
18 |
999,107.82 |
74,987.23 |
|
Meath |
6,903,123.57 |
10 |
274,676.15 |
9 |
258,857.56 |
16,497.70 |
66. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he has budgeted for the LIS scheme in 2018; the demand for the scheme and financial allocations to date, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8735/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a programme for improvement works on small private/non public roads and has been funded in the past by the Department of the Environment and Local Government and subsequently by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
There has been very little funding available for this scheme in recent years due to constraints on public expenditure. However, I was very conscious of the underlying demand for the scheme in rural areas throughout the country.
I therefore announced the provision of €10 million to Local Authorities for a Local Improvement Scheme last September. Based on demand and the capacity of Local Authorities to complete works before the end of 2017, I allocated an additional €7.4 million to Local Authorities for LIS roads at the end of November.
It is clear that there is a continuing demand for LIS funding in rural communities across Ireland, and I have therefore secured an allocation of €10 million for the scheme in my Department's Estimate for 2018. I intend to announce details of the scheme, which will include individual county allocations, later this month.
68. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding allocated for the Leader programme in 2017; the expenditure at the end of 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8704/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a multi-annual programme for the period 2014-2020 which has a total budget of €250 million over the programming period. LEADER is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG area.
€220 million of the available funding has already been allocated to the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas throughout the country. The remaining €30 million is available for schemes which will be delivered at a national level.
The allocation for each sub-regional area is provided for the duration of the programme rather than on an annual basis. This provides greater flexibility to the LAGs in managing their resources.
The original allocation for the LEADER programme in 2017 was €40 million, as reflected in the Vote for the then Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Of this €40 million allocation, €17.4 million was transferred within my Department's budget to support a new Local Improvement Scheme to improve non-public roads, while €3.8 million was transferred to increase expenditure on developing Libraries in local communities.
The overall expenditure incurred under the 2014-2020 LEADER Programme at the 31 December 2017 was €14,635,956.85. The figure includes expenditure on Preparatory Support, Administration (which includes Animation), and Project expenditure.
A total of €40 million has been provided in the 2018 Estimates to support the LEADER programme; reflecting voted provision of €35m supplemented by capital carryover of €5m.
I am satisfied this level of budgetary provision is in line with anticipated activity under the LEADER Programme in 2018. My Department will be keeping this under review.
69. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role of his Department in the roll-out of rural broadband; the responsibilities he has in this area; the action he has planned; the progress made to date by the implementation group on the mobile phone and broadband taskforce report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8507/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's mission is to provide a renewed focus on rural and community development in Ireland, and to put in place policy and supports to create vibrant and sustainable communities. The availability of a high quality, high speed broadband network is an essential component underpinning sustainable growth and development in rural communities.
In this regard, my officials are engaging with relevant stakeholders, including all local authorities, to identify and remove barriers to the rollout of telecommunications networks throughout rural Ireland.
Some key measures progressed during 2017 by my Department through the Mobile Phone and Broadband Implementation Group include:
- The assignment of a Broadband Officer in each local authority, co-funded by my Department. This is ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagement with telecoms operators and assisting in clearing obstacles to the rollout of telecoms infrastructure.
- Officials from my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment are working closely with mobile operators and local authorities to identify mobile phone blackspots areas, ascertain why these issues are arising, and identify solutions to improve coverage.
- My Department engages continuously with all 31 local authorities through the Northern and Southern Regional Action Groups to review and address barriers identified as impacting on the rollout of telecoms infrastructure.
- My Department co-hosted a national stakeholder forum in October bringing together key stakeholders to discuss issues impacting on the rollout of telecoms infrastructure.
The Implementation Review 2017, which was published this morning, outlines progress made during the course of 2017, and sets out a work programme of actions for implementation in 2018.
The Implementation Group will continue to meet in 2018 to drive progress on implementing measures which will have a direct impact on the quality of mobile and broadband services throughout the country.
70. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of new programmes he plans to fund with the community services programme in 2018; if current service providers will continue to be funded; the timeframe for the next submission of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8509/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Services Programme (CSP) supports 425 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions. The CSP budget for 2018 is €46.2m.
Last week I approved total funding of €815,000 for 12 social enterprises providing employment to specific disadvantaged groups. This funding was allocated on foot of a call for applications issued in 2017 under Strand 3 of the programme. I expect to approve funding for a small number of additional social enterprises during the year as space and funding becomes available as part of the ongoing management of the programme.
Existing social enterprises will continue to be funded under the programme subject to the completion of the rolling three-year CSP contracting process. Around 120 organisations will complete this process in 2018 and will be re-contracted subject to continued fit and compliance with programme criteria.
71. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the implementation of the programme for Government commitment on the Leader programme. [8711/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG area. €220 million of the €250 million approved for Leader under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020 has already been allocated to each LAG area. This allocation covers the full duration of the Programme as it provides greater flexibility to Local Acton Groups in managing their allocation within and between years.
As has been the case under previous LEADER Programmes, there is a natural lead-in period required where the Local Action Groups conclude calls for proposals and work with potential applicants to develop and finalise funding proposals which will ultimately be delivered in each area. This is consistent with the experience of other EU programmes.
I believe that we are coming near the end of this lead in period. I anticipate that there will be a significant increase in project expenditure over the course of 2018 based on the progress which has been made by the LAGs in approving projects in recent months
My Department has also introduced a number of administrative improvements to the LEADER programme which will also assist LAGs and project promoters in their delivery of the programme. In fact the effect of these changes is already evident as approximately €5 million has been approved for projects to date in 2018 compared with less than €1 million in the first six months of 2017.
I am confident that progress now being made by the LAGs, along with the administrative changes introduced in 2017, will result in a continued increase in project approvals and substantial payments under the Leader programme over the coming months.
72. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the Copenhagen economic report; the role his Department officials will have in responding to same; and the plans they are working on and co-ordinating across Departments. [8467/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for Brexit, I have responsibility for coordinating the whole-of-Government response to Brexit, which is being advanced through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by my Department which bring together the results of the detailed work which is being undertaken by individual Departments.
This work draws on the analysis of the economic and sectoral impacts of various Brexit scenarios being taken forward by individual Departments and agencies, as well as by stakeholder organisations, academics and others. This includes the Copenhagen Economics report on Strategic Implications for Ireland arising from changing EU-UK Trading Relations, which was commissioned by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. This authoritative and independent report sets out the possible economic consequences, both macro-economic and sectoral, of various Brexit scenarios. It will help in the further preparation of our priorities for the negotiations and the consideration of possible additional mitigation actions over and above the many which are already in train.
Achieving the best possible outcome for Ireland in the negotiations remains a central dimension of Ireland’s strategic response to Brexit. In this regard, both I and my officials are continuing to work closely with EU partners and the European Commission Task Force, and with the UK, to ensure the commitments made in phase one are delivered in full and that Ireland’s interests are advanced in the EU’s position for the negotiations on transitional arrangements and the future relationship. In the course of these engagements, as has been the case to date, Ireland will continue to make proposals to seek to deliver on our objectives and priorities for the Brexit negotiations.
In parallel, intensive work on a no-deal or worst-case outcome is also ongoing. Its focus is on the immediate regulatory and operational challenges which would result from such an outcome. It assumes a trading relationship based on the default WTO rules, but also examines the possible effects on many other areas of concern. This work is therefore providing baseline scenarios for the impact of Brexit across all sectors, which can then be adapted as appropriate in light of developments in the EU-UK negotiations, including in regard to transition arrangements and the future relationship. It also takes account of the planning being undertaken at EU level by the new Commission Preparedness Unit, which is issuing information notes aimed at different business sectors.
The Government is already acting in order to get Ireland Brexit ready. Dedicated measures were announced in Budget 2018, including a new €300m Brexit Loan Scheme for Business and a €25m Brexit Response Loan Scheme for the agri-food sector as well as additional supports for capital investment in the food industry and Bord Bia marketing and promotion activities, amounting to over €50m in total. Additional capital expenditure allocation of €4.3bn over four years will also allow the State and its agencies to properly plan major infrastructure projects while ensuring that communities and businesses can plan ahead. There was also increased funding provided to my Department for the opening of six new diplomatic missions as part of Global Footprint 2025, which will contribute to helping our exporters find new markets. Our Government’s enterprise agencies continue to work with companies, helping them to deal with Brexit – making them more competitive, diversifying market exposure, and up-skilling teams.
Our longer-term economic strategies will also be critically important in addressing the challenges of Brexit, notably Ireland 2040 –the National Development Plan. The Enterprise Strategy 2025 is also under review, and we are in active discussions with the European Investment Bank for a potential increase in investment in the country.
73. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications being processed; the number of renewals and first-time passports respectively; the average processing time for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8840/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Service provides a range of channels to Irish citizens wishing to apply for a passport, including a postal application system, online service, and through the network of Irish Missions worldwide.
The Passport Service has received over 129,000 applications between 1 January and 16 February 2018, which represents an increase of 16% on the same period last year. In order to respond to seasonal demands and anticipated application increases, the Passport Service has received sanction for 210 Temporary Clerical Officers (“TCOs”) to be appointed to the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork this year. Training for the first intake of TCOs has already commenced, with a sizeable proportion already in place. All TCOs are expected to be fully trained and in place by the end of March at latest.
The Passport Service is currently processing over 59,000 passport applications. These applications are going through the normal checking, processing and security stages.
Of these current applications, approximately 23,000 are for passport renewals while approximately 12,000 are first time applications. Some 24,000 are in the early stages of the application process and as such, the type of application has yet to be identified. The turnaround timeframe for processing these applications will depend in the first instance on the channel through which the application was submitted.
The target turnaround time for applications made via the Online Passport Renewal Service is 10 working days plus postage. The vast majority of online applications are currently being processed within 7 working days, well ahead of the target. At present, the online service only accommodates adult renewals and passport card applications. It is planned to further extend the online application facility to all citizens, including first-time applicants and children, by 2019.
The current average turnaround time for applications submitted through An Post Passport Express has now increased to 17 working days for both first time applications and renewals. It is expected that this turnaround time will return to the target turnaround time of 15 working days in the coming weeks, as more temporary staff are trained and placed.
The average turnaround time for postal applications submitted through the Passport Office in London is currently 4 weeks for renewals with a minimum of 7 weeks for first-time applications. Applicants resident in Great Britain also have the option of submitting Passport Express applications through two selected post offices in Liverpool and Glasgow, with applications submitted through this channel taking an average 17 working days to process.
Applications submitted through the worldwide network of Irish Embassies and Consulates are currently taking a minimum 6 weeks to process from the date the application is registered at the Passport Office. Delivery times will vary depending on the location of the applicant. I would urge applicants wishing to renew their passports who reside overseas, including Great Britain, to avail of the online passport renewal service where possible.
74. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of credit card type passports issued in the past year; the average time for processing an application for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8841/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Card was launched in October 2015 and offers Irish citizens the convenience of travel to 31 countries including the EU/EEA and Switzerland, with a credit card sized travel document. Applications for passport cards are processed exclusively through the Passport Online Service, accessible via my Department’s website at www.dfa.ie/passport. The target turnaround time for this channel is ten working days plus postage. The vast majority of passport card applications are being processed ahead of the target date.
Between 1 January 2017 and 18 February 2018, the Passport Service issued 44,482 passport cards. I would encourage all adult citizens who hold a valid passport to consider applying for a passport card.
75. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if persons over 70 years of age will be allowed to acquire a three year passport at a reduced cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8935/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe cost of the standard ten year (adult) Irish passport compares favourably with many other jurisdictions. At a cost of €80, which breaks down to €8 per year, the Irish passport fee compares with approximately €8.20 per year for a British passport, €8.50 per year for a French passport, €8.90 per year for renewal of an American passport and €18.10 per year for an Australian passport. Given that the production cost of a passport is the same, irrespective of validity, and given that the shortfall in revenue would have to be met by the taxpayer, I do not have any plans to offer a three year passport at a reduced cost for persons over 70 years of age.
76. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the business and human rights implementation group as required under the national plan on business and human rights 2017 to 2020 has been established; the composition of the group; and when it will commence its work. [8961/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra77. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has commissioned a baseline assessment of the legislative and regulatory framework pertaining to business and human rights here as committed to under the national plan on business and human rights 2017 to 2020; and when it will be completed. [8962/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 77 together.
Ireland published its National Plan on Business and Human Rights in November 2017 on foot of a Government commitment to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). The National Plan aims to give effect to the Guiding Principles through the promotion of responsible business practice at home and overseas, and was developed following an extensive consultation process.
The National Plan is designed to be a living document which will permit updates to reflect contemporaneous developments. One goal of the National Plan is to assist and encourage businesses to understand that respect for human rights is good for business. Part of this process is to encourage businesses to promote human rights within their business operations and engage positively with organisations and individuals seeking to do the same. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has responsibility for the operationalisation of a number of actions set out in the National Plan, including the establishment of a Business and Human Rights Implementation Group. This group will consist of representatives from Government, the business community and civil society. It is envisaged that the group will meet twice a year to review implementation of the National Plan. Work is underway to establish the Group and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is liaising with stakeholders in this regard. A key priority is to identify an individual with a strong track record in the promotion of human rights in a business environment to chair the Group.
Preliminary work has also been undertaken to commission a baseline assessment which will complete a comprehensive study of the legislation and regulatory framework pertaining to business and human rights as it applies in Ireland.
Business and Human Rights has been added as a regular item on the agendas of both the Inter-Departmental Committee on Human Rights and the DFAT NGO Standing Committee and will be discussed at upcoming meetings of both bodies.
78. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Finance if his Department will consider documenting travel expenses paid to a separate section of a P60 on request to be used for persons applying for local authority housing loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8901/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Revenue that currently, following the end of each year, an employer is statutorily obliged to issue to each employee who was employed by them on 31 December a P60 in respect of that year. The P60 must be issued between 1 January and 15 February and contain details of total taxable pay and deductions made by the employer during the preceding year.
I assume the Deputy is referring to travel expenses which are necessarily incurred by an employee in the performance of the duties of the employment and which are reimbursed by employers without deduction of tax. The reason employers may reimburse such expenses tax free to employees is because section 114 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 allows for a deduction from taxable emoluments in respect of travelling expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of the duties of employment. As such expenses are not subject to deduction of tax under the PAYE system, they are not included on the P60.
2018 will be the final year in respect of which an employer will be obliged to issue a P60 to employees and I understand from Revenue that the format for the 2018 P60 has recently been finalised. With significant reform of the PAYE system applying from January 2019 under the PAYE modernisation programme, which will involve a new real-time reporting regime for all employers who make taxable payments to employees, employers will no longer be required to provide employees with a P60. Instead, Revenue will provide employees with relevant pay and tax details. I understand from Revenue that there are no proposals to collect information from employers regarding payments to employees which are not subject to deduction under the PAYE system.
