Written Answers Nos. 207-226
207. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the estimated number of jobs projected to be created within the economy over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14238/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's most recent macroeconomic forecasts were published with Budget 2018 in October last year, and cover the period up until 2021. The table sets out the total employment projections from these forecasts.
Overall, it is forecast that approximately 115,000 net additional jobs will be created over the period from 2018 to 2021. For this year, employment growth of 2.3 per cent (approximately 48,000 jobs) is projected. For next year, employment gains of 2.1 per cent (approximately 44,000 jobs) are also anticipated. Over the remaining two years of the forecast horizon to 2021, employment growth of 1.7 per cent on average per annum is projected (equivalent to an average of approximately 36,000 jobs per year).
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
|
Employment (%) |
2.3 |
2.1 |
1.8 |
1.6 |
|
Employment (‘000s) |
48 |
44 |
38 |
34 |
Source: Department of Finance
These forecasts will be updated in the 2018 Stability Programme Update which will be published in April. The updated forecasts will take into account the latest developments, including revisions to the labour market data arising from the new CSO Labour Force Survey.
Question No. 210 answered with Question No. 87.
211. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied that due regard has been given to the economic effect of works in a populated area of significant economic, heritage and tourism related activity in relation to identifying the proposed OPW flood relief scheme for Cork city as the optimum solution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13579/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra212. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW plans to further consult with the public following the design change in relation to the proposed OPW flood relief scheme for Cork city, in view of the fact that a city wide groundwater pumping system is now proposed in addition to flood relief walls and levies previously advertised to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13580/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra213. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the OPW's assessment of the tidal barrier proposal put forward by a campaign (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13581/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 211 to 213, inclusive, together.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has developed the proposed flood relief scheme for Cork City and upstream to Inniscarra Dam following 11 years of detailed scientific and engineering study and design which has been carried out with the benefit of ongoing and regular public consultation with the general public and other key stakeholders. The need for the project is beyond question as the City in particular suffers from regular flooding from both fluvial and tidal flood events with particularly severe events affecting the City in 2009, 2014 and the winter of 2015/16. The scheme has been brought through the formal Public Exhibition or statutory consultation process as required under the Arterial Drainage Acts and detailed reports were put into the public domain at the completion of that phase of the project in December 2017. These reports (see www.lowerleefrs.ie) deal comprehensively with the issues raised during the above consultative process and set out categorically how the proposed scheme is the only viable solution to the flooding problem in the city.
Among the detailed reports completed during the Exhibition stage is one dealing with the option of constructing a tidal barrier. The proposal of a tidal barrier put forward by others was considered in depth and is found to be unworkable for cost, navigational and environmental reasons as well as lacking upstream storage capacity in the likely future climate change scenario. It is, however, technically possible to construct a barrier elsewhere, at either side of Great Island, but the estimated whole life cost of this of up to €1.7 billion also makes it a non-viable option. In light of the in-depth analysis on the tidal barrier option for Cork carried out by international experts, the position is that a tidal barrier is not a viable solution for Cork and cannot be considered further.
Like other similar projects, the scheme for Cork City as exhibited includes a drainage system to cater for both surface water drainage and groundwater behind the flood defences. The pumping element will only be required to operate during periods of extremely high river levels, for short durations around high tide. For the majority of the time, the gravity drainage system will operate as at present and the normal groundwater regime will not be altered. Detailed design is currently ongoing to finalise the finer detail of the drainage system, but what is proposed does not differ in principle from the scheme exhibited. The published Exhibition Reports deal with the groundwater aspects of the scheme.
During the development of the scheme, the OPW and its partners, Cork City and County Councils, were acutely conscious of the need to avoid disruption to the city during construction works. So while there will be some disruption during construction, it will be minimised by careful phasing of the works, traffic management including noise and dust management. Works will also be co-ordinated in conjunction with Cork City Council to mitigate the overall duration of any disruption. It is OPW’s view that the permanent economic benefits of the scheme in protecting businesses and attracting new business to the city will significantly exceed any short-term economic impacts arising during the construction phase.
214. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of pensions for retired public servants (details supplied). [13531/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 27 February 2018.
215. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which he has quantified the likely contribution of reform in the public sector in the context of economic performance in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13535/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra216. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which each Department remains committed to using reform to achieve economic benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13536/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra220. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if particular Departments or public offices or bodies under their aegis require reforming procedures with a view to increasing efficiency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13540/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra223. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he is satisfied that reforms to date will continue to benefit the economy in the future; the reforms which have become outdated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13543/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 215, 216, 220 and 223 together.
The public service is central to economic and social life in Ireland. Significant reforms have been made in recent years and have made the work of the public service more transparent, decision-making more accountable and service delivery more effective and efficient.
Our Public Service 2020, which I launched last December, is a new policy framework designed to build on these previous reforms while expanding the scope of reform to focus more on collaboration, innovation and evaluation. I am confident that Our Public Service 2020 will contribute to the strengthening and further development of our economy over the period of its implementation.
Our Public Service 2020 is a whole-of-public-service initiative. A Public Service Leadership Board comprising Secretary General and CEO level participants from across the civil and public service has been established to drive the reform agenda and lead on its implementation. This approach will support and enable public servants and their organisations to perform at their best and to work together to deliver high-quality, value-for-money outcomes that will benefit the economy.
As Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform I must ensure that our fiscal and public expenditure policy is prudent and sustainable. There are a number of budgetary reforms introduced in recent years to guide my decisions on overall fiscal policy in this regard, including fiscal rules, expenditure ceilings and spending reviews. The actions in Our Public Service 2020 will ensure that the focus of the public service is very much on delivery of quality public services, while operating within these prudent limits.
Our Public Service 2020 contains an added focus on evaluation and on the importance of building a reform evaluation culture. The newly established Reform Evaluation Unit will work closely with units within my Department focused on performance budgeting and spending reviews to strengthen the links between expenditure and reform. This will take place alongside the work of the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) which leads a programme of evaluation of public service delivery across the public service. A series of rolling, selective reviews, which will cover the totality of Government spending over a three-year period to 2019, started in 2017.
217. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which reforms embraced by public administration in recent years years compare with reforms introduced in competing EU or non-EU jurisdictions, with particular reference to enhancing this country's opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13537/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2017, the OECD were commissioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to undertake a written evaluation of the Public Service Reform Plan 2014-16, with a view to informing future public service reform efforts. This assessment, which was published in July 2017, focused on whether the plan met its objectives; provided clear recommendations for the future direction of public service reform in Ireland; and considered and compared approaches in other OECD States.
The OECD assessment noted that the plan succeeded in completing the majority of the activities it set out to do and that the plan succeeded in creating a public-service wide approach to reform. It particularly highlighted the significance of the plan in both creating an impetus for reform and identifying actions within each public service body to support the plan. Key learnings from the OECD assessment informed the development of Our Public Service 2020, a new framework for development and innovation in the public service to 2020 and beyond, which I launched last December.
In addition to the positive report from the OECD, a recent report by the Institute of Public Administration (Public Sector Trends 2017) includes many positive findings on the development and progress of our public services across the EU28. This review which draws on data from the World Bank, the IMF and the OECD amongst other sources, found that:
- Ireland’s Public Administration comes first in the EU28 for being the most professional and least politicised.
- Ireland comes 6th in the EU28 for the quality of its public administration (a relatively consistent score over last three years).
- Ireland is 5th in the EU28 in the rating of perceptions that Government decisions are effectively implemented.
Both the OECD assessment of the Public Service Reform Plan 2014-16, and the IPA Public Sector Trends report demonstrate that Ireland’s public services continue to perform well on an international stage and that there is a solid basis for continuous improvement and development of our public services.
218. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the further reforms that may be introduced regarding the manner in which public contracts or procurements are undertaken with a view to identifying the most cost effective and expeditious procedures, thereby eliminating costly delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13538/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra219. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which further reforms are required in respect of the awarding of public contracts or procurements with a view to ensuring that business in this country can be undertaken in a way that is competitive with all other European countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13539/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together.
Procurement is a key element of the Government’s Public Service Reform agenda and is a very significant portion of overall spending. The State buys everything from pens and paper, through to naval vessels and surgical equipment. In this context, it is essential that the Public Service operates in a co-ordinated and efficient way and delivers much needed public services in a sustainable manner. That is why the Government established the Office of Government Procurement (OGP).
The OGP commenced operations in 2014 and, together with four key sectors (Health, Defence, Education and Local Government), has responsibility for sourcing goods and services on behalf of the Public Service. In addition, the OGP also has responsibility for procurement policy and offers advice on procurement procedures.
The OGP has progressed the National Public Procurement Policy Framework which enables a more consistent approach to public procurement across the public sector by setting out the procurement procedures to be followed by public bodies. Last July, my colleague, Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan, launched new Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services. This comprehensive interpretation of the public procurement directives has been designed to improve consistency and promote best practice in the application of the public procurement rules. In addition, the OGP maintains a proactive line of communication with SME stakeholders to ensure they are informed of policy developments and that these are communicated by them to their members.
The OGP together with four key sectors, speaks with “one voice” for the public service to the market for each category of expenditure, eliminating duplication and taking advantage of the scale of public procurement to best effect. This move is in line with best practice in the public and private sector and is part of the continuing reform programme being driven by my Department.
The Government has committed in the Programme for Partnership Government to examining the new procurement structures in place and where necessary make adjustments according to best international practice and in conjunction with Irish business.
221. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the restoration of the various payments conceded under FEMPI will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13541/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware the unwinding of the emergency FEMPI legislation commenced with the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016-2018 and will be completed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018 -2020.
The Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 sets out a specific schedule of measures and dates in respect of deductions made under the FEMPI Acts including provisions in respect of the implementation of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA), the introduction of the Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC) for public servants, elimination of Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) and a process of engagement in respect of contractor fees.
The Act gives effect to the pay measures of the PSSA 2018-2020, which provide further pay restoration (that is, in addition to that restoration under the Lansdowne Road Agreement/FEMPI Act 2015). In 2019 the Pension Related Deduction (PRD)will be converted to an Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC) for public servants.
Unwinding of the PSPR is taking place under FEMPI 2015, with PSPR-affected pensioners getting pension increases via substantial restoration of the PSPR cuts on 1 January 2016, 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2018.
The Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017, provides for further significant lessening of the impact of PSPR by way of threshold and rate changes to apply on 1 January 2019 and 1 January 2020. When fully in place from the beginning of 2020, these changes will mean that the vast majority of public service retirees, comprising everyone with occupational pension values up to at least €54,000, will be entirely free of PSPR.
The 2017 Act also provides an alternative statutory basis for the setting and varying of fees for contractors currently subject to the FEMPI legislation. In future the relevant Government Minister, operating with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will have the statutory power to set and vary the fees paid to contractors for goods and services based on a range of considerations, including affordability and value for money.
222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in the context of the preview of the capital programme, he has identified specific issues requiring particular investment to address infrastructural deficits in either road and rail transport, communications or other sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13542/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recent review of the capital plan, Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016–2021, was published in September 2017. This review:
- confirmed the compelling case for increased public capital investment to strengthen Ireland’s public capital infrastructure and build the resilience of the economy in terms of significant risks such as Brexit;
- emphasised the need in the context of the implementation of the National Development Plan to closely monitor and manage potential overheating risks and to continue to build the economy’s supply capacity and competitiveness;
- highlighted the requirement to increase the efficiency and value-for-money of public capital investment to make best use of scarce Exchequer resources in light of competing needs; and
- stressed the societal transformation required to transition to Ireland’s climate change objectives.
The Infrastructure Demand and Capacity Analysis undertaken by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service as part of the review of the 2015 capital plan identified the priority areas listed below for future public capital investment:
- Transport: maintenance and upgrading of the road network and public transport to protect asset quality and value, meet demand forecast, ease congestion and to meet climate action objectives.
- Education: higher education and the schools building programme.
- Health: subject to further analysis of the totality of health capacity and infrastructure.
- Housing: on the basis of the review of the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.
This analysis informed the investment decisions outlined in the recently published National Development Plan. Identified specific issues requiring particular investment to address infrastructural deficits in, for example, road and rail transport, communications or other vital sectors are outlined in detail in Chapter 5 of the National Development Plan.
224. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which his Department monitors the impact of Brexit on the public and private sectors with a view to addressing such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13544/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, a whole of Government approach is being adopted to addressing the impacts of Brexit. Detailed work is taking place across Departments and in State agencies to prepare for the UK’s exit from the EU. This includes contingency planning for all Brexit scenarios; engagement with stakeholders; support to companies from the enterprise agencies; and work to exploit any opportunities that arise from Brexit.
Within my own Department a dedicated Brexit/EU/North South Unit is responsible for coordinating the response to Brexit across the Department and it plays a full role in the cross-Department structures that support the work of Government. Brexit issues are also addressed by staff in relevant areas across the Department.
The risks arising from Brexit are reflected in the Government’s National Risk Assessment, which identifies areas where Brexit poses a specific risk, particularly in relation to the economy. This approach is reflected in my own Department’s Statement of Strategy for 2016-2019 and also in its Risk Register.
Policy decisions in support of the Government's approach to Brexit arise across a wide range of areas, including the annual budgetary process; the new 10-year National Development Plan; the Action Plan for Jobs; the Trade and Investment Strategy; the review of the Enterprise 2025 policy; and sectoral policies and investment decisions in areas such as agriculture, enterprise, transport, communications and energy.
225. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW will carry out works at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13578/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of Public Works (OPW) carries out a programme of Arterial Drainage Maintenance to a total of 11,500 km of river channel and approximately 730 km of embankments. These maintenance works relate to arterial drainage schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. The OPW is required to maintain these designated drainage schemes in proper repair and effective condition.
As the area referred to by the Deputy is part of the OPW arterial drainage scheme, the OPW will carry out a thorough inspection of the embankment referred to by the Deputy and pending the outcome of this inspection, will schedule the necessary maintenances works within available resources.
226. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a Civil Service pension award is clarified on reaching pension age; if the terms of contract remain available to indicate entitlement for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13618/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraBased on the information provided, the person concerned availed of a marriage gratuity in respect her service when she retired in 1979. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the payment of marriage gratuities, acceptance of a marriage gratuity is in lieu of any superannuation entitlements arising from such service. Therefore , there is no entitlement to an occupational pension from the Civil Service for the period of her service.
