Written Answers Nos. 266-283
266. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the new Garda allocation of resources tool COHORT; the timeline for its roll-out and use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26763/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.
I am informed that the Cohort model of resource allocation has been in use by Garda management since 2015 and is currently the model utilised for the allocation of personnel within An Garda Síochána, including newly attested probationer gardaí from the Garda College. The model is a dynamic distribution model and aims to impose a numerical/mathematical measure on the policing needs of each Division nationwide. The allocation and transfer of Garda Personnel, is determined by a number of factors, including crime and non-crime workload, population, area, policing arrangements, operational strategies and transfers applications, including welfare issues. When allocation of resources is under review, comprehensive consultation is carried out with local Garda management during which all relevant factors are taken into consideration. Where a deficiency in resources is identified the matter is considered fully and addressed accordingly.
In relation to the allocation of newly attested gardaí, it has to be factored in that they have a further 16 months of practical and classroom based training to complete in order to receive their BA in Applied Policing. To ensure that they are properly supported and supervised and have opportunities to gain the breadth of policing experience required, the Commissioner's policy is to allocate them to specially designated training stations which have the required training and development structures and resources in place, including trained Garda tutors and access to a permanently appointed supervisory Sergeant who is thoroughly familiar with their responsibilities under the training programme.
267. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the work of the cross-Border crime task force; the budget of the taskforce in 2018; the number of permanent staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26803/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn November 2015, the British and Irish Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive agreed a series of measures in the agreement A Fresh Start, The Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan, as part of a concerted and enhanced effort to tackle organised and cross jurisdictional crime. These measures included the creation of the Joint Agency Task Force.
This Task Force is led by senior officers from An Garda Síochána, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Revenue Commissioners and HM Revenue and Customs. A number of other relevant bodies, including the National Crime Agency and the Criminal Assets Bureau are also involved in operational activity. The objective of the Task Force is to build on existing law enforcement frameworks and to increase the collective effectiveness of operational law enforcement actions.
The Strategic Oversight Group of the Task Force is chaired jointly at senior management level by the two police services in order to provide strong strategic direction and oversight to front-line operational activities. This group also includes senior personnel from relevant agencies.
Senior officers from An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland jointly chair the Operations Co-ordination Group, which is bringing forward the operational actions in six priority areas that have been the focus of the work of the task force: Rural Crime; Immigration-related Crime; Excise Fraud; Drugs; Financial Crime and Human Trafficking. These priorities are, of course, kept under review. There has been very considerable operational activity, with a variety of different operations undertaken across all of the priority areas since the establishment of the Task Force. I commend the efforts of all of the agencies involved in this important work.
As the Joint Agency Task Force is a multi-agency co-ordination structure it does not have a defined staffing complement or budget. Personnel from the participating agencies in both jurisdictions are assigned for specific operations and other capacities from the relevant agencies are deployed as required by operational demands.
The Joint Agency Task Force is just one positive example of the extensive North-South co-operation that is undertaken between the police and other law enforcement agencies aimed at tackling crime and enhancing the safety of all communities on this island.
268. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has reviewed or plans to review the prohibition of euthanasia, assisted dying and physician assisted suicide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26849/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe practice or act of euthanasia, insofar as it involves assisted suicide, is illegal in Ireland. It is an offence, under section 2(2) of the Criminal Law (Suicide) Act 1993, to assist another person in taking his or her life. The offence was created in order to safeguard the lives of persons who are nearing the end of their lives and might be vulnerable or at risk of abuse. Prosecutions under section 2(2) of the 1993 Act are at the sole discretion of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The 1993 Act provides for a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment on conviction on indictment for assisted suicide. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of section 2(2) in its judgment in Fleming v Ireland and Others on 29 April 2013, and I currently have no plans to review this provision.
Aside from the legal position in criminal law on assisted suicide, euthanasia by its nature also involves health, medical and ethical considerations, matters on which the Department of Health would have a substantive policy role.
269. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prosecutions achieved under section 25 of the Civil Liability Act 2004 in each year since its enactment in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26930/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had inquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that section 25 of the Act provides that it is an offence for a person to give or adduce evidence in a personal injuries action that is false or misleading and that the person knows to be false or misleading, or to cause false or misleading evidence to be given or adduced with the intention of misleading the court. It is also an offence for a person to give false or misleading instructions or information to a solicitor or expert in relation to a personal injuries action or to cause false or misleading instructions or information to be given with the intention of misleading the court.
The Courts Service has advised that statistics are not compiled in such a way as to provide information with regard to the number of convictions arising under section 25 of the Act. I have requested the Courts Service to examine the requirements, including system development and resource issues, needed to enable the compiling of such statistics going forward.
The Deputy will wish to be aware that the issue of fraud in the personal injuries litigation area is being examined as part of the ongoing work of the Cost of Insurance Working Group, which is chaired by my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D’Arcy, and an initial roundtable was convened by the Department of Finance in late 2017 to listen to the views of all of the key stakeholders in relation to insurance fraud. In January 2018, the Working Group produced its ‘Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance’ which includes a number of specific recommendations in relation to the production of statistics by An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service on complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions relating to fraud within the personal injuries area.
Recommendation 13 of the Working Group's employer and public liability insurance report recommends that Insurance Ireland, An Garda Síochána and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions agree a set of guidelines in respect of the reporting of suspected fraudulent insurance claims. While guidelines were published in 2004, the Working Group noted that these have only been used to a very limited extent over the years and proposed that a new set of guidelines should be developed, using the 2004 protocol as a starting point. Consultations with various interested parties on the proposed guidelines have taken place and it is anticipated that a new set of guidelines will be completed during Quarter 3 2018.
It should be noted also that the Courts Service and An Garda Síochána are engaging with my Department on an ongoing basis in relation to the recommendations of the Cost of Insurance Working Group.
The Deputy may also be interested to note that the Department of Finance issues regular quarterly updates on its website of the progress of the respective reports of the Cost of Insurance Working Group, the latest and Fifth Quarterly Progress Update having been published on 11 May 2018.
270. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the establishment of a Garda fraud insurance unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26931/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraRecommendation 26 of the ‘Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance’, published in January 2017, relates to exploring the potential for further cooperation between the insurance sector and An Garda Síochána in relation to insurance fraud investigation. Specifically, this involves considering the feasibility of establishing a specialised and dedicated insurance fraud unit within An Garda Síochána, funded by industry.
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) has engaged with Insurance Ireland, submitting a mechanism for further co-operation and a costed proposal to Insurance Ireland in the latter half of 2017. Insurance Ireland has agreed to explore the proposal further, subject to a full cost benefit analysis, to be carried out by Insurance Ireland’s Chief Financial Officers Working Group. The intention would be that such a dedicated Garda unit would be funded by Insurance Ireland members and non-members alike, i.e. all entities writing non-life insurance business in Ireland.
Further progress on this recommendation is dependent upon the outcome of this cost benefit analysis, which is currently awaited. As I have previously informed the House, Insurance Ireland has indicated that it expects to be in a position to provide an update in this regard by the end of June 2018.
Any proposed agreed mechanism will, of course, ultimately be subject to the approval of the Garda Commissioner and myself, as Minister for Justice and Equality.
271. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to make changes to section 8 of the Civil Liability Act 2004 in view of the new restrictions data protection law places on businesses directly affected by this section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26932/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe amendment of Section 8 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 has been recommended by the Cost of Insurance Working Group Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance. The Working Group, chaired by Minister of State for Financial Services and Insurance, Michael D'Arcy TD, is undertaking a review of the factors which are influencing the increased cost of insurance, and brings together the relevant Departments and Offices involved. The Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance was published in January 2018 and is available on the website of the Department of Finance.
My Department is the lead in relation to Recommendation 6 of the Report which aims at amending the wording of section 8 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 to ensure that defendants are notified of a claim having been lodged against them. The intention is not to interfere with the discretion of the courts to deal with cases appropriately but to assist in enhancing the effectiveness of the statutory requirement for a plaintiff to serve a notice in writing on the defendant stating the nature of the wrong alleged to have been committed by him or her.
Among the amendments recommended to be made to section 8 is a reduction from two months to one month in the statutory time period for a plaintiff in a personal injuries action to serve a notice in writing on the alleged wrongdoer stating the nature of the wrong alleged to have been committed by him or her. In the view of the Working Group, this may be justified by way of being in alignment with data protection legislation which provides that data shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for the purposes for which it is obtained. This is relevant for personal injuries cases where CCTV may have captured relevant footage. Generally, the retention period for data protection purposes is one month, beyond which retention is only permitted in certain circumstances, including for example, in the context of an investigation.
In keeping with the relevant recommendations and timelines of the Working Group the relevant amendments to section 8 are under preparation at my Department so that a suitable legislative vehicle can be availed of for their timely introduction and enactment.
272. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to bring forward legislation to regulate claims management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26933/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am replying to this matter as raised by the Deputy in the understanding that the intended reference is to companies, whether legal firms or not, which specialise in assisting claimants to bring forward and process claims, whether in relation to insurance, personal injury, medical negligence or other areas of litigation. This is, of course, an issue which has been the subject of particular debate in relation to the insurance sector where so-called “claims harvesting” companies have been in operation and may be considered to have an undesirable impact on the levels of litigation and costs in that sector.
If the Deputy’s specific concerns are about those companies or firms which specialise in managing or harvesting insurance claims, their regulation will be a matter for appropriate consideration in the context of insurance regulation under the policy aegis of the Minister for Finance and the Central Bank. For my part, therefore, I would have no specific plans to bring forward legislation to regulate claims management companies in that context at this time.
As the Deputy may be aware, this is an issue which has been considered in the context of the ongoing work of the Cost of Insurance Working Group, chaired by Minister of State for Financial Services and Insurance Michael D'Arcy TD, which is undertaking a review of the factors which are influencing the increased cost of insurance, and brings together all the relevant Departments and Offices involved including my own Department.
As part of that work, the Working Group sought the views of the Law Society on the matter of claims harvesting and those preventative measures contained in the Solicitors Acts which are of relevance. In the first instance, section 62 of the Solicitors Act 1954 prohibits solicitors from rewarding or agreeing to reward unqualified persons for the introduction of legal business and provides that any such agreement is void. The Law Society informed the Working Group of its continued proactive approach to breaches of section 62 and has published an updated practice note on claims referrals and section 62 in June 2017 by way of ensuring that the solicitors’ profession is fully informed. The Law Society has also directly notified claims referral companies found to be targeting solicitors about the statutory prohibition on solicitors paying referral fees.
Section 5 of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 2002 also generally prohibits unqualified persons from advertising a service of a legal nature that could otherwise be provided by a solicitor for a fee or reward. This includes advertising in relation to personal injuries claims in the context of claims harvesting websites. The Law Society has informed the Working Group that 14 claims harvesting websites have been taken down as a result of the Law Society’s investigations since 2014. The Law Society has also instituted High Court proceedings against non-solicitors relating to two leading claims harvesting websites one of which resulted in a High Court order directing its permanent closure. The Working Group’s Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance, which was published in January 2018 and is available on the website of the Department of Finance, refers.
In so far, therefore, as claims management companies are seeking to directly or indirectly engage solicitors in their claims work, the Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2015 are being used as a bulwark against “claims harvesting” and the relevant regulatory and disciplinary provisions under the Acts are being applied rigorously by the Law Society. Under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, these are matters which I expect will be taken up by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority in the ongoing roll-out of its functions including of the new public complaints framework and of the new Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal which are scheduled to take place early in 2019. Along with my Department I will, of course, continue to support the work of the Cost of Insurance Working Group including, as appropriate, in relation to those specific matters which have been raised by the Deputy.
273. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the progress made in stopping ticket touts operating here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26243/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am currently seeking to finalise a legislative proposal on ticket resale and aim to bring that proposal to Government at the earliest possible date. While legislation has a role to play in curbing the resale of tickets at inflated prices, sporting bodies, artists and promoters also have a responsibility to address the issue. I am encouraged by the fact that the level of ticket resale for a number of recent major entertainment events, and the prices paid on the secondary ticket market for tickets to those events, have both been relatively low due to factors such as the use of personalised or paperless tickets and the decision of some acts to put on sufficient shows to meet the demand for tickets.
274. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if the decision not to grant an employment permit to a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26502/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that an application for a General Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 6 November 2017. A decision was made to refuse the granting of the application on 20 December 2018.
This application was refused as ‘Career Guidance Teachers’ are listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations (ICEL) for employment permits. The applicant was notified of this decision in writing and of their right to request a review of this decision, in line with the provisions of the Employment Permits Acts, within 28 days. No review was received within this timeframe.
My Department is currently conducting a review of economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure that our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s emerging labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. A full report on the review is due by the end of June. Following on from that Report, it is expected that a review of the Lists of Occupations for Employment Permits will be conducted in the second half of this year.
Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and wider EEA, an employment permit may be sought by an employer to hire a non-EEA national. The employment permits system is managed in part through the operation of the highly skilled and ineligible lists for the purpose of grant of employment permits. At present, ‘Career Guidance Teachers’ are listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations (ICEL) for employment permits.
Changes to access to the Irish labour market for specific occupations via the employment permits system are made on the basis of research undertaken by the Expert Group of Future Skills Needs and, co-ordinated by the National Skills Council, the annual National Skills Bulletin and the annual Vacancy Overview Report in tandem with a public consultation process. The recently published Vacancy Overview Report indicates that despite recent employment growth, vacancy notifications for this sector remain limited to a small number of roles such as lecturers, TEFL teachers and instructors/trainers
In order to remove an occupation from the ICEL, organisations in the sector should engage with the relevant lead Department, the Department of Education and Skills with regard to this matter, in the preparation of a detailed business case setting out the necessary data to substantiate a case for removal from the ICEL.
275. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of site visits that were taken by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland clients to each of the local electoral areas, LEAs, in counties Meath and Westmeath; the number of jobs that were created by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland in each of the LEAs in the counties; and the value of the investments made by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland client companies in each of the LEAs in the counties in each of the past five years. [26244/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra276. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of site visits that were taken by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland clients to each of the local electoral areas, LEAs, in counties Louth, Kildare and Wicklow; the number of jobs that were created by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland in each of the LEAs in the counties; and the value of the investments made by IDA Irealnd and Enterprise Ireland client companies in each of the LEAs in the counties in each of the past five years. [26287/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 275 together.
IDA Ireland collates information on the value of investments by its client companies through the Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact (ABSEI) which includes data for exports, Irish economy expenditure and capital expenditure. This data is collated on a national basis only. Information on the value of investments made by IDA client companies in Local Electoral Areas (LEAs) is therefore unavailable. However, the value of investments is reflected in the number of jobs created across the country. I am pleased to say that the level of investment by IDA client companies in counties Louth, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath and Westmeath remains strong with 19,533 people employed in 104 FDI companies.
It should also be emphasised that FDI only forms one part of investment in regional locations. Indigenous enterprise is responsible for a significant portion of employment growth, especially outside Dublin. Enterprise Ireland supported companies continue to perform well in the regions with all five counties reporting increases in job numbers. In 2017, a 7% increase was reported in Westmeath, with a 5% increase reported in Meath, Louth and Kildare and a 4% increase reported in Wicklow.
Enterprise Ireland does not conduct site visits. Data on IDA Ireland site visits and jobs are collated on a county-by-county basis only and details on site visits in Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Westmeath and Louth from 2013 to Q1 2018 are outlined in Table C. IDA Ireland continues to highlight the benefits of expanding or locating in all counties of Ireland to its client base. It is important to remember, however, that the final decision as to where to invest always rests with the company concerned. It is also the case that site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as at least 70% of all new FDI comes from existing IDA Ireland client companies.
Tables A and B provide a breakdown of employment by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland client companies in counties Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Westmeath and Louth from 2013 to 2017. The employment figures for 2018 will not be available until my Department's Annual Employment Survey is carried out in November 2018.
Table A: Total employment of EI-supported companies in Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Westmeath and Louth 2013-2017
|
County |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Kildare |
6,520 |
7,512 |
8,308 |
8,632 |
9,134 |
|
Meath |
6,072 |
6,658 |
6,855 |
7,007 |
7,302 |
|
Wicklow |
3,622 |
3,628 |
3,903 |
4,104 |
4,132 |
|
Westmeath |
2,854 |
3,436 |
3,548 |
3,653 |
3,741 |
|
Louth |
5,032 |
5,434 |
5,600 |
5,819 |
6,121 |
Table B: Total employment of IDA-supported companies in Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Westmeath and Louth 2013-2017
|
County |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Kildare |
10,327 |
10,285 |
10,628 |
10,229 |
9,282 |
|
Louth |
2,568 |
3,053 |
3,236 |
3,593 |
3,702 |
|
Meath |
1,540 |
1,536 |
1,533 |
1,526 |
1,491 |
|
Westmeath |
2,202 |
2,386 |
2,519 |
2,573 |
2,794 |
|
Wicklow |
2,348 |
2,324 |
2,199 |
2,234 |
2,264 |
Table C: IDA site visits in Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Westmeath and Louth 2013-Q1 2018
|
County |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
Q1 2018 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
4 |
|
Meath |
1 |
2 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
|
Wicklow |
1 |
4 |
7 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
|
Westmeath |
9 |
12 |
28 |
36 |
42 |
3 |
|
Louth |
4 |
10 |
20 |
24 |
22 |
6 |
277. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if the reinstatement of career guidance on the list of critical skills employment permits will be considered due to the shortage of guidance counsellors here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26327/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt my request, my Department is currently conducting a review of economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure that our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s emerging labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. A full report on the review is due by the end of June. Following on from that Report, it is expected that a review of the Lists of Occupations for Employment Permits will be conducted in the second half of this year.
Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and wider EEA, an employment permit may be sought by an employer to hire a non-EEA national. The employment permits system is managed in part through the operation of the highly skilled and ineligible lists for the purpose of grant of employment permits. At present, ‘Career Guidance Teachers’ are listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations (ICEL) for employment permits.
In order to remove an occupation from the ICEL, organisations in the sector should engage with the relevant lead Department, in this case the Department of Education and Skills, in preparation of a detailed business case setting out the necessary data to substantiate a case for removal from the ICEL.
278. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the amount paid per project to a company (details supplied) since 1 January 2016 to date by year, amount and project name; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26383/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of payments made by my Department and its offices to the company referred to in respect of advertising services provided from January 2016 to date are set out in the following table.
My Department and its offices use external service providers having regard to the business needs for such services. In engaging service providers, the Department and its offices are mindful of the need to secure value for money and, accordingly, strive to keep costs to the minimum.
|
Year |
Advertisement Type |
Purpose |
Cost € |
|
2016 |
Newspapers |
Advertisements relating to the statutory functions of the Department and its Offices |
62,361 |
|
2016 |
Newspapers and accountancy publications |
Advertisements by Companies Registration Office (CRO) regarding mandatory electronic filing being introduced for companies filing their annual returns |
31,398 |
|
Total 2016 |
|
|
€93,759 |
|
2017 |
Newspapers |
Advertisements relating to the statutory functions of the Department and its Offices |
28,223 |
|
2017 |
Newspapers and accountancy publications |
Advertisements by CRO regarding mandatory electronic filing being introduced for companies filing their annual returns |
97,952 |
|
2017 |
Radio advertisements |
Advertisements by CRO regarding mandatory electronic filing being introduced for companies filing their annual returns |
49,993 |
|
2017 |
Website editions of newspapers |
Advertisements by CRO regarding mandatory electronic filing being introduced for companies filing their annual returns |
6,159 |
|
2017 |
Newspapers |
Change of CRO public office address |
7,145 |
|
Total 2017 |
|
|
€189,472 |
|
2018 |
Newspapers |
Advertisements relating to the statutory functions of the Department and its Offices |
7,743 |
|
Total 2018 |
|
|
€7,743 |
279. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in correspondence regarding EU Directive COM/2016/0593 on copyright in the digital Single Market; and if she has raised these concerns at Council of Ministers level. [26399/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 14 September 2016, the EU Commission published a package of copyright reform proposals as part of its Digital Single Market strategy. This included a Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market (hereinafter the “Copyright Directive”). The intention of the Directive is to craft modern copyright legislation suitable for all European citizens. Among the Directive’s many proposals are provisions aimed at ensuring greater rights for press publishers seeking to protect their content online (Article 11), and intended to address the “value gap”, whereby rights-holders are receiving less remuneration despite the increased usage of their works (Article 13).
Officials of my Department have been thoroughly engaged in negotiations since publication of this proposal and have been successful in achieving a number of amendments to address the concerns of our stakeholders. On 25 May, the Copyright Directive was discussed by Ambassadors at COREPER and the Presidency gained approval for a mandate to commence negotiations with the European Parliament.
Negotiations on the Copyright Directive have been exhaustive and while I appreciate the concerns that have been raised, I fully support the intention of this proposal which is vitally important to both the DSM and the digital economy. Our focus has always been on achieving the best balance for the competing interests of all stakeholders, including digital economy actors, rights-holders, and citizens. To that end, there has been extensive engagement with stakeholders across the various issues in Ireland, Brussels, and with other EU Member States, including at Ministerial level.
My Department will engage positively with the negotiations on the proposal going forward to ensure that Ireland can benefit from its many merits as soon as possible.
280. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of public consultations held by her Department or by a State agency under the remit of her Department; the number of replies received per consultation; and the cost of each consultation in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form. [26454/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of written public consultations held by my Department in the years in question are as following:
|
Year |
No. of Consultations |
|
2011 |
2 |
|
2012 |
4 |
|
2013 |
4 |
|
2014 |
13 |
|
2015 |
12 |
|
2016 |
25 |
|
2017 |
20 |
|
(June) 2018 |
13 |
|
Total 2011-18 |
93 |
Details of these public consultations are available on my Department’s website at the following address: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Consultations/.
The number of replies is not available for all the consultations on the Department’s website, if however, there are any specific consultations that the Deputy is interested in, I will endeavour to provide this information.
Public consultations are generally carried out by staff of the Department and publicised on the DBEI website and do not involve the hiring of external resources. Newspaper advertisements are also occasionally taken out in respect of certain public consultations in the national media at competitive market rates.
My Department does not routinely collect information on the number of public consultations carried out by agencies under its remit, or the number of responses received in respect of any such consultations. If the Deputy wishes to request information on any specific public consultation carried out by one of the agencies, I will endeavour to provide this.
281. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the detail of the 11,300 job approvals and 139 new investments supported by the IDA Ireland in the first six months of 2018, by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26490/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIDA Ireland has recently reported very strong mid-year results and expects that investments approved in the first half of 2018 will lead to the creation of over 11,300 jobs as companies roll out their plans over the coming months and years. This compares with 11,000 job approvals over the same period in 2017. There were 139 projects won in the first six months of the year – compared with 114 in the first half of 2017. The technology, financial services and pharmaceuticals sectors performed particularly strongly and I am pleased to say that there were 51 regional investments in the first half of this year also.
Details of the new investments announced by foreign direct investment companies (FDI) for the first half of 2018 are contained in the following table. However, it should be noted that not all companies choose to announce their new projects, so all 11,300 job approvals and 139 investments will not be reflected in this table.
The 2019 Annual Employment Survey will be carried out by my Department in November and will capture FDI jobs created in 2018.
IDA Ireland: List of announced investments in 2018
|
Company |
Location |
Origin |
Jobs |
|
Jaguar LandRover |
Shannon |
UK |
150 |
|
AbbVie |
Sligo |
US |
100 |
|
Almac Group |
Dundalk |
US |
315 |
|
N3 |
Dublin |
US |
100 |
|
SK Biotech |
Dublin |
South Korea |
N/A |
|
Stripe Technology |
Dublin |
US |
N/A |
|
|
Dublin |
US |
N/A |
|
MSD |
Dublin |
US |
350 |
|
Autodesk |
Dublin |
US |
200 |
|
Quidel Incorporated |
Galway City |
US |
75 |
|
Aberdeen Standard Investment |
Dublin |
UK |
N/A |
|
Deutsche Borse Group |
Cork |
German |
200 |
|
Takeda Pharma |
Grange Castle |
Japanese |
70 |
|
Edwards Lifesciences |
Limerick |
US |
600 |
|
Affirma |
Dublin |
US |
50 |
|
SentryOne |
Dublin |
US |
50 |
|
Sojern |
Dublin |
US |
36 |
|
ADvendio |
Dublin |
US |
20 |
|
Enfusion |
Dublin |
US |
20 |
|
Krypt |
Dublin |
US |
20 |
|
Lifesize |
Dublin |
US |
20 |
|
Vivino |
Dublin |
US |
10 |
|
Guidewire Software Inc. |
Dublin |
US |
40 |
|
Viasat Ireland |
Dublin |
US |
100 |
|
LiveTiles |
Sligo |
Australia |
50 |
|
Mastercard |
Dublin |
US |
175 |
|
Rubrik |
Cork |
US |
50 |
|
PCI Pharma Services |
Drogheda |
US |
70 |
|
PCI Pharma Services |
Stamullen |
US |
50 |
|
New Relic Inc. |
Dublin |
US |
200 |
|
Comrade Digital Services |
Dublin |
US |
40 |
|
Wuxi biologics |
Dundalk |
China |
400 |
|
Allianz/Darta Saving |
Dublin |
Germany |
125 |
|
Avery Dennison |
Longford |
US |
200 |
|
Leetha Industries |
Longford |
UK |
200 |
|
Segment |
Dublin |
US |
100 |
|
DMS |
Tipperary |
N/A |
50 |
|
E3 |
Sligo |
US |
40 |
|
eBECS |
Dublin |
UK |
100 |
282. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if consideration will be given to reinstating the role of career guidance teacher or counsellor onto the list of critical skills for employment permits in view of the shortage of guidance counsellors in schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26503/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt my request, my Department is currently conducting a review of economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure that our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s emerging labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. A full report on the review is due by end June. Following on from that Report, it is expected that a review of the Lists of Occupations for Employment Permits will be conducted in the second half of this year.
Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and wider EEA, an employment permit may be sought by an employer to hire a non-EEA national. The employment permits system is managed in part through the operation of the highly skilled and ineligible lists for the purpose of grant of employment permits. At present, ‘Career Guidance Teachers’ are listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations (ICEL) for employment permits.
In order to remove an occupation from the ICEL, organisations in the sector should engage with the Department of Education and Skills as the relevant lead Department in preparation of a detailed business case setting out the necessary data to substantiate a case for removal from the ICEL.
283. Deputy Kate O'Connell asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to reinstate career guidance on the list of critical skills employment permits due to the shortage of guidance counsellors here. [26631/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt my request, my Department is currently conducting a review of economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure that our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s emerging labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. A full report on the review is due by end June. Following on from that Report, it is expected that a review of the Lists of Occupations for Employment Permits will be conducted in the second half of this year.
Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and wider EEA, an employment permit may be sought by an employer to hire a non-EEA national. The employment permits system is managed in part through the operation of the highly skilled and ineligible lists for the purpose of grant of employment permits. At present, ‘Career Guidance Teachers’ are listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations (ICEL) for employment permits.
Changes to access to the Irish labour market for specific occupations via the employment permits system are made on the basis of research undertaken by the Expert Group of Future Skills Needs and, co-ordinated by the National Skills Council, the annual National Skills Bulletin and the annual Vacancy Overview Report in tandem with a public consultation process. The recently published Vacancy Overview Report indicates that despite recent employment growth, vacancy notifications for this sector remain limited to a small number of roles such as lecturers, TEFL teachers and instructors/trainers
In order to remove an occupation from the ICEL, organisations in the sector should engage with the relevant lead Department, the Department of Education and Skills with regard to this matter, in the preparation of a detailed business case setting out the necessary data to substantiate a case for removal from the ICEL.
