Tuesday, 24 Jul 2018

Written Answers Nos. 2841-2860

Oideachas Gaeilge

Ceisteanna (2841)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

2841. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pearse Doherty den Aire Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén sort measúnú a rinneadh ar chúrsaí gearra Gaeilge do pháistí atá á reáchtáil ag coláistí samhraidh áirithe ó thaobh sealbhú teanga, dul chun cinn agus aistriú na ndaltaí go cúrsaí eile, agus ar aile; muna raibh, an bhfuil measúnú á déanamh ag an Roinn faoi láthair ar an tionchar atá acu ar na nithe seo; cathain a cheadaíodh na cúrsaí seo den chéad uair; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [34204/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I dtús báire ní miste dom a mhíniú don Teachta go bhfuil an fhreagracht maidir le riaradh na gColáistí Samhraidh Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht faoi mo Roinn ach go bhfuil ionchur tábhachtach ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna sa chóras i gcónaí.

Tugann  na RIALACHÁIN FAOINA dTUGTAR AITHEANTAS DO CHOLÁISTÍ GAEILGE, a fhoilsítear go bliantúil, léargas ar an gcreat uileghabhálach faoina bhfeidhmíonn an dá Roinn agus a bhfeidhmeanna oibriúcháin faoi seach i dtaca leis an earnáil á gcomhlíonadh acu.

Cuireann an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna comhairle ar fáil maidir le gnóthaí a bhaineann le múineadh agus foghlaim, cáilíochtaí múinteoirí agus caighdeán ginearálta na gcúrsaí, agus déanann sí monatóireacht agus tuairisciú ar an méid sin. Bíonn páirt ghníomhach ag an Roinn sin chomh maith sa chigireacht rialta agus leanúnach a dhéantar ar na coláistí ar iarratas ó, agus i gcomhpháirtíocht le, mo Roinn fhéin.

Maidir le cúrsaí meastóireachta, cuireann an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna clár meastóireachta bliantúil i bhfeidhm ar shampla de suas go 20% de na cúrsaí Gaeilge atá á soláthar  ag coláistí Gaeilge. Tugann na meastóireachtaí a dhéantar deis:

- Monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar cháilíocht an teagaisc agus na foghlama sna cúrsaí Gaeilge;

- Monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar cháilíocht  eispéireas na scoláirí ar theanga agus cultúr na Gaeilge;

- Trácht ar bhainistíocht, eagrú agus oibríocht na gcúrsaí Gaeilge agus ar an dul chun cinn atá á dhéanamh ag na coláistí Gaeilge maidir le moltaí a rinneadh ag eirí as cigireachtaí roimhe seo; agus,

- Comhairle a chur ar fáil do phríomhoidí, múinteoirí agus coistí stiúrtha maidir le cáilíocht an oideachais i gcúrsaí aonair a sholáthraíonn na coláistí Gaeilge. 

Sa bhreis air sin, ullmhaíonn  an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna  tuairiscí scríofa do mo Roinn  agus do na coláistí Gaeilge ar cháilíocht an tsoláthair oideachais i ngach cúrsa Gaeilge ar a ndéanfar meastóireacht. Foilsítear na tuairiscí a eascraíonn as na meastóireachtaí ar láithreán gréasáin na Roinne sin agus tá teacht ar na tuairiscí ar shuíomh mo Roinne fhéin freisin.

Ar deireadh, foilsítear tuairisc ilchodach ar obair na gcoláistí Gaeilge ó am go chéile  ina n-aithnítear na dea-chleachtais chomh maith leis na réimsí feabhais a bhaineann leis an earnáil.

Departmental Expenditure

Ceisteanna (2842)

Jack Chambers

Ceist:

2842. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her Department's spending on travel and subsistence expenses in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34210/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The total amount spent by my Department on travel and subsistence in 2017 and to 30 June 2018, in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidance on such matters is set out in the table.

Year	Amount €
2017	1,274,166
To 30 June 2018	658,130

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Ceisteanna (2843)

Jack Chambers

Ceist:

2843. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her Department's expenditure on photography and other promotional services including the creation of social media content in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34227/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I am informed by my Department that in 2018 expenditure to date for services of this nature is €15,729 while in year 2017 the figure was €74,553.

Public Relations Contracts Expenditure

Ceisteanna (2844)

Jack Chambers

Ceist:

2844. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her Department's expenditure on public relations in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34244/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

No expenditure has been incurred in respect of public relations to date in 2018.  Expenditure in 2017 amounted to €2,988.

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Ceisteanna (2845)

Jack Chambers

Ceist:

2845. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her Department's expenditure on external consultancy in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34261/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

No expenditure was incurred on external consultancy from my Department's Administrative Budget in 2017, nor has any such expenditure been incurred to date in 2018. 

I would also point out that my Department commissions engineering, environmental and other experts from time to time to provide technical reports or activities on specific issues, as required. While the providers of these services are consultant engineers, environmental consultants etc. or may describe themselves in other such terms, their work is not classified as consultancy services and is not funded from my Department's Administrative Budget.

Departmental Staff Data

Ceisteanna (2846)

Jack Chambers

Ceist:

2846. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the detail of each non-Civil Service appointment that has been made in her Department; the pay grade of each appointment; and the relevant qualifications that each appointee has for their position. [34278/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Since my appointment as Minister on 30 November 2017, and as provided for by the Public Service Management Act 1997, I have appointed two Special Advisers.  My Media Adviser was appointed from 8 January 2018 and my Policy Adviser from 15 March 2018.  In addition, I have appointed two Civilian Drivers.  Both Civilian Drivers are paid on the Civilian Driver single-point scale, €691 per week.

My Media Adviser has extensive experience as a senior editor with over twenty years’ experience in both traditional and digital media. He was Director of News at Newstalk for 13 years, Managing Editor of the Network news (which supplies news to every radio station in the country) for 8 years and was a senior producer at Sky News.  Over his career he has also worked for TV3 news and many local radio stations both here in Ireland and in the UK.  He is paid on the third point of the Principal Officer (Standard Scale).

My Policy Adviser has eighteen years’ experience in corporate communications and public affairs. He previously worked as Senior Client Director in MKC Communications and also has previous experience as Communications Advisor in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (on secondment during the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union).  From 2000 to 2006 he was Policy and Communications Manager in the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. He has a Masters of Arts (European Studies) and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Sociology and French from UCD.  He is paid on the second point of the Principal Officer (Standard Scale).

All of the above appointments are made in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Instructions to Personnel Officers – Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil, which is available on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's website.

Departmental Expenditure

Ceisteanna (2847)

Jack Chambers

Ceist:

2847. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her Department's expenditure on the purchase of newspapers and other media content, such as print, digital and other forms in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34295/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The expenditure incurred by my Department in respect of the items specified by the Deputy to date in 2018 is €5,409 while expenditure in 2017 came to a total of  €15,836 .

Departmental Staff Data

Ceisteanna (2848)

Jack Chambers

Ceist:

2848. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of full-time equivalent press officers employed by her Department and her personally. [34312/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I am advised that there are four members of staff (Full time equivalents of 3.6) in the Press Office.  The Assistant Principal Officer is the press officer.  I have also appointed a Media Adviser in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Instructions to Personnel Officers – Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil, which is available on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s website.

Hedge Cutting Season

Ceisteanna (2849, 2850)

Catherine Martin

Ceist:

2849. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the requirements on those who wish to cut roadside hedges for road safety purposes to identify if there are nesting birds in order to ensure that no works are carried out in such an area which might be in contravention of national law or the EU birds directive; the qualifications required of those carrying out inspections in cases in which inspections need to be conducted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34326/18]

Catherine Martin

Ceist:

2850. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if, during the period of breeding and rearing, a licence will be required to carry out an inspection of hedgerows to determine if hedge cutting in that area would involve the disturbance of a wild bird on or near a nest containing eggs or unflown young; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34327/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2849 and 2850 together.

Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August.  Section 40 was recently amended in the Heritage Act 2018 where provision was made for managed hedge cutting on roadsides and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis.  In addition the Heritage Act 2018 also provides for alignment between provisions in the Roads Act on obligations of landowners to keep roadside hedges cut for road safety reasons and provisions in Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts.

Individuals undertaking hedge cutting at any time of the year have obligations under the Wildlife Acts in that it is an offense to wilfully destroy, injure or mutilate the eggs or nest of any bird species.  It is also an offense to wilfully disturb any bird species on or near a nest containing eggs or unflown young.  Individuals would require a licence from my Department to remove eggs or nests of any bird species and these applications are examined on a case by case basis.  There is also a facility under the Wildlife Acts to remove chicks from a nest in certain situations under licence.

Questions Nos. 2851 and 2852 answered with Question No. 2792.

Departmental Contracts Data

Ceisteanna (2853)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

2853. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the contracts awarded by her Department to a company (details supplied) in each of the past three years; the value of these contracts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34356/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I am advised that no contracts have been awarded by my Department to this company during the period specified by that Deputy.

Commemorative Events

Ceisteanna (2854)

John Lahart

Ceist:

2854. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to introduce a fixed day each year to host the national Famine memorial day; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34489/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

As I informed the House on 3rd May last, the Government has approved the designation of the third Sunday of May each year as the national Famine commemoration day, with the arrangements for the holding a of State commemoration on this day or the preceding Saturday to be decided each year following consultation with the relevant local authority and host community.

As the Deputy will be aware, the 2018 National Famine Commemoration took place on 12th May in University College Cork in the presence of President Michael D Higgins.  I am also pleased to confirm that the tenth 2018 International Famine Commemoration will take place in Melbourne, Australia in October.  Officials of my Department are working with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in preparing for this event.

Archaeological Sites

Ceisteanna (2855)

John Lahart

Ceist:

2855. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for archaeologists to examine a site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34490/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I refer the Deputy to my reply to PQ 28216 on 27 June 2018 and to PQ 31673 on 12 July 2018.

Cultural Policy

Ceisteanna (2856)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

2856. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the projected cultural spending in each year from 2019 to 2024; and the projects and initiatives that will receive this funding in each of these years (details supplied). [34527/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The 2019 allocation for the agencies referred to by the Deputy will fall to be determined as part of the annual Budget Estimates process for 2019 as will those for subsequent years.

Details of the current funding allocations for my Department will fall to be determined as part of the annual Estimates process for each of the individual years

The capital allocation for my Department in each of the years 2019 to 2022 is as follows:

-  €75 million in 2019;

-  €76 million in 2020;

-  €80 million in 2021; and

-  €110 million in 2022.

Details of the specific capital allocation for 2023 and 2024 are not currently available.

With regard to the break out of capital allocations for the years 2019 – 2024, this has not yet been finalised as investments over the period are subject to appraisal and evaluation in line with the Public Spending Code.  The broad capital allocations for projects and programmes are set out in my Department’s 10 Year Plan, “Investing in our Culture, Language & Heritage 2018 – 2027”, at www.chg.gov.ie/app/uploads/2018/04/capital_plan_april3-8.pdf which explicitly recognises that our culture, language and heritage are an essential part of the sustainable development of the country.

More details on the individual projects and programmes will emerge as we go through the process of appraising, evaluating and planning for these important investments.  The final disaggregation will be completed as part of the annual Estimates process for each of the years in question.

Brexit Staff

Ceisteanna (2857)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

2857. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of extra employees to be hired in her Department between now and March 2019 to prepare for a hard Brexit; the specific roles these new employees will take up; the estimated cost of hiring these new employees; the impacts on her Department's expenditure ceilings for 2018 and 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34660/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The Government’s contingency planning for Brexit was initiated well in advance of the UK referendum in June 2016. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is overseeing the co-ordination of the whole-of-Government response to Brexit through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by his Department. 

Contingency planning for a no-deal or worst-case outcome, bringing together the detailed work being undertaken by individual Ministers and their Departments on issues within their policy remit, was identified as an early priority and is now well advanced. Its focus is on the immediate economic, 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 has provided 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. This is enabling the modelling of potential responses under different scenarios, such as one where a withdrawal agreement, including a transitional arrangement, is concluded and where a Free Trade Agreement is the basis for the future relationship between the EU and the UK.

A Working Group, chaired at Assistant Secretary level and composed of officials from across the Department has been established to deal with Brexit issues. This Working Group is supported by the Department's Corporate Governance and Coordination Unit which is also responsible for coordinating the response to Brexit related issues within the remit of my Department.

My Department also has a full time dedicated attaché assigned to Ireland's Permanent Representation in Brussels. This officer is a member of the Department’s Working Group and is also fully involved in the preparations by Ireland’s diplomatic team in Brussels.

These arrangements are met from within existing resources and will be kept under review and enhanced as required.

The staffing resources required to meet my Department’s business needs are accessed through the Department’s workforce planning process, having regard to emerging business priorities, the availability of payroll resources and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s directives, guidelines and circulars on staffing. I am advised that there are currently no proposals to employ additional staff to prepare for a disorderly Brexit as described by the Deputy.

Departmental Staff Data

Ceisteanna (2858)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

2858. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of unfilled vacancies in her Department; the time these vacancies have been open from when the roles were first advertised to date for each vacancy or group of vacancies; the number of unfilled vacancies in each agency under her remit; the time these vacancies have been open from when the roles were first advertised to date for each vacancy or group of vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34678/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The staffing resources required to meet my Department’s business needs are accessed through the Department’s workforce planning process, having regard to emerging business priorities, the availability of payroll resources and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s directives, guidelines and circulars on staffing. 

I understand that my Department’s Workforce Plan does not identify vacancies across the different work sectors, whether arising from retirements or other factors, but seeks rather to identify gaps in service delivery that can be addressed on a priority basis in light of available resources.

Similarly, the agencies under the remit of my Department are governed by the same principals. 

EU Directives

Ceisteanna (2859)

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

2859. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of the EU directives that fall under her remit not yet transposed into law; the deadline imposed by the EU for the transposition of same; and the estimated date for the transposition of those directives into law. [34706/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I am advised that there is at present one EU Directive which requires transposition into Irish law by my Department.

Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment was due for transposition by 16 May 2017. It is currently anticipated that the transposition into law of those elements of the directive which come under the remit of my Department will be completed over the coming months.

Arts Funding

Ceisteanna (2860)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

2860. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of increasing spending on the arts to 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.6% of GDP, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35023/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

In March 2018, Eurostat - the statistical office of the European Union - updated its annual estimates of Government expenditure on recreation, culture and religion with figures for 2016.  The figures for Ireland for Cultural Services was 0.2% of GDP and that for Broadcasting and publishing services was a further 0.2% of GDP.  The amounts were €577 million and €560 million respectively of €1,137 million combined.   

Eurostat reported that in Ireland the percentage of total expenditure directed to Cultural Services was 0.8% compared to an EU average of 0.9%.  The percentage of total expenditure directed to Broadcasting and Publishing services was also 0.8% and compared to an EU average of 0.4%.

The Central Statistics Office figure for GDP in current market prices in 2016 is €275,567 million.  This means that €551 million, €826 million and €1,653 million represent 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.6% of GDP respectively. 

Details are available on the Eurostat website at the following link: http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do.