Written Answers Nos. 125-145
125. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of complaints of bullying and sexual harassment, respectively received by his Department in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form. [48035/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that in the event that a member of staff in my Department is concerned about bullying, harassment or sexual harassment at their place of work they are advised of the anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Irish Civil Service, entitled "Dignity at Work", which is published by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform.
During the period stated in the Deputy’s question, my Department has not received any complaints under the said policy.
126. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to providing additional school transport for a student (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48055/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
There are currently over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually. The purpose of the scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In general children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
Bus Éireann endeavours to ensure that a reasonable level of transport service is provided for each eligible child. In general, transport for children with special educational needs is provided from home to school and from school to home during normal school opening and closing times.
Bus Éireann has advised that they can accommodate the child referred to by the Deputy on a school transport service to their home on Wednesday afternoons but it is not possible to facilitate alternative school transport arrangements.
127. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost in 2020 if the ancillary grant increased by €7 per pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48061/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of ancillary grant by €7.00 per pupil in primary schools is circa €4 million.
Improvements have been made in recent years for the restoration of grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant has increased by €22 since 2016, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
128. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of employees of his Department that were dismissed in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date 2019; the reason for the dismissal of each employee; the number of employees suspended in the same period; and the reason for the suspension of each in tabular form. [48070/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring the period stated in the Deputy’s question no officials at my Department were dismissed or suspended from duty.
129. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent on public relations, promotion and advertising for the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and Project Ireland 2040 since its publication in February 2018 by category (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48122/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn September 14th 2018, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar T.D., the Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton T.D., the Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. and the Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development John Halligan T.D announced a major package of investment in education under Project Ireland 2040, the government’s €116 billion investment and development plan for the next decade.
A launch event for this announcement took place in Coláiste Ghlór na Mara, Balbriggan. The costs for this launch are set out in the following table.
|
Details |
Cost |
|
Event Management by OPW (stage, lighting, sound) |
€12,405.80 |
|
Production of video for launch |
€11,869.50 |
|
Photography |
€418.20 |
|
Total Cost |
€24,693.50 |
130. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to provide additional transport by Bus Éireann for students (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48160/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In the 2018/2019 school year over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €200m in 2018.
Children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application process on time have been accommodated on school transport services where such services were in operation for the 2019/20 school year.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and were facilitated where spare seats were available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann allocates tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
In regard to the area referred to by the Deputy, Bus Éireann has confirmed that all eligible and concessionary children who completed the application and payment process within timelines have been accommodated on transport services in the current school year.
131. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent on bottled water and disposable coffee cups by his Department to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48188/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department spent €4,190.30 on bottled water during the period 1st January, 2019 to 31st October, 2019. My Department has not incurred any costs with regard to disposable coffee cups.
132. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date of each review and revision of the material published under the publication scheme of his Department as outlined in section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48205/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department takes a proactive approach to the publication of a wide range of official information and the ‘publication scheme’ is regularly updated in accordance with the “Model Scheme” provided for in section 8 of the FOI Act, 2014. The scheme is readily accessible and prominently published under the Freedom of Information section of my Department's website www.education.ie.
A Model Scheme was first published in April 2016 following cross departmental agreement on the contents to be included therein. It was subsequently updated as part of an upgrading of my department’s website in November 2017. Information is published under six key headings:
1. Information about the Department of Education and Skills
2. Services provided or to be provided to the public
3. Decision making process or major policy proposals
4. Financial information
5. Procurement information
6. FOI Disclosure Log
The practice within my Department is for routine publication of appropriate information to avoid the need for an FOI request. Rather than any scheduled overall update, the information within the scheme is under constant revision to ensure that it is kept relevant and up to date by the respective business units.
133. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for the upgrading and provision of new facilities by a school (details supplied) will be progressed without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48217/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application, for additional school accommodation, from the school authority in question.
The application is currently under assessment. The school authorities will be contacted directly as soon as the assessment process is completed.
134. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent on public relations, promotion and advertising, including multimedia, in his Department in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019 (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48244/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra135. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 13 February 2019, if the case of the persons in County Mayo will be re-examined in view of the decision by the Court of Appeal to overturn as unworkable the High Court finding that applicants for citizenship must have unbroken residence here in the year before they apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47897/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that the position remains as advised in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 13th February 2019.
The statutory conditions for naturalisation set out in the Irish Nationality & Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, require that an applicant have a period of 1 year's continuous residence in the State immediately before the date of application. In addition, an applicant must have four years residence in the State during the 8 years immediately preceding that period (in the case of an application based on being the spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen the Act reduces this further period to 2 years during the preceding 4 years).
Applicants must therefore establish that they have been resident in the State for these periods in order to be eligible for naturalisation. To this end, applicants should submit evidence with their application verifying that they satisfy the residency requirements for naturalisation.
Applicants should also note that compliance with the statutory conditions for naturalisation set out in the 1956 Act does not automatically mean that an applicant will be granted a certificate of naturalisation as the grant of a certificate of naturalisation is, by law, discretionary.
It is therefore very important for applicants to note that any absences from the State in excess of six weeks during the year immediately preceding the date of their application could result in a refusal to grant a certificate of naturalisation notwithstanding that they may have satisfied the statutory conditions for same set out in the 1956 Act.
Where applicants are absent from the State in excess of six weeks during the year immediately preceding the date of their application the policy is to only grant a certificate of naturalisation if satisfied that the travel was demonstrably unavoidable or due to exceptional circumstances. Applicants who find themselves in this position should submit as much information as possible with their application to verify that any travel outside of the State in excess of six weeks during the year immediately preceding their application was unavoidable or due to exceptional circumstances.
Every application for naturalisation is considered having regard to circumstances of the individual applicant, the statutory conditions for naturalisation set out in the 1956 Act and the policy on the need for applicants to be physically present in the State for the full duration of the year immediately preceding the date of application.
The applications for naturalisation in respect of the persons referred to by the Deputy were reviewed and the position remains as stated in the original decision. The applicants were informed of this by letters dated 24 October 2018.
It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a certificate of naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory conditions for naturalisation prescribed in the Act.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
136. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount spent on purchasing mobile telephones for staff within his Department for work-related business in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, by grade; if his Department has a contract with a mobile telephone company (details supplied) to supply mobile telephones if needed; if so, the name of the company; the date on which the contract for the supply of mobile telephones to his Department is next due to expire; and the robust steps taken to ensure that the costs incurred on work related telephones are the best value for the taxpayer. [47925/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe availability of mobile devices is a critical enabler which supports the work carried out across my Department and its Agencies. These devices are subject to the IT Acceptable Use Policy and specific policies with respect to mobile device use and security.
The following table sets out the amount spent on purchasing mobile phones for staff under my Department’s ICT Shared Service for work-related business in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019. Mobile phone costs in the Department are not broken down by grade.
The ICT Shared Service covers the core Department and 33 other public sector bodies (agencies, executive offices, commissions of inquiry etc.), two which are in other Departments – the Charities Regulator in the Department of D/Community and Rural Development and the Children’s Detention Campus in Oberstown, which is under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
|
YEAR |
YEAR TOTAL |
|
2016 |
€136,990 |
|
2017 |
€142,635 |
|
2018 |
€117,503 |
|
2019 to date |
€150,495 |
My Department has a contract with Vodafone to supply mobile phones which is next due to expire on 1 March 2020.
The contract was procured in accordance with public sector procurement guidelines and under the relevant framework of the Office of Government Procurement. OGP frameworks are designed to ensure that the most economically advantageous tender is selected in each case. My Department has a billing arrangement under the contract for an agreed set bundle cost per user, which covers mobile phone calls, texts and pooled data. This prevents users from exceeding their own bundle and incurring higher costs for non-bundle calls, texts or data. In addition, all users are precluded from sending premium texts and appropriate roaming settings are applied for officials travelling abroad for work.
137. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff in his Department by gender and pay grade in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47951/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the information sought cannot be provided in the time allowed. As soon as the information has been collated I will write to the Deputy on the matter.
|
Female |
- |
|
Secretary General |
0 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
2 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
2 |
|
Director |
2 |
|
Principal Officer |
32 |
|
Assistant Principal |
77 |
|
Administrative Officer |
12 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
107 |
|
Executive Officer |
209 |
|
Clerical Officer |
363 |
|
Service Officer |
10 |
|
816 |
|
|
Male |
|
|
Secretary General |
1 |
|
Deputy Secretary |
0 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
7 |
|
Director |
1 |
|
Principal Officer |
36 |
|
Assistant Principal |
75 |
|
Administrative Officer |
20 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
79 |
|
Executive Officer |
148 |
|
Clerical Officer |
247 |
|
Service Officer |
22 |
|
636 |
138. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the political advisers used by Ministers and Ministers of State in his Department since the commencement of this Government; the commencement and cessation dates in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47968/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMs. Sarah Kavanagh and Ms. Caroline Murphy are currently employed as special advisers in my Department. Ms. Kavanagh serves as a political and policy adviser and Ms. Murphy serves as a communications adviser.
Ms. Kavanagh was appointed on 15 June 2017, following my appointment as Minister for Justice and Equality. Ms. Murphy was appointed on 10 April, 2018, replacing Mr. Tom Fabozzi who served as a special adviser in my Department from 15 June 2017 until 6 April 2018.
Having regard to the significant legislative programme that I am responsible for, Mr. Robert Bourke BL was appointed to the position of legal adviser in my Department from March to December 2018.
During the period of office of Ms. Frances Fitzgerald as Minister for Justice and Equality, Ms. Marion Mannion, Mr. Stephen O’Shea and Mr. Matthew Lynch served as special advisers. All were appointed in May 2016 and served in their respective roles until June 2017.
There are no special advisers appointed to the Minister of State in my Department, Mr. David Stanton T.D.
Mr. Pat Breen T.D. is the Minister for State for Data Protection at my Department and the Department of the Taoiseach. He is also Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Mr. Finian McGrath T.D. is the Minister of State with my Department with special responsibility for Disability issues. He is also Minister of State at the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department of Health.
The staffing arrangements in respect of both Minister of State Breen and Minister of State McGrath are the responsibility of their respective parent Departments.
139. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda cars, jeeps and motorcycles attached to the Garda Dublin north roads policing unit as of 31 December 2018 and 12 November 2019, in tabular form; if the number of Garda vehicles allocated to the unit has decreased over the past few years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47979/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the allocation and efficient use of Garda resources.
I have requested the relevant information from the Commissioner and I will write to the Deputy directly when I receive it.
140. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of times the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy Steering Group has meet in 2018 and to date 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47995/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to improving the quality of life of members of the Travelling community. As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2017, I published the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017 - 2021 (NTRIS). The Strategy represents a whole of Government approach to bring about meaningful change and progress for the Traveller and Roma community in Ireland. It brings government departments and agencies together along with representatives of both Traveller and Roma communities to bring a focus to the issues which affect them most in a structured way.
I chair the quarterly meetings of the NTRIS Steering Group, which held its most recent meeting on 16 October, 2019. The Group met three times in 2018 (March, July and October) and four times in 2019 (January, April, July and October).
141. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of complaints of bullying and sexual harassment, respectively received by his Department in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form. [48041/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Justice and Equality is committed to protecting dignity and respect across the organisation and adheres to the Dignity at Work Policy, an anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Civil Service which is available at https://hr.per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/here.pdf
This Policy aims to promote respect, dignity, safety, and equality in the workplace, and sets out several core principles, including:
- Every member of staff has a right to work in an environment free from bullying, harassment and sexual harassment;
- Each individual has a responsibility to ensure that his/her behaviour reflects a culture of dignity and respect;
- All complaints or queries raised in respect of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment will be treated seriously, fairly and in confidence.
The Policy also sets out procedures as to how complaints and queries are handled, and highlights the use of mediation as a valuable tool in addressing issues where appropriate.
During the period referred to by the Deputy, the Department has received and investigated six complaints, broken down by year in the following table.
|
Number of complaints |
|
|
2016 |
0 |
|
2017 |
1 |
|
2018 |
2 |
|
2019 |
3 |
142. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of outstanding bench warrants as of 14 November 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48047/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked An Garda Síochána to provide information in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy. The information requested is detailed and it was not possible to complete the task in the time available. I have requested the Commissioner to provide me with this information and I will provide it directly to the Deputy once it is received.
143. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda cars and vans attached to each Garda district in the Donegal Garda division as of 31 December 2018 and 11 November 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48059/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached record levels, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion and this is increasing further to an unprecedented €1.882 billion for 2020.
Very significant capital investment is also being made in An Garda Síochána. €10 million was made available for the Garda fleet this year. A further €9million will be provided next year as part of an overall investment of €46 million in the Garda fleet between 2016 and 2021. I am informed that this year's funding is being used for the purchase and fit-out of over 300 vehicles. My intention is that a further €1 million funding for the fleet will be included in additional funding to be provided to the Garda Vote before the end of the year.
It is important to be clear that under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner has responsibility for management of An Garda Síochána. He is responsible for the allocation and efficient use of Garda resources, in light of operational demands. As Minister I have no direct role in these matters. I understand however that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review, to ensure their optimum use.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that a total of 65 vehicles were assigned to the Garda fleet in Donegal Division as at 31 December 2018; and a total of 62 vehicles were assigned to the Garda fleet in Donegal Division as at 18 November 2019. The following table, provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the breakdown of those totals by category of vehicle and District.
|
District |
2018 |
2018 |
2019 (as of 11 November) |
2019 (as of 11 November) |
|
Cars |
Vans |
Cars |
Vans |
|
|
Ballyshannon |
14 |
4 |
16 |
3 |
|
Buncrana |
10 |
2 |
9 |
2 |
|
Letterkenny |
19 |
6 |
19 |
6 |
|
Milford |
8 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
The Deputy may also wish to be aware that a further 12 vehicles are due to be allocated in the near future to the North West Region in which Donegal is located.
144. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons in the asylum process that were granted programme refugee status, convention refugee status, subsidiary protection, permission to remain under the International Protection Act 2015 and leave to remain under section B of the Immigration Act 1999 at first instance and final decision stage, respectively to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48063/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that my Department does not grant Programme Refugee Status so I am unable to provide figures on this. Programme Refugees who come to Ireland do so at the invitation of the Irish government. They are interviewed by my officials and undergo security screening through an Garda Síochána prior to their arrival in the State and arrive with status as refugees already granted.
Figures in relation to convention refugee status, subsidiary protection and permission to remain under the International Protection Act 2015 at first instance and final decision stage are set out in the table below. Permissions granted under Section 3 of the Immigration act 1999 do not have first instance decisions just a final decision.
|
2019 (to the end of October*) |
Recommendations to grant Refugee Status |
Recommendations to grant Subsidiary Protection |
Decisions to grant Permission to Remain under the International protection Act 2015 |
Decisions to Granted Permission to Remain under the International Protection Act following review |
Permissions granted under Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 |
|
First Instance |
597 |
117 |
242 |
141 |
|
|
Final Decision Stage |
657 |
56 |
267 |
* Figures for October are provisional. While the statistics are correct at time of issuing, they may change due to data cleansing. Final decisions made by my Department relate only to decisions made in the year not when the application was made.
145. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of employees of his Department that were dismissed in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date 2019; the reason for the dismissal of each employee; the number of employees suspended in the same period; and the reason for the suspension of each in tabular form. [48076/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraCompliance with the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour is a condition of employment within the Department of Justice and Equality. When a concern arises about the conduct or performance of an individual, their line manager will initially address it as a management issue through discussion and appropriate assistance.
If no resolution is reached, or, where more serious circumstances arise, the Civil Service Disciplinary Code (Circular 19/2016) is applied. This Code outlines the procedure for dealing with disciplinary matters, including grounds for dismissal in the Civil Service and is available online at:
https://hr.per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Circular-19-of-2016-Civil-Service-Disciplinary-Code.pdf
New entrants to the Civil Service are appointed on the basis of a one-year probationary contract. If the new entrant does not reach the required standards during this period, the termination of their contract is carefully considered. The legislative provisions governing probation are set out in the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 (as amended).
Since 2016, there have been nine dismissals from my Department, as outlined in the table below. Given the small number of individuals in question, it is not possible to set out the reasons for dismissal in these cases, as to do so may lead to a disclosure of personal information with respect to identifiable individuals.
There were no suspensions during the period referred to.
|
Number of staff dismissed by year |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
* 2019 |
|
Total |
1 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
|
* to-date 18/11/19 |
|
|
|
|
