Written Answers Nos. 183-194
184. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport the steps that she is taking to increase the frequency of buses on the 226 Cork Airport to Kinsale route to reflect the growing demand on this popular route for residents and tourists.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31775/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling of those services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators, in this case Bus Éireann.In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question regarding the frequency of buses on the 226 Cork Airport to Kinsale route, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
185. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Finance the details of the car and driver expenses in his Department that were claimed by Ministers and Ministers of State in 2021, in tabular form. [31392/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe below table provides the details of the car-related expenses of each of the two Minister's in the Department of Finance in 2021.
|
Minister |
Claimant Name |
Claim Value |
Claim Year |
|
Minister for Finance |
Paschal Donohoe |
€7,070.75 |
2021 |
|
Minister of State |
Sean Fleming |
€15,227.26 |
2021 |
186. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has been engaged in the licensing and development of further banking services through the post office network utilising its approximately 900 retail outlets given that the network has signalled for a number of years its declining revenue horizon which resulted in the Government recently committing €30 million over three years to support same. [31005/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is a matter for my colleague the Minister of Environment, Climate and Communications as An Post is a body under his remit.
However, as you may be aware An Post is authorised by the Minister for Finance to provide payment services and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland in the provision of these services. An Post is authorised under S.I. No. 170/2016 - Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 (Section 67) Order 2016. An Post is also authorised as a credit intermediary by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
For the Deputy’s information, An Post offers counter services for AIB, allowing customers to lodge and withdraw cash at An Post branches. Bank of Ireland has also has a partnership with An Post to provide a range of banking services. These are commercial arrangements between the banks in question and An Post.
The changes currently underway in the Irish retail banking sector are a reflection of the wider challenges the banking sector is facing, not only in Ireland but also abroad. It is because of these changes that I have instructed my Department to undertake a broad-ranging review of the retail banking sector, which is currently taking place.
A public consultation is open on the Department’s website where members of the public can make a submission to the Department of Finance on issues that fall within the Terms of Reference by 08 of July.
187. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the immediate steps that his Department is taking to ensure that those with thatched properties can obtain insurance; the supports that are available to owners of thatched properties in cases in which they are currently unable to obtain insurance to ensure that they can insure their properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31522/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, it is important to note that neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can intervene in the provision or pricing of insurance products, which is a commercial matter for insurance providers. This is expressly prohibited by the EU’s Solvency II framework. However, I can assure the Deputy that Government is committed to improving the cost and availability of insurance for all consumers, businesses and community groups. This includes niche sectors such as thatched properties.
The whole-of-Government approach being taken through the Action Plan for Insurance Reform sets out 66 actions which aim to improve both the cost and availability of this key financial service. The Second Implementation Report shows that 80 per cent of these actions have been delivered. Government’s focus will now move to delivering the remaining elements.
One of the signature achievements of the reform agenda is the implementation of the Personal Injury Guidelines, which significantly reduce awards for a range of injuries, particularly of soft tissue. At the same time, the Department is working with the IDA to broaden the supply of insurance in the market, including in areas which have been identified as ‘pinch-points’, such as that highlighted by the Deputy. The IDA has commenced a multi-phased engagement process with targeted overseas underwriters and will seek to leverage the developments of the Government insurance reform agenda to date.
I have previously raised the issue of thatched roof properties with both Insurance Ireland and Brokers Ireland in meetings with them. Brokers Ireland has informed me that it has a dedicated information service for people having insurance issues with their thatched roof properties and has established a special email address to deal with these queries, which is thatchedroofqueries@brokersireland.ie
Details on available support schemes for thatched properties, such as the thatching grant, are best addressed to the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Under Action 6 of the government strategy A Living Tradition: a strategy to enhance the understanding, minding and handing on of our built vernacular heritage published in December 2021, the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will be conducting a consultation on the issues relating to the insurance of thatched properties in Ireland. This will investigate and work to resolve the issue of affordability and availability of insurance for thatched buildings.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to assure the Deputy that securing a more sustainable and competitive market through deepening and widening the supply of insurance in Ireland remains a key policy priority for this Government and that I will continue to work towards this objective with my colleagues.
188. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Finance his views on meeting the target of 2.5 million persons at work by 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24915/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra189. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if he will comment on the Government's efforts to reach full employment in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25096/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra190. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Finance when he expects that Ireland will reach full employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25203/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra191. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance his views on the progress that has been made by Ireland at achieving full employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24913/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 189, 190 and 191 together.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on Ireland’s labour market, with the number of persons in receipt of some form of state income assistance exceeding half a million as recently as the first quarter of last year. However, as a result of the strength of the policy supports introduced by the Government to protect incomes, jobs and firms, the labour market has been at the forefront of a remarkable recovery in Ireland’s economy following the pandemic.
The number of people at work has increased to a new record, with more than 2½ million people in employment in the first quarter of this year, with an associated headline unemployment rate of 5 per cent in the same period. This has resulted in the level of employment increasing by 160,000 since the first quarter in 2020 as the pandemic reached our shores. Encouragingly this is the result of much stronger labour force participation particularly among females, with more than 100,000 additional women in the workforce compared to the first quarter of 2020. The most recent labour market figures are a remarkable achievement that has occurred more rapidly than expected. Indeed the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, published only last year, set an employment target of 2½ million by 2024. Clearly the ambitious policies set out in that Plan along with those introduced during the pandemic had a much more rapid impact than anticipated.
Looking at the latest data, the momentum in the labour market has continued into the second quarter, with the unemployment rate standing at 4.7 per cent in May, the lowest rate since 2006. The labour market appears to be at, or very close to, full employment. Of course challenges remain, with not all sectors back to pre-pandemic levels of employment, while shortages are emerging in many others. Government is very conscious of these issues and will seek to orientate labour market policies towards growing sectors and in-demand skills.
In sum, it is clear that the labour market has recovered strongly to date, and that the Government’s labour market policy response - effectively maintaining the employer-employee link to prevent labour market scarring - has paved the way in this respect. Of course I am very conscious that risks to the outlook remain heavily tilted to the downside, not least the continued international uncertainty and the potential for further fallout from the invasion of Ukraine, particularly as regards energy and other commodity prices. However as we face into this uncertain outlook we do so from a position of strength.
192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the degree to which the Government continues to combat inflation of energy and other commodities in any current or proposed meetings at EU level. [27718/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt both the ECOFIN and Eurogroup meetings, my fellow Ministers and I work alongside the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) to take stock of the latest economic situation, including inflation developments throughout the EU.
As the Deputy is aware, the ECB is an independent institution with a mandate to maintain price stability, defined as around 2 per cent over the medium-term.
In response to inflationary pressures, the ECB is preparing to end net asset purchases under its asset purchase programme as of 1 July, raise key interest rates by 25 basis points at its July monetary policy meeting, raise key interest rates again in September, and anticipates a gradual but sustained path of further increases in interest rates thereafter.
In addition, at an EU level, the Commission has issued a Communication on Tackling Rising Energy Prices , and the matter was discussed at various Council configurations. The Communication emphasises the broad nature of the impact and policy response.
In May, the EU published the RePowerEU Plan with the dual objective of ending the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and tacking the climate crisis. Ireland broadly welcome the proposals, particularly on the need to ramp-up investment in cross border energy infrastructure, including electricity interconnection. We continue to engage proactively at an EU level to consider and discuss the proposals in detail.
In addition, through my position as President of the Eurogroup, I have prioritised discussions on energy prices, inflation and the implications for growth at Eurogroup meetings. I also briefed European leaders at the March Euro Summit on the economic situation, and invited the director of the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators to attend and speak at Eurogroup on energy prices.
From a domestic perspective, the Government recognises the challenges of rising price pressures and has responded to help to ease the impact on businesses and households, particularly those on low incomes. On a cumulative basis, €2.4 billion has been announced in cost of living measures to date. This includes excise duty reductions, an energy credit and fuel allowance payments.
194. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if measures are considered to ensure that reductions in claim costs are passed onto consumers in the form of lower premiums resulting from the adopted personal injuries guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26131/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, it is important to note that neither I, nor the Central Bank, have the power to direct insurers to sell any specific product, or to make it available at a particular price. This is reinforced by the EU Solvency II directive which expressly prohibits Government from doing so. As the Deputy is aware, the Personal Injuries Guidelines came into force in April 2021 and materially reduced award levels for many categories of common injuries. Latest data from PIAB indicates that on average award levels are 42 per cent lower than under the previous Book of Quantum. Furthermore, 72 per cent of awards are now under €15,000, while 49 per cent are under €10,000. Consequently, a number of common injuries will move to the jurisdiction of the District rather than the Circuit Court, thus reducing associated legal fees. The Guidelines also provide guidance in relation to injuries previously not included in the Book of Quantum and will be used by both the PIAB and the judiciary.
They should therefore help to bring more certainty to the process, and as such reinforce the benefits of using PIAB, which should further reduce the costs of claims. Notwithstanding this, I understand there are a number of legal cases ongoing at the moment which are impacting on the finalisation of awards. Minister Fleming has met the CEOs of the main insurance firms on a number of occasions to discuss the Government’s expectation that insurers will reflect the decrease in award levels through reduced premiums, as part of the Government’s commitment to ensure that savings of the insurance reform agenda are passed onto customers.Another key development with regard to insurance costs has been the Central Bank’s decision to prohibit price-walking from 1 July 2022. This is a form of dual pricing whereby customers are charged higher premiums relative to the expected costs the longer they remain with an insurance provider. This ban is a balanced approach that will protect customers who prefer to stay with their current provider from being subject to a ‘loyalty penalty’, while still allowing customers to benefit from discounts from new providers. Other actions which aim to assist in lowering costs include measures to reduce fraud, enacting legislation making perjury easier to prosecute, as well as efforts by the Office to Promote Competition in the Insurance Market to attract new providers. Work is also continuing across Government to drive forward the outstanding aspects of the Action Plan for Insurance Reform, including: further changes intended to reduce costs such as strengthening PIAB; and reforming the duty of care. It is my belief that the overall implementation of the Action Plan should help to improve both the cost and availability of insurance. Recent data from the Central Statistics Office shows that average private motor insurance prices have fallen by 41 per cent since their peak in July 2016, and it is my hope that these ongoing reforms will bolster this downward trend in the wider insurance market, to the benefit of consumers, businesses and community groups.
